Skaftafell 5-Hours Adventure Glacier Hike
Prepare yourself for an unforgettable and frozen adventure in Skaftafell National Park. This is the perfect opportunity for those who want to experience a long hiking adventure on Falljökull, "The Falling Glacier". We will explore far into the glacier to spot the amazing ice fall and the breathtaking scenery
Duration
5 hours
Highlights
✓ Views of Ice Formations ✓ Small group experience ✓ Hike on Vatnajökull glacier ✓ A taste of pure glacier water
Included
✓ Free parking ✓ All necessary glacier equipment ✓ English speaking certified glacier guide
Tour Description
Skaftafell is a beautiful nature reserve in south-east Iceland, filled with spectacular natural wonder. You will explore one of these wonders on a glacier outlet of Vatnajökull glacier. Vatnajökull is not only Europe’s largest glacier, but it is also home of the highest mountain range in Iceland.
After a short ride on the “Tröll Bus” and a short walk to the glacier, your guide will explain how to get geared up and what the safest practices to walk on a glacial surface. Once you have your crampons and all necessary equipment on it’s time to take to the ice and begin this once-in-a-life-time adventure on Falljökull glacier.
Falljökull is a glacier outlet from Vatnajökull and its name translates to “The falling glacier”. The icefall in the area is quite rare on earth and the further you get, the more it will blow your mind with the ice formations in the area such as crevasses, deep cracks in the surface of the glacier, and so called moulins, often vertical shafts in the ice which are formed by melting water finding it’s way into fissures and cracks. In the wintertime, it is often possible to peek into small ice tunnels and capture the beautiful blue heart of the ice.
The further we continue exploring up to the ice fall, the more the beautiful will the view get. Since we’re going to be so high up, we will be able to observe panoramas over Skaftafell National Park, that has gained fame in the last years for being the spectacular scenery for dozens of movies and TV shows such as James Bond, Interstellar, Batman, and Game of Thrones. During your expedition, your glacier guide will let you know how glaciers are formed and what are the dangers. You will also learn about the consequences of global warming and their future.
You will stay about 3 hours on the glacier itself.
General Information
All year
• 10:30
• 14:30
About 5 hours
Moderate to demanding
10
12 years old
✓ Certified Glacier Guide
✓ Small Group
✓ Glacier equipment: helmet, ice axe, headlamp, and crampons
• Warm clothes (first layer)
• Waterproof outdoor clothing (second layer)
• Hiking boots (available for rent on booking)
• Gloves and hat
• Joy and happiness!
• Jeans are not recommended for glacier activities. Once it gets wet, it takes a long time to dry, leaving you cold.
• All day tours can be cancelled up to 24 hours from the departure time with the full price refunded by sending an email to [email protected] All cancellations requested less than 24 hours from the departure time are non refundable.
• In the case of cancellation of the tour by the operator because of extreme weather, road conditions or other factors, we will assist you with rebooking to another date or booking other activities when possible, or provide a full refund.
Photos
Meeting Point
We highly recommend that you arrive at our meeting point 20 minutes before the departure time stated on your ticket. Please note that if you arrive after departure time, your place on the tour cannot be guaranteed or refunded.
The meeting point is Skaftafell Terminal by the main road. You can look up “Skaftafell Terminal” on Google Maps to find the exact location and driving directions.
Driving time to Skaftafell from Reykjavík is around 5 hours in good road conditions. If you arrive early, you can visit Skaftafell Terminal which offers free parking and has restrooms.
Click on the map for the exact location and directions.
FAQ
What should I wear for glacier tours?
Weather in Iceland is very unpredictable. For tours during winter: warm clothing as first layer, waterproof outdoor jacket and pants, hiking boots with high ankle protection, a hat and gloves are ideal. For tours during summer, bringing a light rain jacket and pants is in most cases enough protection. Icelanders often say, “If you don’t like the weather, just wait 5 minutes”. Jeans are not recommended for outdoor trips as they become very heavy and cold when they get wet.
Do I need hiking boots?
We encourage bringing hiking boots for glacier tours. They have to have hard on the sole and be tight around the ankle. If you don’t have them, we have them available for rent in all sizes while booking or at the glacier hike location for ISK 1,500 per pair with cash or card.
How difficult are glacier hikes?
Our tours are considered to be safe for anyone in good physical condition. You have to be able to walk for about an hour up and down on slopes and uneven surface. Longer tours will be more challenging in endurance for some areas of the glacier. We also recommend you remember that we offer all the safety equipment necessary and you will be hiking with a professional and certified glacier guide. If you have specific questions regarding one of our glacier tours, feel free to email us.
If I am pregnant, can I join a glacier hike?
This is a personal choice. We have had pregnant women on our glacier hikes and we always recommend you read the description of the activity to get a better idea. In any case, feel free to contact our Service Team for further questions and concerns.
How does weather affect my tour?
Wind and rain are common in Iceland, in addition to snow in the winter, but we do not let challenging weather stop us from going out and enjoy nature. All we need to do is choose our clothing wisely, which is why we recommend wearing waterproof jacket and pants as the second layer. Of course, safety is our #1 priority, in case of extreme weather or road conditions, we will cancel our tours and do our best to reschedule your booking at a further date or provide a full refund.
Skaftafell
3 hours
12 
All Year
