Our best seller ice cave tour! A half day tour that allows you to experience a stunning blue ice cave on Vatnajökull glacier
- A visit to the Sapphire ice cave
- Experienced local ice cave guide
- 4×4 transfer from our base
- Helmet and any other needed glacier gear (spikes when slippery in winter)
- Managed departure times to have fewer people in the ice cave, for a more private experience
- Small group size
- Supporting a small local family company
- This tour is carbon neutralized
Departure times: at 10:15 & 14:30
Duration: 3 – 4 hours
Meeting place: Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon (next to Diamond Beach)
Difficulty Level: Easy (half hour hike one way)
Season: 1st of October – 31st of March
Age limit: 10 years old for our public tours
(5-9 years old for our private tours)
For groups, photographers or private departures contact us at info@localguide.is for further details and departure options
What to bring:
Warm and waterproof outdoor clothing, hat and gloves.
Good winter boots or hiking shoes.
You can rent hiking boots from us for 1.000 ISK.
Sometimes we need to put on spikes and sometimes the ground can be very muddy/wet in or on the way to the ice cave.
Local Guide is the original ice cave tour operator in Iceland!
Since we started in the 90’s we have gathered a lot of knowledge on how to get our clients to the best available ice cave for each season.
The conditions of the ice caves are constantly changing. During the warmer summer months the ice caves are being naturally formed by melted glacier water. In autumn each year we start scouting for ice caves. Our choice for the best available ice cave is not only the size of the cave, but the overall beauty of the area and the colours. We strive to find the most blue ice cave there is!
The Ice Cave Tour is our easy option, as our super jeeps can take us very close to the ice cave, which means minimal walking to reach it. This trip suits most people and is perfect if you have limited time or if you are worried about our winter weather, which can be in any state and form. But rest assured, there is always shelter from wind, rain and snow in an ice cave!
The super jeep journey to reach the ice cave is an adventure on its own, travelling through mesmerizing landscapes, carved out by glaciers over decades. The average duration of the tour is around 3 – 4 hours, however this can change depending on how far we need to drive, how far we have to walk and how technical the ice cave is.
Please note that we will not be the only group visiting the ice cave and people often think ice caves are much bigger than they are in reality.
Please contact info@localguide.is for more information about this tour, a private version, a group tour, a special request, or for any ice cave or glacier details.
Cancellations due to weather:
Your safety is of the utmost importance. Ice Cave tours are weather dependent. Sometimes tours have to be cancelled with short notice due to weather conditions or other safety concerns. After periods of adverse weather, the caves can become flooded or unsafe to enter. If this happens we will always do our best to offer an alternative such as a glacier hike if weather conditions allow. However if this is not suitable to you we will always offer a full refund or a rescheduled date for your tour.
Getting to our meeting point at Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon:
We are located 370 km east of Reykjavík, which is just under a 5 hours drive (in good conditions) via road number 1.
Please note that in icy and wintery conditions (snowy, windy and stormy) the travel time can be much longer. We recommend that you stay in a hotel or guesthouse in southeast Iceland the night before the trip.
Winter weather conditions:
The weather in Iceland during winter can be challenging at times so we suggest paying close attention before you begin your journey.
Here you can find information on the weather:
www.vedur.is/en
Here you can find information on the road conditions:
www.road.is
Here you can find weather warnings for all of Iceland: www.safetravel.is
WINTER season, OCTOBER – MARCH for ICE CAVING tours:
Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon – next to Diamond Beach
370km east of Reykjavík, located by the main highway road number 1. When driving the ring road you will see a big lagoon with floating icebergs. We are there at the main parking lot next to the cafeteria. Look for a black truck marked Local Guide.
Google maps: Jökulsárlón, Glacier Lagoon or Diamond beach
GPS: 64.0478597, -16.1789879
To see what we are currently up to, check out our Instagram and Facebook! Also our guests often tag us on Instagram with stunning pictures from our tours.
