Unforgettable 5-Day Guided Winter Tour of Snaefellsnes and South Coast from Reykjavik

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Description

Summary

Tour starts
Reykjavík, Iceland
Starting time
at 09:00
Duration
5 days
Ending place
Reykjavík, Iceland
Languages
English
Difficulty
Easy
Available
All year
Minimum age
8 years old

Description

Experience Iceland’s breathtaking Snaefellsnes peninsula and stunning South Coast during winter on this unforgettable multi-day tour. Those looking to explore some of the most picturesque parts of South and West Iceland, including the Snaefellsnes peninsula, Golden Circle, and Jokulsarlon glacier lagoon, should not hesitate to book this small-group tour now. 

Your five-day guided tour will begin with meeting your experienced and attentive tour guide in Iceland’s capital and largest city, Reykjavik. Then you’ll set off to see the best attractions and experience winter-specific activities, such as ice caving and hunting for the aurora borealis.

Guests can bring one small day bag and a larger bag up to 44 lbs (20 kg).

In West Iceland, you will visit Iceland’s Snaefellsnes Peninsula. Often referred to as “Iceland in miniature,” the Snaefellsnes peninsula offers beautiful views of outstanding landscapes, such as lava fields, rugged cliffs, dazzling waterfalls, and impressive glaciers. 

After the Snaefellsnes Peninsula, it’s time to travel around Iceland’s much-loved Golden Circle route. Three awe-inspiring attractions await. Thingvellir National Park, Geysir geothermal area, and Gullfoss falls are each natural wonders in their own right, boasting unique landscapes and spectacular features.

As you travel across Iceland’s South Coast, you will encounter some of the most beautiful and well-known waterfalls in Iceland. Get ready to be fascinated and enchanted as you watch the water pour from Seljalandsfoss and Skogafoss waterfalls. 

This tour includes visiting the world-famous Reynisfjara black sand beach with its striking sea stacks, towering basalt columns, and powerful waves. Further along, is one of the trip’s highlights, the Jokulsarlon glacier lagoon.

This multi-day tour is not short on adventure, particularly when you try your hand at ice caving, a winter-only activity. As you step into the ice-covered world, you’ll feel mesmerized by the deep, vivid blue colors and magnificent ice formations around you. 

On the final day of this tour, another exciting excursion awaits. Experience the thrill of hiking across the Vatnajokull glacier, creating memories to last a lifetime.

If seeing the northern lights in Iceland is on your bucket list, this multi-day trip offers excellent chances to see them in all their glory. 

This multi-day winter tour includes four nights of hotel accommodation and breakfast each morning. A comfortable minibus transports you between destinations and lets you stay connected with complimentary Wi-Fi.

Your unforgettable five-day guided winter tour of Snaefellsnes and South Iceland will conclude with your friendly tour guide returning you to Reykjavik. 

Experience the nature of Iceland and its best attractions on this multi-day, small-group guided tour of West Iceland, the Snaefellsnes peninsula, Golden Circle, and the South Coast with ice caving and glacier hiking. Check availability now by choosing a date.

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Included

Pick-up from and drop off at your hotel in Reykjavik
Guided minibus tour of West Iceland, the Snaefellsnes peninsula, and the South Coast
Ice caving
Glacier hiking
Northern lights evening walks
Four nights of hotel accommodation with a private bathroom and breakfast included
Experienced English-speaking guide
Complimentary Wi-Fi on board the bus
Space for one small day bag and one larger bag (up to 44 lbs/20 kgs)

Activities

Glacier Hiking
Caving
Sightseeing
Northern lights hunting
Ice Caving

Daily itinerary

Day 1
Pristine water flows over lava rock ledges at Hraunfossar waterfall in West Iceland during wintertime.

Day 1 - Highlights of Snaefellsnes Peninsula

We’ll pick you up at 9:00 A.M. at your hotel or your chosen pickup point in Reykjavik. Please be aware that the entire pick-up process might take up to 30 minutes.

