Blue Glacier Hiking, Iceland

Blue Ice And Black Sands

Glacier Hiking on Virkisj�¶kull and a sightseeing and wildlife trip to the historic Ing�³lfsh�¶f�°i cape departing from Skaftafell National Park

Our famous buses depart from Skaftafell at 9:00 a.m. during the summer for the short scenic drive on the ring road that lies at the base of the towering mountains and crevasse riddled glaciers lining the edge of Vatnaj�¶kull glacier.

Our adventure begins with an introduction to the enchanting world of Icelandic glaciers, traversing a spectacular but easy track on Virkisj�¶kull glacier. Walking on the glacier ice with crampons, we will see unique ice formations and deep crevasses, learning about how they are formed and how the glacier reshapes it self continuously. We will approach the awe-inspiring icefall, witnessing up close how the ancient ice stoically crushes hundreds of meters off the mountaintops as it crawls in slow motion towards the ocean.

The adventure continues with a wildlife exploration of the historic Ing�³lfsh�¶f�°i cape, an isolated island caught between the black sands of the south coast and the North-Atlantic Ocean. This is where, in the year 874, Ing�³lfur Arnarson, the first settler of Iceland, jumped ashore and spent his first winter in Iceland. The adorable Puffins, Razorbills, Fulmars, Guilleamots, and Skuas amongst other species now inhabit the cape numbering in the thousands. To get there we will cross six km of waters, marshes and sands in a tractor pulled hay trolley. After arriving at the cape we will go for a short hike (2-3 km) so we can take a closer look at the sea cliffs where the majestic seabirds, so characteristic for Iceland, nest during the very short arctic summer.

The Blue Ice & Black Sands is an adventure full of stark contrasts, incredible landscapes and unimaginable natural beauty and wildlife�!

Itinerary / Highlights

Guaranteed departures Monday -Saturday at 9:00 from June 1st through August 18th. Free pick up from Skaftafell National Park, Hotel Skaftafell and the camping grounds at Svínafell.

Distance from Reykjavik: 350 km. Duration of trip: Approx. 5.5 hours with transfer, 1.5 hours on the glacier and 2.5 hours at Ingólfshöfði cape. Available: June 1st & August 18th. No minimum number of participants. Age limit: 8 years. A packed lunch will be provided. Bring with you: Warm outdoor clothing, waterproof jacket and pants, headwear and gloves. Good hiking shoes are recommended! You can rent hiking shoes and waterproof clothing should you need them.

Departure Dates, Options & Prices

The product is to be paid for in Icelandic Krona (ISK) and has been converted to Euros for your convenience. The price you will pay is from ISK9,990