Top glacier destinations and polar landscapes
Top glacier destinations and polar landscapes
Scenic polar landscapes and glacier viewing spots
Glacier travel offers access to landscapes of extraordinary scale and geological significance, with the world's most significant ice fields, tidewater glaciers and high-altitude ice systems producing environments that combine visual drama with a palpable sense of geological time. The most rewarding destinations are those where glacial environments remain accessible enough to engage with directly, with guided ice walks, helicopter landings and boat-based viewing delivering encounters that photographs cannot adequately convey.
Glacial retreat has accelerated considerably across most of the world's significant ice systems and several destinations that were compelling a decade ago have changed materially. Checking current conditions and accessibility before travel is more important at glacial destinations than almost anywhere else, as the experience available today may be significantly diminished within a few years. This context adds urgency to visits without diminishing the scale and power of what remains.
Guided access is strongly recommended at most significant glacial destinations where crevasse risk, unstable ice and rapidly changing conditions make independent exploration genuinely dangerous. Altitude is a consideration at many high-altitude glacial environments and acclimatisation time should be built into itineraries. Seasonal access windows vary considerably by destination and advance research into current conditions is essential before committing to travel dates.
Lists by region
National Park in Iceland
Vatnajökull National Park
Glaciers, Volcanoes and Ice Caves
This park protects Vatnajokull, Europe's largest ice cap outside the Arctic, covering about eight percent of Iceland. Ice caves form each winter as meltwater carves tunnels through the glacier's edges. Visitors can join a guided tour into one of these caves in winter. Jokulsarlon, a glacial lagoon nearby, fills with icebergs drifting towards the sea.
National Park in United States
Glacier Bay National Park
Majestic glaciers and pristine wilderness
Tidewater glaciers here calve into the sea, sending ice crashing into the water. Cruise ships regularly slow near these glacier fronts to let passengers watch the calving. Visitors can also explore the bay by kayak for a quieter view of the ice. Humpback whales often feed in the same nutrient-rich waters near the glacier fronts.
National Park in New Zealand
Mount Cook National Park
New Zealand’s alpine wonderland
The Tasman Glacier stretches for over ten miles, making it the longest glacier in New Zealand. Boats now cruise across a lake that formed as the glacier's face retreated. Visitors can join one of these boat tours to get close to floating icebergs. Mount Cook, the country's tallest peak, towers above the glacier's upper reaches.
Country
Iceland
Land of fire and ice
Ice caves form each winter inside glaciers here as meltwater carves tunnels through the ice. Guides lead small groups into these caves once conditions make them safe to enter. Visitors can see striking blue light filtering through the ice walls overhead. Many of these caves reform in different shapes each year as the glacier shifts.
Mountain
Mont Blanc
Majestic peaks echo timeless alpine serenity
This peak, the tallest in the Alps, feeds several glaciers visible from the valley below. Bossons Glacier descends unusually close to Chamonix at its base. Visitors can view the glacier's tongue from a short walk near the town centre. Climbers heading towards the summit typically cross one of these glaciers along the way.
Region
Patagonia
Untamed Beauty at the End of the World
The Southern Patagonian Ice Field ranks third among the largest ice expanses outside the poles. Dozens of glaciers branch off into valleys on the Chilean and Argentine sides. Visitors can trek or take a boat to reach several of these glaciers up close. Meltwater from the ice field feeds many of the region's turquoise lakes.
Country
Greenland
Arctic wilderness with ice landscapes
Massive icebergs calve from Jakobshavn Glacier into the Ilulissat Icefjord, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Some icebergs measure taller than nearby buildings before drifting out to sea. Visitors can hike along the fjord's edge or take a boat closer to the ice. The Titanic's fatal iceberg is thought to have come from this same glacier.
National Park in United States
Denali National Park
Wild Alaska’s peaks and wildlife
Kahiltna Glacier serves as the main climbing route towards the summit of Denali, North America's tallest peak. Small planes land climbers directly onto the glacier's surface to begin their ascent. Visitors can book a flightseeing tour that circles the glacier without landing. The ice here stretches for over forty miles through the surrounding range.
Outer Territory in United Kingdom
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
Remote polar wilderness with wildlife
Glaciers here reach the coastline, calving into bays used by wildlife colonies. Ernest Shackleton crossed several of these glaciers on foot during his famous 1916 rescue expedition. Visitors can retrace parts of this route on a guided hike from a cruise landing. Penguin colonies often gather on beaches within sight of the glacier fronts.
