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

Wake up ready to discover the magnificent natural abundance and diversity of the Snaefellsnes Peninsula on the second day of your tour. After a delicious hotel breakfast, you’ll begin the drive to Arnarstapi fishing village at the southwest end of the peninsula. There is no shortage of stunning scenery along the way, a taste of what’s to come.

You’ll have a chance to have a stroll around and appreciate Arnarstapi’s charm before taking an optional excursion inside Vatnshellir cave. An experienced tour guide will take you down the spiral staircase to the inside of this ancient lava tube.

They’ll equip you with a helmet and flashlight for safety and share insights about this fascinating underworld.

The day’s next stop is Hellnar, an abandoned fishing village near Arnastapi. Its coastal location offers a beautiful setting for lunch before the tour heads to Djupalonssandur black pebble beach. Tall cliffs and spectacular rock formations adorn the landscape around this awe-inspiring beach overlooking the Atlantic Ocean.

Aside from the outstanding natural scenery, the beach has some other notable features. See the remains of an old British trawler, shipwrecked in 1948, and don’t miss the famous lifting stones at the end of the beach. Once used to test human physical strength, you can decide whether you’re up for the challenge of lifting them!

The day’s final sightseeing attraction is one you won’t want to miss. It’s time to head to the iconic Kirkjufell mountain featured in the Game of Thrones series. With its unique conical shape and foreground waterfalls, the entire landscape is breathtaking and popular with photographers.

Your second day finishes with a drive back to Reykjavik, where you will spend the night. Keep an eye out for the aurora borealis as darkness descends on the winter sky. In Reykjavik, you’ll enjoy a comfortable night’s sleep, ready to discover Iceland’s top attractions the following day.

Day three starts with sightseeing along Iceland’s best-loved driving route, the Golden Circle. Thingvellir National Park is first up, famed for its historical and geological significance. Named a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates move apart a little more each year, making this the only place you can walk between the continents.

The next stop is the Geysir geothermal area, a fascinating otherworldly landscape of bubbling mud pits, steaming fumaroles, and the show’s star, the Strokkur geyser. You won’t need to wait long to see this impressive geyser erupting high in the air, reaching as high as 130 feet (40 meters).

The final Golden Circle attraction is Gullfoss falls, also known as the “Golden Falls.” Walking paths offer easy access for up-close views of the waterfall’s pristine beauty. As you watch the water cascading down the Hvita river, keep your eye out for a rainbow at the front of the falls, visible on sunny days.

The phenomenal scenery doesn’t stop there. You’ll head to the South Coast to see more breathtaking waterfalls and one of the country’s most famous black sand beaches.

Seljalandsfoss is the first of two South Coast waterfalls offering a taste of the natural wonders of this region. You’ll feel dwarfed up close to this beauty, dropping 196 feet (60 meters) into a pool below. Make sure you’re wearing your rain gear to enjoy the path behind the falls.

Then the tour visits the Skogafoss waterfall, one of Iceland’s largest. The setting is awe-inspiring, with the glacier-fed water tumbling down amid a rugged landscape. The Reynisfara black sand beach is the final attraction for today. Yet another location of striking contrast, the coastal landscape here features jagged rocks in the sea and towering basalt formations lining the beach.

The day finishes with northern lights hunting before heading to Kirkjubaejarklaustur town, where you will spend the night.

Day four begins with a hearty breakfast before the tour heads east through the rural South Iceland countryside. Relax into the drive and take in the scenery as you pass farms and moss-covered lava fields, a perfect contrast to the landscapes to come.

The Vatnajokull glacier is this morning’s destination, where you’ll try your hand at ice caving, an unforgettable, winter-only experience. Dress in warm clothes, so you’re well prepared to discover the beauty of an ice-covered world. Your certified glacier guide will ensure you have all the necessary safety equipment and determine the best time to enter the cave.

For around 45 minutes, your guide will take you for a stroll through an ice-covered world. Get ready to see spectacular ice formations and the most brilliant blue color adorning this magical landscape. Make sure your camera is handy to capture memories to last a lifetime.

Next up is the Jokulsarlon glacier lagoon, a destination at the top of the bucket list for many travelers to Iceland. Here you will see magnificent icebergs towering amid the calm lagoon waters. The icebergs may appear white or a brilliant blue in this ever-changing landscape.

No visit to Jokulsarlon is complete without also seeing Diamond beach nearby. Where the lagoon meets the sea, you’ll have a chance to see icebergs in a different setting. Here, substantial ice chunks drift into the shore, producing a dramatic effect. The glistening ice looks like giant diamonds against the contrast of the black sand beneath.

As the winter sky becomes darker, you’ll have another opportunity to spot the aurora borealis in all its glory. Far from any city lights, this is a fantastic area to see this incredible natural phenomenon when conditions are favorable.

After a memorable fourth day, you’ll head to Kirkjubaejarklaustur village to spend the night. Enjoy a comfortable night’s sleep, ready for more glacier excitement tomorrow.

Get ready for an active adventure on the final day of your unforgettable multi-day tour. Today you’ll go for a glacier hike on the Falljokull glacier tongue, one of the many glacier tongues of the immense Vatnajokull glacier.

You don’t need any special skills to enjoy the thrill of glacier hiking. Just make sure you wear your hiking boots, which are essential for fitting crampons. If you don’t have hiking boots, you can rent some when booking your tour, and your experienced glacier guide will take care of everything else.

Walking across a glacier is a fantastic way to appreciate nature and be active simultaneously. Feel the endorphins flow as you traverse the icy landscape and marvel at natural features such as moulins and crevasses. Any physical exertion will be worth it for the sense of satisfaction and spectacular views.

After the hike, you’ll begin the drive back to Reykjavik. The fun isn’t over yet, with opportunities to see more spectacular attractions on the way. You’ve already seen the top South Coast attractions, and the region also has plenty of lesser-known treasures.

One of those is the Fjadrargljufur Canyon near Kirkjubaejarklaustur village. This deep, winding river canyon is about 2 million years old and boasts awe-inspiring scenery. Walking paths lead to viewpoints where you can enjoy panoramic views of the rugged landscape.

If the weather prevents you from hiking here, the tour guide will decide on other attractions to visit on the way back to Reykjavik. Your expected arrival time is between 16:00 and 19:00, depending on the road and weather conditions and any final stops.

The tour finishes in Reykjavik so you can spend the evening as you wish. If you’ve still got energy left after your action-packed multi-day tour, you could check out bars and nightclubs in the vibrant city center. Or, enjoy a quiet evening reflecting on what an amazing five days you’ve had.