Katla Ice Cave is a glacier cave in South Iceland, in the ice of Mýrdalsjökull above the Katla volcano. The walls are streaked black and grey where ash from past eruptions is frozen into the blue ice. The cave is small and the floor inside is wet. It can be reached only on a guided tour: a super jeep covers the private roads from Vík, and a short walk leads into the ice, with helmet and crampons provided. The round trip takes about three hours.
Katla Ice Cave
Local name: Katla íshellir
The glacier retreats enough each year that new caves form annually, and the paths to and through the ice have to be rebuilt or repaired every season.
- Entrance
- No ticket at the cave itself. Access is only on a paid guided tour, and the tours are not cheap.
- Accessibility
- Not wheelchair accessible: no accessible entrance and no accessible parking. The approach is a super jeep ride over rough ground, then a walk on sand and dirt.
- Parking
- A car park is recorded about 530 m from the cave and another about 3.7 km away. The final roads are private, so the last stretch is driven by the tour's super jeep.
- Difficulty
- Short walk from the drop-off on sand and dirt paths, then a wet floor inside. The cave section is easy and suits moderate fitness. Crampons and helmet provided.
- Transport
- No public transport: no bus stop within 5 km. Tours run from a meeting point in Vík.
- Advance booking
- A guided tour must be booked; there is no independent access. Tours are sold by operators such as Arctic Adventures and through booking platforms such as GetYourGuide.
- Hours
- Listed as open 24 hours, but you can only get in with a tour, so the operator's schedule sets the times.
What makes it special
The ice here is not blue all the way through. Layers of volcanic ash are frozen into it, so the walls read as bands of black, grey and blue, and the pattern changes as the light moves through the ice.
The cave is small, and that works in its favour. You are close to the walls on every side, and the floor is wet underfoot.
Nothing here is permanent. The glacier is retreating year on year, new caves open as old ones close, and the operators rebuild or repair the paths to and through the ice every year. The cave open this season is not the one people walked through a few seasons ago.
Good to know
- Guided tour only. The roads leading to the cave are private, and a super jeep covers the last stretch from the meeting point.
- No toilets. There are none at the site, and no drinking water or information point nearby.
- Boots, not trainers. The paths in are sand and dirt, and the cave floor is wet. Boots grip better on both.
- Dress for cold and wind. It is chilly inside the cave, and the wind outside is strong and freezing.
- Allow about three hours. That covers the drive, the climb and the time inside the cave.
Getting there
There is no way to drive your own car to the cave: the roads on the last stretch are private, and access is on a booked guided tour. Tours run from a meeting point in Vík and cross the rough ground by super jeep, which is a bumpy ride. From the drop-off it is a short walk to the ice. The guide hands out a helmet and crampons before you set off. Counting the drive out, the walk and the time inside, the whole thing runs to about three hours.
Best time to visit
Best: the morning. Less ice is melting then, so there is less water dripping and running inside, and you come out drier.
Avoid: days of heavy weather. The drive and the walk are both exposed, and how much you get out of the trip depends on the conditions.
Things to do nearby
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Katla Ice Cave on the map
Helmets and crampons are handed out for a reason: the ground is ice and the cave floor is wet. Outside, the wind is strong and freezing. The glacier moves and the routes through it are rebuilt as it does — do not try to reach the ice without a guide.
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Frequently asked questions
Can you visit Katla Ice Cave without a tour?
No. The roads leading to the cave are private, and you have to buy a guided tour to get there. A super jeep takes the group in from the meeting point.How long does the trip take?
About three hours in total, from leaving Vík by super jeep to getting back to the meeting spot. That includes the drive, the climb and the time inside the cave.What should I wear?
Winter gear. It is chilly in the cave and the wind outside is strong and freezing. Wear boots rather than trainers — they grip better on the sand and dirt paths and on the wet floor inside.Is equipment provided?
Yes. The guide gives out a helmet and crampons before the walk into the cave, and both are straightforward to use.Are there toilets at the cave?
No. There are no toilets at the site, and no drinking water or information point nearby either.