The quick version
- Ice cave tours that meet at Jokulsarlon start from US$145[1], and the guided ice cave tour booked from this site starts from US$164[2].
- It runs 3 hours with an English speaking guide and a jeep transfer from the lagoon, plus reserve now and pay later and free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance.[2]
- Listed durations run from 2.5 hours for a super jeep ice cave tour[3] to 6 hours for a glacier hike to a remote ice cave[4].
- Jokulsarlon is about 370 km (230 miles) from Reykjavik along Route 1, and the drive takes roughly 5 hours each way in good conditions.[5]
- Natural ice caves in Vatnajokull form in October, last through April and are taken back by returning meltwater in May.[6]
- Top choice Guided ice cave tour from US$164 Duration3 hours[2]Rating4.25 from 2,171 reviews[2]GuideLive tour guide: English[2]CancellationFree cancellation up to 24 hours before[2] Check availability
- Crystal cave super jeep from US$173 Duration2.5 hours[3]Rating4.21 from 1,751 reviews[3]GuideLive tour guide: English[3]CancellationFree cancellation up to 24 hours before[3] See this tour
- Original ice cave tour from US$161 Duration3 hours[7]Rating4.61 from 1,129 reviews[7]GuideLive tour guide: English[7]CancellationFree cancellation up to 24 hours before[7] See this tour
When light hits these crystals, they absorb long wavelengths of light. At the same time, they scatter short-waved blue light, which makes the ice appear blue.
Is the guided ice cave tour worth the price?
Know this first
What a Jokulsarlon ice cave tour costs
Tours that meet at Jokulsarlon itself are the most direct way to see blue ice inside Vatnajokull, and they sit at the lower end of the local price range. The guided ice cave tour booked from this site starts from US$164[2]. The original ice cave tour on Vatnajokull starts from US$161[7], a natural blue ice cave tour with a glacier guide starts from US$145[1], and a crystal ice cave super jeep tour starts from US$173[3].
Add a glacier walk or a longer approach and the price climbs. A Vatnajokull glacier guided hiking tour from Jokulsarlon starts from US$134[10] and runs 4.5 hours[10], while a 6 hour glacier hike to a remote ice cave starts from US$285[4] and a blue ice cave adventure with a glacier hike starts from US$299[11]. Further out again are the private departures, such as a private Jokulsarlon glacier lagoon tour from US$2086[12].
Tours that begin in Reykjavik are a different kind of day out, and a different band of price. A south coast, Diamond Beach and Jokulsarlon tour starts from US$231[13] and runs 14.5 hours[13]. Multi day trips that sleep on the road start from US$735[14] for two days[14] and from US$956[15] for three days[15].
What the guided ice cave tour price includes
The tour booked from this site is listed as Jokulsarlon: Vatnajokull Ice Cave Guided Tour. It starts from US$164[2] and lasts 3 hours[2], with a live tour guide in English[2]. The route runs from Jokulsarlon by jeep or SUV into Vatnajokull National Park and back again[2], so the walk into the cave is a section of a longer outing.
The booking terms are relaxed for a winter activity. You can reserve now and pay later[2], free cancellation applies up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund[2], and starting times appear when you check availability[2].
The listing carries a rating of 4.25 from 2,171 reviews[2], broken down as 4.6 for the guide, 4.4 for transportation and 3.8 for value for money[2]. The guiding scores higher than the price people felt they paid, which is useful to know before you choose between a short cave trip and a longer hike.
Every amount quoted here is a from price, so the exact figure depends on the departure you pick and on what is still available when you book.
Blue ice inside Vatnajokull, seen on the guided ice cave tour from Jokulsarlon.
What changes the price between ice cave tours
Length is the clearest difference. A super jeep crystal ice cave tour runs 2.5 hours[3], the guided ice cave tour runs 3 hours[2], and a glacier hike to a remote ice cave runs 6 hours[4]. Longer does not automatically mean dearer: the 6 hour glacier hike to a remote ice cave starts from US$285[4], while a 10 hour snowmobile and ice cave tour from Reykjavik starts from US$399[16].
Group size and transport shape the price too. Some departures are limited to 6[17], 8[18] or 12 participants[19], and many tours from Reykjavik include pickup, with details shown when you check availability[20]. Private versions of the same landscapes cost far more, from US$879[21] for a private south coast and Katla ice cave tour to US$2472[22] for a private day on the south coast.
If you want the lowest from price on the board, a Skaftafell glacier hike starts from US$97[23] and the easy level glacier hike from Jokulsarlon starts from US$132[24]. If you want a cave and a walk together, the blue ice cave and glacier hike at Skaftafell starts from US$167[25], and a blue ice cave tour and glacier walk starts from US$242[26].
