Mýrdalsjökull Glacier
Mýrdalsjökull Glacier
4.5
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Leona R
Czech Republic20 contributions
Mar 2023
Snowmobiling on Mýrdarsjökull glacier was amazing. We also tried scooters and made photos of the peaks. I recommend you 100% to try this.
After, on the way back to our hotel, we visited city Vík with the Icewear® Icelandic Clothing Shop (woolen accessories).
After, on the way back to our hotel, we visited city Vík with the Icewear® Icelandic Clothing Shop (woolen accessories).
Written 21 March 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
jjluke
Calgary, Canada2,047 contributions
May 2024 • Couples
Great glacier for a visit, a short hike to get there and plenty of sights to keep your attention. Many tour groups go by here too. Quick tips: The walk is about 15 minutes there to the viewing point. Fairly traversed pathway, paved parking and nothing complicated that requires hiking poles or anything. There was a food truck at the base when we visited. If you found this helpful, please kindly consider a thanks :)
Written 22 July 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
AllanSeeToh
Singapore, Singapore394 contributions
Jun 2014 • Couples
This is a glacier that you could walk right onto it without having to join a guided glacier tour. The only setback is that without the crampons/axes (that guided tours would provide) you couldn't really go too far up the glacier as it's too slippery. Having said, the initial portion (edge) of the glacier is flat enough to venture a fair bit with just normal shoes, and offers great views of the glacier. Excellent for those whom had never explored glaciers before. If coming from the west (on ring road), soon after passing skogafoss, look out for road#221 on the left. Then travel onto #221 (gravel road) for a few minutes before reaching the first carpark that has the office of a glacier tour company. If required, you could continue driving straight pass the office and come to a 2nd car park at end of #221. This 2nd car park is slightly nearer to the glacier (could save u 5-10min of walk compared from the first carpark).
Written 14 July 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
cmr352
Vancouver, WA96 contributions
Feb 2015 • Couples
My husband and I had a rental car for our recent trip to Iceland. We spent one day exploring the south shore on our own. I have to say that I was a little confused about how to find the road to this glacier and we missed the turn the first time we went by. After leaving Reykjavik you drive quite a ways, passing through several towns, before coming to your first waterfall that is seen from the road. Then you pass the second waterfall (Skogarfoss). Not long after that, there is a single lane bridge and the turnoff (221) is immediately to the left. We missed it because we were focused on the one lane bridge and other traffic. It is an easy drive to the parking lot and an easy walk to the glacier. We were there at the end of Feb. so it was chilly and the trail was slick. There was no coffee shop or anything like that in the area. We had packed crampons (cheap from Walmart) just for this purpose. They worked perfectly!! We were able to walk easily onto the glacier and got amazing pictures with the beautiful blue colored ice. A tour group had arrived ahead of us so we had to kind of hold back and wait for them to pass through but I didn't mind because it made me feel better knowing that we were probably in a fairly safe place! After the glacier we headed towards Vik to the black sand beach (there are actually two great turnoffs for this, just look for the looped square "area of interest" symbols to know where to turn off roads the in Iceland) and then headed back to the city. It was such a great day and I enjoyed doing it on our own rather than with a tour!
Written 5 March 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sanjaya Wijeyekoon
Bournemouth, UK588 contributions
Jul 2012 • Couples
We arrived in Keflavik and hired a car (Budget pre-booked online in the UK) and drove down to Vik over a few hours. We had a tour booked for the next day with Icelandic Mountain Guides but as we approached Vic we noted a sign on the road turning away from the coast indicating the turn off to the Myrdalsjokull Glacier 'car park'. Our tour was supposed to begin from the 'car park' and hence we thought we would see how it was to travel. The road was narrow and very rough, about 4 KM long and really designed for 4 wheel drive vehicles. Nevertheless we went along in second gear mostly and slowly allowing faster cars to pass by. At the end there was a small car park of sorts and a small cafe. A short walk allowed you get directly onto the glacier tongue which was incredible. Much of the structure was stained black presumably from the volcanic eruption of 2010. We walked about 3 Km over somewhat rough ground - boots and walking pole would be handy. We did not go on the ice on this occasion but many people seemed to be happily walking on it without crampons.
Written 3 July 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Fernando Rees
Dubai, United Arab Emirates895 contributions
Aug 2016 • Couples
Fantastic place, a world of lava and ice! We visited it on summer, and could witness the melting ice and icebergs flowing towards the sea. Very impressive! Inspiring but sad. Make sure to dress some windproof clothes, as even on a warm sunny day the wind was surprisingly strong and cold.
