Glacier Xtreme: Vatnajökull Ice Climbing + Hike From Skaftafell

FANTASTIC EXPERIENCE!! So worth the money for me. Darragh kept it very adventurous and challenging while also safe and enjoyable. It was really nice being with a small group and having such a custom experience.

Awesome experience. Lucy was a great guide.

Awesome experience. Guide (Jay) was knowledgeable and provided a great tour. It was our first time ice climbing and he made it very accessible. Highly recommend

“Ivo” not only a great guide but also funny, interactive and and amazing photographer

Our guide Mr. Ivo is very professional and has sense of humor. We are all in the good hand. Even though we are zero experience for any ice - or rock-climbing, all the tour is excellent. Sometimes I am worried with some part of ice climbing. But I am not scared because I trust Mr. Ivo's guidance and skills. Also, he is a amazing photographer. ALL photos he took are incredible. Of course the veiw, the hiking on the glacier is stunning! Super recommended!

Ivo is the best guide. He is very knowledgeable , took good picture

First alpinism experience and honestly, what a way to get into it. Our guide was Ivo from the Czech Republic. I loved that you’re not just doing the obvious touristy stuff. Ivo is excited to find new places, new climbs and then share them with us, that kind of aliveness is contagious. He takes the time to guide everyone personally, pays attention to people’s rhythm and comfort level. You leave feeling way more capable than when you arrived. Special shoutout to the phone confiscation of our unofficial National Geographic correspondent 😂“You’ll get it back at the end” 🤣🙌 Anyway, no need to risk your phone, your guide is also a badass photographer. Loved every minute of it. Anna

The glacier hike was absolutely amazing. The guide was very informative and helpful. He went above and beyond talking pictures and videos along the hike. The views of the glacier were breathtaking. Very surreal

Josh was a fantastic guide. He kept us very safe while still gave us an excellent, exciting experience. Great guy to talk with, too. Arctic Adventures is lucky to have him!

This was an amazing experience. We are a family of four (2 adult children) and didn’t quite know what to expect. Our guide Josh taught us well, and made us feel very comfortable and safe at all times. It was such a cool experience and like nothing we’ve done before. We were intimidated that the tour says 7.5 hours but a good chuck of that is suiting up, explanations and getting to and from the glacier. Separately, a shout out of appreciation to Lucy, Annie and Josh who were able to get us down early because we realized we booked a zodiac tour without enough time in between. They passed us off to a group headed down after we ice climbed. We were so grateful to all of them for making that work out. Highly recommend Arctic Adventures and our tour!!

Ya that rocked. Jay was an incredible guide, safety first but also let us have a good time throughout. One of the coolest experiences of my life.

Amazing experience! Truly unique, and away from the major crowds.

Our experience was amazing. It was genuinely so much fun and such a unique experience to be climbing a glacier. Our guide, Jay, was so passionate about climbing and hiking and that really came across to our group, and he was heaps of fun. Multiple tours were happening at the same time, but Jay took us to a few isolated spaces so it didn't feel crowded at all. Our group was also only five people—three of us, and another two guys—so it was a really personal experience and we got to know the others in our group, which was really fun. We were a bit apprehensive about doing the tour, because it looked very challenging, but Jay walked us through the experience really well and made us feel really comfortable and safe, and as long as you've done some kind of bouldering or rock climbing in the past, it is pretty doable. We didn't go super far onto the glacier (although this potentially could be a conservation thing), and the actual time we spent on it was less than the 7 - 7.5 hour time, so that could have been better communicated, particularly given the price. Overall, just bear in mind that the 7 - 7.5 hour time is inclusive of the trying on the gear, and the transport to the glacier and back. The glacier itself was stunning, truly such a magnificent thing to be surrounded by, so if you're not comfortable doing climbing, we think a hike is for sure worth it.

Ivo made sure we had a fun time and that we had the experience we were looking for. We were able to climb blue glacial ice and it was the highlight of our Iceland trip.

