Non UK Iceland - Icecave

Alisonfd

Alisonfd

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I want to do at least 1 of the ice caves while in Iceland. I need one which is "easy" rating on the walking :p

Was wondering what you guys would recommend?
 
Well nearer Reykjavik there is the langjokull glacier with man made tunnels. I've not really read up on this one but I assume it's the Diet Coke version. It's a fixed location which they drive you too.

The full fat ones are under the vatnajokull glacier further east. We are booked to go in one with glacier adventure in February and can't wait. Something our research brought up though is due to variable conditions in the caves and the weather
They don't know which cave they will take you in or how far away they will have to park the 4x4. For that reason all the operators give a variable tour length with walks across a glacier that can vary drastically in distance. I don't know how often the walking is increased in reality though but it is a caveat to all tours it seems.
 
Craig_85 said:
The full fat ones are under the vatnajokull glacier further east
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I "think" that one is on private land so the only way to it is on one of the tours. Whatever, it is a long way from the road with transport in some serious off road vehicles - not the sort seen in Tesco car parks. Then there is quite a long walk over the glacier. Tours are not cheap but it will be hard, if not impossible, to go on your own.
 
I have been in the ice caves in Iceland several times.
Under no circumstances should you be tempted to do this by yourself unless you have a death wish
The walk to the caves varies depending on how frozen-up the caves are - the colder the weather the better as the ice becomes more stable when it's very cold. All the glaciers in Iceland have active volcanoes under them which cause earth tremors - if a volcano is very active then the ice caves will become closed.
There are a few 'cowboys' acting as guides -always used a qualified Icelandic guide as recommended by an adventure centre. The guide will provide you with a helmet, crampons and if needed waders so you can walk into a cave via an outflow stream. You should wear waterproof and warm jacket and trousers plus suitable tough walking boots. A tripod is pretty much essential as it can be dark inside and exposures may be of a few seconds or more.
Last but least I have never found the walk to an ice cave to beyond the fitness level of an average young person.
I hope that helps.
 
As has been said, a guided tour is a must. The cave we were due to visit collapsed the day before we arrived !!!!
 
mrgubby said:
As has been said, a guided tour is a must. The cave we were due to visit collapsed the day before we arrived !!!!
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Really? I never knew that.
The guides were fully tooled up for ice climbing (axes, crampons, ropes etc) and were working on the caves all the time we were there. Removing loose chunks of ice - big chunks of ice.
 
mickledore said:
Really? I never knew that.
The guides were fully tooled up for ice climbing (axes, crampons, ropes etc) and were working on the caves all the time we were there. Removing loose chunks of ice - big chunks of ice.
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It was the previous year, we had booked in for a tour where you abseil into the cave but it wasn't to be.
 
Do you know how the abseil bit works? I've done quite a bit of abseiling off mountainsides, but from what I see most of the abseiling "for chariddee" down church steeples that gets publicity in the local rag is little more than controlled lowering on a safety rope. That's fine if you are just going down. How would you get back up and out? Climbing a static rope takes some learning so how would 30 Japanese tourists manage with prussik loops and Petzl ironmongery? (Not to mention all the selfies they'd want!) Sounds like a logistical nightmare.
 
To be honest, I can't remember :). I have a vague recollection about "abseil in, walk out" . @Big Andy may remember better ???
 
I was planning on doing a tour - I wasn't ever planning on doing it myself. I just need the ones that the your guides recommend as being easy on their walking rating.

Thanks for the recommendations guys. Maybe I'll have to just skip em - Icelands website shows a few as easy but that seems to be a harder rating than other sites used for different countries meh =/
 
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Alison, the cave we did at Jokulsarlon was fairly easy. We got picked up at the Café by a monster off road minibus thing and driven to the cave entrance. Getting in was a bit icy but our guide (He was called Thor, honest) was very helpful & attentive

Think this was the bunch
 
mrgubby said:
Alison, the cave we did at Jokulsarlon was fairly easy. We got picked up at the Café by a monster off road minibus thing and driven to the cave entrance. Getting in was a bit icy but our guide (He was called Thor, honest) was very helpful & attentive

Think this was the bunch
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It says on there that the price is $175. That's a massive price hike from what we paid.
 
mickledore said:
It says on there that the price is $175. That's a massive price hike from what we paid.
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It's getting to the point when a trip to Alaska may be cheaper !

