Action Packed 4-Day Snaefellsnes, South Coast and Jokulsarlon Tour with Ice Caving from Reykjavik
Description
Details
Description
Explore the countless wonders of Iceland’s west, south, and east with this amazing four-day winter tour, and embark on a once-in-a-lifetime adventure into a crystal blue ice cave. Travelers who want to enjoy the opportunities presented by sightseeing routes such as the Snaefellsnes Peninsula and South Coast and those who want to maximize their chances of seeing the northern lights should book now!
This incredible trip is led by a friendly, expert guide and conducted in a modern minibus with free Wifi. Your small group size guarantees an intimate experience and an in-depth perspective of the land of ice and fire. You’ll stay at beautiful countryside hotels with private bathrooms and complimentary breakfast for two nights, and for one night, you’ll stay in Reykjavik.
On day one, you’ll explore the natural and cultural sites of west Iceland, including Europe’s highest flowing hot spring and the waterfalls of Hraunfossar and Barnafoss. You’ll also choose between a dip in the luxurious Krauma Spa or a meeting with some friendly Icelandic horses. On your second day, you’ll discover the Snaefellsnes Peninsula, a region nicknamed ‘Iceland in Miniature’ due to its abundance of diverse attractions, and have the opportunity to go lava caving.
After staying in the capital, you’ll set off along the South Coast sightseeing route, marveling over Seljalandsfoss and Skogafoss waterfalls and the Reynisfjara black sand beach. Day four, however, is likely to be the most beautiful and exciting. You’ll get to explore a rare crystal blue ice cave and witness the countless icebergs of Jokulsarlon, a breathtaking glacier lagoon, and Diamond Beach, the shore where these icebergs wash up. You’ll even get to see the beautiful Skaftafell Nature Reserve before driving back to Reykjavik.
Because this tour is operated throughout winter, you’ll have a great shot of seeing the Northern Lights whenever the sky is dark. Conditions allowing, your guide will take you out in the remote landscapes to find the best spots to marvel at them.
Guests can bring one small day bag and a larger bag up to 44 lbs (20 kg).
Set off on the Icelandic winter adventure of a lifetime with this four-day trip around the most magical attractions of the west, south, and east. Check availability by choosing a date.
Included
Activities
Daily itinerary
Day 1 - West Iceland
On the first day of your four-day tour in Iceland, your friendly guide will pick you up in a minibus and escort you to the attractions of west Iceland. En route to your first site, you’ll see beautiful coasts, historic villages, and lovely countryside.
You’ll then arrive at Deildartunguhver, Europe’s highest flowing hot spring. There are few places in the country where you can so easily marvel over the powerful geothermal forces that define this island. The heated underground waters flow into the luxurious adjacent spa of Krauma, which you can organize admission into when booking.
If you’d rather save money, your guide can take you to a nearby farm while your fellow travelers unwind, where you can meet small and charming Icelandic horses.
Next is the charming village of Reykholt, which boasts a beautiful church, a medieval bathing pool, and a fascinating history. It was here, after all, that Snorri Sturluson, the country’s most famous, influential, and notorious chieftain, historian, and writer, was born and lived much of his tumultuous life.
Next, you’ll head to Hraunfossar waterfall, which is unlike most attractions of its kind in the country due to its serene ambiance. It trickles through a birch woodland off a lava plateau, creating a tranquil and photogenic site. Just a short walk from here is a much more traditional waterfall. Barnafoss surges furiously down a narrow canyon with breathtaking power.
At this point, the sky will begin to turn dark, and you’ll set out on a northern lights hunt if it is also clear. Your guide will find a quiet spot away from artificial lights and allow you to marvel over one of the country’s most fantastic winter phenomena.
You’ll then head to your charming hotel to rest up for tomorrow’s adventures!
Day 2 - Snaefellsnes Peninsula
After breakfast on day two of your four-day winter adventure in Iceland, you will get to explore the Snaefellsnes Peninsula. This 56 mile (90 kilometers) long feature is packed with sites along both shores and has something to interest all manner of guests.
You’ll get to see Arnarstapi, a fishing village that has maintained a traditional way of life even as it has adapted to the tourist industry. Its coastline is particularly stunning, with dramatic rock arches such as Gatklettur.
Another stunning stretch of shore is Djupalonnsandur, a black sand beach. Your guide will allow you to test your strength against the four lifting stones here, which seamen historically used to see if they were fit for work on the dangerous seas.
Kirkjufell mountain can be found on the peninsula’s northern side and will be instantly recognizable for Game of Thrones fanatics. A standalone peak shaped like a pyramid, church, or arrowhead based on who you ask is magnificent from all angles and boasts an adjacent waterfall that you can sometimes see frozen in winter.
