Description
Summary
Description
Join a one-of-a-kind glacier expedition near Katla Volcano, departing from the town of Vik. This scientific adventure is perfect for curious travelers, nature lovers, and families eager to explore Iceland’s dynamic landscapes while helping researchers track real-time changes in the ice.
What sets this 8-hour private tour apart is the chance to go beyond sightseeing and become part of real climate research. With expert guidance, limited group sizes, and access to professional tools, you’ll contribute meaningful data while exploring one of Iceland’s most remote and dramatic environments.
Your day begins in the town of Vik, where a professional guide picks you up for an expedition deep into Iceland’s rugged interior. As the 4x4 vehicle climbs through winding mountain tracks, look out the window and watch the black sand and moss-covered hills give way to cliffs and lava fields.
Along the way, your guide shares the geological story of this part of southern Iceland. You’ll learn how volcanic eruptions, glacial floods, and shifting tectonic plates have shaped the landscape around Katla Volcano, one of the most active in Iceland.
Katla is a powerful subglacial volcano located beneath the Myrdalsjokull Glacier. When you reach its edge, you step into a world of ice. After a safety briefing, you gear up with crampons, helmets, and ice axes, ready to begin the day’s mission.
You start your glacier trek along the outer edge of the ice, following the melt lines where the glacier is slowly retreating. Your guide explains how the glacier has changed over time and why this area plays such a key role in climate research.
Then, the scientific work begins. Using GPS devices and other tools, you help measure the glacier’s movement and record important data for Katla Geopark researchers. Every reading helps monitor how the glacier and volcano system are evolving. This is real-world science, not a demonstration, and your work directly supports environmental studies.
Once the mapping work is done, you may enjoy your packed lunch with wide views of the surrounding highlands. Jagged mountain peaks rise beyond the ice, and the silence is broken only by the breeze and distant creaks from the glacier.
Before hiking back, your guide shares more about the geological connections between Katla, the surrounding volcanic systems, and the broader Katla Geopark region. It’s a chance to look out over the landscape and understand how everything fits together.
The return hike leads you back to the vehicle for a scenic ride out of the Highlands back to Vik.
At the end of the day, you’ll receive a Citizen Scientist certificate and a follow-up email with the data collected during your mission. Your name will also appear in a public report, marking your role in helping track one of Iceland’s most dynamic natural systems.
Experience a private glacier expedition in Iceland where you’ll map real ice movement, explore volcanic landscapes, and support scientific research in Katla Geopark. Check availability now by choosing a date.
