Private Ice Cave + Climbing Photoshoot Adventure

You will meet your guide at the Glacier Lagoon parking lot in  Vatnajokull National  Park. The official address for this location is: í Hornafirði, Jökulsárlón, Glacier Lagoon, 781 Höfn. It  is important to be aware that this is a 5-hour drive from Reykjavik so  it is always recommended to stay at an accommodation closer to this  meeting point.

It is best to arrive 15 minutes before your scheduled tour so you can  use the restrooms since there will be none at the glacier. Your guide  will be right across from the restrooms in the bus parking lot. You can  look for the logo on our 4×4 vehicle amongst the  other companies.

Drive in 4×4 to Vatnajokull Glacier

From the Glacier Lagoon parking lot, you will hop aboard one of our  4×4 vehicles and head towards the glacier. About 10 minutes into your  journey, you will turn off onto an F-Road and make the bumpy journey  toward the glacier. From the road to the glacier parking lot, this will  take roughly 20-30 minutes to reach. As you drive, your guide will teach  you the history of the surrounding area as you enjoy a scenic ride  through an ancient glacier plain.

Hike to the Ice Cave

Once you arrive at the glacier parking lot, your guide will begin  handing out your gear for the tour. This includes crampons, an ice axe, a  harness, a helmet with a headlamp, and hiking boots if you rented them.  Once everyone has their gear, you will take a 30-minute hike to the  edge of the glacier. The hike is relatively easy for most and will have  you walking on flat, yet slightly rocky ground the entire way. We will  always go at the pace of our guests so you can take your time and enjoy  the walk as your guide leads the way.

Arriving at the Crystal Ice Cave

Upon arriving at the edge of the glacier, you will be greeted with a  massive cavern in front of you with a river running underneath it. You  have finally reached our Crystal Ice Cave! Also regarded as the Sapphire  Ice Cave, this cave varies each year in its shape, location, and size.  This is because the cave is always melting away and reforming naturally  during the summertime. That is why you will always get a unique  experience when going into it because it will never be the same as it  was on that day.

Before entering the cave, your guide will help you put on your  crampons. After your guide instructs you on how to put them on, your  guide will go over a safety briefing about walking on the glacier and  exploring the cave. It’s important to understand and follow these rules  and to ask any questions that you may have before stepping foot on the  ice.

Exploring the Crystal Ice Cave

Entering the ice cave will be an unreal and otherworldly experience  for most people. Your eyes will slowly adjust to the crystal blue walls  of the cave and showcase its hidden beauty. As your guide leads you  deeper into the ice cave, they will take their camera and photograph you  in the best locations and angles. Having explored and photographed  these caves hundreds of times, they will have the best insight at  getting you amazing photos while you relax and enjoy the cave without  worry.

As you are enjoying the ice cave, your guide will teach you about its  formation and composition. You will spend roughly an hour inside the  cave, exploring all of the different areas. Normally, these caves will  have multiple chambers that you will be able to explore as you go deeper  into the cave, however, this can vary from year to year. After everyone  is happy with their photos and experience inside the cave, we will exit  and make our way onto the glacier.

Glacier Hike to the Ice Climbing Area

Next, you will put your crampons into the ice and make your way onto  Breiðamerkurjökull Glacier. Hiking on the ice is definitely a unique  feeling and may take some getting used to but by the end of the tour,  you won’t want to take your crampons off! As you hear the crunch below  you, you will march forward and follow your guide up the glacier towards  the direction of the climbing walls. Throughout this hike, your guide  will show you different formations on the glacier known as moulins and  crevasses. All while admiring the barren landscape around you, you will  feel like you are in a different world.

Intro to Ice Climbing

If you are brand new to ice climbing, your guide will start by giving  a brief introduction to the activity. This includes how to climb with  proper form and understanding how to use the equipment properly. If this  is the guest’s first experience, we always start with an easier slope  and work our way up. Once you understand all of the techniques and feel  ready to give it a try, your guide will set up a line and you will begin  to take turns scaling the wall.

More Challenging Climbs

Once you have finished the easier pitches or if you have prior  experience in ice climbing to skip that part, your guide will lead you  to the more challenging walls. These can range from higher walls,  massive glacial holes, or overhanging arches depending on what you are  comfortable with. Your guide will always lead you to what they think you  can climb after accessing your skills on the beginner walls. If you are  ever feeling unable to finish a climb, your guide can easily raise you  out of the hole or lower you down from a wall safely so there is never  any need to worry. Challenge yourself, do your best, and let the guide  take the coolest photos of you in action!

All in all, you will spend about 2-3 hours climbing different walls around the glacier and at the end, you will be feeling proud that  you did it!

Return to the Glacier Lagoon

You will finish the tour with a hike back to the glacier parking lot  and a 30-minute drive back to the Glacier Lagoon where you will say  goodbye to your guide and have memories of an amazing day inside of  Vatnajokull National Park.