Solheimajokull Glacier Hike | 3-Hour Expedition
Live life to the fullest with this exhilarating glacier hiking tour up one of most magnificent features of the South of Iceland, the mighty Sólheimajökull glacier. This expedition is the perfect opportunity for those who want to combine stunning natural landscapes with adventures hiking on glacial ice mixed with volcanic ash and feel like you have landed on the moon.
Duration
~ 3 Hours
Highlights
✓ Hike on Sólheimajökull Glacier, ✓ Views of Ice Formations, ✓ Small Group Experience, … and more
Included
✓ Guided Glacier Tour, ✓ All Necessary Equipment, ✓ English Speaking Certified Glacier Guide, … and more.
Tour Description
Welcome to the moon! Join this tour to see and experience natural wonders that are almost almost out of this world! Sólheimajökull is an outlet of Mýrdalsjökull, the 4th biggest glacier in Iceland. It is known for being the glacier of fire and ice because of all the ashes covering and mixing up with glacial ice, like dragon ice from Game of Thrones. Underneath lies the active volcano Katla, which erupted last time in 1918.
First you will meet your guide in the Sólheimajökull parking lot and get all necessary equipment for the hike: crampons, ice axes, harnesses and helmets. Then you will hike for about 15 minutes to the ice itself to get the blood flowing and warm up for the hike. Arriving at the glacier your guide will explain to you how to put on the crampons, a traction device out of steel which is attached to your hiking boots and he will talk about safety and a few important rules for the tour.
You will stay 60 to 90 minutes on the ice itself and see lots of 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 beginning of the walk you will be aware of lots of ash on the ice. Since we have volcanos under every glacier in Iceland it is common that eruptions leave big amounts of volcanic deposit right on the glacier. This ash is shaping the landscape of the glacier.
Your guide will introduce you in detail to the history of the glacier and tell you how the ice is formed on top of the mountains and how global warming is affecting the melting of this glacial outlet. It is featured in detail in the 2012 documentary Chasing Ice, an award-winning investigation of climate change.
Never been in an ice cave before? No worries! Our certified guides will teach you all you need to know and have you walking safely in this environment. Safety equipment and briefings are provided before each tour.
Don’t over think it! Book this tour by selecting a date.
General Information
✓ 9:30
✓ 11:00
✓ 13:00
✓ 15:00
✓ Easy to Moderate
~ 3 Hours
✓ All year
✓ Certified Glacier Guide
✓ Small Group (12 persons max)
✓ Glacier Equipment: helmet, harness, crampons, and ice axe
• Hiking boots (available for rent online and on location)
• Warm clothes (first layer)
• Waterproof clothing (second layer)
• Gloves and hat
• 8 years
• This tour is suitable for both single travelers and families.
• No experience needed.
• Meeting point is by our trailer marked Troll Expeditions on Sólheimajokull parking lot.
• If you are driving in the area, we recommend you visit Dýrholaey.
Photos
Meeting Point
We will see you at our meeting point, 30 minutes before departure time at our meeting point. Please note that if you arrive after departure time, your place on the tour can’t be guaranteed or refunded.
The meeting point is at our trailer marked Tröll Expeditions in the parking lot of Sólheimajökull where our glacier guides will meet you. You can look up “Troll Expeditions Sólheimajökull” on Google Maps to find the exact location and driving directions click here.
Driving time to Sólheimajökull from Reykjavík is around o Sólheimajökull from Reykjavík is around 2,5 hours in good road conditions. If you arrive early, you can use the restrooms.
Click on the map for the exact location and directions.
FAQ
What should I wear on the tours?
Weather in Iceland is very unpredictable. For tours during winter: warm clothing as first layer, waterproof jacket with a hoodie, hiking boots with ankle protection and hard sole, a hat and gloves are ideal. For tours during summer, bringing a light rain jacket or a soft shell with a hoodie 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 our trips as they become very heavy, cold and uncomfortable to wear when they get wet.
Do I need hiking boots?
We encourage bringing hiking boots for glacier tours. They have to hard on the sole and tight around the ankle. If you don’t have them, we have them for rent in all sizes in Skaftafell or Sólheimajökull. You can add them to your reservation at the time of booking or rent them on location pay with cash or card. The price is ISK 1,500 per pair. For ice climbing tours, boots are included in the price.
How difficult are glacier hikes?
We offer glacier hiking tours in Skaftafell and one in Sólheimajökull. Both locations either easy or moderate in difficulty. Our tours are considered to be safe for anyone in good physical condition. If you are fit to walk for about an hour on an uneven surface a glacier hike is for you. Longer tours will be more challenging in endurance and 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.
What if it’s raining?
It rains a lot in Iceland, but we do not let rain 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 clothing as the second layer. Of course, safety is our #1 priority. In case of extreme weather conditions, we will cancel our tours and do our best to reschedule. In these cases, you’ll receive a full refund.
Solheimajokull
~ 4 Hours
6
All Year
