Sólheimajökull Glacier Hike & Ice Climbing Intro - Small Group

Absolute must do. If you book through Viator, be aware that it is either the glacier climbing course or the hike, which isn't obvious. I asked to do the climbing course last minute and they very easily accommodated. Josh, our instructor was very knowledgeable and made us feel very safe. We stopped on the way from Reykjavik to a of waterfall site which was lovely and then were dropped at the alpine camp. There we got equipped for the climb, then walked four about 50min to the glacier and stayed there for 4-5 hours before coming back. We practiced on a few walls before doing a deeper one (15m) which felt very scary for me (not for others!) and Josh was very reassuring and pro. Had the best time and couldn't recommend more!

Guides were experienced and patient. Hike was moderate difficulty and took just enough breaks to keep everyone rested. Glacier was incredible.

It was 100% worth the money. It was not easy, but it was a fun and rewarding experience. I recommend renting the shoes. I brought ankle hiking boots, but the toes were soft and when you climb the ice you will be kicking against it. Their shoes are more hard around the toes so it offers more protection. It was only $13 USD. Definitely carb up before and bring a sandwich with you to eat while you're waiting your turn to climb. It gets cold while you're waiting around and the wind can get strong enough to knock you over, so bring wind proof layers. Pay attention to the guides, it can be dangerous up there with the winds and possibility of slipping down the ice if you don't follow instructions.

The trip involved a hike to the glacier, a hike on the glacier, hikes up and down the glacier via ice climbing, and return trip. It was very fun and was an ~6 hour journey. The guides, Daniel and Franc, were funny and professional.

This was an intense experience that I would 100% do again! The trek to the glacier is scenic with several stops for amazing pictures. Once we hit the glacier, the crampons kept us stable and we marched toward the center of the basin for a climb down a hole (secured with a rope of course). Down there was a little waterfall we all had to get pictures around. Climbing out was the hardest part. If your boots don't have a VERY strong ankle support, they tend to buckle when trying to climb out. It took everything I had, but of course that is part of the fun! The accomplishment! Be sure to bring food to eat on the glacier. We stopped at a gas station along the way from Reykjavik and grabbed a few sandwiches, chips and water and essentially had a little glacier picnic. The bathrooms at base camp did require money to use (credit card accepted). I would also recommend bringing your own go pro to capture moments. You can't get close tot he edge to capture any friends that are climbing in and out so keep that in mind as well.

Daniel was a super great guide and very friendly throughout. We highly, highly recommend him because he both made us feel comfortable and safe - which is no easy task for someone afraid of heights! Daniel made the trip fun and impactful for myself and girlfriend, and always kept it positive, even when we were doubting ourselves - If I could always have Daniel as my guide, I would! 10/10 - AMAZING EXPERIENCE.

Epic day! Our Guide, Lukas was great. He made climbing on the glacier easy. It was a long hike but definitely one of our favorites.

Excellent experience. I had a small mishap near the top and fell. The guide was helpful and I completed the hike, with only a minor injury.

I really loved this tour & couldn't get enough of ice climbing! The two Italian guides, Francisco & Daniel, were brilliant: very experienced, friendly, and they approached each of us & every activity with care & compassion. I felt seen, safe & entertained. What more would anyone wish for on a tour? The guides were also clearly incredibly passionate about glaciers which made the experience that much better for the participants as well! Definitely highly recommended for anyone curious about glacier exploration . I would also like to thank our driver-guide Greta. We all got completely soaked to the bone at the end of the tour & she took care of us, even offering me her own jacket to keep warm while my own was drying (along with my trousers!) what a wonderfully caring & warm person she is!

I had the most amazing first ice climbing experience. Daniel and Lucas were incredible guides. They were knowledgeable, encouraging, patient, and just genuinely wonderful people to spend the day with. I came out as a solo female, and I don’t think they even realize the role they’re playing in helping people rewire their brains and what they believe they’re capable of. There’s something really powerful about showing up alone to do something completely new and a little intimidating, and having guides who make you feel safe, capable, and completely comfortable being there. I left feeling so proud of myself and incredibly grateful for the experience. It was so much more than just getting to try ice climbing for the first time. I also used the shuttle option, and the driver was wonderful. I felt very safe the entire time. Cannot recommend this experience, Daniel, and Lucas enough. Truly one the highlight of my trip.

Daniel was awesome, very fun, a little wet and chilly but is to be expected

We had a great time! The ice climbing was a really fun experience, and we were blessed with sunny weather. I never felt unsafe. I was grateful that this company picked us up from reykjavik, even if it made for a long day. Our driver even dropped us off at our hotel 15 minutes outside reykjavik and we super appreciated that! Only thing I would say is plan to get your own food and snacks. Its a very long day. But worth it!

