Ice Cave Day Tour with Flights from Reykjavik

Hop on a plane for a scenic flight over the south coast of Iceland and then explore a natural ice cave! This tour is for everyone who wants to see something truly rare: an ice cave.

Every year, stunning ice caves are formed by running water from Europe's largest glacier, Vatnajökull. Each cave collapses during summertime and gets filled with water and each winter new ones form. Therefore, every single cave is unique, and you won't have the same experience twice when you go to see a natural glacier cave!

Vatnajökull is situated in the southeast of Iceland, about a 6-hour drive one-way from Reykjavík. So to drive there, you'll need at least 2 days. This tour will get you to East Iceland and back in one day.

Flying will save time, giving you the chance to visit the ice caves, the nearby glacier lagoon Jökulsárlón and the Diamond Beach all at once, while still having plenty of time to admire the stunning blue ice cave!

The flight departs from Reykjavík airport at 8:55 AM, and in just 50 minutes, you will have reached Höfn in East Iceland. Your return flight to Reykjavík is at 6:55 PM.

Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon is right by the glacier and connected to the sea. In it, you will see majestic icebergs afloat, and you may even spot some seals relaxing on the ice. Where the lagoon meets the sea, there's a Diamond Beach, named for the glistening ice scattered along it.

The flight itself will be in a small plane, flying along the south coast of Iceland to the town of Höfn, offering spectacular aerial views of the Icelandic coastline. On a clear day, you'll get a great view of Vatnajökull glacier itself, giving you an idea of its immense size!

The ice caves should not be missed if you are here during winter and if you're pressed for time, this is the perfect tour for you! As soon as you reserve it, we will contact you to send you your flight tickets and provide you with all the necessary information.

Come aboard for the experience of a lifetime. Check availability by choosing a date.

• Available: Nov. - Mar.
• Duration: 12 hours
• Activities: Glacier Hiking, Super Jeep, Sightseeing
• Difficulty: Easy
• Minimum age: 8 years old
• Languages: English
• Highlights:

  Jokulsarlon is a glacier lagoon in the south of Vatnajokull national park that is easily reached by the Ring Road.

  Covered in thick glacial ice until the 1930’s when the glacier started retreating, the lagoon today measures 7 square miles (20 km2). More than 300 feet of ice still breaks away each year, reshaping the lagoon and filling it with icebergs -  causing an alarmingly beautiful sight.

  The water is freezing cold and contains a mixture of salt and freshwater giving it a blue-green color. There is plenty of fish and birdlife by the lagoon and the vast sand area of Breiðamerkursandur, and hundreds of seals stay there in winter.

  Jökulsárlón,

  Vatnajökull is the largest glacier in Europe covering 8% of the island of Iceland. Vatnajökull National Park - which encompasses the earlier national parks of Skaftafell and Jökulsárgljúfur - is the largest protected area in Europe and believed by many to be the most beautiful place on earth.

  In this area you'll find some of the most stunning and diverse sights in Iceland. Among those are Iceland's highest peak, Hvannadalshnjúkur, its most active volcano, Grímsvötn, beautiful waterfalls such as Svartifoss by Skaftafell and Dettifoss, Europe's most powerful waterfall, stunning canyons such as Jökulsargljúfur and Ásbyrgi, and the breathtaking Jökulsárlon, an ice-riddled glacier lagoon that is one of the most beautiful attractions in Iceland.

  Vatnajokull glacier

  The glacier itself covers a surface area of about 100 km2. The thickness of the ice is generally around 400-600 meters, at its thickest around 950 meters. Under the glacier are valleys, mountains and plateuas as well as active volcanoes, most notably Grimsvotn and Bardarbunga, both the largest and most active of these. Then there are Esjufjoll, a glorious volcanic mountain island, surrounded by the glacier on all sides.

  Vatnajokull has over 30 outlets, some of the major ones being Dyngjujokull and Bruarjokull to the north and Breidamerkurjokull, Oraefajokull, Skeidararjokull and Sidujokull towards the south. On the west side from the north are smaller glaciers Eyjabakkajokull, Hofsjokull, Flaajokull Heinabergsjokull and Skalafellsjokull.

  The highest peak of Iceland then lies to the south, Hvannadalshnjukur in the Oraefajokull outlet, reaching 2109 m, according to latest measurements.

  Many rivers have their sources at Vatnajokull, including some of the greatest glacier rivers in the country. To the North are Jokulsa a Fjollum and Skjalfandafljot, to the Northeast are Jokulsa a Bru, and Jokulsa i Fljotsdal and to the south are Jokulsa i Loni, Hornafjardarfljot, Jokulsa a Breidamerkursandi, Skeidara, Nupsvotn, Hverfisfljot and Skafta. 

  Vatnajokull National Park

  The area around the glacier is highly varied. The highland plateu to the north is divided by glacier rivers which see massive floods in the summer. This is a highly volcanic region, where the volcanoes Askja, Herdubreid, Kverkfjoll and Snaefell tower over the scene. In this area is also the Jokulsargljufur preservation area with its magnificent canyon and the mighty glacier ricer Jokulsa a Fjollum where you'll find stunning waterfalls such as Dettifoss, Europe's most powerful waterfall. Further north are the Hljodaklettar echoing caves and the horse shoe-shaped Asbyrgi canyon, among other incredible sights.

  Broad wetlands lie near the glacier and in the vicinity of Snaefell, further east. Particularly notable is the Eyjabakkar oasis, one of the largest nesting places for pink feeted geese in the world and located north of the Eyjabakkajokull outlet. To the east is also the stunning Jokulsarlon.

  South of Vatnajokull, majestic mountain ridges characterise the scene, with outlet glaciers lying between them and reaching onto the lowlands. The Skaftafell preservation area is located there, with its rich flora and home to the beautiful waterfalls Hundafoss and Skogafoss, the latter famed for its with its magnificent columnar basalt formations.

  To the south lies the vast sand desert Skeidararsandur, reaching all the way to the sea. The glacier river Skeidara runs through it and the sand was indeed created by great glacier bursts from Skeidara, with its origins in volcanic activity at Grimsvotn.

  To the west of Vatnajokull there is strong volcanic activity as well. Some of the world's greatest fissure and lava eruptions happened there, at the Eldgja volcanic chasm and the Lakagigar craters in the 18th century. Vonarskard pass, to the northwest is also worth checking out, a highly colourful geothermal area that connects the North and South of Iceland.

  In popular culture

  Fans of the James Bond films might recognize the glacier from A View to a Kill and the  stunning Jokulsarlon from Die Another Day, though the events of the former were supposed to take place in Siberia.

  Scenes by the Wall in the HBO fantasy series Game of Thrones were also shot by Vatnajokull and further scenes were shot at lake Myvatn, another Iceland's major attractions.

  Vatnajökull,

  Hofn a Hornafirdi, is a fishing town in southeast Iceland, with a population of 1641 (as of 2011). It has a strong harbour and its main industries are fishing and tourism.

  Of note are several interesting museums and the annual Humarhatid (lobster festival). The area is also rich and varied birdlife and migratory birds from Scotland land here around April and leave around August/September.

  Höfn

• Return flights from Reykjavík

• Transfer from the Höfn airport to the caves,

• Ice Cave tour with all gear

• Airport taxes and fees

• Transfer to and from Reykjavík airport

• Food

• Good warm clothes

• ID card