The ten largest (by length) glaciers in the world are:

Glaciers store an incredible 69 percent of all the fresh water on the planet, and there are around 200 000 unique glaciers to be found globally.

At the moment, glaciers, along with ice caps and the Greenland/Antarctica Ice Sheet covers about 10 percent of the Earth’s surface.

In this article, we’ll have a look at the ten most massive glaciers in the world (by length, not area). Some of these are accessible for hiking and climbing, while others are not.

1. Lambert Fisher Glacier

Photo by Lutz Fischer-Lamprecht

The largest glacier in the world – Lambert Fisher – is in Antarctica. No surprise there. It’s the iciest place in the world as a whole, so it’s the prime area for some severe glacier formation.

This mammoth glacier comprises about 8% of the Arctic Ice Sheet, spanning a distance of 400 kilometers (250 miles) in length and 100 kilometers (60 miles) in width.

In some places, the ice sheet on this one is up to 4.7 kilometers (3 miles) thick.

People don’t generally trek on this glacier since it’s super hard to get to, and the Arctic isn’t usually a playground for us humans.

2. Hubbard Glacier

Photo by Bernard Spragg. NZ

Hubbard is the largest glacier in North America at a length of 122 kilometers (75 miles).

This glacier is unique for two reasons: it’s a tidewater glacier and, despite global warming and the fact that most other glaciers are thinning, this one is advancing.

This glacier is nicknamed the “galloping glacier” because it’s racing toward the Gulf of Alaska at breakneck speed (for a glacier, at least).

You can take boat cruises to this glacier where you can get so close to it that you can hear the glacier calving.

Glacier calving is when chunks of ice breaks off a glacier, a process that also happens on icebergs, ice fronts, ice shelves, and crevasses. It’s fantastic to watch from a distance, but potentially disastrous for anyone coming too close.

3. Fedchenko Glacier

Photo from http://edcsns17.cr.usgs.gov/EarthExplorer/

This one is the largest non-polar glacier in the world and is located in Tajikistan.

At a length of 77 kilometers, this one is arguably one of the most magnificent sights in the Karakoram Mountain Range.

If you’re keen to trek across this one, you’ll have to head to the Gorno-Badakshan province and ask for the Pamir Mountains.

It’s named after 19th-century Russian explorer A.P. Fedchenko, who first explored it in 1928 as part of a Soviet expedition to the Pamirs.

Several meteorological stations were located here over the years, offering a wealth of information on the regional climate.

The Fedchenko Glacier originates in the Revolution Peak ice field. Here, it receives ice from a few dozen tributary glaciers before flowing north.

This glacier also moves at quite a pace, reaching a speed of up to 67 cm (26 inches) per day in the middle course.

Meltwater from the Fedchenko Glacier is the headstream of the Surkhob River and Amu Darya.

4. Siachen Glacier

Photo by Sadia17301

Siachen Glacier is located between India and Pakistan, on the line of control between the two countries.

The Siachen glacier is 75 kilometers (47 miles) long and covers an incredible 700 square kilometers (270 square miles).

If you want to hike this bad boy, be prepared for some serious paperwork. Its location is notorious for the power struggle between the Indian and Pakistani government, and you don’t want to get caught in the mayhem. In fact, the Siachen Glacier is the “highest, deadliest and costliest battlefield,” according to the India Times.

Weather conditions on the Siachen Glacier is extreme. Here, soldiers face gale-force winds, temperatures as low as -60°C, avalanches, crevasses, and altitude-related illnesses.

Around 1000 soldiers have lost their lives here since 1984, mostly due to the extreme weather conditions rather than the armed conflict. So, why would anyone want to be there?

This area is of strategic geographical and political advantage, since it forms the dividing line between Asia and the Indian subcontinent.

Politically, this acts as a bargaining chip, which is why it’s still disputed after all these years.

5. Biafo Glacier

Photo by Yousaf Feroz Gill

Biafo is the little brother of Fedchenko and is also located in the Karakoram Mountain Range – this time in Pakistan.

Bonus fact: the Karakoram Mountains is one of the largest mountain ranges in Asia, spanning across India, Pakistan, China, Afghanistan, and Tajikistan. Biafo spans 67 kilometers (42 miles) in length and has a snow basin that’s nearly a mile in depth.

Meltwater from the Biafo Glacier flows to the Indus River, one of the largest and most important rivers in India.