Our guide Josh from the UK was exceptional. He is a glaciologist and was very knowledgable about the glaciers and the area. He was very kind and friendly on the tour and did a great job of assessing our skill sets and finding great ice climbs for us. It was an amazing way to getup close and be interactive with the glaciers. This was a well run and professional experience with this guiding outfit. I would definitely recommend them to anyone.

Ivo and Lucije were amazing. Very kind and patient. Immediately went into action response when another member of our group got injured. 10/10 experience with them!

I did the extreme Ice climbing with Arctic Adventures on Fallsjokull, the falling glacier. It was incredible. I ended up with a private tour with Josh as no one else booked for that day. I got to do amazing ice climbs including into a water filled crevasse. Easily the highlight of the whole trip despite the high cost. The tour went from 9am-4pm but we were on the ice from maybe 10:30am-2:30pm. I was really impressed with how knowledgable and skilled Josh was in guiding me around the glacier, finding cool things to climb, detailed information about glaciers and rocks and keeping me safe. Note: The tour included boot hire, crampons, helmet and ice axes. Make sure to bring some food and water with you. Also even though you are on a glacier it may not be that cold so wear layers you can take off potentially.

Sara at Arctic Adventures for our Glacial Xtreme Ice Climbing and Hike tour made our experience absolutely unforgettable. Her passion for the ice and the environment was infectious and you could tell this is something she truly loves. She was educational, encouraging, and made the whole experience as thrilling as it was informative. We climbed in a fun small intimate group of 5. Our first climb up the ice wall was incredible, and the second challenge of being lowered into a glacial crevasse to climb back out was a once in a lifetime moment. Sara was meticulous about our safety at every single step without ever losing the fun energy that made this so special. She is passionate, knowledgeable, and genuinely cares about the people she guides. I highly recommend booking your ice climbing tour with Sara and the Arctic Adventures team!

The tour was really awesome — Daniel and Jacek were such great guides and did everything they could to ensure we had an excellent experience. The glacier they took us on was beautiful, surrounded by fantastic views, and in such an amazing landscape. It was really cool to try ice climbing, but above all the guides made the experience. They were super knowledgeable about the history of the country and geology of the glacier, and were very focused on ensuring all the guests had a great experience. This was easily the highlight of our trip to Iceland.

Leading up to our trip we were told by many locals our extreme ice climbing expedition was likely to be canceled due to strong wind; we are so glad the trip was able to go on as planned! Our guides Daniel and Jacek were exceptionally friendly and did everything they could to maximize our experience on the glacier. Daniel’s sense of humor brought levity to the sub-optimal weather, and they both made sure to check in with everyone throughout the day to ensure everyone was feeling good. We were able to climb multiple routes and had a great time — easily the highlight of our Iceland trip!

Daniel and Jacek were awesome guides. They were incredibly knowledgeable, very skilled and awesome people to have guided us this tour. This was definitely the coolest thing we did in Iceland and would highly recommend it. It was a great value for the money.

6 guests (3x pairs) with Ivo who was a knowledgeable and experienced guide. He had a radio and all the safety equipment to rig ropes so we could climb comfortably. We were told about the glacier, volcano, his past and future trips. He also is a photographer so we've got some great memories captured. We did 5xice climbing routes, with boots, crampons, helmet, ice axe & harness provided. The distance estimate was accurate, Garmin recorded 8km with 345m elevation over nearly 7 hours. Comfortable walking pace for the whole group which varied in heights and gender. We climb/via ferrata so are used to hiking, and we were so tired after this trip! Worth it. Take your waterproofs (trousers too), gloves, lots of food and water. Thank you, Ivo!