* Although they speak better English in Iceland ...
 
There's another thread by Richie Tee who went with us but in Nod's car. Talk is about going again next year but the prices are getting astronomic. I went for 10 days for just over £1000. Now it looks like it will close to twice that.
That's just not realistic.

What are prices like for Alaska?
 
mrgubby said:
Not done a lot of research yet on a self built expedition but "Photography Tours" seem to be $1K cheaper in Alaska (4k vs 5k)
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Interesting.
Air fares might not help.
Some of the US based tours to Iceland start and finish in central Reykjavik. Flights to and from US and airport transfers are not included!!!
 
Prices are going insane.

Soloing there never used to be that expensive but now everywhere I wanted to go, but ignored looks so cheap in comparison.

Maybe I should just go Faroe Islands instead before they become the next Iceland?
 
We went to Iceland a couple of months ago, having previously visited in 2007. There is such a huge number of people visiting now that it seems hotels and attractions can charge what they want and there will still be strong demand. We were questioning whether we wanted to go again in the future.
 
I was looking at the Lofoten islands but that seems like a right palava getting there. Would still love to do it and hopefully will when time is a bit more available.

As for the ice caves. It was something I can say I have done but having done it I wouldn't bother again. I personally felt that was a bit of an anti climax
 
mickledore said:
The Faroes? Now that sounds interesting.
I'll do some Googling tomorrow.
Might be worth a week or so.
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They really do look nice. Have to fly via Copenhagen though which is a pain in the butt! But I figured I haven't been to Denmark before so I was thinking do a few days in Denmark either end.
 
Maybe I'll give the ice caves a miss and save my £156... I'd probably enjoy going to the Westman Isles more but there are no boats going there in March, so have to pay the cost of a plane.. The joy! :/

But at the moment I'm trying to find things along the south to do [avoiding going highlands due to cost of 4x4]. I'm kinda getting a bit stuck on what to do on my drive back. Was thinking I might do some wildlife stuff, but not much luck except for puffins at that arch thingie near Vi, and some bird place near Selfross [the town].

hmph! :p
 
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Oh you may be able to from London?

edit; London wants to go via Copenhagen. Maybe splitting flights work.
 
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Okay so you can go via Aberdeen but only in certain months and days. You can't in Feb but you can in June.

Well that makes it a lot easier then.
 
A very quick Google brings up flights from Edinburgh and Aberdeen. Plus Stansted but is that anywhere near London?
Details need checking closely.
 
  • mickledore said:
    A very quick Google brings up flights from Edinburgh and Aberdeen. Plus Stansted but is that anywhere near London?
    Details need checking closely.
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By the looks of it it still wants to go via Copenhagen for Edinburgh and Aberdeen ):
Haven't checked Stanstead.
 
Would you guys recommend a 4x4 to do the ring road in March? I know it will still be icy, but if I'm careful & slow would I be alright? At the moment I have just the south areas and I don't plan on doing the highland roads. But I don't really want to get stuck if I can't cross a river - am I likely to face them on the ring road? :p
 
To be fair the price hike prob has more to do with our crap £ and their strengthening krona and economy (which is doing pretty bloody well at the moment), rather than them just upping the prices massively. I really noticed the jump in prices between 2013 and 2016, the costs are almost on a level with 2007 pre Icesave/banking crisis.

@Alisonfd i'm too wussy to drive in March, my car got upgraded to a 4x4 on last visit but it wasnt needed, it was just nice :) (esp when i'd been driving a knackered old feista for 14 years!). If you are sticking to the ring road (itself) there are no rivers to cross, but ice/snow may be an issue. Hard to tell as normally you'd think December would be snowy/icy too but there hasnt been a great deal of it according to what i've seen. I'd love to do Ice caves but price has kept me away so far, i'm inclined to be skeptical of whats an 'easy' walk - the track i walked to Svartifoss on said it was 'an easy 1.7km walk' which i thought would be a piece of p*** stroll, but it was mostly up hill and with steps up to things so with my little legs i found it a lot more challenging than 'easy' - but then having said that, when i did 'inside the volcano' - the walk to the site i thought was pretty easy, and reviews i read people were saying they thought it was challenging! on the 'things to do' topic, my friends went a few weeks after me in September and went to a restaurant that only served tomato soup! they said it was very nice and busy too! Its near selfoss http://fridheimar.is/en/restaurant - I've also never visited Hveragerði but have been meaning to for years of visits, they have some geothermal areas and also some tomatoey type things going on! Don't know what you'd planned in the Reykanes area, but this was quite cool http://www.visitreykjavik.is/krysuvik-geothermal-area
 
Logan Air are starting direct flights from Aberdeen to Faroes in May. Flights on Friday and Sunday only. Can't find anymore details yet.
Doesn't look like that will fit in with my plans. Shucks.
 
