7 National Park Tours in Southeast Iceland That Are Worth the Daylight

1.Skaftafell National Park: Falljokull Glacier Easy Hike

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 1,370 reviews · from $132Our pick

Walk across Falljökull, an outlet glacier of Vatnajökull, with an English-speaking guide from Troll Expeditions. You get safety gear, a bus ride to the ice, and about 60 to 90 minutes on the glacier, with crevasses, moulins, ice tunnels, and mountain views. Guides such as Lily, Mark, Paula, and Rick have been praised for clear instruction and friendly help.

“Excellent activity ! Alicia was an amazing guide and even made the activity a bit longer to initiate us to basics of alpinism ! 100% would come back again.”

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2.Skaftafell National Park: Falljokull Glacier Advanced Hike

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 1,083 reviews · 5 hours · from $167

Spend about three hours on Falljokull with a certified English-speaking guide, climbing through crevasses, moulins, ice tunnels, and steep blue ice. The five-hour route reaches higher and quieter sections than shorter tours. Guides such as Anna, Paula, Filip, and Marc have been praised for clear instruction and careful pacing.

“The tour was absolutely amazing! We were lucky with the weather and Lily and Filip were fantastic guides - 10/10 recommend”

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3.Ice Cave Tour in the National Park of Vatnajökull

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 410 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $157

Travel from Jökulsárlón by modified super-jeep to a changing natural ice cave in Vatnajökull National Park. Guides such as Axel, Fannar, David, and Robert explain glacier science, help with photos, and choose the safest cave each day. Expect a bumpy ride, cold weather, rocky walking, and possible crowds.

“Your group size is reasonable- but heads up it’s a very popular activity so there were A LOT of people at the cave!!!”

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4.Half-Day Vatnajökull National Park Glacier Hike

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 83 reviews · from $147Top rated

Spend four hours exploring Falljökull, an outlet glacier of Vatnajökull, with an English-speaking guide and a group capped at eight. A 4x4 ride cuts 20 minutes of walking, then you learn to use crampons before a three-hour hike through icefalls and crevices. Guides such as Maria, Aosta, and Florence have earned praise for clear, friendly instruction.

“Amazing. Highly recommend. Do this 3 hour hike, not the 2 hour one! But you need to be fit. We went high up onto the glacier. Excellent guide and only six in our group.”

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5.Skaftafell National Park: Falljokull Ice Climb and Hike

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 78 reviews · 4 hours · from $259

Spend four hours at Falljökull, an outlet glacier of Vatnajökull, with a certified guide and no more than five companions. Learn glacier travel, hike among crevasses and moulins, then climb an ice wall or rappel into a crevasse. Boots, crampons, helmet, harness, ropes, ice axe, coffee, and chocolate are included.

“Very rigorous hike and climbing experience. Nothing quite like scaling a glacier wall with ice picks and crampons. Also felt safe the entire time.”

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6.Skaftafell Nature Reserve: Highlights Scenic Airplane Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 6 reviews · 15 min · from $174

You’ll check in at Skaftafell Terminal, meet your English-speaking pilot, and take a 15-minute flight over Skeiðarársandur, glacial riverbeds, Vatnajökull’s outlet glaciers, Skaftafell’s green hills, and Hvannadalshnjúkur. With no more than five people, the flight offers broad views without a large group.

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7.South Coast Including Vatnajökull National Park and Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 4 reviews · from $2,386

Travel the South Coast toward Vatnajökull National Park in a private vehicle with a local guide. You’ll visit Fjallsárjökull, Skaftafell, and Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon, with round-trip transport from the meeting point. Guides such as Ingvar and Skulli have earned praise for their warm, engaging approach, though the full day involves long stretches on the road.

“We booked a private ice cave tour with this fabulous company. Planning emails were returned very promptly with warm messages. We were lucky to have Skulli as our guide for the day which ended up stretching into the evening. Skulli providRead more”

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