Terms and Conditions

• Cancellation Policy

• Environmental Policy

• Safety & Guide Training

• Testimonials

• Why Choose Us

• Work With Us

• Sustainability

• Pick-up Information

• Trip Difficulty

Booking Terms & Conditions

Glacierguides.is is a part of the Arctic Family and therefore abide by the same terms & conditions. These terms and conditions may be amended from time to time and apply to all of our services.

By accessing, browsing, using and/or completing a reservation through our (mobile) website you acknowledge and agree to have read, understood and agreed to be legally bound to the terms and conditions set out below. No contract between the customer and Glacierguides.is shall come into existence until Glacierguides.is receives full payment and issues a confirmation invoice. The customer making the booking accepts these conditions on behalf of all members of their travel party and is responsible for the entirety of the payment.

If you are having any problems booking through our website www.glacierguides.is then please contact our customer support team at info@glacierguides.is

Glacier Guides reserves the right to alter itineraries and/or timetables should it be necessary, due to adverse weather and or other related conditions. Glacier Guides is not responsible for expenses and/or other related costs due to factors outside of its control, such as flight delays, changes and or cancellations, injuries, weather, war, natural disasters etc. and/or other unforeseeable matters. You are responsible for providing Arctic Adventures with the correct contact information and related details so that we can keep you informed in the event of changes made to the services booked.

1. Prices

1.1. Please note that all prices for the services provided by Glacierguides.is and its sub-brands are in the company’s local currency, Icelandic Krona (ISK). As a local operator, Glacierguides.is cannot be responsible for currency fluctuations and or additional fees outside its control that may be applied such as bank transfer fees, credit card fees and etc.

1.2. All charges are made in Icelandic krona, ISK. On glacierguides.is you can view an estimate of prices in USD and EUR. This is only to help you understand the approximate price. Your credit card will always be charged in ISK. We also refund in ISK. Since Glacierguides.is does not charge any booking or transaction fees we can not be held liable for any loss due to fluctuations in currency exchange rates during transactions, nor any third party transaction fees that may occur at the time of payment and/or refund. Keep in mind that your card issuer may charge you a foreign transaction fee.

1.3. All prices shown on our (mobile) website are based on current prices. All prices mentioned on our (mobile) website include value-added tax. Glacierguides.is reserves the right to alter or change already published prices on the website without prior notice in the event of currency fluctuation, government taxes, or any such costs increases that are outside Glacierguides.is‘ control. Prices are guaranteed against any surcharge after an invoice has been issued, unless the increase is due to government laws or currency changes and amounts to 5% of the tour price or more. The amounts that exceed 5% will be charged and clients will be entitled to cancel their booking with a full refund if the surcharge exceeds 10%. Any increase due to changes in government laws, i.e. tax changes will be added to the invoice.

2. Special offers & Promotional codes

2.1. Please note that special offers such as promotional codes cannot be applied to a reservation after a purchase has been made such as in the form of a refund. When offered, promotional codes and/or other special offers, must be entered into the relevant field located on the payment page upon check out at the time of booking in order to be valid and applied.

2.2. Please note that all special offers such as promotional codes and/or early bird discount only apply to the price of the tour. Extras and rental gear are not subject to discount.

2.3. Early bird discount is applied to the final price of the tour, if a special offer/promotional code is used, the early bird discount applies to the discounted price (full price less special offer/promotional code).

