Our pick
From Vík
Katla by super jeep
For most trips with a car: the most reviewed Katla tour, and it leaves the rest of your day free.
From€176See dates: Katla by super jeep
The Katla ice cave
A natural cave in the Kötlujökull glacier, with blue walls banded by black volcanic ash.
- From
- €158
- Duration
- 3 to 12 h
- Best season
- All year
- Tours compared
- 3
Which Katla ice cave tour is best?
With a car, the super jeep tour from Vík. Without one, the full day from Reykjavik.
All three go to the same glacier. Your choice depends on where you sleep and whether you have a car.
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Lowest price
From Vík
Katla in a small group
For the same trip at the lowest price of the three, in a smaller group.
No car needed
From Reykjavik
Katla and the south coast in a day
For a trip without a car. You are picked up in Reykjavik and stop at Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss on the way.
Compare in detail
Prices and ratings are read from GetYourGuide. Prices are rounded up. Last checked on 4 Nov.
Every tour here is free to cancel up to 24 hours before it starts.
| Tour | Duration | Starts | Min. age | Rating | From | Dates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Most reviewedKatla by super jeepArctic AdventuresKeep in mind: The walls are blue and black, because of the ash. Expect darker ice than in the crystal caves. What's includedIncluded
Not included
Bring
| 3 h | Vík, behind the Icewear shop | 6 years | €176 | See dates: Katla by super jeep | |
Lowest price at KatlaKatla in a small groupGravel TravelKeep in mind: The operator advises against it with heart problems or reduced mobility. What's includedIncluded
Bring
Not suitable with
| 3 h | Vík, Austurvegur 20 | 8 years | €158 | See dates: Katla in a small group | |
No car neededKatla and the south coast in a dayArctic AdventuresKeep in mind: A long day of 12 h, at the highest price of the three. What's includedIncluded
Not included
Bring
| 12 h | Reykjavik, pick-up at 27 stops | 6 years | €249 | See dates: Katla and the south coast in a day |
What is the Katla ice cave?
The Katla ice cave is a natural cave inside Kötlujökull, an outlet glacier of the Mýrdalsjökull ice cap.
Mýrdalsjökull is Iceland's fourth-largest glacier, and the cave takes its name from the volcano beneath it.
The colour comes from that volcano. Each eruption leaves ash on the ice, snow buries it, and the moving glacier brings it back up as dark bands. Inside, you see those bands running through blue ice.
The cave changes all the time, so it will not look exactly like any picture of it. That includes the photos on this page, which show small caves along the same ice cap.
Where is the Katla ice cave, and how do you get there?
On the south coast, inland from Vík.
Tours meet in the village, and a super jeep covers the last stretch because no public road reaches the ice.
- ReykjavikWhere most trips begin
- VíkAbout 180 km, 2.5 hours
- KötlujökullLess than 1 hour by super jeep
From Vík
3 h tours
Drive the ring road to Vík, about 2.5 hours from Reykjavik. Two tours leave from the village, from €158, and the rest of your day stays free.
The tours from VíkFrom Reykjavik, without a car
One full day
Katla and the south coast in a day picks you up in town and adds two waterfalls on the way, for €249.
See this tourIn your own car
Only as far as Vík
Normal cars and rental 4x4s cannot take the tracks to the glacier, so you park in the village and ride with your guide.
Can you visit the Katla ice cave in summer?
Yes. Tours run in every month, because the ice here is low-lying and covered in debris.
The season changes the cave and your day on the road.
Winter, November to March
The ice is at its coldest and most stable, and the colours at their deepest.
- Daylight
- Short
- Road to Vík
- Can be icy
- Also open
- Vatnajökull's crystal caves
Summer
The cave stays open, but meltwater reshapes it quickly. Guides check the route and the entrance again before each visit.
- Daylight
- Almost endless
- Road to Vík
- Clear
- Also open
- No other cave we compare
Who can go to the Katla ice cave?
You need no glacier experience, but you walk in crampons on uneven ground.
Each tour lists who it does not suit.
Children
From age 6 on the tours we compare. One tour asks for a higher age, shown on its card.
Fitness
Expect up to about 2 km on foot in all, and on one tour a short, steep stretch with a rope.
Back, heart, pregnancy
The jeep ride is rough. One operator warns people with a back injury or motion sickness, and some advise against these tours during pregnancy.
What to wear
Layers for warmth and rain, a hat and gloves, and boots that hold your ankles. You cannot rent anything at the glacier.
How does a Katla ice cave tour work?
A tour from Vík takes about 3 hours.
Around an hour of that is at the cave, and the ride there and back fills the rest.
Meet in Vík
Each operator names its own meeting point in the village, so read your booking before you set off.
Ride to the glacier
A super jeep leaves the tarmac for black sand and river beds. The drive takes under an hour and it is bumpy.
Gear up and walk
You get crampons, a helmet and a headlamp and a safety briefing. A short walk over uneven ice leads to the entrance.
Walk through the cave
Blue ice, black bands of ash and the beam of your headlamp. You may cross small wooden bridges over a stream, and your guide picks the route on the day.
Can you visit the Katla ice cave on your own?
No. A guided tour is the only way there.
No public road reaches the ice, and the glacier holds crevasses, collapsing ice and sudden surges of meltwater.
The cave is reassessed every day, and that work is what you pay a guide for. If the weather turns, operators move or cancel the tour.
You can still see the area by yourself. From the ring road you have the ice cap on the skyline and the black sand plains left by Katla's floods.
Is the Katla ice cave tour worth it?
Yes, if you come to Iceland outside winter, because few other natural caves are open then.
In winter it is still a good choice if you sleep near Vík and like ice banded with ash.
Which is better, Katla or the Crystal Ice Cave?
Katla for any month and less driving from Reykjavik. The crystal caves of Vatnajökull for the deepest blue, from about November to March.
See the full comparisonHow much does a Katla ice cave tour cost?
From €158 among the tours we compare. The full day from Reykjavik costs €249.
Do you need tickets for the Katla ice cave?
You book a tour rather than a ticket, because a guided tour is the only way there. All three tours include the guide, helmet and crampons.
How long does the tour take?
About 3 h from Vík, with around an hour at the cave. From Reykjavik it takes 12 h.
How far is the Katla ice cave from Reykjavik?
About 180 km and 2.5 hours by road to Vík, then less than an hour by super jeep.
Ice cave tours from ReykjavikCan the Katla ice cave collapse?
Yes. Falling ice is a real danger on this glacier, so the cave is checked again every day and you never go in without a certified guide. The fatal collapse of August 2024 happened on another glacier, Breiðamerkurjökull. In October 2022, police closed the Katla caves for a while during earthquake activity.
What happens if Katla erupts?
Katla is an active volcano, and its last eruption to break through the ice was in 1918. The Icelandic Met Office monitors it continuously, and if it stirs, warnings go out and tours stop in advance.
What does Katla mean?
It is an old Icelandic woman's name, linked to the word ketill, a kettle or cauldron. Nobody recorded why the volcano has it.
Can you cancel a Katla tour?
Yes. All three tours are free to cancel up to 24 hours before they start, and operators move or cancel tours themselves when the weather is unsafe.
Where to start?
With a car, book a tour from Vík.
Without one, take the full day from Reykjavik.