Description
Summary
Description
Strap on your crampons and hike across two outlet glaciers of Vatnajokull on this small-group glacier hike from Skaftafell. This 5.5-hour glacier tour in Iceland suits active travelers who want a wilder alternative to a standard ice walk, with a certified guide leading the way.
Joining this two-glacier hike covers everything you need on the ice. A certified glacier guide, a 4x4 bus transfer to the glacier edge from Skaftafell, and all technical gear, including crampons, an ice axe, a harness, and a helmet, are included so you can focus on the adventure.
Skaftafell sits within Vatnajokull National Park, home to the largest glacier in Europe. The ice you explore flows down from this vast cap, so the short transfer drops you into a world of glistening ridges and deep blue crevasses, far from the standard glacier routes.
Your day starts at the tour operator hut in Skaftafell, where you meet your guide for a safety briefing and a full gear fitting. From there, a 25-minute 4x4 bus ride carries you closer to the ice than the main walking trail allows, saving your energy for the glaciers ahead.
Most glacier hikes in Iceland keep you on a single tongue of ice, but this route links two. You cross Falljokull before continuing onto Virkisjokull, doubling the terrain underfoot and the variety of ice you walk through in one outing. Few day tours combine two outlet glaciers like this.
You first step onto Falljokull, the Falling Glacier, where your guide teaches you to read the surface and move safely between crevasses. Crossing this lower ice brings you to the quieter Virkisjokull, the Fortress Glacier, where most of the hike takes place.
Since the bulk of the hike unfolds on the secluded Virkisjokull, you often have the ice almost to yourself. While other groups turn back on the busier lower slopes, your guide leads you deeper into a quiet glacier valley where the only sounds are crunching crampons and shifting ice.
Roughly 3.5 to 4 hours on the ice lead you through a glacier valley framed by dramatic icefalls and towering ice formations. Striking basalt columns rise along the route while views open toward Oraefajokull, the highest peak in Iceland.
Your guide sets the pace to match the group and the day's conditions. A good level of fitness helps because the tour is rated moderate to challenging.
Toward the end, you retrace the route across Falljokull to the waiting bus, which returns you to the Skaftafell hut about 5.5 hours after you set out.
Trade the busy trails for a remote two-glacier hike from Skaftafell and discover a corner of Vatnajokull that few travelers ever see. Check availability now by choosing a date.
