Join a certified glacier guide for a 3-5 hour hike on Falljökull, an outlet glacier of Vatnajökull, departing from Skaftafell in Vatnajökull National Park. All technical gear — crampons, helmet, harness, and ice axe — is provided, with small group options capped at 8-14 hikers.
Free Cancellation 3.5-hour guided glacier hike on Falljökull with a certified guide, gear included, minimum age 10.
Free Cancellation Three-hour guided hike on a Vatnajökull outlet glacier with a certified guide, gear, and coffee included.
Free Cancellation 3-hour glacier hike capped at 8 people, with a 4x4 drive to the ice and AIMG-certified guides.
Free Cancellation 4.5-hour small-group glacier hike from Skaftafell, max 8 people, gear and certified guide included.
Free Cancellation 4-hour small-group glacier hike and blue ice cave trip from Skaftafell with a certified guide.
Free Cancellation 5-hour glacier hike on Falljökull with a professional guide, safety gear, coffee and chocolates included.
Free Cancellation 5-hour small-group glacier hike on Falljökull with a certified guide, gear and 4x4 transfer included.
Free Cancellation 4-hour small-group hike on Falljökull outlet glacier, with 4x4 transfer from Skaftafell and all glacier gear.
Free Cancellation 4-hour small-group glacier hike and blue ice cave visit on Vatnajökull, with 4x4 transport from Skaftafell.
Free Cancellation 4.5-hour small-group glacier hike (max 8) from Skaftafell with 4x4 transfer and gear included. AIMG-certified guides lead this 4h30 tour, capped at 8 people, with a 4x4 driving you right up to the ice — so more of your time goes to hiking rather than the approach walk. All four hours on the glacier are spent pushing further in than most tours manage, aiming for the ice fall of Falljökull, an outlet glacier of Vatnajökull. Crampons, helmet, harness, and ice axe are all provided, and the guide carries them in the 4x4 so you don't lug gear on the walk in. Tours run in Czech and English. From June through August there's an evening departure, which lands on the ice when most other groups have gone home — it's noticeably quieter then. Cancel at least 24 hours before departure for a full refund.
Read what travelers share about their experience visiting Skaftafell Glacier — from practical tips to personal highlights.
Every glacier hike from Skaftafell puts you on Falljökull, an outlet glacier of Vatnajökull, with a certified guide and a harness, helmet, crampons and ice axe. Skaftafellsjökull itself retreated too far to walk on — it now ends in a lake — so operators run trips on the neighbouring ice tongue instead. Most tours last 3 to 5 hours, meet at Skaftafell Base Camp or the visitor-centre parking lot, and require no prior experience.
After a gear fitting and a short safety briefing, you clip into crampons and step onto the glacier. Guides lead past deep crevasses and vertical moulins — shafts where meltwater pours into the ice. The ice is ancient, dense and blue, and you'll hear it shift under your feet.
All tours are led by certified guides, many trained by the Association of Icelandic Mountain Guides (AIMG). They read the ice daily, choose a safe route around hazards, and explain how the glacier moves and retreats as you go. English is standard; at least two operators also guide in Czech.
On several tours a 4x4 or minibus drives you from Skaftafell to the foot of the glacier, so nearly all your booked hours are spent on the ice rather than walking the moraine to reach it. This matters on the 4- and 5-hour trips, where the extra transport buys distance up the tongue.
From roughly October 1 to April 30, 4-hour combination tours pair a glacier hike with a natural blue ice cave. The caves reform in a new spot each autumn, and the current one is a canyon-style formation with no roof — the best option in Iceland if tight spaces bother you.
Group sizes range from 14 hikers per guide on standard tours down to 8 on small-group trips. The extra-small options cost more but get more attention from the guide and a steadier pace. Kids from age 8 can join most hikes; a few longer tours require 14 and up.
Your guide will point out the evidence: Skaftafellsjökull has pulled back an average of 53 m per year since 1999, and the foreland you cross to reach the ice holds moraines that record every pause. Falljökull is still walking-distance ice, but the story here is one of measurable, visible change.
Tours from Skaftafell are all guided — unguided travel on glacier ice is dangerous and not permitted — and they differ mainly in group size, duration and season. A few requirements catch people out, so read this before you pay.
Choose from 3-hour standard hikes, 3.5- to 4.5-hour small-group trips capped at 8-14 people, and 5-hour extended treks that push further up Falljökull than the shorter routes. Winter adds 4-hour ice-cave-and-hike combinations running October 1 to April 30. There are no audio tours or unguided options on the ice.
