Get ready to explore a real moving glacier on this beginner-friendly hike from Skaftafell. This tour takes you onto Falljökull, a stunning outlet glacier of Vatnajökull, Europe’s largest ice cap. Walk across shimmering ice, peer into deep crevasses, and see dazzling ice formations up close. Your certified glacier guide will explain how glaciers move, change, and shape the land beneath them—turning every step into a new discovery!
From
Your glacier adventure begins at Skaftafell Booking Center, right by the car park at Skaftafell Visitor Center in Vatnajökull National Park. After meeting your certified glacier guide, we’ll get you geared up and ready to explore.
A scenic 25-minute drive (11 km / 7 mi) brings you closer to Falljökull, the “falling glacier.” On the way, watch the soft greenery of Skaftafell give way to rugged mountains and icy landscapes, with Hvannadalshnúkur—Iceland’s tallest peak—towering nearby. After the drive, we’ll hike for about 30 minutes toward the glacier, surrounded by dramatic views on every side.
Once at the base of Falljökull, it’s time for the real adventure. We strap on crampons and step onto the glacier itself, a moving world of twisting crevasses, towering icefalls, and deep moulins that stretch into the ice.
Your guide will explain how glaciers like Falljökull and nearby Virkisjökull form, shift, and shape the land. You’ll see firsthand how these icy giants are slowly retreating—a powerful reminder of nature’s beauty and fragility.
You’ll spend about 1.5 hours on the ice in total, covering roughly 3 km (1.8 mi) and gaining 200–250 meters (650–820 feet) in elevation. This can change depending on conditions.
By the time you return to Skaftafell base, you’ll have crossed shimmering ice fields, touched ancient formations, and experienced one of Iceland’s wildest landscapes up close!
Your adventure starts at our Skaftafell Booking Center, located about 327 km (203 mi) east of Reykjavík. The closest towns are Kirkjubæjarklaustur (69 km / 43 mi west) and Höfn (130 km / 81 mi east). You can park at the Skaftafell Parking Lot, just steps away from the meeting point.
Meeting point
Skaftafell Booking Center - Wooden hut with the Arctic Adventures logo
Address: 785 Skaftafell, Iceland
Clothing and gear
Please bring warm outdoor clothing, waterproof pants, and a waterproof jacket. You can rent waterproof pants and jackets from us. Simply add these items when booking the tour.
Shoe size
For safety reasons, crampons are not available for shoe sizes below 35 EU, as they cannot be securely attached to smaller footwear.
Please note
If the tour is booked for a child, an adult must accompany them during both the transfer and the tour. Safety and supervision are essential when planning the tour for young participants.
Yes, there is a parking fee at Skaftafell. Parking is monitored by license plate, and the fee starts at ISK 1,040 for standard cars. It’s valid until midnight on the day you pay, and you can come and go freely during that time. You can pay online or at the site. For details and current rates, check parka.is.
Skaftafell is about 327 km (203 mi) east of Reykjavík—roughly a 4.5 to 5-hour drive in summer. In winter, road conditions may slow you down, so plan for extra time and always check weather updates. The meeting point is our Skaftafell Booking Center, right next to the main parking lot. Just look for the wooden hut with the Arctic Adventures logo. Address: 785 Skaftafell, Iceland
‘Meet on location’ means you’ll make your own way to the tour starting point—usually a booking center or parking area near the site—rather than being picked up from Reykjavík or another town. It’s a great option if you’re self-driving or already staying nearby.
Exact meeting points, directions, and check-in times are listed in your booking confirmation and on the tour page. If you’re unsure where to go, you can always check the tour details or contact us directly.
Icelandic weather can be unpredictable, so it’s best to dress in layers. Start with a thermal base, then add something warm like fleece or wool, and finish with a waterproof jacket. Instead of jeans, wear hiking or outdoor pants with a waterproof layer on top. Sturdy hiking boots with ankle support are required, and we offer rentals if needed. Sunglasses and sunscreen are a good idea too—the glacier can be bright, even on cloudy days.
The main difference is how far you go and how much time you spend on the ice.
Glacier Wonders (4h) is ideal if you want a shorter experience. You’ll hike to the lower part of Falljökull and spend about 1 hour on the glacier. It’s easier, less physically demanding, and still gives you great views of the icefall.
Glacier Explorer (5.5h) goes deeper into the glacier and includes around 3 hours on the ice. You’ll explore more dramatic terrain, including crevasses and ice formations near the Öræfajökull icefall.
Both tours include a short drive from Skaftafell and a 25–30 minute hike to the glacier. Ice caves are sometimes seen on both tours, but not guaranteed. If you’re up for more walking and a tougher trail, go with Glacier Explorer. For a quicker but still stunning experience, Glacier Wonders is a great choice.
Yes, we recommend bringing a small backpack—especially for half-day or full-day tours. It’s handy for carrying extra layers, snacks, and water so you stay warm, comfortable, and fueled throughout the hike.
Yes—you can definitely bring your camera. The views on the glacier are unforgettable, and you’ll want to capture them. Just make sure it’s secure and protected from the weather.
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 attach to the soles of your hiking boots, providing a secure grip on icy surfaces to prevent slipping. On all our glacier tours where you'll be walking on ice, we provide specialized glacier crampons—sturdier and designed for tougher conditions than regular ice spikes. Your guide will help you put crampons on properly before stepping onto the glacier, and they will be returned after the tour. You can learn more about crampons in this guide.
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, crampons, harness and helmet. This will help you to complete the tour safely. The minimum shoe size to attach crampons is EU 35.
Glaciers form when snow builds up over time, gets compressed, and slowly turns into solid ice. In Iceland, heavy snowfall and cold temperatures make perfect conditions for this. Over thousands of years, that snow has built up into massive glaciers that shape the land as they move. Vatnajökull, the largest glacier in Europe, is just one of many you’ll find here. Curious to learn more? Our Glacier Guide covers it all.
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. However, if conditions make the tour unsafe for any reason, we’ll cancel it, and you’ll receive a full refund.
