Iceland has over 400 glaciers covering about 10% of the country, making it a top spot for guided glacier hikes. This guide covers the best tours and what to wear for a safe ice adventure.
Glaciers cover roughly 11 percent of Iceland's surface. Walking on one is not the remote, specialist experience most people assume. Beginner glacier hikes are genuinely designed for people with no prior ice experience, the guide fits your crampons before you step onto the ice, and within a few minutes of walking you have found your footing and started looking around at where you actually are.
Where you are is extraordinary. The surface of an Icelandic glacier is striped with volcanic ash from eruptions centuries apart, carved by meltwater channels, and colored in vivid blues where compressed ancient ice is exposed. Nothing about it looks like normal ground, and nothing about being on it feels like any other hike.
Why You Should Not Skip a Glacier Hike in Iceland
Most first-time Iceland visitors focus on waterfalls, geysers, and the Northern Lights. The glacier hike often gets treated as an optional extra. This is a mistake.
Walking on a glacier puts you inside a geological process rather than observing it from a viewpoint. The guide explains the ash layers visible in the ice walls, each one from a named eruption. You see crevasses from a safe distance and understand why they form. The scale of being on a glacier, with the ice stretching in every direction and the moraine valley visible far below, is not something a viewpoint replicates.
It also does not require specialist fitness. Most beginner tours suit anyone who can walk for 2 to 3 hours on uneven ground.
Best Glaciers for Hiking in Iceland
Solheimajokull on the South Coast
The most popular glacier hike location in Iceland and the easiest to reach from Reykjavik. Solheimajokull is an outlet glacier of the Myrdalsjokull ice cap, sandwiched between the Katla and Eyjafjallajokull volcanoes, accessible from a car park directly off Route 1 about 1.5 hours east of the city.
The glacier surface is visually striking: dark ash streaks from neighboring volcanoes run through the ice, giving it a layered, dramatic appearance unlike the pure white glaciers most visitors imagine. Crevasse fields and ice formations are accessible without significant elevation gain, making it ideal for beginner and intermediate hikes. Solheimajokull is also one of Iceland's fastest-retreating glaciers, meaning the landscape changes noticeably each year.
Multiple tour operators run guided hikes from the car park. Tours can be joined directly at the glacier or booked from Reykjavik with transport included. This is the right choice for visitors combining the glacier with the South Coast waterfalls on the same day.
Distance from Reykjavik: 1.5 hours
Tour price: ISK 12,000 to 18,000 per person
Svínafellsjokull at Skaftafell
An outlet glacier of Vatnajökull within Skaftafell Nature Reserve, about 4.5 hours from Reykjavik in Southeast Iceland. The setting here is more dramatic than Solheimajokull: black mountain walls rise on both sides, the dark glacial moraine stretches below, and the glacier tongue cuts through the valley in vivid blue and white.
The views from the glacier surface at Skaftafell extend over a broader sweep of the Vatnajokull glacial system, giving a better sense of the scale of Europe's largest glacier by volume. Icelandic Mountain Guides operates tours from the Skaftafell visitor center year-round.
Distance from Reykjavik: 4.5 hours
Tour price: ISK 14,000 to 20,000 per person
Vatnajokull Glacier Outlets Near Jokulsarlon
The glacier outlets accessible from the Jokulsarlon area, including Falljokull and Breidamerkurjokull, are among the least visited glacier hiking locations in Iceland. Tours here run in smaller groups than at Solheimajokull, and the proximity to the glacier lagoon makes a combined glacier hike and lagoon visit one of Iceland's strongest two-activity combinations.
Distance from Reykjavik: 5 hours
Best combined with: Jokulsarlon glacier lagoon and Diamond Beach
Types of Glacier Tours Available
Beginner Glacier Walk
The most widely available tour type. A small group led by a certified guide across the glacier surface with crampons and ice axes. Suitable for anyone in reasonable health with no prior ice experience. It covers the main features of the glacier, including crevasse edges, ash layers, and meltwater channels. Runs year-round on Solheimajokull and Skaftafell.
Duration: 3 to 5 hours total
Price: ISK 12,000 to 18,000
Ice Climbing Introduction
Combines a glacier walk with introductory ice climbing technique. The guide fixes ropes on a section of vertical ice face, and participants climb with ice axes and crampons. No climbing experience required. One of Iceland's most exhilarating beginner-level activities. Available on most major glaciers.
