Breiðamerkurjökull Glacier: 2-Hour Ice Hike & Crampons

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Duration4h 30m

GroupUp to 12

LanguagesEN

Mobile ticketAccepted

Two hours on blue ice: what a glacier walk in Iceland actually feels like

You hike 4–6 km across Breiðamerkurjökull glacier with a guide who explains how the ice formed and is changing. Crampons, helmet, and harness are provided and fitted before you start. The walk takes about 2 hours on medium terrain; you'll see blue ice, crevasses, and volcanic ash depending on daily conditions. All gear is included, and you return to the Glacier Lagoon by early afternoon.

4h 30m

Step-by-step itinerary

Glacier hiking and exploration

Meet and gear up
Drive 40 minutes by super-jeep
Hike on Breiðamerkurjökull glacier
Explore glacier features and formations
Walk back to the jeep
Drive back to Glacier Lagoon

The Experience

The glacier spreads in front of you like a frozen river that stopped moving a thousand years ago. Cracks run through it in shades of white and grey and something close to blue, and the air tastes thin and cold. You're standing at the Glacier Lagoon near Hófn, about to strap crampons to your boots and walk out onto Breiðamerkurjökull, an outlet of Vatnajökull, Iceland's largest ice cap. Your guide checks your harness — adjusted to fit, not loose — and hands you a helmet. The super-jeep ride to the glacier takes 40 minutes from the meeting point, and then the real walk begins.

The ice exploration tour runs about 2 hours on the glacier itself, covering 4 to 6 kilometers across terrain that changes depending on the day. Some sections are hard-packed and almost easy; others slope or have small crevasses that your guide navigates around or, if conditions allow, through. You'll see ashy ice where volcanic dust has settled, patches where the glacier is melting into meltwater streams, and if you're lucky, sections of that deep blue ice that only forms under pressure. Your guide explains how glaciers move and shrink, how they shape the landscape around them, and what the changes mean — the kind of detail that makes the walk feel less like a hike and more like a conversation with someone who knows this place. The difficulty is rated medium; you need to be comfortable walking on uneven ground in cold weather, but no prior glacier experience is required. What matters is that you can fit the safety gear and move steadily for two hours.

Gear is provided: crampons that bite into the ice, a helmet, and a safety harness that clips to a rope if the terrain demands it. The meeting times are 08:30, 12:00, or 13:45, so you can choose the slot that fits your day. Dress in layers — warm, waterproof, breathable — and bring hiking boots that cover your ankles; soft shoes or sneakers won't work on ice. If you don't have proper rain gear or boots, you can rent them at the meeting point, though the rental adds to your cost. The glacier is usually as cold as the Glacier Lagoon itself, so plan accordingly. After the walk, you return to the jeep and drive back to where you started, usually by mid-afternoon if you took a morning slot.

What’s included

Your day includes hotel or Glacier Lagoon pickup (depending on booking), a 40-minute super-jeep drive to the glacier, crampons, helmet, and safety harness fitted to your size, a 2-hour guided walk across Breiðamerkurjökull covering 4–6 km, and the return drive to the meeting point. Rain gear and hiking boots are available to rent at the meeting point if you need them.

Good to know

Moderate physical levelNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problems

Operated by Ice Explorers

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to walk on a real glacier without arranging transport, gear, or timing yourself — the guide handles safety and navigation, and the fixed meeting times mean you know exactly when to show up and when you'll be back.