However, the highlight of the peninsula is undoubtedly its crowning subglacial volcano, Snaefellsjokull, which can be found on the tip. Set in the center of a national park of its name, it has inspired writers such as Jules Verne and Halldor Laxness with its beauty. Those who believe in mysticism also claim it rests on the intersection of two ley lines, explaining its magical and unforgettable ambiance. Thousands even once gathered here on the rumor that it would be an alien landing site!
If you want to add an adventure to your journey today, you can go on a ‘journey to the center of the earth’ by embarking on a lava caving trip into Vatnshellir. Large enough to accommodate those who suffer from claustrophobia and filled with magnificent sculptures of ice and rock, it is a perfect place to marvel over the beauty beneath Iceland’s landscapes.
If there is enough light left in the day, your guide may take you to a range of other sites, such as the Londrangar basalt plug or the church of Budir. If it is dark and clear, you’ll set off on another northern lights hunt before heading to your accommodation in Reykjavik.
Day 3 - South Coast
After breakfast on day three, you’ll leave Reykjavik for the magnificent South Coast. As you travel towards your first destination, you’ll see geothermal villages, an abundance of Icelandic horses, and some stunning mountain ranges. If it is clear, you’ll even get to marvel over the volcano that erupted in 2010, Eyjafjallajokull, and the Westman Islands.
Seljalandsfoss waterfall will be your first sightseeing stop. Tumbling from a cliff that stands 197 feet (60 meters) tall, its scale, gentle cascade, and the cave behind it make it a unique attraction. If the weather conditions allow, you will get to walk behind the water for some fantastic views and photographs.
Next up is another waterfall, Skogafoss. Slightly taller than Seljalandsfoss and far more powerful, its cascade and the vast blooms of spray that arise from it are mesmerizing. This place is also steeped in folklore regarding a hidden treasure. If the stairs alongside it are not icy, you can ascend them for some great new angles.
You’ll continue along the South Coast to the beach of Reynisfjara, one of the most stunning non-tropical beaches in the world. Its black sands stretch endlessly in either direction, its powerful waves shatter against the shore, and its windswept cliffs host a set of hexagonal basalt columns. Out to sea, you can see the remains of two ‘trolls’ frozen in the light of the sun, called the Reynisdrangar sea stacks.
You will then get to see the charming village of Vik, the southernmost settlement in the country and one of the very few in the region, which has long been swept with glacier floods and lava from the countless volcanoes.
As you head to your accommodation around Hof, your guide will watch the skies for another hopefully incredible viewing.
Day 4 - Vatnajokull National Park
On day four, you will enjoy three experiences that so many coming to Iceland in winter crave. Firstly, you’ll explore a crystal blue ice cave, then witness the icebergs of the Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon and Diamond Beach, and finally explore the magnificent Skaftafell Nature Reserve.
The crystal blue ice caves are fantastical attractions that are only accessible for a few months of the year because of the specific conditions required to create them. Opening under the largest ice cap in Europe, Vatnajokull, they form a stunning network of corridors and chambers of the most intense blue imaginable. Your guide will give you all the equipment needed to safely explore them and allow you to marvel over the colors, textures, and ethereal refraction of the light.
Jokulsarlon is Iceland’s deepest lake, separating the ocean and a glacier tongue. As the glacier tongue breaks apart, it fills the lagoon with icebergs, some of which tower the height of multistory buildings (to say nothing of how much larger they are underneath). They clutter in their thousands, shimmering blue and white and streaked with ash from centuries-old eruptions.
After many months, the bergs break apart small enough to pass through the small channel to the ocean, where most immediately wash ashore. Due to how they glisten like gems against the black sands, this stretch of coast has the nickname the Diamond Beach. Your guide will show you the area and allow you to explore and take photographs.
As if these two sites were not impressive enough, they have even more appeal to animal lovers due to the seals found in the waters and on the icebergs.
With these attractions thoroughly enjoyed, you’ll head back along the South Coast to visit Skaftafell, a nature reserve in the Vatnajokull National Park. Framed by towering peaks and mighty glaciers and filled with rivers, forests, and lava fields, there are few corners of the country as unbelievable and breathtaking.
You’ll then make the drive back to Reykjavik. Though the journey is long, the hours on the road provide many chances to seek out and marvel over the Northern Lights. You’ll arrive back in the capital by night and can retire knowing you have truly made the most of four days in Iceland!
What to bring
Good to know
Each traveler is allocated a small backpack and one piece of luggage weighing up to 44 lbs (20 kgs). Extra baggage can be stored in the tour operator's Reykjavik office for a minimal fee.
