Solheimajokull 3-Hours Glacier Hike
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
Included
✓ Free parking ✓ All necessary glacier equipment ✓ English speaking certified glacier guide
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 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 glacier where your guide will explain how to put on the crampons and the safety rules for the tour.
You will stay around 1h30 hour 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.
General Information
All year
• 10:00
• 14:00
About 3 hours
Easy to moderate
12
8 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 at our trailer marked Tröll Expeditions in the parking lot of Sólheimajökull. You can look up “Troll Expeditions Sólheimajökull” on Google Maps to find the exact location and driving directions.
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 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.
Solheimajokull
4 hours
6
All Year
