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Iceland Ice Cave Conditions & Season Updates
Follow the latest ice cave and blue ice conditions on Vatnajökull throughout the winter season. Updated regularly by our certified glacier guides and the office team, this page shares current glacier conditions, seasonal developments, and practical information to help you plan your visit.
Planning an ice cave tour in Iceland?
Ice caves are constantly changing. Weather, temperature, snowfall and glacier movement all influence which caves are accessible and what visitors can expect throughout the season. No two winters are ever the same, and conditions can change from one week to the next. If you’re planning your first glacier adventure, our Ultimate Guide to Ice Cave Tours in Iceland explains everything from how natural ice caves form to choosing the right tour.
What is this page?
This page provides the latest updates on ice cave and blue ice conditions in Vatnajökull throughout the winter season. Here you’ll find current glacier conditions, seasonal developments, guide observations, and practical information to help you understand what to expect before joining one of our winter glacier tours.
Why does it exist?
Every winter is different on the glacier. Natural ice caves and blue ice formations continuously develop, change, and eventually disappear as the glacier moves and weather conditions evolve. We created this page to share up-to-date information from our guides, helping visitors better understand the current season and plan their visit with realistic expectations.
Why do ice cave conditions change?
Ice caves and blue ice features are constantly shaped by the natural movement of the glacier, as well as changing temperatures, snowfall, rainfall, meltwater, and weather patterns. These factors influence which caves and glacier features can be visited safely, how the ice looks, and the walking distance required to reach them. The distance and route may vary considerably throughout the season—or even from one day to the next—depending on glacier conditions, weather, crowds, and the safest available access. As a result, no two winters, and often no two weeks, are exactly the same.
How often is it updated?
We aim to update this page every 10–14 days throughout the winter season, with additional updates whenever significant changes occur on the glacier. During periods of rapidly changing conditions, new cave discoveries, or important operational changes, updates may be published more frequently to keep the information as accurate and helpful as possible.
Use the table of contents below to jump to the latest update, browse previous reports, or learn more about how the ice cave season develops each winter.
SEASONAL UPDATES CONTENT LIST
Current glacier conditions
Last updated: 30 September 2026
The 2026–2027 winter season opens on 1 October, with Verdandi, a large natural ice cave, and several blue ice tunnels/surface ice caves and canyons identified on Breiðamerkurjökull. These locations give our guides a varied choice of routes for our winter glacier experiences.
Access to Verdandi currently requires around 2 km of walking each way. A permitted road extension is awaiting completion following heavy rain. Once ready, it is expected to shorten the approach considerably; we will publish the confirmed distance here. Shorter walking options to other ice features are also available when conditions allow.
Our experienced guides use specialist glacier equipment to select suitable routes according to weather, glacier conditions and the group’s abilities. The locations visited may change to provide the best safe experience available that day.
Scroll down and open “September 2026” and “October 2026” under “Current winter season 2026/2027” for feature descriptions, photos, walking distances and information about each tour.
Current winter season 2026/2027
Last updated: 14 July 2026
Preparations for the 2026–2027 ice cave season are already underway. While the winter season has not yet begun, our team is actively planning operations and will soon begin scouting Vatnajökull for the season’s natural ice caves and blue ice formations.
As every winter is unique, it is still too early to confirm which specific caves, glacier routes, or blue ice features will be included in our tours. The glacier changes continuously throughout the year, and we only select locations once they have been thoroughly assessed for both safety and the quality of the experience.
Our certified glacier guides will spend the coming weeks exploring the glacier, monitoring conditions, and identifying the most spectacular and suitable locations for the new season. As soon as we have confirmed routes and tour locations, we will share detailed updates here, including current ice cave conditions, blue ice features, walking distances, accessibility, and what visitors can expect.
The 2026–2027 winter season is scheduled to begin on 1 October 2026, with departures from Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon, our meeting point for all winter glacier and ice cave tours.
We look forward to sharing another winter of ever-changing glacier landscapes and welcoming visitors to experience the incredible natural beauty of Vatnajökull National Park.
Last updated: 30 September 2026
Our winter season begins on 1 October, with a spacious natural ice cave and several exciting blue ice features on the west side of Breiðamerkurjökull. Our guides have been exploring and preparing these locations, giving us a varied choice of experiences for the coming season.
