Private South Coast And Glacier Hike - With Photos

Amazing experience! Julian was so knowledgeable and patient! The glacier walk was great and we saw so much! Highly recommend!

We had an incredible experience with Arctic Exped during our week-long trip to Iceland. We highly recommend them to anyone visiting the country. We selected the “Provide Great Weather” option, and Julian came through in spades! The weather during the week we were there was amazing! However, we also selected the “Provide Safe but Exceptional Volcanic Eruption” and he told us that something went wrong with the equipment and he was not able to make it happen. Seriously, though, Julian is incredibly knowledgeable and personable, and managed all our logistics—including driving, hotel arrangements, and adventures—seamlessly. What’s unique about Arctic Exped and Julian is that we went off the beaten path, and often found ourselves in beautiful, secluded spots that felt truly private. We particularly enjoyed the private glacier hike, ice climbing, kayaking, hiking in the Highlands, and visits to the ice caves and beaches. We also had a blast doing the buggy ride. The accommodations were excellent (amazing hotels!), and we enjoyed dining at some wonderful restaurants throughout the trip. One thing that really stood out, however, was Julian’s support when we encountered a minor medical issue. He was incredibly helpful, attentive, and made sure we were taken care of, allowing us to get back to enjoying our vacation with peace of mind. We are so grateful for his care and the unforgettable memories he helped us create. Iceland is a beautiful country and if you haven’t considered going there, you should. And if you do, definitely reach out to Arctic Exped for a customized tour. You will love it!

Our family spent 7 days with Julian touring Iceland. We have traveled the world and Julian is one of the best tour guides we have ever had. He worked with us to develop a customized itinerary that was perfect for our family. We got to see the highlights of Iceland but Julian was also able to take us off the beaten path so we felt like we had the entire country to ourselves. This included a picnic on a deserted beach with a view of the icebergs, hikes to secret waterfalls and walks through ice caves. Julian was knowledgeable, fun and entertaining and went above and beyond every chance he could. We highly recommend that you book Julian for your next trip.

Michal was exceptional. Our family of 5 had two full day tours and it was like traveling with a friend. Great photos too! We do private tours when we travel and this was the best. Iceland is amazing and more special with an exceptional tour guide. A++++

This private South Coast tour was hands-down the best part of our entire trip. Julian was an absolutely phenomenal guide, his energy was infectious, and his fun personality kept us laughing the whole time. You could tell he was completely dedicated to making sure our family had a blast, going above and beyond to tailor the day just for us. It felt less like a standard private tour and more like exploring Iceland with a great friend! Every spot we visited was stunning. Our first stop was the black sand beach, where Julian took us to his "secret spot." We had the entire beach completely to ourselves, which was amazing. Next, we ventured out to the glacier to hike. We saw incredible crevasses and even got to do some glacier wall climbing, a true once-in-a-lifetime experience. Julian timed it perfectly so we had the whole glacier to ourselves, too. We wrapped up the journey stopping at some amazing waterfalls, including Seljalandsfoss, where you can actually walk right behind the falls! We had the best time and are already looking forward to booking a return multi-day trip with Julian. Well done to Julian and the team; I definitely recommend them to anyone wanting an amazing journey!

Julian was an amazing trip organizer and guide!! Our teenagers loved him as well as our three yr old. He made sight seeing fun and interesting. The glacier hike was a favorite part for all of us. Highly recommend this tour company.

Our family of four (two young teens and two adults) loved every minute of our time with Julian. He was quite responsive from the moment we booked, helping us customize our tour to exactly what we wanted to see, was perfectly on time for our pickup, and went out of his way to tailor each activity to the physical limitations of our group. Julian was so friendly and knowledgeable about the landscape and ecology of Iceland, pointing out details we never would have noticed on our own. The small details are really what set him apart from other guides or group tours - reliable private transport, adaptability, experience and knowledge of Iceland, and he even stopped for snacks for my aways hungry teen! This was by far one of the best tours we have ever taken. We had such an amazing time with Julian that we booked a second tour days later with him as well!