3. Best Price Guarantee

We guarantee that you always get the lowest price when you reserve a tour through our direct channels.. or we‘ll match the lower price! It’s easy to apply for the Best Price Guarantee on www.glacierguides.is

Here‘s how it works:

1. Make a confirmed reservation through glacierguides.is
2. If in the following 24 hours you find a lower online rate for an equivalent offer on another website (same tour, same date, same departure time etc.) send us a mail through our customer support team at info@glacierguides.is, attaching the required supporting documents to request application of the best price guarantee. Please note that holiday pricing and special offers and promotions do not fall under the best price guarantee. For the best price guarantee to be applicable the other offer has to be for the same tour, same date, same departure time and have the same inclusions, cancellation policy and conditions.
3. One of our agents will then check that the lower rate on the other website complies with the Terms & Conditions of the Best Price Guarantee according to the rate and conditions you provide. If the rate mentioned meets the necessary Terms & Conditions, we will process a refund for the price difference and send you an email confirmation once processed.
4. If the rate mentioned does not meet the necessary Terms & Conditions, we will send you an email response justifying our answer.

4. Pick-up & Drop-off Services

Glacier Guides offers pick up and drop-off services for some of its tours. Please read the tour description very carefully to see if pick-up and drop-off services are included in the price, can be added as an extra or the activity in question only offers the option of meeting us on location.
You as the traveler are responsible for your pick-up, this includes providing Glacier Guides with your pick up location in time as well as being ready at the correct time for the pick-up for your tour. Glacier Guides will provide you with information about your pick up time on your voucher which is provided upon booking. If you are unsure when to be ready for your scheduled tour then please contact our Customer Support Team.

Please note that missing the pick-up does not entitle you to a refund of the price paid for the services. You are responsible to be ready for pick up at the assigned pick up point from the start of the pick up time in order to not miss our guides when they arrive to pick you up.

5. Meeting us on location

If you are planning to meet us on location for your tour then please be sure that this can be arranged. For most of Glacier Guides tours, it is possible to meet us on location. Please read the tour description of your tour very carefully to see if meeting us on location is possible for the activity in question.  Please note that there are still some tours where this cannot be offered. If you are unsure which tours this follows under then please contact our customer support team at info@glacierguides.is
You as the traveler are responsible for arriving at the meeting point in time for your tour.  This includes being ready at the correct time at the correct location in time for your adventure tour. Arctic Adventures will provide you with information about the meeting point for your tour on your voucher which is provided upon booking. If you are unsure when to arrive for your scheduled tour then please contact our customer support team at info@glacierguides.is

Please note that if you do not arrive in time for your tour and/or are late to the meeting point of the tour, that is to say you do not arrive at the correct meeting point at the correct time for your adventure tour then you are not entitled to a refund of the price paid for the services.

6. Extras & Rental gear.

6. 1. Extras and rental gear can both be added upon booking your tour as well as afterwards as long as it is made no later than the evening before your tour departure date. If you have already made a reservation with us and would like to add any extras and/or rental gear to your reservation then please contact our customer support team at info@glacierguides.is
Please note that all extras and rental gear reservations are final. No refund is given for extras & rental gear, this includes single supplements, hiking shoes, waterproof jacket and pants etc.

Safety equipment needed for each tour is provided by Arctic Adventures and is not classified as rental gear.

6.2. Please note that all extras and rental gear reservations fall under the same cancellation terms as the tour purchased. This includes single supplements, hiking shoes, waterproof jacket and pants, etc. After the tour departure, the extras become non-refundable. Please see section 16 for details on the cancellation policy.

7. Travel insurance

As with any and all world travel, we strongly recommend that you purchase travel a travel insurance policy in your home country that covers your cost should you have to cancel your travel reservation with short notice. These kind of travel insurances are not expensive and frequently cover other risks. Having travel insurances is always a good idea when traveling around the world.

8. Icelandic weather and conditions 

All adventure trips and outdoor activities are dependent on weather and general conditions. Glacier Guides reserves the right to alter routes, itineraries, departure times and or cancel your trip without prior notice with your safety in mind, should the necessity arise.

Please keep in mind that Iceland is and will always be Iceland. The weather changes fast on our northern island and with it, conditions change. Our guides are specially trained to deal with changing conditions and their number one priority is to make decisions with your safety in mind. Please be aware of this and respect your guides authority to do so. This is especially valid for winter travel in Iceland. Our summer trips (excluding high alpine trips), operated from June through August, are rarely adversely affected by harsh weather.