Glacier hikes and ice-cave tours from Skaftafell Base Camp sell out regularly in summer, and June-August departures fill first. The half-day tours also include a June evening departure, which is easier to get. Reserve before you leave home, especially July.
Entry to Vatnajökull National Park is free — there is no entrance ticket. You pay a regional parking fee instead (ISK 1,110 for a passenger car, valid until midnight), collected via the Parka app, machines or automatic licence-plate photo. Visit Jökulsárlón the same day and the second area's fee is 50% off.
Minimum ages range from 8 on most tours (Blue Ice Discovery requires 10) to 14 on the longer 4.5- and 5-hour treks. Crampons only fit EU shoe sizes 35-50, so small children's feet or very large sizes can disqualify a hiker. Check both before booking.
Harness, helmet, crampons and ice axe are always included; boots and rain gear are not. Waterproof hiking boots with hard soles and ankle support are mandatory, and jeans are banned on the ice. Rentals run about ISK 1,500 for boots and ISK 1,000 per rain-gear item — cheaper to bring your own.
Glacier hikes are not wheelchair accessible and most require at least moderate fitness, walking 3 km or more over uneven terrain. The S1 glacier-viewpoint loop (4.1 km, easy) and the visitor centre are good alternatives for anyone who can't join the ice. Holders of an Icelandic P-parking card can email the park for a parking-fee exemption.
All ten tours listed here offer a full refund if you cancel at least 24 hours before departure. Weather cancellations by the operator are refunded, but arriving late usually forfeits the tour — operators state plainly that no refund is given if you miss departure. Arrive 10-20 minutes early; drives from Reykjavík take about 4.5 hours in good weather.
Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon and Diamond Beach sit 57 km east (45 minutes to an hour by car), and Fjaðrárgljúfur canyon is about an hour west near Kirkjubæjarklaustur. Höfn, Iceland's langoustine capital, is 130 km east and the natural overnight stop if you're continuing along the Ring Road.
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| Standard glacier hike (e.g. Blue Ice Glacier Hike) | 3-hour small-group hike (e.g. Troll Expeditions tour) | Extra-small group hike | Ice cave + glacier hike combo | Extended 5-hour expedition | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duration | 4 hours | 3 hours | 3 hours | 4 hours | 5 hours |
| Price from (USD) | $103.58 | $112.32 | $156 | $158.16 | $163.27 |
| Best for | First-timers and families on a budget; rated easy, about 3 km of walking | Travellers short on time who still want full gear and crevasse walking; includes coffee and chocolates | Photographers and cautious hikers who want a guide's full attention; guided in English or Czech | Winter visitors (Oct 1-Apr 30) who want blue ice inside and out; current cave has no roof | Fit hikers wanting to pass where shorter tours turn around, with ice falls and bigger crevasses; about 8 km of terrain |
| Group size / min age | Small-group guarantee; 8+ years, EU shoe size 35-50 | Max 14 per guide; 8+ years | Max 8 per guide; 4x4 to the ice edge | Small group; 8+ years, EU shoe size 35-50 | Small group; 14+ years, moderate fitness required |
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The park itself never closes. Trails, the glacier foreland and viewpoints are open year-round with no gate hours, and the parking fee covers the calendar day you pay (valid until midnight).
Skaftafellsstofa Visitor Centre is open all year, with hours that shift by season:
Guided tours run year-round. Summer offers the widest choice of departures, plus a June evening departure on at least one tour for midnight-sun hiking. Winter ice-cave-and-glacier combination tours run roughly October 1 to April 30, with departures around 9:00, 10:00, 13:30 and 14:00.
Arrive at your meeting point 10-20 minutes before departure. Late arrivals are usually turned away without a refund.
By car from Reykjavík: 327 km east on Route 1 (Ring Road), about 4-4.5 hours in good weather, past Vík and across the Skeiðarársandur outwash plain. Skaftafell is signposted at the end of road 998, with parking at the visitor centre. From Höfn it's 130 km west (1.5-2 hours); Kirkjubæjarklaustur is 69 km east of you the other way.
Parking: the fee is collected by automatic licence-plate photo and payable via the Parka app, machines or online. ISK 1,110 for a passenger car (5 seats or fewer), ISK 1,440 for 6-9 seats, ISK 2,770-9,400 for buses, ISK 450 for motorcycles.
By bus: Strætó route 51 runs Reykjavík (Mjódd) to Höfn via Vík and Skaftafell, daily in summer. One-way adult fare is ISK 13,200; ages 12-17, seniors and disabled pay ISK 6,600; children 0-11 ride free. Timetables are seasonal — check straeto.is before planning a car-free trip.