Below you’ll find the latest information about access, walking distances, the individual features and how they fit into our winter tours.
Road access and current walking distance
The National Park issued the road extension permit on Friday 25 September. Heavy rainfall has delayed the work, and with further rain expected over the coming days, the extension remains incomplete.
For now, reaching Verdandi, our main cave, involves around 2 km of walking each way: approximately 2.2 km via the ice route or 1.8 km over muddy terrain. Guests should be comfortable with a substantial walk on uneven, slippery or muddy surfaces.
Once the road extension is completed, access to Verdandi is expected to become considerably shorter and easier, making it more suitable for our shorter Ice Cave Tour. We will confirm the revised walking distance here once the road is in place and the route has been assessed. Until then, please plan around the current walking distance.
The drive from Jökulsárlón to the west-side glacier access currently takes approximately 30–35 minutes in normal conditions. We will update the transfer time after the road extension is completed.
The cave and blue ice features
Verdandi
Verdandi is a spacious natural cave beside the lagoon at the glacier’s terminal face, with views across the lagoon and the neighbouring calving face.
The cave is approximately 200 metres long and up to around 15 metres wide, with three distinct sections and two enormous vertical meltwater shafts, known as moulins, opening into the ceiling.
At present, the interior is predominantly dark ice with some blue sections, and the ground is muddy. Its impressive scale, sculpted ceiling and lagoon setting are the main highlights at this early stage of the season.
Blami
Blami is a short tunnel connecting two moulins, approximately 6 metres long, with vivid blue ice inside.
The approach and outer walls are still muddy and sediment-covered, while the blue interior offers a striking contrast. Blami is approximately 800 metres from the current parking area.
Top Gun
Top Gun is a large open ice canyon, approximately 150–200 metres long, with walls around 7 metres high. It lies about 200 metres beyond Blami.
Blue ice is currently visible along the western walls, while other surfaces retain their summer crust. As winter conditions develop, the canyon is expected to reveal more of its blue ice.
Goose
Goose is a surface cave and tunnel with beautiful blue walls, about 250 metres beyond Top Gun.
It currently has two ice arches and a side passage, with around 15–20 metres of tunnel in total. These natural formations will continue to change as the season progresses.
Ice Man
Ice Man is a deep moulin with a tunnel currently extending at least 60 metres, about 300 metres beyond Goose.
The passage is still narrow, and entry and exit follow the same route. This feature is intended for our full-day Ice Cave Discovery tour when conditions and group ability allow, adding another opportunity for more extensive glacier exploration.
- Ice Man feature / surface ice cave October 2026
How the features fit our tours
Ice Cave Tour
Verdandi is our main cave option, with easier access expected after the road extension.
Blami and Top Gun offer a shorter walking alternative, approximately 1 km each way, with around 50 metres of elevation gain. Our guides select the best safe option for the conditions and the group. Even the shorter routes involve glacier walking on uneven terrain.
Blue Ice Discovery
Blue Ice Discovery combines glacier hiking with a selection of blue ice features.
Routes can include a varied combination of Blami, Top Gun and Goose, or Verdandi and another feature, depending on conditions. The route reaching Goose is approximately 1.25 km each way, with around 60 metres of elevation gain.
This tour offers a varied experience of the glacier, with opportunities to explore natural ice formations and enjoy their different shapes, colours and surroundings.
Ice Cave Discovery
Our full-day Ice Cave Discovery tour offers the most extensive exploration and the best opportunity to combine Verdandi with features. The amount of features depends on conditions on a given day and safety assessments.
A route visiting every feature and the main cave is approximately 8.5 km in total, subject to safe access and the group’s ability.
A glacier experience throughout the winter
The range of locations available this season gives our guides several options for creating a rewarding glacier experience. Our experienced guide team and specialist glacier safety equipment allow us to adapt routes and explore suitable caves, tunnels, canyons and other ice formations as conditions change.
Throughout the coming winter, our focus is on offering the best glacier experience available on the day. When a particular cave or feature cannot be accessed safely, we can draw on other suitable locations and routes.
