Guided glacier climbs · Hvannadalshnúkur, 2,110 m

Guided Iceland glacier climbs, compared

Iceland's highest summit is a single 12–15 hour day of about 2,000 m up and down on Öræfajökull, guided from Skaftafell or Sandfell in spring and early summer. Icelandic Mountain Guides sells it for about $478 a head; Local Guide and Glacier Adventure price it in krónur (49,900–59,900 ISK). The same companies guide Hrútsfjallstindar, Hnappur and Þverártindsegg nearby, and two companies run 9-day ski crossings of the Vatnajökull ice cap.

7companies compared, 16 programs

ISK 41,600cheapest published price, per person

1–9 daystrip length

Apr–Julthe guided summit season at Icelandic Mountain Guides; Glacier Adventure goes only April–May

Programs Before you book Without a guide Companies Get an email when bookings open

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Icelandic Mountain GuidesIceland's Highest Summit Tour (SKF25)Skaftafell base → Hvannadalshnúkur, about 2,000 m up and down · Apr–Jul price · 1 day

from $478

Experience needed18+. Very demanding mentally and physically; no technical skills required.About 15 hours (12–15 h window). Crampons, harness, ice axe, rope and group glacier gear supplied. Skaftafell parking fee not included. Other pages on the same site show $462–$482.

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Icelandic Mountain GuidesHrútsfjallstindar Peaks – Vatnajökull Day Hike (SKF27)Skaftafell base → Hrútsfjallstindar · Apr–Jul price · 1 day

from $474

Experience needed18+. Rated strenuous.About 14–16 hours. 2–6 clients per guide. Skaftafell parking fee not included. Other pages show $462–$482, and a category page shows 'from 48,900' ISK.

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Icelandic Mountain Guides5-Day Three Peaks Summit HikeMt Hengill, Eyjafjallajökull, Hvannadalshnúkur · 5 days

Not published, ask

Experience needed16+. Rated strenuous.3-star hotels, 6–12 participants, 6–14 hours of walking a day with 2,000 m+ of ascent. Ice axes, harness, rope and crampons supplied. The page shows no price or dates; it asks you to contact Icelandic Mountain Guides for availability.

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Icelandic Mountain GuidesVatnajökull Glacier Expedition (EXPI51)Cross-country ski crossing of the ice cap, 110–130 km · 9 days

from $5,884

Experience needed18+. Cross-country skiing for 9 days on the glacier.4–12 skiers, second guide for 7–12. 4 nights in two-person tents, 3 in mountain huts, 1 in a guesthouse; most meals, transport and pulks included. 7–9 hours a day, maximum 750 m of ascent in a day. Other pages have shown $5,623–$5,907.

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Local Guide of VatnajökullHvannadalshnúkur summit tourSandfell (Öræfi) → Hvannadalshnúkur, about 24 km · Apr–Jun price · 1 day

ISK 49,900 per person

Experience neededRated hard.Published as 49,900 ISK per person, minimum 2 people (English page); the Icelandic page says 39,900 ISK and April–July. 11–15 hours. Crampons, ice axe and harness included; clothing, backpack and packed lunch not. One page marks it 'currently not available'.

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Local Guide of VatnajökullHvannadalshnúkur – private groupSandfell → Hvannadalshnúkur · Apr–Jul price · 1 day

ISK 200,000 per group of up to 6

Experience neededRated hard.Published as 200,000 ISK for a private group of up to 6 (Icelandic page); larger groups get a custom quote.

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Local Guide of VatnajökullHrútsfjallstindarFreysnes → Hrútsfjallstindar (1,875 m), about 26 km · Apr–Aug price · 1 day

ISK 41,600 per person

Experience needed16+. Rated hard. Minimum group 6.Published as 41,600 ISK per person on open departures, or 200,000 ISK private for up to 6 (Icelandic page); the English page gives 249,500 ISK private. Usually 14–16 hours (page header says 8–10 h).

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Local Guide of VatnajökullHnappurÖræfajökull's Hnappur summit · 1 day

ISK 44,900 per person (min. 6)

Experience neededNot stated. Ask the operator.Published as 44,900 ISK per person, minimum 6 people (English page, which also shows 47,900 ISK marked unavailable); the Icelandic page says 49,900 ISK on open departures, max 6 clients per guide. Meeting point listed as Fosshotel Glacier Lagoon. Pages carry 2023 availability.

