Glacier Hike
+ Ice Cave Adventure
Duration
5 Hours
Minimum Age
10 Years Old
Season
Winter
Group Size
1 - 10
Price from
40,000 ISK
Top Attractions
Vatnajökull National Park
Glacier Lagoon
Glacier Walk
Blue Ice Cave
4×4 driving
5
Photos
Per Person
Included
Photos
Per Person
Included
Meet us Here
Glacier Lagoon
í Hornafirði, Jökulsárlón, Glacier Lagoon, 781 Höfn.
Please note that the meeting point is a 5h drive from Reykjavík.
5
Photos
Per Person
Included
Photos
Per Person
Included
Meet us Here
Glacier Lagoon
í Hornafirði, Jökulsárlón, Glacier Lagoon, 781 Höfn.
Please note that the meeting point is a 5h drive from Reykjavík.
40,000 ISK
per person
Overview
We cannot wait to take you on the Glacier Hike and Ice Cave adventure! Your guide will drive you to Vatnajokull Glacier via a super jeep to begin your adventure. After a hike through an alien-like glacial tundra, we will arrive at the edge of the glacier where your guide will assist you in putting your crampons on. Geared up, we will explore both the lower and upper ice caves where your photographer will capture you inside these natural wonders.
Once through the lower cave, we will gear up for our hike on the glacier. With crampons on, we will hike to many different formations on the glacier including our famous crystal crevasses. The visuals you will see all around you will create an unimaginable experience as your photographer captures you amongst it. This tour involves approximately 5 to 6 km of hiking in total and is considered to require a moderate level of fitness.
At the end of your tour, we will edit your photo and you will get a photo package in ~14 days as the perfect souvenir to remember your epic adventure in Iceland!
Optional Add-On: Pickup/Drop-off out of Reykjavik is available for an additional 225,000 ISK per group. Adding this on will make the tour private we well. Pickup time would be ~7 am from your accommodation and the duration of the tour would change to approx. 15 hours. When this option is available it will be visible once you click ‘continue’ at the checkout.
Your Journey
Itinerary
You will meet your guide at the Glacier Lagoon parking lot in Vatnajokull National Park. The official address for this location is: í Hornafirði, Jökulsárlón, Glacier Lagoon, 781 Höfn or you can simply type in ‘Ice Pic Journeys’ in Google Maps and we will come up. It is important to be aware that this is a 5-hour drive from Reykjavik so it is always recommended to stay at an accommodation closer to this meeting point.
It is best to arrive 15 minutes before your scheduled tour so you can use the restrooms since there will be none at the glacier. Your guide will be right across from the restrooms in the bus parking lot. You can look for the ‘Ice Pic Journeys’ logo on our 4×4 vehicle amongst the other companies.
Drive in 4×4 to Vatnajokull Glacier
From the Glacier Lagoon parking lot, you will hop aboard one of our 4×4 vehicles and head towards the glacier. About 10 minutes into your journey, you will turn off onto an F-Road and make the bumpy journey toward the glacier. From the road to the glacier parking lot, this will take roughly 20-30 minutes to reach. As you drive, your guide will teach you the history of the surrounding area as you enjoy a scenic ride through an ancient glacier plain.
Hike to the Ice Cave
Once you arrive at the glacier parking lot, your guide will begin handing out your gear for the tour. This includes crampons, an ice axe, a harness, a helmet with a headlamp, and hiking boots if you rented them. Once everyone has their gear, you will take a 30-minute hike to the edge of the glacier. The hike is relatively easy for most and will have you walking on flat, yet slightly rocky ground the entire way. We will always go at the pace of our guests so you can take your time and enjoy the walk as your guide leads the way.
Arriving at the Crystal Ice Cave
Upon arriving at the edge of the glacier, you will be greeted with a massive cavern in front of you with a river running underneath it. You have finally reached our Crystal Ice Cave! This cave varies each year in its shape, location, and size. This is because the cave is always melting away and reforming naturally during the summertime. That is why you will always get a unique experience when going into it because it will never be the same as it was on that day.
Before entering the cave, your guide will help you put on your crampons. After your guide instructs you on how to put them on, your guide will go over a safety briefing about walking on the glacier and exploring the cave. It’s important to understand and follow these rules and to ask any questions that you may have before stepping foot on the ice.
