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Skaftafell Glacier Hike 3-Hour Small Group Tour

Name: Skaftafell Glacier Hike 3-Hour Small Group Tour
Brand: Troll Expeditions
SKU: 50287P7
Price: 110.34 USD
Rating: 5.0 (502 reviews)

Badge of ExcellenceSkaftafell, Iceland

From $110.34

Select Date and Travelers

up to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)

3 hours (approx.)
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

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Overview

The Vatnajökull glacier ranks among Iceland’s top natural attractions, but exploring the icy terrain without a guide is dangerous. On this half-day tour, delve into the Skaftafell National Park with a certified guide and discover a world of ice formations and deep crevasses. With all the necessary safety equipment included, enjoy personal attention from your guide on this small-group tour, limited to 12 people.

Hike the Vatnajökull glacier with your guide: The glacier’s crevasses make the landscape potentially dangerous
Sweeping views over the icy formations and rugged terrain
All safety equipment included
Small-group tour limited to 12 people ensures personalised attention from your guide

What's Included

Certified Glacier Guide
Short Drive to the Glacier Outlet
All the Necessary Glacier Equipment: Helmets, Harness, and Ice Axe
Small Group (12 Participants Max)
Coffee and Chocolates

Hiking Boots Rental (1,750 ISK)
Hotel pickup and drop-off from Reykjavík or other areas
Food and drinks
Waterproof Jacket Rental (1,750 ISK)
Waterproof Pants Rental (1,750 ISK)
Hat and Gloves Combo with Logo (3,000 ISK)
Neck Warmer with Logo (500 ISK)
Summer Cap with Logo (1,500 ISK)

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

Tröll Expeditions Skaftafell
W76C+6QF West of Hofgardur, 785 Hof, Iceland
We will see you at our meeting point 30 minutes before departure time. Please note that if you arrive after departure time your place on the tour can't be guaranteed or refunded. Driving time to Skaftafell from Reykjavík is around 4 hours and 30 minutes.

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

What To Expect

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Not wheelchair accessible
Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately

Minimum age is 8 years
Most travelers can participate
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 12 travelers

Operated by Troll Expeditions

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.

Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Featured review

Mary_A

We had a great time on this hike and got to learn a lot more about the glacier and see wonderful views of the surrounding areas. Our guide Paula was so knowledgeable and got to show us a lot of the glacier!

Reviews

5.0

502 reviews

Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews

Reviews by Viator travelers.

We perform checks on reviews

Showing 1-10 of 502 reviews

Amazing glacier hike!

Bryrony_D, Apr 2024

We loved our time on the glacier. Our guide, Martin, was knowledgable and also took care to ensure we were safe while also seeing as much as possible. His passion for hiking, nature, and immense care for his guests shined through. His knowledge and joy for learning made this such a memorable and exceptional experience. Thank you Martin!

We had a great time on...

Mary_A, Mar 2024

Great glacial taster

Ben_C, Oct 2023

A great way to have a chance to see what it’s like on the glacier. Our tour guide Luis was very friendly and knowledgeable.

Fantastic experience

Tony_A, Sep 2023

Definitely a bucket list item. Our guides were friendly, personable, and had a great sense of humor. Would highly recommend.

Accommodating Company, Friendly Guides and Amazing Views!

Miraj_J, Sep 2023

Had an amazing time during the hike and felt like it was worth it. We loved our tour guide Haustin! The company itself was great and helped us change the timings right away due to an emergency. I would highly recommend them.

It was good, but we spent too much time walking to the start of glacier

Yeimy_H, Sep 2023

Our guide, Luis, was awesome! He explained many things about the glacier and let us take pictures. We had a rainy day so we understand that is out of control, but that’s why we don’t give it at 5 stars. And another reason is that we walked a lot to get to the glacier and it would had be nice if the bus taking us will get to the near parking instead of the one so far away so we have more time at the glacier.

Great time/great guide

Gabriel_H, Sep 2023

Nice tour, difficulty easy-medium, excellent guide. We had a great time and got our moneys worth. Get out there while the glacier’s still kickin!

