Vatnajokull Ice Caves: On the Hidden Side of the Glacier

The Vatnajokull Ice Caves include the ice cave known as Anaconda and Crystal Ice Cave, which is one of the most famous ice caves in Iceland. The glacier gets its name “Crystal” because of its crystal-blue ice, and it’s sometimes called “Anaconda” because it's long and winding, like the fearsome snake itself.

It’s an incredible experience, entering a glacier and seeing the pure, crystal ice within. Here, we’ll tell you a little about the glacier itself, and then discuss the incredible ice cave. You can experience this unbelievable site on our Vatnajökull Ice Cave Tour with Glacier Hike.

Standing at the unmissable entrance to Anaconda Cave, the surface of the ice sparkles in the sun. Looking ahead, the tunnel appears endless as shades of blue descend all the way to create a hole of darkness. The blue ice arch is spectacular, and underneath runs a small stream surrounded by bright blue ice chunks.

Upon entering the ice cave, you can get a sense of the surroundings by checking out the crystal ice ceiling. The guide will tell you about how ice appears the way it is and how ice caves begin to form and stabilize, explaining the ins and outs of the amazing natural phenomenon. Anaconda Ice Cave is so impressively spacious and it’s safe to say that it’s one of the largest ice caves found in Iceland so far.

In addition to the sheer size, the blue glacier ice in the cave is another highlight. Glacier ice appears blue due to the density of the ice. The ice is also much thicker and denser than regular ice, for example, an ice cube in your freezer. It’s the result of a process that takes hundreds of years, whereby snowflakes fall onto the ice, are compressed by more snowfall, and re-freeze into ice. When the mass is compressed, any air bubbles are pushed out, making it as dense as possible. 

When a chunk of ice is too dense to have any air in it, light travels deeper. The deeper the light travels, the more red-coloured spectrums it loses along the way, making the ice appear blue to our eyes. That’s why the glacier ice in Iceland has that magical, otherworldly shade of blue.

Before reaching the ice cave, the guide will assist you in putting on crampons and a helmet for a short glacier hike. Participating in the ice cave tour has two options; you can join directly from Reykjavík or you can choose to join the Crystal Ice Cave meet on location at Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon.

• Vatnajökull Ice Cave is the largest natural ice cave in Iceland to be found in years, and you will find it captivating for its size, charming colors, enchanting texture, and the absolute tranquil feeling inside.
  
  
• The Anaconda Ice Cave is more than a hundred meters deep on one end and through a turn in the cave, you will find an astonishing opening of moulin that is, in fact, another entrance to the cave.
  
  
• Through the ice wall’s wavy appearance, you can see how the glacial river meandered smoothly through the glacier with visible forms of motion.
  
  
• There is a tiny waterfall streaming off the ice ceiling near the entrance testifying that ice caves are an ever-changing natural phenomenon and Anaconda is still in the making.
  
  
• Inside, you will find a part of the space that’s completely dark since it’s away from both ice cave openings. When your glacier guides turn their lights off, you will experience the utter quietness inside the ancient glacier as if time has stopped.

This ice cave was found on the south side of the Vatnajökull glacier. The glacier is located on the southeast side of Iceland, to get there you will pass the spectacular South Coast of Iceland.

It takes about 5 hours to drive from Reykjavík via the Ring Road, aka Route 1, all the way to the south to reach the meeting point for visiting Vatnajökull Ice Cave. The meeting point for most Vatnajökull glacier activities is the Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon parking area.

You can join one of our self-driving tours, such as this 3 Day Self-Drive tour to the South Coast and Golden Circle of Iceland, or you can join one of the many guided tours departing from Reykjavík, which offer free pick-up right in front of many accommodations in the Reykjavík area.

While you’re in the area of Vatnajökull Ice Cave, there’s an abundance of fantastic things to see and do.

Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon is one of the most popular attractions en route to Vatnajökull. It’s a gorgeous glacial lake that only came into existence in the 1920s and it continues to expand. Now the deepest lake in Iceland, the depth of Jökulsárlón reaches down to 248 meters (814 feet) and it carries huge icebergs away from Breiðamerkurjökull glacier tongue to the North Atlantic Ocean.