Ice climbing with Ivo was an absolutely amazing experience and without a doubt the highlight of our entire trip to Iceland. Ivo was the perfect guide – highly professional, knowledgeable, and incredibly funny. From the very beginning, he made everyone feel comfortable and safe, and it was clear that we were in very capable hands. He explained everything clearly, adapted to different skill levels, and made sure everyone enjoyed the experience. Throughout the tour, we learned a lot of interesting new things about ice climbing, glaciers, and the surrounding nature, which made the adventure even more memorable. The whole experience was great fun from start to finish, with plenty of laughs along the way. I would highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting Iceland. If you have the chance to go ice climbing with Ivo, don’t hesitate – it was one of the best experiences of our trip and something we will never forget.

My brother & I went ice climbing and our guide was Ivo. Ivo was incredible. He was super fun, a great teacher, knowledgable, and safe. He showed us a ton of beautiful spots and we got a lot of climbing practice in. Thanks for the amazing time, Ivo!

I did the tour together with three friends. It was only the four of us, but would have been also okay with two more people I guess, so perfect crowd size. Our Guide was Ivo, who was very nice and funny and supportive. He explained everything well and often let us decide what to do next, we could also choose to stay a bit longer. He also took a lot of nice pictures from us. It was completely worth the money as we had the most perfect glacier experience. We had so much fun and felt safe all the time. I will never forget that beautiful day!

This was so much fun and one of the highlights of our Iceland trip! Our guide, Rob, was extremely knowledgeable, kind, and patient with all of us. He made us feel very safe considering we've never hiked a glacier before. The hike went on pretty much all day and only has like 6 people making it more intimate and personalized. One thing I recommend for people booking is to wear thick socks or wrap their ankles because the hiking boots they provided cut up the back of my ankle on my Achilles tendon. Overall, highly recommend this to everyone! It's definitely worth the price.

We did the Xtreme Glacier climb. There were six in our group with two guides. It was amazing. We hiked all the way up into the glacier and climbed several ice walls along the way. Amazing time and great guides!

So happy I attended this tour. A physical and technical challenge but the views were impossible to beat. Rob was an outstanding tour guide with great knowledge and experience that kept our group safe and entertained. Would recommend him and this tour to anyone. I am eager for my next ice climbing and hiking experience!

Had the most amazing experience with Rob as our tour guide! Cannot recommend this tour enough. He was very patient with us as we got more comfortable with climbing and went the extra mile squeezing in an extra climb on our tour. Learned so much and got amazing photos!

Sara was amazing as our guide. We hadn’t done any ice climbing before. She made it easy and the trip was really fun with my teen sons.

We had a wonderful time, our guide Sara was super nice and made it super easy and fun. We loved this ice climbing adventure!

The hike was amazing. We were a little group with an amazing guide (Sara)!! The glacier is beautiful, the hike was great with climbing on ice walls! Sara gave us a lot of hints about the glacier and Iceland! I can only recommend! Worth every penny!

Awesome trip up the glacier to hike and climb! Indra and Steven were super knowledgeable, friendly, and careful to make sure we were also safe. They lectured us about the geology and history of the glacier while taking breaks on our hike and helped us understand the glacier we were climbing. Absolutely recommend!

My ice climbing and hiking experience with Sara was outstanding. Sara is an expert guide who combines high safety standards with clear, direct technical instruction. The equipment was top-tier and well-maintained, which is critical for a demanding environment. This wasn't a superficial tourist trek; it was a well-paced, physical "project" that offered a legitimate sense of the glacier’s scale. Sara’s deep knowledge of glaciology and her ability to read the ice made the climbing both challenging and rewarding. For anyone valuing professional execution and high-quality gear, I highly recommend requesting Sara for a focused, high-value adventure.

We had an amazing ice climbing tour with Sara on the glacier! She was so kind and so much fun! We would highly recommend, best experience in Iceland!!

Amazing Ice Climbing experience with Christian! The tour was well organized, fun, and felt very safe from start to finish. Christian was professional, supportive, and made the whole experience enjoyable even for first-timers. Definitely a highlight of the trip — 5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Really great experience, the guide was great, knowledgeable and knew exactly what he was doing, demonstrated what to do and answered any questions, we got to climb a lot of sections away from other groups and the views were amazing with the setting sun Well worth doing

Today was an awe-inspiring adventure courtesy of our fantastic guide Darragh. Conditions happened to be ideal and we made the most of it. The highlight of my Iceland trip for sure.