Town in New Zealand
Franz Josef
Gateway to the Majestic Glaciers
This glacier has retreated a lot in recent decades, a change tracked by local guides. Heli-hike tours fly visitors onto the ice to walk sections no longer reachable on foot. Visitors can view the glacier's face from a lookout at the valley floor. Rainforest surrounds the approach, an unusual pairing for a glacier this size.
State/Prefecture in United States
Alaska
Land of superlatives and adventure
Exit Glacier near Seward lets visitors walk right up to the ice on a short trail. Signs along the path mark where the glacier once reached decades ago. Visitors can join a ranger-led walk to learn how quickly the ice has retreated. Harding Icefield above the glacier feeds dozens of similar rivers of ice nearby.
Town in Switzerland
Zermatt
Alpine Magic and the Matterhorn
Gorner Glacier, the second-largest in the Alps, is visible from a cog railway above town. Visitors can ride this railway to Gornergrat for a wide view over the ice. Hiking trails near the top lead closer to the glacier for those willing to walk. The Matterhorn's peak rises directly across the valley from these viewpoints.
National Park in Tanzania
Kilimanjaro National Park
Africa's Rooftop Adventure
Equatorial glaciers still cling to Kilimanjaro's summit, though they have shrunk drastically over the past century. Ernest Hemingway's short story about the mountain's snows helped make these glaciers famous. Climbers reaching the summit can walk past remaining ice fields near the crater rim. Scientists studying the ice expect much of it to disappear within decades.
Outer Territory in Norway
Svalbard
Arctic wilderness at Earth's edge
Glaciers cover roughly sixty percent of the land across this Arctic archipelago north of Norway. Boat tours approach glacier fronts close enough to hear the ice cracking and shifting. Visitors can also join a snowmobile trip across frozen fjords to reach remote glaciers. Polar bears are sometimes spotted resting on the ice near these fronts.
National Park in Chile
Torres del Paine National Park
Epic Landscapes and Untamed Wilderness
Grey Glacier feeds a lake filled with floating icebergs broken off from its face. Boat tours cross this lake to bring visitors close to the towering ice wall. Visitors can also hike a trail along the lakeshore for a distant view of the glacier. The park's granite towers rise dramatically above the surrounding glacial valleys.
Country
Peru
Ancient wonders meet diverse landscapes
Pastoruri Glacier once drew skiers to the Cordillera Blanca before melting made the ice too thin. A short hike from the parking area leads visitors to what remains of the ice. Visitors can see how quickly the glacier has shrunk in recent decades. Nearby lakes fed by other glaciers add turquoise colour to the valley.
Country
Pakistan
Land of ancient heritage
Baltoro Glacier stretches over 40 miles through the Karakoram, one of the longest glaciers outside the poles. Trekkers follow the glacier's surface for days on the route towards K2 base camp. Visitors can camp on rocky moraine beside the ice along the trek. Four of the world's fourteen highest peaks are visible from this glacier.
Country
Norway
Land of the long cloud
Jostedalsbreen, mainland Europe's largest glacier, covers a plateau stretching across several valleys here. Guided walks lead visitors onto marked sections of the ice from nearby trailheads. Visitors can also view the glacier's arms descending into forested valleys from several lookouts. Meltwater from the ice feeds turquoise lakes at the base of the mountains.
City in France
Chamonix-Mont-Blanc
Alpine thrills beneath Mont Blanc
A cable car climbs to Mer de Glace, France's largest glacier, in under an hour. An ice cave carved fresh each year lets visitors walk inside the ice. Visitors can also ride a smaller train partway up before finishing on foot. Signs along the descent mark how far the ice has retreated over the years.
National Park in Argentina
Los Glaciares National Park
Where glaciers meet towering peaks
This park protects both Perito Moreno and Upsala, two of the largest glaciers in the Southern Patagonian Ice Field. UNESCO listed it as a World Heritage site for its glacial landscape. Visitors can view Perito Moreno's advancing face from a system of walkways. Boat tours towards Upsala pass icebergs that broke free from the glacier.
National Park in Canada
Banff National Park
Majestic Peaks and Turquoise Lakes
The Columbia Icefield feeds the Athabasca Glacier, one of the most accessible glaciers in North America. Specially designed all-terrain vehicles carry visitors directly onto the ice for a closer look. Visitors can also walk a marked trail partway up to the glacier's toe. Skywalk, a glass platform nearby, adds a view over the surrounding valley.
