Kayaking at Glacier Lagoon with glacier hike

You paddle among floating icebergs, then walk across blue glacier ice the same afternoon.

Kayak around icebergs at Glacier Lagoon and hike Breidamerkurjokull Glacier in a single 6-hour outing near Höfn, Iceland. You choose which activity comes first. A certified kayak guide leads you across the lagoon's blue water while a glacier-certified guide takes you up the ice afterward, with all equipment (drysuit, paddle, crampons, harness, helmet and ice axe) provided. Minimum age is 14.

The Experience

The lagoon sits ringed by icebergs that have calved from Breidamerkurjokull Glacier and drift on meltwater the color of crushed sapphires. You paddle among them with a certified kayak guide, staying close enough to see the striations and air pockets trapped inside the ice. The guide navigates the safest routes and explains what you're seeing: how the bergs break apart, how the water got its color, how fast the glacier has retreated in recent years.

After a break on shore, a super jeep takes you to the glacier's edge. From there you walk upslope onto the ice itself, roped to your glacier guide and wearing crampons. The hike climbs toward the features that shaped the lagoon below: crevasses, seracs, the raw geometry of moving ice. If conditions allow, you may reach one of the glacier's famous blue ice caves, where the compressed ice absorbs all color except the deepest blue. The guide points out how the glacier has changed even in the last few years, visible in the exposed layers and the retreat marks on the rock.

All gear is included: for kayaking, a drysuit, life vest and paddle. For the glacier, crampons, harness, helmet and ice axe. Both guides are certified in their disciplines and speak English. You can start with either the kayak or the hike: the order doesn't change what you see, only when you see it.

What’s included

• Certified kayak guide and certified glacier guide.
• all kayak gear including drysuit, life vest and paddle.
• all glacier gear including crampons, harness, helmet and ice axe.
• super jeep transport to the glacier.

Good to know

Easy physical levelNot for heart conditionsNot for back problems

Operated by Troll Expeditions

Is this one for you?You start from Höfn and the super jeep picks you up, which means you don't need a rental car or your own transport to reach either the lagoon or the glacier. Both are otherwise difficult to access without one.

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Top questions

Can I choose whether to kayak first or hike first?

Yes. You decide at booking whether to start with the kayaking at Glacier Lagoon or the glacier hike on Breidamerkurjokull, and the itinerary reverses accordingly.

Is there a minimum age or fitness requirement?

The minimum age is 14. The activity is suitable for all physical fitness levels, though it is not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries or poor cardiovascular health.

What is Breidamerkurjokull Glacier known for?

Breidamerkurjokull is famous for its blue ice caves (natural formations where compressed ice absorbs light and appears in shades of deep blue), though visibility depends on conditions on the day you visit.

How long does the whole experience take?

The full combo is 6 hours from start to finish, including both the kayaking and the glacier hike, plus a short break between them.