By guided coach: many South Coast day tours and multi-day packages include Skaftafell, with bus parking fees built into the price. Tour meeting points are at Skaftafell Base Camp, the visitor-centre parking lot or nearby Hof; some winter ice-cave tours meet at Hof.
June-August is prime time: daytime highs of 10-15°C, nearly 24-hour daylight around the June solstice, clear trails and green birch woodland. July is typically the warmest month and, with June, the most reliable. Summer also has the widest choice of tour departures.
November-February is the hardest window. Temperatures can drop below -10°C, daylight shrinks to roughly 4-5 hours, and ice makes trails like Svartifoss slippery. Storms close high routes such as Kristínartindar, and Ring Road driving can be hazardous.
Winter has one big draw: blue ice cave tours, October 1 to April 30, plus a real chance of aurora. Accept cold, short days and possible tour changes as the price.
Most visitors spend 2-4 hours here: the S1 glacier-viewpoint loop takes 1-1.5 hours and the Svartifoss walk about 2. Add a 3-hour glacier hike or a 4-hour ice-cave tour and you'll want a full day. The 18 km Kristínartindar circuit needs 6-8 hours on its own.
No glacier trail is barrier-free. The S1 viewpoint path is easy but gravel and moraine, and the Svartifoss route has wooden and stone steps. Glacier hikes themselves require moderate fitness on most tours and at least 3 km of walking over uneven terrain; they are not wheelchair accessible.
Older visitors who walk reasonably well can manage Skaftafell. The S1 loop (4.1 km, 1-1.5 hours) and the S7 Gömlutún trail (1.6 km, 0.5-1 hour) are rated Easy; Svartifoss (5.8 km return) is graded Easy+ but will tire weak knees.
Children are welcome off the ice — kids 16 and under camp free and ride Strætó buses free. Guided glacier hikes accept children from age 8 (age 10 on Blue Ice Discovery, 14 on the longest treks), with all technical gear provided.
The visitor centre and campsite have toilets for disabled visitors, and holders of the Icelandic P-parking card can request a parking-fee exemption by email in advance. Keep children away from the glacial river and the lake edge.
Skaftafellsstofa Visitor Centre is open all year, with rangers on hand, an exhibition room, a film about the south side of Vatnajökull National Park, maps, trail-condition updates and a souvenir shop focused on regional handicrafts. Rangers answer questions on trail conditions and weather free of charge (phone 470 8300).
The campsite sits between the visitor centre and the trailheads, walkable to both the glacier viewpoint and Svartifoss. It costs ISK 2,800 per person per night (ages 17-66), ISK 2,300 for seniors 67+ and disabled visitors, free for children 16 and under, with electricity at ISK 1,500 per 24 hours. Spots cannot be reserved — arrive early in July and August.
There's a café near the car park, plus toilets at the visitor centre and campsite, including accessible ones.
Gear rentals for tours happen at the meeting points: hiking boots about ISK 1,500 and rain gear ISK 1,000 per item. Note that campsite electricity hook-ups cannot be used to charge vehicles.
Never go on the ice unguided. Skaftafellsjökull now ends in a proglacial lake and tours use Falljökull instead; hidden crevasses, moulins and unstable ice are lethal without crampons, rope and a certified guide. Never enter ice caves, glacial rivers or the ice-margin lake on your own.
Dress rules on tours are firm: waterproof hiking boots with hard soles (needed for crampon fitting), waterproof jacket and trousers, gloves, hat, layered clothing. Jeans are not permitted on glacier treks. Boots and rain gear can usually be rented as extras.
Drones are banned across most of Skaftafell (Svartifoss, Skaftafellsheiði, Morsárdalur, Kjós, Skaftafellsfjöll). The only permitted zone is in front of Skaftafellsjökull, during seasonal windows — for example before 09:00 or after 18:00 between May 1 and September 15. A crashed drone must be collected and removed by its operator. Commercial filming and research photography need a park permit.
Other prohibitions: off-road driving (a serious offence under Icelandic law), parking outside designated areas, open fires except at marked spots, and camping or sleeping in a vehicle outside the designated campsite. Stay on marked trails and carry out everything you carry in.
No — Skaftafellsjökull has retreated so far that it now terminates in a proglacial lake, and no operator takes clients onto it. Tours instead hike Falljökull, a neighbouring outlet glacier of Vatnajökull, departing from Skaftafell Base Camp. You still get the full experience: crampons, crevasses, moulins and blue ice.
