Your day will start at the Katlatrack meeting point (N1 gas station) in Vik. From there, you be loaded in a super jeep and head high up into the mountains for an scenic ride towards the Katla Volcano.
The first stop is at the front of Kötlujökull – the Katla outlet glacier. Kötlujökull is actually part of the famous Mýrdalsjökull glacier – the fourth largest glacier in Iceland. At this point, you will get geared up (helmet, headlamp, and crampons will be provided), and your guide will provide you with a full safety briefing.
You'l then embark on a 10 to 15-minute glacier hike across the ice to explore your first ice cave! Be prepared to marvel at the magnificent crystal colours and glassy textures inside the ice cave. Your Katlatrack guide will share the history of the Iceland ice cave including how it was formed. You’ll learn how the volcanic eruptions of the Katla volcano caused the ash and sand to combine with the ice, to form the incredible shades of black and blue that appear almost like ‘dragon glass’. There will be plenty of ice cave photo opportunities, and plenty of time to ask questions and learn all you wish to know about these magnificent icy structures.
After some time in the main cave, we’ll take another short glacier walk as we hunt for secret waterfalls and hidden glacier canyons. Iceland’s ice caves are constantly shifting and changing with the seasons, so the caves that you will experience on your glacier tour are truly unique to your trip. You'll have the opportunity to also explore one or two other ice caves, depending upon the current conditions on the glacier.
After our ice caving adventure, we’ll head back to the super jeep for our next destination: a private black sand beach. You will already be very familiar with Iceland’s most famous black sand beach, Reynisfjara, and we definitely recommend that you explore this beach in your own time. However, in true Katlatrack style, we prefer to take you off the beaten path on our tours. Therefore, you will get to visit a lesser-known black sand beach that you can explore and enjoy in privacy – far away from the tourist crowds.
For the journey home, you will take an exciting detour through the wild terrain, driving through the actual film set from Star Wars Rogue One. You’ll see exactly where the opening scenes were shot as your guide shares all of the behind the scenes details. Along the way, you will also enjoy some other memorable sights from the comfort of the jeep, including the historical promontory of Hjörleifshöfði, the distinctive Reynisdrangar sea stacks, and the beautiful local area around Vik.
