Blue ice has a colour you can't get from a screen, and it's worth driving to Skaftafell for. Arctic Adventures' 4-hour winter tour combines a glacier hike on Falljökull, an outlet of Vatnajökull, with a visit to a naturally formed blue ice cave.

What you'll do on the Skaftafell ice cave tour

You meet at the Arctic Adventures Hut in Skaftafell, then a 4x4 bus takes the small group to the edge of the glacier. There you put on crampons, a helmet and a harness, and your certified glacier guide leads you across the ice. Depending on conditions you'll pass crevasses, ice ridges and moulins, with the guide explaining what's shaping the landscape.

The ice cave is the main event. New caves form each winter, so the cave you visit depends on conditions that season and may not match the photos. Guides choose cave locations based on current glacier conditions, access and weather.

What's included

• English-speaking certified glacier guide
• Safety equipment: helmet, glacier crampons, harness and ice axe
• 4x4 bus from Skaftafell to the edge of the glacier
• Vatnajökull National Park fee

Good to know before you go

The hike covers about 3 km (1.9 miles) with 200 to 250 metres of elevation gain, and it starts with a steep section to get onto the glacier. The crampons only fit shoe sizes 35 EU and up, so anyone with smaller feet can't join. Sturdy hiking boots with ankle support are mandatory and can be rented for a small fee. Also bring warm clothing, a waterproof jacket and trousers, a hat and gloves.

Getting there is up to you: Skaftafell is about four hours' drive east of Reykjavík, and winter buses are very limited. Arctic Adventures strongly recommend renting a car and staying nearby the night before or after. Winter road conditions can stretch driving times a lot.

Pro tip: book a bed near Skaftafell for the night before. Trying to drive four winter hours from Reykjavík to make a morning start is how people end up watching their tour leave without them.