Amazing. My kids loved it. Our guide was very responsive to what the kids were interested in and capable of doing and he added more challenging elements. Perfect day.

We had a very pleasant experience on the South Coast tour, including the glacier hike, with Julian. He was professional and well organized, which made everything run smoothly. The atmosphere was relaxed, the pace was just right, and the tour was very well arranged overall.

Julian was an incredible tour guide and an absolute pleasure to spend time with. We spent three days with him exploring the south of Iceland, and from the very beginning he was warm, personable, and incredibly knowledgeable. He planned an awesome itinerary for us and thoughtfully customized the trip around specific things we wanted to see and do. Julian was easygoing, enthusiastic, and genuinely passionate about Iceland, which made long drives and busy days extra enjoyable! This was my second time in Iceland but my first time booking a private tour guide, and I would 100% recommend a private tour over a group tour. It takes the experience to another level. If we hadn’t booked a tour with Julian, I don’t think we would have had nearly as amazing of an experience in Iceland as we did.

We had the most amazing experience with Julian from Arctic Exped! He took us on a 3 day tour of the South coast of Iceland, giving us the most incredible and unique tour of the country! Julian took us to his own spots and viewpoints, where we got the most amazing private experiences of Iceland’s beauty. Will never forget the awesome ice cave, private beach, and glacier hike! Julian was also super kind, helpful, and knowledgeable! We felt well taken care of, safe and comfortable, especially in the winter in Iceland when roads can get a bit icey. He brought a lot of fun to our trip, and even took amazing photos of us that we will keep forever. We had such an amazing trip with Julian, and highly recommend his private tours for anyone looking for a unique and special trip to Iceland!

We did a 5 day private tour along the South Coast, Golden Circle and Snæfellsnes Peninsula with Michal and it was a once in a lifetime travel experience for us. Before the trip, we were talking with Julian about our itinerary and he was responsive and proposed places for dinner even on days when we were not on tour with them. (Apotek Restaurant was amazing!). Michal was a super engaging driver/guide/photographer/videographer multi-tasker who has a radio host soothing voice and you will be immersed in his knowledge on the history, culture, food and nature of this beautiful country. As we were celebrating our 10 year wedding anniversary, he surprised us at the Svínafellsjökull glacier by pulling out a Moet champagne and 2 champagne glasses from his bag! My wife fell sick and he went the extra mile to stop by at a pharmacy so that we can get medicine for her. He was also really good with kids and my daughter enjoyed his company. While on the glacier hike, he and Matteo (glacier guide) were holding her hands to ensure that she was safe. In my daughter's words, "this was a 20 out of 10 experience" haha! Michal was quick in sharing the photos that he took from the trip and made a surprise video montage of us with the picturesque backdrop of glaciers, mountains, lava, waterfalls, canyons and all the stunning nature of Iceland. Overall, it was a chill and easy holiday with Artic Exped and they were flexible to accommodate our requests.

We had a incredible day out with Julian. He made sure that we made the most of our time out, and really matched our enthusiasm for exploration. Because we were a younger group, he was excited to make the most of the glacier part of the tour and so took us through the main sights with time to spare, and then walked us further up to an ice cave! He had all the right equipment and we felt like we were in very safe hands. He was also very open to chat on the driving portion of the tour but left us to relax whenever needed. We really appreciated that he was flexible to changing the timing to suit our evenings plans without having to miss out anything on the tour. Thanks again Julian!!

Best guide ever & one of the best experiences of my life. Can't wait to come back to Iceland and book with Arctic Exped again. I highly highly recommend!

We had the absolute best experience with Arctic Exped! A huge thank you to Julian for organizing our 3-day South Highlights tour with Garðar. Julian went above and beyond—checking in with us daily, recommending excellent accommodations, and even providing extra raincoats when our luggage didn’t arrive. The level of care and attention made our trip stress-free and unforgettable. Garðar was a fantastic guide, and we couldn’t have asked for a better way to experience Iceland. We wouldn’t hesitate to reach out to Arctic Exped again for a future adventure!