Written 15 August 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
traveling_smiles
Longmont, CO476 contributions
Mar 2015 • Family
We didn't hike on the glacier but we did visit an ice cave accessed from one tongue of the glacier and the intensity of the blue ice above and all around us was phenomenal. The smoothness of the ice and the waves formed in it combined with the quiet of being within the cave made for a highlight of our trip.
Written 13 March 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
TRC3
Reading, UK184 contributions
Aug 2014 • Friends
There's no need to take a snowmobile or pay for a glacier walk to experience this impressive natural feature, unless you especially want to. There are two tracks to the glacier - the one nearest to Vik leads to the activity centre where you can pay for the experience, the one nearer to Skogar leads to walking trail you can take alone. The track is a couple of km of bumpy unmade road but we managed it in a Group A hire car without incident. The ridges are more comfortable if you drive fairly fast, but try to avoid the potholes!
At the end of the road is a café with toilets (there's a fee for non-customers), a car park and an information panel about the glacier and surrounding areas. The path to the glacier is beside the information panel and quite easy to walk in trainers. We had not originally planned to visit the glacier but it turned out to be a highlight of our trip to Iceland. Early in the morning there were no other visitors and it was perfectly serene and beautiful. Personally I'd rather experience its natural beauty than rip across it in a snowmobile, but each to his own!
Look out for the natural ice arch, which is particularly beautiful.
At the end of the road is a café with toilets (there's a fee for non-customers), a car park and an information panel about the glacier and surrounding areas. The path to the glacier is beside the information panel and quite easy to walk in trainers. We had not originally planned to visit the glacier but it turned out to be a highlight of our trip to Iceland. Early in the morning there were no other visitors and it was perfectly serene and beautiful. Personally I'd rather experience its natural beauty than rip across it in a snowmobile, but each to his own!
Look out for the natural ice arch, which is particularly beautiful.
Written 21 August 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
redeco
Warren, MA9,422 contributions
Myrdalsjokull is a very large glacier just above Vik on Iceland's south coast. Tour companies can take you up here in all-terrain vehicles for a camp-over, but most who get to spend time on the ice access the glacier via a finger-like extension named Solheimajokull which is visible from the main coastal road and is accessed by a dirt road that runs about two and a half miles to the tip of the glacier. The road is open in good weather.
I had the experience in March of 2007 of trying to reach the glacier, but being stopped by a snow drift just a half mile short of the site. Last week, I was able to access the glacier easily. My expectations were of bright white ice and very cold conditions, but surprise...the ice was sooty and dirty at the tip with lots of fissures and melting spots and the temperature was mild. Underneath the ice was a flow of glacial melt water that ran down to the river behind us. A spot of blue ice was a highlight for us. However, another traveler told us that the blue ice had only appeared that day. It wasn't visible the day before. I'm afraid that this glacier is melting quickly and receding every year.
My group spent a pleasant half hour on the glacier's edge exploring without proper equipment, so we didn't venture too far. But the visit was a highlight of my trip to Iceland. The stop is included on Reykjavik Excursions' South Coast tour to Vik and you can access the same via car. I highly recommend a visit here.
A path leading to the glacier is easy-walking for those who are more challenged. They can see a lot without actually stepping on the glacier. Be careful; this area is outside of cell phone range.
I had the experience in March of 2007 of trying to reach the glacier, but being stopped by a snow drift just a half mile short of the site. Last week, I was able to access the glacier easily. My expectations were of bright white ice and very cold conditions, but surprise...the ice was sooty and dirty at the tip with lots of fissures and melting spots and the temperature was mild. Underneath the ice was a flow of glacial melt water that ran down to the river behind us. A spot of blue ice was a highlight for us. However, another traveler told us that the blue ice had only appeared that day. It wasn't visible the day before. I'm afraid that this glacier is melting quickly and receding every year.
My group spent a pleasant half hour on the glacier's edge exploring without proper equipment, so we didn't venture too far. But the visit was a highlight of my trip to Iceland. The stop is included on Reykjavik Excursions' South Coast tour to Vik and you can access the same via car. I highly recommend a visit here.
A path leading to the glacier is easy-walking for those who are more challenged. They can see a lot without actually stepping on the glacier. Be careful; this area is outside of cell phone range.
