Private South Coast with Glacier Hike

by Glaciers and Waterfalls · Glacier hiking · Hiking & trekking · South Coast

5.00· 832 TripAdvisor reviews of this tour
  • Beginners welcome
  • Self-guided

from €1,783.83 for up to 6

Next departure: Sun 25 Oct

Book Sun 25 Oct · €1,783.83 the vehicleOther dates
Private South Coast with Glacier Hike — Glaciers and Waterfalls
Waterfall with a double rainbow
A man standing on a glacier with the perfect backdrop on the glacier
The glacier guide and a boy are making a "Viking face" on the glacier.
Standing in front of the glacier outlet.
People standing in a moulin
Woman screaming like a Viking on the glacier.
Rainbow in the spraying from the waterfall.
Experimenting with fun photo angles.
Playing with illusion on the glacier, "little man - big man".
Woman sitting around icicle skulptures.
People climing out of a large crevasse

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  • Duration

    10 hours

  • Difficulty

    Easy

  • Season

    All year

  • Starts in

    Hvolsvöllur

  • Pickup

    Hotel pickup included

  • Departs

    08:00

  • Cancellation

    Free until 7 days before

About this experience

If you want to get up close and personal with a glacier and see the most popular spots on the south coast of Iceland then this tour is for you.
You’ll see 2 classical Icelandic waterfalls, Seljalandsfoss and Skogafoss. 
After that it’s time to strap on a pair of crampons grab your ice pick and helmet and hike on the ice, through twists and turns on the glacier of Solheimajokull.
This is an experience you won’t forget.

Itinerary
One of Iceland's classic waterfalls, Seljalandsfoss
Certainly not one of Iceland's biggest waterfalls but what makes Seljalandsfoss different is that most of the year you can actually walk behind the cascading water. This really makes for a unique experience.

Skogafoss is truly magnificent waterfall
65 meters tall and 25 meters wide making it also one of the biggest waterfalls in the country. Legend has it that there is a chest of gold hidden behind the waterfall. You’ll have to be as strong as a viking to get to it though.

The Black Sand Beach
In Reynisfjara you'll see a beautiful black sand beach, and at times incredibly powerful waves from the the Atlantic ocean. There are also some pretty awesome basalt columns and rock formations called “Reynisdrangar” that rise from the the ocean close to the shore.

Glacier Hike on Sólheimajökull
Sólheimajökull is an outlet glacier of the Mýrdalsjökull, Iceland’s 4th largest glacier on the South Coast of Iceland. It is one of the most easily accessible glaciers to reach from Reykjavík, just 158 kilometres (98 miles) away. It is here you will hike on the ice, exploring glacial features and learning about it’s formation.

Description from the operator, Glaciers and Waterfalls. Prices and availability in the booking panel are live.

Where you go

  1. Skogafoss
  2. Sólheimajökull
  3. Reynisfjara
  4. Seljalandsfoss

Included

  • Transfer to/from Reykjavik in a Minibus
  • English speaking certified glacier guide
  • Equipment for glacier hike
  • Free WiFi on the Bus

Not included

Meals

Good to know

  • Warm outdoor clothing
  • Hat and gloves or mittens
  • Rain gear
  • Good hiking boots
  • Backpack
  • Water bottle
  • Camera/Phone

Cancellation for this tour

Free cancellation until 7 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.

  1. 1Glaciers and Waterfalls 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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 7 days before departure, the operator's policy after that.

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

Who this is not for

  • Not for last-minute planners — free cancellation ends 7 days before, longer than most tours here.
  • Priced per vehicle, so it is poor value for one or two people and good value for four or more sharing.

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

Why we list it

Glaciers and Waterfalls 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

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 Hella & Hvolsvöllur, from our hotel partners. Rooms are booked on our hotels site.

All hotels in South Coast →

  • 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. One basket, one payment, however many operators they come from.

from

€1,783.83 for up to 6

Book Sun 25 Oct · €1,783.83 the vehicle