Getting to the Solheimajokull car park
Sólheimajökull is one of the easiest glaciers in Iceland to reach by car. The drive from Reykjavík follows Route 1 east along the south coast, then a short side road ends at the car park where both tours meet. In good conditions it takes roughly two to two and a half hours.
The route from Reykjavík
The drive is about 160 km (100 miles) each way and follows Route 1, the Ring Road, east out of the capital. It takes roughly 2–2.5 hours in good conditions, and longer behind slow traffic or in winter weather.
The road crosses open heath east of Reykjavík, then drops to the farmland around Selfoss. From there it runs on through Hvolsvöllur while the mountains and the ice caps rise on your left as you head east.
Selfoss and Hvolsvöllur are the last bigger towns before the glacier where you find fuel and food shops. Fill the tank and buy lunch there, since neither tour on this site includes food.
Most of the road has a single lane in each direction. A slow truck or a camper van can hold you up for a while, so build in some slack rather than planning the drive to the minute.
Traffic is often heaviest on summer mornings as tour buses and rental cars head east to the same waterfalls. Leaving Reykjavík early gives you a quieter road and time for a stop on the way.
The turn-off onto road 221
Past Hvolsvöllur, Route 1 runs east beside Seljalandsfoss and later Skógafoss. The turn for the glacier comes about 10 km (6 miles) after Skógafoss, on the left as you drive east, so look out for the sign to Sólheimajökull.
Road 221 then runs inland for about 4 km (2.5 miles) to the glacier car park. It is a short stretch, and the car park at its end is where both tours begin.
Parking at the glacier may carry a fee. Check the signs or the payment point on arrival rather than relying on anything you read in advance, us included.
Driving in winter
Between roughly November and March the drive changes character. Daylight shrinks to about 4–5 hours around midwinter, so part of the trip may be in the dark, and Route 1 can carry ice and strong crosswinds.
Check the road map of the Icelandic Road and Coastal Administration before you leave, and the wind forecast from the Icelandic Met Office too. Ask your rental company about winter tyres, and give yourself more time than the summer figure.
If the forecast closes the ice as well as the road, our cancellation guide explains what happens to your booking. Booking the glacier early in your trip leaves a day spare.
If a dark, icy drive puts you off, there is another way. Arctic Adventures' full day from Reykjavík includes round-trip transport. Our bus or car guide weighs that 13-hour day against driving yourself.
Where each tour meets
Both tours start at the glacier car park, but at different spots. Arctic Adventures meets at its yellow bus in the car park, which is easy to pick out among the other vehicles.
Tröll Expeditions meets at its own base by the car park, on Sólheimajökulsvegur, the glacier road. Its ice climb from ~$229 includes climbing boots, so there is nothing to rent when you arrive.
Arrive a little early either way. Parking and pulling on a last layer take a few minutes, and the group sets off once the safety briefing begins.
A tour that starts where you park
Tröll Expeditions begins at its base by the glacier car park, so it suits a self-drive day well. It runs about four hours for up to six people, and boots come with the climbing gear.
From the car park to the ice
The car park is not at the edge of the ice. The glacier has shrunk back over the decades, leaving a meltwater lagoon at its snout, so every group walks for a while before putting on crampons.
On Tröll's tour the walk to the ice takes about 30 minutes on foot. Arctic Adventures' groups hike up a moss-covered valley and reach the glacier from above, with views back over the tongue and its lagoon.
Wear your boots for the drive or change in the car park, and carry a small bag you can walk with. Our clothing guide covers boots and layers for a day on the ice.
Stops on the way
The drive passes two of the best-known waterfalls in Iceland. Seljalandsfoss sits right beside Route 1 on the way east, and Skógafoss comes shortly before the glacier turn-off.
Either one fits on the way there or on the way back, depending on the slot you book. East of the glacier, Vík lies roughly 25–30 km (16–19 miles) along Route 1, with the black sand beach at Reynisfjara close by.
Our south coast day plan puts the climb between the waterfalls and Vík in one day with rough timings. It also carries the warning about sneaker waves on the beach.
There and back in one day
Two to two and a half hours each way on top of a 4-hour or 5.5-hour tour makes for a full day. Add stops and a meal, and a self-drive Solheimajokull ice climbing tour from Reykjavík can fill ten hours or more.
Some people sleep near Vík the night before or after, which takes the pressure off the clock. Pick a start time when you book, then plan the drive backwards from it.
Still choosing between the two tours? Our comparison of the two operators and the price guide cover the rest, including Arctic Adventures' half day from ~$203 at the yellow bus.