If you're looking for a private tour guide for Iceland, look no further than Julian and Artic Exped. From our initial communications, Julian was a pleasure to deal with as he was very responsive and accommodating. Our group of 8 (4 adults and 4 kids aged 10-13) did two day tours with Julian, one covering the Golden Circle and one to the South Coast with glacier hike, and everyone loved the experience. In both instances, Julian seamlessly covered all we wanted to see and more. We enjoyed his company and his extensive knowledge about the country. The glacier hike was definitely a highlight. Julian was fantastic with the kids and we all felt very safe durings this unique experience. I recommend Julian without hesitation.

We are extremely satisfied with Arctic Expedition’s service on our 8-day’s private trip to Iceland. Julian always promptly replied my emails with clear communication on quote and be flexible to accommodate my itinerary changes, and with very competitive quote. Prompt photo sharing afterwards. Our guide Snaebjorn is awesome, always give us latest update on the schedule, itinerary to accommodate the weather condition and took us to the wonders of highland and the south coast with numbers of 10km day hike. Deep appreciation to both of them who made our first trip to Iceland an unforgettable life memory. We enjoyed it so much.

Julian is fun, knowledgeable, and an adventure lover! Very well travelled around the world so easy to talk to. Highly recommended him!

Did South Coast and Golden Circle Tours with Julian. He was the best. Went beyond to customize the tour and make it special. He was patient and pushed us to keep going to experience some great sites and views. Took great pictures also. I would highly recommend him for any of your needs in Iceland.

Oh. My. GOD! VERY HIGHLY recommend to anyone and everyone that's interested in experiencing unique and breathtaking views while hiking, off-roading, and horseback riding. It's truly very difficult to put into words. Iceland? Simply BREATHTAKING! Practically everywhere you look, in EVERY direction! Just unbelievable! And what made this trip PERFECT was our tour guide, Robert. Thanks to Julian, he appointed Robert K as our guide. He was with us every day (five whole days) from the early am to around 8pm. We toured so many places and took in countless landscapes. All the while we learned about the history and geology. I mean, glaciers, craters, volcanoes, cliffs, beaches, lava fields, lava tunnels, glacier lagoon, OMG! The list goes on and on. Every day was even better than the previous one. And Robert did a truly fantastic job of taking care of us, from A to Z. He was 100% accommodating, whether it was dietary restrictions, restroom stops on the rood, how to hike on the glaciers, the list goes on. Whatever we needed, Robert had it already sorted out and planned. He was ready for practically everything. Including coffee breaks. And during all this, he took phenomenal pictures of us in the various places we visited. Most of the pics are truly frame-worthy. All in all, this was a family trip of a lifetime (family of five) in every sense of the word. And by the time the trip was over, the family consensus was Iceland is undoubtedly a MUST VISIT place. And Robert was voted The GOAT as far as tour guides go. Thank you Julian! Thank you Robert!

Julian is a wonderful guide professional and knowledgeable about the island and Viking folklore He made this trip very special for us and our 15 year old grandson We highly recommend him

We just had the most amazing 4 days with Julian at Arctic Expeditions! Our family of four hiked, swam, rode and explored our way through Iceland. From a gorgeous and challenging glacier hike to a frigid and serene free diving experience to a adrenaline pumping buggy ride and some of the most beautiful waterfalls we've ever seen, every day was better than the next. Julian was an incredibly knowledgable and fun guide who took care of every detail (including the photos) and showed us the Iceland not on any typical tour. I can't say enough about the trip, about Julian and how grateful I am for the incredible memories we will have.

My husband and I booked the 6 day luxury south coast and ice caves tour with Arctic Exped. It was nothing short of amazing! Truly the best vacation we’ve ever taken. Robert, our guide, was first class all the way. So knowledgeable, resourceful and funny! We would not have had the same experience on our own. Having an area local driving is key. We checked everything off our list- northern lights, glacier, ice caves, and more. And professional photos were taken at every stop. Perfect! Highly recommend.

