Blue Ice Experience - 3.5-hour Skaftafell Glacier Hike
Trip Advisor Best of the Best Adward 2025
Check out Our ReviewsLess walking, more adventure: a superjeep glacier hike in Skaftafell
3.5 hours•Languages: English
Explore a stunning outlet glacier in Skaftafell during this easy glacier walk. Marvel at this icy giant, a breathtaking outlet glacier that extends from the vast Vatnajökull Glacier, the largest in Europe. Get ready for an adventure against a backdrop of glacial ice!
Join one of Iceland’s highest-rated glacier tours, where a fun superjeep ride does most of the journey to the ice so you spend less of the day walking and more of it enjoying the adventure and the glacier itself.
The Blue Ice Experience is a Tripadvisor Best of the Best–recognised tour and a guest favourite for its combination of expert guiding, safety, and unforgettable glacier scenery.
You’ll meet your certified glacier guide at Skaftafell Base Camp, then climb aboard a superjeep for a fun, roughly 20-minute ride toward the glacier, an adventure in its own right, that covers most of the distance other tours cross on foot. After a short walk and a safety briefing, you’re fitted with essential safety equipment (crampons, helmet and ice axe) and head out across the glacier to explore areas where dense, ancient ice reveals its vivid blue tones. Along the way, your guide will explain how glaciers form, how crevasses and ice features change over time, and what makes Iceland’s ice so uniquely coloured.
This experience offers an immersive yet accessible introduction to glacier travel, combining adventure, education, and exceptional photo opportunities in one of Iceland’s most dramatic natural settings.
Most glacier hikes in the area run about four hours and begin with a long walk over rock and moraine to reach the ice. The Blue Ice Experience takes around 3.5 hours: a transformed superjeep takes you to the glacier’s edge, a fun ride in its own right, so you spend far less time walking to and from it, while still getting great time on the ice itself.
TourID: SKF21
Activity provider: Icelandic Mountain Guides by Icelandia
Skaftafell Base Camp
Need to know
Please arrive 20 minutes before departure time.
Accessible to all those in good health.
Remember to dress according to the weather. The Skaftafell parking lot fee is not included in the tour price.
We warmly welcome everyone to explore the majesty of the glacier, and although access for individuals with reduced mobility is limited, we offer private tours where our attentive guides can provide comprehensive assistance.
Requirements
- Warm clothing
- Hiking boots. You can rent a pair at the Base Camp.
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- Flexible Cancellation
- No Booking Fees
Tour itinerary
What’s included and what to bring on this tour
It’s important to always be prepared for your next adventure in Iceland. See our list of what’s included, and what you should bring or add to your trip
Included
- Experienced and qualified glacier guide
- Glacier gear
- Safety equipment
- Fun off-road superjeep ride most of the way to the glacier — far less walking to reach the ice
Not included
- Rain gear (optional bookable extra)
- Hiking boots (optional bookable extra)
- Snacks and drinks
Tour highlights
Are you wondering about something?
If you're planning a trip to Iceland, it's important to be prepared with the right information. Here are some frequently asked questions (FAQs) to help you plan your trip
Some meeting points don't have traditional addresses as they are parking lots or or mountain base camps in remote areas or, but you can always find these locations on Google Maps and see directions on the map above.
Before we head to the glacier for the tour, we need to get everyone fitted with the equipment (protective overalls, helmets and goggles for snowmobile tours, crampons and harnesses for glacier hikes, dry suit for kayak touts, etc.). Some equipment needs to be adjusted to each person's, so people must arrive 30 minutes before so everyone is ready at the departure time.
We always recommend booking as soon as you are ready, especially if you have a strict travel schedule or a large group. Changing or cancelling your tour is easy and free of charge until 24 hours before departure by emailing us (info@mountainguides.is). Tours can also be purchased on the day of as long as spaces are available.
The glacier is at the same elevation as the base and the car park. If you're comfortable at the base, you'll likely feel the same on the glacier. However, it's always a good idea to bring an extra layer just in case
All necessary equipment for the glacier walk, such as crampons, safety harness, helmet, and ice axes are provided.
Get a fun superjeep ride and more time on the ice!
A blue ice experience on Europe's largest glacier
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