Falljökull Easy Glacier Hike: What Three Hours Buy
This is the tour most people book at Skaftafell, and the one that gets the most mixed reviews for a simple reason: three hours is the tour, not the time on the ice. Here is the honest breakdown of the walk, the gear and the group, and how it sits against the other levels on this glacier.
About the Tour
Gear, shuttle, walk in, about 90 minutes on the glacier, then back
The cheapest way onto Falljökull, and $57 under the advanced hike
The largest group of the three tours from this base
The only Falljökull tour that takes children under 12
Issued and fitted at the meeting point before you leave
Up to 24 hours before departure, refunded in full
Check Dates on the Easy Hike
Live availability for the $105 departure from the Skaftafell base. Morning slots go first in July and August; the late afternoon group is usually the quietest.
Why Book This One
Who It Suits
Book the easy hike if you are travelling with a child between 8 and 12, if the glacier is one stop in a long driving day, or if you would rather test crampons for ninety minutes than commit to three hours of them.
It puts you on real ice with real crevasses. The route stays on the gentler lower section, so you will not reach the upper icefall or the view back over the national park, but you will walk between blue walls and look into a moulin with a certified glacier guide beside you.
The Trade-Off Nobody Hides
Of the three hours, about 90 minutes are spent on the glacier. The rest goes on fitting gear, a ten-minute shuttle and a walk of 15 to 20 minutes across the moraine each way.
Reviewers say this in their own words, and the operator's own review summary repeats it: some travellers wanted more time on the ice and less time approaching it. That is worth knowing before you book, not after. If the ratio bothers you, the advanced hike doubles the glacier time for $57 more.
What You Will See on the Ice
The Features on This Route
Falljökull falls steeply enough from Öræfajökull to break into an icefall, and even the lower section carries the shapes that come with that.
- Crevasses, narrow enough near the bottom to step over with the guide standing by
- Moulins, the round shafts melted vertically by draining meltwater
- Blue ice inside the splits, where the air has been pressed out over centuries
- Dark ash bands from Öræfajökull eruptions, buried and carried downhill
- Glacier mice, loose balls of moss that sit and roll on the surface
- The moss line high on the valley wall, marking where the ice reached a few years ago
What Is Included and What Is Not
Read the Second Column
The gear you need to walk on ice comes with the ticket. What surprises people is the footwear: crampons will not clamp to soft trainers, so stiff-soled boots are effectively required and rent at the base if you did not bring any.
| Included | Not included |
|---|---|
| Certified glacier guide | Hotel pickup or transfer |
| Crampons, helmet, harness, ice axe | Food and drinks during the tour |
| Free parking at the meeting point | Hiking boots, rentable on site |
| Coffee and Icelandic chocolate at the end | Waterproof jacket and trousers, rentable on site |
| Safety briefing and crampon lesson | National park parking, 1,040 ISK if you use the visitor centre |
How the Three Hours Run
-
20 min before
Tröll Expeditions base, Hof
Check in on Route 1 at Hof, 1 km west of Hofgarður. Parking here is free. The guide fits crampons, helmet, harness and an ice axe.
-
0:00
Shuttle toward the glacier
Ten minutes on the Tröll bus from the base to the glacier car park.
-
0:15
Walk to the ice
Fifteen minutes across the moraine, past meltwater channels and the ridges the glacier left behind.
-
0:35
Crampons on, safety briefing
How to plant your feet, how to hold the axe, how far to stay from an open crevasse. Ten minutes and most people stop thinking about it.
-
0:45
About 90 minutes on Falljökull
The guide picks a line through the lower crevasse field, stopping at a moulin and wherever the blue ice reads best that week.
-
2:20
Back down and out
Walk off the ice, fifteen minutes across the moraine, then the bus back to the base.
-
3:00
Coffee and chocolate
Handed out at the end. It appears in the reviews far more often than a hot drink usually does.
Important Things to Know
Before You Book
Minimum age is 8, and the operator holds that line. Groups run to 14, which is fine on the lower ice and slower than the smaller tours when everyone stops for photographs.
Free cancellation runs to 24 hours before departure. If the guides cancel for wind or rain, the refund is full and automatic, so booking early costs nothing.
On the Day
Arrive 20 minutes early rather than on the hour. Wear waterproofs over warm layers, skip cotton, and bring gloves and a hat even in July, because standing still on ice in a headwind is colder than the forecast suggests.
Bring water and something to eat. Nothing beyond coffee and chocolate at the end is included, and there is no shop on the glacier side of the walk.
Where You Meet
Who This Tour Is For
A Quick Check
The walking is easy by glacier standards. The question is whether ninety minutes of ice is what you drove out here for.
- Families with children aged 8 to 12, who cannot book the other two tours
- Anyone driving Reykjavík to Jökulsárlón in one day with a fixed schedule
- Walkers unsure about crampons who want a short first go
- Travellers on a budget: $105 against $162 for the advanced hike
- Not for you if you want the upper icefall, the long views or three hours on the ice
Questions About the Easy Hike
How much time do you actually spend on the glacier?
About 90 minutes of the three-hour tour. Gear fitting, a ten-minute shuttle and a 15 to 20 minute walk each way take the rest. The advanced hike gives roughly three hours on the ice for $162.
Can children do this hike?
Yes, from age 8, and this is the only tour on Falljökull that takes them. The advanced hike and the ice climb both start at 12. Reviews from this tour regularly mention families with teenagers walking it together.
Do I need hiking boots?
Stiff-soled boots that cover the ankle, yes. Crampons lever off soft trainers. Boots rent at the meeting point along with waterproof jackets and trousers if you did not pack them.
Is it difficult?
No, by glacier standards. The route stays on the gentler lower ice, the guide sets the pace for the slowest walker, and crampon technique takes about ten minutes to learn. Anyone comfortable on a two-hour country walk manages it.
Will we see an ice cave?
Not reliably. Small caves and tunnels open on Falljökull in winter and melt out by spring, and no hiking ticket promises one. Compare what each level includes on the three tours from this base.
What Recent Groups Said
Great guide, interesting information about glaciers in general and this one in particular, a good briefing on how to use the equipment, nice hike on the glacier. Parents and teenager, we all liked it a lot.
As described, an easy group hike. A good experience if you are shorter on time and still want to experience the glacier up close.
My mum is 60 and had some difficulties to begin with before finding her groove. Maria took the time to guide her, support her and pace the group.
Had a wonderful time with my dad. Our guide was awesome and did a good job of keeping us safe.