On their way out of the lagoon, floating icebergs become stranded on the nearby black volcanic beach. This results in a spectacular scene with diamond-like ice cubes spreading over the beach, and that’s how the black sand beach got its glamourous name – the “Diamond Beach”.

Many tours in the Vatnajökull National Park depart from the glacier lagoon including Vatnajökull super jeep tours, tours to the ice caves, and in the summertime, the highly recommended Jokulsarlon lagoon boat tours.

On your way to Jökulsárlón, the scenic ride along the South Coast of Iceland is one of the most strongly recommended trips. On the trip, you will stop by many iconic attractions, including Seljalandsfoss, the waterfall you can walk behind; Skógafoss, one of Iceland’s biggest and most beautiful waterfalls; Reynisfjara, the famous black sand beach; and the beautiful seafront town of Vik, home to beloved Puffins in summer and a terrific ocean view backdropped by ice-capped mountains.

Before you drive to the South Coast, it’s also popular to take a detour from Reykjavík to the famous attractions of the Golden Circle to see the three most spectacular natural attractions: Thingvellir National Park, the Great Geysir and Strokkur Hot Springs, and Gullfoss waterfall.

Visiting Vatnajokull Ice Cave is an extraordinary, unforgettable experience. To enhance your experience, there are a few pointers our guides would like to share with you. A professional guiding operator like Arctic Adventures will provide all necessary safety equipment for everyone for free, so you only need to consider what to bring for yourself.

• A pair of good hiking boots is essential for visiting ice caves. If you don’t have a pair with you while visiting Iceland, the guided ice cave tours offer rental gear upon paying a small fee. Waterproof pants are also recommended.

• The weather in Iceland is notoriously unpredictable, especially on glaciers. This can mean tours are canceled due to adverse weather conditions. Safety is always the primary concern.
  
  
• Crystal Ice Cave tours are normally operated from November to March. Each month in Iceland can be somewhat different weather-wise, and we suggest you read our monthly good-to-know blog posts about Iceland in November, December, January, February, and March for useful tips and information, particularly on what to wear.
  
  
• Although most ice caves can only be visited in the wintertime, there is one cool ice cave that’s open in summer. The ice cave under the volcano Katla is famous for its glorious ever-changing appearances and swirling volcanic ash in between crystal glacier ice.

• Reykjavik during your entire time in Iceland while visiting remote but beautiful locations.
  
  
• The majority of ice caves are some distance from Reykjavík, however, the ice cave on Langjökull is the closest to the capital – see our Langjökull Ice Cave Tour From Reykjavik – the second largest glacier in Iceland.  You can also combine Snowmobiling on Langjökull Glacier with an Ice Cave Exploration: it’s a fantastic combo of adventure and amazing scenery. Did you know snowmobiling is one of the most fun ways to explore glaciers?

Find out more about ice caves in Iceland.

As September approaches each year, the dynamic landscapes of Iceland's glaciers offer us new mysteries. As glacier rivers carve through the glaciers, they leave behind these magnificent caves, each unique in structure and beauty. 

In 2023, our guides noticed unusual water patterns between the Falljökull and Virkisjökull glaciers. A distinct stream flowing between these glaciers sparked their curiosity. Seemingly escaping from the glacier's heart, this wasn't just any stream; it ran uniquely between these two majestic glaciers, hinting at hidden surprises beneath.

Remembering this site, they returned after Iceland's typical end-of-summer storms. They persisted until they found a discreet entrance leading them to a blue-ice cave. Expanding like a magnificent dome, it stretched deep into the glacier for an impressive 98 ft (30 m)! The exploration culminated at a serene pool, which might freeze as winter sets in.

When a guide stumbles upon a new ice cave in Iceland, they get the honor of naming it. This tradition celebrates the ever-evolving beauty of our glaciers. However, in 2023, one such cave was named Big Mac - not after a sandwich, but a couple of visitors.

The story behind the Big Mac is as charming as the cave itself. Our first visitors to view the new ice cave were an American couple with the last name MacDonald. When they entered the cave, they were so charmed that, seeing their fantastic reactions, we invited them to name this icy wonder. And thus, the "Big Mac" nickname was born!