Glacier Expedition: Private Helicopter Tour

Your Own Helicopter to the Ice

The private Glacier Expedition reserves the helicopter for your group of up to four and takes you, in 90 minutes, from Reykjavík Domestic Airport to the summit silence of Þórisjökull, the ice cap nearest the capital, and back by a different route. It follows the same flight plan as the shared Glacier Expedition, with the aircraft to yourselves, a departure time fixed around your plans and a pilot who can adjust the landing site and the time on the ice to what your group wants, within the limits the weather sets.

For four passengers the price per person is close to the shared seat. For couples, honeymooners or a family with children, it means a calm cabin and a glacier landing that nobody else shares.

The Route: Fjord, Waterfall, Glacier and Rift

The flight runs north over Hvalfjörður, the Whale Fjord, beneath which the Ring Road passes in a tunnel, to the canyon at its head where Glymur falls 198 metres in a slot that hikers only glimpse in pieces. Beyond, the land climbs and the palette narrows to dark volcanic rock and the white sheet of Þórisjökull. The pilot picks the landing site according to the day’s conditions; on the glacier, with the engine off, the quiet is complete.

The return follows the skyline of Skjaldbreiður, the broad shield volcano that built the Þingvellir plain, and crosses the Þingvellir rift, where the fissures between the North American and Eurasian plates are easy to read from the air. The same ground is covered on foot on our Glymur waterfall hike and from the road on the Golden Circle; for a longer time on ice, our Sólheimajökull glacier hike is the south-coast option. Our guide to the best helicopter tours in Iceland sets this flight against the longer highland expeditions.

Weather, Flexibility and What to Expect

Sturdy hiking or winter boots are essential for the glacier landing and warm layers are needed in any season, as it is noticeably colder on the ice than in town. The cabin is heated and large coats can travel in the baggage compartment. If weather closes the planned route, the pilot offers an alternative; if a short delay would help, the flight can move by a few hours or to another day, subject to availability; and a full refund applies if the operator must cancel. Because the helicopter is yours, we can connect it with a private day tour or an airport transfer, and your guide can join you with a camera as in our helicopter photo gallery.

Practical Information

What’s Included: Private helicopter exclusively for your group (up to 4 passengers), approximately 90 minutes of flight time, one remote scenic landing of about 15 minutes (weather permitting), experienced pilot with commentary, Bose noise-cancelling headsets.

Requirements: Sturdy hiking or winter boots for the glacier landing, several warm layers in any season, booking at least 2 hours before departure. Passenger weights are requested at booking for flight planning. Independent transfer to Reykjavík Domestic Airport, or ask us to include the flight in a private tour or transfer.

Good to Know: Flights operate year-round and depend on weather; alternative routes or another departure time are offered when conditions change, and a full refund applies if the operator cancels. The landing site is chosen by the pilot on the day. Departures from Reykjavík Domestic Airport, not Keflavík. Cancellation fees: 10% within 14 days, 50% within 7 days, 100% within 2 days. Price is per helicopter; shared seats are available at a lower price per person.