We had the most incredible experience on our all-day private tour of Iceland, thanks to our amazing guide, Julian! His knowledge of Iceland’s history, both cultural and geological, was truly remarkable. He brought the island’s rich past to life with fascinating stories and insights, while also explaining the breathtaking landscapes in a way that made us appreciate the incredible forces that shaped them. We went on a glacier hike, saw a black sand beach and a few waterfalls. He was friendly, professional, and went above and beyond to ensure our comfort and enjoyment throughout the day. If you’re looking for a guide who can make Iceland’s history come alive while showing you its most beautiful spots, he’s the one to book! Highly recommend!

Julian the owner was absolutely amazing and he catered for the 8 of us. With pick up and and drop off back to the airport included he took care of everything which helped as we had young kids. Going in December I was a bit worried about driving in snow conditions but we booked Artic Exped to do the driving for us and made the arrangements for hotels / excursions - this made our experience hassel free. Thank you so much Artic Exped for the wonderful exprience and memories of Iceland.

Julian from start to finish was fantastic. Has the Toyota Landcruiser which is perfect for the trip and comfortable for family of 4.

We visited Iceland in early October for 6 days. Friends who had recently been to Iceland strongly recommended that we connect with Arctic Exped to ensure that we made the most of our time there. We are so happy that our friends told us about Julian (owner/founder). Julian took care of virtually every aspect and logistic of our trip from the moment he picked us up at the airport on our arrival to the moment he returned us to the airport for our departure flight. Julian designed a bespoke experience for us that took into account our preferences for food, accommodations, adventure, and sight-seeing. With his extensive knowledge of (and love for) Iceland, Julian expertly guided us through glaciers, ice caves, waterfalls, black sand beaches, and so much more – all while educating us about the geography and history of the places we were visiting. And on top of it all, Julian was an absolute delight to spend the week with (and we don’t say that about many people)! We are telling all of our friends to visit this wonderful country and that Arctic Exped is the absolute best way to make the most of your time there.

We enjoyed 3 outstanding adventures with Julian as our guide. He came highly recommended and exceeded expectations. The South Coast/ Glacier tour was exciting and like nothing we’d ever done before. Julian goes out of his way to ensure his guests’ safety and comfort. We had amazing conditions for the Kerlingarfjöll Highlands which also included visits to a geyser, hot springs and waterfalls. Would consider the hike one of moderate difficulty but well worth it to see the combination of mountains/steamy waters and icy backgrounds. We were fortunate enough to have beautiful views of the Northern Lights. Julian shares info with other guides and found a perfect spot to enjoy the natural phenomena. His pictures throughout our trips were excellent.

We had an exceptional time! Our guide, Otto, was very personable and knowledgable about the areas we visited. Hw was also a lot of fun and guided us toward very good food along the way. We explored a portion of the glacier, several waterfalls and the black-sand beach. Arctic Exped was extremely helpful. I accidentally booked the wrong date for the tour. Arctic Exped was able to change the date for our tour with less than one day's notice - when it was entirely my mistake. They could not have possibly been more helpful. I give them my highest recommendation.

Bro hands down the best tour guide I've had. This guy is hella considerate, super friendly and knows what he's doing. He planned everything super well, took photos for us, and drove us all the way around Iceland. Truly a 5 star experience. He's the one if you are looking to go to Iceland and have the smoothest tour (Julian AKA Smooth Operator). Now we are best buds, not sure if he feels the way lol but that's how I felt after this trip. Cheers Julian!

