Katla Ice Cave & South Coast Small-Group Day Tour from Reykjavik
Description
No car required! Embark on an unforgettable journey to one of Iceland’s most extraordinary natural wonders. Travel from Reykjavík along the scenic South Coast, stopping at the iconic Skógafoss and Seljalandsfoss on our way to Vík. From here, climb aboard a powerful Super Jeep for an off-road ride across dramatic volcanic plains leading to the Katla Glacier, an outlet of Mýrdalsjökull. Step inside the ever-changing Katla Ice Cave, where striking blue ice is streaked with layers of volcanic ash, creating a surreal landscape found nowhere else on Earth. Often likened to the “dragon glass” of Game of Thrones, the cave offers a glimpse into Iceland’s raw and untamed beauty. Your certified glacier guide will provide fascinating insights into the cave’s formation and history, while ensuring your safety with all necessary gear included. This is a rare opportunity to explore a living glacier and witness the powerful forces of fire and ice at work - an adventure you’ll never forget.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Your adventure begins with a morning pick-up from select locations in Reykjavík. From Iceland’s vibrant capital, you’ll journey along the scenic South Coast, home to some of the country’s most breathtaking natural wonders. As you travel, enjoy views of charming villages and dramatic landscapes carved by glaciers and volcanoes. The route takes you to the picturesque town of Vík, where the final guests join the group before continuing east toward your glacier and ice cave experience.
Skógafoss is one of Iceland’s most iconic waterfalls, cascading 60 meters (197 feet) down a towering cliff into a mist-filled pool below. Its raw power and stunning surroundings make it a must-see destination for photographers and nature enthusiasts. On sunny days, vibrant rainbows frequently appear in the spray, creating a magical and unforgettable experience.
You arrive in Vík and transfer from the minibus into a Super Jeep, which will take you off-road on an exciting journey to the glacier.
Now it’s time to gear up with crampons and step onto the glacier! Prepare to immerse yourself in a cinematic landscape as you explore the stunning blue ice and striking black volcanic ash of Mýrdalsjökull Glacier. Your certified glacier guide will share expert insights about this incredible natural wonder. Please note: Ice caves are dynamic natural formations that constantly change due to weather, temperature, sunlight, and precipitation. This means the cave’s appearance may differ from the photos you’ve seen. On each tour, you’ll visit the best accessible, naturally formed ice cave available—carefully selected based on current conditions and safety. Because nature is always shifting, every visit offers a truly unique experience.
Seljalandsfoss is one of Iceland’s most distinctive waterfalls, renowned for the footpath that lets you walk behind the cascading curtain of water. Plunging 60 meters (197 feet) from ancient sea cliffs, this breathtaking waterfall provides a unique vantage point and unforgettable photo moments. Get ready to feel the spray, and be amazed by the view!
You’ll arrive back in Reykjavík in the evening, concluding your unforgettable day of adventure.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
Please note that the pickup process can take up to 30 minutes - thank you in advance for your patience. We only serve the pick-up locations specified in our pick-up list. Please select the closest pick-up point to your accommodation.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- What to bring: Warm clothing, waterproof jacket and pants, food & drinks (available to purchase en route), sturdy hiking boots, head-wear and gloves
- Minimum required age to participate: 6 years old
Reviews(309)
Bruno was a great tour guide! Very friendly and insightful!
Our guide from Artic Adventures was very personable and gave a commentary during the journey, however, due to road noise in the vehicle it wasn't always easy to hear what she was saying on the microphone. We enjoyed the visit to Skogafoss Waterfall, I didn't do the climb to the top, but my husband did and said it wasn't worth the climb. The view from ground level works well although it's a popular stop and there were many people, but if you are clever you can photograph the falls with the people in the distance without being too much of a distraction or remove in post processing later. In Vik we could use the restrooms and purchase any food/drinks ahead of our trip to Katla Ice Cave. At Vik we changed vehicles. Here we were a group of 14 people squeezed into a really old vehicle which wasn't at all comfortable for the 40 minute bumpy journey to the Cave each way. The driver spent the whole time chatting to the female guest in the front seat, where he could perhaps have been talking to the whole group about the area or at least sharing his discussion with us all, however, we were basically ignored for the whole 40 minute journey. On arrival his attention did turn to the group and from this point on he was very good. Unfortunately, when we arrived it was raining, but we put on our helmets and crampons and started the ascent up the volcanic ash and ice. It made for some great photos - all the black lava ash and ice. The hike wasn't overly difficult a little steep in places (especially for those of us that live in a flat terrain!). Finally we arrived at the Ice cave, there was already a group ahead of us so we waited outside with the guide talking to us about the area. Then we went into the 'blue' ice tunnel (not a cave - open both ends - don't be decieved by the photos)! It is 'Wow' but it is a tunnel and you are in a queue of 14 people, with a further 14 waiting to come in behind, so time is fairly limited. The guide offered to take photos of each of us whilst