5 Day South Coast and Snæfellsnes Peninsula Tour

You are picked up from your hotel or a nearby meeting point in Reykjavík at 9:00 A.M. Please be aware that the entire pick-up process might take up to 30 minutes.

Your journey will start with a first stop at Borgarnes village, which is known for its Viking history. Next follows the beautiful basalt columns of Gerðuberg and the golden sand beach in Ytri Tunga.

Búðir is a hamlet with mesmerizing landscapes that you’ll get to witness before going to this small and alluring village called Arnarstapi.  

Next up, is an optional tour (extra cost) with a qualified caving guide to explore the subterranean world within the Vatnshellir Cave, in the heart of Snæfellsnes National Park. You will learn how the cave was formed when molten magma flowed beneath lava which was already cooling, there are many incredible lava formations to be discovered. Maybe, you will feel like the character in the Jules Verne story, A Journey to the Center of Earth! You can book the caving tour as an extra when you book your tour.

A free alternative to Vatnshellir Cave is the Malarrif visitor center and its lighthouse which is free of charge.

Lastly, you’ll stop to explore the beautiful black pebble beach at Djúpalónssandur. Take a short hike down to the beach to watch the white-tipped ocean waves flowing onto the black pebble beach. These smooth black pebbles are known as Djúpalóns Perlan (which means ‘Deep Pool Pearls’), the beach slopes steeply and the ocean becomes deep very quickly, so those black pearls really have emerged from the deep! The amazingly-shaped cliffs which frame the beach add to the beauty and drama of this place. In the olden days, the local fisherman would test their strength using the ‘lifting stones’. Those stones have been made famous by numerous World's Strongest Man competitions, maybe, you would like to test your strength?

After adventures here, you’ll be taken to the Hellissandur Adventure Hótel (or a similar hotel).

If you’re traveling from late September to early April, you'll get a chance to see the Northern Lights if the conditions are suitable.

After a delicious breakfast at the hotel, you’ll start your day with charming views of probably the most photographed mountain – Mount Kirkjufell. After this special location, where the TV show “Game of Thrones” was filmed, you’ll make a quick stop at a town called Grundarfjörður to buy some snacks and other necessities before the upcoming adventures of the day start.

Next on your agenda are two waterfalls – Hraunfossar and Barnafoss. Barnafoss waterfall is picturesque with a fascinating Icelandic legend attached to it. In English the name means ‘Children´s Falls, you will be told the story explaining how it acquired this name. Hraunfossar waterfall is totally unique, thousands of small streams flow out through the edge of the lava, creating the dramatic and very wide arc-shaped falls. The pure glacial water has traveled through the lava field from its source at Langjökull, Iceland´s second-largest glacier.

Afterward, you’ll visit Reykholt, an important place in the history of Iceland, and the site of Snorralaug, a famous hot spring pool, where it is said Snorri Sturluson bathed. Dabble your fingers and feel the temperature of the water, and learn about Snorri, a very important saga writer, lawyer, and historian. 

If you wish to relax after so much sightseeing, try out Krauma Geothermal Baths. If you choose to skip taking a swim, then you’ll have an opportunity to visit Sturlureykir horse farm where you’ll see an Icelandic horse. 

The last attraction of the day will be the most powerful hot spring in Europe under the name of Deildartunguhver. An astonishing 180 l/sec of hot water is pumped out at a temperature of 100°C. This vast quantity of hot water is very valuable in a cool climate, Icelanders use it to heat their homes and the buildings in the surrounding area. 

Your day will end with a trip back to the capital at around 6 P.M.

Your day begins with the famous sights of the Golden Circle. Þingvellir (Thingvellir, also occasionally known as Þingvellir) is listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, due to its unique history and amazing geology. The Eurasian and North American tectonic plates meet right here in Þingvellir National Park. However, they have been slowly moving apart, creating the rugged cliff of the Almanngjá gorge, you actually walk through this rift valley when you explore Þingvellir. Alþingi, the historic Icelandic Parliament was founded here in the year 930, making it the oldest still operating parliament in the world.

We pay a visit to the Geysir area in the scenic valley of Haukadalur. Great Geysir, the hot spring which gave us the English word ‘geyser’, is not active now, Strokkur, a nearby geyser erupts every 5 to 10 minutes, sending superheated water around 25 m high - a moment not to be missed. Next on the agenda, and completing the sights of the Golden Circle, we will stop at Gullfoss Waterfall. You will feel the power at the roaring Hvítá River (‘the White River) thunders through the majestic canyon, dropping 32 m in two stages.

