Ice Climbing Adventure in Skaftafell

Are you an adrenaline seeker looking for a challenge? Perhaps you are into rock climbing, but have never tried climbing on the ice? Or maybe you just want to try something different than most people experience on the glacier? This tour is designed as a full day adventure with a focus on ice climbing. It is entirely up to you how hard the climbing will be. You can spend most of the day trying different, progressively harder ice wall or you could venture deep into the glacier exploring every bit of it with some easy assisted climbing sections on the way up and/or descending down on the rope. Reasonable level of fitness is required for this tour, but all travelers are welcome, including younger ones.

Our guides are all skilled and trained professionals, certified by the Association of Icelandic Mountain Guides. They have vast knowledge of geology and glaciology which they share with you in an entertaining way. Our goal is to educate and have fun on our tours at the same time, so that your experience will be both memorable and rewarding. Of course the safety of our guests is always our highest priority.

Highlights of the tour

Falljökull is one of Iceland’s most dramatic and visually striking glaciers, an outlet of the vast Vatnajökull ice cap. Its name means literally a “falling glacier,” inspired by the way in which it cascades down steep slopes in a chaotic maze of ridges, cracks, and towering ice formations. Its surface is constantly shifting, with deep crevasses, sharp seracs, and glowing blue ice revealing the immense pressure within. Up close, the glacier feels alive—creaking, cracking, and slowly flowing downhill—offering a powerful glimpse into the raw power of ice in motion.

Towering above Falljökull glacier is the majestic peak of Hvannadalshnúkur – Iceland’s highest mountain. Its snow-covered summit often pierces through shifting clouds, creating a dramatic contrast against the vast white expanse below. Most visitors don’t realize that it’s a part of one of Iceland’s largest volcanic systems, sleeping for centuries, yet still active.

Possibilities of exploration here are endless and if one glacier is not enough then another one can be visited on the same tour. Virkisjökull is a hidden glacier outlet nestled in a deep valley parallel to Falljökull. Both of them actually touch each other close to the end of their snouts, yet Virkisjökull remains rarely visited and its magnificent icefall isn’t visible unless from the glacier itself.

Itinerary

Your trip will begin at the meeting point located at Skaftafell Airport terminal. Look for a minivan marked with Ice Walkers logo or ask for us at the airport’s reception. Your guide will be waiting for you there and before the tour starts he will hand you over the gear which you will use on the glacier – a pair of crampons, ice axe, helmet and a safety harness are a must on this tour. After making sure that everyone is well equipped the tour will start with a 15 minutes drive to the glacier terminus. The last section is a rough 4×4-only mountain road. On the way the guide will introduce you to this otherworldly landscape, by explaining the formation of glaciers and answering any questions you might have.

Before stepping on the ice you will be thoroughly instructed on using the gear and the safety rules on the glacier. This can take up to 15 minutes, because the guide needs to make sure everyone will be safe and comfortable throughout the whole tour. Then your real adventure will begin. If your aim is to experience ice climbing to the fullest then you will start with an easier wall where the guide can present to you the best climbing techniques and give you a chance to practise them while providing the necessary safety. When one person is climbing the rest of your group will get plenty of opportunities to watch and photograph or film it from a safe spot. When you want to progress the guide will take you to one or more harder climbing spots. Your ultimate goal could be to descend on a rope to the bottom of a deep blue crevasse or moulin (draining place of a glacial stream, often seemingly bottomless) and climb out of it using your own muscles. Anything hardly gets more extreme than that!

Alternatively you could be aiming for a more gradual adventure as you climb high on the glacier with assisted climbing and rope rappeling sections. You don’t have to be an athlete for this kind of experience and you can still get a feeling of ice climbing and traversing sections of glacier which are otherwise not possible to reach.

The way back will take you down the glacier, either easy or adventurous way, whichever you prefer. At this point it will surely already feel easy as you have mastered glacier hiking and climbing techniques. After the short drive back to the departure point you will be saying goodbye to your guide and looking back to your adventure on the ice.

We provide all necessary safety gear, including crampons, ice axe, harness and a helmet.

As it comes to weather-related clothing our motto on the glacier is “hope for the best, but prepare for the worst”. The conditions in Iceland can change really quickly especially on the glacier and the temperature there tends to be lower than on the coast. You should dress in warm and comfortable hiking layers. In the winter expect negative temperatures can be expected with possibility of snow and rain (sometimes both). Therefore rain gear, hat and gloves, are always a must, as well as sunglasses and sunscreen at the same time in case of unexpected, but beloved sunny weather.

You will be wearing crampons, so please make sure you bring  stiff and ankle-covering hiking boots. As much as we try to avoid it, inappropriate footwear may exclude you from participating in the tour if the crampons won’t work well with it. You can rent hiking boots from us for an extra fee.

We’re always happy to advise you, so please contact us if you need assistance with any of the recommended gear.