The Original Ice Cave Tour in Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon
Description
Blue Ice & Glacier Hikes from Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon Explore natural blue ice on Vatnajökull, Europe’s largest glacier, on this guided small-group adventure. Travel by 4x4 towards Breiðamerkurjökull before stepping onto the ice for a glacier hike to the best blue ice formation of the day—whether a cave, tunnel, or canyon. Join Local Guide for the ultimate flexibility. Each tour is unique. Our certified glacier guides assess conditions daily to select the safest and most impressive features, often accessing less crowded areas while maintaining the highest safety standards. Expect a 2.5–4 hour experience including up to 5.5 km of hiking, with stunning views of the surrounding glacier. No previous experience is needed, but a reasonable fitness level is required. Ice caves are natural and constantly changing, so locations and features vary. This ensures an authentic, safe, and unforgettable glacier experience. Join us on the best accessible blue ice experiences in Iceland.
Tour Options
Itinerary
We will meet you in the main parking lot of Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon. You will be fitted to the safety equipment that is included on your tour. We recommend wearing warm and comfortable outdoor clothing to keep dry in the always changing Icelandic winter weather. Please be at our 4x4 at least 15 minutes prior to the departure. Embark on the adventure in a 4x4 vehicle to the base of the glacier that is an adventure in itself. From there we hike 5-20 minutes up to the Ice Cave on uneven ground. As the glacier is always changing, the most beautiful and safest Ice Cave will be chosen depending on the conditions of each day. The Ice Caves range between 30-70 meters. You can expect other groups in the same area. With plenty of time for exploration, photos, and learning about glacial history from your guide, this will be an experience you’ll never forget. Explore the most stunning, naturally shaped, blue Ice Cave with us! For recent photos and updates, follow @localguide on Instagram.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- Operates in most weather conditions, please dress appropriately. Please come in warm and waterproof clothing and good hiking boots.
- Your safety is of the utmost importance. Ice Cave tours are weather dependent. Sometimes tours have to be cancelled with short notice due to weather conditions or safety concerns or. After periods of adverse weather, the caves can become flooded or unsafe to enter. If this happens we will always do our best to offer an alternative such as a glacier hike if weather conditions allow, however if this is not suitable we will also always offer a full refund.
Reviews(202)
What an adventure. I highly recommand Local Guide. Our guide was awesome. Since the caves weren't as extraordinary as usual, Mike took the time with our small group (about 11 people) and brought us to two small caves, we had a nice hike on the glacier. He taught us a lot about the region. The tour that was expected to last 3 to 4 hours lasted 5 hours. That was definitely a great experience
Thank you so much for this thoughtful review! Conditions on the glacier change constantly, so we’re really glad we are able to adapt the day and create such a memorable experience for your group. Spending extra time out on the glacier, exploring different features, and sharing knowledge about the region is exactly the kind of day we love to offer. We truly appreciate the recommendation!
This is a must-do activity in Iceland—truly unforgettable! Don’t think twice about booking it, just be sure to plan ahead since it’s about a five-hour drive from Reykjavík. Make sure to pin the address on Google Maps before you go like the instructions state on their page. There is a parking fee, but it’s valid until midnight, and you’ll be rewarded with beautiful views before heading off on this incredible adventure. Our tour guide, Michal, was friendly, knowledgeable, and fun. I felt completely safe despite the weather conditions, which made the experience even more enjoyable. It was also great to support a small, locally owned business. The small group size made the tour feel personal and special. Michal is such an an amazing guide!! This is absolutely a bucket-list experience! Thank you so much again!
Thank you so much for this amazing and detailed review! We’re thrilled to hear that the experience was so memorable and that Michal made it even more special with his knowledge and great energy. It’s also wonderful to know you appreciated the small group atmosphere and supporting a local company. Thank you for the kind recommendations and helpful tips—means a lot to us! We hope to welcome you again someday.
Great experience and the tour guys are amazing, thanks for the help with booking a last minute spot. I will remember this adventure always
Thank you so much! We’re really glad we could help you join last minute and that you had such a great experience. It means a lot to hear it’s something you’ll always remember!
Hiking the glacier was a really cool experience! Our guide was from Greece and although she was very sweet she didn’t share much knowledge of the glacier or history. It didn’t diminish our great time and the amazing ice tunnels we walked through.
