Looking for bucket-list winter activities in Iceland? Whether you’re craving thrilling adventures or awe-inspiring natural wonders, the wide variety of activities the country has to offer is extraordinary. From private helicopter tours over volcanoes to skiing across untouched snow, your bucket list for the season could be endless. So, as luxury travel experts, we’ve narrowed down your potential itinerary to six unforgettable activities that show all the magic of Iceland in the winter.
1. Private Super Jeep Adventure To Iceland’s Highlands
For an Iceland winter activity that emphasises a feeling of rural freedom, a Super Jeep journey into the Highlands is for you. Best experienced at Highland Base, a retreat fifty miles from the nearest city, the Southern Highlands are often overlooked in favour of more well-trodden routes.
But the peaceful surroundings feel as if you have the space to yourself, with expert glacier guides ready to drive you across terrain that redefines stillness and serenity. From the sweeping views of the colossal volcano base of Hekla to the nature reserve at Fjallabak, a Super Jeep tour means you can explore beyond your imagination.
2. Snowmobile Across A Glacier Plateau
In the Western Highlands, seated on a snowmobile overlooking a glacier, the sense of freedom strikes before you even turn the throttle. Here you can speed through vast landscapes offering spectacular views in every direction, with age-old ridgelines and snowfields seemingly unfurling forever.
This is an adventure best experienced on the Langjökull Glacier Plateau, where you’ll be surrounded by a vast expanse of glistening ice and snow that will make you feel like you are snowmobiling on the top of the world. It’s an impossible exhilarating experience that is not to be missed off your bucket list of Iceland winter activities.
3. Explore Sapphire Ice Caves Beneath A Glacier
Exploring the incredible selection of ice caves available to you is one of the most popular winter activities in Iceland. Only accessible during the winter months, every year these ice caves are reshaped and reformed – meaning each trip is different.
Beneath breathtaking glaciers such as Vatnajökull lay sprawling tunnels and chambers that exist for a single season, before the changing environment alters them. The translucent blue of the tunnels is ethereal, a glimpse into another world, and with Hidden Iceland you can explore the inner world of the ice with expert guides who can safely guide you through an unforgettable day.
4. Scenic Private Yacht Charter
One of the most exclusive and luxurious winter activities in Iceland is taking to the seas aboard a privately chartered yacht. Watch the awe-inspiring landscapes change as you glide by, from distant fjords to nearby untouched coastline.
The sights alone make it a photographer’s paradise, enhanced by the incredible variety of wildlife, from breaching orcas to seals lounging along the icy shores. With Hidden Iceland, your yacht trip will be led by an expert guide that can explain the wonders of the natural environment, on a journey that can be tailored to your desire.
But the real magic begins after sunset. On clear nights, your yacht becomes a private viewing platform for the Northern Lights, free from light pollution and far from crowds.
If you want to experience the beauty of the Northern Lights for yourself then explore our example tours including our South Iceland & Northern Lights Tour and our Northern Lights & Ice Cave tour.
5. Private Helicopter Tour Over A Volcano or Glacier
From sailing the Icelandic sea in a yacht to taking to the skies in a helicopter, this is undoubtedly one of the most unforgettable winter activities in Iceland. A private helicopter tour gives you the chance to see the sort of views that are barely believable, even when they’re right beneath you.
We’ll hover over ancient volcanoes, thousands of years old, before setting down on pristine glaciers, untouched by any footprints but your own. A perspective few get to see, and even fewer ever forget.
6. Heli-Skiing On Untouched Slopes
Heli-skiing means you can explore where few have been before. You’ll be taken by helicopter to the top of Troll Peninsula, a secluded summit where the mountain is laid out before you. Far from any lift-line, you can explore the slopes at your own pace.
The exclusive experience is best enjoyed through Deplar Farm, a remote resort hotel that feels half the world away from everything but ultimate relaxation. After a day of adventure, there’s nowhere better to unwind than in one of the most luxury hotels in the world. Dine on local cuisine at the restaurant, take a dip in the geothermal pools, and watch the Northern Lights dance above you.
Looking for more recommendations of where to stay? Explore our expert guides on the best luxury lodges and high-end accommodation options across Iceland.
With Hidden Iceland’s luxury tours the itinerary is built around you. Whether you want to explore ice caves, ski where no one has skied before, fly above a volcano, or all of the above, we are happy to oblige.
We’ll take you to once-in-a-lifetime wonders and guide you through the most awe-inspiring winter activities Iceland has to offer. Call us today at +354-770-5733 or email us at info@hiddeniceland.is and start planning a luxury winter trip you’ll never forget. Or take a look at our Elements of Iceland Winter Tour for some inspiration.
Explore our example winter itineraries:
