Day Trips to Icelandic Glaciers

A guided tour to visit Iceland's glaciers is one of the many must-do activities on your list of things to see and do in Reykjavik. There are many glaciers scattered throughout the length and breadth of Iceland, as they occupy more than 10% of the country's territory and will undoubtedly take your breath away. In addition, it is very interesting to know their composition, how they originated and the impact of this large amount of glacial ice in the meteorology and climate of the country.

Some are better known than others and depending on which one you choose for your adventure, you will have the possibility to opt for various activities and trips, such as trekking, snowmobiling, ice caves, glacier lagoons, among others. Below, I tell you the best excursions to visit the glaciers of Iceland from Reykjavik.

The Langjökull glacier is the second largest glacier in Iceland. To give you an idea of its imposing size, its highest point can reach 1,360 meters above sea level.

Of all the glaciers, this is the closest to Reykjavik, so a day tour from the capital is a very good option. In addition, you will be able to visit one of the best waterfalls in Iceland, the famous Hraunfossar waterfall.

In this type of excursions, when you arrive at the glacier you will be able to explore all its natural structure, contemplate its surroundings and get inside and know its artificial ice cave.

You will arrive at the cave in a huge truck that is specially equipped for this activity, but then you can walk inside the glacier. At all times you will be accompanied by an expert guide who will tell you all about the place, from its origin until today.

Snowmobile tour

You will also have other ways to explore this glacier with one of the snowmobile tours in Iceland, with the company of an expert guide to learn about this natural wonder while having fun like a kid.

It is important for you to know that, in order to go on this kind of excursions, you have to present a valid driver's license.

You can take advantage of these excursions to have a bite to eat at Húsafell Bistro and recharge your batteries for what's next. Remember that food is not usually included in these excursions, so you will have to pay for it yourself.

Details of interest

• Price: you can enjoy this type of excursion for a price starting at 193 € per person.
• Duration: 11 hours.
• Schedule: usually depart early in the morning from Reykjavík, as these are day trips.
• Departure point: they usually depart from Reykjavík Terminal, located at Skógarhlíð 10, and some may even pick you up at your accommodation.
• Maximum number of travelers: this tour has a capacity of up to 25 people.
• Advantages of this type of excursion: you will see the impressive glacier, the Hraunfossar waterfall and the artificial ice cave.
• Disadvantages of this type of excursion: meals are not included.

In this type of tour you will see the Snæfellsjökull glacier, a stratovolcano located on top of a volcano whose altitude is about 1,446 meters above sea level. Sometimes, if the weather helps and the sky is clear, you can even see it from Reykjavik.

It is usually one of the most chosen by trekking lovers to undertake long walks surrounded by natural beauty. In addition, this glacier has a very famous history, since this landscape is inspired by Jules Verne's novel "Journey to the Center of the Earth".

But not only will you get to know this imposing glacier, you will also have access to the Snæfellsjökull National Park, where you will find unique examples of local wildlife, including seals and seabirds, rock formations and beaches.

In addition, the famous Kirkjufell mountain will be part of the tour, the most photographed mountain in Iceland and recognized worldwide for its triangular shape. You will surely recognize it as the arrowhead-shaped mountain from Game of Thrones.

If you are a fan, I recommend you to book one of the Game of Thrones tours in Reykjavik.

Details of interest

• Price: you can enjoy this tour for a price from 128 € per person.
• Duration: 10 hours.
• Schedule: starts at 8 in the morning.
• Departure point: you will have different departure points to choose from in Reykjavik.
• Maximum number of travelers: this excursion has a capacity of up to 99 people.
• Advantages of this type of excursion: includes roundtrip bus transfer with Wifi connection, which will be very useful because there is usually no signal in the area. In addition, you will have included the entrance fee to Snæfellsjökull National Park and an expert guide in glaciers. An excellent option to visit many interesting sites in a day trip.

In this type of excursions you will live a complete experience, knowing the glacier, the south coast and its amazing waterfalls and lagoons.

In addition to knowing the Solheimajokull glacier, one of the most popular and touristy due to its ease of access, you will enjoy the best landscapes of the south coast of Iceland.

During the route you will contemplate the Seljalandsfoss and Skogafoss waterfalls, two of the most famous and impressive waterfalls of the whole island, as well as explore icebergs and lava fields.

You will also be able to visit some of Iceland's lagoons with the company of an expert guide and have a bite to eat in the small town of Vik.

Interesting details

• Price: you can enjoy this type of excursion for a price from 83 € per person.
• Duration: 10 hours.
• Schedule: they usually start early in the morning as they are day trips.
• Departure point: you will have different departure points to choose from in Reykjavik. You can even ask to be picked up from your accommodation.
• Maximum number of travelers: this tour has a capacity of up to 65 people.
• Advantages of this type of excursion: in addition to seeing the glacier, you can take the opportunity to see the south coast in general and access other attractions.

With these excursions you will be able to know the western end of the Snæfellsnes peninsula, with all the impressive nature that composes it and where the glacier and stratovolcano Snaefellsjokull is located.

This glacier is located about 120 kilometers from Reykjavík and many times, depending on the climate and weather conditions, can be observed from the capital from afar.

It also includes a tour of the Snæfellsjökull National Park, as this is where this glacier is located. The entire national park has an area of 170 square kilometers, but keep in mind that you will always access with the company of an expert guide, so you can better understand its paradisiacal and varied landscapes.

At the top of this glacier is the inactive ice-covered crater that you can access depending on the weather at the time you visit, since during the winter it is impossible to reach its highest peaks.

Details of interest

• Price: you can enjoy this type of excursion for a price starting at 140 € per person.
• Duration: 10 hours.
• Schedule: they usually start early in the morning as they are day trips.
• Departure point: you will have different departure points to choose from in Reykjavik. You can even ask to be picked up from your accommodation.
• Advantages of this type of excursion: in addition to seeing the glacier, you will be able to visit Snæfellsjökull National Park and other natural wonders.

You can book any of these tours online, quickly and easily, indicating the exact date you want to do it. Immediately after making the purchase you will receive the confirmation of your reservation and that's it!

In case you later regret it or your plans change for any reason, don't worry, you can cancel the excursion for free 24 hours before the start time of the excursion.

Please note that to do any of these glacier excursions, you will need a full day, as their duration varies between 10 and 11 hours.

This type of excursions are scheduled so that you leave very early from Reykjavík and you can spend the whole day getting to know the different destinations. Therefore, you should consider that you will not have time to do much more that day.

You can enjoy these excursions for prices ranging from 83 to 193 euros per person. Unless you choose the snowmobile experience, which will cost you about 257 € per vehicle, that is, every two people.

The main price variations are due to the route, the destinations included, the duration and the number of people with whom you share the excursion. You will have to take this into account to choose the option that best suits everything you want to know.

My main recommendation is that you wear warm, waterproof clothing and comfortable footwear suitable for the tour. Ski pants would be ideal, thermal T-shirts are a must, even more so if you choose to do this excursion in winter, and depending on the tour, snow shoes.

While you will be spending a lot of time on the bus, most tours include some hiking, so be prepared.

It is important to know that these excursions are conditioned by the weather and the state of the road, so in case they cannot be done for any of these reasons, the money will be refunded or rescheduled.

And remember that if you plan to take a snowmobile excursion, you must present a valid driver's license.

None of the excursions include food, but don't worry. All the glaciers are located near small villages, where you can stop to rest and recharge your batteries and have a bite to eat.

Here are some good options.

• Gilbakki Kaffihus, near the Snaefellsnes glacier: it is a beautiful and cozy wooden house with a traditional style that offers soups and homemade meals ideal to combat the cold and recharge your batteries.
• Vidvik Restaurant, near the Snaefellsnes Glacier: this picturesque restaurant offers signature cuisine with tasty and quality dishes. And best of all, a beautiful view of the sea.
• Restaurant Húsafell, near the Langjökull glacier: it is located in a hotel and is a strategic place to eat something on your excursion to the glacier or at the end of it, its menu is varied and its dishes are delicious.
  Húsafell Bistró, near the Langjökull glacier: it is the ideal place to stop for a coffee or a quick bite to eat and continue with the excursion.
• Sudur Vik, near the Solheimajokull glacier: in Vik, the small town where you will stop on this tour, you will have this place to have a bite to eat. It is a beautiful restaurant serving local and European food.
• Smidjan Brugghus, near the Solheimajokull glacier: this is an American food bar for a bite to eat in the small town of Vik. It is striking to find a bar of this style in such a quiet town, but it is worth it.

It is important to keep in mind that all excursions to the glaciers are conditioned by the weather and the state of the roads, since it is necessary to keep them passable and safe to be able to enter them.

I know that it is almost impossible to guess the weather conditions of the exact day of your excursion or how the roads will be to reach the different points, but I can tell you which are the best months to do this kind of excursions to the glaciers.

Although these are excursions that you can do throughout the year, there are certain months in which the weather conditions can collaborate and you will be less likely to have the excursion cancelled due to bad weather, and generally, it is during the winter, since the glaciers are stronger, more constant and stable.

Besides, winter is not only a good time to explore glaciers, you will have many other activities to do in Reykjavik in winter.

Also, during the winter months there are fewer daylight hours and it is the ideal time to see the Northern Lights.

If you are looking for more information, I leave this article for you to consider what is the best time to travel to Iceland, which may help you to organize your trip.

If you are in Reykjavik, you can't miss the chance to see these natural wonders that are the glaciers of Iceland.

These excursions allow you to have a different experience touring the majestic glaciers of the region, along with the experience of an expert guide who will accompany your tour and telling you unique details of each place.

These types of excursions are highly recommended and have a very good reputation because many times it is difficult to reach these places on your own when you do not know the weather or the road conditions well and an excursion will always be the best and safest option.

In addition, they are ideal for you to have fun and entertain yourself for about 10 hours while enjoying the most impressive views and landscapes of Iceland and the best of all is that you have several very different options to choose what to see, how to combine it and design the experience to your preference.

You will have several options and all of them recommended: trekking, snowmobiling, combining glaciers with ice caves, impressive waterfalls, national parks, volcanoes, whatever you want!