Exploring the Crystal Ice Cave
Entering the ice cave will be an unreal and otherworldly experience for most people. Your eyes will slowly adjust to the crystal blue walls of the cave and showcase its hidden beauty. As your guide leads you deeper into the ice cave, they will take their camera and photograph you in the best locations and angles. Having explored and photographed these caves hundreds of times, they will have the best insight at getting you amazing photos while you relax and enjoy the cave without worry.
As you are enjoying the ice cave, your guide will teach you about its formation and composition. Normally, these caves will have multiple chambers that you will be able to explore as you go deeper into the cave, however, this can vary from year to year. After everyone is happy with their photos and experience inside the cave, we will exit and make our way onto the glacier.
Glacier Hike
Next, you will put your crampons into the ice and make your way onto Breiðamerkurjökull Glacier. Hiking on the ice is definitely a unique feeling and may take some getting used to but by the end of the tour, you won’t want to take your crampons off! As you hear the crunch below you, you will march forward and follow your guide up the glacier toward the direction of our beautiful crystal crevasses. Throughout this, your guide will show you different formations on the glacier known as moulins or deep glacial holes. All while admiring the barren landscape around you, you will feel like you are in a different world.
Exploring our Crystal Crevasses
From seemingly out of nowhere, you will come upon a slope in the ice leading down into a massive ice canyon. This is where you will find out crystal crevasses. You will soon understand why it is called this as you make your way into the deep icy labyrinth. The best part is that the deeper you go into it, the more crystal blue it gets until you get to a point where you are in a world entirely made of blue. This is a major highlight of the tour and you will need a good amount of time to take it all in.
After about an hour of exploring the crevasse formations, you will head back up the slope and off the glacier knowing that you are one of the few that got to experience something so special here in Iceland.
Return to the Glacier Lagoon
You will finish the tour with a hike back to the glacier parking lot and a 30-minute drive back to the Glacier Lagoon where you will say goodbye to your guide and have memories of an amazing day inside the Vatnajokull National Park.
What's Included
- Small Groups – Limit of just 10 people per guide
- Certified Glacier Guide and Professional Photographer
- Glacier Equipment: helmet, harness, crampons
- 5 Shot Photo Package Included (Per Person)
What's Excluded
- Food and Drinks
What to Bring
-
Hiking Boots
Water resistant is preferred. Rentals are available under extras.
-
Water Bottle
(You will have many spots to fill it up with glacier water)
-
Proper Seasonal Clothing
Warm layers for freezing or wet conditions. Warm hat, gloves and sunglasses.
-
Waterproof Jacket & Pants
Rentals are available under extras.
Optional to Rent
-
Hiking Boots
2,000 ISK
-
Rain Pants
2,000 ISK
-
Yellow Jacket
3,000 ISK
Optional to Buy
-
Hat
3,000 ISK
-
Extra Photos
1,000 ISK each
Please Note
- Participants must be in reasonably good health to embark on the tour they have booked. Pregnant individuals are not permitted on tours.
- Our standard age requirement for our Ice Cave tours is 8 years old. For our Glacier Hikes , Glacier Ziplines,and private ice climbing tours the minimum age is 10 .
- Ice caves are a dynamic ever-changing natural phenomenon. Each year, old ice caves melt and new ice caves appear. Photos that you see of the cave at any given time on our website or any social media will not necessarily mean that is what you will necessarily experience on your tour. This makes each experience unique and special for our guests.
- This tour involves roughly 10km of total hiking. The first half of the terrain is very flat yet rocky and is relatively easy for a person of average fitness. The second half is hiking on the glacier which goes up a gradual incline for about 20 minutes. The overall hike is rated as easy with some areas of moderate exercise.
- Beware: It will be colder than you think up on the glacier. Therefore, it is very important that you have dress appropriately for our Glacier Tour. As it’s windy and exposed on the glacier.
- A minimum of 2 slots is required to run the Glacier Hike Experience.
- The minimum age for this tour is 10 years old in the winter and 8 years old in the summer.
- Photo packages may sometimes take more or less than 14 days to edit. This is just our average turnaround time.
- Also be aware that if there is a request to have specific photos from the day, advance notice via email is required before the editing process begins.
- Our Cancellation Policy can be found here. Also, check out our FAQ page if you have further questions!
- Children on Tours: Our IPJ team has specific policies concerning children, please reference our Terms and Conditions. Be aware, we require parents to bring car seats / booster seats to be put in our 4×4 vehicles before the departure time (please arrive early). Additionally, we also require parents to ensure their children are under control, calm, and listen to our guide’s directions at all times.
Your Journey
Gallery
