3 Hours Katla Ice Cave Tour/meet In Vík

We really enjoyed the Katla Ice Cave. Our guide Siggi was excellent - very knowledgeable. He very carefully planned our trip to miss several large groups so that we had plenty of time to explore the two caves.

Really great experience and your company. Pickup instructions were simple and clear with plenty of nearby parking to leave our camper for a few hours. The guide was knowledgeable and great. Highly recommend this company for all your ice cave tours.

The way up to the cave is a bit treacherous. The cave was neat and we didn't have a long line to see it or take pictures. The tour guide took great pictures for us as well and showed us neat places to crawl around. Just wish the path there wasn't so sketchy with the wood crossings that seemed like they were wearing out.

Amazing experience of a lifetime with SouthCoast Adventure for the Katla Ice Cave Tour - Meet in Vik. Our cave expert Robert drove us on his super jeepney across beautiful rugged terrain enroute to Katla Ice Cave. Robert taught us how to put on our  crampons and to be safe during the hike to the cave. It's my first time to be inside a real and natural Ice Cave, it is majestic and amazing, a wonderful experience indeed! Perfect score for Robert for being an excellent cave guide and driver. Highly recommend this tour if you're up for an bucket list adventure!

Our guide Fricky was great...friendly, warm, very experienced...really made our trip! The truck ride was about 45 minutes there, of which 15 minutes on the highway and the rest on gravel road towards the glacier. We went to 2 caves (one small and one medium); each experience is different as the glacier is always changing. Once you get there, there are a LOT of tours and people all waiting to get in and out of the caves and you have to "queue". I would say easily over 100 people and 10 tour groups all there at the same time. Our group only had 9 people, but other tours had more like 15-20 people who would take a long time on the paths. I would rate the trip itself more like a 3 or 4 star due to the sheer volume of people, but since we had SouthCoast adventures and Fricky our awesome guide...I am giving this 5 stars because of him. Thanks Fricky!

We were really looking forward to visiting the Katla Ice Cave, but unfortunately the experience was disappointing. After the super jeep ride, the ice cave we visited was very small, approximately 20 meters long. We had expected to explore a much larger and more spectacular ice cave. I would like to point out that our guide was friendly and professional, and the surrounding landscape was absolutely stunning. However, considering the price of the tour, the time spent inside the cave was far too short and did not feel worthwhile. We understand that ice caves change constantly due to the natural conditions of the glacier. However, we believe tour operators should provide more accurate information about the actual size and condition of the cave that will be visited that day, so that customers have realistic expectations. We would not choose this tour again, and if you are looking for a larger and more spectacular ice cave experience, we would recommend considering other options in Iceland.

We had an amazing time on this trip would totally recommend. Our guide made the trip he was amazing!! If you have Sylwester as your guide you are in great hands! He was very funny and informational and kept the trip interesting. Would totally recommend this trip if you stop in vik!

We did the afternoon Katla Ice Cave & Super Jeep from Vík in May 2026. The tour was fantastic. Our tour operator was Southcoast Adventure. Our guide Magni was magnificent. We had a second guide too, unfortunately I forgot his name for a personal shoutout. Meeting place was straightforward. We went into the shopping center before the tour to use the water closest and get a snack at the grocery store. Food is not included on the tour. The fun begins with the super jeep tour! We learned all about the volcanos and area around Vik on the drive to the ice caves. On arrival we were given micro-crampons and helmets. No issue wearing sturdy hiking shoes with the micro-crampons. Before entering the cave, our guide told us the cave is the main event, do not rush through. It was great advice. We went through slowly and took as many pictures as we wanted. He showed us different layers in the ice from various volcanic eruptions over the years and told us how the ice caves are formed. The ice is so beautiful! Pictures do not do it justice! We were the only guests on our tour. We saw a different tour group at the caves and they had several guests. We learned there are a few tour companies that visit and maintain the same ice cave. I only mention this because if you happen to book with a different group, you will most likely be visiting the same location. I was very impressed with Southcoast Adventure as a tour operator. They are locally owned and operated. I like supporting the little guy competing in a world where larger organizations are taking market share. If you want to book this tour, I suggest finding Southcoast Adventure outside of TripAdvisor. I tried to book "direct with the operator" using the link provided by TA, and I ended up booking with Artic Adventures (one of those larger organizations taking market share from the little guys). AA contracts to Southcoast Adventure on this particular tour. If you book with Southcoast Adventure directly, you will probably save a little money and know you are booking with the local tour operator directly.

