Skaftafell: Blue Ice Cave & Glacier Hike On Vatnajökull

Really nice, all equipment was available including crampons, the guide was really knowledgeable. Even with rain you can do it. We did it with kids and it was great for them and felt easy.

Simply one of the coolest experiences you can do when in Iceland! Lovely staff took us through all the steps and safety rules. It was all clear and easy to follow. My group got Ivo from Czechia as our guide and he made the whole tour even cooler! Great, funny guy, very knowledgeable, answered all of our questions. He’s also a photographer so if you get him you can be sure you’ll get awesome pictures taken on the glacier!! And the glacier itself just breathtaking and absolutely gorgeous. It’s so special that it’s possible to visit places like this one. I would recommend to anyone!

The experience was not as good as I have heard of, as I expected, or as the photos on the website presented. Firstly, the ice cave is small, but the picture on the website shows a larger cave. Secondly, although the guide was helpful in many aspects, she was a little pushy, complaining that I and another fellow hiker were walking too slowly and even suggested that we return to the bus. As a matter of fact, we were only about 30 meters behind the group. In my case, I sometimes stopped to take photos. And of course, I am over 70 and I cannot be compared with those in 20s. But this hike was meant to be for fun, not as a race. On the website, it does not say that we have to walk fast. It says "most travelers can participate". Her reason was that other travelers might get cold. I believe this is not a legitimate reason. She might just as well tell the group that there were two aged people who could not walk as fast as they did and told them to slow down a little so that everyone of us would enjoy the experience. She was helpful in other aspects. I just hope she could improve a little.

Chilly, and hard on the knees and ankles, but incredibly beautiful. The caves especially showcased the deep blue color of glacier ice. The personnel were also very accommodating. Just make sure to dress warmly and waterproof yourself.

Through GetYourGuide we booked this family/beginner glacier hike for ourselves and our 12yr old grandson. We hiked the nearby Fjalljakoll glacier and it was absolutely amazing. Our guide was brilliant. We explored many aspects of the glacier and the views were jaw-dropping throughout. Its not cheap, but we felt it was worth every penny. We booked onsite at Skaftafell campground. The company was in the left of the two Experience cabins as you face them. Think the company was called Icelandia

My fiancé and I did the extreme glacier hike and ice climb with Ivo as our guide. It was an absolutely incredible experience. Ivo was the best guide ever. He safely led our group to so many other-worldly areas of the glacier and was such a great ice climbing instructor, we were able to scale a 25ft ice wall! It was an unforgettable experience and truly an extreme adventure!

It was an excellent experience. Stunning and awe inspiring. Definitely an experience to remember.

I booked the wrong date/tour, which arctic adventures promptly helped us fix. We ended up doing the extreme glacier tour. It was absolutely amazing. The pace was great, even though it is quite a hike, our guide Ivo took regular breaks to explain about our surroundings. He was very helpful and patient with me as a first time ice climber. He consulted with the group about which/how many climbs to do but also gave expert advice. He even found 2 ice tunnels! Made some cool pictures of us which he shared afterwards. 10/10, would recommend.

Great guide Ivo who taught us the basics of ice climbing and took us on 4 climbs on the Vatnajōkull glacier. Very kind and competent, fun and witty with great knowledge of climbing, glacial terrain and experience of the area. Also a paramedic so felt very safe

The guy Kevin is insane He took us to explore many places He also teach good technique

We had a great time on this hike. It was well organized with great employees. I had to rent the hiking boots, and they were fine. We bussed to a lot, walked 20 minutes to the glacier, walked up to the top of the glacier base, then put on the provided crampons. We explored crevaces, ridges, and the ice cave. Our group was experienced hikers, so our pace was good. There was another group of less experienced hikers or those with movement issues, and their guide did an excellent job of pacing, aiding, and adjusting. Our guide provided excellent facts about glaciers and the region. The entire trip was 4 hours. This was well worth the price and time to get to hike on a glacier like this. The bonus was being able to go into the ice cave.

