Introduction
Join a 3 day Northern Lights South Iceland Adventure, visiting all the amazing places along South Iceland and chase the Northern Lights. Start exploring the Golden Circle, visiting Thingvellir National Park, Geysir Hot Springs, Gullfoss Waterfall. Enjoy a rare lunch experiene at the unique Friðheimar Greenhouse restaurant and end the day in the relaxing atmosphere at the Secret Lagoon. After dinner we hunt for the amazing Northern Lights. After breakfast head on a 2 day journey along the South Coast of Iceland, visiting all the highlights, the Majestic Skógafoss waterfall and walk behind Seljalandsfoss waterfall. Learn about warming climate and the effect on glaciers in Iceland by visiting the retreating Sólheimajökull glacier. You can add an amazing glacier walk to the visit (book the glacier walk as extra when you book your trip). Reynisfjara Black Beach and Reynisdrangar await to be explored. Stop at Vík village before heading to the accommodation. If we did not see the Northern Lights yesterday we go again tonight. After breakfast on day 3 start by visiting Fjarðrágljúfur Canyon and Skaftafell National Park and hike to the beautiful Svartifoss Waterfall. Visit the incredible glacier lagoons, Fjallsjárlón and Jökulsárlón. Diamond Beach, the black beach in front of Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon, is often filled with icebergs from the lagoon of different sizes and shapes and sparkle like diamonds in the daylight. You can book a boat trip on the Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon if you wish, as an extra. We drive along the South Coast back to Reykjavík.
What is included in the tour
- Accommodation
- Guide
- Meals
- Additional Services
- Transport
What is NOT included in the tour
- Flights
- Insurance
- Optional
- Additional Services
- Visit to Hvolsvollur
- Visit to ÖXARÁRFOSS WATERFALL
- Visit to STROKKUR AND THE GEYSER AREA
- Visit to GULLFOSS, GOLDEN WATERFALL
Day 1: Reykjavík to Hvolsvollur
9:00 AM – REYKJAVÍK TO GOLDEN CIRCLE
Pick up between 8:30 – 9:00 AM, at your accommodation, or meet us at bus stop number 8, next to Hallgrímskirkja church. Wait for the Travelling Iceland vehicle.
THINGVELLIR NATIONAL PARK AND ÖXARÁRFOSS WATERFALL
Thingvellir is characterized by tectonic rift valley and marks the rifting of the Eurasian and North American plates from each other. In 930 the Icelandic Parliament, the first democracy in the world, was established at Thingvellir. Thingvellir became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2004. Enjoy a short walk to Öxarárfoss waterfall.
STROKKUR AND THE GEYSER AREA
Did you know that the english name “geyser”, derives from the one and only in the Haukadalur area? The geyser Geysir itself erupts boiling water up to 70 meters, but is almost inactive now. Strokkur, only few meters apart from Geyser, erupts on average every 5 minutes.
GULLFOSS, GOLDEN WATERFALL
Near Geysir is the Gullfoss Waterfall, which probably tops the list of being the most beautiful waterfall in Iceland. Enjoy the view from above and walk down the path to get close to the powerful waterfall.
FRIÐHEIMAR GREENHOUSE FARM AND HORSE VISIT.
At Friðheimar greenhouse, tomatoes are cultivated, using geothermal heat and geothermallly generated electricity. With a tropical climate inside, they have opened a restaurant, right there in the tomato field. The main ingredients in their menu is of course, tomatoes grown there. This is a very rare and unique lunch experience. On the way we visit some friendly Icelandic horses.
SECRET LAGOON
Secret Lagoon is a natural geothermal bath, where you bath in raw nature and relax at the end of the day. After dinner we go hunting for the Northern Lights. Overnight near Hvolsvöllur.
Day 2: Hvolsvollur to Kirkjubaejarklaustur
9:00 AM – SOUTH COAST SELJALANDSFOSS WATERFALL
After breakfast we drive to Seljalandsfoss waterfall. Seljalandsfoss is a 60 m high waterfall, beautifully located and exceptional because you can enjoy it from behind. A path takes you around the waterfall and standing behind it is a rare and unique experience. However, on very cold days the path can be closed because of ice, but then you have the opportunity to enjoy the beautiful icy landscape.
SKÓGAFOSS WATERFALL
Skógafoss is one of the most famous waterfalls in Iceland. It is also 60 m high and about 25 m wide. Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss are both in glacier rivers, meltwater from Eyjafjallajökull and Mýrdalsjökull. Eyjafjallajökull is now famous for it’s 2010 volcanic eruption that disrupted air traffic in Europe.
SÓLHEIMAJÖKULL GLACIER
Sólheimajökull is an outlet glacier, flowing out of the ice cap Mýrdalsjökull. Underneath Mýrdalsjökull is the famous volcano Katla. Glaciers are retreating and disappearing around us on an unprecedented rate. It is predicted that in a few decades the glaciers in Iceland will all be gone.
DYRHÓLAEY
At Dyrhólaey there is an amazing view of the south coast landscape and black beaches. Dyrhólaey is a 120-metre high promontory that the sea has eroded from the headland. In summer Dyrhólaey is rich in bird life, the most common, the puffin. Note, in spring during nesting Dyrhólaey is closed.
REYNISDRANGAR AND REYNISFJARA BLACK BEACH I
celand is a volcanic island, made up mainly of basaltic material that is black in colour. Hence, the “Black Beaches”. The black beach was, in 1991, ranked as one of the ten most beautiful nontropical beaches in the world. On the beach, there are remarkable basalt columns. Reynisdrangar is a sea stack, a geological formation made by wave erosion of surrounding material.
VÍK VILLAGE
Vík village is a small village south of Mýrdalsjökull glacier. A visit to Vík is the end of our amazing day along the South Coast. Overnight near Kirkjubaejarklaustur. If you did not see the Northern Lights last night, try again tonight!
Book extra; glacier walk on Sólheimajökull Glacier.
Day 3: Höfn to Reykjavik
9:00 AM – SOUTH COAST SKAFTAFELL NATIONAL PARK
After breakfast drive to Skaftafell. Skaftafell National Park belongs now to a larger, Vatnajökull National Park, which covers Vatnajökull, the largest glacier in Europe, and the surrounding wilderness. In Skaftafell we hike to the beautiful Svartifoss, in English, the Black Waterfall. Svartifoss cascades about 20 m (65 ft) down a beautiful cliff, made of hexagonal black basalt columns.
JÖKULSÁRLÓN GLACIER LAGOON AND DIAMOND BEACH
Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon is a beautiful lagoon in front of a calving glacier. We will enjoy the amazing view of floating icebergs in a lagoon and walk between them at the black beach, which is sometimes referred to The Diamond Beach. A boat trip in the lagoon is optional and can be booked on location or in advance with us. The sailing tour between icebergs and close to the glacier makes the visit even more memorable.
FJALLSÁRLÓN GLACIER LAGOON
Fjallsárlón is another beautiful glacier lagoon, in front of a calving glacier. The glacier is an outlet glacier from Vatnajökull that flows down a steep valley until it reaches the lagoon. Ice breaks off the glacier and floats around in the water, creating beautiful scenery.
FJARÐÁRGLJÚFUR CANYON
Fjarðargljúfur canyon is a beautiful canyon carved and formed by glacial river during the termination of the last ice age, about 9.000 years ago. The canyon is about 100 m deep and 2 km long. Fjarðárgljúfur became world famous after appearing in one of Justin Bieber´s music video.
8:00 PM – REYKJAVÍK
We drive along the South Coast of Iceland to Reykjavík.
Book extra; Blue Ice Cave Exploration (November – March); boat trip on Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon.