We booked Julian for a private South Coast glacier hike. It was myself, my spouse, and my two children aged 9 and 14. Julian was responsive in texts beforehand and met us on time from our cruise port in Reykjavik. As soon as we got in his car we knew it was going to be a great day. We wanted a tour to the us off the beaten track, and he showed us beautiful spots and was knowledgeable about the land, the geography, and even the weather patterns. Julian made it interesting and kept everyone involved, even my 9-year old. He put safety first on the glacier, looking first before we did anything. He kept an eye on us and advised us of even changing our gait to help grip better. Julian even provided us with rain jackets for the waterfalls so we wouldn’t get soaked. The next day we had high-quality photos waiting for us of our adventure. Not only was he our favorite guide in Iceland, but we’ve already rebooked him for our trip next Summer. Tak, Julian! We will see you next August! 🙏🏻

Julian and his entire team at Arctic Exped were amazing. They designed a full day custom south coast of Iceland tour, topped off with a challenging glacier hike and ice climbing session. Their team was super knowledgeable, friendly, and made the day all about us. As a former ice climber, I could tell the level of skill and professionalism from their guides, who created a once in a lifetime experience that I will never forget. There are a lot of options when planning a trip to option, but you will not go wrong by working with Julian and Arctic Exped.

The journey to the southern coast and glacier hike were filled with once in a lifetime moments. The landscape is heavenly and quite frankly beyond words. One should see it with their own eyes to appreciate the beauty of Iceland. Julian, our guide, was kind, knowledgeable, and friendly. I highly recommend this adventure.

We were so happy with our tour experience with Julian and would book him again, without any hesitation! We had a fabulous day! We learned so much and experienced things I NEVER thought I would! Julian is very knowledgeable, safe, personable, prepared, and an all around fun person to be around! Book it👍

This was the best tour we have ever taken in all of our travels around the world. We stayed 2 weeks in Iceland and out of all of the wild adventures we went on, our private tour with Julian (Arctic Exped) was definitely the best time we had while visiting this beautiful country. We reserved a 3 day private tour for a family of four (my wife and I with our 2 boys ages 7 and 11). Julian was very personable and took the best care of my family. He did his best to accommodate our requests and did an excellent job keeping us on schedule, showing us amazing locations that blew our mind. He took us to the most beautiful jewels of Iceland that were very much removed from the overly crowded tourist areas. We were very pleased with our experience and would highly recommend Arctic Exped to any small group looking to have a very personable and customized trip.

Everything was excellent Best of the Best Kat our tour guide was formidable. Extremely good and very highly recommended It is worth every penny Highly recommended

Amazing trip. Julian is very knowledgeable, helpful and easy going. We learned so much about Iceland. He listened to our interests and made sure to show us the area. We would definitely book him again.

My goodness, I have so many wonderful things to say about Julian O’Neal and his Iceland hiking tour!! Not only is he the most patient man on the planet (especially with three silly women from Texas), but he was also calm under stress and kind to all of those around him. He was very knowledgeable about everything in Iceland and even put on theme music when coming up on big sights to give us the full experience!! I can’t say enough about him. You leave his tour feeling like you have a brother and friend left in Iceland! Highly recommend!!

The whole trip was well organized by Julian. Such an amazing experience and Julian himself is a wonderful guide. I would definitely come again and have Julian as our guide!!

We had an amazing tour which was fun and unforgettable. I would highly recommend this tour if you come to Iceland to be able to see the main sights. We were able to see the waterfalls and hike on a glacier taking amazing photos and ended the day at a secret black sand beach. Our guide Julien was really the best! He got our 8 year old involved and actually excited to do the glacier hike. We had a really awesome day.