5 stars! Super cool guide, it was real fun, beautiful caves, 100% recommend!

Visiting the ice caves was more than I expected. The landscape was beautiful. The ice cave itself was quite magical, and yes, I would very much do it again. Alex, our guide truly made it a special experience for everyone! He was informative and good natured.

Great organization, our guide Alex was very professional, funny and made us have a great experience, which started with the ride to the cave itself. The weather was typically changeable, but Alex and his interesting and unconventional stories and experiences from the cave will be remembered for the rest of our lives. Highly recommended!!

We did the Katla Ice Cave tour with Southcoast Adventures and had a really great experience. Everything was well organized and felt very safe from start to finish. Our guide, Helgi, was great — super friendly, knowledgeable, and easy to talk to. Helgi's ravens made the tour so much more memorable and unique. The ice cave itself was incredible to see in person. Definitely worth doing if you’re in the area.

3 hours for a few minutes in the cave. Tons of people. Very little information from the guide. It was all about getting a photo for Instagram.

Great trip. The super jeep ride through spectacular scenery was fun and the ice cave itself amazing. Guide Alex was a real character with interesting info on the formation of the ice caves (which are different each year) but also stories about the many films made in the area in which he was an extra! Highly recommend.

This is a review of the Katla Ice cave tour only that occurred on 1/6/25 at 11:30 am We booked through a travel agent and the min we arrived at the meet up spot it all seemed very odd. Just to give you an idea of the expectation from the booking, this was described as a 3 hour excursion and an EASY hike. The guides did not identify themselves and did not seem to know what was going on at all. People were shuffled between vans and there were about 20 to 30 of us stuffed into these Ford Econoline vans that had huge tires and set up high.. I am assuming to take on the terrain. Once we were all the vans, we had to then go pick up the helmets, why these were not already in the vans I will never know. Then we set off for the ice cave. Not more 10 Mins into our drive we pulled over on the side of the road and sit there for a long time, I'm talking at least 10 mins while apparently the company decided what guide should drive what van because of the tires and how inflated they were.. their air pump stopped working. Now this is one of literally >20 times we stopped and waited for something to happen over the about 6 hours we were in this van cramped together. Sometimes we were given an explanation, sometimes not. After this initial stop our guide was changed to a guide named Benny (spelling maybe incorrect). Let me tell you, he was a gem! He watched as we struggled to get our crampons on or other equipment, ignored our concerns, gave no care for our actual safety on the mountain and travels. The condescending comments to an older gentleman who was struggling was a real class act. This was described as an easy hike. It was not at all. Once we actually got there... after driving for >3 hours.. continuously getting pulled out from other vehicles.. going backwards and forwards. The cave was up a mountain that was as expected snow and ice but it was about a foot of snow with wind that picked me off my Feet and uphill. There was no warning that this could be this difficult or bring food because this could take literally all day. We didn't get back til About 8 pm. We expected this to be a 3 hr excursion.. so back by 2:30 pm Numerous times we all expressed concerns to turn back bc their equipment., as in vehicles.. couldn't make the travels. They ignored us. Other companies, just flew by us. It was obvious south coast just didn't want to cancel and have to refund all of us. They put us all in damage for $ My point is.. we were not told or given any expectation. It was once we were in the van about 2 hours that the horror stories of them being stuck came out. Just set up the expectation. Let people know.. hey in the winter, the drive maybe extended.. bring some food. The guides had zero care if we needed to use the bathroom or were hungry or needed water. And we were with them for over 8 hrs. The actual cave was underwhelming for all the work to get there. But the point is it was all rushed to get us back in the vans and get us back bc it was going to be a terrible journey back. So I really think they should have cancelled especially bc they were warned on the way out that the previous group had a very hard time getting in. I recommend using the other company as they at least could get you out there. This company used vans that required bungee cords to hold the doors together. In the van I was in.. the door behind me had a 3 inch gap So I was snowed on and felt the wind the whole Time. And the vents had no heat and the vents were removed. I'm sure this is a wonderful experience for most and an amazing place to visit in Iceland. My experience with this company was borderline dangerous. I went on other tours with other companies in Iceland and there was more care and consideration given for safety as well As preservation of the environment.

Our tour of the Katla Ice Cave was scheduled for 3 pm but was delayed because the group before us took longer due to bad weather. Thankfully we had been driven by a guide from Iceland Premium Tours. They were able to get us to the right place on time despite the weather as well as help find out about delays. When the Southcoast Adventure van arrived at the meeting spot, the guides seemed frustrated that we were there. They didn't introduce themselves, just asked for our tickets. Our driver didn't talk much, though that could be due to poor driving conditions - he used the GPS to navigate what looked like fields of snow, but there was a trail per the GPS. Our driver said "welcome to Iceland" several times, but not a lot else when asked questions. He did warn that the ride would be bumpy as we started driving, but didn't warn the tallest person when he was getting in. He had to sit with his head tilted because the bench-to-ceiling height was too short, but with the bumps it was especially bad - and dangerous. He should have been directed to the front seat (or at least not the bench he was on - it was higher than the one in front and behind it due to the wheels). We saw several abandoned vehicles in the snow-covered field that was the road, which was not reassuring for safety. When we got out of the van he gave us helmets, then told us someone else would be our guide. We were directed across a field and up a trail. At one point there was an area that we got crampons, and were given a bit of an explanation, but not much. People coming down from the cave had headlamps on, and we asked if we would get lights (it was already well into dusk since we started about 3:45 and drove for quite a bit to the cave area). He mumbled something about lights ahead. The cave did have lights, but the trail did NOT. The trail was narrow, and if you stepped off to the side, your foot fell into the snow that didn't have ground right below - again, there was a lot of snow that morning and snow drifts due to wind. We easily could have fallen who knows how far - some of the summer pictures show deep crevices in front of the cave where we walked (but didn't know at the time due to snow and limited visibility). On the way out, the guide was so far ahead of us that we just stopped and made him hike back up to help light the path, which we obviously got off of because our feet were deep in snow drifts. He got us back on the trail then went back up front to the family of 4 well ahead of us. Some of us pulled out cell phones to light the trail to get back down. If you do this trip and it might get dark, even hours after your scheduled tour because it might be delayed, bring headlamps! The cave itself was very cool. I'm still glad we went but this is a risky tour that could be safer with a few changes, such as more communication from staff and proper lighting (or at least clear instructions to bring your own headlamps).

Words cannot really describe how amazing the tour into the Katla ice cave turned out to be! The weather was... ehm... not the best when driving to the meeting point in Vík where we boarded a superjeep and set out for the adventure. But at the glacier, there was almost no wind nor rain, and gosh, the sceneries! But what stood out was our amazing guide Helgi who made the tour so much fun. He was very informative, respectful and really pleasant to be around. Thank you!

This tour was awesome! I had Alex as my guide, and even though the tour started with a tire popping on the road to the glacier, this was quickly solved and we got another bus to pick us up. The cave was absolutely stunning and Alex did a great job keeping everyone safe and entertained throughout the trip. The cherry on the cake was that we got to see an Arctic fox on our way down from the glacier! How lucky we were! Incredible tour!