None at all. Most tours are rated easy to moderate and state they suit all fitness levels, with roughly 3 km of walking over uneven terrain. A certified guide fits your crampons and harness, sets the pace, and leads the whole route. Only the 4.5- and 5-hour tours ask for moderate fitness and a minimum age of 14.
Guides, safety gear (helmet, harness, crampons, ice axe) and usually transport to the ice edge are included. Hiking boots and rain gear are extra — roughly ISK 1,500 for boots and ISK 1,000 per rain-gear item at the meeting point. Parking at Skaftafell (ISK 1,110 per car) is separate, though some tours advertise free parking.
Most tours accept children from age 8, including the ice-cave combinations; Blue Ice Discovery requires 10, and the longer 4.5- and 5-hour treks require 14. Crampons only fit EU shoe sizes 35-50, which is the real limit for small children. Each adult may accompany only one child on several tours.
Waterproof hiking boots with hard soles and ankle support are mandatory — jeans are banned on the ice. Add a waterproof jacket and trousers, gloves, a hat and warm layers; the glacier is a few degrees colder and far windier than the car park. Sunglasses and sunscreen matter too, with strong glare off the ice.
Yes, between roughly October 1 and April 30. Four-hour combination tours spend time in crampons on the glacier plus a visit to a natural blue ice cave, with departures around 9:00, 10:00, 13:30 and 14:00. The caves reform in a new location each autumn, and the current canyon-style cave has no roof, which suits claustrophobic visitors.
Operator weather cancellations get you a refund or rebooking, and they'll email you — so check your inbox the night before and the morning of departure. If you cancel yourself, all listed tours give a full refund up to 24 hours before departure. Arriving late is different: operators state plainly that no refund is given if you miss departure.
Meeting points cluster at Skaftafell: Base Camp by the campsite, the Arctic Adventures booking hut in the visitor-centre parking lot, and the Troll Expeditions trailer about 150 m in front of the visitor centre. Some winter ice-cave tours meet at nearby Hof instead. Arrive 10-20 minutes early, and remember Reykjavík is about 4.5 hours away by car.
Usually yes if photography or nerves matter to you. Extra-small tours cap at 8 hikers per guide with AIMG-certified leaders (around $156 for 3 hours), versus up to 14 on standard trips ($103-112). The small groups move at your pace and get more guide time; if you just want to stand on a glacier cheaply, the standard tours do that fine.
Yes. The signed S1 Jökulslóð loop is 4.1 km, takes 1-1.5 hours at easy grade, and ends at a viewpoint facing the ice front across the glacial lake, with numbered markers explaining the retreat. You only pay the parking fee (ISK 1,110 per car). But walking on the ice itself always requires a certified guide.
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This 3.5-hour hike spends about 180 minutes walking on Falljökull, an outlet glacier of Vatnajökull, with a certified English-speaking guide. You meet in Skaftafell, gear up there, and head straight onto the ice. No experience needed — the route is easy, and the pace suits first-timers. Along the way you'll pass ice formations, crevasses, and the blue ice the outlet is known for, with stops for photos and a running explanation of how volcanic forces and climate shape the glacier. All glacier gear is included: helmet, crampons, and ice axe, plus the guide. Not included are gratuities and anything beyond the hike itself. Bring warm clothing, gloves, and hiking boots — both boots and rain gear can be rented on location if you show up without them. Arrive 20 minutes before departure. The minimum age is 10, and each adult can bring only one child. Cancel at least 24 hours ahead for a full refund.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
English
This is a three-hour hike up an outlet glacier of Vatnajökull, run in small groups capped at 14 people. A certified glacier guide leads the way, and all the technical gear is provided: helmet, harness, and ice axe. You get to walk through the ice formations and crevasses, and there's coffee and chocolate at some point along the way.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
English
Three hours on the ice, never more than 8 hikers per guide. That's the core of this trip: an extra-small group with AIMG-certified guides (Association of Icelandic Mountain Guides), and instruction in English or Czech. A 4x4 takes you all the way to the glacier edge, so almost none of your three hours goes to walking on gravel. More of the time is spent on the ice itself. Helmets, harness, crampons, and an ice axe are all included — you just need to show up dressed for it. From June through August there's an evening departure, timed after the day-trip crowds have cleared. Cancel at least 24 hours before departure for a full refund.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Czech, English