Glacier Guides cannot be held responsible for any loss, damage, accident, injury, sickness, schedule change or other factors due to weather, strike, natural disasters or any other cause beyond Glacier Guides control. Glacier Guides acts in good faith and cannot be held responsible for defaults or delays of organizations that are not a part of the Arctic family such as individual agencies, hotels, other tour operators, airlines, guides, restaurants or any other person‘s or company‘s act.
In the case of any changes to flights (domestic and international), the passenger is responsible for any additional costs incurred as a result of such changes (i.e. additional hotel nights, meals, transfers, etc.), at the time provided. We, therefore, advise all customers to have comprehensive travel insurance to meet all contingencies.

9. Clothing

Appropriate footwear and suitable outdoor clothing must be worn. We reserve the right to refuse participation to customers who are dressed inappropriately or with inappropriate footwear since this will put the client’s well-being and safety at risk. In such cases, full cancellation charges apply.

10. Assumed risk & Outdoor activities

Guests/Clients are advised that all activities are undertaken entirely at their own risk and they must behave in a fit and proper manner at all times in accordance with Glacier Guides (or our partners’) guidelines and must take proper responsibility for their own safety. All adventure tours and outdoor activities carry inherent risks and Glacier Guides or its partners do not assume any responsibility for accidents that are caused by its customers or can be traced to their own actions or are caused by factors outside of human control (Force majeure). With the purchase of your trip you agree to these conditions, understand its implications and accept responsibility for your participation in your trip. Depending on the excursion, you may be requested to sign an additional liability release.

11. Alcohol and drugs:

We reserve the right to refuse participation to clients we believe are under the influence of alcohol or drugs, in such circumstances, no refund shall be given. Our guides reserve the right to refuse participation to any customer whose conduct or manner is likely to cause offence, upset or put other passengers in danger. In such cases, full cancellation charges apply.

12. Reviews & Feedback

Glacier Guides welcomes all feedback, both positive as well as negative as it helps us improve our overall services, and performance. We would greatly appreciate it if you could share your tour experience with us.
Please note that all complaints must reach Glacier Guides within 5 days from the completion of your tour. Otherwise, possible compensation is not valid.

13. Terms of Payment

13.1. Glacierguides.is accepts all major credit and debit cards as well as AliPay. Purchases made via credit/debit card will go through 3D Secure. Glacierguides.is requires a deposit payment or the full amount at the time of booking, depending on when the booking is made and what type of tour package is booked:

• Day Tours operated by Glacierguides.is, booked with more than 21 days before departure: Glacierguides.is offers the option of a 10% deposit payment or full payment of the tour price.
• Day Tours operated by Glacierguides.is, booked 21 days or less before departure: Full payment is required upon booking.
• Multi-day, Self-Drive, Stopover Packages, Group & Trekking Tours operated by Glacierguides.is, booked with more than 21 days before departure: Glacierguides.is offers the option of a 10% deposit payment or full payment of the tour price.
• Multi-day, Self-Drive, Stopover Packages, Group & Trekking Tours operated by Glacierguides.is, booked 21 days or less before departure: Full payment is required upon booking.
• Custom & Private Tours: For itineraries that have been customized by a travel consultant, you may choose to pay a deposit or full payment at the time of booking. If the customized booking is purchased 30 days or less before your arrival, full payment is the only option.
• Day Tours operated by trusted partners: 10% deposit is available if booked with more than 21 days notice, full payment always available.
• Multi-Day Tours operated by trusted partners: 10% deposit is available if booked with more than 21 days notice, full payment always available.

13.2. If a deposit payment is made, as listed in 14.1., the remaining balance (full payment less deposit) for all tours (day tours, multi-day, self-drive, stopover packages, group & trekking tours) operated by Glacierguides.is is due no later than 14 days before the start time of your departure. You will receive a notification 21 days prior to departure, reminding you of the outstanding balance. If the remaining balance is not finalized with more than 14 days before departure, the 10% deposit becomes non-refundable (applicable to all tour types). The deposit payment is otherwise refundable according to the terms and conditions of each tour.

