Skaftafell: Ice Cave & Glacier Walk with Super Jeep

★★★★★★★★★★ 4.93 (183 reviews) 97% rated it 5 stars

Free cancellationTravelers' pick

1/23

Duration5h–6h

GroupUp to 8

LanguagesEN

Mobile ticketAccepted

Into the Ice: Vatnajökull's Caves & Glacier Edge

You ride a Super Jeep into the glacier, walk through ice caves lit by that impossible blue, and stand at the edge of Iceland's biggest glacier wall with crampons and a harness keeping you safe. Helmets and all safety gear are included. Expect four hours of steady movement in cold, windy conditions, and bring proper boots and waterproof layers or rent them on-site.

5h–6h

Step-by-step itinerary

Ice cave and glacier exploration

Meet at 10:00 AM
Depart at 10:30 AM
Ride Super Jeep offroad 30 minutes
Explore deep blue ice caves
Walk on the glacier
Stand on glacier edge viewpoint

The Experience

Most people see Vatnajökull from a distance—a white line on the horizon, something you photograph from the road. This tour puts you inside it. You meet at 10am in Skaftafell, climb into a Super Jeep, and spend thirty minutes grinding uphill on terrain that feels less like a road and more like the glacier decided where the path should go. The engine noise stops when you reach the ice, and then it's just wind, the sound of crampons biting into frozen ground, and the color—that impossible deep blue you only see when light travels through ancient ice.

The ice cave itself is the kind of place that makes you understand why people travel. You're walking through walls that are thousands of years old, your helmet scraping the ceiling in some passages, the guide pointing out where the glacier is still moving, still grinding downward. After the cave, you walk out onto the glacier proper and stand at the edge of the biggest glacier wall in Iceland—the drop is real, the scale is real, and your crampons are the only thing between you and a very long slide. The whole thing takes about four hours from start to finish, and you're moving the whole time, so bring the fitness for it.

Weather doesn't stop this tour—rain, wind, cold, it all happens anyway. That's why the gear matters. Hiking boots that cover your ankles, waterproof layers, the works. If you show up underdressed, you can rent rain jackets and pants at the meeting point, but it's cheaper and faster to bring your own. Crampons and helmets are provided, and the harness adjusts up to 126cm, so most adults fit fine. Groups stay small—usually eight people, sometimes nine if a second guide joins—which means you're not shuffling through the ice behind a line of thirty tourists.

One thing to know: this isn't a walk in the park, and the company is clear about it. They won't take you if you have spinal injuries, are pregnant, or have cardiovascular issues that might struggle with the altitude and exertion. Kids under 15 aren't recommended, and your feet have to fit into their crampons—EU sizes 35 to 48. If you're on the fence about fitness level, contact them directly at ice@explorers.is before booking; they'd rather talk it through than have someone turn back halfway.

What’s included

Your tour includes a thirty-minute Super Jeep ride into the glacier, guided exploration of the ice caves, a walk across the glacier with crampons on your feet, a helmet and safety harness for protection, and access to the edge overlooking Vatnajökull's largest glacier wall. Boot and rain jacket rentals are available 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?Right for travelers with moderate fitness who want to stand inside an ice cave and walk on an active glacier without arranging their own transport or safety gear. Plan for a full morning and afternoon out in cold, windy conditions—that's what makes reaching the glacier and the caves possible in one trip.