I participated in the Skaftafell Blue Ice Cave & Glacier Hike Tour on April 2, and unfortunately, my experience raises significant concerns regarding both safety and overall organisation. The tour was originally scheduled for 10:20 but was rescheduled to 15:00 the day prior due to adverse weather conditions. I accepted this change in good faith, trusting that conditions would be suitable at the revised time. This did not prove to be the case. From the outset, the organisation was inadequate. There were more participants than available seats on the buses, resulting in delays and confusion. The situation was handled in a manner that appeared unprofessional and did not inspire confidence. Despite the previously acknowledged weather concerns, the tour proceeded. Upon arrival at the glacier, participants were exposed to heavy rain, strong winds, and freezing temperatures. Within minutes, everyone was thoroughly soaked. Despite wearing technical, waterproof clothing, the intensity of the rain and the continuous flow of water rendered it ineffective. In my case, I was drenched through all layers and experienced significant discomfort, with legitimate concerns about the risk of hypothermia. The return to the buses did not improve the situation. We were asked to sit in a bus without heating, while a roof window remained open, allowing cold air and rain inside. Subsequently, participants were required to disembark and change buses, forcing everyone back into the adverse weather conditions and to walk again through snow, ice, and water. In addition, equipment such as ice picks was distributed without adequate explanation, while instructions for fitting crampons were delivered under extreme weather conditions. With freezing hands and limited visibility, it was difficult to follow these instructions effectively, indicating insufficient preparation and guidance. During the hike, I encountered a particularly hazardous situation when my leg sank into the snow up to my knee in an area with flowing water beneath the surface. At that moment, the guide was positioned significantly ahead and did not notice, leaving me without immediate assistance. The “blue ice cave” itself did not meet expectations and differed substantially from what had been advertised. Furthermore, conditions inside the cave raised safety concerns, with water dripping from above and flowing across the ground, creating unstable footing. The tour was advertised as lasting approximately four hours. In reality, the experience lasted closer to two hours, the majority of which was spent on transportation rather than the activity itself. Overall, the tour was not at all what was advertised, poorly managed, and, most importantly, conducted in conditions that I believe posed unnecessary risks. It would have been more appropriate to cancel or fully reschedule the activity. Following the experience, I contacted customer service; however, my concerns were dismissed as “normal Icelandic weather.” Based on what was experienced, I do not consider this to be an accurate or acceptable characterisation. For these reasons, I cannot recommend this tour.

Our guide was amazing, the knowledge was incredible and the tour was overwhelming to see mother nature 🙏🏾