13.3. Delayed Payments: Glacierguides.is reserves the right to treat cases of delayed payments as a cancellation of the booking, and the company can withdraw its confirmation of services. Please note that this only applies if payment has not been made at least 2 weeks prior to the tour departure, and no agreement has been made for paying the remaining balance. In case of delayed payments, the 10% deposit becomes non-refundable and the reservation counts as canceled.

14. Governing Law and Jurisdiction

14.1. This agreement shall be exclusively governed by and construed in accordance with Icelandic law.

14.2. Any disputes arising out or in connection with this agreement shall exclusively be submitted to and dealt with by the district court of Reykjavík.

Glacier Guides Cancellation Policy

All cancellation fees held by Glacier Guides are only intended to cover our direct cost of amending and/or cancelling your reservation. By accessing, browsing, using and/or completing a reservation through our (mobile) website you acknowledge and agree to have read, understood and agreed to be legally bound to the cancellation policy as set out below. No contract between the customer and Glacierguides.is shall come into existence until Glacierguides.is receives full payment and issues a confirmation invoice. The customer making the booking accepts these conditions on behalf of all members of their travel party and is responsible for payment due from the party in entirety.

All communications relating to these terms and conditions (in particular any requests to cancel or amend your tour arrangements) must be from the lead traveler of each reservation and processed through the My Adventures portal where travelers can manage their bookings. If the customer portal is inaccessible, all cancellations must be delivered in writing via email info@glacierguides.is and sent by the lead traveler. Once delivered the amendment and/or cancellation needs to be confirmed by Glacier Guides before further action can be taken. If a reimbursement is in order then it shall be made in accordance with all procedures and processed as soon as possible, and the stipulated amount will be transferred to the same credit card that was used upon booking. Please note that we can not be responsible for delays of the delivery of the reimbursement to your account once it has been processed on our end. For tours purchased through another vendor please reach out to the vendor directly with your refund and/or cancellation request. Due to unusual circumstances and high load, it may be expected that cancellation process will take up to 6 - 8 weeks after cancellation is registered in our systems. The cancellation policy applies to the original booking departure date the tour has been booked for.

Cancellation fees & charges

16.0. Changing the number of people in a booking to a smaller number is considered cancellation for the change in number of participants. Such cancellations are subject to cancellation fees as per the below.

As we start to incur costs from the time the contract is confirmed we will apply cancellation charges as shown below from the time when written notification of the cancellation is received:

* Applicable when full payment has been made. In case of deposit payments, the deposit becomes non-refundable in case of delayed payments.

For all bookings of day tours operated by Glacier Guides & Arctic Adventures, a minimum of 24 hours’ notice of cancellation prior to your scheduled tour departure is required for a full refund. If a cancellation is made with less than 24 hours’ notice prior to departure no refund is given. For the 24-hour policy to be applicable cancellations need to be made and delivered to Glacier Guides through the My Adventures portal. The 24-hour policy does not honor cancellation requests sent through other channels.

If the customer portal is inaccessible, all cancellations must be delivered in writing via email at info@glacierguides.is and sent by the lead traveler.

For reservations that have a 10% deposit payment (not full payment), in case of delayed payments, the 10% deposit becomes non-refundable if payment is not finalized with more than 14 days before departure.

Extras and rental gear, booked as part of a day tour fall under the terms as stated here above. 

Please note that this only applies to tours operated by Glacierguides.is. Tours operated by trusted partners are subject to the operators‘ cancellation policy. 

Cancellations with more than 14 days’ notice before trip departure:

You will be refunded 90% of the total tour price. 10% is non-refundable, as this represents our direct cost of booking and preparing your tour.

