Glacier Experience

Your Glacier Experience tour starts with an introduction to the necessary glacier equipment provided in the tour and your expert guide going over the safety rules needed to explore the beautiful Sólheimajökull glacier. Then you will take off on a short but scenic walk across the pitch black volcanic ash and sands that lay in between the Sólheimajökull glacier and it’s the parking lot. The ash and sand are from the volcanic eruption in Eyjafjallajökull stratovolcano that took place in the year 2010 and is a reminder of the closeness of volcanoes and glaciers in Iceland. Truly a fantastic and unique start!

The Sólheimajökull glacier tongue originates at Mýrdalsjökull which is famously also the home to the volcano Katla. There is no doubt that the glacier is exquisite and the surrounding area as well. Your knowledgeable glacier guide will point out to you how the glacier is retreating and give you an interesting history and geology lesson to get you to understand the true magic of the glacier.

Right at the foothills of the glacier you will lace up our crampons and follow your guide to explore this otherworldly natural wonder; a rugged, raw and ever changing hub of ancient frozen water. This 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 your Iceland tour and explore an amazing crawling glacier, before it becomes inaccessible.

On our way back to Reykjavík we stop at two of the most magnificent waterfalls in Iceland, Skógafoss and Seljalandsfoss.

Seljalandsfoss waterfall

About an hour and a half from Reykjavik we will arrive at Seljalandsfoss waterfall with. The waterfall is about 65 meters (213 ft) high and can be inspected from different angles. During summer it is even possible to walk behind it to experience it from another perspective.

Skogafoss waterfall

About 30 km further up the south coast, we have Skogafoss, another majestic phenomenon, located close to the small village of Skógar. It is one of Iceland’ largest waterfalls with a width of 25 meters (82 ft) and a 60 meter (197 ft) drop.

Pick-up Information

Pick up is at 08:00 am from your hotel or a nearby meeting point in Reykjavík. Picking everyone up can take up to 30 minutes, your patience is much appreciated. 

Available pick-up points: Arctic Adventures’s pick-up list.

After pick-up, we drive in an easterly direction out of the city on our way to the glacier. Once there, you get crampons and helmet and safety instructions before we walk to the edge of the glacier over black volcanic ash. Once we reach Sólheimajökull, an outlet glacier of Mýrdalsjökull, we put our glacier gear on and set foot on the ice. Sólheimajökull is quite rugged and as we make our way over the glacier you can expect to be exploring a unique territory. Below the glacier tongue lies the fast-growing lagoon, but in the last years, it has almost doubled in size due to the retreat of the glacier. We will choose a different route down the glacier again.

The hiking part of the tour is about 2 hours with 1-1.5 hours spent on the glistening glacier.

Meet on Location Information

If you select the Meet on Location option, please meet your tour guide at Sólheimajökull Parking Lot.

Please give yourself plenty of time to drive from Reykjavík – there is no way you want to miss this stunning adventure on Sólheimajökull Glacier. In good conditions the journey takes just over two hours without stops, it is always worth allowing extra time so you can relax. With poor weather or road conditions, the journey will take longer. The distance from Reykjavík is approximately 158 km (98 mi).

GPS 63°31’00.48″N, 19°22’00.12W(WGS84).

Practical information

Remember to bring: Warm outdoor clothing, waterproof jacket and pants, headwear and gloves. Good hiking boots are recommended.

What if I don’t own all of these clothing necessaries?
Don’t worry, you can always rent sturdy hiking boots, waterproof jacket and pants in the booking process or on location. Booking these items in advance is recommended.