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Local Guide of VatnajökullÞverártindseggHnappavellir → Þverártindsegg · 1 day

ISK 54,900 per person (old listing, ask)

Experience neededNot stated. Ask the operator.Published as 54,900 ISK per person, minimum 2 people; the Icelandic page also shows 59,900 ISK. Page carries 2023 availability.

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Glacier AdventureHvannadalshnúkur – Iceland's highest peakÖræfajökull from near sea level · 1 Apr–31 May price · 1 day

from ISK 59,900

Experience needed16+. Hiking experience required; no technical skills.Published as from 59,900 ISK (older page: 45,900 ISK). 12–16 hours, briefing the day before, maximum 6. Available on request. Booking index gives May–1 August instead.

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Glacier AdventureHvannadalshnúkur – guided ski touring versionÖræfajökull on touring skis · 1 day

Not published, ask

Experience neededSki-touring ability and own or rented touring kit.The same tour can be done as guided ski touring; bring your own ski gear or rent it in Reykjavík. No separate price published.

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Arctic Adventures / Glacier GuidesAlpine Program (Glacier Guides)Hvannadalshnúkur or another peak of your choice · 1 day

Not published, ask

Experience neededRated hard (5 of 5).Glacier Guides' most demanding tier: a guided climb of Hvannadalshnúkur or a peak you choose. Private tours are quoted on request.

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Arctic Adventures / Glacier GuidesHvannadalshnúkur Summit & South Coast trekReykjavík → South Coast → Hvannadalshnúkur · 4 days

Not published, ask

Experience neededDemanding: you should be able to walk at least 20 km a day over uneven ground and snow.4-day trip from Reykjavík combining the summit with South Coast sights. No price we could confirm (see conflicts).

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Much Better AdventuresThe 3 Peaks Challenge in IcelandVörðuskeggi (805 m), Eyjafjallajökull (1,651 m), Hvannadalshnúkur (2,110 m) · May–Jun 2027 price · 6 days

£2,727

Experience neededRopes and crampons on the summits.Sunday–Friday, 5 nights in 3-star hotels, breakfasts, transfers from Reykjavík and climbing equipment; max group 12. 2027 departures 9, 16, 23 and 30 May. Hvannadalshnúkur day: 12–14 h, 22 km, 2,040 m up and down. Private room £445.

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Asgard BeyondVolcano Ski Mountaineering (3 days)Hvannadalshnúkur on skis, 2,100 m of gain over a 12 km ascent · 3 days

Not published, ask

Experience neededModerate fitness listed; ski-touring ability needed.4:1 guest-to-guide ratio. Includes guide, private transport, harness, ice axe, crampons and two nights' accommodation. No price found on the page.

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PolarExplorersVatnajökull Ski TraverseJökulheimar → Grímsvötn (Grímsfjall hut) → Hermannaskarð

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Not published, ask

Experience neededNot stated. Ask the operator.Ski and sled crossing from the western edge of the ice cap. Price 'contact us'; 2022 price was $5,900 per person. Includes group equipment, guides, permits, communication and safety gear, glacier transfers and most meals.

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Copied from each company’s own pages on Oct 22, 2026. Every “See dates” button opens the page we used. Where a page says which season a price is for, we show it. Prices are in each company’s own currency; sorting by price uses rough exchange rates. Prices change; the operator’s page wins if it disagrees with this one.

Free · no guide

Climb Hvannadalshnúkur yourself

Everything above is for hiring a guide. If you have the skills, this is what you need to do it on your own, free. Facts come from the summit’s own page on PeakSeeker, with sources.