Written 31 May 2009
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Qualala
25 contributions
Jun 2016 • Friends
Myrdalsjökul is a very nice glacier, which is very easily reachable from road 1. You don't need any 4x4 vehicle to get to the glacier and once you parked your car, it just takes a 10-15 minutes walk.
It's really worth a stop !
It's really worth a stop !
Written 8 July 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I am 78 yrs old Is this something I may be able to do? It says "eaSY" BUT WHAT DOES THAT MEAN
Written 12 August 2024
What tour company do you recommend? We have a 4x4 vehicle so do we still want to do a pick up?
Written 11 August 2019
How are these caves in the summer(July). This appears to be the only cave tour in the summer months. Is it worth it or should I save a the ice caves for the winter? Thanks in advance
Written 2 April 2019
Hi there we were there at the Glacier in December. It was really nice. Would recommend for sure
Written 2 April 2019
Could we do the ice cave without the guide ?
Written 4 October 2018
Hi. I am traveling with my family. My parents are old and won’t be climb and walk too much where as me my husband would want to do just the ice caves. Can we do it without a guide ?
Written 3 October 2018
hi, on the glacier definitely take a guide. it is a bit strenuous and you will be roped together + get ice crampons and an ice pick. keep in mind the glacier also generates cold, so it will be colder on there than it will feel when you get out of your car. walking to the glacier is fairly easy.
Written 10 October 2018
I see the majority of reviews about Myrdalsjokull (glacier) talk about doing it with a tour guide, but then other say it isn't necessary. I'm not looking to climb it or go into caves. Can I just drive here, park and hike to touch and admire it? Or must one hire a guide?
Written 25 July 2018
I'd highly recommend paying for a tour. Unless you have ice mountain climbing equipment and know what you're doing then you can take the risk. The reason I'm saying this is that everything is ice cold and if you fall, it's like falling on concrete and if you're falling into water, it's ice water. With a tour company, they have the equipment to bring you down if you're injured. My tour guy felt into a soft hole of ice, lucky it was shallow. This guy has been on this mountain every day and it still happened to him. It was pretty scary when that happened because none of us know what to do and we just watched him struggling to get out of the hole. Remember Iceland is an active land :). It's beautiful, so enjoy :)
Written 25 July 2018
CathyWong0527
Hong Kong, China
Hi all, I m going to Iceland next weekend. I am searching about tour in ice cave. Heard that Blue ice caves were not good to go from the end of March. Then I found a tour about Natural Ice Cave in Myrdalsjokull Glacier. It looks nice from the picture. I would like to ask all experts or anyone went there here. Is it easy to drive to the Glacier and walk by ourself without a tour guide? Also is it easy to find the Natural Ice Cave in Myrdalsjokull Glacier? Do we need helmet to walk into the Natural Ice Cave in Myrdalsjokull Glacier? Thanks.
Written 22 March 2018
We went there on the 6th March and we would not have been able to drive there ourselves. It was necessary to go in a super jeep tour, and we even saw one of them get stuck in the snow, but obviously they know how to get out again. I also believe that the route to the caves is across private property and only official tours are allowed to cross the land. Our guide was excellent and was upset with a visitor who arrived alone and tried to enter the caves without a safety helmet. In fact he insisted that he left for his own safety. On the tour they supply you with helmets, torches and crampons. Our guide checked the caves out for safety before we entered. He also found us one that took a bit more scrambling into it, this was a little wet underfoot so make sure you have good walking boots that are waterproof. I thought this was an excellent trip and the colours inside the caves are amazing.
Written 23 March 2018
Hey! I just tread your review about the Ice caves in myrdalsjokull. can you please tell me which Icelandic Mountain Guides did you get? are there guides at the glacier base that we can just walk up to book a tour right away? Did you actually get to see the ice cave?
Written 2 September 2017
Didn't see the ice caves but only went on a small visit as part of a tour what we saw was well worth it
Written 5 September 2017
I'm confused. It looks like the overlook area for the Myrdalsjokull Glacier and the Solheimajokull Glacier are in the same area. Are they both accessible from Route 221?
Written 1 July 2017
I think its both the same place when you look on some maps its listed with one name or the other, I have a look on both pages on tripadvisor and its the same. Can't believe how far it has retreated since we visited last october! Its very impressive pictures don't really show just how huge it is.
Written 4 July 2017
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