Höfn: Glacier Hike & Ice Cave Adventure to Vatnajökull

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.

Winter Glacier Hike + Ice Cave Adventure

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.