Glacier Hiking in Skaftafell (Vatnajokull)

If Solheimajokull is the introduction to glacier hiking in Iceland, Skaftafell is the deep dive. Located in Vatnajokull National Park — home to Europe's largest ice cap — the glacier hikes here are longer, more immersive, and deliver a sense of scale that the shorter south coast options cannot match.

Getting to Skaftafell

Skaftafell sits roughly 330 kilometres east of Reykjavik along the Ring Road, a drive of approximately 4.5 hours. Most visitors arrive as part of a multi-day south coast itinerary, often combining the glacier hike with Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon and the black sand beaches near Vik. The Skaftafell Visitor Centre serves as the meeting point, with a car park, basic cafe, and toilet facilities.

The Hike

After the safety briefing and equipment fitting at the visitor centre, the group walks approximately 20 minutes across the glacial outwash plain to reach the edge of Falljokull — the "falling glacier" — an outlet of the massive Vatnajokull ice cap that spills down between dark mountain ridges.

The five-hour duration means you spend significantly more time on the ice than on a three-hour tour. The guide leads you deeper into the glacier's terrain, past features that shorter hikes never reach: towering ice ridges, deep moulins where meltwater disappears into the glacier's interior, and ice formations that shift in colour from white to blue to almost black where volcanic ash is compressed into ancient layers.

Why Skaftafell Stands Apart

The landscape surrounding the glacier is extraordinary. Vatnajokull National Park encompasses volcanic peaks, black sand deserts, and some of the most dramatic mountain scenery in Iceland. From the glacier's surface, you look out over a panorama that includes the jagged peaks of Hvannadalshnjukur — Iceland's highest point — and the vast, uninhabited highlands stretching north.

The guides from Glacier Guides have been operating in Skaftafell since 1994 and know this glacier as well as anyone alive. Their knowledge goes beyond safety and technique: they explain the glacier's behaviour, its retreat, and its relationship to the volcanic systems buried beneath the ice cap. Walking on Vatnajokull while your guide describes the active volcano sleeping underneath is a uniquely Icelandic experience.

Who This Hike Is For

The Skaftafell glacier hike suits travellers who want more than a taste of glacier hiking. If you found a three-hour tour on Solheimajokull too short, or if this is the main adventure activity of your Iceland trip, the extra time, larger formations, and remote setting make Skaftafell the better choice.

The minimum age of 10 and the moderate fitness requirement reflect the longer duration and more demanding terrain. You will climb ice ridges, descend into shallow valleys on the glacier surface, and walk for several hours with crampons on uneven ice. It is not extreme, but it is genuinely physical.

Bring lunch, plenty of water, and sun protection — even in winter, the reflected light from the ice can be intense. And bring a camera with plenty of storage. The ice formations at Skaftafell are among the most photogenic landscapes in Iceland.