SÓLHEIMAJÖKULL

Sólheimajökull glacier is found along the Route One ring road – the main road that runs around the entire island of Iceland. It is on the south coast of Iceland and is an outlet of the Mýrdalsjökull ice cap which plugs the famous Katla volcano system.

In terms of finding the way, a Sólheimajökull glacier self-drive adventure is very easy. Simply follow the Route One main road out of Reykjavík and drive for around two hours before turning onto Route 221 gravel road for 4 kilometres. This takes you right to Sólheimajökull car park. However, as it is only possible to walk on Sólheimajökull glacier with a trained, professional guide, it is usually easier to join an organised Sólheimajökull Glacier hike tour from Reykjavík which includes transfers.

From the car park, it is only a 15 to 20-minute walk to the base of Sólheimajökull glacier. The walk to the base is actually getting longer every year as Sólheimajökull glacier is shrinking. Guided walks on the glacier’s surface take around an hour and a half with the most strenuous activity on the way up.

Sólheimajökull glacier is one of the most popular places to take a glacier walk in Iceland. You can walk on the frozen surface of the glacier as long as you join an organised, guided tour with a professional glacier hiker leading the way. The surface hides sinkholes and ravines in the ice, so walking on Sólheimajökull glacier by yourself is not allowed as it is too dangerous. It is also one of the few places in Iceland where you can try ice climbing – using ropes and pickaxes to scale a wall of crystalline ice.

The walk up to the base of Iceland’s Sólheimajökull glacier tongue is not easy. Even if you are not hiking up to the surface of the glacier, you still need to cross rocky paths with uneven footing. Although the walk is not very long, you will need to wear some sturdy walking boots just to reach the base of the glacial tongue.

Sólheimajökull glacier walking is generally considered easy to modarate. These are family friendly tours and generally less challenging than the Skaftafell glacier hikes. You need to be fit enough to walk on uneven terrain, uphill and comfortable going up crudely hacked ice stairs in crampons. Glacier hikes tend to take around an hour and a half, so you need to be comfortable walking for this length of time across some icy surface and sometimes snow. For those that really want a challenge, there is the opportunity to try ice climbing on Sólheimajökull glacier.

Around Sólheimajökull glacier, you’ll find a scattering of family-run guesthouses and B&Bs on farmsteads. Accommodation in this remote area often comes in the form of wooden cabins on farmland and has the bonus of waking to views of waterfalls, rugged hills and even glaciers. For a wider array of accommodation, the charming coastal village of Vík is a half-hour drive away where you’ll find hotels, hostels and B&Bs for all budgets and a selection of restaurants for evening meals.

Sólheimajökull Glacier walking is possible all year round, so you can visit when the sun shines in summer or in deepest, coldest winter. The benefit of visiting Sólheimajökull in summer is that the long hours of daylight allow for longer adventures on the frozen surface of the glacier. The clearer, sunnier weather in summer also means road closures are less likely. Occasionally, when there is a snowstorm or wild weather in winter, glacier hikes will be cancelled as conditions are too dangerous. However, there is a benefit to visiting Sólheimajökull glacier in winter. It is only during the colder months that you can visit the Blue Ice Cave – one of Iceland’s most beautiful natural frozen caves. During the warmer months, the entranceway melts making it too dangerous to access so you need to visit Sólheimajökull glacier between the beginning of November and the end of March if you want to check out the ice cave.

For a glacier hike on Sólheimajökull, you need to bring a pair of high-ankled walking boots, rather than walking shoes, as you’ll need to fit a set of crampons onto them. Crampons, helmets and ice axes will be supplied by your glacier guide, so there’s no need to bring this equipment with you. Your walking boots should be waterproof too, as the surface of the glacier is snowy and icy. Sólheimajökull Glacier weather can be unpredictable, especially in the winter months, so layers are essential. A sports t-shirt, fleece and waterproof jacket are a good combination as it is cold at the bottom of the glacier, but you soon warm up hiking uphill, especially when the sun shines overhead. You’ll want to de-layer as you go.