ON FOOT · CAVE HIKES
Walking into the dark with a helmet on. These 15 combine a trail with a cave system, priced and honest about the crawling, the wading and how tight it gets.
Join a small group of up to 12 for a four-hour glacier hike and natural ice cave visit near Skaftafell. Guides such as Camino, Maria, Elena, and Fabian lead you across Falljökull, explain crevasses and moulins, and help with photos. Gear, parking, coffee, and hot chocolate are included.
“Really cool experience! Our guide Stella was really sweet and did explain everything in a way you could understand.”
Meet at 4:00 am at Walmart Eugenio Garza Sada for a full day in Matacanes Canyon. With an English-speaking guide, you’ll swim through river sections, climb, rappel, jump from waterfalls, and pass through underground tunnels. Wetsuit, helmet, harness, life vest, breakfast, snacks, and round-trip transport are included.
“This is hard but well worth the reward at the end of the day. One of the best experiences in my life meeting and enjoy the outdoor. I do recommend bring your owe small meaning small snacks.”
From Peniche, take a catamaran or smaller boat to Berlenga Grande, then explore its cliffs, caves, beaches, fortress, and lighthouse. A local guide leads the hike and explains the island’s history and geology. The trip lasts four hours and includes roundtrip transport, a glass-bottom boat ride, and the guided walk. Bring sturdy shoes and motion-sickness medicine if needed.
“We really enjoyed Berlengas Island. The ride over was pretty choppy but most people actually enjoyed it, save for one little girl in the boat. We left the castle and walked up to the lighthouse with our guide and a group of 10 others. We were at the back of the group and unfortunately could not hear the information provided about the lighthouse (it was very windy that day). But I mentioned this to our guide near the end of our tour and he gave us the rundown, which was much appreciated. Personally I would not book the cave tour again as it was very quick and not really worth…”
Travel from Catania to Etna with a guide such as Salvatore, Eduardo, or Lorenzo. Taste honey, olive oil, wine, and local treats, then visit Grotta dei Tre Livelli and walk among craters near Rifugio Sapienza. The sunset is weather dependent, and the high slopes can be cold and windy.
“Alessandro was really knowledgable about the history of Etna and its various eruptions. He took time to find out a little about the people on his tour and was very attentive. The tour was an amazing experience and Alessandro answered everyone’s questions really clearly. His English is excellent and he is a real asset to your tours. Thank you again Alessandro for an incredible experience”
Spend 12 to 14 hours traveling from Hanoi to Halong Bay by air-conditioned bus and deluxe boat. Cruise among the limestone islands, eat Vietnamese dishes onboard, visit Sung Sot Cave, hike 420 steps on Titop Island, swim, and choose kayaking or a bamboo boat. Guides such as Sam and Hercules are noted for warm, careful service.
Travel from Riyadh by included 4x4 transport to Jabal Fihrayn, hike to the Edge of the World, explore the optional 120-meter Bin Rasheed bat cave, and finish with coffee, target shooting, music, and dinner at a desert camp. Guides such as Salman, Othman, and Utman have led this outing.
“ts a long journey a lot of it over rough terrain but well worth it. Our guide Salman was great; entertaining and knowledgeable. If you are afraid of heights or have trouble climbing or steep slopes, this is not for you. SO glad I went.”
Walk across Falljökull Glacier with an English-speaking guide, using crampons, a helmet, harness, and ice axe. A 20-minute 4x4 ride from Skaftafell reaches the ice, where you explore a natural cave, crevasses, moulins, and blue ice. Guides such as Ola, James, and Albin are known for clear safety advice and good photos.
“Perfect experience! Everything was well-balanced in terms of pace, the "hike" is easy and leaves time to take plenty of pictures, the landscape is breathtaking, the guide gave us a lot of interesting facts about glaciers. Everything felt very safe and the ice cave was beautiful! We really loved this and I couldn't recommend more!”
Spend seven hours exploring Etna Park in a group of up to eight. Walk inactive craters and lava fields, enter Grotta Lunga with a helmet and lamp, then taste honey, olive oil, wines, jams, and liqueurs near Ragalna. Guides such as Lorenzo, Carmelo, Tommaso, and Enzo bring the volcano to life in several languages.
“Interesting trip, guide is very friendly and provided many history of Catania and Mt Etna. highly recommended.”