We reserve the right to adjust any tour before or during the excursion according to glacier conditions, weather and guests’ abilities. Departures remain subject to safe operating conditions, and severe weather may require rescheduling or cancellation.
The descriptions and photographs show the features as they currently appear. Each tour follows the best suitable route for that day, rather than a fixed itinerary covering every location.
We will continue updating this page as the season develops, with additional updates whenever there are significant changes to access, walking distances or the available features.
October 2026 opening season update
Latest information:
October 1: Tour Update
All our ice cave tours will go ahead tomorrow. However, the main large ice cave is currently inaccessible due to flooding.
We will therefore offer all Ice Cave Tour guests a free upgrade to Blue Ice Discovery, exploring some of the blue ice features currently available on the glacier.
The route and features we visit will depend on weather and glacier conditions. We will keep the itinerary flexible, with our guides making the final decision on location according to our safety protocols.
Guests on the afternoon departure should also check their email for the updated departure and check-in times.
30 September 2026
Our winter tours begin on 1 October, with the spacious Verdandi cave and several blue ice tunnels and canyons identified for the season. Our guides select suitable locations according to daily conditions and the group’s abilities.
The current walk to Verdandi is around 2 km each way. Heavy rain has delayed the approved road extension, which is expected to make the approach significantly shorter once completed. We will update this section as soon as the new access and walking distance are confirmed.
Shorter routes to other ice features are also available when conditions allow. Our experienced guides and specialist glacier equipment give us several options for adapting the experience, with all departures subject to safe weather and glacier conditions.
For descriptions and photos of Verdandi, Blami, Top Gun, Goose and Ice Man, open the September 2026 update above.
Season 2026/2027 archive
As the season progresses, previous ice cave and blue ice condition updates will be archived here, allowing you to follow how the glacier and winter conditions evolve throughout the season.
At the moment, the 2026–2027 season has not yet begun, so there are no previous updates available. Once the first field reports are published, older updates will remain accessible here for reference.
Ice cave season archives
Season 2025/2026
Early scouting begins for the 2025–2026 season
By the end of September, our guides had begun scouting and preparing the first usable blue ice formations for the new winter season. Several canyons, tunnels and other blue ice features showed potential, but conditions were still developing and changing quickly.
No single large ice cave could be treated as the focus of the season. Our preparations therefore centred on combining glacier hiking with the best safe blue ice features available on the day.
The early formations already showed promising sculpted blue ice, narrow passages and attractive photographic angles. Although scouting was still underway, these first discoveries gave our team several different options to continue assessing before the season officially opened.
A warm and changeable start to the season
The season opened with glacier hikes leading to blue ice canyons, tunnels and other natural formations. Early tours generally lasted around four hours, with stronger groups sometimes reaching more than one feature.
October was unusually warm and wet. Water levels changed quickly, and some caves and features became temporarily inaccessible after rainfall. Strong winds also caused route changes and occasional cancellations.
Our guides moved between shorter-access ice features and longer glacier routes according to flooding, wind, daylight, group ability and safe access. This changeable opening showed why natural ice cave tours cannot be tied to one fixed cave.
Despite the changeable conditions, early guest feedback was very positive. Tours generally lasted around four hours, and stronger groups could sometimes explore two different blue ice features. Many guests especially enjoyed experiencing the wider glacier landscape rather than visiting only one cave.
Blue canyons reopen and new formations are prepared
At the beginning of November, water drained from several blue ice canyons and our team restored the steps and safety lines needed for access. The formations could once again be included in longer glacier tours.
Conditions remained unsettled. Wind sometimes made the higher routes unsuitable, while an easier-access cave continued to flood after rain. During one photography tour, water entered the cave and the group left immediately before continuing to a safer alternative.
Late in the month, our guides prepared a new area containing a rounded blue ice tunnel and two smaller sculpted formations. This gave us another option between the shortest cave visits and the longer glacier hikes.
The newly prepared area offered an approximately 900-meter walk each way and several formations located close together. These included a rounded blue ice tunnel of approximately 25 meters and two smaller sculpted features measuring around 10–15 meters. This created a varied experience with hiking, blue ice and several opportunities for photographs.
Repeated rainfall reshapes the caves
December brought frequent changes between the available caves, tunnels and blue ice features. Strong winds sometimes prevented groups from reaching the higher formations, while repeated rainfall caused one of the easier-access caves to flood several times.
