Ice Caves ToursIceland
A bright blue opening in the roof of a dark ice chamber

Questions & answers

Iceland Ice Cave Tour FAQs

The practical questions that come up after you have decided to go — booking, pickup, what is included, what happens when the weather turns. Questions about choosing a cave and a season are answered on the homepage and in the seasons guide.

Read the answers

Hours, prices and access verified by the Ice Caves Tours team — last checked 22 July 2026.

24 hrsFree cancellation window
EnglishEvery tour listed
8–65Group size range

Booking & payment

How far in advance should I book an ice cave tour?
A few days is usually enough outside peak periods. Over Christmas and through February the small-group tours capped at twelve to fourteen fill first. Since every tour here has free cancellation up to 24 hours before, booking early costs nothing.
Can I change the date after booking?
Usually yes, by cancelling free up to 24 hours before and rebooking, or by contacting the operator directly. Changes inside 24 hours are at the operator's discretion.
What does reserve now, pay later mean?
Several operators let you hold a place without paying at the time of booking, with payment taken closer to the date. It is a way to secure a popular departure while plans are still flexible.
What currency are the prices in?
Prices on this site are shown in US dollars, as listed by the booking platform. You may be charged in Icelandic kronur or your home currency depending on the platform and your card.
Are there discounts for children?
Often. Several tours offer reduced child rates, and the Langjokull ice tunnel is free for children under 12 and half price for teenagers. Age limits still apply per tour.
Do I need to print anything?
No. Tours issue a mobile ticket, and guides check names at the meeting point. Download it before you travel, since signal at meeting points can be poor.
Is a deposit required?
Not generally. Tours are either paid in full at booking or held under a reserve-now-pay-later arrangement, depending on the operator.

Pickup & getting there

Does the tour pick up from my hotel?
Only if it is on the operator's list. Traffic restrictions keep coaches out of much of central Reykjavik, and private apartment rentals are usually excluded. If yours is not listed, walk to the nearest designated stop.
What time does pickup actually start?
Often 30 minutes or more before the stated departure, while the vehicle works its way around the city. Treat the start of the pickup window as your alarm setting, not the departure time.
What happens if I miss the pickup?
You are generally treated as a no-show, and the tour departs. Operators ask you to be at the pickup point early for exactly this reason.
How early should I arrive at a meeting point?
Twenty to thirty minutes before departure. Gear has to be issued and fitted before the group can leave, and late arrivals are not waited for.
Is there parking at the meeting points?
Yes at all of them, and it is free at most. Parking at the Jokulsarlon lagoon is charged, listed at ISK 1,040 per booking on one tour that excludes it.
Can I join a tour from a cruise ship?
Some operators accommodate cruise passengers, but the timing is tight given the distances involved. Check directly with the operator before booking, and allow a wide margin for the return.
Can I leave luggage somewhere on my last day?
Not at the meeting points, which are car parks and activity centres rather than staffed left-luggage facilities. Arrange storage in Reykjavik or at your accommodation.

On the tour

What language are the tours in?
English on every tour listed here. Some operators offer other languages on request or on private departures, but English is the default.
How big are the groups?
It varies widely, from eight on the smallest glacier hikes to twenty-eight on the best-value cave tour and up to sixty-five on a coach day tour. Group size is shown on each tour card.
Is food included?
Rarely. A few tours include snacks, water or lunch and say so explicitly. Assume you need to bring your own, particularly on the long day tours from Reykjavik.
Is there wifi on board?
On some of the longer coach and minibus tours from Reykjavik. Not on super jeeps, and not on the glacier.
How long is the drive on a day tour?
Most of the day. A twelve-hour South Coast tour involves roughly five hours of driving, and a Jokulsarlon day return closer to ten.
What if I am slower than the group?
Tell the guide. Groups move at the pace of the slowest person by design, and guides would far rather adjust than have someone struggle quietly.
Can I bring a backpack?
A small daypack is fine and useful for a spare layer, water and a camera. Large luggage stays in the vehicle or at your accommodation.
Will I get cold standing in the cave?
Possibly, because you stand still for stretches. Inside temperatures sit around freezing, so the layers matter more for standing than for walking.

Access & suitability

Can I take a pushchair or pram?
No. The ground is uneven ice, gravel and moraine, and the vehicles are not set up for them. Several operators list prams as not allowed.
Do I need to bring a car seat for a child?
Ask the operator when booking. Practice varies, and requirements differ between super jeeps and coaches.
Can I wear glasses or contact lenses?
Both are fine. Glasses can fog when moving between cold and warm air, so an anti-fog cloth is worth carrying.
How fit do I need to be?
For most cave tours, reasonably mobile is enough — the walk is short and rated beginner-friendly. Extended glacier treks ask for a moderate fitness level and 4 to 6 km on uneven ice.
Are the tours suitable if I am claustrophobic?
The Langjokull tunnel is spacious and lit and is the better choice. Some natural caves involve low passages and real darkness, and one operator flags a fear of the dark explicitly.
Can I fly a drone at an ice cave?
Assume not without permission. Vatnajokull National Park and many operators restrict drone use, and flying over a working group is not acceptable.
Is there an upper age limit?
No. Reviewers in their seventies describe completing the quad and cave tours comfortably. Mobility on uneven ice matters far more than age.

Weather, season & changes

How do I check whether my tour will run?
Operators contact you if a tour is affected. For your own planning, road.is covers closures, vedur.is covers weather warnings and safetravel.is covers travel conditions.
What happens if the cave floods?
Guides switch to another cave, an ice crevasse or a glacier walk. Where nothing is safe, the tour is rescheduled or refunded.
Do tours run in rain?
Yes. Operators run in rain, wind and cold as a matter of course, which is why waterproofs are on every packing list. Tours stop only when conditions become unsafe.
Can I get a refund if I simply change my mind?
Yes, up to 24 hours before departure on every tour listed here. Inside 24 hours, cancellations are generally non-refundable.
What if my flight is delayed and I miss the tour?
That is treated as a no-show rather than an operator cancellation, so travel insurance is the route to recovering the cost.
Is winter or summer better value?
The tours cost much the same year-round. Flights and accommodation are cheaper outside the summer and festive peaks, which is where the difference shows up.

Combining with the rest of a trip

Can I combine an ice cave with the Golden Circle?
They run in different directions from Reykjavik, so doing both properly takes two days. The Langjokull tours from Gullfoss and Geysir are the exception, since those bases sit on the Golden Circle route.
Can I do an ice cave and the northern lights on the same day?
Yes, and they fit together well. Cave tours run in daylight and the aurora appears at night, so they do not compete for time between September and April.
Is Diamond Beach worth adding?
It is directly across the road from the Jokulsarlon meeting point and free, so there is no reason not to. Allow half an hour either side of your tour.
Should I add a glacier hike as well as a cave?
Several tours combine both, which is usually better value than booking separately. A separate booking makes sense if you want a longer walk than the combination tours offer.
Can I see an ice cave and Landmannalaugar on the same trip?
Not easily. Landmannalaugar is in the highlands on F-roads, accessible in summer only, which is precisely when the natural caves are closed.