Crampons on, ice axe in hand, and a glacier that moves a little every day under your boots. Arctic Adventures' Glacier Explorer takes you onto Falljökull, one of the outlet glaciers of the Vatnajökull ice cap, from their base in Skaftafell.

What you'll do on the Skaftafell glacier hike

The tour starts with a hike along a path through landscape the glacier has carved and left behind. At the glacier tongue, your certified guide helps you gear up with crampons, and then you're out on the ice exploring. Along the way, the guide explains how the glacier formed, how it moves and how it keeps changing.

It's a small-group tour rated moderate, 3 out of 5, and lasts about five and a half hours in total. Bring a camera. The operator says if you forget everything else, don't forget that.

What's included

• Guided glacier hike with a certified glacier guide
• Specialised glacier gear
• All necessary safety equipment

Food and drinks aren't included, and lunch isn't provided, so pack your own. From June to September there's plenty of fresh water on the glacier, so a refillable bottle is enough.

Good to know before you go

The meeting point is the Arctic Adventures booking centre in Skaftafell, a wooden hut with their logo. Skaftafell is 327 km (203 miles) from Reykjavík; the nearest towns are Kirkjubæjarklaustur, 69 km west, and Höfn, 130 km east. Plan your drive accordingly.

The crampons only fit EU shoe sizes 35 to 50. If your feet are smaller or larger, you unfortunately can't join. Wear waterproof jacket and trousers (rental clothing is available), hiking boots that come above the ankle (also available to rent), a light wool or fleece layer, quick-dry trousers rather than jeans, thin gloves, a hat, sunglasses and sun protection. The ice reflects a lot of light.

Pro tip: skip the low trainers even if they're waterproof. The operator warns that crampon straps rub painfully on anything below the ankle bone, and five hours is a long time to regret your footwear.