Daniel is the best guide / coach I have ever met. He guided us through the whole ice climbing experience carefully, and teach us all the essential techniques, knowledge and skills on the whole exploring. He also gave us very tender care and emotional support which is utmost important for us to break through and be our best. He is thus the best. Salute to him and I will recommend this first-class guide / coach to all my friends and any others. ❤️❤️

Daniel, our hiking and climbing guide, was fantastic. His knowledge, humor, expertise, and skill set was perfect for our group. He made us feel safe and let us be adventurous all at once. I would highly recommend Daniel for your glacier hike and climb.

This was a truly once in a lifetime experience. The tour provided by Gunn on the drive was delightful and Francesco on the ice climbing was outstanding. Both of these two were 10/10 experiences and were clear experts in their respective fields.

We had a fantastic experience with Daniel as our guide for the Sólheimajökull Glacier small group Hike and intro Ice Climb. Not only was the hike beautiful and just the right amount of challenging (moderate), the climbing experience was once-in-a-lifetime for sure. I went with my wife and my teenager, we are relatively fit and Daniel made it a nice workout. If you listen to him you will have a very very enjoyable time. Definitely go with the small group experience and definitely pay the $11 for the specialty ice climbing boots. The crampons will either slip on, or ruin, normal hiking boots. I for one don't get a chance to climb ice walls very often (ever), so definitely just go all-in. Totally worth it. 5-stars.

This was a great experience for our whole family. You could tell they took safety seriously and our guide was wonderful.

This was one of the most disappointing tours I have ever taken, especially compared to what was advertised. The website describes this as a “Blue Ice - Ice Climbing Adventure” with “three hours of pure ice exploration,” glacier hiking through crevasses, ridges, ice walls, moulins, blue-hued frost, and a knowledgeable guide explaining the glacier’s history and geology. That is not what we experienced. The tour started out of an old, dilapidated American school bus that was leaking from the roof. The condition of the bus immediately made the experience feel cheap and poorly maintained, and the equipment did not feel much better. For the price of this tour, I expected a professional adventure operation, not something that felt thrown together with outdated gear and a leaking bus. The biggest issue was the boot situation. The website clearly states that guests need “sturdy hiking boots with ankle support that fit crampons” and says boots are available to rent if you do not own a pair. We did own and wear sturdy hiking boots, but we were still forced to rent their boots for 30,000 ISK. It was not presented as optional, and nowhere on the website did it say that boot rental would be mandatory even if you showed up with appropriate hiking boots. That felt like an undisclosed extra charge and a bait-and-switch. The actual glacier experience was also nowhere near what was promised. We hiked roughly one kilometer onto the glacier, reached a crevice, and were told to stand in one small designated area while the guides set up the climbing rope. We then waited around an hour just standing there. We were not allowed to walk around, explore, or even move to look at anything else. When I moved briefly out of boredom to try to actually see something on the trip, I was told to get back to the spot. I understand glacier safety matters, but this did not feel like a serious safety issue. Another tour had school-age children in the same general area. The issue seemed to be that the group size was too large for the setup. There were 13 guests and only two guides managing the rope, which meant most of the tour was spent standing around waiting instead of hiking, exploring, learning, or climbing. After waiting about an hour, I got one climb that lasted maybe 30 seconds. Then we moved about 100 meters to another crevice, waited over an hour again, and climbed there twice. Two of the three climbs were on the same wall. After that, we walked back to the bus and returned the gear. So for a five-hour experience, we walked about a kilometer onto the glacier, stood in place for most of the tour, and climbed only three times total. There was very little exploration, very little instruction, very little movement, and very little of the glacier education that was promised in the description. The website sells this as an exciting ice-climbing adventure and glacier exploration experience. In reality, it felt like an overpriced waiting session with a few short climbs attached. The glacier itself was beautiful, but the tour did not deliver what was advertised. Between the leaking bus, old equipment, undisclosed mandatory boot rental, excessive waiting, limited climbing, and lack of meaningful glacier exploration, I would not recommend this tour. It felt like a waste of both time and money.

Daniel (our guide) and the team onsite are excellent. He is very good with people, very patient, and very instructive. He also is very safety conscious. The experience itself is limited by a couple things. Boots should be mandatory and included in the price if you intend to climb. There is too much time wasted trying to get ready to go, with people deciding they don't want boots and then regretting it once they are on the ice. This also takes away from the climbing experience later when people don't have the right boots. I would suggest that this be divided into two groups - those who want to go on the glacier and maybe try climbing and those who actually want to go out and climb and learn more about climbing. The team is excellent but they are limited by the variance in skills and interests of the customers, and they can and should be able to do more.

