Blue Ice: Glacier Hike & Ice Climbing on Sólheimajökull, Iceland

Things to know

• What's included?

  Included:

  • • An experienced, certified local glacier guide
    • Glacier hiking & ice climbing tour, either…
      • Meeting on site, at Sólheimajökull glacier
      • With Reykjavik round-trip transfers included (plus stops at Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss)
    • Full glacier and ice-climbing safety gear—crampons, ice axe, helmet, and harness
    • Hands-on ice-climbing instruction—no prior experience needed

  Add-ons (pricing shown at checkout):

  • • Equipment rental

  Not included:

  • • Transportation to Iceland
    • Meals
    • Accommodations
    • Anything not mentioned in the ‘Included’ section above
    • Insurance — recommended, available at checkout
    • Guide gratuities — optional
• How fit do I need to be?

  In order to join Blue Ice tour, good fitness is required—you’ll be hiking around 8 km (5 mi) over uneven glacier terrain, on top of an active ice-climbing session, with roughly three hours spent on the ice.

  No previous glacier or ice-climbing experience is necessary—your guide teaches proper technique before you climb.

  Keep in mind that Icelandic weather can change quickly, and rain doesn’t cancel a tour—only unsafe conditions do.

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• What's the difference between the two options?

  Both versions include the exact same glacier hike and ice-climbing session at Sólheimajökull—about three hours on the ice, full gear and instruction either way. The only real difference is how you get there:

  • • From Sólheimajökull’s — Guide meets you directly at the glacier parking lot. Runs about 5.5 hours total. Best if you already have a rental car and want a shorter day.
    • From Reykjavík — Picks you up at your hotel at 8 am and drives you down, with stops at Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss on the way. Runs about 13 hours total. Best if you’re not driving yourself or want to see more of South Iceland along the way.
• What do I need to bring?

  Gear:

  • • Day pack (25–35L) for water, snacks, and spare clothes
    • Personal water bottle (at least 1L)
    • Camera (optional but recommended)

  Clothing:

  • • Base layers—thermal top and bottom
    • Insulating mid-layer (fleece or wool)
    • Waterproof and windproof outer layers (jacket and pants)
    • Gloves and hat
    • Warm socks
    • Sunglasses for glare

  Other:

  • • Snacks or small lunch (no meals included)
    • Sunscreen, lip balm

  Dress for unpredictable weather—layers are best. The guides provide boots and all glacier safety gear, but bring your own sturdy boots if you prefer. Avoid jeans and cotton.

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• Do I need my own glacier equipment?

  No experience or personal gear is necessary—crampons, an ice axe, a helmet, and a harness are all provided and fitted by your guide, included in the tour price.

  Crampons matter here specifically because you’re not just hiking on ice, you’re climbing it—they’re metal spikes that attach to your boots and dig into the ice for grip, both on the glacier hike and on the ice wall. One thing to note: crampons only fit securely from EU shoe size 35 upward, so bring appropriate backup footwear if yours is smaller. All gear gets returned to your guide at the end of the tour.

• Group sizes and age requirements

  Group sizes and pricing:

  • • For this Blue Ice glacier hiking tour, the usual client-to-guide ratio is 12:1.The maximum group size is set at 12 participants.
    • These run as scheduled small-group departures rather than private bookings, so there’s no fixed minimum required.

  Groups larger than 12 can be accommodated upon request—contact us to make arrangements.

  Min. age requirements:

  • • If you are older than 18, you’re good to go.
    • Minors older than 14 may be permitted to join the glacier hike on a case-by-case basis, but must be in the presence of a parent or legal guardian.

  If your group has participants under the age of 18, contact us prior to booking to make arrangements.

• Getting there and meeting location

  The starting point of the self-drive Blue Ice tour is either Reykjavik or the Sólheimajökull glacier parking lot. To get to either of these locations, people fly into Keflavík International Airport (KEF).

  • • If you select the “From Sólheimajökull” option, then the Sólheimajökull glacier parking lot is your starting point. From Reykjavik, you can rent a car or take a bus toward South Iceland. It’s about 158 km (98 mi)—roughly a 2-hour drive—southeast of Reykjavík, just off the Ring Road.
    • If you’d rather not drive to, the “From Reykjavík” pickup version of this tour collects you directly from your hotel in Reykjavík at 8 am and takes care of the return trip, with stops at Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss along the way.

  You will meet your guide at the glacier parking lot, or at your hotel for pickup, at the time confirmed with your booking.

• Safety measures and insurance

  We highly recommend that you cover all your bases with insurance. To make your booking and traveling experience as carefree as possible, you’ll be offered to simply insure your trip with Redpoint at checkout.

  Redpoint—the official 57hours insurance partner—tailors protection packages for adventure travel, offering a comprehensive travel program, even in remote locations! Trip cancellation, natural disasters, pandemic coverage, medical evacuation, primary medical expenses—regardless of the travel interruption that may happen, Redpoint will have you covered.

• Cancellation policy
  • Fully refundable within the initial 48 hours from booking, unless the trip date is less than 7 days from the time of the booking.
  • Cancellations up to 7 days prior to the trip date are refundable 100%.
  • Cancellations within 7 days prior to the trip date are non-refundable.