During the heaviest rainfall, water reached the cave roof. When it later drained, flowing water, sand and melt had significantly reshaped the interior, leaving some sections inaccessible. Another tunnel was partly closed after its roof became too thin.
By the end of December, tours were relying on smaller safe alternatives. The busy Christmas period also brought queues that occasionally extended the overall tour time.
When conditions allowed, guests could combine a glacier walk with two different blue ice formations, with some tours lasting around three hours and 20 minutes. Even when routes needed to change, guide reports regularly noted that guests were happy with the experience and appreciated being able to step onto the glacier and photograph the available blue ice.
Heavy snow fills the smaller features
January brought substantial snowfall, difficult driving conditions and several weather-related disruptions. On some days, reaching Jökulsárlón or the glacier access roads was more challenging than the conditions on the glacier itself.
By the middle of the month, several smaller tunnels and blue ice formations had filled with snow. Features that had worked well in November and December were becoming less accessible, while other ice walls, open formations and short tunnels became more useful.
Tours continued using the best safe combination available for each group. Easier routes remained available for some guests, while longer or more technical approaches depended on surface conditions, group ability and the equipment required.
The changing conditions also revealed new photographic possibilities. The available routes included blue ice walls, open ice rooms, narrow passages and smaller formations that could be combined into a varied glacier loop. Fresh snow across the glacier added a distinctly wintry character to the landscape.
Longer glacier exploration returns
At the beginning of February, suitable groups were again completing longer glacier hikes and visiting combinations of blue ice canyons, walls and tunnels. These tours generally lasted around four hours.
Shorter-access alternatives remained available for guests who were less comfortable with the longer hike. The exact route was selected according to fitness, wind and surface conditions.
Longer routes covered approximately 2–4 kilometres and usually lasted around three hours and 45 minutes to four hours. Depending on the group and daily conditions, guests could visit two or three different blue ice locations. Field reports described very positive feedback, with guests appreciating the combination of glacier hiking, varied formations and time for photographs.
Weather remained highly variable. Strong winds occasionally made one side of the glacier unsuitable, while a late-February warm spell created deep slush and water-filled holes. Some features could only be explored partly, while others remained safely accessible.
Rapid changes from warm weather, heavy snow and flooding
Throughout March, the team continued to reopen and prepare the best available tunnels and blue ice formations after each weather change. Shorter routes could cover approximately 0.5–1.6 kilometers, while stronger groups could explore farther. The combination of fresh snow, sculpted ice and newly cleared passages created a noticeably different glacier experience from one week to the next.
March was one of the most changeable periods of the season. After a warm winter, several small ice roofs had become thin and were reduced or removed as a safety measure.
Rain and wet snow flooded some formations early in the month. Later, a major snowfall buried features and blocked the glacier access roads, requiring extensive work to reopen paths and clear the remaining tunnels.
Warmer conditions then turned the fresh snow into deep slush. Ponds formed on the routes, and no blue ice feature could be offered on the morning of 29 March. Suitable guests were offered a glacier hike instead. By the end of the month, earlier caves were no longer being used as the main feature, while newly cleared tunnels provided temporary alternatives.
The final transition to spring conditions
One blue ice tunnel remained the main shorter-access feature at the beginning of April. Heavy rainfall caused further flooding, although guides were sometimes able to drain the tunnel and reopen it when conditions improved.
By the middle of the month, deep water and slush made the remaining shorter features unsuitable. Stronger groups were moved to a longer glacier hike that included wide views over the glacier lagoon, a blue ice tunnel and, when safe, smaller canyons as additional features.
The canyons changed quickly, and during the final part of April only the tunnel remained consistently usable. Tours continued until 30 April, with routes adjusted until the end according to weather, slush, access and the best safe experience available that day.
The longer late-season route covered approximately 5.3 kilometres and took around three hours and 45 minutes for a small group. It combined a proper glacier hike with a blue ice tunnel, smaller canyons when safe, a glacier pool and wide views over Jökulsárlón. Guests responded very positively, with some describing the unexpected combination of hiking and blue ice as a highlight of their Iceland experience.