Alisonfd said:
Would you guys recommend a 4x4 to do the ring road in March? I know it will still be icy, but if I'm careful & slow would I be alright? At the moment I have just the south areas and I don't plan on doing the highland roads. But I don't really want to get stuck if I can't cross a river - am I likely to face them on the ring road? :p
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I went on an organised tour at the end of March a couple of years ago - three of the four days we had mainly blue skies, and I would have been happy to drive myself.

But on the other day it started a bit overcast, then about 45 minutes into the journey it started to snow. 10 minutes later visibility was heavily reduced, and soon the only way to see where the road might be was the yellow posts they have to make the edges - as you passed one, the next was just visible, as our (experienced) Icelandic driver navigated his way along.

I was extremely glad that he was driving - and while he was keeping us on the road, the guide was on the phone to work out where was likely to be clear for us to visit (and where to avoid).

On the ring road there's probably sufficient traffic that if conditions did get bad, you'd be OK to just go slowly (and perhaps convoy with any other vehicles you met), but you certainly want to make sure you have food and water just in case you did get stuck.
 
Alisonfd said:
Would you guys recommend a 4x4 to do the ring road in March? I know it will still be icy, but if I'm careful & slow would I be alright? At the moment I have just the south areas and I don't plan on doing the highland roads. But I don't really want to get stuck if I can't cross a river - am I likely to face them on the ring road? :p
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Most of the highland roads are closed in March. The ring road is open and is safe too use whatever the month. There are no rivers to cross other than by bridge - the road itself is a super, well surfaced road in much better condition than most A roads in the UK. I would advice a four wheel drive equipped with winter tyres ( at that time of year I would go for normal winter tyres & not the more expensive stud version). I used a Skoda Octavia and the car and it was ideal for the conditions. Your only real driving problem is when you come off the main road to park or to go up a track for the hotel, waterfall etc. Driving in Iceland is no more scary in March than in Scotland.
Hope that helps
James
 
Thanks both.

I think my main concerns the weather. But I will just be careful and not drive like an idiot.

I've found Scotland wasn't too bad to drive in March so I should be okay. My main hatred of driving on crap roads is when they're full of really horrible deep pot holes, I still manage okay I just hate those roads as it hurts my back like hell and I worry about the car. Although my main driving car for the last 2 years is a Fiat Punto so its not exactly idea for pot holes, but It survived in Scotland on roads which looked like they were more designed for tractors/4x4s but had awesome wild camping really private spots on them :D
 
We had studded tyres, big, heavy 4x4s (Landcruisers) and 2 of the vehicles in our mini convoy still got blown off the ring road between Keflavik and Vik. The worse the weather, the lighter the traffic - you can drive for miles and not see another car. The roads between the ring road and most of the attractions along it tend to be short and reasonable, although some pothole dodging is advisable. I think I've said before in this thread that we went in earlyish (10th - 19th) March last year. Plenty of reindeer and horses around near the ring road and we spotted an Arctic fox in early dark colour.
 
Nod said:
We had studded tyres, big, heavy 4x4s (Landcruisers) and 2 of the vehicles in our mini convoy still got blown off the ring road between Keflavik and Vik. The worse the weather, the lighter the traffic - you can drive for miles and not see another car. The roads between the ring road and most of the attractions along it tend to be short and reasonable, although some pothole dodging is advisable. I think I've said before in this thread that we went in earlyish (10th - 19th) March last year. Plenty of reindeer and horses around near the ring road and we spotted an Arctic fox in early dark colour.
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Eeeh the idea is being blown off road is kinda horrible XD

I think I'll do some searching for cheaper prices for 4x4 hire.. Maybe I'll do some tours =x
 
i found Geysir and Blue car rental to be the cheapest, including all possible insurances.
 
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