1 day

Audioguide

Full Day

Instant confirmation

About this activity

Your day trip starts with a drive out of Reykjavik, enjoying a crisp morning view of Langjökull, the second-largest glacier in Iceland. This tour does not have scheduled lunch time so please bring lunch with you.

When you arrive at the glacier, you'll find yourself swiftly standing on top of the ice cap before descending beneath the surface aboard a specially modified glacier vehicle to reach the man-made ice cave, aka ice tunnel; during this experience, learn from your guide how global climate change has impacted the surrounding area.

Deep in the glacier, you can admire the stunning blue ice and learn about the glacier's constant movement, which you'll witness firsthand. Until very recently, what lies below Langjökull was a mystery, but bold ideas sometimes come to life, and the creation of this man-made ice cave was possible because of help from top engineers and renowned geophysicists. Inside the glacier, where temperatures are usually about 32˚ Fahrenheit (0˚ C), you can see from the layers of ice how the glacier was formed.

After this, return to the warmth of the vehicle, and head straight to Iceland's mightiest lava cave, Víðgelmir. Just shy of 5,250 feet (1,600 meters), Víðgelmir is one of the largest largest lava caves in the world. Your guide will show and explain to you the features of the cave, including its colors, lava and ice formations, and stalactites and stalagmites.

The lave field was formed during a volcanic eruption in the 10th century, originating under Langjökull. During the eruption, some of Iceland's waterfalls were created, such as Barnafossar and Hraunfossar. Mention of the lava cave dates back to 1398, and remains of human presence dating back to the Viking age were discovered in 1993. Thanks to a new signature walkway and feature lighting, the lava cave tour is family friendly.

Afterward, your day trip ends with the scenic drive back to Reykjavik.

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Included

All necessary safety equipment for 1-hour tour of ice cave
Caving equipment
Local guide
On-board audio guide with choice of 10 languages (English, French, German, Dutch, Italian, Spanish, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Finnish)
Transport by glacier vehicle
On board free WiFi
USB charger available in every seat
Entry/Admission - Langjokull Glacier

Not included

Lunch (please bring packed lunch with you or order one from local supplier on-board)
Headphones / earbuds for the on-board audio guide (please bring your own; or, they are available for purchase on site)
Hotel pickup is not included with your purchase. SmartBus™ hotel pickup is available at extra cost.

Additional

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Not wheelchair accessible
This tour does not have scheduled lunch time so please bring lunch with you or order packed lunch with your guide
Operates in most weather conditions, please dress appropriately
This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund

Features

Tourism

105%

Cultural

60%

Reviews

5.0

11

C

Candy W

5 | 2019-07-03

We had a great experience touring both Ice Cave and Lava Cave at the same day. We love the experience that we were being transferred to the Ice Cave by a giant bus!

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Diane T

5 | 2018-04-16

Absolutely amazing, if you are in Iceland, you need to plan this trip.

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Linda Smith

4 | 2017-10-28

Our guide sang a beautiful song in the ice cave chapel area. Acoustics were amazing. They will offer you water proof boots, take them!

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gracejie

5 | 2017-07-12

You have to see both the glacier ice cave and lave cave if you go to Iceland. We joined the tour with Reykjavik Sightseeing. The coach is comfortable with free wifi and USB chargers. First we were bused to the glacier ice cave site. The warm clothing and boots were provided. Wear waterproof clothes and protect your camera from dripping water in the ice cave. The tour guide on the site was informative and enthusiastic. There is a nice lunch buffet on the site and you had 45 minutes to enjoy lunch. Then we were bused to the lava cave. I suggest you should wear a winter jacket as it was 0C in the lava cave. The tour guides were also informative and enthusiastic. Then we were back on the coach and had several extra stops. Our tour guide was knowledgeable and had a great sense of humor. He helped to make our trip unforgettable.

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Steve E

5 | 2017-04-26

This was an excellent day trip. Both caves are definitely worth seeing and guides for both had a lot of interesting information. Our guide at the Lava Cave was especially good Emilia. I highly recommend both caves.

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