Private Glacier Hike Helicopter Tour from Skaftafell

by Atlantsflug · Glacier hiking · Hiking & trekking · Helicopter & flightseeing · Vatnajökull & Jökulsárlón

4.90· 444 Google reviews of the operator
  • Luxury
Private Glacier Hike Helicopter Tour from Skaftafell — Atlantsflug
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  • Duration

    2 hours and 30 minutes

  • Difficulty

    Moderate

  • Season

    All year

  • Starts in

    Öræfi

  • Pickup

    Meet at the start point

  • Starts at

    Skaftafell Terminal

    Flugvallarvegur, Öræfi

  • Guide

    Guided in English

  • Departs

    09:00, 11:30, 14:00

  • Minimum age

    12

  • Cancellation

    Free until 24 hours before

About this experience

Take off from Skaftafell Terminal on this private helicopter tour in Iceland and travel across Vatnajökull’s glacier landscapes for a guided glacier hike. This experience combines a scenic flight with time on the ice, led by a professional glacier guide accompanying you throughout the journey.

This tour is offered as a private experience only. Please contact us to plan your flight and a guided glacier hike.

What to Expect

After departure, your pilot and glacier guide will plan the route based on weather and visibility, flying over Vatnajökull’s outlet glaciers and surrounding mountain terrain.

The helicopter lands directly on or next to the glacier, depending on conditions and the most suitable access point for the day. Once on the glacier, your guide will provide the necessary equipment and lead you on a guided hike across the ice. During the hike, you’ll explore glacier formations, crevasses, and the surrounding alpine landscape.

After the hike, you’ll return to the helicopter for the scenic flight back to Skaftafell.

You may experience:
  • A helicopter flight over Vatnajökull’s outlet glaciers
  • Landing on or next to the glacier
  • Guided glacier hike with a certified guide
  • Aerial views on the return flight
Why Choose This Tour

This experience combines helicopter access with guided glacier exploration in a private setting. It’s ideal for those who want to reach the glacier efficiently and explore it with a professional guide, in a more remote and less visited part of the glacier.

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

Included

  • Up to a 150-minute private glacier hike and helicopter tour
  • Landing on or next to the glacier (conditions permitting)
  • Guided glacier hike with a professional glacier guide
  • All necessary glacier gear and safety equipment
  • Free parking at Skaftafell Terminal

Good to know

Proper winter clothing is required. Conditions on the glacier can be cold and change quickly, and participants must be appropriately equipped.

Dress as you would for winter hiking:

  • Thermal base layers (wool or synthetic)
  • Warm mid layers (fleece or insulated jacket)
  • Waterproof outer layers
  • Hat, gloves, warm socks
  • Sturdy hiking boots (no sneakers)
  • Small backpack for essentials

Note: Jeans are not suitable for this tour.

  • This tour is offered as a private experience and arranged on request. Departure time is confirmed based on the guide and helicopter availability.
  • Maximum group size: up to 9 passengers.
  • Recommended age: 12+ (younger on request).
  • Difficulty: Moderate; participants should be comfortable on uneven terrain and in fair hiking conditions.
  • Routes and landings are always dependent on weather and safety conditions.
  • Landings are only performed when deemed safe by the pilot.

Glaciers are dynamic natural environments. Conditions and routes vary depending on glacier conditions at the time of your tour.

Cancellation for this tour

Free cancellation until 24 hours 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. 1Atlantsflug 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 1 day 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 families with children under 12 — 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

Atlantsflug 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 →

What travellers say about Atlantsflug

Read all 444 reviews on Google →

Operator rating 4.9/5 from Google — these are reviews of the company, not this specific tour. Shown as Google returns them, unedited.

  • Marcin

    ★★★★★ · 2 months ago

    I truly think this was the best experience/activity that we did on Iceland. It was a gift for my Wife on her birthday and I think this was a bullseye! Absolutely phenomenal experience and breathtaking views. We did not get a proper weather, it was a bit windy, cloudy and pouring some light rain - due to those circumstances we had a risk of cancelling the flight, but at least after 1-2h wait as they suggested us, the sky got a bit better and we got an opportunity to fly for a smaller package of 30 minutes as Atlantsflug suggested us the day before the trip (with a refund from the package that we have chosen, which was also super nice! ❤️). On top of that I'd like to thank you again Palmi - our great pilot that just make our flight experience absolutely stunning. Safe and enjoyable flight! I do think this activity should be an obligation on the Iceland to-do list. Definitely recommend!

  • Wendy Jackson

    ★★★★★ · 5 months ago

    This was an amazing experience all round. We chose to see the Vatnajokull Glacier from the air and were not disappointed. The welcome on arrival from Malina was great with a free drink. We were in a Cessna plane with 3 others and all of us had window seats. Magnus the pilot was knowledgeable regarding the glacier and its formation. We were lucky with the weather as visibility was superb. Later that day we saw part of the glacier up close on a glacier hike. A great time with a professional & friendly organisation. I would highly recommend this experience.

  • Anna Przybylska

    ★★★★★ · 4 months ago

    A highlight of our trip! Unforgettable experience! Very helpful and polite lady at the desk in the terminal and super pilot. Beautiful views, lovely people- I can recommend enough! Must do! Just got off the scenic view and can’t stop smiling :)

  • Łukasz Strep

    ★★★★★ · 7 months ago

    The day after our engagement, we took a helicopter flight with landing at Atlantsflug, and it was truly unforgettable. Wera was incredibly helpful and made everything smooth and easy for us from the start. The whole experience felt perfectly arranged. Our pilot, who was from Sweden, was outstanding. Calm, professional, and knowledgeable. We felt completely safe the entire time, and he showed us the very best the glacier had to offer. The views were breathtaking and the glacier landing was simply magical. Highly recommended. A once in a lifetime experience.

Reviews from Google · updated 23 Oct 2026

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 Skaftafell, from our hotel partners. Rooms are booked on our hotels site.

All hotels in Vatnajökull & Jökulsárlón →

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Pairs well with

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