A new tour from the Icelandic tour operator Arctic Adventures offers a way for visitors to get up close and personal with Vatnajökull, Europe’s largest glacier.
The southeast corner of Iceland is a beautiful place. black volcanic sand gives way to the gleaming expanse of Vatnajökull, the largest glacier in Europe. Visitors from around the world strap on their crampons every year to explore the icy wilderness firsthand, and the well-trodden paths can sometimes feel more crowded than remote—but that may soon change.
Iceland’s largest travel operator Arctic Adventures unveiled a new route through Vatnajökull’s frozen interior—a path known only to its local guides. The tour “Crevasse Labyrinth: A Glacier Maze in Skaftafell” takes small groups through a maze that includes narrow crevasses with towering icewalls and glowing blue ice passages. This untouched world has been shaped for centuries by the shifting ice.
The four-hour excursion ventures deep into parts of Vatnajökull that most visitors only get to see from afar. This newly scouted trail allows travelers to step into the frozen architecture of Vatnajokull, walking along a serpentine route carved out by time, and through crevasses rising like icy canyons. The Crevasse Labyrinth is open year-round and even during Iceland’s deepest winter. It runs twice daily, from Skaftafell. This nature reserve, located on the south of the glacier, serves as the gateway to the rest of Iceland. Vatnajökull National Park.
The small-group tour is led by a guide who speaks English and includes all the attractions. necessary glacier gear You’ll also need (helmets and crampons). This tour has a 12-to-1 ratio between guests and guides to create a personal, immersive experience. Arctic Adventures limits the number of departures each day to two, at 9:20 and 1:40, to prevent groups from overlapping. The hike is rated as beginner-friendly and easy, despite the sometimes dangerous terrain. It is open to all travelers, regardless of age.
You can also find out more about the following: a May 2025 press release Shared with Travel + LeisureArctic Adventures described this new route as a “safe and accessible way to enter a frozen world which feels almost otherworldly.” It also said that while Vatnajökull’s trails are well known, this icy labyrinth is a “hidden gem.”
Skaftafell is just over four hours by car from Reykjavík, and the tour departs from Arctic Adventures’ local base there. The tickets are normally priced at $137, but travelers who book by June 30 will receive a 15 percent discount with the code Icebreaker 15 You can book a room on Arctic Adventure’s website.
