Jun – Aug
Summer
Daylight is not a constraint at all, so a thirteen-hour day still ends in the light. The busiest months, and the ones where booking a few weeks out matters most.
Day tours from the city
Glacier walk from Reykjavík: every walk you can do in one day from the capital
Three listings collect you in Reykjavík and put you on the ice the same day, and all three walk on Sólheimajökull: an eleven-hour South Coast day at $188, a thirteen-hour day with an ice climbing intro at $209, and a private version at $1,100. Drive yourself to the same glacier and the walk alone starts at $101. This page is which of them fits a day out of the city, what the drive is, and where the line falls between the two glacier areas people mix up.
Quick answer
The short answer. Sólheimajökull is the glacier you can walk from Reykjavík and be back for dinner — roughly two and a half hours of road each way. Book the $188 South Coast day if you want the minibus, the waterfall and the black sand beach included; book the $209 day if you want an ice climbing intro on top of the walk. Driving yourself? The walk alone is $101 at the car park. Skaftafell is a different trip: its listings put it 320 km and at least a four hour drive east of the city.
Glacier walks from Reykjavík at a glance
- The glacier day tours use
- Sólheimajökulla tongue of Mýrdalsjökull on the South Coast
- Drive from Reykjavík
- About 2.5 hourseach way, to the car park on road 221
- Our top pick
- Sólheimajökull Glacier Hike & Ice Climbing Intro$209 · 4.8 across 447 reviews
- Most reviewed day tour
- Glacier Hike, Waterfall and Black Sand Beach$188 · 1,655 reviews at 4.8
- Cheapest way onto this ice
- Sólheimajökull: Guided Glacier Hike$101, you drive yourself
- Private, with transport
- Private Sólheimajökull Glacier Hike$1,100 for the group, 3 hours
- Equipment
- Crampons, helmet, harness and ice axeincluded on every listing here
- Skaftafell from the city
- 320 km, at least a 4 hour drive eastthe operator’s own wording — not a day trip
The shape of the day
What a glacier day out of Reykjavík really is
Every glacier walk sold from the city drives the same road to the same glacier. What you are choosing is how much of the day the operator takes off your hands.
Reykjavík has no glacier of its own. Everything sold as a glacier walk from the city is a road trip along the South Coast to Sólheimajökull, a tongue of ice that comes down off Mýrdalsjökull and ends in a shallow lagoon at the end of road 221. That drive is about two and a half hours each way, which is the single fact that shapes every listing on this page.
Two and a half hours out and two and a half back leaves most of a working day, and operators fill it in one of two ways. The $188 South Coast tour spends eleven hours doing the coast properly: the walk on Sólheimajökull with a certified glacier guide, Seljalandsfoss, and Reynisfjara black sand beach, in a minibus with a small group. The $209 day runs thirteen hours and spends the extra time on the ice instead of the beach — a guided hike plus an optional introduction to ice climbing, with Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss on the way, in a group capped at eight.
The alternative is to drive. Park at the end of road 221, meet a guide at the glacier, walk, and drive on to wherever you are sleeping. That is what the $101 and $120 listings are: the walk on its own, without the transport, without the waterfalls, and without four to five hours of your own day spent looking at the road. They are cheaper for exactly that reason.
What does not change between them is the ice itself. Every walk here is guided, every one fits you with crampons, helmet and harness before you step on, and the guide picks the route on the day, because a glacier surface is not a fixed path — crevasses, moulins and ice tunnels move with the season.
Every walk
Every walk you can reach from Reykjavík in a day
Three include transport from the city. Three are the same glacier with your own car in the car park. Cost per hour is the listed price against the listed trip length.
| Walk | Length | Starts from | Price | Cost per hour | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Glacier Hike, Waterfall and Black Sand Beach1,655 reviews at 4.8 | 11 hours | Reykjavík (minibus included) | $188 | $17.09 | 4.8 · 1,655 |
| Sólheimajökull Glacier Hike & Ice Climbing Intro447 reviews at 4.8 | 13 hours | Reykjavík (transport included) | $209 | $16.08 | 4.8 · 447 |
| Private Sólheimajökull Glacier HikeNew listing this season | 3 hours | Reykjavík (transport included) | $1,100 | $366.67 | New |
| Guided Glacier Hike146 reviews at 4.8 | 5.5 hours | Sólheimajökull car park | $101 | $18.36 | 4.8 · 146 |
| Guided Sólheimajökull Glacier Hike248 reviews at 4.7 | 3 hours | Sólheimajökull car park | $120 | $40.00 | 4.7 · 248 |
| Sólheimajökull Private Glacier Walk with GuideNew listing this season | 3 hours | Sólheimajökull car park | $806 | $268.67 | New |
The six, one by one
Which listing answers which question
The three with transport first, then the three you drive to.
- Glacier Hike, Waterfall and Black Sand Beach — $188, 11 hours
The most reviewed day tour on this page: 1,655 reviews at 4.8. A minibus from Reykjavík with Wi-Fi and charging, a guided hike on Sólheimajökull with all the safety gear, Seljalandsfoss, and the black sand at Reynisfjara. The guide takes photographs for you along the way. If you have one day and want the South Coast as well as the ice, this is the booking.
