Glacier Hike in Iceland: Which Glacier to Choose, Tours and Safety (2027)

For a glacier hike in Iceland, choose Sólheimajökull if you are based in Reykjavík or on the western south coast, and Falljökull near Skaftafell if you are travelling further east. Both run all year on guided tours of about three to four hours, with crampons and safety gear provided. Never walk onto a glacier without a certified guide. Here is how the main glaciers compare and what a hike involves.

Which glacier is best for a hike in Iceland?

For most visitors the best glacier for a hike is the one on their route. Sólheimajökull is closest to Reykjavík and fits into a south coast day. Falljökull, at Skaftafell in Vatnajökull National Park, has bigger scenery and fewer day-trippers, but it is 325 km from the capital.

Both main glaciers also have longer options, such as ice-climbing add-ons and combined hike and ice cave tours from Skaftafell in winter.

What is a hike on Sólheimajökull like?

Sólheimajökull is an outlet glacier about 11 km long that flows down from Mýrdalsjökull, the ice cap over the Katla volcano. Its ice is streaked with black ash. Tours meet at the car park, about 2.5 hours from Reykjavík off Route 1 between Skógafoss and Vík.

From the car park you walk about 15 to 20 minutes to the edge of the ice. The walk has grown longer as the glacier has retreated, with 93 m of retreat on its western tongue between 2024 and 2025 alone. At the ice you fit crampons, a harness and a helmet, then walk up among ridges, crevasses and sink holes. A standard walk takes about three to four hours in total, and the standard tour we checked accepts children from 10.

Parking costs ISK 750 per car, paid through Parka. Many south coast day tours from Reykjavík include a Sólheimajökull hike, so it works without a car.

What changed at Sólheimajökull in 2026?

On 22 July 2026 the Icelandic Met Office warned of increased hazard at the edge of Sólheimajökull. A new lagoon had thinned the ice ridge used to reach the glacier, there are deep, cold lagoons on either side, and rocks can fall from the slopes above the access route. Some operators cancelled trips while guides looked for safer routes. Officials chose to keep the area open with stronger warnings, and guided tours were running again in August 2026. Conditions there change daily, so expect your guide to adjust the route or, on some days, cancel.

What is a hike at Skaftafell like?

Hikes at Skaftafell go onto Falljökull, an outlet glacier of Vatnajökull that drops steeply from the Öræfajökull massif. Tours meet near the Skaftafell visitor centre. Standard walks take about 3.5 to 4 hours and accept children from 8. Operators provide crampons, a harness, an ice axe and other safety gear, and many rent boots.

The ice here is cleaner and bluer than at Sólheimajökull, with big icefalls above you. Until 2018, most tours from Skaftafell used neighbouring Svínafellsjökull, and Falljökull has been the main hiking glacier since. Skaftafell also has excellent marked trails off the ice, including the walk to Svartifoss. Our Vatnajökull National Park guide covers them.

Parking at Skaftafell costs about ISK 1,110 for a car in 2026. If you pay at Jökulsárlón the same day with the same method, you get half off the second site.

Why must you hike a glacier with a guide?

Because glacier ice is moving, cracking and melting all the time, and its dangers are hard to see. Crevasses hide under thin snow, meltwater shafts drop deep into the ice, and the edges of glaciers collapse into lagoons. Iceland's tourism and safety bodies are clear that glacier travel should only be done with certified guides.

A guide checks the route every day, cuts steps where needed, ropes the group on harder ground and knows when to turn back. Rescue on a glacier is slow, and in 2026 an injured visitor at Sólheimajökull had to be lifted out by a Coast Guard helicopter because ground access was so difficult.

Guided only: do not step past the end of the marked path onto the ice, even for a photo. The edge of the glacier is often the most unstable part.

How fit do you need to be?

A standard glacier walk suits anyone who can hike for two to three hours on uneven ground. The pace is slow, with frequent stops while the guide explains the ice. Walking in crampons takes a few minutes to learn: keep your feet a little apart and stamp each step flat.

Longer tours of five hours or more go higher and steeper, and ice-climbing add-ons need good upper-body strength. A Hvannadalshnúkur summit climb is a different level: around 15 hours, mostly on snow and ice, for fit hikers only.

What should you wear for a glacier hike?

Dress in layers and expect wind, even on a sunny day.

• Stiff, waterproof hiking boots with ankle support. Trainers will not take crampons; most operators rent boots.
• Waterproof jacket and trousers.
• A warm mid-layer of wool or fleece, and a thermal base layer in winter.
• Hat, gloves and sunglasses. The ice reflects strong light, even under cloud.
• A small backpack with water and a snack.

The operator provides crampons, a harness, a helmet and an ice axe.

When is the best time for a glacier hike?

You can hike both glaciers all year. Summer brings long days, dry ice and grey-white surfaces with dark ash bands. Winter can bring fresh snow, bluer ice and the chance to combine a hike with an ice cave near Skaftafell or Jökulsárlón.

Weather decides more than the season. Tours are cancelled in strong wind and heavy rain, so book your hike early in your stay in the area to leave room for a second try. Check the forecast on vedur.is and alerts on safetravel.is before you set off.

Sólheimajökull or Skaftafell: which should you book?

Book Sólheimajökull if you have a short trip, no car, or are only driving as far as Vík. Book Falljökull at Skaftafell if you are driving the Ring Road or staying near the glacier lagoons, and want quieter, more dramatic ice. If you have time, a hike at Skaftafell combined with Jökulsárlón the next morning makes an excellent pair of days.

For the bigger picture, read our guide to Iceland's glaciers. See the Sólheimajökull, Skaftafell and glacier hikes pages for photos, and our ice cave guide for winter add-ons.

Facts checked October 2026. Glacier edges, access routes and tour availability change through the year, and Sólheimajökull has had hazard warnings since July 2026. Check the operator, safetravel.is and vedur.is before your hike.