Sólheimajökull Ice Climbing and Glacier Hike

A Sólheimajökull ice climbing tour that mixes a glacier hike with a real climb up an ice wall, all on the South Coast. Your guide gives you crampons, axes and a rope, then leads you past crevasses and volcanic ash layers.

• Climb a vertical ice wall in a crevasse using twin axes, with your guide belaying you
• Hike past crevasses, glacial tunnels and dark bands of volcanic ash in the ice
• Glimpses of the small glacier lagoon at Sólheimajökull's edge
• All technical gear provided, no climbing experience needed
• Coffee and something sweet after the tour

Your day, stop by stop

2Walk onto the glacierA brisk walk of about 30 minutes from the car park to the ice.

A brisk walk of about 30 minutes from the car park leads over flat ground that gives way to the glacier surface, with views back over the South Coast. Your guide fits your crampons and harness before you step onto the ice.

Walking · about 30 minutes each way

3Ice climbingClimb an ice wall in a crevasse using twin axes, roped up by your guide.

Your guide belays you as you climb an ice wall in a crevasse with twin axes, with a chance to try it more than once. This is the main part of the roughly 3 hours on the ice. Whether climbing is possible is decided by the guide on the day, depending on conditions.

Time here · the main part of the roughly 3 hours on ice

4Glacier walkWalk further to see crevasses, moulins and ash layers.

Sólheimajökull's surface shows dark bands of volcanic ash from past eruptions, along with moulins carved by meltwater and crevasses. You walk on flat to gently sloped ice in crampons, with your guide explaining what you are looking at.

Walking · flat to gently sloped ice, crampons on

5Back at the car parkReturn gear, warm up with coffee and something sweet.

Back at the car park you return the gear and warm up with coffee and something sweet. The walk back is the same 30 minutes you came by, over the same ground.

About the Sólheimajökull ice climbing tour

Sólheimajökull is an easy-to-reach outlet glacier on Iceland's South Coast, and this tour uses it for both a glacier walk and a proper ice climb. You meet your guide at the car park, gear up with crampons and a harness, and walk a short distance onto the ice.

The climbing happens on a wall inside a crevasse, where your guide sets up ropes and shows you how to place twin ice axes and kick your crampons in. It is physical, so come with reasonable fitness, but the guide works at your pace and this is often a first-time climb for people on the tour. Between climbs you walk further across the glacier, passing crevasses, moulins and the streaked black ash layers left by past volcanic eruptions under the ice.

The glacier has retreated a lot in recent years and its surface changes season to season, so the exact route and ice features vary. Winter days are short and the ice can be harder and more slippery; summer gives longer daylight and softer surface ice. Either way, dress for standing around on ice rather than for a fast hike.

• Waterproof jacket and trousers rental
• Hat and gloves to buy
• Cap to buy

Questions people ask