Franco was the best guide! He was flexible on a variable weather day and really customized the tour to the abilities of our group. It was our first time trying ice climbing and he was the perfect person to teach us. We felt incredibly safe with his guidance and he gave us enough sense of adventure to push ourselves. His love of Iceland, the land, and the glacier is clearly evident. 10/10 recommend this activity for anyone wanting something a little more adventurous and challenging.

We began our tour from Reykjavík, so we got to see the breathtaking waterfalls! Our guide gave us good time to explore the falls and witness their powerful glory. For the next highlight of the tour (glacier / ice climbing), Lukas and Franco were incredible guides who made it super easy to learn the ropes in ice climbing. We felt safe and comfortable around them, especially given their helpful and enthusiastic attitudes. The ice climbing itself was an unforgettable experience, and walking all over the glacier offered some crazy views.

The glacier hike was a brilliant experience and Daniel was a such a great wealth of knowledge and has a friendly demeanour to match, a great guide!

Thanks to Daniel and Lucas--our terrific coaches and Glacier Climbing Guides--we had a once in a lifetime adventure! It was a challenging experience for sure (we are 50 and 57 years old), but absolutely doable for anyone relatively fit. Our gear was perfect to suit our needs and we enjoyed our time on the glacier. Again, Daniel and Lucas were fabulous!

10/10 experience. Daniel was a fantastic guide and went above and beyond to be sure everyone in the group was comfortable and got climbs in

Such a unique experience! I would honestly recommend glacier climbing to everyone — it was one of those moments that feels really unforgettable. Daniel was a great guide 😀Super funny & relaxed and made us feel safe the whole time. The group was small, which made the experience even more personal. Overall, just do it! You will not regret it:)

We had an amazing glacier climbing experience! The scenery was breathtaking, and the whole tour was very well organized. A special thank you to Daniel, who made the experience even better. He was friendly, funny, and full of positive energy throughout the hike. The only thing I disagree with is his assessment of my climbing skills. He gave me a 6/10, but luckily I get the final say in this review — and Daniel gets a well-deserved 10/10 from me! 😄 Highly recommended!

Daniel was a phenomenal guide! He provided Great instructions, had a great sense of humour and shared good tips for restaurants! Great intro to the ice climbing experience! Felt actually more involved than the simple walking tours on the glacier - very happy they provide this option as many other tours are just simple walking on the surface.

Daniel was amazing! Such a fun and laidback guide, really enjoyed all the ice climbing and how careful Daniel was scouting ahead and making sure routes were good for us beginners.

Extremely enjoyable. The guide was so knowledgeable and supportive. We were able to do three climbs during the trip.

Our guide Lucas was amazing! Very patient and knowledgeable, he explained everything about the glacier and how to cross it. I love the tour, highly recommend!

It was awasome and the Guide Lucas was a nice and chill person he did great job

It was an incredible climb — together with friends, we made our first ascent on a glacier ❤️❤️❤️ We’re truly lost for words when it comes to the views up there. Lukas, thank you so, so much for the way you guided us. Our guide shared amazingly interesting stories and led us through truly beautiful places. Monika from the bus was super friendly and really helpful in choosing the equipment. We recommend them 100%%%

That was an Amazing experiance, breathtaking views, it's an absolutly stunning place. Huge thanks to our gide Lukas who kept us safe 🙏 answered to all questions we had and realny take care of us during this trip.

I went on a Sólheimajökull Glacier hike + ice climbing day trip (Blue Ice) in mid-January 2026 as a solo traveller, guided/instructed by Steven. Steven was fantastic - very patient, encouraging, and kind at all times. He went out of his way to ensure the 8 participants enjoyed themselves and had successful climbs on the glacier, whether absolute beginners or not. The hiking between locations was cool too. Such a great full day, including waterfall stops on the way to/from Reykjavik with the transfer bus. I don't remember the driver's name, but Arctic Adventures runs like a well-oiled machine, with different groups doing different activities on the same day. I highly recommend Arctic Adventures overall and hope you get lucky and have Steven as your ice climbing instructor!

Intro to Ice Climbing, in this experience you get geared up and hike up the glacier tongue to an area to practise Ice climbing. The guides attach a screw into the top of ice wall and belay the rope to keep you secure. Individually you ascend with your crampons on then abseil down, Our experience was with 2 guides Monica and Lucas who were awesome and made it really enjoyable for me and my brother. The guides keep you safe and make it so much fun cos of their enthusiasm. A massive shout out to the tour bus driver from Arctic Adventures, (could not spell your name I remember it began with H), he made regular stops including at gas station to refuel and even pulls over on way back just outside reykjavik for our group to see the starting of the aurora. Such a special tour

Had a great time! Our guides were wonderful, very energetic and funny!! By far the highlight of my trip!