Thank you for your feedback! We’re really happy to hear you had a great time on the glacier and enjoyed the ice tunnels—such a unique experience. We also appreciate your note about the guiding, and we’ll take this on board as we continue to improve the balance between safety, friendliness, and sharing knowledge. Thanks again for joining us!
Beautiful caves, we saw four and hiked the glacier while walking from cave to cave. Takes about 3 hours and they are very well organised. Timely, proffessional and our guide Mika was great. He is full of stories just ask a question and he goes on. May seem pricey but this one is worth that price.
Thank you for your great review! We’re so happy you enjoyed exploring multiple caves and the glacier hike—it’s such a special way to experience the area. Mika will be glad to hear your kind words; he definitely has plenty of stories to share! We really appreciate your recommendation and hope to see you again.
Hiking the glacier was a once in a lifetime experience. Words can’t explain how beautiful the blue ice caves looked. It was something out of a movie. Our tour guide, Michael, was amazing!! Huge shout out to him for keeping our group safe and for educating us about the history of the glacier/ice caves. Don’t hesitate to book - just do it! You won’t regret it, I promise.
Thank you for sharing this! It’s great to hear how much the glacier and ice caves stood out for you—those blue tones really do feel unreal. Big thanks as well for highlighting Michael; he’ll be happy to know his guiding made such an impact. We really appreciate your encouragement to future guests—means a lot!
Do not book this tour unless they tell you where it is. I booked and got to hotel and was told the meeting place was 6 hours away! The tour operator didn’t specifically say where the meet place was. Being a foreigner, I didn’t know the distance from the area, so no, we didn’t get to do tour, and they kept my $$! Felt like I was taken advantage of!
Dear Theresa, We are sorry to hear about your experience. We would like to clarify that this tour is clearly advertised as taking place at Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon in Southeast Iceland, and the exact meeting point (including a Google Maps link) was also shared with you directly prior to the tour. We understand that travel distances in Iceland can be unexpected, especially for first-time visitors. However, as this is a meet-on-location tour, it is the responsibility of guests to review the location before booking. Despite this, we offered you the option to reschedule your tour on alternative dates as a gesture of goodwill. We are sorry that you were unable to join the experience and wish you have enjoyed the rest of your holiday in Iceland
Was really nice adventure! I really recommend!
Thank you so much for your kind words! We’re really happy to hear you had a nice adventure with us. Your recommendation means a lot, and we hope to welcome you again for another experience in the future!
Our guide guy , Michal, was amazing . He was kind funny and attentive . The tour was excellent , the glaciers were stunning . Would definitely do it again . Congratulations.
Thank you so much for this wonderful review! We’re thrilled to hear you had such a great experience with Michal – he’ll be very happy to hear your kind words. It’s fantastic that you enjoyed both the tour and the stunning glacier scenery. We’d love to welcome you back for another adventure in the future!
Amazing BLUE ICE cannot be missed1!! Not all glaciers have this blue ice so when you book this trip, you wont be disappointed as you get amazing blue ice walls, with wavy glass-like ice you can see through like a blue paned window. Amelia was our guide and she was the best! We felt safe and taken care of on the icy glacier. The things I was most unprepared for was the weather and the climb. You literally hike on the glacier to the blue caverns (not caves) and it can be quite far from where you park. I tracked almost 2 miles roundtrip and its not normal "steps" but deliberate "stomps" using the crampons to grip the ice. Its much harder than a mere hike uphill. Also the weather, we had sunny weather making it quite warm so be sure to layer. The day before was rain so you never know what you're going to get! Oh and I recommend a lanyard or something to tie to your phone because if you drop it on the glacier, its gone!
Thank you so much for this detailed and thoughtful review! We’re delighted to hear how much you enjoyed the blue ice – it truly is a unique and ever-changing feature of the glacier, and we’re glad it made such a strong impression. Your description captures it beautifully! A big thank you as well for your kind words about Amelia – she’ll be very happy to hear that she made you feel safe and well taken care of. We also really appreciate you sharing these practical tips about the hike and weather. Glacier environments can be unpredictable, and your insights will be very helpful for future guests preparing for the adventure. We hope to welcome you back on the glacier again someday!