We booked this after making an impromptu decision to visit Iceland to experience its winter delights - after looking at all the options, I found this. I wasn’t too keen on the idea of big coach trips with lots of people and a strict timetable, so for just a small extra expense (there are 4 of us, now all at adult prices) this seemed like a great option. And I was not wrong, it was a great day out! Julian is a really easy going, friendly and fun guide who really knows what he is doing and wants to make sure you are having a great time. He clearly loves this place and wants to share that knowledge & enthusiasm. He strikes a great balance between being fun and informative. The waterfalls were spectacular, but the glacier hike was an amazing experience our family will never forget. Because there were only the five of us, at times it felt like we had the glacier to ourselves, which was pretty magical. We got to visit an ice cave, the kids got to rappel down the ice to access it (it wasn’t for me, maybe next time, and there was an alternative route!) Julian was well organised, fun, encouraging and calm, even making my teens totally forget that they were previously grumbling about going on a 3 hour hike/wearing safety equipment. We had a delicious lunch, then finished off the day with some off road excitement on the other black sand beach, where again, we were on our own in this wild landscape. Just us and a shipwreck on the frozen black sand. The only thing we didn’t see whist in Iceland was the northern lights, on our way back it was unfortunately cloudy after a good clear day, but I am certain that if there was any chance of seeing them on the drive home, Julian would have found them for us! He is 100% committed to ensuring your experience is a good one. I’m really pleased that we did this, it is one of the best things I’ve ever done, and I would definitely recommend it over the many other bus trips you could book. They won’t be a patch on this. Thanks so much for our adventure Julian!

Julian was an incredible guide and made sure we had a blast on the south coast and glacier hike! 10/10 would recommend to a friend (or anyone looking for an awesome time). Super patient and kind, especially to those without a large amount of outdoors/mountaineering experience. Plus he's down to save a big boy sliding down an endless chasm(a small hill) with the grace and efficiency. Absolutely book any guided hike/session/day/life experience you can with him.

Awesome trip! Our family had a great time hiking the glacier. Julian, our guide, was very impressive with his knowledge on the best places to explore during the hike. I totally recommend this hike!

It was so much fun, and the guide was so knowledgeable and showed us so many additional opportunities to have fun (climb, hang, etc.)!

Wow what can I say. We booked this last minute and wish we had on first day as would have booked all our tours with this company. Julian was an amazing guide and for family of five it was such value for money. Transport was comfy and we were able to shape day based on our needs. On the glacier we were shown some extras others didn’t get like abseiling down ice. We had a lovely dinner followed by waterfalls and a jeep drive at a secret location. I can not recommend Julian and his company Arctic Expo enough! We were not herded around like cattle and the day felt totally unique.

Julian was an amazing guide, good-natured, experienced, knowledgeable, and with his Land Cruiser 4x4 was able to take us off the beaten track. We were a family between 8 -70 and we all had a great experience. The highlight was the glacier hike. The places he chose for lunch were also appreciated, casual, a little different and with excellent, reasonably priced food. Our trip to Iceland with Julian as our guide, could not have been better. Carmen

We had an experience of a lifetime in our 3 day trip with Arctic Epxed. Julian took care of us despite the weather, and made sure to take us to several secret spots away from tourists and was flexible with last minute changes. What’s even better is that Julian was a fun travel companion and can also recommend great restaurants and accommodations! Would definitely recommend him to anyone visiting Iceland!

Amazing trip, highly recommended for anyone looking to discover Iceland. Our trip included getting hidden spots away from all the tourists, amazing cave, beaches and breathtaking glaciers. Julian also recommends great spots for lunch, dinner and accommodation. All in all a five star experience that we would not have experienced with anyone else!

How lucky we were to have Julian from Arctic Exped plan and execute our private six-day tour! From the beginning it feels like you are traveling with a friend, meanwhile he is calculating safety, logistics and finding hidden spots no tourist bus can take you. His communication prior to the trip is top notch. I was able to customize my trip and Julian seamlessly put together the tour along with local gems along the way. From snorkeling to glacier hikes to volcano and waterfall tours, it was a flawless trip in which we truly felt we experienced Iceland. Three BIG bonuses that sets Arctic Exped apart: - Julian is certified for all adventures - he doesn’t just drop you off to another company. He is with you every step of the way. - Julian has fully immersed himself - he’s been there for almost a decade, speaks the native language, and very respected within the industry. He took us to several places off the beaten path that seldom few even know about. - He takes professional pictures along the way so you don’t have to settle with “selfies” Thank you Julian for an unforgettable experience!