| Type | Where | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Guided glacier hike | Sólheimajökull, Skaftafell, Vatnajökull | Guide required; crampons and ice axes generally supplied |
| Easy self-guided trail | Skaftafell S1 glacier trail | 4.1 km loop, 1 to 1.5 hours, easy |
| Waterfall trail | Skaftafell S2 Svartifoss | 5.8 km loop, about 2 hours, easy |
| Long day walk | Skaftafell S3 Skaftafellsheiði | 16.6 km loop, 5 to 6 hours, challenging |
| Pass hike | Skógafoss to Þórsmörk | About 10 km over Fimmvörðuháls |
| Highlands | Landmannalaugar, Þórsmörk | Roads closed in winter; many routes need a 4x4 |
Guided glacier hikes
For a first ice walk, the Skaftafell blue ice hike on Vatnajökull is rated 4.7 out of 5 from 1,649 reviews, from €91.50 on 6 November 2026. Ice walking is possible year-round, and Visit Iceland recommends bringing a waterproof jacket and trousers, a light sweater, quick-dry trousers, a hat and gloves; hiking boots are often available for rent. Tours come at different levels of difficulty and can be combined with jeep safaris and glacier lagoon boat trips. From Reykjavík, the glacier hike day tour with waterfalls and the black beach is compared in glacier hikes in Iceland, and the glacier itself is covered in Sólheimajökull.
Trails without a guide: Skaftafell
Skaftafell is easily reached along Route 1, with a year-round visitor centre, flush toilets and a campsite open all year. The park lists ten marked trails. Among them, the S7 Gömlutún is 1.6 km (30 to 60 minutes), the S5 Sjónarnípa is 6.5 km (2 to 2.5 hours, challenging), the S4 Kristínartindar is 18 km (6 to 8 hours, difficult) and the M3 Kjós is 30 km (8 to 10 hours, challenging). The trail to Hvannadalshnúkur, Iceland's highest peak at 2,119 m, starts at Háalda. Parking is ISK 1,110 per car, valid until midnight. See Skaftafell. The park notes that outside the summer months conditions can change rapidly.
Other hikes from the South Coast
From the car park of Skógafoss a path follows the river to the top of the falls, and a path of about 10 km crosses the Fimmvörðuháls pass to Þórsmörk. Kvernufoss is reached by a walking path 1.5 km east of the Skógar Museum car park. At Mývatn, the Krafla area has the Víti crater lake and Hverir has bubbling mud pots; midges swarm mainly in early June and August.
The highlands and winter
Highland access is seasonal. Many routes need a suitable 4x4, F-roads are open only for a short time in summer, and most highland roads are closed in winter; check road.is. Daylight is short in winter, so a long trail needs a start at first light; see Iceland in winter.
Safety
- Share a travel plan with someone who can act on it, and use the Safetravel app: if you hike or trek, it can send your GPS location to 112.
- Dress in layers.
- Stay on marked paths and behind barriers near geothermal ground and lava, which can be hot and unstable.
- Never walk onto a glacier without a guide.
More in is Iceland safe?.
Mistakes to avoid
- Starting a long highland route without checking whether the F-road is open.
- Treating a glacier as a path: it needs a guide and equipment.
- Planning a long trail with four hours of daylight.
- Leaving without a phone that works: older phones may not connect to the current networks.
FAQ
Do I need a guide to hike on a glacier?
Yes, always. Crampons and ice axes are generally supplied on tours.
What is an easy hike in Iceland?
At Skaftafell, the 4.1 km glacier trail (1 to 1.5 hours) and the 5.8 km Svartifoss loop (about 2 hours) are rated easy.
Can I hike in winter?
Glacier walks are possible year-round; highland roads are closed in winter.
How much does a guided hike cost?
From €91.50 for the Skaftafell blue ice hike in the 6 November 2026 listing.
The Iceland Authority editorial team, 7 November 2026.
