Meet Your Guide
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 you will need to stay at an accommodation closer to this meeting point. It is best to arrive 30 minutes before your scheduled tour so you can use the restrooms since there will be none at the glacier. Please be aware when the main parking lot is full you may need to park across the road at the Diamond Beach parking lot and walk under the bridge. Your guide will be right across from the restrooms in the bus parking lot. You can look for the ‘Crystal Cave Tours’ logo on our 4×4 vehicle amongst the other companies. Departure will be precisely on time so it is important to arrive 15 minutes early or you may miss the tour.
Drive in a 4 x 4 to the 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 or Waterproofs 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 if necessary. Not all caves require wearing these since many lie underneath the ice on rocky ground. Still, this will vary from year to year. After your crampons are on, your guide will go over safety instructions when exploring the cave. It’s important to understand and follow these rules and to ask any questions that you may have before entering.
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. If you are lucky and it’s a clear day, you may also see the sun rising with its first light hitting the walls of the cave, a truly magical experience.
As you are enjoying the ice cave, your guide will teach you about its formation and composition. A total of an hour will be spent inside the cave. 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, we will exit the cave and make our way back to the glacier parking lot.
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.
