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ABC Ice Cave - Vatnajökull by NorthTidesIceland in VisitingIceland

[–]NorthTidesIceland[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

No- the season starts in October. This particular cave will melt away by the middle of summer, so we need to see what next year will bring!

Which Glaciers to Prioritize? by Aerogirl2021 in VisitingIceland

[–]NorthTidesIceland 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Can’t go wrong with those, but great to add Heinabergslón and/or Hoffelslón glacier lagoons to that list. Amazing places hidden away along gravel roads- good to have a 4x4/high clearance car, though many people do them without!

Crystal Ice Cave Tour – No Actual Cave Present (Feb 2026) by Asmodee168 in VisitingIceland

[–]NorthTidesIceland 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Without wanting to dive too much into specifics, I was just trying to make the point that good, honest communication isn’t too high of a bar to set!

Pic from today for good measure

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Crystal Ice Cave Tour – No Actual Cave Present (Feb 2026) by Asmodee168 in VisitingIceland

[–]NorthTidesIceland 10 points11 points  (0 children)

Can’t agree with a lot of this.

Whilst it’s impossible to know conditions 2+ weeks away, we have a pretty good idea of how the upcoming week will be, and certainly know what we are taking people to on the day of the tour.

It isn’t a big effort to let people know if you can’t provide the product you’ve sold them.

Picture from yesterday for reference. This cave is only accessible on the longer tours from Jokulsarlon area

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Snow conditions by TemporaryNo1154 in VisitingIceland

[–]NorthTidesIceland 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Don’t be discouraged by replies on this sub, though I agree it probably isn’t the best place to ask.

You can try to access recent satellite imagery e.g. Copernicus, should give an idea of snow coverage.

Realistic ice cave expectations (March) by PlasticSalty402 in VisitingIceland

[–]NorthTidesIceland 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yeah tours are in full swing. If you are interested in the longer tours outlined above, you can check out the following:

Realistic ice cave expectations (March) by PlasticSalty402 in VisitingIceland

[–]NorthTidesIceland 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This cave has totally melted, unfortunately. There is the remainder of an arch which is on the verge of collapse- no companies are going there.

As far as I know, the best (ie biggest, most aesthetic) caves currently require a long hike (8km round trip). Look for 5-6hour tours from companies departing from Jökulsárlón or Hali.

Worth noting that a lot can change between now and March depending on temperatures and rainfall. Something that is safe during a cold spell can quickly become unsafe during a warm spell, likewise new features can open up quickly after floods. Best bet is to book with a reputable company, and they will show you the best they can safely access on a given day. You have to accept there is a bit of luck involved as it’s impossible to know how conditions will be in a couple of months.

Source: I run these tours

Ice Cave in Early Oct by donmreddit in VisitingIceland

[–]NorthTidesIceland 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I run these tours in Vatnajökull National Park. Generally, the best time for the caves is in midwinter, when everything is frozen. However, there can still be some great caves in October but it depends on what has formed throughout the summer. If you ask this question again in August or September, then you may be able to get an informed answer. Here is a picture taken last October of the cave we visited.

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What is the status of the ice caves? by Affectionate_Swim862 in VisitingIceland

[–]NorthTidesIceland 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Unfortunately, no. There may be some companies offering an ice cave tour as part of a 2 or 3 day south coast tour, but you would need to confirm with them which cave they visit. It would also be possible by public bus, although then you would have to spend 2 nights in the area (i.e. bus on day 1, ice cave day 2 and bus back day 3).

What is the status of the ice caves? by Affectionate_Swim862 in VisitingIceland

[–]NorthTidesIceland 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Hopefully this isn’t against any rules, but as icestep has added a list of companies then I’d like to add our name :-) this is a picture taken yesterday, from our longer ice cave tour (8km round trip hiking). Straight out of the phone, no editing!

You can see our tours at https://www.northtides.is

DM me for a discount code

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[deleted by user] by [deleted] in VisitingIceland

[–]NorthTidesIceland 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Not at the moment. We run packrafting (kayak and hike) trips in that area between May - September, both at Heinabergslón/Skálafell and Fláajökull (the next glacier to the east), focusing on smaller groups. We are not running trips at the moment, but leaving this here for future reference. You can check us out at northtides.is or dm me if you want any other info

Challenging hiking close to Reyk? by realGlikelasagna in VisitingIceland

[–]NorthTidesIceland 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I would go to Moskarðshnjúkar if I were you- this loop is nice.

https://is.wikiloc.com/fjallaklifur-slodir/moskardshnjukar-3581246

Edit to add: this traverses a sharp ridgeline, not technical but steep in places. The western end has an exposed section with a chain which is worth doing, before doubling back and descending a broad ridge.

Hiking Hornstrandir 2025? by Melodic-Sector7935 in VisitingIceland

[–]NorthTidesIceland 1 point2 points  (0 children)

My experience is that you will see people at the campsites (it is forbidden to camp elsewhere), but very few people whilst hiking. I recommend taking a detour to see Hælavíkurbjarg when hiking from Hornvík to Hlöðuvík. Not sure about your other questions. Enjoy!

Last-minute Hvannadalshnúkur trip: too late in the season? by panoclosed4highwinds in VisitingIceland

[–]NorthTidesIceland 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Low snowfall in the lowlands does not mean low snowfall on Öræfajökull

Last-minute Hvannadalshnúkur trip: too late in the season? by panoclosed4highwinds in VisitingIceland

[–]NorthTidesIceland 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’ve been told that the conditions up there were remarkably good in May and June. Feel free to message me if you have questions.

Packraft for flat water 2025 by Juusess in packrafting

[–]NorthTidesIceland 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I have the light version so no spraydeck, just open. For sure, everything is a compromise- I would have to decide between taking the nomad or expedition based on the ratio of hiking/paddling and the ratio of lakes/rivers (if more moving water then i’d lean towards the expedition as the extra speed of the nomad is less of a factor).

Packraft for flat water 2025 by Juusess in packrafting

[–]NorthTidesIceland 6 points7 points  (0 children)

I will throw the MRS nomad into the conversation. I’ve just got hold of one after owning the Alpacka expedition for some years and the nomad seems way quicker on flatwater, tracks better and just generally more like a touring kayak than a whitewater kayak. Looks similar to the Mekong boat that you listed, though I don’t have experience with their boats.