We booked with Troll. This is not a Troll tour it is a Suncoast Tour. They sent one vehicle it arrived late at the pickup point. We stood in the cold not being allowed in the Troll building. Around 27 of us dutifully arrived as instructed 20 minutes early. The first driver filled up his 12-person van and left 18 of us not knowing what to expect. He was rude, and argumentative and indicated he didn't work for Troll. He had no idea what was going on. The second van arrived very late, Thor took our party of 5 and 4. He had never driven that particular vehicle and didn't know how to open or close that door. We had to use the emergency switch. He indicated that stuff got moved at the office and he couldn't find his belongings. Thor did nothing to indicate what was going on. He didn't even introduce himself until we asked on the hike. He spoke very little and didn't explain much. I am assuming a third vehicle showed up for the last 9 people. Troll you should not attached your name to such a poor subcontractor.

We were awestruck by the ice caves, such a phenomenal display of creation! Our guide Benny was very knowledgeable, personable and passionate about our fragile environment. The 4 rating instead of 5 is that (considering the price), we were expecting to be in caves longer vs more time spent getting there and the hike approaching (although the hike and surrounding area was surreal as well.)

Siggi was a great guide. He shared lots of information and a few bad jokes to break the ice... XD When we arrived we got to see other members of the crew carving and chiseling new stairs into the ice, which gave us a new appreciation for all the work that goes into making the space safe and accessible. Definitely an incredible experience and a great way to support the people that make it possible.

While the tour itself was spectacular, I think we struck gold by getting Hawk as a guide. Sure, his conspiracy theories were a little extra, but his knowledge and humor and care for our entire group made this one of the best tours we've been on. We learned more about glaciers and the history of Icelandic geography from him than we did from any museum! But even if you don't have the pleasure of getting paired with Hawk, the Katla Ice Cave tour is still out of this world. We've never done anything like this, and we'd do it again in a heartbeat. Don't hesitate - book this tour.

Being stuffed into a 4WD minibus and hurled at ungodly speed (what happened to the 80kmh limit?) along glorified goat tracks, was neither safe nor fun. For those in the back row of seats, the experience was exponentially worse as we were tossed around in stifling heat like popcorn in a saucepan. The ice cave itself was great, and you should definitely go if you have the requisite agility. But find a more responsible organisation to take you.

I am not a big fan of group tours, but I must say that this tour was very well organised and I truly enjoyed it! The group was small (maybe 12 persons) our guide (John, which is of corse not written like that I guess…) was kind, patient and smart. We could learn the history of the glacier and visit it in total safe. I think that the overall experience will be one of the best for me in Iceland.

Chaotic organisition. Ride in the truck was ok but could also be done by a less impressive vehicle. Extremely crowded cave visit. Rushed through one cave where we expected to see tree. Could have been an ok tour if they organised it better and in smaller groups. This way it was not worth the money. Do not recommend this visit for this high price. For 160 Euro per person it felt like a tourist trap.

Totally unorganized, we arrived at meeting point at Ice Cave Bistro and no one could tell us where to go, saying oh their in the restroom will be here shortly… totally chaotic. Your crowded in the van/truck. We enjoyed seeing the ice cave but you feel rushed to go through it. The extra time is given for you to climb a hill and slide down… big deal!!! Would have rather spent more time in the ice cave. For the cost we don’t feel we got our monies worth!

This was the highlight of my trip to Iceland! I absolutely loved the ice cave. Pick up at the back lot of the shopping center in Vik. Easy to find. Guide was a bit quite - answered all of our questions but did not volunteer too much info. Shame as I would have loved a bit of narration as to the scenery around us on our way to the glacier. Cave area itself was well maintained for late season. Cave was brilliant but that is Mother Nature! People/group management could have been a bit better as we were bottle necked going in to the cave and did not have much direction. Cave was amazing and the entire area was beautiful. Highly recommend.