Duration: 4 to 6 hours total
Price: ISK 15,000 to 25,000
Full Day Glacier Exploration
For participants who want more time on the ice, access to deeper formations, and extended crevasse field navigation. More significant elevation gain and technical terrain than the beginner walk. Recommended as a second or third glacier experience rather than a first. Requires good physical fitness.
Duration: 6 to 8 hours on the ice
Price: ISK 30,000 to 50,000
Ice Cave Tours Inside Vatnajokull
Not a glacier hike in the traditional sense, but an underground glacier experience available exclusively from November through March. Guided tours enter natural ice caves formed when winter cold stabilizes the glacier surface enough for safe access. The blue compressed ice formations inside the glacier are unlike anything visible from the surface.
Booking 4 to 6 weeks in advance is essential in peak winter months.
Duration: 3 to 4 hours
Price: ISK 12,000 to 18,000
Season: November through March only
What to Wear on a Glacier Hike in Iceland
Getting the clothing right is the single most important preparation step. The glacier surface is significantly colder than the surrounding lowlands; wind is constant across open ice, and you will be standing still for periods when the guide explains features. Being underdressed is one of the most common mistakes first-time glacier hikers make.
The operator provides crampons, ice axes, and helmets. Everything else you bring yourself.
Footwear: The Non-Negotiable Item
Crampons attach to the boot sole and require a solid, stiff base. This rules out most footwear that visitors bring for general sightseeing.
What you need: waterproof hiking boots with ankle support and a stiff, rigid sole. Mid-to-high cut to protect the ankle on uneven terrain. Waterproof because you will walk over slushy melt areas and potentially through puddles on the approach moraine.
What does not work: running shoes, lightweight trail runners, fashion sneakers, casual boots, anything with a significant heel. If crampons cannot attach securely, you cannot participate. Most operators rent hiking boots if you do not own a suitable pair, but confirm this when booking.
Pair your boots with thick wool or synthetic thermal socks. Thin ankle socks are not adequate for hours on ice.
Layering System
The layering system works on glaciers the same way it works anywhere in Iceland, but the stakes for getting it wrong are higher on an open icefield.
Base layer: Moisture-wicking thermal top and bottoms in merino wool or synthetic fabric. Not cotton. Cotton holds moisture against the skin and cools you rapidly when wet from sweat or mist.
Mid layer: A fleece or insulated jacket. Keep this in your pack even if you start warm. Temperatures on the glacier shift quickly, particularly when wind picks up or cloud cover arrives. Guides consistently note that hikers who leave the mid layer in the car regret it.
Outer layer: A waterproof and windproof shell jacket. Rain can arrive without warning, and the wind on open glacier ice amplifies the chill substantially. This layer is mandatory on every glacier tour regardless of the morning weather forecast.
Legs: Waterproof or water-resistant flexible pants. Jeans are unsuitable. If you fall or kneel on the ice, jeans become wet and cold immediately and stay that way. Hiking pants or softshell trousers work well. In winter, add thermal leggings underneath.
Hands and head: Warm gloves are essential. Holding an ice axe for several hours in cold air without gloves is genuinely uncomfortable. Thin gloves for dexterity inside thicker outer gloves work well. A warm hat fits under the provided helmet. In winter, a neck gaiter or balaclava is worth bringing.
Sunglasses and sunscreen: Sunlight reflecting off ice and snow is significantly more intense than reflected from normal ground. Even on overcast days, the diffuse light from a white glacier surface can cause eye strain. Polarized sunglasses reduce glare effectively. Sunscreen on exposed skin is worth applying year-round.
Safety on the Glacier: What Operators Expect
The guide's route is the safe route. Walking ahead of the guide, stepping off the marked path to get a better photo, or wandering away from the group are not acceptable behaviors on an active glacier. Crevasses can be hidden under snow. Safe terrain requires real-time assessment by someone with local knowledge of that specific glacier.
Tours are canceled or modified due to weather. High winds, low visibility, and unstable ice conditions are legitimate reasons for a guide to change plans. Reputable operators offer rebooking when they cancel for safety reasons. Check the policy before booking.
The minimum age is typically 8 to 12 years old depending on the operator. Most tours have no weight limit but ask participants to disclose any significant health conditions affecting balance or stamina.
