Sólheimajökull Glacier Hike - One of the Best Experiences of Our Life

Planning on a Sólheimajökull Glacier hike? Here’s our experience and everything you need to know before you go.

Of all the many things we’ve done on our travels around the world, hiking a glacier in Iceland is easily one of our favourites. It was such an insanely cool experience and one of those once-in-a-lifetime things that you need to cross off your bucket list.

However, I remember just how many questions I had before we actually got there – and before we’d even booked the tour. I mean, it’s not every day you strap on crampons and scale a river of ice, so it’s natural to have some questions!

I wrote this post as my way of answering everything you might be wondering if you’re in the same boat as I was.

But, if the reason you’re here is that you’re wondering whether it’s worth it, my answer is a resounding YES!

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❤️ This is one of the best glacier hike experiences in Iceland!

should you go on a glacier hike in Iceland?

Yes, you should. Primarily because it’s an absolutely fantastic experience that we recommend everyone do at least once in their life.

A glacier hike is also one of the best things to do in Iceland – and something the country is famous for – so it’s probably up there on your Iceland bucket list.

Secondly, it’s not just about the experience itself. You also learn a lot about the glaciers and the history of glaciers in Iceland, and you can ask your guide a lot of questions.

Is Sólheimajökull the best glacier to hike in Iceland?

In my opinion, there are two great glaciers to hike in Iceland: Sólheimajökull and Vatnajokull. They each have their pros and cons.

Sólheimajökull is located along Iceland’s southern coast. It’s the closest glacier to Reykjavik and the easiest to reach. The tours here are also typically cheaper than those on Vatnajokull.

The incredible Sólheimajökull Glacier hike

Vatnajokull is also located along the south, but much further along, near Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon. It’s around a 5-hour drive from Reykjavik, so much less reachable from the capital. It’s also more expensive.

However, Vatnajokull is also the largest glacier in Europe, and many would argue that the scenery here is much more impressive.

In my opinion, if you’re only spending a few days in Iceland or are basing yourself in Reykjavik, opt for hiking the Sólheimajökull Glacier.

Views after the first climb up the glacier

If you’re driving the ring road or are staying near Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon for a few days, you may want to consider hiking Vatnajokull as well, or instead.

You can often pair a hike here with kayaking on the lagoon too if you visit in the right season, which is also an incredible experience.

❤️ This is one of the best glacier hike experiences in Iceland!

What to expect on a Sólheimajökull Glacier hike

We actually booked a glacier hike on Sólheimajökull as part of a full-day tour of the south coast from Reykjavik. However, you can also book this as a tour starting from Vik or even a tour where they meet you at the glacier.

This is much more convenient if you’re on a road trip around south Iceland or simply don’t want to be picked up from Reykjavik.

👉 If you want to know more about the full-day tour from Reykjavik, you can read about our experience here.

Arriving at the glacier

So, once we arrived at the glacier, we hopped out of the van and had our briefing by the guide. He explained exactly what was going to happen and several safety instructions that we needed to follow.

We were also given our gear, including crampons, helmets, and ice picks, but we were told not to put these on just yet as first, we had to walk to the glacier tongue.

The walk took around 15 minutes to reach the viewpoint from the car park and a further 5 minutes to reach the actual glacier tongue. We had to walk along the river, and it was quite scenic, especially with the occasional iceberg floating around.

The view of Solheimajokull Glacier tongue

When we actually reached the glacier tongue, we put on our crampons and hard hats. Our guide also told us that the ice picks were more for show than for actual use.

We then followed our guide onto the glacier.

❤️ This is one of the best glacier hike experiences in Iceland!

The glacier hike

We were on the ice for around an hour and a half, which was plenty of time. Especially since we visited in December, and daylight in Iceland in the winter months is virtually non-existent after 3:30pm.

The path we took was fairly easy to navigate and our guide led us through some interesting parts of the glacier all while giving us facts along the way.

At one point he stopped to invite us to taste the glacier water which we could drink straight from the glacier itself. He also showed us how to do ‘glacier push-ups’, which basically involved using your ice pick to steady yourself over the glacier pool and taking a sip of water with each push-up you do!

He also showed us several holes in the glacier which would be fatal if anyone were to fall down them (and the reason you’re only supposed to hike glaciers with a guide) and took us through a tunnel of ice where the sides were taller than all of us!

The final thing we did on the glacier was pose for a photo with our ice picks. Our guide took a picture of all of us individually before we started back down the glacier.

❤️ This is one of the best glacier hike experiences in Iceland!

Heading back down the glacier

For me, going back down was the hardest part of the hike. Even on regular hikes, I am much less sure-footed on the way back down, especially if the ground is wet as I’m always afraid that I’m going to slip and fall.

But once again, our guide was magnificent. He showed me how to correctly walk down the ice and dig my heels into the surface of the glacier to gain traction and wedge the crampons into the ice.

I was still a little nervous, but it was much easier afterwards.

When we reached the bottom, we removed our helmets and crampons, said goodbye to Sólheimajökull, and began the walk back to the mini-van.

How long is the glacier hike?

All in all, the glacier hike took around 3 hours, from the moment we arrived at the car park to the moment we got back in the van and pulled away.

This included around an hour and a half on the ice, 20 20-minute walk to and from the glacier and safety briefing, gearing up, and toilet breaks.

The best Sólheimajökull Glacier hike tour

So, there are two ways to visit Sólheimajökull Glacier – on a full-day trip from Reykjavik, or on a half-day trip from Vik, or sometimes they’ll meet you at the glacier itself.

If you are doing the full-day tour from Reykjavik, I highly recommend this tour. This was the one we did and I honestly could not fault them one bit. The guide was fantastic, super helpful, and so knowledgeable about the area and the glacier.

If you are driving around Iceland, don’t want to start in Reykjavik, or are staying along the south coast, I recommend this tour. It’s more affordable and will give you more freedom before and after the experience.

❤️ This is one of the best glacier hike experiences in Iceland!

How expensive is the glacier hike tour?

This was the most expensive thing we did during our entire trip to Iceland. Actually, it’s the most expensive thing we’ve ever done in Iceland as the wonderful thing about this country is that most of the attractions are free. However, it was so worth it.

We paid around £120 per person for the full-day tour from Reykjavik. This included transport, our guide, all of our equipment, and the other stops along the way. It didn’t include food though, and we had to bring our own packed lunch.

When is the best time to hike the Sólheimajökull Glacier?

You can hike Sólheimajökull all year round. We did a hike in mid-December and, aside from the daylight fading quicker than at other times of the year, it was perfect.

Of course, the one thing you will have to bear in mind is Icelandic weather. The conditions in the winter months are much more unpredictable than in the summer and you’re more likely to experience rain or snowfall which could affect your experience.

So, if you’re after a higher chance of a sunny, dry, hike, then opt for summer months. However, prices can increase during this time due to higher demand.

If you aren’t too bothered about the weather and want more affordable prices, then opt for shoulder seasons or winter.

👉Check out our full guide to the best time to visit Iceland for all our tips.

What do you need to wear to hike a glacier in Iceland?

There aren’t any specific things you need to wear to hike a glacier in Iceland besides the warm, weatherproof clothing you need to wear in Iceland in general.

I recommend sensible, water-resistant outdoor trousers (like ACAI which are my favourite), a thermal and a mid-layer to combat the cold, and a waterproof and windproof outer layer.