Saddle in Bern
Jungfraujoch
Top of Europe Alpine Adventure
A cogwheel railway climbs to this station, nicknamed the Top of Europe, at over eleven thousand feet. The Sphinx Observatory here offers a viewing platform looking out over the Aletsch Glacier below. Visitors can walk through an ice palace carved into the glacier itself. Snow covers the surrounding peaks even during the height of summer.
Mountain
Mount Everest
World's highest peak, ultimate challenge
Khumbu Glacier flows from the world's tallest mountain, feeding the Khumbu Icefall. This icefall, a maze of shifting ice towers, ranks among the most dangerous parts of the climbing route. Trekkers can view the glacier from Everest Base Camp without crossing the icefall. Sherpa guides study the ice daily to plan safer routes.
Region in Nepal
Annapurna
Legendary Trekking in Himalayan Diversity
Trekkers reach Annapurna Base Camp after days of walking through a valley flanked by glacier-fed peaks. The final approach opens onto a natural amphitheatre of ice and rock. Visitors can watch avalanches occasionally slide down the surrounding walls from a safe distance. Machapuchare, a sacred unclimbed peak, rises just beyond the camp.
Glacier in Argentina
Perito Moreno
Thundering Ice in Patagonia’s Wilds
This glacier is one of the few in the world still advancing rather than retreating. Its ice face regularly cracks and calves large chunks into the lake. Visitors can watch this from a system of walkways across from the ice. The glacier's stability, compared to others nearby, has made it a rare case among researchers.
National Park in Canada
Jasper National Park
Untamed Wilderness and Starry Skies
Angel Glacier clings to the slopes of Mount Edith Cavell, visible from a car park below. A short trail leads hikers closer to the ice and its meltwater lake. Visitors can spot chunks of ice occasionally breaking free down the mountainside. The Columbia Icefield, shared with nearby Banff, adds a larger glacier system to explore.
Glacier in Switzerland
Aletsch Glacier
Majestic ice plateau overlooking alpine valleys
This glacier stretches over 14 miles, the longest continuous stream of ice in the Alps. UNESCO listed the surrounding region as a World Heritage site for its scale and geology. Visitors can view the glacier's length from a viewpoint near the Eggishorn peak. A network of trails also leads hikers along sections of its edge.
Ski Resort in Chile
Valle Nevado
Snow‑kissed peaks and alpine serenity
This Andean ski resort sits above the snowline year-round, surrounded by glacier-carved peaks outside Santiago. Chile's central Andes hold numerous small glaciers visible from the resort's upper lifts. Visitors can ski or snowboard on slopes shaped by past glacial activity. Clear days offer views towards Aconcagua, the tallest peak in the Americas.
Region in Switzerland
Graubünden
Alpine wonderland with pristine lakes and trails
The Morteratsch Glacier trail in this Swiss canton lets hikers walk towards the ice on a marked path. Signposts along the way mark where the glacier stood in past decades. Visitors can continue on foot to touch the ice at the current terminus. The Bernina Express train passes close to the glacier on its route.
City in Nepal
Pokhara
Lakeside Calm, Himalayan Adventure Gateway
Machapuchare, a sacred peak never officially summited, has a glacier-capped summit visible from this town. Trekkers heading into the Annapurna Sanctuary pass beneath its glaciers on the way up. Visitors can view the peak's fishtail summit reflected in Phewa Lake at dawn. The town serves as the main starting point for treks into this region.
Town in Argentina
El Chalten
Hiking Capital of Argentina
Trails from this town lead hikers towards Viedma Glacier, part of the Southern Patagonian Ice Field. Guided ice-trekking tours let visitors strap on crampons and walk across the ice. Visitors can also view the ice field from a distance on shorter day hikes. Mount Fitz Roy's jagged peak rises above the same glacial valley.
Town in Argentina
El Calafate
Gateway to Patagonia’s Glaciers
This town serves as the main gateway to Perito Moreno Glacier, a short drive across Lago Argentino. Boats from the harbour cross the lake towards the glacier's ice face. Visitors can also drive to a system of walkways built facing the glacier directly. Chunks of ice regularly crack off and crash into the water below.
Mountain in Italy
Matterhorn
Majestic peak echoing alpine legends
This pyramid-shaped peak is flanked by several glaciers, including the Theodul Glacier on its eastern side. A cable car to Klein Matterhorn carries visitors onto glacier terrain year-round. Visitors can ski on this glacier even during the summer months. The mountain's iconic shape has made it one of the most photographed peaks in the Alps.
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