At the head of the Biafo Glacier is Snow Lake, a vast expanse of snow that’s a dream to trek. That is, it’s incredibly hard and takes an insane amount of planning, but it’s a bucket list item for any glacier trekking fanatic.

Since it’s so challenging to get there, less than 200 people per year have the pleasure of seeing these breathtaking views.

6. Bruggen Glacier

Photo by David Stanley from Nanaimo, Canada

This mammoth glacier in Southern Chile covers a whopping 1 260 square kilometers (488 square miles) and is 66 kilometers (41 miles) long.

Bruggen, also known as Pio XI, is quite the sprinter, having advanced about 5 kilometers (3.1 miles) between 1945 and 1976. In the process, it cut off Lake Greve from the sea.

The Bruggen Glacier, named after German geologist Juan Bruggen Messtorff, flows from the Southern Patagonian Ice Field. This is the most massive outflow to the West.

To see the stunning colors of this glacier, hop on a cruise ship. Visitors rave about the blue and pink hues you see in the ice. It truly is something to behold.

7. Baltoro Glacier

Photo by Guilhem Vellut from Paris

This one is also in Pakistan, found in the Gilgit-Baltistan region.

At 62 kilometers (39 miles) in length, it’s an incredible sight. Baltoro is the source of the Shigar River, which flows into the Indus River.

The rocky trail up the Baltoro Glacier is the road to K2 base camp. K2 is the second-highest peak in the world and an awe-inspiring sight.

Three other 8000 meter peaks also lie at the head of the Baltoro Glacier: Broad Peak, Gasherbrum I and Gasherbrum II.

8. South Inylchek Glacier

Photo by Chen Zhao

The South Inylcheck Glacier is located in the Central Tian Shan Mountains in the Issyk-Kul Region. This is in northeastern Kyrgystan and China. 

It has a length of 61 kilometers (38 miles) and covers and mere 18 square kilometers (7 square miles), making it a long, thin glacier.

Trekking the South Inylcheck is gnarly, but there are fixed camps along the way. To get into these, you have to go through professional tour guides.

On this one-way trek, you start at At-Jailoo camp in the valley and hike up to the South Inylcheck Base Camp.

This is located between the Khan Tengri and Pobeby Peaks, all 7000m and above. You fly out again on an old Soviet military helicopter – this one isn’t super reliable, so brace yourself for an adventure!

9. Jostedal Glacier

Photo by G.Lanting

Jostedal is unique since it is the largest glacier in continental Europe. Jostedal is the 9^th largest glacier in the world and has a length of 60 kilometers (37 miles), and it’s an incredible 600 meters (2000 feet) thick.

Located in the Sogn og Fjordane county in Norway, this is one of the few enormous glaciers that are accessible for climbing.

Here, you do a demanding hike over rough country for about 2 – 4 hours, after which you enter the glacier.

If you’re new to glacier hiking, this may be an excellent place to start (if you’re fit enough to get there).

At Jostedal, there are several guided glacier tours available, ensuring that you have an experienced guide to help you through it.

Jostedal is enchanting with its blue ice and the option to hike inside some of the fissures. You can even hear the ice melt. It’s breathtaking and an experience you will remember for years to come.

10. Batura Glacier

Photo by Akbar Khan Niazi

Also in Pakistan, the Batura Glacier is found in the Gojal region of Gilgit-Baltistan. The Batura glacier is 56 kilometers (35 miles) long.

Getting to Batura is hard, since it’s just about in the middle of nowhere. Once there, trekking across the glacier takes about five days, depending on the weather and your level of fitness.

The area is breathtakingly beautiful, and the locals are incredibly friendly and hospitable.

Along the way, you will mostly have to camp out in tents. There are shepherds huts to sleep in at some places. Here, you can feast on local food, see the yaks and drink in the peaceful surroundings.

Glaciers and Climate Change

Global warming has become a swear word, stirring up emotions and invoking thoughts of conspiracy theories.

The fact remains that our glaciers and ice caps are melting away as the earth gets warmer. This is happening at an alarming pace – fast enough for us to see the effect in a lifetime.

As we head into nature to appreciate and marvel at these incredible ice formations, let’s keep this in mind. We can be agents of change by being responsible tourists and minimizing our impact on the environment. You can have fun and amass incredible experiences without harming the environment.

Now that all is said and done, happy climbing in the breathtakingly wonderful world of glaciers.