This was the worst experience I've had in Iceland. First of all, our morning tour was moved to the 15:00 departure (rather than canceled, even though it should have been) due to what Arctic Adventures explicitly described in their email as "bad weather conditions on April 2nd", clearly acknowledging that the weather conditions on that day were unsuitable for the tour. Despite this, instead of cancelling the tours for safety and quality reasons, they moved all guests into the 15:00 departure and proceeded to run the tour regardless. What followed was not simply a disappointing experience - it was unsafe, misleading, and entirely different from what was sold and advertised. From the moment we departed, guides joked about how soaked we would get. Upon arrival at the glacier, the weather was extreme: pouring rain, standing water, and conditions that made walking difficult and hazardous within minutes. After less than 10 minutes of walking, all participants were COMPLETELY SOAKED THROUGH (in conditions of extremely low temperatures and high wind). My PROFESSIONAL gloves and boots (which the guides themselves had praised for their quality before we departed) were FILLED WITH WATER. I could no longer feel or move my hands sufficiently to manage my equipment (I wasn't even able to put my crampons on by myself), and I ultimately had to remove my gloves. The journey itself was even more concerning, as in these already extreme conditions we had to cross streams of water running across the glacier, with the guide instructing us to make "big jumps" and participants trying to help each other navigate the path rather than being properly guided by the professional responsible for our safety. At the point where we stopped to put crampons on, I straightforwardly asked the guide how much longer the tour would last because the majority of us felt concerned and were already considering turning back due to the severity of the conditions. The guide stated that the ice cave was "10 minutes away" and that we could return to the bus afterward. After pushing forward under these conditions (only because one single person agreed to continue, while many of us would have preferred to return to the bus even before reaching the cave), we did not see the advertised "blue ice cave". Instead, we were led into a small, dark hole in the ice. We were shocked and felt misled to say the least. After that, we didn’t do any hiking on the glacier as the weather conditions were deemed unsuitable by the guide himself, which means that within 40 minutes we were back on the bus. Upon finally reaching the bus, everyone was drenched, wringing water from their clothes, and visibly freezing. And when a group of participants asked about the risk of hypothermia, the guide responded that it would only be a concern "if they were wet on their chest", which many of them were. Those people were therefore told to remove their wet layers and keep only the least wet one on, rather than being offered any warmth, dry assistance, or care. When I FINALLY reached my car and turned the heat on, I began shaking uncontrollably for around 30 minutes. This tour failed on every level: safety (the conditions were clearly unsuitable and acknowledged both in advance by the company and on the spot by the guide), misrepresentation (we did not see the "blue ice cave" that is the core of what this tour advertises), and duty of care (no adequate action was taken to protect participants from extreme exposure or the risk of hypothermia). Importantly, when I sent this same review to the company requesting a refund, their response was completely disappointing. In fact, they merely claimed, in a patronizing tone, that "weather remains outside human control", and that what we experienced was "common" weather conditions in Iceland - which is simply not accurate: I’ve lived here for a year and am very familiar with Icelandic weather; I’ve also done several glacier tours prior to this one, and I can confidently say that this was NOT just ordinary rain suitable for a glacier tour. To justify our experience, they also pointed to a note on their website stating that "we will visit one naturally formed ice cave during this tour, and the cave we visit is chosen based on conditions and safety each time. We cannot guarantee that the actual view during your visit will match the photographs". Therefore, I’m also highlighting this so others choose their tour company carefully, as in practice this means that they will take you to just one random ice cave that looks nothing like the advertised photos, while still considering the tour fulfilled and not offering any refund. In our case, the cave resembled more of a small, dark, featureless hole than the stunning blue formations shown in their promotional material. Ultimately, I asked for a refund - which they refused - as that seemed the most reasonable course of action given the circumstances. However, what they should have done from the start was, of course, CANCEL the tours that day for the safety and well-being of everyone.

The best experience of my life. Me and my girlfriend booked this trip, that had a glacier hike and the visit to the blue cave. Our guide, Philip, was the best we could ever ask for. He was super kind and actually brought us to a special cave in which we were not supposed to go, making the experience even more awesome. He was super kind and explained everything about the caves and the glacier in a very precise and studied manner. 100% recommended, and can't thank Glacier Adventures and Philip enough!

Ivo was a great guide. Experienced. Professional and friendly!

Very good. Also very good tutor. Strict and direct where is needed (safety reasons). Remove the minimum characters needed in the text. Is annoying

Highly recommend!! All the guides were amazing and made the trip very enjoyable! They made sure we were safe at all times, but also had fun and enjoyed the glacier.

We had an incredible experience on this tour. We got to try several different ice activities, a first for us, which made the whole day both exciting and memorable. Everything was very well paced and we never felt rushed at any point. It genuinely felt like our guide was fully committed to giving us the best possible experience. Ivo Novak was fantastic throughout the tour. He was knowledgeable, patient, and clearly passionate about what he does. He took the time to explain things, made sure everyone was comfortable, and created a relaxed atmosphere that allowed us to really enjoy each activity. On top of that, Ivo is an excellent photographer. He captured some amazing photos of us, which we’ll definitely treasure as memories of an amazing adventure. Highly recommended! Easily one of the best moments of our trip through Iceland!

Amazing staff. Beautiful scenery. Our guide iga was amazing & very informative Worth every penny

This was a very memorable journey, Vero is an excellent tour guide who always pays attention to the condition of the group members.

