Ice cave tours of Iceland

Ice caves are natural hollow spaces that form inside glaciers each year. In spring and summer, meltwater carves channels through the ice. When temperatures drop in autumn, those channels freeze and the caves become accessible. Because the process repeats differently each year, the caves shift in size and position from one season to the next. They can be visited safely on a guided tour between December and March, when the ice is stable.

You’ll find natural ice caves under many of the bigger glaciers in Iceland. For example, Katla ice cave lies beneath Vatnajökull in the southeast.

There are the ones you can visit on an ice cave tour, but there are dozens more that appear and disappear every year. Many of Iceland’s largest glaciers have smaller outlet glaciers, or tongues, where ice caves form and icebergs are born.

Read our guide to ice caves in Iceland for the full lowdown.

The most visited ice caves are found beneath Vatnajökull, Europe's largest glacier, and beneath Langjökull further north. Natural glacier caves beneath Vatnajökull tend to be the most striking, with dense blue ice formed under centuries of pressure. The caves accessible in any given season depend on conditions that year, and your guide will take you to the most suitable location.

Most ice caves are only open in the winter, from December to March. This is the time of year when it’s safest to visit the glaciers, as the ice cave walls are frozen solid.

At other times of year, you can still join other ice-focused activities such as glacier hiking, snowmobile tours, and kayaking at Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon.

Find out what else there is to see and do in Iceland in winter. Or read these month-by-month guides:

• Iceland in December
• Iceland in January
• Iceland in February
• Iceland in March

If you want to explore an ice cave, you’ll need to join a guide-led tour.

The caves form underneath glaciers and shift position from year to year. So there’s no way you should enter an ice cave without a local guide who knows their stuff.

When you book an ice cave excursion through Iceland Tours, you’ll always get an experienced, trained guide and the right safety equipment for the whole activity.

The walls of an ice cave stay at or just below 0°C (32°F). The air inside is typically a few degrees warmer than the ice itself. Warm base layers, a waterproof jacket, gloves, and a hat are recommended. Crampons and a helmet are provided by your guide.

All of the Iceland trips featured on this page include an ice cave tour as standard. If you’re looking for an activity to add to your existing itinerary though, you can check out our day tours.

You might want to combine ice caving with other activities such as lava caving and kayaking. Take a look at these Iceland adventure trips for more inspo!

Winter packages typically combine ice caving with other south coast and Golden Circle highlights. Along the south coast you can visit Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss waterfalls, Reynisfjara black sand beach, and Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon. The Golden Circle covers Þingvellir National Park, the Geysir geothermal area, and Gullfoss waterfall. Winter also brings the possibility of Northern Lights sightings on clear nights.

When you book a vacation package with Iceland Tours, you have 3 levels of accommodation to choose from:

• Budget – Guesthouses or farmstays run by locals, with shared bathroom facilities
• Comfort – Hotel rooms of around 3 stars, with your own bathroom
• Quality – Hotel rooms of around 4 stars, with your own bathroom

For all the details on the accommodation types we offer, check out our Iceland accommodation guide.

Yes, you can start your trip on any date you like! This is one of the main bonuses of booking a vacation package with Iceland Tours.

You’ve also got the option to add extra days in Reykjavík to the start or end of your trip when you book online. You’ll be able to add even more activities and experiences too, so you can get the max out of your trip.

Yes. At checkout you can view the optional extras available for each day of your itinerary. These vary by package but commonly include glacier hiking, snowmobiling, kayaking at Jökulsárlón, and Blue Lagoon admission. You can also add extra nights in Reykjavík to either end of your trip.

Start by taking a look at the different Iceland ice cave tour packages we offer above. This will help you work out how many days you need for your trip.

Once you’ve found a package that takes your fancy, simply book online and wait for the confirmation. Once you receive this by email, you’re all ready to book your flights with the airline of your choice.

For more info on the booking process, see how to book with us.

Crampons, a helmet, and an ice axe are provided by your guide. You should bring warm base layers, a waterproof and windproof outer jacket, gloves, a hat, and sturdy waterproof boots. A full packing list for an Iceland winter trip is available in our winter packing guide.