Skaftafell Glacier Adventure

by Heading North · Glacier hiking · Vatnajökull & Jökulsárlón

Fine on your own
Eco-certified

from €197.84 per person

No published departures in the coming months — ask us

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Skaftafell Glacier Adventure — Heading North

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6 photos from Heading North. Tap any one for the full-size original.

Duration
6 hours
Difficulty
Moderate
Season
All year
Pickup
Meet at the start point
Starts at
Freysnes Gas Station
Freysnes, -
Guide
Guided in English
Departs
08:30, 09:00, 10:00, 10:30
Minimum age
14
Cancellation
Free until 2 days before

About this experience

Our Glacier Walk Journey begins heading towards one of Vatnajökull's glacial outlets. Once we arrive close to the glacier, we will disembark and continue our journey on foot. Before we start and take our first steps on the glacier, our glacier guides will conduct a safety briefing as well as equipping everyone with crampons, a harness, helmet and an ice axe, from here we take our first steps on the glacier. During the journey our guide will share local knowledge of the area, the glacier and surrounding landscapes as well as guiding you through beautiful glacial terrain, allowing for great views and photographic opportunities.

Our tours have a maximum of 6 people, making us more flexible and allowing us to venture further into the glacier than the bigger groups. We might bring our dog Myrkvi on the tour.

IS THIS TOUR FOR YOU ?

This tour is perfect for the adventurous person who likes to venture a bit further to get the full experience. Since this tour involves hiking a decent fitness level is required. The distance covered can be from 5-8 km in total with an elevation gain of 150-200m.

Description from the operator, Heading North. Prices and availability in the booking panel are live.

Where you go

Hike to the glacier
Explore the glacier

Good to know

Keep in mind that weather is Iceland can change quickly. You will need a waterproof jacket, warm clothes, gloves and a hat. Hiking boots are important to bring since we will use crampons. At least bring shoes with ankle support or a strong sole. No sneakers please.

It is important to bring lunch and some snacks to keep your energy high. You will need also to bring water.

Cancellation for this tour

Free cancellation until 2 days before departure; no refund after that. If the operator cancels for weather or safety, you get a full refund or a new date.

If the weather cancels this tour

Iceland's weather is real. What usually stops this one is high wind or rain on the ice — the guide decides at the meeting point, sometimes after you have set off. Here is exactly what happens to your booking.

1Heading North decides, and tells us. Operators cancel when it is unsafe or pointless, and we back that call every time — we do not ask them to run anyway.
2We contact you by email, and by phone if your tour is the same or next day. You choose: another date if there is one you can make, or a full refund. There is no fee and nothing to argue.
3The refund goes back to the card you paid with, through Stripe, usually visible within a few working days. If this tour was one of several in your booking, the others are untouched.

What you do not get is the day back. If this is the only free day in your plan, put a spare day next to it — the planner leaves days free with the rest-day option. And if you want out because the forecast looks bad, that is your own cancellation: free until 2 days before departure, the operator's policy after that.

Questions on the day: [email protected] · +354 497 1373. How cancellations work in Iceland →

Why this one and not the cheaper one?

The nearest cheaper Glacier Wonders from Arctic Adventures is €100 — €98 less. Here is every difference we can actually measure.

	Heading North · €198	Arctic Adventures · €100
How long it runs	6 hours	4.2 hours
Changing your mind	Free until 48 h before	Free until 24 h before
How hard it is	Moderate	Easy

The €98 buys you 1.8 more hours out and free cancellation up to 48 h before. Whether that is worth it is your call — but that is what the difference is.

Who this is not for

Not for families with children under 14 — the operator will not take them, even with a parent.

Read off the operator's own conditions. If none of it applies to you, this is a good one.

Why we list it

Heading North is one of 207 operators we work with — chosen for reliability, honest descriptions and how they treat guests when weather changes plans. We don't list everything; we list what we'd book ourselves. The six checks every operator passes →

Read before you book

Best Glacier Hike in Iceland (2026): 5 PicksThe glacier hikes we would book ourselves in Iceland, on Sólheimajökull and in Skaftafell, with real adult prices, departure points and who each one is not for.
Glacier hike in Iceland: which glacier to bookThree glaciers sell almost the same walk at different prices and distances. Which one fits your route, what 'easy' means, and what blue ice really requires.
Glacier hike or ice cave: which to bookBetween October and April, book the Skaftafell hike-and-cave combo and get both. The rest of the year, a glacier hike on Sólheimajökull is the better day.

Reviews from our travellers

Only people who booked this tour through us can write here. We publish every review in full — good or bad.

Reviews arrive the day after each trip — none yet for this one. After your tour we send one email asking how it was, and what you write goes here, unedited.

Glacier hiking — questions people ask

Which glacier is best for a first glacier hike?

Sólheimajökull on the South Coast, about two and a half hours from Reykjavík. It is the most accessible glacier tongue, the walk from the car park is short and the three-to-four-hour tours (/experience/6853/ or /experience/914990/) suit beginners. Skaftafell in the southeast has bigger ice and fewer people, with tours like Glacier Wonders (/experience/17340/), but it is a five-hour drive each way, so it only works if you are staying out there.

Can you hike on a glacier in Iceland in summer?

Yes. Glacier hiking runs all year. In June to August the ice is grey and gritty on the surface with blue crevasses and meltwater channels, and the weather is milder. In November to March the ice is whiter and you may see ice formations, but daylight is short and the wind bites. Neither is better; summer is easier, winter is prettier. The one thing you cannot do in summer is visit a natural blue ice cave.

How fit do I need to be for a glacier hike?

Moderately. You walk two to three hours on uneven ice in crampons, with some short steep sections. Anyone who can manage a hilly day walk will be fine; the pace is slow because the guide is checking the route. It is not for anyone with knee or balance problems, and most operators set a minimum age of eight to ten. Check the tour page. Longer tours like Glacier Explorer (/experience/17338/) push further onto the ice and need more stamina.

What do I need to bring on a glacier hike?

Sturdy boots with ankle support, waterproof jacket and trousers, warm layers, gloves and a hat, plus water and a snack. The operator provides crampons, a harness, a helmet and an ice axe. Jeans and trainers are not allowed on the ice, and guides do turn people away. Most meeting points rent boots and rain gear for a small fee; check the tour page and book them in advance in summer.

Hotels

Where to stay for this tour

From the cheapest to the top end of what is near Skaftafell, from our hotel partners. Rooms are booked on our hotels site.

All hotels in Vatnajökull & Jökulsárlón →

One checkout, any number of operators
Rankings are not for sale
206 operators vetted, and not all of them accepted
If it falls short, we fix it

Pairs well with

Add any of these to this tour and 3 % comes off both at checkout — about €10 on the cheapest pair. One basket, one payment, however many operators they come from.