Höfn: Private | Early Bird Ice Cave

Get to the Crystal Ice Cave before all of the other companies and experience the serenity! Our Early Bird Ice Cave Tour has you waking up before everyone else and setting off toward the glacier to welcome the day. Your guide will lead you onto Vatnajokull Glacier and have you arriving at a much quieter ice cave with few to no people inside of it. Being one of the first to arrive at the ice cave allows you to enjoy a more personal experience with the ice. On top of that, your guide and photographer will be able to get that magical photograph of you inside the cave without the photobombing. Throughout the tour, you will learn about the history of Vatnajokull Glacier and how the ice works in Icelandic nature.

After the tour ends, your guide will professionally edit your photos and email them to you within 14 days. These photos will be the perfect souvenir and memory of your adventure in Iceland!

Optional: Pickup and drop-off from Reykjavík are available for an additional fee.

Early Bird Ice Cave

Meeting with your Guide

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 you will need to stay at an accommodation closer to this meeting point.

Please arrive 15–20 minutes early to prepare for the tour and use the restrooms since they 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. Departure will be precisely at 10:30 am (until January 20th) or at 12:00 am (after January 21st) so it is  important to arrive on time or you may miss the tour. This is to ensure that we have ample time in the cave before the larger company’s groups start arriving.

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. The equipment includes a helmet with a headlamp, and hiking boots if your rented them. Depending on the weather conditions, we might have to use crampons, an ice axe and a harness. Once everyone has their gear, you will be taken to the Ice Cave. 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 if necessary. Not all caves require wearing these since many lie underneath the ice on rocky ground. Still, this will vary from year  to year. After your crampons are on, your guide will go over safety  instructions when exploring the cave. It’s important to understand and follow these rules and to ask any questions that you may have before entering.

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. If you are lucky and it’s a clear day, you may also see the sun rising with its first light hitting  the walls of the cave, a truly magical experience.

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, we will exit the cave and make our way back to the glacier parking lot.

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 of Vatnajokull National Park.

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 .

• Arriving at an ice cave early never guarantees that we will be the only company or group there. Going earlier just gives us greater chances of having far fewer people inside the cave since most companies do not operate until 9 am or later.

• 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 experience on your tour. This makes each experience unique and special for our guests.

• This Early Bird Ice Cave tour involves roughly 1-1.5 hours of total hiking. The terrain is very flat yet rocky and is relatively easy for a person of average fitness.

• 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.