This mighty Sólheimajökull glacier flows down from the enormous Mýrdalsjökull icecap situated on the south coast of Iceland. The ice cap sits directly on top of one of the most powerful and feared volcanoes in the country, Katla. The glacier changes daily which makes it the perfect place to learn about its surrounding environment, characterised by glaciers and volcanoes. Ice climbing on Sólheimajökull glacier is a truly memorable experience, in a spectacular environment!
You will meet your glacier and ice climbing guide at Sólheimajökull Glacier Parking Lot, located at the end of road number 221 on the south coast. Here, you’ll meet your guide and get fitted with all the safety and climbing equipment needed before heading to the glacier. Then when we are all set we start hiking up the glacier valley up to the front of the icy giant.
Before taking the first steps on the ice your glacier guide will go through important safety and technical points before setting off. We continue our hike and take our first steps on the glacier to explore it’s ever changing glacier landscape. The glacier hike always stands out, both with our guests and guides, as the glacier is always changing and exciting as we pass it’s unique features such as crevasses, ridges, moulins and the view of the south.
We will teach you the best climbing techniques and boost your confidence before increasing the difficulty of climbs. Together with your glacier guide we will find a suitable ice walls to climb depending on your experience. We work up your confidence and ability level each time and find more challenging walls to climb, when you are ready.
The ice climbing tour is around 4 hours in total with around 3 hour spent on the glacier ice itself. The hike requires a moderate fitness level with good knee and ankle mobility, where you will hike up and over uneven terrain.
Sólheimajökull Glacier Hike. South Coast: Fire & Ice Tour. Hidden Iceland. Photo Danny Mcgee
Private Ice Climbing Tour. Hidden Iceland
Sólheimajökull Glacier Hike. South Coast: Fire & Ice Tour. Hidden Iceland. Photo Danny Mcgee. Feature
Private Ice Climbing Tour | Hidden Iceland
Meeting point and time
Sólheimajökull Glacier Parking Lot
GPS point: N 63.532833 W 19.369675
Make sure to be at location at least 15 minutes prior to tour departure time.
Driving time from Reykjavík: 2.5 hours in good weather and driving conditions
Driving time from Vík: 45 min in good weather and driving conditions
Not self driving? If you are not driving and want to do a glacier hike then join our South Coast: Fire and Ice tour or our Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon Two Day tour, which both include glacier hikes and depart from Reykjavík.
Tour highlights
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Included: Harness, helmet, climbing axe, climbing crampons, ice climbing guide
Excluded: Waterproof clothing, hiking boots, meals
Departure time: This tour is private to your group so departure time can be flexible. Get in touch with Hidden Iceland and we will find the best time for you.
Ice Climbing Details
We can modify the ice climbing to range from beginners to those with some previous glacier and ice climbing experience. Our guide will teach you the basics and increase the difficulty of climbs as you progress with your skills. The glacier hike can also have its intensity modified. However, the ice can be steep and uneven in sections in order to reach the best climbing spots. If you struggle with walking for one hour at a good pace and don’t enjoy walking on uneven and sloped ground then a glacier hike may not be for you. The steepest sections involve stair like features and slopes. You will be wearing crampons (spikes) on your feet and full mobility of your ankles and knees is necessary. The glacier hike on this tour is around 2.5 hours in total with around 1 hour spent on the glacier ice. The hike covers around 3-4 kilometres (approx. 2 miles). The hike requires a moderate fitness level where you will hike up and over uneven terrain.
Each guide on the trip will make the final decision at the time of the hike. If they refuse to let you on the ice please know it is purely for your safety. To learn more about glacier hikes you can check out our Glacier Hike Guide.
Good to know
The glacier can sometimes be unsafe or inaccessible due to weather or conditions at the glacier. This can often be as a result of high levels of rainfall, strong winds or heavy snow. Hidden Iceland consider safety to be our number one priority. If we are unable to do the glacier hike then we try and reschedule for another day or cancel and provide you with a full refund.
All tours are charged in Icelandic Krona (ISK). Other currencies shown on the website are only indicative and are subject to currency fluctuations.
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