Step in to the ice age: a tour of Iceland's new Ice Cave – in pictures
In May 2014, work began on the world’s first ice-cap glacier cave on the western slopes of Iceland’s Langjökull. Work is still in progress and it is due to open in June – but here’s a sneak preview of the ambitious new tourist attraction
• Iceland on film: a road trip around the ‘Hollywood of the north’
-
Five thousand cubic metres of glacial ice have been excavated to create the three-metre-wide tunnels and the chambers of the Ice Cave. Combined, these awe-inspiring spaces will take approximately an hour to explore, in the company of an expert guide.All photographs: Roman Gerasymenko
-
The journey to the Ice Cave begins 140km north-east of Reykjavík in the remote Kaldidalur valley on the southern edge of Langjökull. The climb, onboard an Ice Explorer reaches 1,260m, from where, on a clear day, you can see the glittering ice cap descending into the valley, the stunning scenery of Borgarfjöður and the landscapes beyond.
-
The eight–wheel Ice Explorer is one of two Nato-built vehicles, modified and equipped for navigating glaciers. Each can carry up to 40 passengers on the 5km journey across the glacier to the mouth of the Ice Cave.
-
Experienced Ice Explorer driver Arngrímur Hermannsson navigates the glacier with precision.
-
-
Once completed, the two main tunnels will merge to form a single 400m-long circular corridor – it will be 30m deep and extend 200m into the heart of the glacier. In addition, a small number of chambers are being hollowed out at various intervals along the tunnel to house educational exhibitions and provide information on the science of glaciers and the effects of global warming.
-
This chamber is being converted into a chapel offering couples the chance to get married within the icy realms of a glacier.
-
During the excavation, workmen came across a spectacular glacial crevasse. The five-metre wide opening exposed a chasm hundreds of metres long with countless icicles hanging from the walls and roof. This unexpected find is being securely bridged and will form part of the new tour.
-
The fairy lights are a temporary solution while engineers set up an extensive backlit LED light system to illuminate the varying the layers of the glacier. One layer equates to roughly a year’s worth of compressed ice — as the tunnel descends the ice gets older and the shades of blue intensify.
-
View all comments >