That was a special activity during our trips in Iceland. We all 10 persons expected glacier adventure for a long. Thanks our guide Vero who was a beautiful and passionate Spanish girl. She gave us so much professional knowledge. We all excited very much to enjoy this activity. It's worth experiencing once in a lifetime.

Ivor best guide ever, very funny and professional. Great experience we recommend it

First of all, the hike on the glacier and the ice cave were spectacular. Our tour guide was fabulous, very personable and knowledgeable, we have zero complaints on those two counts. So why 4 star? Simply because the group size was far too big. 60 people being measured for crampons takes time, too much time. Then the bus ride to the start of the hike was another 20 minutes, and then waiting for everyone to arrive, dividing into groups of 12, another 20 minutes. The whole thing just took far too long, which left us short of time to get to our next destination. But would I do it again? 100% yes!

This was so awesome! The staff were great and made it a bunch of fun! The sights and experience was amazing! Definitely recommend!

This was a once in a lifetime experience on a glacier. Our guide, Radic (sp?), was great at making sure we were safe as well as providing a lot of knowledge about the glacier. We started in groups and learned how to put on equipment. After about 20 min. drive from the camp to the hike start site, we separated into groups on 12 to a guide and headed up a steep climb (~20 min) to where we could see the glacier and put on our crampons. The tour spends about 3.5 hours on the glacier exploring an ice cave and a few crevasses. Would definitely recommend. We were in the last days of the excursion offering before the weather made access to the cave inaccessible due to Spring melt.

What an experience! The weather was great, it was sunny, the hike was about 3h long with a bus ride to and fro. Safety equipment is provided with crampons and ice axe. However the boots need rental at 1500 ISK per person. Waterproof jackets and pants are available at the same price too. Our guide, Vero, was incredible. She was so patient with us, knowledgeable with the science and geography of the place, and answerable to our questions about why the ice had different textures and were shaped as such. She was excitable and it was apparent she loved her job. All in all, she made our experience so enjoyable!

We arrived 10 minutes late because distances are very long in Iceland. And the woman who attended to us, named Annie, wouldn't let us do the tour, arguing that we had arrived late. She yelled at us that "because we're Mexican" we had missed the tour. We were discriminated against.

A once in a lifetime adventure, we went March 17 and the weather was perfect. Our guide had a great attitude and was very knowledgeable.

After two weeks in Iceland, this is my number one highlight. The experience was amazing and was priced well. It was a little challenging physically but the tour guide was very patient and helpful. He was also very knowledgeable, funny, and let us crawl through some ice windows! I don't recall his name but he is the Polish tour guide and was partnered with Ola. Safety is taken seriously while still making sure everyone is having fun

Unique experience!! I recommend it!! The view is amazing from the glacier . If we come back to Iceland we will try it again and again

We did the 9am experience for 4 hours with 3 kids ages 9,11 and 13 and it was perfect. Great staff, beautiful place and weather and could not ask for more. Unique and engaging. Guide Vero was the best!

It was a beautiful tour and Ivo was a great guide and made the hike really fun!

We did a glacier hiking tour with the guide Anya through Arctic Adventures and it was absolutely amazing! Anya is an excellent guide, extremely attentive, knowledgeable and professional. She explained everything clearly, made us feel very safe and confident, and truly made the whole experience even more special. Doing the tour with her definitely made everything better. The ice cave we entered was quite small, different from the photos I had seen and from what I imagined. However, I understand that this is something natural and that the company has no control over it. They take visitors only to caves that are safe, which is what really matters. Even so, it is a beautiful experience and definitely worth doing. I highly recommend this tour and, if possible, ask for Anya. She is so kind and wonderful! Thank you, Anya, for making this experience unforgettable!

This was an excellent day, we had a memorable moment at the glaciers, our guide miss Ola was very nice and friendly, helpful and provided us stories of the gracier. We saw ice and ice caves and took many photos. Hope to join again in the future. Recommend this tour to all tourists who are going to Iceland.

Ola is an experienced guide, very friendy, funny and prudent. We can recommend the Tour.