This 4.5-hour tour puts up to 8 hikers on one of Vatnajökull's outlet glaciers with a certified guide. Meet at Skaftafell Base Camp, next to the visitor center on the campsite, 20 minutes before departure. From there, a short minibus ride gets you near the ice, followed by a brief walk up to the glacier's edge. Before stepping on the ice, the guide fits you with crampons and an ice axe and walks you through how to use them. The hike itself covers about 4 hours on the glacier, passing ice sculptures, deep crevasses, and zones of different glacial formations. Difficulty is moderate. Guides run the tour in English. Departure times are 9am, 9:30am, 1pm, and 1:30pm. Included are the guide, minibus transport, and all glacier gear; bring your own warm clothing, rain gear, gloves, and hiking boots, or rent boots for 1,500 ISK and rain gear at 1,000 ISK per item. Minimum age is 14, and each adult may accompany only one child. Cancel at least 24 hours ahead for a full refund.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
English
Four hours on an outlet of Vatnajökull, split between hiking in crampons and time inside a blue ice cave. It's a small-group tour run by certified English-speaking glacier guides, who fit you with a harness, helmet, crampons, and ice axe and cover the ice formations as you go. The meeting point is at Troll Expeditions Skaftafell — arrive 20 minutes before departure, since latecomers can lose their place with no refund. Driving from Reykjavik takes about four and a half hours in good weather, so plan the day around that. Parking at the meeting point is free, and the tour hands out coffee and chocolates before you set off. Cancel at least 24 hours before departure for a full refund.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
English
Five hours on Falljökull — "The Falling Glacier", an outlet of Vatnajökull — makes this the longest hiking option among the standard Skaftafell departures. The extra time buys distance: the group pushes far up the ice, using various glacier techniques to get past where shorter tours turn around. Guides run the tour in English only. Included are the guide, all activities, all glacier safety gear, and coffee with chocolates on the ice. The "not included" list in the booking data is unspecified, so bring your own layered clothing, waterproofs, and sturdy boots rather than assuming anything. Meet 150 meters in front of the Skaftafell Visitor Center, at the trailer marked Tröll Expeditions, and arrive 20 minutes before departure. Searching "Tröll Expeditions Skaftafell" on Google Maps gets you the exact spot. Cancel at least 24 hours ahead for a full refund.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
English
Five hours on Falljökull, an outlet glacier of Vatnajökull, with a certified glacier guide and a small group guarantee. That's longer than the standard treks here, so you get further up the ice. A 4x4 bus takes you from the meeting point to the foot of the glacier, where the guide fits you with crampons, an ice axe, helmet, and harness — all included. From there it's a guided hike on Falljökull itself, with the guide covering the glacier's formation and history along the way. Guides run the tour in English. Meet at the Arctic Adventures Booking Hut on the Skaftafell National Park parking lot, just off the ring road on road #998 — about 4.5–5 hours east of Reykjavík and 1.5 hours west of Höfn. Bring your own food and water; nothing to eat or drink is provided. Cancel at least 24 hours before departure for a full refund.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
English
This 4-hour hike covers Falljökull, an outlet glacier of Vatnajökull, and it's built around one efficiency: a 4x4 bus drives you from Skaftafell to the foot of the glacier, so most of your time is spent on the ice rather than walking to it. A certified glacier guide leads the way in English, and the small group guarantee keeps numbers down. All the specialized gear is included — crampons, ice pick, harness, and helmet — so you only need to show up dressed for cold weather. The pace suits families and first-timers; no prior glacier experience is required. You meet at the Arctic Adventures Booking Hut in Skaftafell National Park, next to the Visitor Center. Skaftafell sits just off the ring road on road #998, about 4.5–5 hours east of Reykjavík and 1.5 hours west of Höfn. Cancel at least 24 hours before departure for a full refund.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
English
A 4x4 bus takes you from Skaftafell to the edge of the glacier, where the walking starts. From there, a certified guide leads you across the ice to a natural blue ice cave, with ice ridges and crevasses along the route. The whole tour runs 4 hours and is guided in English. It's a small group experience, and all the glacier gear is provided: crampons, a walking ice axe, harness, and helmet. The glacier hike and the ice cave visit are both part of the itinerary. You'll need your own hiking boots and warm clothing — nothing else is included. Meet at the Arctic Adventures Booking Hut in Skaftafell National Park, and park at the Skaftafell lot (parking fees apply). Skaftafell is about 327 km from Reykjavík, roughly a 4.5-hour drive in good weather, so plan accordingly if you're staying in the capital. Cancel at least 24 hours before departure for a full refund.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
English
• Certified guides Our guides have certification from AIMG (Association of Icelandic Mountain Guides). • Small groups The group size for our trips never exceeds 8 people. • 4x4 drive We will drive you all the way to the glacier. That means more time we can spend on ice. • Evening departure (June - August) If you want to avoid the crowds join us for our evening tour and enjoy the complete silence.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Czech, English