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This tour is meet on location only which means that you will have to meet us at Solheimajökull Parking Lot. If you want a pick up from Reykjavík, please check out our Glacier Experience from Reykjavík.
The tour starts with an introduction to the equipment and safety rules needed to explore the glacier, followed by a short walk across the pitch black volcanic ash and sands towards Sólheimajökull, the glacier tongue we will be hiking on. Walking through the valley, that the glacier filled only a few years ago, your knowledgeable glacier guide will point out to you how the glacier is retreating at an alarming rate, almost right before you eyes. At the glacier edge, we lace up our crampons and following the guide you will explore this otherworldly natural wonder; a rugged, raw and ever changing hub of ancient frozen water.
The glacier hike is an adventure like no other, and with the rapid rate of global climate change, this popular activity is only available in very few parts of the world. You will see how the primal elements shape and affect the glacier, creating mesmerizing labyrinths of ice ridges and deep v-shaped crevasses that crisscross and scar the surface of the ice. Not to mention the big sinkholes, called “moulins”, that sometimes have drilled their way through the glacier, draining the meltwater of the ice through little waterfalls and streams. The glacier also carries with it ashes of volcanic eruptions from the distant and not so distant past, you might even be lucky enough to be able to collect a little sample of the Eyjafjalljökull volcanic ash from 2010.
Add some adventure to you Iceland tour and explore an amazing crawling glacier, before it becomes inaccessible.
Departure from Sólheimajökull Parking Lot. Distance from Reykjavik approx. 164 km / 101 mi. GPS 63°31’00.48″N, 19°22’00.12W(WGS84). )
Departure from Sólheimajökull Parking Lot. Distance from Reykjavik approx. 164 km / 101 mi. GPS 63°31’00.48″N, 19°22’00.12W(WGS84).
Meet on location means traveling to the location of the tour yourself and then meeting our tour guides rather than being picked up and taken to the location.
We meet you at Sólheimajökull parking lot and the distance from Reykjavik is approx. 164 km / 101 mi. The drive takes around 2,5 hours.
For GPS: 63°31’00.48″N, 19°22’00.12W(WGS84).
Iceland is known for colourful weather. It can sometimes show you all 4 seasons in one day.
Dressing for this sort of weather can be a challenge so we always recommend dressing in layers. 3 or 4 upper layers are highly recommended such as a light t-shirt (preferably wool) next to the skin, then a fleece or heavy wool garment, topped off with a waterproof windbreaker.
Jeans are not recommended for our trips as they become very heavy, cold and uncomfortable to wear when they get wet.
Lightweight hiking pants, track pants or long cotton pants are best and then wind/waterproof pants over. We also recommend using sunglasses and sunscreen even if it is cloudy due to the high UV and sunlight reflecting off of the glacier.
You will need sturdy hiking boots that fit crampons for the glacier hiking tours. If you do not own a pair then we rent out good hiking boots as well as a waterproof raincoat and trousers.
We recommend bringing your own backpack on our full day or 1/2 day tours. It’s great to carry a small lunch and some extra clothing.
You can bring your camera along, and you should definitely bring one since the setting on the tour is full of amazing, scenic views.
This is, of course, a personal choice, we have often had pregnant women on our trips. We recommend you take a close look at our trip description and difficulty rating, they will hopefully give you a better idea. It is also good to contact your physician, pregnant women’s health can be quite different. Feel free to contact us if you have further questions or concerns.
We do not provide lunch on any of our trips, so we recommend you bring your own lunch (for the longer trips), snacks and a bottle of water (you can refill it on the trip).
Crampons are metal spikes that we attach to the soles of your hiking shoes, these enable you to walk on the glacier ice without slipping.
Yes, there is a specially trained and certified glacier guide on every glacier tour that we offer.
When glacier hiking you will be provided with an ice axe, harness and helmet. This will help you to complete the tour safely.
When snow stays long enough in one place it turns to ice. Over long periods of time, the ice layers up becoming huge blocks called glaciers. As there is a lot of snow in Iceland, it forms to create ginormous glaciers that sweep across huge masses of land. Iceland is home to Europe’s largest glacier named Vatnajökull. This Glacier Guide will also tell you everything you may want to know about Glaciers.
Rain is not uncommon in Iceland. However, we do not let the rain stop our tours. This is why having appropriate clothing is very important to keep you warm and dry. Nature is not something that we can control and therefore we need to adapt to the weather. If your safety is compromised by going on the tour, we will cancel and you will be fully refunded.
This guide to Glacier Hiking includes all the information you might need when preparing for a glacier hike.