We went on an unexpectedly private guided tour on February 2nd. We had a really good time with our tour guide, Lucy, she was sweet, informative and we had a good talk. The glacier was beautiful and for a first time on a glacier the tour was the perfect amount of challenge for us.

We are so grateful and lucky to have Ola to be our guide today. She is very professional and the most important, she has a really good sense of humor which makes the trip even better. Ola always care about the safety of everyone. The glacier walk is amazing. We are very lucky to have a good weather along the way. Thanks again to all the staff members in Arctic Adventure. Definitely the best choice to have an amazing glacier tour.

It was fun hiking on the glacier. Our tour guide Martin did a great job! The cave was a bit disappointing and smaller than expected.

The glacier hike was well organized, safe, and incredibly scenic. Our guide Ola was knowledgeable, friendly, and made sure everyone felt comfortable throughout the hike. Walking on the glacier, seeing deep blue ice and ice cave, was truly breathtaking.

We had a great time hiking the Glacier with Arctic Adventures. They were very professional and had adequate gear, crampons, helmet and ice axe. Our guide was great and we had perfect weather during our glacier trekking. There was a small ice cave that we walked into which was cool and hiked through some crevasses. We booked three tours with Arctic Adventures and had an exceptional experience with all of them.

The Blue Ice Cave & Glacier Hike on Vatnajökull was indeed a breathtaking experience. From a once in a lifetime opportunity to enter mesmerising ice caves and gorgeous crevices in the glacier's ice, I found myself surrounded by stunning icescapes that truly flaunt the beauty of Iceland's nature. We had two incredible tour guides, Ola and Marketa, who were professional, engaging, and experienced. I felt confident that I was in good hands and I highly encourage this experience to the readers of this review.

hiking up a glacier is possibly one of the coolest (pun intended) things you can do while travelling! marketa and ola were the best tour guides we could have asked for, they made the tour so fun and memorable!

Had a great experience with Arctic Adventures. The team ensured safety at all times and was helpful when teaching us how to put on the crampons. The tour did not feel rushed at all, we went at golden hour and the views were spectacular! Shoutout to our guides, Ola and Marketa for being so outgoing and friendly throughout the entire session, definitely made our tour memorable. It is my first time in a cave and hiking on a glacier and I would highly recommend this to anyone.

It was an amazing experience, i totally think this is a great experience even for the ones without ecperience hiking. The guides are really qualified and helpfull

We had such a great experience with our guide, Ola! She was warm, approachable, and really knew her way around the trail — always finding the best paths to keep us away from the busier groups. She sprinkled in fun stories and little bits of local insight, which made the walk even more enjoyable. We also appreciated how clearly she explained the safety guidelines: simple, practical, and easy to remember. The route was just right for everyone in the group. Definitely an experience we’d recommend!

It was superb and so much excited. It was a new experience for me , must try one at Iceland. According to weather and spots we have managed the time to spend in every location. Especially while hiking to the Glacier it was morning and our Guide Ms Ola , she knows all like how to stay more, what all things should explore while hiking , taking photos, even postures and she explained briefly about the Glacier and Iceland's Earth. A best Guide like Ola was the great part of our hiking. Overall satisfied expected a huge glacier cave there but it was small.But new experience. Totally different experience. As I said I have hiked on morning and it was so pleasant, fresh feel.

Nice travel！We saw the moon and the sunset at the same time, and the glaciers were so magnificent. Thanks for our guide Ola, who is professional and kind！

Very good and extremely wonderful experience! The glacier hike and blue ice cave tour exceeded all of our expectations. Everything was well organized and felt safe and professional from start to finish. Our guide Ola was extremely helpful, friendly, and knowledgeable. She explained a lot about the glacier and the ice caves, always checked on everyone, and made sure the whole group felt comfortable and confident. Her positive attitude and motivative little story really made the experience even more special. We were very lucky to have this adventure, and it was definitely one of the highlights of our Iceland trip. Highly recommended to anyone who wants an unforgettable glacier experience!