All Articles 3 unforgettable ice caves in Iceland and where to find them

3 unforgettable ice caves in Iceland and where to find them

By Jaclynn Seah21 Jul 2022 4 minutes read
iceland ice caves
Image: Chris Henry / Unsplash

Often called the land of fire and ice, Iceland is home to black sand beaches, volcanoes, and glaciers. When these two elements come together, they create incredible ice caves that are a must-see for any adventurous visitor to Iceland. Here’s a closer look at how these natural wonders came about and how to visit the best ice caves in Iceland.

What are ice caves, anyway?

iceland ice caves
Image: Jonatan Pie / Unsplash

In Iceland, ice caves are technically glacier caves. The ice in glacier caves is usually an intense blue, thanks to the dense nature of glacial ice that absorbs all the other colors on the spectrum. But it can also be shades of green, white, brown, or black—or any mix of these colors, depending on the depth of the ice and surrounding environment.

Despite looking like sturdy land masses, glaciers are constantly on the move because of the massive weight that shifts the earth around them. Changing temperatures, volcanic activity, and flowing rivers around the glacier cause the ice to perpetually melt and reform, reshaping the glacier and carving out the glacier caves that travelers can visit.

These ever-changing conditions mean that each visit to an Iceland ice cave will be unique. The same ice caves may not always be there for you to explore depending on the weather conditions for the year; old favorites in past seasons may become inaccessible while new ice caves are discovered.

Vatnajökull ice caves

vatnajokull glacier
Image: Fernando Alves / Tripadvisor

Vatnajökull National Park is located on the southeast coast of Iceland, about five hours’ drive from Reykjavik and is home to the largest glacier in Iceland—the Vatnajökull glacier—which covers 8 percent of the island nation's landmass. With many outlet glaciers, Vatnajökull ice cave tours usually start from Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon, Skaftafellsjökull, or Fláajökull glacier.

Many ice caves can be found every year during winter in the Vatnajökull glacier–the Crystal Ice Cave is the most well-known and consistent ice cave in Iceland, forming in roughly the same location over the last decade. Carved by a glacial river, it got its name from its vivid blue ice interior that resembles a crystal dome.

Vatnajökull Glacier
Image: PM_Calif / Tripadvisor

In past seasons, other Vatnajökull ice caves named for their distinctive features could be found here–Waterfall, Blue Diamond and Northern Lights are some examples. They have since closed, but new and unique ice caves may open in upcoming seasons.

You can take a short half-day small group ice cave tour to see the Vatnajökull ice caves–you’ll want to stay at least one night at hotels like the Fosshotel Glacier Lagoon in Oraefi or Milk Factory in Hofn for convenience as it's a bit too far from Reykjavik for a day trip. Or take a longer two-day tour to see some of Iceland’s other sights along the way. Adventurous folks can consider an ice climbing tour.

Katla ice caves

katla ice caves
Image: Management / Tripadvisor

Katla is one of Iceland’s most active volcanoes and is located on the south coast, about a 45-minutes drive from the village of Vík. The Katla ice cave can be found in the Kötlujökull glacier and is one of the few ice caves in Iceland that can be visited throughout the year, even during the summer.

While the ice in the Katla ice cave is not as blue as the Vatnajökull ice caves, its blue and black ice due to the ash from the volcano is still otherworldly and ethereal—great for photo ops and breathtaking videos. (Star Wars fans might recognize the Katla landscape from its feature in the movie Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.) Nearby, Sólheimajökull on the Mýrdalsjökull glacier is popular for a glacier hike.

katla ice caves
Image: Victoria Bragg / Unsplash

You could do a Katla ice cave tour as a day tour from Reykjavik as it’s just a two-hour drive away. But given the many scenic sights along Iceland’s south coast like the black sand beach of Reynisfjara, abandoned plane wreck at Sólheimasandur, and majestic waterfalls Skógafoss and Seljalandsfoss, we highly recommend staying overnight at the Grand Guesthouse Gardakot in Dyrholaey or taking a full-day tour that covers all these highlights.

Langjökull ice cave and ice tunnels

Langjokull Glacier
Image: Javier O / Tripadvisor

Langjökull Glacier—which translates to the "long glacier"—is the second largest glacier in Iceland and sits about three hours away from Reykjavik. It has both natural ice caves, as well as man-made tunnels that are around 3,000 feet above sea level and can be visited all year round.

The natural, blue-black Langjökull ice cave is found on the east side of the glacier and in quite a remote area–it typically involves taking a ride on a specially modified Super Jeep to the base camp, followed by a thrilling snowmobile ride over the glacier to get to the entrance of the ice cave.

into the glacier iceland
Image: Fabio Liggeri / Tripadvisor

The Langjökull man-made tunnels, called "Into the Glacier," are located on the west side of Langjökull glacier, high up on the glacial ice cap. They were dug in 2010 to study the insides of the glacier; it took 14 months to remove over 7,000 tonnes of aquamarine-colored ice, and today, you can explore five chambers.

Langjökull Glacier is located just off Iceland’s famous Golden Circle near Húsafell and contributes to the flows of the iconic Gullfoss waterfall and the hot springs at Geysir. Take a day tour from Reykjavik or a tour that lets you warm up in hot springs after your icy adventure.

Best time to visit Iceland’s ice caves

The best time to visit Iceland’s ice caves is from November to March during the cold winter months when the ice is more frozen and stable for visitors, though there are a couple of ice caves that are accessible throughout the year. Iceland’s ice cave tours are popular and are best booked in advance, but be prepared to reschedule due to unforeseen weather conditions.

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Jaclynn Seah
Jaclynn Seah is an occasional traveller who works a full-time job and uses any opportunity she gets to explore new places near or far. When she runs out of annual leave, she writes about travel to scratch that wanderlust itch all while plotting her next trip. Things she loves anywhere around the world: hunting for street art, a great sunset and a nice cold mug of beer.