- Sólheimajökull Glacier Hike & Ice Climbing Intro — $209, 13 hours
Our top pick, at 4.8 across 447 reviews. The longest day here and the one that gives you the most time on the ice: a guided hike through crevasses, ice formations and ridges, plus an optional introduction to ice climbing on a rope. Transport from Reykjavík and the Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss stops are included on the city option, the group is capped at eight, and the kit list runs to crampons, helmet, harness, ice axe and ropes.
- Private Sólheimajökull Glacier Hike — $1,100, 3 hours
The private version with round-trip transport and a photo service, for a group rather than per person. Three hours on the glacier at your own pace, with the guide to yourselves. It is a new listing, so there are no reviews on it yet.
- Sólheimajökull: Guided Glacier Hike — $101, 5.5 hours
The lowest price anywhere on this site, and the reason it is low is that you supply the car. Meet at Sólheimajökull, choose between a family-friendly walk, the classic hike or a longer trek, and get glacier gear, safety equipment, hot drinks and restrooms at the meeting point. Rated 4.8 across 146 reviews.
- Vik: Guided Sólheimajökull Glacier Hike — $120, 3 hours
Three hours, 4.7 across 248 reviews, and the listing names what you go through: ice tunnels, moulins and deep crevasses, with helmet, harness, crampons and ice axe supplied, plus coffee and chocolates. The tidiest option if you are already staying out on the coast rather than in the city.
- Vík: Sólheimajökull Private Glacier Walk — $806, 3 hours
A private guide for the group at the car park, three hours, with helmets, crampons and harnesses included. The listing covers crevasses, moulins, volcanic ash layers and ice falls, which is the geology lesson version of the same walk. New, so no reviews yet.
The straight answer
Minibus or your own car: which is the better buy
No car: take the minibus. Car already booked: pay for the walk only. Either way, the glacier is Sólheimajökull.
Here is the verdict, and it is not close for most visitors.
If you are staying in Reykjavík without a car, book the $188 South Coast day. Eleven hours, 1,655 reviews at 4.8, and it removes the entire driving problem: no rental, no fuel, no parking, no five hours at the wheel on a road you have never driven. You get the glacier plus Seljalandsfoss and Reynisfjara, which are the two stops most people would have added anyway. Against the $101 walk-only price, the gap buys the transport and two landmarks.
If you want the most ice for the day, book the $209 climbing day. Thirteen hours, a group of eight, and an optional rope session on an ice wall after the hike. It is the only listing from the city that gives you a second activity on the glacier rather than a second photo stop, and its 447 reviews sit at 4.8.
If you already have a car and are driving the South Coast anyway, book $101. You are on that road regardless; paying for a seat in a minibus you do not need makes no sense. Turn off at road 221, do the walk, drive on east. The only thing to plan is the meeting time, because the walk starts when the group starts.
And the case that catches people out: do not try Skaftafell from Reykjavík and back in a day. The operators put it at 320 km and at least a four hour drive east of the city, each way. Those walks — and they include the cheapest Skaftafell options at $105 and $106 — are for a night spent out east, not for a day trip.
Getting there
The drive, in numbers you can plan around
Two glacier areas, two completely different days. These are the distances the listings and the road signs give.
| Route | Drive | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Reykjavík → SólheimajökullRing Road east, then road 221 to the car park at the end | About 2.5 hours | The only glacier walk that works as a day trip from the city. Back the same evening. |
| Pickup in ReykjavíkIncluded on the $188, $209 and $1,100 listings | Nothing to drive | Eleven to thirteen hours door to door, with the coast stops built into the day. |
| Reykjavík → SkaftafellRing Road east past Vík, 320 km | At least 4 hours | The operator’s own wording. Plan a night out east; do not attempt it and return the same day. |
| Reykjavík → JökulsárlónFurther east again, meeting at the main car park by the cafeteria | Longer than Skaftafell | Two walks start here, including the remote ice cave trip at $285. |
| Sólheimajökull car parkEnd of road 221, 871 Vík | Arrive 15 minutes early | Groups leave on time. This is where the walk-only listings meet. |
Choosing your month
When to do this as a day trip
The walks run all year on Sólheimajökull. What changes across the year is how much daylight is left after a five-hour round trip on the road.
Sep – Oct
Autumn
Still comfortable daylight, thinner crowds, and the ice cave season starting further east. A good compromise month for a day out of the city.
Nov – Feb
Winter
Short days. An eleven or thirteen-hour tour handles this by leaving early and driving in the dark, which is an argument for the minibus rather than your own car.
Mar – May
Spring
Daylight returns quickly and the roads get easier. Walks continue throughout, and the coast is quieter than it will be in July.
Avoid these
Five mistakes people make booking a glacier day from the city
In the order they cost people their day.
- 1. Booking a Skaftafell walk while staying in Reykjavík
It reads like the same country and it is not the same day. The listings say 320 km and at least a four hour drive east. If your hotel is in the capital, book Sólheimajökull.
