If you read nothing else
- Skaftafell glacier hikes start from US$106, the blue ice cave and glacier hike from US$167, and Jökulsárlón ice cave tours from US$161.[1][2][3]
- A 4-hour small group day limited to 12 participants, with a live English-speaking guide and stops at Vatnajökull and Falljökull.[2]
- Reserve now and pay later is offered, and free cancellation runs up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.[2]
- The ice caves in Vatnajökull are only accessible during winter months, from November and usually throughout March, depending on the weather.[4]
- Skaftafell is about 327 km (203 miles) from Reykjavík by car via Route 1, a drive that takes approximately 4.5 hours.[5]
- Top choice Skaftafell Ice Cave & Hike from US$167 Duration4 hours[2]GuideLive tour guide: English[2]Rating4.62 from 848 reviews[2]CancellationUp to 24 hours in advance[2] Check availability
- Blue Ice Glacier Hike from US$106 Duration4 hours[1]GuideLive tour guide: English[1]Rating4.71 from 1,357 reviews[1]CancellationUp to 24 hours in advance[1] See this tour
- Ice Cave & Glacier Hike from US$162 Duration4 hours[6]GuideLive tour guide: English[6]Rating4.53 from 1,962 reviews[6]CancellationUp to 24 hours in advance[6] See this tour
The ice caves are only accessible during winter months, from November and usually throughout March, depending on the weather.
Is the Skaftafell blue ice cave tour worth it?
Know this first
What a Vatnajökull ice cave tour costs
When travellers ask about a Vatnajökull ice cave tour price, the answer depends on the departure point, how long the day runs and how big the group is. A Skaftafell glacier hike without a cave starts from US$106,[1] and the Skaftafell blue ice cave and glacier hike on Vatnajökull starts from US$167.[2] From Jökulsárlón, an ice cave tour on Vatnajökull starts from US$161,[3] while an ice cave tour and glacier hike from Skaftafell starts from US$162.[6] Every figure here is a from-price, so it moves with the date and with how full a departure is.
Iceland ice cave tour price Vatnajökull listings also vary with how far off the road the cave sits and how much walking is involved. A 6-hour glacier hike to a remote ice cave starts from US$285,[10] and an ice cave and glacier exploration tour starts from US$275.[11] At the cheaper end, a Skaftafell glacier hike starts from US$97[12] and a short glacier encounter walk with a 4x4 transfer starts from US$121.[13] Two-day and three-day itineraries are priced as full trips rather than single days out, from US$704 for a 2-day south coast ice cave tour[14] to US$968 for a 3-day version.[15]
Why the ice is worth the drive
Vatnajökull glacier has a surface area of approximately 8,100 square kilometers (3,127 square miles) and is the largest glacier in both Iceland and Europe.[16] It sits on a highland plateau and pushes long tongues of ice down toward the coastal plain, and those tongues are where the guided walks and the ice cave trips go. The ice averages 380 metres thick, though in places it is almost a kilometre deep.[17] Blue ice forms where the glacier is squeezed and the air is pressed out of it, and a ceiling of that ice glows when daylight reaches it.
Under the ice sit volcanoes, and the three most famous subglacial volcanoes under Vatnajökull are Grímsvötn, Öraefajökull and Bardarbunga.[18] Vatnajökull National Park was inscribed on UNESCO's list of World Heritage Sites on 5 July 2019.[19] Falljökull Glacier, the tongue most Skaftafell hikes reach, is a striking outlet glacier of the vast Vatnajökull ice cap.[20] Since the year 2000, Icelandic outlet glaciers have retreated exceptionally fast, and their mass loss is among the highest recorded in the world.[21]
Blue light inside an ice cave beneath a Vatnajökull outlet glacier.
Skaftafell: where the tours meet
Skaftafell is a green pocket of birch woods, campsites and visitor facilities between the glacier tongues and the black sand coast, and it is where most guided days on this part of the ice begin. The tour booked from this site runs by bus or coach from Skaftafell to Vatnajökull and Falljökull and back again.[2] Another Skaftafell listing follows a similar pattern, out to Vatnajökull National Park and back by bus or coach.[6] Both are easy to join if you are sleeping nearby.
Skaftafellsstofa Visitor Centre is the place to check conditions and pick up information. Its opening hours are 10-17 in January and February, 9-17 in March to May, 9-19 in June to August, 9-18 in September and October, 9-17 in November and 10-17 in December.[9] For an overnight stay close to the trailhead, Fosshotel Glacier Lagoon is a four-star superior hotel located a stone's throw from Skaftafell.[22] Winter weekends fill quickly on this stretch of the south coast, so book a bed before you book the ice.