Our driver Guna was wonderful, she kept sharing stories and explanations, very insightful and super nice. Thank you so much Guna. Our guide Michele was nice too, he prepared us well. However, some group members could only do one climb, as the second was not suitable for all levels. I wish easier climbs had been chosen to better match the group’s abilities. The small group size (six people) was ideal, as waiting for everyone to climb can get chilly. We were lucky with dry weather, but I recommend layering up as conditions can change quickly. Overall, a great experience with excellent staff, but some adjustments to the participant's level would make it much better.

Simon was great Hiking and climbing guys could be better on encouraging rather then dissappointed look

We did 4 tours in total with Arctic Adventures (ice climbing/glacier hike, snowmobile/ice cave, northern lights, and Silfra snorkeling/lava tube. All of the tours were well organized and professionally operated. The bus transports from Reykjavik were on time, clean and comfortable - with wifi and usb chargers available. The driver for each tour had their unique personality set the tone for the day, some happy and cheerful, others quiet and focused. Upon arrival at the destination we met our tour guide and got ready for the adventure. Each tour we did met different objectives for our trip, high adventure, sightseeing, utter boredom looking (waiting) for auroras, once in a lifetime events (Snorkeling and New Years eve in Reykjavik are very special).

Thank you Steve, our guide, for this amazing experience ! Ice climbing is truly something to do. We learned a lot, faced an exciting challenge but at the same time felt safe and at ease. If you’re ready to sweat for a rewarding and otherworldly experience, you should definitely do it (especially with Steve 😉) ! Girold family

Had a great day! I feel like today's experience will be hard to beat for other tours. Daniel from Artic Adventures was an amazing tour guide, we had so much fun.

We had a wonderful tour across the glacier. Our guide was clearly very experienced and was also good company. He guided us to a beautiful quiet spot to climb. All in all a once in a lifetime experience for anyone that is adventurous.

Truly amazing experience! Did you know that far less then 1% of individuals experience this in the whole world?!? That’s crazy! The guide is very knowledgeable about how the glaciers have receded in years past, how to keep you safest and also making sure you are comfortable learning the process. As my tour bus driver said though “watch out for snow snakes, they aren’t like normal snakes…they tend to be your buddy Allen who throws a snowball at you.” What a truly great time! Activity level wise not as hard as I thought but you will be hiking a bit along with using your leg muscles, back and arms a bit. You will be sore the next day if you are a wimp like me 😂

The glacier hike and climb are a workout - especially in winter. The climb was challenging, but fun! The views were amazing! Our guide, Monika, kept us moving and was incredibly encouraging whenever anyone struggled with the climbs. “Moderate” activity level is not “cruise ship moderate” in terms of effort needed. It’s a workout!

Steve is a really experienced and helpful guide. He explained all the precautions in detail and I felt safe thorough the activity. Most of us are girls with no previous experience before but Steve was patient and prepared routes that were suitable for us. He took really nice pictures for us as well. I did have a great time with him. And I would say glacier climbing it’s something you must try in Iceland.

The Blue Ice Climbing Adventure tour was an unforgettable experience. Our guides, Daniel and Franco, were fantastic, knowledgeable, patient, and super supportive from start to finish. They made sure everyone was geared up properly. I ended up renting firmer boots, which turned out to be the right choice once we got on the ice. The glacier hike itself was stunning and manageable thanks to the guides’ clear tips and pacing. The ice climbing portion was definitely challenging for me personally. It requires coordination and strength, and Daniel was incredibly kind and encouraging the entire time. He guided me through each step, offered helpful advice, and made sure I felt safe even when I struggled. While I didn’t master the climb, it was still a rewarding and memorable experience. It is a true bucket list adventure that taught me a lot about myself and what glacier climbing entails. I would not change a thing. Huge thanks to Daniel and the Arctic Adventures team for making it such a supportive day on the ice.

Nobody in our group had ever done ice climbing before, but our guide Steve took the time to train us and make sure we were comfortable. He also set up an anchor rope so we could safely go to the edge of the moulin and watch people climb. Don't worry about footwear, just rent the specialized boots with reinforced toes they have on site (I think they were ~$10). All other gear is included.

We had a great time, Steve was an amazing guide who gave great instructions on ice climbing and was so helpful and encouraging! Would highly recommend this tour and Steve as your guide!

The hiking was challenging and I loved the tour. Was a good mix of hiking and climbing and we saw different parts of the glacier. The tour guide adapted the tour to our needs because some were not experienced at climbing. You do not need climbing experience however, only do the tour if you are fit, because climbing with an axe is another level :D you can expect having to rent shoes unless you have climbing shoes. Hiking boots will in most cases not be sufficient for this tour