★★★★★
The original ice cave tour from Jökulsárlón
I went at the end of April. We were split into small groups of ten and driven up in a huge off-road truck, with the lagoon in view for most of the hike.
Ronan · May 2026
Vatnajokull Ice Cave Tour from Jökulsárlón
Ice cave on VatnajökullMeets at JökulsárlónGuide included
You meet a big 4x4 in the lagoon car park and ride it up onto the glacier. Then you walk on the ice, with helmet and spikes, to whatever blue ice the guides found safe that week: a cave, a tunnel or a canyon. The whole trip takes about three hours.
Blue ice under the glacier, reached by 4x4
A 4x4 onto the ice
A modified truck drives you from the lagoon to the glacier and back.
Helmet and spikes in the fare
Safety gear is fitted before you walk; boots can be rented.
A walk of 1 to 5.5 km
The route follows the cave, so the walk changes with the ice.
Checked every day
The guides watch the ice daily and move the route when it shifts.
From age 10
Children from ten can come; no prams and no mobility aids.
4.6 from 1,131 ratings
More ratings than any other ice cave tour here.
Where the cave is, and why it moves
The caves on this tour are in Breiðamerkurjökull, the outlet of Vatnajökull that calves icebergs into Jökulsárlón. The lagoon itself is young: the park dates its first lakes to the 1930s, as the glacier pulled back. The caves are natural structures shaped by winter conditions, and they shift as the glacier moves and melts.
That means no two winters give the same cave. The guides monitor the ice daily and pick the safest feature for the day. It may be a tall cave, a narrow tunnel or a canyon open to the sky, and a large cathedral-style cave is not promised. You will also share it with other groups, because the good features are few. Park rangers at Breiðamerkursandur are responsible for the caves, and only operators with a park contract may take you in.
The ride up and the walk on the ice
Ronan went at the end of April. The group was split into tens and driven up in a huge off-road truck, and the lagoon stayed in view for most of the walk. The walk itself is about 1 to 5.5 km, depending on where the feature is. It is graded easy to moderate: no glacier experience needed, but you should be fit enough to walk on uneven ice.
Heather’s guide took the group higher on the glacier than planned, and stopped the vehicle so they could watch reindeer by the track. The park confirms reindeer herds winter on the east side of the plain, so keep a camera ready on the drive. GERARD was shown several places under the glacier ringed with blue ice, not just one.
The season, and what April looks like
Ice caves are a cold-month trip, roughly October to April, with the operator confirming each day. The park has closed them before: in autumn 2024 it barred cave entry until 30 October, then let caves reopen at risk-assessed sites from 3 October, as a trial with daily checks. Luca went in late April and still found a blue ice tunnel, while noting April is not the best month. Madison went in mid-April, about a week before the caves were due to melt. When to visit lays out the months by activity, and the safety page explains the park’s rules for caves.
In the warm months there is no cave to see. If you are here then, a glacier hike from Skaftafell walks on the same ice cap every month of the year.
Your three hours from the lagoon car park
- Find the 4x4, 15 minutes early. The guide waits by a big truck in the main car park, next to the cafeteria.
- Helmet and spikes on. Safety gear is handed out before you set off; rent boots if yours are soft.
- Drive onto the glacier. The truck takes you from the lagoon up to where the walk begins.
- Walk on the ice. About 1 to 5.5 km, along the route the guides set that day.
- Inside the blue ice. A cave, tunnel or canyon, depending on what the ice allows.
- Drive back to the lagoon. The truck returns you to the car park where you started.
Who this suits: winter visitors who want the blue
Book this if
You are at the lagoon between roughly October and April and want to stand inside glacier ice. It suits families with children from ten: Giovanna spent the day on the glacier with two daughters. It suits first-timers too, as the 4x4 takes the long approach out of the walk.
Book something else if
You are travelling from May to September: a Skaftafell glacier hike runs all year for $107. If your children are younger than ten, the Arctic Adventures cave and hike takes them from age 8 for $159. And if you want the lagoon from the water, the lagoon kayak meets in the same car park, from age 14, for $157.
What’s included
In the fare
- Local glacier guide
- Modified 4x4 vehicle
- Safety equipment (helmet and spikes)
- Visit to an ice cave or blue ice feature, safety permitting
Paid separately
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Food and drinks
Spikes strap to your boots, so wear over-the-ankle hiking boots; rentals are available, and Madison found boots were on offer to anyone who needed them. Dress in warm layers under a waterproof shell. Food and drinks are not in the fare, and there is no pickup, so you drive to the lagoon and pay the park’s parking fee there: 1,110 ISK for a car.
The big 4x4 in the Jökulsárlón car park
You meet in the main car park at Jökulsárlón, next to the cafeteria. The lagoon is on Route 1, about 370 km east of Reykjavík; you cannot miss the icebergs from the road. Look for a big 4x4 and the guide 15 minutes before your start time. Flush toilets are at the lagoon.
No bus links the lagoon to Reykjavík on this fare, so most people stay the night nearby. Where to stay covers Höfn and the farms in between, and how to get there lists the car parks at the lagoon.
Know before you go
- Be at the 4x4 15 minutes early. The truck leaves at the start time, from beside the cafeteria.
- Expect the cave to change. It may be a tunnel or a canyon, and other groups may be inside.
- Wear ankle boots and layers. Spikes need a firm boot; add a waterproof outer layer.
- Leave the pram behind. Baby carriages are not allowed, and the minimum age is 10.
- Check the day before. Extreme weather can change or cancel the tour, with a full refund.
- Cancel a day ahead and pay nothing. Refusing to go after the deadline is not refunded if the tour runs safely.
What people found under the ice
★★★★★
The original ice cave tour from Jökulsárlón
My daughters and I spent a day on the glacier we will not forget. The guide knew the ice and watched our safety closely.
Giovanna · Family · April 2026
★★★★★
The original ice cave tour from Jökulsárlón
April is not the best month for the ice caves, but we still found a blue ice tunnel. The walk on the glacier was lovely too.
Luca · April 2026
Questions about this ice cave tour
Will the cave look like the photos?
Not always. A large cathedral-style cave is not promised, and the feature may be a tunnel, a canyon or a crevasse. The guides choose the safest one each day.
When can I do this tour?
Caves form in the cold months, roughly October to April, and the operator confirms each day. When to visit shows the months by activity.
How old do children have to be?
The minimum age is 10. For children from eight, the Arctic Adventures cave from Skaftafell is the alternative.
How far do I walk?
Between about 1 and 5.5 km on the ice, depending on where the cave is that week. The activity is graded easy to moderate.
Is there a way onto the ice in summer?
Yes. The glacier hike from Skaftafell runs in every month, with crampons and a certified guide.
What if I need to cancel?
You get the whole fare back if you cancel at least 24 hours before the start. After that nothing is refunded if the tour runs safely.
Other ways onto Vatnajökull
Ready to walk into the blue?
Check which dates still have seats this season, see what your party pays, and hold a place with free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.
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