My girlfriend booked an extreme experience an d i couldn't have asked for a better day and our Guide went above and beyond. If you can request a guide Darragh was an amazing person, a great teacher and an over of the top guide, I hope his employer cherishes him and what he brings to their organization. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. Darragh, you made our excursion a hit, THANK YOU.

Our tour was awesome! Darragh was our guide and was fantastic! We climbed for the first time and had a blast together! He’s incredibly knowledgeable and all about being safe and enjoying the trip! I can’t speak more highly of him!

Booked the glacier Xtreme experience and had an amazing time. A truly once in a lifetime experience with breathtaking views and thrilling climbs. Huge shoutout to Darragh who was extremely knowledgeable, communicative and helpful throughout the whole trip. He made us feel safe on the ice and gave us plenty of opportunity to scale up or down the difficulty depending on skill or preference. Will definitely book with artic adventure in the future

I took this tour with Sara and had the best time! She went above and beyond to make sure everyone was comfortable and having fun. Definitely feel like we made the most of this experience!

If you are interested in an adventurous, physical activities this tour is a must do! You also need to ask for Martin as a tour guide. Martin is hilarious, knowledgeable, a great photographer, and an incredible teacher. His genuine love of the glaciers is infectious. Thanks to him (and as he predicted before our tour started), this was our best day in Iceland.

Christian is the best! Professional, kind and warm. The ice climbing and hiking experience is pretty good. A bit challenging and lots of fun.

We booked the Xtreme Ice Climbing and Hike tour not really knowing what to expect, and it turned out to be way more fun than we imagined! The ice climbing was absolutely legit—challenging, exciting, and so much better than we thought it would be. I traveled with my fiancée and two other adult family members, and every one of us was so glad we decided on this adventure. Our guide, Sarah, was the best. She’s clearly super skilled and knowledgeable, and she made us feel completely safe and confident throughout the day. Her guidance and encouragement really made the experience even more enjoyable. Not to mention she's clearly as badass. If you’re on the fence about booking this tour, do it—you won’t regret it. We’ll be talking about this one for a long time!

We have booked this adventurous tour well in advance and we’re super excited. Our guide Sara equipped us with all necessary gear and led us safely throughout the glacier. We had four climbs included which were increasing in its height (and depth :D) and difficulty. As Sara said in the beginning you won’t remember the first climb then you did the last. Combined with hiking on the glacier we had so much fun and it was our highlight in Iceland. I would recommend to book the extreme one as it’s unforgettable. Thanks again to Sara !

I solo-ed out on the XTREME GLACIER HIKE TOUR and it definitely lived up to its name! Our tour guides, Christian and Darragh, were fantastic! They made sure we had all the proper equipment, made aware of all the safety precautions, explained the terrain, and hiked us through Vatnajokull Glacier.. and most excitedly, had us safely ax-climbing and repelling on the glacier. In less words, I was scared sh*tless but 1000% recommend experiencing this! If you want to get out of your comfort zone, this is the best place to be, a once in a lifetime experience!! Thanks so much Christian, Darragh, and Arctic Adventures! HAD A BLAST and a memory I'll NEVER FORGET!

We had an incredible time learning to ice climb on Vatnajokull with Pavel. He was great fun and also a great teacher, making sure the whole group enjoyed their day. He was extremely knowledgeable about the glacier and also gave us plenty of recommendations for the rest of our Iceland trip. Highly recommend!

We did the ice climbing with our guide Pawl who was incredible—-honestly one of my favorite outdoor experiences! 5 climbs, one small and very safe free climb, beautiful glacier, small intimate group. Pawl was incredibly knowledgeable about the glacier, things to do around the area and in Iceland and was very very safety conscious. Highly recommend, will def do this again! For reference, I’m moderately fit and my 66 year old dad is fit and was still able to participate and have fun!