If visibility is good, you will see views of Hekla, a notorious volcano mountain. Next up is an opportunity to walk behind the cascade of the unique Seljalandsfoss waterfall, giving really unusual photo possibilities. We recommend you put on rainwear for this activity! 

Your accommodation for the night will be at a country hotel near Vík, a little coastal town. We hope the northern lights forecast will be good to see them during the winter season!

We’ll start our day with the famous Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon. You will see incredibly shaped icebergs, some larger than houses, floating on the glacier lagoon, sometimes seals can also be seen. The icebergs calve off the Breiðamerkurjökull glacier, an outlet glacier of Vatnajökull, they then float slowly across the lagoon to the nearby ocean. Some come to rest on the black sands of the nearby Diamond Beach, where they glitter like diamonds.

After Jokulsarlon, we continue our journey through glacial desert scenery, the like of which you have probably never seen, as we head towards the first glacier adventure - hiking on Vatnajökull glacier and exploring a natural ice cave. Your certified glacier guide will issue your glacier hiking equipment and take you through the safety information before escorting you into the magic blue/white world. Every winter fresh ice caves are formed by the forces of nature and you will have the opportunity to explore one, this is an evolving world with new ice features appearing. Your guide will explain how the cave and its features were formed, and why blue ice is blue!

The Icelandic weather is unpredictable and we want you to have the best possible experience traveling in Iceland. Therefore, your guide will decide the best way to organize the tour, so it is possible that you might go glacier hiking on day three if your guide feels conditions would be better then. We have a little leeway which allows us to make the best of things. You need to make sure you are dressed warmly for your glacier hiking and ice cave visit, the temperature may vary.

Important: the glacier hike is a very weather-dependent activity, so if the accessibility and weather conditions would be inappropriate, the glacier hike will be replaced with a similar activity.

Your hotel will be in the Skaftafell area, hopefully, the conditions will be good for a northern lights watch in the winter season, we have to wait and see but fingers crossed!

Please note: ice caves are natural wonders which are constantly changing and are, thus, unpredictable. We will visit an ice cave on the glacier hiking tour and the choice of a cave is based purely on the conditions and safety considerations.

In the morning, we’ll start our South Coast tour with a small detour to Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon, if the weather allows it. After that, we’ll make a stop at the iconic Eldraun lava field, where your guide will tell you what exactly makes this lava field so special. 

Next on our agenda is the notorious Reynisfjara, one of the most beautiful black sand beaches in Iceland, with great basalt columns and a basalt column cave. Off-shore you will see the towering Reynisdrangar basalt peaks out in the oceans like the Atlantic waves power onto the soft sand. Crafty ‘sneaker’ waves appear from nowhere, so stand well back from the tide line!

We will also stop at Skógafoss waterfall. These voluminous but graceful falls descend 60 m into the calm Skógará (river) below. Here you can climb 527 steps leading to the panoramic platform above the falls. If the visibility is good, you can get a view of the famous Eyjafjallajökull volcano! 

We get back to Reykjavík in the evening between 16:00 and 19:00. The timing depends upon the conditions of the day.

Pickup information:

We’ll collect you from your Reykjavik accommodation at 9:00 on the first day. Please note that this process can last up to thirty minutes.

Practical information:

• Sturdy hiking boots are essential for glacier hikes, as crampons won't work with regular shoes. If you don't have the right gear, you can rent hiking boots, a waterproof jacket, and waterproof pants when booking your tour. For the glacier hike only, these items can also be rented on-site at the Glacier Guides Booking Center. To rent gear for the full duration of your tour, make sure to add it to your booking at least 48 hours in advance.
• You will also need a bathing suit and towel if you wish to bathe in the geothermal baths. You can rent bathing suits and towels on location. 
• Breakfast is included in the tour, but you will need to take care of other meals, we will make regular stops at restaurants where you can purchase food.

• The Northern Lights are a natural phenomenon and we cannot guarantee that you will see them during the tour. However, the tour takes place during the winter months, giving you an excellent chance of seeing them.
• We cannot tell you which glacier we will hike on and which ice cave you will visit, your expert guide will make a determination on the day, taking season and weather conditions into account.
• We reserve the right to cancel or alter parts of the tour for safety reasons.
• We may switch the itinerary of the tour – doing day 1 on day 4 and day 4 on day 1, etc.
• The ice cave’s look cannot be guaranteed to match the photos, as these natural formations change with the seasons, time of day, lighting, and other environmental factors. Thank you for your understanding.