When You Wander

Because of the unpredictable nature of Iceland’s weather, our plan to see the crystal blue ice cave, Crystal Cave, at Vatnajökull glacier (Europe’s largest glacier to be exact) was thwarted. A few days before we arrived into Iceland, there was terrible rain. So much rain, in fact, that some of the ice caves flooded. Unfortunately, Crystal Cave, known for its intense blue color (making the interior look like sparkling diamonds), was included in the flooding. To be completely honest, this was the MAIN reason why I was ECSTATIC to go on this tour. So needless to say, when we arrived at the tour group check point and I first found out the cave was flooded, I couldn’t help but feel overwhelming disappointment. However, I tried my best to reboot my mindset and think on the bright side. The tour company, Arctic Adventures, was aware that this was a big loss for most of us tourists, so they attempted to make up for it by replacing it with a free glacier walk.

After a substantial delay due to late guests, we took a 30-minute bus ride out to Vatnajökull National Park. As if we weren’t behind schedule already, we ended up having bus tire problems which delayed us even further. Once we were finally parked up at the national park, our guide, who was a straight up Viking (seriously! Super tall, huge muscles, grizzly hair…he looked like he belonged on the show, Vikings!) showed us how to apply crampons to the bottom of our boots.

We were then strictly instructed to walk in a straight line, staring at the feet of the person in front of us, and making sure we follow along in their footprints. This was because some points of the glacier were super soft, so even though the ice was several meters thick, you could still accidentally step wrong and have your foot dive down a meter.

And then before I knew it, we were off! With such intense instructions, I assumed we would pause throughout the walk so we could take photographs. WRONG. Our guide was walking at a rapid pace, barely giving us time to enjoy the marvelous views around us (let alone take photos). I felt my annoyance-o-meter rising.

I understood that the glacier could be dangerous if not cautious, hence being told to look at the person ahead of us, but I felt being continuously rushed was unacceptable. I felt bad for fellow guests who brought their tripods along, as they never had time to properly set up and use them. Maybe I’m just not a “tour person” and maybe I was already in a bad mood because my dream ice cave was closed, but this activity was not cheap! So after twenty minutes of this bologna I went into a rebellious state and just started taking all the photos that my lovely heart desired.

I am also 99 percent sure that this is why my leg shot straight through the snowy ice, up to my crotch, while I was turning off my camera. (Ohhhhh, so those soft patches are real). But like a boss, I somehow popped right back up like a game of Whac-a-Mole, and nobody but Nick even noticed. He may even have some GoPro footage of the hilarity.

We were determined to make this a positive experience, so we decided to do things our way. We lagged behind the group the whole time and were the last two people back on the bus. But it was worth it because we were actually able to soak in the experience and get a few worthy snaps along the way.

Walking on the glacier itself is absolutely, breathtakingly beautiful. It’s a blend of pearly white, gray, and light blue hues in every direction. Although we didn’t get to walk into Crystal Cave, we did get to go into a few other caves. The inside colors were a bit gray, but still a unique experience nonetheless!

The last stop was a walk over to my beloved Crystal Cave. As you can see from the photo below, flooded as can be. 😦

And in case you were wondering what it’s supposed to look like when it’s NOT flooded, here you go.

As you’ve now grasped from this post, the tour itself did not meet my expectations. I felt that because we were running behind schedule (late guests, bus problems), the guides rushed us along the entire time. Would I go on a tour again in the future? Well, as it’s the only way to venture out onto Vatnajökull glacier, yes, I would, but only IF I had the guaranteed opportunity to see Crystal Cave. I would book with another company, though.

If it’s your first time going to Iceland and you are contemplating some sort of glacier walk or ice cave tour at Vatnajökull National Park, I still highly recommend it! Regardless of the tour company you choose, it is truly a one-of-a-kind experience and I would have regretted missing out on such an adventure.

Just be prepared for the unexpected and don’t be afraid to do whatever you need to do to make it fun for YOU, like we did.