we were in the tunnel and did an excellent job of the photographs. Very happy with ours. Then you exit the beautiful blue tunnel and continue into another tunnel which has water flowing through it and you exit into an open area, where you can try with a pick axe to break the ice. Another discussion by the guide takes place here and then you go back through the blue ice tunnel and head back down. There is little time to take photos in the tunnels as you have people behind you. My husband loved the Katla Ice Cave part of the trip, thought it was brilliant. I feel more reserved about it. I thought the volcanic ash and glacier area was very photogenic, the ice cave I felt disappointed with. It felt like it was a very small part of the trip and yet the Katla Ice Cave as they call it is supposed to be the main element. I did like the blue part of the tunnel and that was a wow - but not enough time between groups, feels like they are just churning in the people without a thought for 'customer experience'. Back at the vehicle, off with the crampons and helmet and then back in the vehicle for another 40 minutes return journey to Vik. In Vik we swapped back to the Arctic Adventures vehicle and had time to visit restrooms and grab drinks or food before heading to Seljalandsfoss Waterfall (which we had actually visited on another tour the day before so we walked along the walkway to the other smaller waterfalls.). We then headed back to Reykjavik. Total tour time 11 hours. It was a long day to see very little really. Was it worth the money we paid for it - I don't think so, it was by far the most expensive trip we did. Would I recommend it ... I think what I'd say is read this commentary and decide for yourself ... if you want a photo of you in a blue ice tunnel - then yes do it - if you want to have some photos of some black volcanic ash/ice landscape then maybe ... if you want a value for money experience then probably not!
The waterfalls were beautiful and impressive. The ice cave was a very unique experience and we will likely never see anything like it in the future as it is ever changing. I would highly recommend this tour. Alex was our guide and he was great. He was very knowledgeable about the area and very accommodating.
Hi Jen, thanks for taking a moment to write this. Katla is one of those places that genuinely doesn't stay the same twice, so getting the version you got means something. Glad the guide brought the depth to the day. Hope Iceland pulls you back. Arctic Adventures Team
Amazing South Coast tour! The waterfalls, black sand beach, Icelandic horses and landscapes were unforgettable. Our guide/driver was very kind and helpful throughout the day. He even helped me with shoes when I needed them, which I really appreciated. The whole trip was well organized, comfortable and enjoyable. Highly recommended!
Hi there, thank you for the kind review. Glad you had such a good day on the South Coast, and that the guide went out of their way to help with the shoes. Hope to see you again! Arctic Adventures Team
One of the coolest things I have done. Great trip. The ice cave guy named Sylvester was humorous , nice, took pictures for us, looked out for our safety and was extremely handsome, no wonder the glaciers are melting, hot looking guides. LoL.. he told us interesting things about the volcano, the glacier, the ice and black sand beach. So far best thing I have done the first 3 days here in Iceland.
Hi Karen, thank you so much for the kind words! Best thing in the first three days of an Iceland trip is high praise, given how much there is to do here. Glad the Katla day was the standout, and hope the rest holds up. Arctic Adventures Team
Fantastic. Scenic, amazing. Not a difficult hike for people , but you should be in some semblance of shape. Martin was the best guide we had of any tour, by far. And our driver, Axel was great also
Hi Jim, thank you so much for the kind words. Lovely to hear the Katla day was such a memorable one, and that the team made it the standout tour of your trip! Arctic Adventures Team
We were fortunate to have Sylwester as our guide, he was funny, gave us useful information and was always giving us safety tips and instructions. The whole experience was unique, with riding in those huge trucls, visiting the black volcano site and of course the glacier itself!! Truly a unique experience! The group was small and had good vibes. The lenght of visit was well rationed. I wouldn't recommend it for very young children. I do feel that the admission fee could be lower. The distance from the meeting point, the equipement used etc does not really explain the high price, even for Icelandic pricing.
Hi there, thank you so much for taking the time to write this. Lovely to hear the Katla day was such a unique experience! Hope to host you again sometime. Arctic Adventures Team
Getting to the super jeeps and back to Reykjavík, was well organized. We got to experience two great waterfalls and a black sand beach. But it was the getting to the glacier and the ice caves was the spectacular part of the tour. The guide was so good and you could really tell he worked so hard for me and my wife to get the most out of the experience. His efforts are greatly appreciated.
Hi William, thanks so much for this. The waterfalls and black sand beach are a great warm-up, but the glacier and ice cave are where Katla really shines, and it sounds like the day came together exactly the way it should have. Thank you for being a part of this trip! Arctic Adventures Team
The Ketla ice caves definitely lived up to the hype.Hiking up the glacier will be one of my most memorable moments.. Both the bus tour guide and the guide showing us around the caves were amazing and very knowledgable at what they do!
Great experience, Kalta Cave was the highlight. The Kalta Cave was better than expected. Recommend this tour.
