Can you see an ice cave in Iceland in summer?
- 21 sources cited
- Last verified 2026-10-24
- Published 2026-10-24
Short answer: not a natural ice cave inside Vatnajökull National Park. The park's draft 2025–2027 contract terms allow traditional ice cave tours only from 1 October to 30 April [1]. In summer you can still visit a man-made ice tunnel in Langjökull [2] or an indoor ice cave in Reykjavík [3]. Operators also sell Katla ice cave tours all year, against scientists' advice [4].
What scientists say about summer
- A memo from the Icelandic Met Office and University of Iceland says a 2017 report concluded that summer ice cave tours are dangerous, and that tours should run only in winter and only when there is no warm spell or flooding. The memo says this applies to all Icelandic glaciers [4].
- Iceland Review quoted geophysicist Magnús Tumi Guðmundsson in 2024 saying that "the entire summer falls into" the high-risk category of the 2017 assessment and that summer tours "should not take place" [5].
- Iceland Review summarises the 2017 risk assessment as finding caves unsafe from May to October [6].
Your summer options, by type
Man-made ice tunnel: Into the Glacier (Langjökull)
The tunnel is man-made, high on the glacier [7]. The operator calls it the "world's only year-round ice tunnel" Operator claim [2]. In summer the Húsafell–Klaki road is open (1 June – 15 October, weather dependent) [7]. More on our Langjökull page.
Indoor ice cave: Perlan (Reykjavík)
Perlan, on Öskjuhlíð in Reykjavík, runs an indoor ice cave that it says is 100 metres long and made from over 350 tons of snow Operator claim [3]. It says the cave is open year-round and kept at around −13°C Operator claim [8]. It is an exhibit, not a glacier.
Katla (Kötlujökull): sold all year, warned against
Operators list Katla ice cave tours as available all year Operator claim [9] [10]. The scientists' memo gives a special warning for Kötlujökull because of glacial floods from geothermal cauldrons and eruptions [4]. In August 2026 Iceland Review reported a small glacial flood in Múlakvísl, with hydrogen sulphide above health limits about 2 km from the Kötlujökull edge [11]. Read our Katla page before booking.
Glacier hikes instead of caves
Some operators switch to glacier hikes in summer. Glacier Mice runs glacier hikes May–September instead of ice caves Operator claim [12]. An expert group's 2025 proposals said walking and jeep glacier tours would continue in summer [13]. At Sólheimajökull, read the July 2026 hazard notice first [14].
How many people went under the ice in summer 2024?
Before the 2025 rules, the park's draft report counted 1,834 guests on tours under ice in May 2024, 1,836 in June, 5,190 in July and 4,939 in August [15]. In August 2024 an American man died in an ice cave collapse during a guided tour [16]. Tours under ice in the park were then banned until 31 October 2024 [17].
FAQ
Are ice cave tours allowed in summer in Vatnajökull National Park?
No. The park's draft 2025–2027 contract terms allow traditional ice cave tours only from 1 October to 30 April each year [1].
Sources
- Samningsskilmálar (drög): contract terms for ice cave tours and glacier walks, DRAFT
Vatnajökull National Park / Náttúruverndarstofnun · in Icelandic · official DRAFT document · published 2025-07 · accessed 2026-10-23 · via curl + pdftotext (PDF) - Into the Glacier Classic Tour
Into the Glacier ehf. (tour operator) · tour operator (commercial claim) · accessed 2026-10-23 - Ice Cave and Glacier Exhibition & Museum
Perlan (museum/attraction, commercial) · tour operator (commercial claim) · accessed 2026-10-24 - Minnisblað: jöklaferðir (memo on glacier/ice cave trips)
Icelandic Met Office & University of Iceland glaciology group (hosted by Ferðamálastofa) · in Icelandic · published 2024-09-04 · accessed 2026-10-23 · via curl + pdftotext (PDF) - Expert Warns: Summer Ice Cave Tours in Vatnajökull Are "Unacceptable"
Iceland Review · news report · published 2024-08-27 · accessed 2026-10-24 - Experts warn ice cave tours in summer are too dangerous
Iceland Review (citing RÚV) · news report · published 2025-09-01 · accessed 2026-10-23 - FAQ
Into the Glacier ehf. (tour operator) · tour operator (commercial claim) · accessed 2026-10-23 - Ice Caves From Reykjavik: Best Day Trip Options
Perlan (museum/attraction, commercial) · tour operator (commercial claim) · accessed 2026-10-24 - Katla Fast Track Ice Cave Tour
Katla Track (tour operator) · tour operator (commercial claim) · accessed 2026-10-23 - Katla Ice Cave Tour: Meeting in Vík or From Reykjavík
Arctic Adventures (tour operator) · tour operator (commercial claim) · accessed 2026-10-24 - Múlakvísl glacial flood and toxic gas (2026)
Iceland Review · news report · published 2026-08-20 · accessed 2026-10-23 - Ice cave tours (Breiðamerkurjökull)
Glacier Mice (tour operator) · tour operator (commercial claim) · accessed 2026-10-23 - Expert group proposes changes to ensure tourist safety
Iceland Review · news report · published 2025-03-11 · accessed 2026-10-23 - Increased hazard due to changing conditions at the margin of Sólheimajökull glacier
Icelandic Meteorological Office (Veðurstofa Íslands) · published 2026-07-22 · accessed 2026-10-23 - Íshellaferðir og jöklagöngur: Greinargerð um stöðu og þróun (DRÖG / draft, 1 Oct 2024)
Vatnajökull National Park (draft report, hosted by Ferðamálastofa) · in Icelandic · official DRAFT document · published 2024-10-01 · accessed 2026-10-23 · via curl + pdftotext (PDF) - American killed in Iceland ice cave collapse
BBC News · news report · published 2024-08-27 · accessed 2026-10-23 - Ice cave tours and glacier walks (news, 2024)
Vatnajökull National Park · published 2024-09-26 · accessed 2026-10-23 - Travel conditions (alerts)
Safetravel / ICE-SAR · accessed 2026-10-23 - Travel plans
Safetravel / ICE-SAR · accessed 2026-10-23 - Vatnajökull National Park (English home)
Vatnajökull National Park · accessed 2026-10-23 - Safetravel.is home page
Safetravel / ICE-SAR (Slysavarnafélagið Landsbjörg) · accessed 2026-10-23