Reykjavik Snowmobile Tours

There are plenty of things to see and do in Reykjavik at all times of the year, as Iceland is a country of enormous natural attractions. Fortunately, its highlands and glaciers always remain cool enough for the sporting activities that adrenaline-seeking tourists are interested in.

So thanks to this research I've put together , you'll be able to assess the pros and cons of the best snowmobile tours in Iceland. This will make it easier for you to choose the one that best suits your budget and your expectations.

Langjökull Glacier is the second largest glacier in Iceland in terms of kilometres.

It is located in the western part of the interior of the country and has been a favourite destination for snowmobile tours in summer and winter for a couple of decades.

Thingvellir National Park is halfway in the direction of this gigantic glacier, which is why most of these tours also include it in their tourist planning.

So basically it's a guided tour that first takes you into the vicinity of the park where you can see canyons formed by the separation of the fault line that arose from the continental collision between the North American and European plates.

The Gullfoss waterfall is another stop on the route before continuing north to reach the Langjökull Glacier. This is where you'll get out of the vehicle to begin a tour of this gigantic frozen terrain on a fun-filled snowmobile.

Please note that most of these paid tours include all the necessary clothing for the ride, such as snow trousers, boots, gloves, helmets and visors. The transfer vehicles are top of the range and usually include internal air-conditioning and on-board wifi.

Meals are not usually included in the fares offered for the tour, but there are opportunities to grab a bite to eat en route and at service station stops.

You can also bring your own food if you wish, which is advisable as you will be leaving Reykjavík in the early morning and returning in the late afternoon.

Details of interest

• Price: A trip like this from Reykjavík to Langjökull Glacier with snowmobiles included usually costs around 190 euros per adult and around 120 euros for children between 11 and 6 years of age. Please note that these itineraries do not usually include hotel pick-up, although sometimes this can be arranged separately.
• Duration: I have to start by clarifying that this is not a daily activity, as it is normal to do about 12 excursions a month, depending on weather conditions. At the same time, there is the fact that in total it can take approximately 10 or 11 hours, but the snowmobile section does not usually exceed 2 hours.
• Means of transport: as it is a journey that is made up of different types of tracks, different means of transport are also involved. Most commonly, a luxury tour bus is used for the transfer from Reykjavík to the glacier access point. Clearly, snowmobiles are reserved for the journey over the frozen terrain.
• Advantages: The buses are quite comfortable and this will allow you to rest and continue the next day with the best tours of Reykjavík. You should also appreciate the fact that this is a relatively luxurious experience, although if you want something a little more exclusive you can invest your budget in one of the helicopter tours in Reykjavik. You can also take a helicopter tour of the glacier from above.

If you don't fancy the idea of seeing Thingvellir National Park on the same day as a snowmobile tour, don't worry. There is another equally interesting itinerary available that is much more focused on the winter beauty that characterises the island's second largest ice mass.

The trip starts from Reykjavík and starts with a stop at the Geysir hot springs area, a space full of boiling mud and hot springs formed on the surface of the earth by the volcanic movement that occurs in most of Iceland's territory.

After this stop you will head straight to the Langjökull glacier to start the snowmobile tour once and for all.

This is an entertaining and thrilling experience that will leave you breathless as you enjoy the incredible opportunity to experience a landscape as unique as this one that looks like something out of a science fiction movie.

The next step on the itinerary would be to return to the vehicle that was used to reach the glacier, but before doing so you will pass through a series of ice caves that are even more authentic and special for those who enjoy being able to encounter such an unusual landscape.

By this point in the tour you are likely to have a huge appetite, which is why most tours that are as physically active as this one take you out for lunch at a restaurant near the next stop.

The last destination on an itinerary like this is almost always the small village of Flúðir, which is home to a beautiful hot spring lagoon. This will allow you to warm up and rest from your snowmobiling session before heading back to the city.

So a trip like this is a perfect opportunity to visit Iceland's glaciers without having to give up the fun and without having to look for accommodation outside the Reykjavík metropolitan area.

Interesting details

• Price: These types of tours are intended for a much smaller group of people and this means that the price paid by each participant can be a little higher than a trip that is designed for a bus. In this case, an adult pays approximately 282 euros, while young people between 17 and 11 years of age pay 213 euros. Children over 5 years old and under 11 years old participate free of charge. Children under the age of 5 are not allowed to participate for reasons of comfort and safety.
• Duration: This itinerary is slightly shorter due to the fact that you don't have to get off to walk around Thingvellir National Park. So it usually takes about 10 hours from departure to return to the city.
• Means of transport: This tour is planned for a group of no more than 10 people, so minibuses and coaches are used for road transfers.
• Advantages: a small group of people means more intimacy and the fact that there are fewer tourists on the plan also means that you will have more time to answer your questions with the guide who will be present for the snowmobile tour. The same goes for other types of tours, such as those that take you to Iceland's best volcanoes from Reykjavík in a similarly small group.

The third alternative available to you if you are looking for a day of fun and adrenaline on a snowmobile tour is to opt for an excursion that also includes a tour of the Langjökull glacier area with some super jeeps.

Basically, this is an itinerary that follows the same sequence of stops as the previous alternatives, only this time it includes a jeep that is mechanically modified to be driven on the glacier terrain.

In addition, this route also includes Thingvellir National Park, the Geysir area and the Gullfoss waterfall in the itinerary and therefore it can be said that it is quite a complete excursion that offers you the opportunity to get to know the Golden Circle region in three different ways in the same day.

If you still want to visit Iceland's best hot springs, you can opt for a day devoted exclusively to this so you can visit some of the resorts that have been created for these natural wonders.

Interesting details

• Price: A trip of this style usually costs around 280 euros per person and the same conditions apply as for the other itineraries, such as restrictions on access for children under 6 years of age and a significant discount for young people between 11 and 17 years of age.
• Duration: 9 hours is usually the total duration of a trip like this as the jeep can take shortcuts at many of the stops due to its mechanical structure which allows it to go off the usual, paved route.
• Means of transport: The transfer from Reykjavík city to the first stop is usually in a minibus for small groups of people, but keep in mind that there will be changes of vehicles afterwards so you can experience the roughness of the jeeps as well as the speed of the snowmobiles.
• Advantages: This tour gives you twice the adrenaline for the price of one, and if you look at it objectively you'll realise that you're seeing 4 iconic places in South Iceland. All this in one day, with guides included and with professional drivers who always guarantee you a safe ride on the snowmobiles. The fact that you are going to Gullfoss is also advantageous, as it is one less stop in your planning of excursions to Iceland's best waterfalls.

The first piece of advice I can give you if you are already starting to plan the purchase of these snowmobile tours in Iceland is to keep in mind that this is an entertaining, but still extreme, activity.

It is therefore important that you keep your composure and follow all the instructions given to you by the tour guides.

Secondly, don't forget to bring a change of clothes because there is a good chance that you will end up drenched in sweat after finishing the stretch of running on the ice.

Having snacks and food on hand will always be another idea you can't overlook for the simple fact that you don't know when you'll work up an appetite and it's quite inconvenient to have to wait until the food stops along the itinerary.

And lastly, I can't advise you enough to read the conditions of travel, as the vast majority do not accept children under the age of 6 and it would be a real inconvenience to find out when you arrive at the bus or coach pick-up point at the Reykjavík terminal.

A plan like this is one of those once-in-a-lifetime experiences. Iceland itself is a place that stands out from the rest of the planet because of its unique natural beauty.

So if you objectively evaluate what is on offer, you will realise that being able to ride a snowmobile on a terrain that belongs to one of the largest glaciers in the world can become one of the best memories of a trip that promises to be unforgettable.