Your first stop of the day will be at Borgarnes, a village that’s famous for its rich Viking history. Before making your way to the golden-sand beach in Ytri Tunga, you’ll also visit the majestic basalt columns of Gerðuberg.

Your day will continue with a stop at Búðir – a hamlet with breathtaking landscapes of Snæfellsnes Peninsula. Next on the agenda is Arnarstapi, the small and charming fishing village where you’ll be having lunch.

After lunch, you’ll have a chance to wander through Vatnshellir Cave (an optional activity with extra cost), which lies under the ground in Snæfellsnes National Park. The cave is a lava tube tunnel around 8,000 years old. Your certified caving guide will explain its formation and the fascinating features that lie in hidden spots. This experience takes you about as close as you can get to the story of Jules Verne’s book A Journey to the Centre of Earth.

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

The last attraction of the day is the black sand beach – Djúpalónssandur, where you can see the remains of the shipwreck that dates back to 1948. 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 look for the Northern Lights if the conditions are suitable.

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Day 2
The iconic conical-shaped Kirkjufell mountain on the Snaefellsnes peninsula with a gorgeous blue winter landscape stretched in front and a cloudy sky with a glimpse of pink above.

Day 2 - Borgarfjordur Area

After breakfast, you’ll start your day with a bang by visiting probably the most “photogenic” mountain – Mount Kirkjufell. The fans of the TV show “Game of Thrones” will recognize this place as it was one of the locations where the show was filmed.

Next will be a short stop at Grundarfjörður, a town in Iceland, where you’ll have a break and a possibility to buy some snacks or other necessities. 

The agenda follows a stop at Hraunfossar and Barnafoss Waterfalls. Hraunfossar (“the Lava Waterfalls”) is a vast collection of smaller waterfalls cascading through the cracks of lava formations. Barnafoss (“Children’s waterfall”) is known for a folk legend as the site where two children tragically drowned once upon a time.

After this, you’ll head out to the historic site of Reykholt, where you will find a hot spring pool, Snorralaug, treasured as the bathing spot of Iceland’s most famous poet and politician, Snorri Sturluson.

You’ll also get a unique opportunity to relax at Krauma Geothermal Baths for an additional fee. But if you much rather continue exploring the area, you’ll be taken to Sturlureykir horse farm, where you’ll be met by its Icelandic horses and learn all about the farm's geothermal heating system.

After, you’ll visit Deildartunguhver – the most powerful hot spring in Europe.The hot spring keeps at a constant 206 degrees Fahrenheit (97 degrees Celsius) and pumps out a whopping 47.5 gallons (180 liters) of water every second. The hot spring is used to provide heating and hot water to neighboring areas. 

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

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Day 3
The Geysir geothermal area during winter with a fumarole steaming from the land and pink, peach, and blue colors adorning the night sky.

Day 3 - The Golden Circle

First on our agenda for today is the Golden Circle. We’ll start with Thingvellir National Park, one of UNESCO World Heritage Sites because of its complex geological nature and history. The unique landscape of the rift valley was created over time by continual turbulent interactions between the two tectonic plates underneath the North American and the Eurasian plates.

It’s also home to the world’s longest-running parliament, the Althingi, established in 930 c.e. Don’t forget to look out for the largest natural lake in Iceland, Thingvallavatn.

After exploring this marvelous rift valley, we’ll continue southwest toward Haukadalur Valley and the geothermal area of Geysir. We’ll spot Strokkur, a still-active geyser, which still erupts up to 25 meters every few minutes without fail.

Next, we’ll visit the majestic waterfall, Gullfoss (the Golden Waterfall). At the beginning of the 20th century, a few Englishmen sought to acquire the waterfall and build a hydroelectric plant, taming the power of the Hvita River. Fortunately for everyone, due to lack of funding their plan fell through and to this day the waterfall remains untouched and in all of its natural glory.