Driving to Skaftafell and what parking costs
Skaftafell is about 327 km (203 miles) from Reykjavík by car via Route 1, a drive that takes approximately 4.5 hours.[5] That is a long way for a single day out after a flight, so a night on the south coast on either side makes the trip gentler. The direct drive from Skaftafell to Jökulsárlón is 35.4 miles (57 km) and takes about 50 minutes in normal traffic,[23] which makes the lagoon an easy add-on after a hike on the ice.
Parking at Skaftafell is subject to a regional fee, with a passenger car of 5 or fewer seats charged 1,110 ISK.[7] Fuel and food get sparse east of Vík, so fill up and stock up when you can. In winter, check road conditions and the forecast each morning and allow extra time for ice, wind and early darkness. Warm boots and a charged phone are the two things people most often wish they had packed.
from US$167
The Skaftafell ice cave and glacier hike on Vatnajökull takes 4 hours, is limited to 12 participants and has a live English guide.[2]
When the ice caves open and what to wear
The ice caves in Vatnajökull are only accessible during winter months, from November and usually throughout March, depending on the weather.[4] Outside that window you can still walk on the glacier, but the blue cave is a cold-season feature. Winter days are short, so an early departure leaves a comfortable margin for the drive back to your guesthouse. If your trip is flexible, aim for the middle of your stay and keep the last day free.
Layers do most of the work on a glacier: a waterproof shell, a warm mid layer, a hat, gloves and boots with stiff soles. The ice stays cold and damp even on a bright day, and meltwater drips from cave ceilings, so a dry bag for your phone and camera is worth carrying. Bring a spare pair of gloves and sunglasses for the glare off the snow. Hot drinks and snacks in the car make the long drive home far more pleasant.
Group size, difficulty and the day you are buying
The tour booked from this site takes 4 hours and is limited to 12 participants, with a live tour guide in English.[2] Other Skaftafell and Jökulsárlón listings keep numbers small as well: some are limited to 8 participants,[10][24] others to 10,[25] 12[26] or 14.[27] Check the group cap on the listing before you book, and check whether the day includes a cave or only the glacier surface.
Durations on standard listings run from 2.5 hours to 6 hours,[10][13] and advanced days add ice climbing and steeper ground.[25][28] For Mountain Guides' easy glacier hikes in Iceland, the minimum age requirement is 8 years old, while more difficult glacier walks may have a higher minimum age.[8] Pick a shorter, easier day if you are new to crampons, and save the steep ice for a return visit.
Jökulsárlón, kayaking and other days nearby
Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon and Diamond Beach sit east of Skaftafell, 35.4 miles (57 km) and about 50 minutes away in normal traffic.[23] On the lagoon, a kayaking tour starts from US$159[29] and the amphibian boat tour lasts 30-40 minutes.[30] If you would rather not drive, a Reykjavik day tour to the lagoon and Diamond Beach starts from US$232[31][32] and runs for around 14 hours.[31]
For a different angle on the ice, a glacier kayaking tour in Vatnajökull National Park starts from US$184[33] and a scenic airplane tour over Skaftafell Nature Reserve starts from US$171.[34] Plain glacier walks are another option, from US$105 for a small group blue ice glacier hike[35] to US$164 for an advanced Falljökull hike.[25] Whichever you pick, book the date first and build the rest of the day around it.
From-prices for ice cave and glacier tours on Vatnajökull
Every value is a US dollar from-price taken from these listings:[1],[6],[36],[2],[10].
What each Vatnajökull tour costs from
Amounts are US dollar from-prices shown on listings[1],[6],[36],[2] and[10].
When to plan your Vatnajökull ice cave trip
Plan your Skaftafell day
Pick your tour and date
Decide between a plain glacier walk and a day that includes a blue ice cave, then check availability for your dates.[2]
Book with free cancellation
These listings offer reserve now and pay later, with free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.[2]
Sort the drive and parking
Skaftafell is about 327 km (203 miles) from Reykjavík by road.[5] Parking for a car of 5 or fewer seats costs 1,110 ISK.[7]
Arrive early and layer up
Allow time to find the meeting point, get your gear on and add a warm layer before you step onto the ice.
Add Jökulsárlón afterwards
The lagoon lies 35.4 miles (57 km) east of Skaftafell, about 50 minutes in normal traffic.[23]
See the price and dates for the Skaftafell blue ice cave day
from US$167Reserve now & pay later
