Skaftafell 3 hours Easy Level Glacier Hike

Overview

Join us for a walk on the glacier, one of Iceland's most popular outdoor activities. Hike into the magnificent ice-world of Vatnajökull, the largest glacier in Europe. Your certified glacier guide will show you stunning scenery and astonishing ice formations.

Come and join us on this once-in-a lifetime-experience, a chance to explore Iceland’s largest glacier.

As glaciers continue melting at an alarming rate – roughly more than 1.2 trillion tons per year around the world, we would like to invite you to this unforgettable tour, where you will experience a rare phenomena of how half of our world used to look like, just 12 thousands years ago. 

Like all other glaciers in the world, Vatnajökull glacier continues to melt, which will eventually lose half of its current ice by the year 2100 (which currently covers 9% of Iceland). It is estimated that by 2200, most of the glacier ice in Iceland will be forever lost. 

Tour Description

Your tour will start at Hof, where you will meet your highly qualified glacier guide, 20 minutes before departure. Once you arrive to the spot, your guide will provide you with all the necessary gear – helmet, crampons, harness, and ice axe (some companies do not provide all the essential safety gear: please be aware of the importance of wearing a safety helmet to protect your head during the hike!) . Once geared up, you will start your journey towards the glacier. 

After a short ride on the “Tröll Bus” and a short walk to the glacier, your guide will explain how to use your gears and the safest way to walk on a glacial surface.

Due to large amounts of melted ice, it will take roughly 20 minutes (by walk) to reach the glacier. On the way, you will be able to see how the ice has deformed the bedrock, the moss line of the surrounding mountains will indicate where ice used to be just a few years ago, and a lagoon, where you’ll see the last remains of the melted ice. Once you reach the glacier, your guide will teach you how to walk on ice, and after a quick safety talk, you’ll start your hike on the icy Falljökull glacier – one of the most magical yet mysterious outlets of the Vatnajökull Glacier. Falljökull outlet is different from other outlets due to the dramatically carved glacier landscapes, which you’ll be able to see while on the 3 hour hike.

During the tour, your guide will take you to the most magnificent parts of the glacier – such attractions include crevasses, moulins, glacier mice (a type of moss), massive ice falls, and sometimes ice caves.

What are Glaciers?

Glaciers form when loads of snow collects on the mountains within many years, and not enough of it melts. Snow becomes incredibly heavy over time, therefore starts compressing on its own weight – eventually becoming glacier ice. Roughly, 50 meters of snow compresses into 1 meter of ice.

How fast do Glaciers in Iceland melt?

Individual glacier outlets have already seen 15-50% of ice loss since the year 2000.

Do Glaciers grow during winter?

Unfortunately Icelandic winters are no longer cold enough for the glaciers to grow. During winter months, glaciers tend to remain the same size since it's not warm enough to grow, while during summer months glaciers melt at a great rate.