Vatnajökull National Park – Inside a Crystal Ice Cave

There was one reason my mum and I decided to visit Iceland in November, rather than during the slightly warmer months of September and October, namely the chance to explore the inside of a crystal ice cave underneath the Vatnajökull glacier.

Visiting a Crystal Ice Cave

One does not simply walk into a crystal ice cave in Iceland. Actually, the chances of successfully visiting one are pretty low. First of all, the best time to try is from late November until early March. However, even in that period there are plenty of reasons why the ice caves are not accessible. For example, it could be too warm, there could be flooding inside the cave, and the entrance could have been snowed in.

Iceland - Into the Ice

Second of all, it’s not possible to enter the crystal ice cave without a professional guide. They are experts at spotting potentially dangerous signs in the unpredictable ice. Tours tend to fill up quite fast, so it’s important to book in advance. We booked through Arctic Adventures, other options would be GoEcco or Glacier Guides.

Iceland - Into the Ice

The Lucky Ones

Yes, we were the lucky ones. The weeks before our tour, the cave was not accessible due to the warm weather. As I told you in my Reykjavík post, it was bitterly cold when we arrived. This wasn’t good for visiting the city, but it was perfect for the crystal ice caves in Vatnajökull.

Our Arctic Adventures tour guide dropped us off next to the highway, where we were picked up by a 4×4 with huge wheels. We quickly found out we would definitely need those wheels.

Iceland - Into the Ice

My sand dune experience in Abu Dhabi was nothing compared to the humps and bumps in the terrain on the way to the caves.

We put our gear on, which consisted of metal underneath our shoes to grip on the glacier and a helmet.

Iceland - Into the Ice

On the outside, you can’t imagine what the inside will look like. Outside the glacier is pitch black due to volcanic ash.

Iceland - Into the Ice

Iceland - Into the Ice

Iceland - Into the Ice

It’s hard to imagine it can look so bright blue on the inside when it’s so bleak and dark on the outside. I have never seen anything like this kind of icy blueness before.

 Iceland - Into the Ice

 Iceland - Into the Ice

 Iceland - Into the Ice

The only worry inside the cave is to try to take photos with as few people on it as possible. It’s not necessarily crowded inside, but you can see the whole length which means there’ll always be people there.

Iceland - Into the Ice

The cave is not tight, so there’s no need for people with claustrophobia to worry.

Iceland - Into the Ice

Iceland - Into the Ice

My final tip, apart from the obvious to dress warmly, is to bring a tripod. I learned how to use mine on this holiday so I was running around with it while happily taking photos in the dark.

Iceland - Into the Ice

Conclusion

This experience was definitely worth the money and the stress of a possible last-minute cancellation. I’ve not been to many cold countries during my travels so I can’t compare this sight to anywhere else. All I know is that I can’t get enough of ice and snow now. Who knew it would be so beautiful! I can’t wait to visit more icy destinations in the future.

For now, I’ll write two more posts about Iceland. One short one about Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon and one about my misadventures while glacier hiking.

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12 thoughts on “Vatnajökull National Park – Inside a Crystal Ice Cave

  1. Iceland is really high on my bucket list! I actually almost booked a plane ticket with my mum when WOW Air had some cheap flights last month ;p That ice cave looks and sounds pretty awesome!

    1. I fell in love with Iceland even though I thought it was impossible to fall in love with a cold destination 🙂 I can’t wait to hear what you think about it when you have visited it!

  2. I have visited Iceland in 2015 and loved it but I didn’t visit the National Park. I definitely want to go back someday and put this on my list 🙂

  3. Ziet er te gek uit hoor Dominique! Vooral die slider foto, echt super!! Staat zeker op mn lijstje om te doen tijdens een volgend bezoek aan Ijsland!

    1. Thank you, Therie! Iceland is such a beautiful country, I can definitely see myself going back there one day 🙂

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