Cancellations with less than 14 days’ notice before trip departure:

You will be refunded 50% of your total tour price. 50% is non-refundable, as this represents our direct cost of canceling any arrangements made for your tour.

* Delayed Payments on deposit reservations: Glacierguides.is reserves the right to treat cases of delayed payments as a cancellation of the booking, and the company can withdraw its confirmation of services. Please note that this only applies if a payment has not been made at least 2 weeks prior to the tour departure, and no agreement has been made for paying the remaining balance. In case of delayed payments, the 10% deposit becomes non-refundable and the reservation counts as canceled.

Cancellations with less than 48-hours’ notice before trip departure:

No refund will be given if tours are canceled with less than 48 hours’ notice, as Glacier Guides will be charged for all costs such as guides, transport etc.

10% of the price of your trip is non-refundable, this percentage reflects our cost of booking and preparing your trip.

Extras and rental gear, booked as part of a multi-day tour fall under the terms as stated here above. 

16.3 Cancellations of Private & Customized Tours

Cancellations of Private, Group & Customized Day Tours (Individuals and Group Bookings) made with more than 72 hours‘ notice (prior to departure):

You will be refunded 90% of the total tour price. 10% is non-refundable, as this represents our direct cost of booking and preparing your tour.

Cancellations of Private, Group & Customized Day Tours (Individuals and Group Bookings) made with less than 72 hours’ notice:

No refund will be given if canceled with less than 72 hours‘ notice, as Glacierguides.is will be charged for all costs such as guides, transport, etc.

Cancellations of Private & Customized Multi-day Tours (Individual bookings of 1-9 participants) made with more than 14 days‘ notice (prior to departure):

You will be refunded 90% of the total tour price. 10% is non-refundable, as this represents our direct cost of booking and preparing your tour.

Cancellations of Private & Customized Multi-day Tours (Individual bookings of 1-9 participants) made with less than 14 days’ notice:

You will be refunded 50% of your total tour price. 50% is non-refundable, as this represents our direct cost of canceling any arrangements made for your tour.

* Delayed Payments on deposit reservations: Glacierguides.is reserves the right to treat cases of delayed payments as a cancellation of the booking, and the company can withdraw its confirmation of services. Please note that this only applies if a payment has not been made at least 2 weeks prior to the tour departure, and no agreement has been made for paying the remaining balance. In case of delayed payments, the 10% deposit becomes non-refundable and the reservation counts as cancelled.

Cancellations Private & Customized Multi-day Tours (Individual bookings of 1-9 participants) made with less than 72 hours‘ notice:

No refund will be given if canceled with less than 72 hours‘ notice, as Glacierguides.is will be charged for all costs such as guides, transport, accommodation, etc.

Cancellations of Private & Customized Multi-day Tours (Group bookings, 10+ participants) made with more than 8 weeks‘ notice (prior to departure):

You will be refunded 90% of the total tour price. 10% is non-refundable, as this represents our direct cost of booking and preparing your tour.

Cancellations of Private & Customized Multi-day Tours (Group bookings, 10+ participants) made with less than 8 weeks’ notice:

You will be refunded 50% of your total tour price. 50% is non-refundable, as this represents our direct cost of canceling any arrangements made for your tour.

* Delayed Payments on deposit reservations: Glacierguides.is reserves the right to treat cases of delayed payments as a cancellation of the booking, and the company can withdraw its confirmation of services. Please note that this only applies if a payment has not been made at least 2 weeks prior to the tour departure, and no agreement has been made for paying the remaining balance. In case of delayed payments, the 10% deposit becomes non-refundable and the reservation counts as canceled.

Cancellations of Private & Customized Multi-Day Tours (Group bookings, 10+ participants)  made with less than 4 weeks‘ notice:

No refund will be given if canceled with less than 4 weeks‘ notice, as Glacierguides.is will be charged for all costs such as guides, transport, accommodation, etc.

Last updated and valid for bookings made on or after the 1st of June 2020. Click here for an older version.