Trip dates 9.May 2026
SeasonMars-Maí
Duration12 hours
DifficultyExperienced hikers, good cardio

Tour overview

Sveinstindur is Iceland’s second highest mountain, located in the eastern part in the caldera of Öræfajökull and rises 2044m above sea level.
This is a demanding tour that requires good fitness where we have to work for hard for the view from the summit. To make the day more enjoyable we drive up the mountain road from Hnappavellir to aprox. 700m elevation. From there we hike to the summit through glaciated terrain where we are in rope teams for most of the day.
Once we reach the summit we take the same route back to the cars.

The evening before we will host a short preparation meeting where the participants meet the guides and can ask questions about the tour.

The tour will take about 12 hours car to car.
Guest to guide ration will be 6:1.

Detailed information

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

Requirements

Fitness level: Strong, comfortable to move 300-400m in elevation per hour over 8-12 hours.
Experience level: Advanced beginner, some prior experience but lacking confidence in the discipline.

Prices

Group tour (4-6 participants)
45.000 kr. per person

For a private tour please contact us.

Logistics

The guide will meet the group on location the evening before the tour. Further information will be sent to participants few days before the departure.
Participants are responsible for their own travel and accommodation arrangements.

For the summit day we intend to drive up Hnappavallaleið to 700m elevation and start the hike from there. The road is only passable for 4×4 vehicles like un-modified Land Cruiser or similar.

Participants are responsable for their own transport and have the appropriate cars to drive up the mountain road where the tour starts.

Equipment

Technical equipment

Backpack, 30-40L with straps for skis
Ice axe (lightweight)
Crampons
Harness
120cm sling
2x locking carabiners

Clothing

Goretex jacket
Goretex pants
Soft shell jacket (optional)
Soft shell pants (optional)
Thin gloves
Thicker gloves
Hat
Buff or other face protection
Thermal layer, thin long sleeve shirt and pants(wool or synthetic)
Sunhat

Intermediate layer

Puffy jacket, lightweight (fiber or down)

This and that

Sunglasses (cat 3-4)
Sunscreen SPF 50
Lip balm with uv-protection
Waterbottle, minimum 1L
Thermos 0,5L (optional)
Blistering kit or sports tape
Lunch and snacks for the day

What's included

Guides expenses
Icelandic IFMGA certified mountain guide

Whats'snotincluded

Travel to Skaftafell
Accommodation
Insurance

Do you have any questions?

Below are answers to some of the questions we get regarding the tour. If you do not find the answer 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.

Testimonials

Ferð mín með Asgard Beyond um Silvrettu leiðina var bara akkúrat það sem vantaði í líf mitt! Þetta var mín fyrsta ferð með leiðsögumanni, en ég hef áður farið á svipaðar slóðir sjálf. Það er alger game changer að leyfa fagmanni að taka ákvarðanir um leiðarval útfrá aðstæðum. Maður fær miklu meira úr ferðinni og þorir lengra út úr þægindarammanum. Ætla pottþétt í aðra ferð sem fyrst!
Sara Axelsdóttir Ski touring guest

Fór í ferð með Asgard um Silvretta Traverse og gæti vart verið ánægðari með ferðina, líklega eitt besta frí sem ég hef farið í. Róbert, okkar frábæri leiðsögumaður, var í senn afskaplega fagmannlegur og skemmtilegur. Hann hélt vel um hópinn og tryggði sér gott traust frá fyrstu stundu. Mæli hiklaust með þessari ferð og fyrirtækinu í fjallabrasið.
Þórdís Bjarnadóttir Ski touring guest