Skaftafell 3 Hour Glacier Hike

Join this 3 hour glacier hike near Skaftafell and explore thousand-year-old ice while hiking Europe’s largest glacier

Join this amazing walk on the glacier near Skaftafell National Park, one of Iceland's most popular activities all year round. Hike into the magnificent ice-world of Vatnajökull, the largest glacier in Europe. Your certified glacier guide will show you stunning scenery and astonishing ice formations.

As glaciers continue melting at an alarming rate – roughly more than 1.2 trillion tons per year around the world, take this unforgettable tour, where you will experience a rare phenomena of how half of our world used to look like, just 12 thousands years ago. Vatnajökull glacier continues to melt, which will eventually lose half of its current ice by the year 2100 (which currently covers 9% of Iceland). It is estimated that by 2200, most of the glacier ice in Iceland will be forever lost. 

Your tour will start at Hof, where you will meet your highly qualified and certified glacier guide, 20 minutes before departure. Once you arrive, your guide will provide you with all the necessary gear – crampons, a helmet, an ice axe, and footwear / rainwear (if needed). Once geared up, you will start your journey towards the glacier. 

Due to large amounts of melted ice, it will take roughly 20 minutes (by walk) to reach the glacier. On the way, you will be able to see how the ice has deformed the bedrock, the moss line of the surrounding mountains will indicate where ice used to be just a few years ago, and a lagoon, where you’ll see the last remains of the melted ice. Once you reach the glacier, your guide will teach you how to walk on ice, and after a quick safety talk, you’ll start your hike on the icy Falljökull glacier outlet – one of the most magical yet mysterious outlets of the Vatnajökull Glacier. Falljökull outlet is different from other outlets due to the dramatically carved glacier landscapes, which you’ll be able to see while on the 3 hour hike.

During the tour, your guide will take you to the most magnificent parts of the glacier – including crevasses, moulins, glacier mice (a type of moss), massive ice falls, and sometimes ice caves.

Interesting Fact:

Unfortunately Icelandic winters are no longer cold enough for the glaciers to grow. During winter months, glaciers tend to remain the same size since it's not warm enough to grow, while during summer months glaciers melt at a great rate.

Difficulty level is Easy to Moderate
Clients must be fit enough for the activity they are participating in. They must be dressed and geared up according to weather conditions.