Climb

ICE CLIMBING AND GLACIER HIKING

A combination of a personal challenge & stunning surroundings. Highly recommended close up encounter with one of Iceland’s monumental diminishing outlet glaciers

from: 119.990 kr. per group

Inquery
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    Trip dates Up on request



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    SeasonAll year
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    Duration5 Hours
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    DifficultySuitable for everyone

Tour Overview

Sólheimajökull glacier provides the perfect location for an unforgettable ice climbing experience. The ever changing environment offers spectacular scenery that seems like it’s straight out of a fantasy. Whether you’re an experienced climber or a newbie seeking an adventure, this private tour is tailored for all skill levels. You will get the chance to enjoy ice climbing on your own terms and as your guide will help you pick an appropriate objective. From easy first attempts to harder steep walls. The tour focuses on climbing, but on the approach, we will hike through a crevasse riddled ice field where we can admire some funky glacier features. For many, the Icelandic glaciers are a must see during their Iceland stay, as they are a monumental part of the landscape.

We meet at Sólheimajökull glacier parking lot at 10:00. From there we have about 15 minutes of hiking until we reach the glacier. Once on the glacier we focus on climbing as much as possible on different terrain: moulins and crevasses.

Throughout the day we move through different climbing locations on the glacier, and as your skills improve we increment the difficulty and exposure on the climbs.
We aim to be back at the parking lot around 15:00.

This tour is guided on a maximum 1:4 ratio

Practical information

Below are details about the tour. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Fitness level: Basic, comfortable to move 200m in elevation per hour over 2-4 hours.
Experience level: Beginner, no experience but eager to learn new skill sets.

This tour is suitable for beginners and advanced climbers. It is easy to adjust the difficulty level of the ice climbing from low angle walls to bottomless moulins and overhanging walls.

Private tour
Prices per group are:
1 person – 119.990 kr.
2 persons – 129.990 kr.
3 persons – 139.990 kr.
4 persons – 149.990 kr.

We will meet at the parking lot next to Sólheimajökull at 10:00, see map below.
The drive takes just over 2 hours from Reykjavík without any stops.
You can find us in the left hand corner of the parking lot.

  • Waterproof jacket and pants
  • Hiking boots (mountaineering boots can be provided by Asgard upon request)
  • Warm layer, jacket or sweater for winter temperatures
  • Hat
  • Gloves
  • Sunglasses
  • Sunscreen
  • Lunch / snacks and water
  • Small backpack for personal equipment
  • What’s included

    • Crampons
    • Ice axes
    • Helmet
    • Harness
    • Ice climbing boots (if needed)

    What’s not included

    • Transport (contact us if you do not have your own vehicle)
    • Lunch
    • Travel and accident insurance

    Do you have any questions?

    Below are details about the course. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

    • What happens to my booking if the weather or conditions are bad?

      In case it is not possible to operate the tour due to weather or conditions we try the following things:

      Move the tour to a different date if that works for you, change to a different activity if you agree on that. If none of the above is possible and we have to cancel the tour due to weather or poor conditions, we will refund you the tour.

    • In how much advance should I book my tour with you?

      The short answer is: the longer the better. We have limited resources of guides and sometimes we are fully booked.
      For less technical tours like Glacier hiking, Glacier hiking and ice climbing, and alpine trekking tours we can usually accommodate you with a short notice. For more technical tours like Waterfall ice climbing, Rock climbing and alpine tours longer advance is better to secure a spot.
      Short notice can be 24 hours before departure and longer notice is at least two weeks before.

    • What is the best season for the activities you offer?

      The best season depends on what activity you choose. The appropriate season is stated at the top of each tour. To break it down:

      Glacier hikes and glacier ice climbing
      Available the whole year. This activity is not dependant on weather or conditions. The only time we have to cancel or post pone these activities is when the weather is really bad.

      Rock climbing and alpine rock climbing
      Rock climbing is a summer activity available May-October. This activity is highly weather dependant and not possible when the rock is wet or when it is raining. If you are interested in rock climbing outside of the season, it is possible if we have really good weather days. Please contact us for further information.

      Ski touring
      The best ski touring in the south-west part of Iceland is usually around spring time. The ski touring season is usually between Feb-May, however it is possible to ski outside the season if conditions are good or we ski the glaciers like on the tour “Ski touring Snæfellsjökull”. If you are interested to ski outside of the season please contact us for further information.

      Waterfall ice climbing and alpine winter climbing
      The main season is from late November to late March. Iceland has a maritime climate and temperatures fluctuate through out the season making this activity highly subject to weather and conditions. In case we have poor conditions for ice climbing we can always substitute the waterfall ice climbing with ice climbing on the glacier.

      Alpine trekking
      Snæfellsjökull can be climbed almost the whole year, appart from the darkest month of the year, December.
      Other bigger mountains like Eyjafjallajökull and Hvannadalshnúkur, the highest summit of Iceland, have the best conditions from early spring to late summer.

    • Do I need any prior experience to participate in your tours?

      Since all of our tours are private we are able to adjust the difficulty and and experience level needed for each tour. However, for some of your tours it is advisable that you have have some background in the activity:

      Glacier hiking and glacier ice climbing
      There is no prior experience needed for those tours

      Waterfall ice climbing
      It is possible to try waterfall ice climbing if you do not have any prior ice climbing experience. We would choose an easy climbing route with easy access. If you have never done ice climbing before it is worth looking into our Ice climbing and glacier hiking tour on Sólheimajökull.

      Ski touring
      For our ski touring tours you have to be a competent off-piste skier and able to ski down in various conditions.

      Rock and alpine climbing
      No prior experience is needed for single pitch rock climbing. For multi pitch climbing it is advisable that your climbing level is at 5.7-5.8 and you have to know how to belay a lead climber.

    • Can I request a tour that is not on your website?

      Yes, without a doubt. Private guiding is what Asgard is all about and if you can dream your adventure, we can make it happen. If you do not find your perfect adventure on our website, do not hesitate to get in touch at [email protected]!

      Examples of private tours we have done in the past:

      • Expedition planning and support
      • Cross country ski touring
      • Expedition and polar training
      • Private hiking, day tours and multi-day tours
      • Location management and safety on film projects
      • Private tours for photographers
      • Alpine trekking on glaciated summits
      • Multiday tours in Greenland
    • Do you offer pickup service?

      In general we only meet our guests on location, or car pool from a central location in Reykjvaík. However, if you do not have your own car and can not meet us on location please get in touch.

    Inquery

    Our
    partners

    Arc’teryX

    Asgard guides wear Arcteryx gear because it is durable and keeps them warm and dry in challenging conditions.

    Fjallakofinn

    Fjallakofinn is an outdoor store in Reykjavík offering high quality outdoors products & a rental service.