Seljalandsfoss

As we continue along the Ring Road, a view to the infamous volcano Hekla opens up as we drive to our next stop, Seljalandsfoss Waterfall. The path leading up to the waterfall is brief and it takes us right behind it. There, breathtaking views of the surrounding areas are exposed and on a sunny day, a rainbow can be seen encircling the waterfall. Seljalandsfoss drops for about 196 feet (60 meters), so waterproof clothing is recommended.

We’ll finish the day off with the Northern Lights if the forecast is good and continue to our hotel close to a small town, Kirkjubæjarklaustur.

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Day 4
Green and pink colors from the aurora borealis light up the starry winter night sky above the Jokulsarlon glacier lagoon in South Iceland.

Day 4 - Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon and Ice Caving

We continue through the rural landscapes, passing farms here and there, onward and eastward. On the drive, we’ll pass magical, moss-covered lava fields.

Today we’ll embark upon glacier adventures, exploring a natural ice cave in Vatnajokull Glacier and the magical Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon. Ice adventures are always somewhat flexible and very dependent on the local weather conditions, which can be unpredictable.

We’ll visit Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon and nearby Diamond Beach. There, you’ll encounter icebergs of many shapes and sizes floating in the lagoon or resting on the black sand beach in the elusive fading late afternoon shadow. If you’re lucky, you might spy a seal bathing among the gilded grains of black sand.

After that, we’ll go to Skaftafell and on to Europe’s largest glacier, Vatnajokull. We want to make sure you have the best time exploring the glacier, so your certified glacier guide will decide when it’s best to embark on your adventure. Also, keep in mind that the temperature inside the ice cave is well below the freezing point, so please have warm clothes with you.

Vatnajokull Glacier Hike and Ice Cave Visit

We strap on our ice crampons and get ready for the magic moment – setting foot on the glacier! Your experienced guide will explain this unbelievably vibrant, moving, and living world. You will see incredible crevasses which wend their way, twisting and turning through the glacier. These labyrinths are constantly forming in tune with the dance of nature. See the great moulins, which descend deep into the glacier, and the stunning naturally formed ice cave. Make sure you have your camera with you’re sure to catch some truly inspiring photo opportunities throughout your hike.

The accommodation for the night will be in Kirkjubæjarklaustur. If the forecast is favorable, we’ll keep our eyes out for the Aurora Borealis.

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

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Day 5
A snow-covered South Coast glacier landscape with peaks in the foreground and distance.

Day 5 - South Iceland Sightseeing

After nourishing breakfast, we’ll slowly make our way back to Reykjavik by visiting the main highlights on the south shore of Iceland. If the road conditions allow it, we’ll make a small detour to Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon first. After that, we’ll stop at the iconic Elhraun lava field before heading to Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach.

Here at Reynisfjara, you’ll be able to witness the immense power of the Atlantic Ocean. You’ll also be able to visit a black basalt cave and admire Reynisdrangar basalt stacks rising from the sea. According to the legend, it’s nothing else than trolls who were turned into rock by the rising sun.

After that, our tour takes us to Skógafoss, an amazing 60-meter tall waterfall falling into the pool below. It is believed that deep into this pool, below the waterfall, lies the Viking treasure. You’ll also be able to take 527 steps leading to a panoramic view above the falls.

After the South Coast tour, we’ll begin the journey back to Reykjavík. We’ll have a chance to visit more sites as we travel through the south back to the city. We’ll get back to Reykjavík between 16:00 (4:00 p.m.) and 19:00 (7:00 p.m.).

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What to bring

Warm outdoor clothing
Waterproof jacket and pants
Hat and gloves
Good hiking boots

Good to know

Northern lights sightings are not guaranteed. Rural hotels on this tour offer excellent northern lights viewing opportunities when conditions are favorable.

The tour operator may change tour routes, itineraries, and departures to reflect weather and road conditions.

Tour cancelations with more than 14 days' notice receive a 90 percent refund. Cancelations with 48 hours to 14 days' notice receive a 50 percent refund. Cancelations with less than 48 hours' notice do not receive a refund.

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.

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