- 2. Assuming the cheapest listing includes a ride
The $101 walk is the lowest price here because it starts at the glacier car park. Transport is what the $188 and $209 listings add.
- 3. Planning something else for the same evening
Eleven and thirteen hours are door to door. A day tour is the whole day, not the morning.
- 4. Expecting to walk on the ice without a guide
You can drive to the car park and look at the tongue. Stepping onto the glacier is guided and in crampons, on every listing here.
- 5. Leaving the booking to the day before
The small-group listings cap at eight and twelve guests. In summer those fill first, and the day tours from the city fill earliest of all.
Before you go
The day-trip checklist
Short, and all of it comes from the listings themselves.
- Waterproof jacket and warm layers
Glacier weather is its own weather, whatever the forecast says in town.
- Sturdy ankle boots
Crampons strap onto your boots, so the boots have to be solid. The rest of the kit comes with the walk.
- Arrive early at the meeting point
Fifteen minutes is enough for kit fitting and the briefing on walking in crampons.
- Book the pickup option if you want it
On the $209 listing, transport and the waterfall stops are the Reykjavík option specifically.
- Check the free cancellation terms
They are on the listing, and they are what lets you move a booking if your plans shift.
Want the full comparison of all sixteen guided walks, not just the ones from the city?
Every glacier walk in Iceland→Book direct
Book a glacier day from Reykjavík
The most reviewed South Coast day, the thirteen-hour day with ice climbing, the two walks you drive to, and the private version with transport included.
Our pickRated 4.8
11 hoursGlacier Hike, Waterfall and Black Sand Beach
★ 4.8 · 1,655 reviews
- 11 hours, Seljalandsfoss and Reynisfjara on route
- Minibus from Reykjavík
- Likely to sell out
- Free cancellation
$188$17.09 / hour
Check availability→ 
Reykjavík (transport included)Rated 4.8
13 hoursSólheimajökull Glacier Hike & Ice Climbing Intro
★ 4.8 · 447 reviews
- 13 hours, Crevasses and ice formations
- Optional intro to ice climbing
- Longest walk here
- Free cancellation
$209$16.08 / hour
Check availability→ 
Sólheimajökull car parkRated 4.8
5.5 hoursGuided Glacier Hike
★ 4.8 · 146 reviews
- 5.5 hours, Family walk, classic hike or longer
- Base camp by the car park
- Cheapest here
- Free cancellation
$101$18.36 / hour
Check availability→ 
Sólheimajökull car parkRated 4.7
3 hoursGuided Sólheimajökull Glacier Hike
★ 4.7 · 248 reviews
- Three hours, Ice formations on Sólheimajökull
- Meet at the glacier car park
- Guided tour
- Free cancellation
$120$40.00 / hour
Check availability→ 
Reykjavík (transport included)New this season
3 hoursPrivate Sólheimajökull Glacier Hike
- Three hours, Crystal-blue ice with a private guide
- Trek across Sólheimajökull
- Private tour
- Free cancellation
$1,100$366.67 / hour
Check availability→ Common questions
Glacier walks from Reykjavík, answered
Can you do a glacier walk from Reykjavík in a day?
Yes, on Sólheimajökull. Three listings run it as a day trip with transport included: $188 for eleven hours, $209 for thirteen hours with an ice climbing intro, and $1,100 for the private version.
How far is Sólheimajökull from Reykjavík?
About two and a half hours by road, east along the Ring Road and then up road 221 to the car park at the end of it, 871 Vík.
How much is a glacier walk from Reykjavík?
From $101 if you drive to the glacier yourself and pay for the walk only. With transport from the city it is $188 for the eleven-hour South Coast day or $209 for the thirteen-hour day with ice climbing.
Can you visit Skaftafell as a day trip from Reykjavík?
The operators themselves describe Skaftafell as 320 km and at least a four hour drive east of Reykjavík. That is eight hours of driving before the walk, so those eight listings are for people staying out east or driving the Ring Road over several days.
Do glacier tours from Reykjavík include pickup?
The $188 tour includes a minibus transfer to and from the city. The $209 tour includes round-trip transport and the waterfall stops on its Reykjavík option. The $1,100 private hike includes round-trip transport for the group.
Which glacier walk near Reykjavík has the best reviews?
By volume, the $188 South Coast day: 1,655 reviews at 4.8. The $209 day with ice climbing also sits at 4.8, across 447 reviews, and gives you more time on the ice.
Go deeper
More on walking Iceland’s glaciers
Sólheimajökull
The Sólheimajökull walk
The glacier the day tours use, and the five walks that start at its car park.
Getting thereGetting to Sólheimajökull
Road 221, the car park at the end of it, and the drive from Reykjavík.
Do you need a guideCan you go without a guide?
Why every walk on Icelandic ice is guided, and what the price actually buys.
How long it takesHow long a glacier walk takes
From a 2.5-hour encounter walk to a 13-hour day out of Reykjavík.
Skaftafell iceWalking the Skaftafell ice
Eight walks on Falljökull and Vatnajökull, and why they are not a day trip.
