HALF DAY

CALVING FRONT GLACIER HIKE

Price: 19.900 ISK

Trip Length: 3-4 Hours

Difficulty: Moderate

Max Group Size: 7

Time Hiking: ~2 hours

Hike across Europe’s largest glacier to see Iceland’s most impressive viewpoint: the calving face of Breiðamerkurjökull! 

This tour takes you on a journey to the iceberg factory; the glacier terminal face. The abrupt meeting of ice and water gives rise to a steep wall of ice, which periodically calves and crashes into the deep blue waters of Jökulsárlón. We hike across the ash-covered glacier to reach an amazing viewpoint of this unique spectacle.  

The meeting point for this tour is Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon. We begin the trip with a short briefing on the weather conditions and what to expect, before departing in our 4x4 vehicle towards the glacier. The drive to the trailhead takes around half an hour, and consists mainly of a gravel track through a diverse post-glacial landscape. Leaving the car behind, it takes us around 20 minutes to reach the edge of the glacier, and from here around 40 minutes hike across the glacier to reach our objective. We then walk roughly the same route home.  

WHAT’S INCLUDED?

  • Professional glacier guide

  • Transportation in a 4x4 vehicle to the trailhead

  • Crampons and safety equipment for crossing the glacier

WHAT SHOULD I BRING?

  • Warm clothes including wind or waterproof layers, weather depending

  • Phone or camera 

  • Hat and gloves 

  • Bottle of water / Snacks 

  • Sunglasses 

  • Small backpack to carry the above

  • Glacier hike iceland
  • Breidarmerkurjokull calving side
  • Calving face glacier iceland

How difficult is this trip?

The tour consists of two hours hiking (one hour each way), split up by a lengthy stop to enjoy the stunning view at the terminal face. Total distance is approximately 6 – 7 km. Although the distance is not that far, the terrain is uneven and rugged; there is no marked trail and therefore it is more difficult/tiring than walking the same distance on a good trail. This trip is rated as moderate: for people of average fitness level, you can expect to feel tired after the tour. For people in good shape, the tour should feel easy.  

Do you go in bad weather?

If weather conditions make the proposed route unsafe, then we may have to cancel the trip- in which case a full refund will be provided. We will always do our best to offer an alternative option when possible. 

WHERE WILL YOU MEET US?

 

The meeting point for this tour is at Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon.

At the main Jökulsárlón car park you will see a cafe, a building with toilets and a row of small food trucks. Behind the food trucks is an area for commercial vehicles (tour buses etc.). Our 4x4 vehicle will be parked in this area, marked with our company logo.

FAQ

  • If weather conditions make the proposed route unsafe, then we may have to cancel the trip- in which case a full refund will be provided. We will always do our best to offer an alternative option when possible. 

  • A typical outfit for this tour is as follows: 

    • Hiking boots and socks. 

    • Thermal underwear/leggings 

    • Hiking pants 

    • Thermal long sleeve top 

    • Light midlayer or softshell jacket for hiking 

    • Extra fleece/wool/puffy layer

    • Hat (optional)

    • Gloves (optional)

    We will go over the gear and clothing with everyone before departure to ensure that everyone is appropriately dressed. 

    We do not provide clothing or footwear for hiking. If your clothing or footwear is not appropriate for the tour, then this is a potential safety issue and you may be refused participation. Feel free to get in touch if you are unsure. It is always best to bring extra clothes with you in your car, and we can discuss what is best to wear upon arrival.   

  • For full-day tours we recommend bringing food for lunch (e.g. sandwich plus high energy snacks i.e. nuts, chocolate) and 1L water.  

    For half-day tours it is not necessary to bring food, but you may bring some snacks if desired. We recommend bring a small water bottle (500mL). 

  • Yes! You can choose to do a private version of one of our scheduled departures, or we can help design your dream trip. Please contact us for further information.  

  • Arriving later than the scheduled departure time will result in the cancellation of your booking and forfeiture of your payment. We recommend staying in the area (i.e. within 1h drive) the night before your tour.  

  • Generally, suitability for our tours is based around fitness rather than age, so we do not specify hard and fast age limits. However, children will be expected to take part in the tour in the same way an adult would (i.e. paddling their own boat, carrying their own backpack etc.) and therefore require the same fitness level as an adult to take part. As each tour is different, we recommend contacting us directly if you’re unsure whether a trip is right for you or your child.

  • We have a 48-hour no fee cancellation policy. Within 48 hours of the departure time, no refund will be provided if you cancel your booking.  

    If we cancel the tour for any reason (e.g. weather) then a full refund will be provided.