Normal route: Sandfellsleið (Sandfell Route)
Grade: Glacier mountaineering, moderate technical difficulty
How long: 10–13 hours round trip (6–7 hours ascent, 4–5 hours descent)
Best season: Late spring through summer (route open most of the year with a guide; the alternate Hryggjaleið route closes by mid-July)
Permits: No formal climbing permit; located within Vatnajökull National Park and virtually always attempted with a certified glacier guide.
Start from: Sandfell / Skaftafell trailhead (Sandfellsleið Route)
Climb from there: 6,600 ft (2,012 m) of ascent
Getting there: The Sandfellsleið trailhead starts near Skaftafell; Keflavík International Airport near Reykjavík is the main gateway, roughly a 4-5 hour drive away. Nearest airport: Keflavík International Airport, Reykjavík (KEF).
Hazards: Crevasses, sudden weather changes, whiteouts, glacier travel risk.
Gear: Full glacier travel kit required (crampons, ice axe, harness, rope, helmet); guided operators typically supply technical gear, climbers bring layered clothing and boots.

Full route, map and live conditions →What to bring Avalanche & glacier courses

Sources: vatnajokulsthjodgardur.is ↗glacierguides.is ↗

Read this before you pay a deposit

Hvannadalshnúkur is a one-day climb, not an expedition: 12–16 hours and about 2,000 m up and down from near sea level. The cheapest seats are Skaftafell day tours: $478 at Icelandic Mountain Guides, 49,900 ISK at Local Guide, 59,900 ISK at Glacier Adventure.

The season is short and set by the glacier. Glacier Adventure stops at the end of May and Local Guide's English page at June; Icelandic Mountain Guides runs to July. Book a spare day or two: the guides cancel for weather.

Krónur prices sit outside this page's sort; convert them yourself. Local Guide's 200,000 ISK private group of up to 6 is the cheapest way up per head if you bring five friends.

Hrútsfjallstindar is the quieter alternative at almost the same price ($474 at Icelandic Mountain Guides, 41,600 ISK at Local Guide) and almost the same 14–16 hour day.

The UK-sold Much Better Adventures 3 Peaks week (£2,727) is the only Three Peaks trip with a published price. Icelandic Mountain Guides' own 5-day version now asks you to contact it for dates. Much Better Adventures runs it in May, the more reliable month for the summit.

A ski crossing of the ice cap is a different trip: 9 days of sled-hauling, from $5,884 at Icelandic Mountain Guides. PolarExplorers no longer publishes a price.

Vatnajökull National Park was founded on 7 June 2008 and was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List on 5 July 2019 under natural criterion (viii). vatnajokulsthjodgardur.is ↗
The Vatnajökull ice cap was about 7,500 km² in 2023 and is still Europe's largest ice cap by volume. vatnajokulsthjodgardur.is ↗
One of the main routes to Hvannadalshnjúkur starts at Sandfell. The park calls the climb long and somewhat difficult, mostly on the glacier, and says the safest way up is with experienced mountain guides. vatnajokulsthjodgardur.is ↗
Driving on Hvannadalshnjúkur, Öræfajökull and Kverkfjöll is banned under the park regulation, so the summit is reached on foot or skis. vatnajokulsthjodgardur.is ↗
Commercial glacier walks and ice-cave tours in the park run under contracts with the park. The agreement on professional activities (Article 3) sets guide qualifications, guest-to-guide ratios and equipment. The park says the tour company and guide are ultimately responsible for client safety. vatnajokulsthjodgardur.is ↗
Glacier Guides rates Hvannadalshnúkur 'Hard' (5 of 5): over 24 km with about 2,000 m of ascent and descent in one day, with some technical difficulty. glacierguides.is ↗

The companies

Icelandic Mountain Guides

Based: Reykjavík, with a base at Skaftafell
Programs: 4
Deposit: Multi-day tours: 15% of the tour price is non-refundable on cancellation. (Sea to Summit ski tour page: 20% non-refundable deposit.)
Refunds: Day tours: full refund if cancelled more than 24 hours before departure, full charge after that. Multi-day tours: 50% charged 30–59 days out, 75% at 16–29 days, 100% under 16 days. The summit tour may be cancelled without refund if you miss the mandatory briefing. Terms page dated 1 October 2022.
Age: 18+ for Hvannadalshnúkur, Hrútsfjallstindar and the Vatnajökull expedition; 16+ for the 5-day Three Peaks.
Private: Private and tailor-made day tours: 50% confirmation fee at booking; free cancellation 8 or more days out.
Contact: info@mountainguides.is

Visit Icelandic Mountain Guides ↗

Policy from: mountainguides.is, mountainguides.is, mountainguides.is, mountainguides.is