Sólheimajökull

About Sólheimajökull

Sólheimajökull is an outlet glacier of the Mýrdalsjökull ice cap on Iceland's South Coast, between Skógar and Vík, about 4 km up Road 221 from the Ring Road. It's a little over two hours' drive east of Reykjavík, and because its tongue reaches down almost to the main road, it's where many first-time visitors take their first steps on a glacier.

You can see the ice without a guide. From the parking lot, a flat gravel path follows the meltwater lagoon at the snout to a viewpoint in about 15 minutes, and the black bands of volcanic ash in the ice are easy to pick out from there. Guided groups walk 30 to 40 minutes from the lot to reach the ice itself, a gap that keeps growing as Sólheimajökull glacier retreats.

Going onto the ice is a different matter. Crevasses, sinkholes and meltwater channels make it dangerous without training, so never walk onto the glacier alone, and stay out of the lagoon. A Sólheimajökull glacier hike with a certified guide includes crampons, a helmet and an ice axe, and the easier routes need no previous experience.

Longer tours add an introduction to ice climbing. Guided hikes run all year, so the season mostly changes what you wear: summer's long days give you flexible start times, while winter tours fit into a few hours of daylight on ice that is well below freezing.

Bring warm waterproof layers and sturdy boots in any month. Allow about an hour for the viewpoint walk and around three hours for a standard guided hike, including fitting the gear.

Parking at the lot is paid by app or online, so check the sign for the current rate when you arrive. Skógafoss is about 15 minutes' drive to the west, and the Sólheimasandur plane wreck parking lot is a few kilometers along the Ring Road, which makes it easy to string all three into one day.