Spend six hours exploring Tijuca Forest with an English or Portuguese speaking guide such as Vini, Riccardo, Tito, or Luiza. The moderate 6.2 km route visits Taunay Waterfall, Mayrink Chapel, a suspension bridge, coffee-era ruins, Bat Grotto, and Baronesa Cascade, with time for a waterfall shower.
“our guide Richie was great and made the trip very fun and interesting. the trip itself was also very nice. Highly recommendable.”
Travel from Taormina or Giardini Naxos to Etna with a multilingual guide such as Salvatore, Alessandro, or Nando. Walk extinct craters, enter Grotta dei Tre Livelli with a helmet and headlamp, then taste honey, olive oil, wine, and other local foods. Cable-car and 4x4 upgrades are optional.
“The Etna tour was surreal! Like walking on another planet! Alessandro our guide was super and was so passionate about travel and authentic experiences. We learnt lots about Etna, its history and its geography. The tasting was a cute local place where you had a small tasting included, but could pay for a full wine and food tasting experience, but you could also buy things from a large menu. We had a great time on this excursion and it definitely was the highlight of our trip.”
Travel from Condado to Arecibo in an air-conditioned vehicle with guides such as Sarah, Edward, Shmuel, and Alexis. Expect a rugged hike over coastal rock, Taíno carvings inside Cueva del Indio, dramatic arches, and a small beach stop. Sturdy closed-toe shoes, good fitness, and comfort with heights and tight spaces are essential.
“Had an amazing day! Saw whale spouting, a turtle, lizards, iguanas, land crabs, water life, stripped fish and bats. Sarah was absolutely the best tour guide. She shared and was knowledgeable about the indigenous Taino’s and the hieroglyphs. The walk in was great as well as following Sarah through the cave. My eleven year old wasn’t as excited about entering and exiting the cave but she liked the animals and loved the beach stop.”
Join Ice Walkers Tours for a six-hour 4x4 and glacier hike from Jökulsárlón. You’ll spend about three to four hours on Breiðamerkurjökull, using glacier gear and a headlamp to reach a remote blue ice cave. Guides such as Martin, Ola, Marcin, and Katherina are praised for clear safety advice, glacier knowledge, and a relaxed pace.
“The trip was truly amazing. Our guide Martin was a really nice guy. He made us feel comfortable from the start and he explained everything very well, such as putting on the gear. Also, he was very helpful during the tour with taking pictures of everyone and he was very knowledgeable about Iceland, the Jokulsarlon area and the glacier. Martin showed us a lot of cool places on the glacier. The ice caves with their blue colour were incredable. It was totally worth it taking the trip. We wouldn't have wanted to miss it!”
Travel from Reykjavik to Iceland’s South Coast in a small minibus, stopping at Seljalandsfoss, Skógafoss, Skaftafell, Jökulsárlón, and the black beaches. You’ll hike on a glacier, enter a naturally formed winter ice cave, sleep overnight, and return with breakfast included. Guides such as Johan, Kuba, and Hjalmar have been praised for clear communication and careful support.
“The overnight trip was exactly what we needed to fully enjoy our tour of the south coast in Iceland. The highlight is by far the glacier hike. Our guide Stefan, was amazing, he was friendly, informative, and most of all kept everyone’s safety in mind. Great trip and we can’t wait to be back! Thank you Stefano/Troll Expeditions”
Join Wildscape Adventures at 8pm for a five-hour Blue Mountains night hike with guide Antoine. Walk about an hour each way to a waterfall cave filled with glowworms, spot nocturnal wildlife, and learn basic bush skills. Headlamps, water, parking, and hotel pickup are included.
“The tour guy was very funny and experienced with the outdoors and the van was new and comfortable. The tour goes very late, getting back to the hotel at past 1am, but very worth it as long as you don't have anything planned early the next day and get enough rest the day of. The hike is very easy for almost everyone and the guide will help with some slippery parts. The glowworms themselves were impressive, and you could even get up close to a few of them with the help of the guide. We even got to see a lobster-like creature in the creek on the way to the…”
Travel from Hanoi to Hoa Lu, Trang An, and Mua Cave with an English-speaking guide. Explore royal temples, cruise through Bright, Dark, and Ba Giot caves by bamboo boat, eat a Vietnamese lunch, and climb 486 steps for a wide view of Tam Coc. Guides have included Hoang, Harry, Bao, Leo, and Peter.
“The trip was amazing! Everywhere was very beautiful and it was a great experience. The guide was also very nice, although I wish we would hear more stories about the places we saw :) Overall I would recommend!”
Other ways to spend the day on foot
Rock, ice, forest or crater rim.
