Published on Nov, 2024

We booked the Glacier hike paired with Ice Cave Tour and thoroughly enjoyed it. While one of us is a regular hiker in the early twenties, the other dislikes climbing and is approach ng the sixties, so very different experiences. The Arctic Adventures team was professional, courteous and really enjoyed what they were doing, making the outing a lot of fun. To start of with everyone’s hiking boots were inspected and I was ordered to rent a pair. Admittedly I was a little miffed as I had acquired my first pair of hiking boots ever for this tour. In hindsight of course the Arctic Adventures team were right as hiking a glacier is literally walking on ice, giving the term an entirely new meaning. I was glad of the additional support the shoes offered, especially as I am prone to sprain my ankles, a feat easily accomplished on a glacier. We received the necessary equipment, though I would context all of us would have been better of with walking sticks than ice picks, which none of us would have been able to use in a sensible way, so at best they constituted a danger to ourselves. After a short drive we arrived at the bottom of the glacier for what looked like a daunting climb. Even for the unexperienced it was easily manageable and the guides were helpful, looking out for the weakest. Even if you do not consider yourself a mountaineer or climber or super fit, it is doable. It was a wonderful experience and I can only recommend it.

Published on Sep, 2024

I had the best time on this tour! The glacier is absolutely gorgeous and had some very cool features like small caves and waterfalls to look at. Jergus, our guide, was genuine and friendly, prioritized safety and made sure everyone was cared for and had fun! He was very patient and encouraging for those on the tour who needed a little extra help, and if anyone so much as slipped a little, he was instantly at their side, helping them and making sure they were ok. We were taught how to safely climb ice, and encouraged to push a little harder to make sure we accomplished the goal of the climb! It was a truly wonderful experience - I highly recommend it!!

Published on Aug, 2024

Our family of 6 (4 teens aged 15-19) had a fantastic day with Maya, hiking and ice climbing on the glacier. The experience was unique and memorable, the views beautiful and awe-inspiring, and Maya was a perfect guide--safe, patient, humorous, and highly educational on both the climbing and the glacier. After getting geared up at the Arctic Adventures hut at the park headquarters, you take a short bus ride to near the glacier outlet. You walk about 20 minutes to the glacier start. After another 10-15 minutes on dirt and rock covered ice, you then stop to put crampons on and learn basic ice hiking techniques. As we hiked, Maya pointed out glacier formations and characteristics and taught us about glacier ecology, history, and more. Eventually we stopped to climb. Each of us rappelled into a beautiful crevasse while Maya expertly belayed us. We then climbed up with climbing axes as she coached and encouraged us. It was exhilarating and challenging, but not overwhelming. We later had a second smaller climb without a rappel. We then hiked higher towards the base of the ice fall portion before working our way back down. Total time from check in at the hut to return was just over 7 hours. Bring snacks or lunch--you can eat during the break while you watch others in your group rappel and climb. Layers of clothing, water, hat, thin to medium gloves are fine for summer. If you are comfortable hiking 5 miles on moderate terrain when not on ice, then you will be fine on this hike. We were never exhausted and Maya kept a steady but comfortable pace. No climbing experience is required, but if you have ever done indoor rock climbing, you'll handle the ice climbing portion well with your guide's pointers. After a 2 week trip in Iceland with several other adventures, this was rated the highlight by our family!

Published on Jul, 2024

Ice climbing was the best experience I had in Iceland. Steve was a phenomenal guide. I can't say enough good things about him!