Ice cave season, daylight and when to go
A natural ice cave in Vatnajokull is a winter thing. It forms in October, holds through April and is taken back by returning meltwater in May[6]. Inside, glacier ice absorbs long wavelengths of light and scatters short-waved blue light, which makes the interior ice appear blue[27].
Winter in Iceland means short days and cold air. Average temperatures sit around 32°F (0°C)[8], and daylight runs from 4 to 5 hours in late December to about 21 hours by late June[8]. Cave visits are a cold-season activity: by the time meltwater returns in May, the cave is gone[6].
December to February is when the ice holds its coldest and bluest form[6], while March and April see it age before meltwater returns[6]. Around 100,000 tourists visited Jokulsarlon in July alone in one recent summer[28], which is well outside the cave season, so the quietest cave dates and the busiest lagoon dates are not the same dates.
from US$164
Three hours under Vatnajokull with a live guide, a jeep transfer from the lagoon and free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance.[2]
Getting to Jokulsarlon and planning the drive
Jokulsarlon sits on Route 1 in southeast Iceland, about 370 km (230 miles) from Reykjavik, and the drive takes roughly 5 hours each way in good conditions[5]. The guided ice cave tour booked from this site starts at the lagoon[2], so an overnight stop between Vik and Hofn turns a very long day into a comfortable one.
That stop is worth it. The lagoon measures 248 meters (814 feet) deep[29] and has quadrupled in size since the 1970s[29]. Icebergs calve from Breiðamerkurjökull, the outlet glacier that retreats up to 200-300 m per year where it meets the water[30], and some of those bergs are thought to be made of ice more than 1,000 years old[29]. Harbour seals are the most common seal species in the area[31], and Diamond Beach, the black volcanic sand scattered with clear glacial ice, is just across the road[32].
Route 1, the Ring Road[5], runs through open country east of Vik, with little shelter. Fill up when you can, carry water and snacks, and treat the drive itself as part of the day rather than just the way to the cave.
Cheaper ways to spend a day near Jokulsarlon
If the ice cave price is more than you want to spend, the same stretch of coast offers other outings. A Jokulsarlon glacier lagoon kayaking tour starts from US$159[33], a Vatnajokull National Park glacier kayaking tour starts from US$184[34], a short glacier encounter walk with a 4x4 transfer starts from US$121[35], and an easy level glacier hike from Jokulsarlon starts from US$132[24].
Further west, the Katla ice cave sits under Mýrdalsjökull and tours to it leave from Vik. They start from US$182[36] and from US$193[37], and Reykjavik departures of the same trip include pickup, with details shown when you check availability[38].
Where a tour starts matters as much as its headline price. A tour that meets at the lagoon saves you the drive of about 370 km (230 miles) from Reykjavik[5], while a tour that includes pickup from Reykjavik covers a 14 hour day[39].
What to wear and what happens on the day
Wear the helmet you are given. A sturdy helmet is essential inside the cave, for falling ice and low ceilings, and operators generally provide it[9]. The rest is ordinary winter kit: waterproof outer layers, gloves, a hat and boots you can walk on ice in.
Underfoot, the ice cap you are walking on is thick. Its thickest point measures 3,120 feet (950 m), with an average thickness of 1,250 feet (380 m)[40]. The tidal inlet the modern lagoon grew from was excavated during the last glacial advance, about 26,500 years ago[41], and the lagoon has appeared in A View to a Kill, Die Another Day and Lara Croft: Tomb Raider[42].
Departures run from the lagoon rather than from Reykjavik, so build the cave into your own drive east. After the tour you can walk over to the lagoon shore and Diamond Beach before heading back, and in winter the light will tell you when to leave.
From prices for ice cave and glacier tours at Jokulsarlon
Each figure is a from price in US dollars on GetYourGuide for the listed tour:[1][2][3][7][24]
Ice cave tour prices in US dollars
From prices in US dollars on GetYourGuide:[2][3][7][10]
When to book a Jokulsarlon ice cave tour
Booking your ice cave tour
Choose your meeting point
Some tours start at Jokulsarlon, others from Vik, Skaftafell or Reykjavik with pickup, so pick the one that fits your route.
Match the length to your day
A short jeep trip into the cave suits a long drive down, while a glacier hike plus cave takes most of a day.
Book ahead for winter
Ice caves only exist for part of the year, so winter departure times fill early and the cave itself changes each season.
Sort your kit before you go
Waterproof outer layers, gloves, a hat and boots that grip ice are the basics, and the operator generally provides a helmet[9].
Plan the drive and a bed
Jokulsarlon is a long way from Reykjavik, so an overnight stop nearby keeps the day relaxed and leaves time for the lagoon.
Ready to step inside the blue ice of Vatnajokull?
from US$164Reserve now & pay later