Couldn’t have asked for more

Ariella_G, Aug 2023

Every moment was incredible. Experience of a lifetime. Your was well organized, everything ran smoothly and everyone was lovely. Our guide was great. Personable, funny, knowledgeable- we are so glad we had the opportunity to experience this.

3 hr glacier tour

Kevin_D, Aug 2023

Our guide Julius was excellent. Julius has great people management skills and his relaxed but professional approach added to the experience.

Can be better!

choo_e, Aug 2023

We did 2 glacier hike with 2 companies, troll expeditions and Arctic adventures. Troll expeditions was very commercial. The moment we drove to the meet up point, the guy who was ushering cars to the carpark was not friendly at all. Then, from the carpark. U were transfer to a coach , took a 10min bus ride to start the hike on normal terrain. We walked quite a long distance on the normal terrain/base, then we saw other big vehicles which are parked nearer to the bottom of the glacier! The total 3hours hike, to be objective, I would said maybe 1 hour is on the glacier, strolling, the other 2hours are preparing n trying to trek to the glacier which I think Time can be saved if they can use a vehicle to park closer to the bottom of the 'real' glacier hike. Not recommended.

On your bucket list!

stephen_B, Aug 2023

The glacier is so blue. We enjoyed the hike! Our guide Seri - the nurse from Greece was excellent! The 20 minute walk to and from the glacier was not necessary when the bus could have dropped us off at the bottom of the glacier. We could have had more time on the glacier!

Excellent experience!

Sharon_D, Aug 2023

Super experience. Our guide Jay was great. He was friendly and knowledgeable. Explained everything clearly and took us further up the glacier than expected. The hike didn’t disappoint.

A Great Experience

Bill_W, Aug 2023

We spent roughly 3 hours hiking on the glacier, and it was a wonderful experience. Our quide was informative and made the hike fun as well as educational.

Glacier hike with Julle

TeppoRintala, Jul 2023

This was a very nice experience. The guide was pleasant and explained technics both the hiking on the glacier and the structure and features of the glasier. I highly recommend. Thanks again to Julle guide.

excellent

Daniella_M, Jul 2023

Excellent - one of the highlights of our week in Iceland. Juli was great guide. We really enjoyed it.

Underwhelming experience

Taylor_C, Jul 2023

We loved the tour operators! Very fun, knowledgeable and had all the processes down and such a cool experience to stand on an actual glacier that won’t be there in many years. We do feel it was a bit of false advertising based on the photos for the tour. You take a charter bus to the glacier, but it parks pretty far out so most of the tour is spent traveling and hiking to the actual glacier. There were many other tours who had 4x4 vehicles that could get you much closer to cut out that hiking time (while the walk there is beautiful because you’re looking at the glacier, it’s very rocky and we would have preferred to be on the glacier longer). We were on the actual glacier for like less time than the traveling/preparing/hiking, about 45 minutes total. Once on the glacier, we didn’t really go up very high- we probably stopped mid way, missing the opportunity to go up near the crevasses or go inside the glacier as seen in the travelers photos (which we saw other tour groups doing). You wear harnesses and take ice picks, but those are purely for safety, you don’t actually use those. Overall while we are grateful to have experienced being on a glacier, we were disappointed with the inconsistencies between tour guides with what you see in the photos of other tours vs. what you actually get.

What a privilege!

Abigail_B, Jul 2023

This was such a great experience! Our guide was wonderful and extremely knowledgeable. The staff helped us with all of our equipment and checked our crampons to make sure we’d be safe on the ice. A 3 hour tour was the perfect amount of time for us, but if you want more time on the actual glacier (you spend maybe 45 min total on the ice) a 5 hour tour would be a better option. We loved it and think it’s a must do when visiting iceland! I feel so lucky to have experienced this magnificent glacier before it’s gone forever.

Thumbs up on this one!

David_T, Jun 2023

Kevin was a delightful guide. He went at a pace that was great. He was helpful when I had an issue either clampons. Enjoyed his banter!

Approachable & fun

Ryana_H, Jun 2023

Really approachable even on a day with lots of wind and rain. Loved learning about the glacier and being able to fully appreciate it while on the walk!

The guide was great!!!...

Christine_L, Jun 2023

The guide was great!!! Weather was perfect! Glacier was beautiful. Great experience overall!! Highly recommend

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