Arctic Adventures · Vík, behind Icewear
A super jeep ride from Vík across the black Mýrdalssandur to Kötlujökull, a short glacier walk in crampons, and then an ice cave where blue ice runs between layers of black ash. Pick it if you want an ice cave: a normal Sólheimajökull hike does not go into one.
This is a different glacier. Kötlujökull is an outlet of the Mýrdalsjökull ice cap on the Katla volcano, the same ice cap that feeds Sólheimajökull, but it ends on the sands north-east of Vík. You meet in Vík at the bus parking lot behind the Icewear Magasin building, facing the sea; Arctic Adventures asks you to be there 15 minutes early and to look for its sign. The super jeep leaves the paved road and crosses the black floodplain of Mýrdalssandur, about 30 minutes each way. At the ice you put on crampons and a helmet, walk a short, beginner-friendly stretch of glacier, and step into the cave. About 3 hours in all.
The cave changes from week to week, sometimes day to day, so it may not match the photos; the guide takes you to the best accessible cave that day. If conditions turn unsafe, the cave can close at short notice, and Arctic Adventures says it offers alternatives or tells you in advance. It runs all year. Groups are 14 at most, and the minimum age is 6. Bring warm waterproof clothes, hiking boots with ankle support, a hat and gloves: there is no gear rental on site. Food and drinks are not included.
A Reykjavík option adds the drive and stops at Skógafoss and Seljalandsfoss, which makes it an 11 to 12-hour day. Self-drivers have a better plan: Sólheimajökull is about 30 km west of Vík, roughly half an hour, so a hike in the morning and the cave in the afternoon fits in one day. Katla itself last erupted in 1918 and is one of Iceland's most closely watched volcanoes; the Icelandic Met Office monitors it around the clock. Guests posted five-star reviews of this tour all through October 2026. The tour cancels free up to 24 hours before.
The bus parking lot behind the Icewear Magasin building, facing the sea. Look for the Arctic Adventures sign.
Off the tarmac and across the floodplain towards Mýrdalsjökull, with the guide on Katla and the landscape.
Gear on at the glacier edge, then an easy walk on the ice.
Blue ice and black ash. Time for photos while your guide keeps an eye on the group.
The same drive back. About 3 hours from start to finish.
★★★★★[...] hands down it was the highlight of our trip so far. The super jeep ride over the glacier and the cave itself were amazing. The contrast between the ash and the ice was visually impressive and because we took the 3PM tour we even got to see the sunset over the ice and it was stunning.
★★★★★Really great trip: awesome ground transportation and a fantastic glacier hike, plus a beautiful cave with lots of blue ice.
★★★★★A fantastic experience for the whole family. Spectacular scenery, and the tour guide was super friendly, personable, and provided useful information. The Jeep was great fun.
★★★★★It was simply a great tour in every respect. Our guide was very friendly and told us a lot about Katla and the surrounding area. Although the weather wasn't the best, the tour was a unique experience.
Read next:
No. The Katla ice cave is in Kötlujökull, another outlet of the Mýrdalsjökull ice cap, reached by super jeep from Vík. Sólheimajökull hikes do not include an ice cave.
Yes, Arctic Adventures runs it all year. The cave changes with the weather and can close at short notice, in which case the operator offers alternatives or lets you know in advance.
Six. The glacier walk to the cave is beginner-friendly, with crampons and a helmet provided.
About 3 hours from Vík, with roughly 30 minutes by super jeep each way. The Reykjavík option takes 11 to 12 hours with two waterfall stops.
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A super jeep from Vík to the black-and-blue Katla ice cave in Kötlujökull, all year per the listing.
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