Vatnajökull Glacier Tour with Professional Photography

Hike across Vatnajökull's ice, ride among icebergs, and leave with professional photos

A full-day private glacier tour on Vatnajökull combines a guided hike across Breiðamerkurjökull Glacier, a Zodiac boat ride through Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon, and a photoshoot at Diamond Beach, with all gear provided and 20 edited photos delivered within 14 days. The tour runs eight hours and suits most fitness levels, though a five-kilometer hike is required. A live English-speaking guide leads throughout.

Step-by-step itinerary

Glacier hike and lagoon exploration

• Receive glacier hiking gear
• Hike 30 minutes to glacier edge
• Glacier hike on Breiðamerkurjökull
• Photoshoot at Glacier Lagoon
• Take Zodiac boat tour among icebergs
• Photoshoot at Diamond Beach

The experience

You arrive at the glacier parking lot and gear up: crampons, ice axe, harness, helmet with headlamp, and hiking boots if you need them. A 30-minute hike across mostly flat terrain with slight rocky sections brings you to Breiðamerkurjökull Glacier's edge. Once on the ice, your photographer-guide leads you through crystal-blue formations and deep moulins: the landscape shifts under your feet with each step.

After the glacier, you move to the lagoon for a private photoshoot framed by the glacier and icebergs, then board a Zodiac boat to glide past towering ice drifting through the water. The boat ride is the moment the scale of the place becomes real. From there, you head to Diamond Beach, where stranded icebergs and ice cubes sit against black sand: another photoshoot, another angle on the same raw landscape.

Throughout the day, your guide documents the journey. Within 14 days, you receive a custom package of 20 edited photos via private download. The tour takes eight hours total, which means you can fit it into a day that includes morning arrival or an evening departure, but not both.

What’s included

• Photographer-guide leading the full day.
• all glacier equipment including helmet, harness, crampons, ice axe and hiking boots rental.
• private photoshoots at Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon and Diamond Beach.
• Zodiac boat ride through the lagoon.
• 20 edited photos per person delivered within 14 days.

Before you book

Days and timesNext departure: 12 May 2027

Book up to12h before

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 14 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortNot recommended with heart problems

Operated by Ice Pic Journeys

Is this one for you?Eight hours is the full commitment, which rules out pairing this with another major activity the same day but leaves room for a morning flight or an evening departure. The private format and photographer-guide mean you're not waiting for a group to assemble or moving at someone else's pace.

Traveler reviews

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Top questions

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What gear do I need to bring for the glacier hike?

Crampons, ice axe, harness, helmet with headlamp, and hiking boots are all provided by Ice Pic Journeys. You bring only your own clothing layers and a camera if you want to take your own shots alongside the guide's professional ones.

How difficult is the hike on Vatnajökull?

The terrain is mostly flat with slight rocky sections, and the pace matches your comfort. A five-kilometer hike is required over the course of the day, making it accessible for most fitness levels, though it is not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health.

What happens during the Zodiac boat ride?

You board a Zodiac boat at Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon and ride among massive icebergs drifting through the water. The boat tour is included in the full-day experience and gives you a close view of the ice formations from the water.

When do I receive the photos from the tour?

A package of 20 edited photos per person is emailed to you within 14 days of the tour as a private download. The photographer-guide captures moments throughout the day at the glacier, lagoon, and Diamond Beach.

Is this tour suitable for children?

Children under six years old require direct approval from Ice Pic Journeys before booking. Children under five must be carried in a sling or backpack provided by parents. Infants requiring a car seat need parents to provide it.