Frequently asked questions
Why should I check the seasonal ice cave updates before booking?
Natural ice caves change every year—and sometimes every week. Our seasonal updates provide the latest information about current glacier conditions, recently discovered ice caves, accessibility, weather impacts, and any operational changes. If you’re planning an ice cave tour in Iceland, this page is the best place to find the most up-to-date information before your visit.
Are the current ice caves worth visiting?
Every winter is different. Some seasons bring large cathedral-like ice caves, while others offer smaller caves, deep blue tunnels, glacier canyons, crevasses, or other unique ice formations.
Rather than promising a specific cave, we focus on providing the best and safest glacier experience available on the day. Our seasonal updates explain what visitors can currently expect based on the latest scouting.
How often do you update the ice cave conditions?
We update this page whenever there are significant changes throughout the season. This may include:
- Newly discovered ice caves
- Changes caused by weather or rainfall
- New tour routes
- Seasonal opening or closing dates
- Important safety or operational updates
During active periods, updates may be published several times per month.
Why do the ice caves change during the season?
Vatnajökull is constantly moving. Rainfall, freezing temperatures, meltwater, snowfall, and glacier movement all affect the caves throughout winter.
A cave that looks perfect one week may change dramatically—or disappear entirely—the next. That’s why our guides inspect the glacier daily and adapt tours whenever necessary.
Can you guarantee a specific ice cave shown in your updates?
No we can’t as there are daily many conditons that can affect the visuals of the location we featured here recently like the weather conditions, time of a day, traffic on a given day. We always reserve a right to decide on spot which area we are going to and what would be the order of the locations we are visiting since we know that things need to be adjusted during the winter operations from one day to another. We make sure always to choose the best available product as we never want to compromise or safety and the experience available on a given day.
Please remember that, even if a cave/blue features is mentioned in our latest update, conditions can change before your tour and we are never able to promise fully the same looking location from what is being presented online.
Why do some companies advertise different ice caves?
Many ice caves receive unofficial names such as Crystal Cave, Blue Diamond, Sapphire Cave, Dragon Cave, or similar. Different operators may also use different names for the very same ice cave, making comparisons confusing.
It’s also worth remembering that not all websites update their ice cave information regularly. Some continue to advertise caves or use photographs from previous seasons that no longer reflect current conditions. Since natural ice caves change every year—and sometimes throughout the winter—the images and descriptions you see online may not represent the experience that’s actually available.
Rather than focusing on marketing names, we believe the most important factors are current glacier conditions, safety, and the overall quality of the experience. That’s why we regularly update this page throughout the season with the latest information from our daily glacier scouting, helping you understand what you can realistically expect during your visit.
Will my tour change if glacier conditions change?
Possibly—and that’s part of exploring a natural glacier.
If weather, glacier movement, or safety conditions require it, we may adjust the hiking route, visit a different cave, or offer an alternative blue ice experience. These decisions are always made to provide the safest and highest-quality tour possible.
What's the difference between your seasonal updates and the tour page?
Our tour pages for ice cave tours explain what’s included in each experience. Our classic Ice cave tour focuses on the easiest to access cave, if one exists with an easy access. Our Blue Ice Discovery will be offering a longer experience on a glacier, including a hike which can vary in covered distance, depending on what crystal blue features we have available for exploration. Lastly, our Ice Cave Discovery offers a full day winter adventure where we cover the longest distance hiking on a glacier and exploring more remote locations of the blue features/caves depending on availability and season. All the tours can be changed and adjusted accordingly to our safety measures and availability of the glacier features.
This seasonal update page documents what’s happening on the glacier right now—including current cave conditions, route changes, newly discovered formations, and important announcements throughout the winter.
How can I stay informed about new ice cave discoveries?
The easiest way is to bookmark this Seasonal Ice Cave Updates page. Throughout the winter, we publish news about newly discovered ice caves, changes in glacier conditions, seasonal openings, route updates, and any important operational announcements.
For more frequent updates, recent photos and videos directly from the glacier, follow us on Instagram and Facebook.
If you’re planning to visit Iceland later in the winter, we recommend checking this page again shortly before your trip, as glacier conditions can change significantly over the course of the season. This will help you know what to expect and ensure you have the latest information before your adventure
