4 days South Coast, Golden Circle and Snæfellsnes

Day 1: Reykjavik / Kirkjufell / Djupalonssandur / Arnarstapi / Ytri Tunga

You will be picked up from Reykjavík, and from there, set out to see Iceland’s most famous places. Our first stop will be Kirkjufell. This iconic narrow mountain has become the landmark of Snæfellsnes in recent years. It became famous after being presented as the “Arrowhead Mountain” on Game of Thrones. The erosive powers of the glaciers during the last ice age about 12,000 years ago gave this mountain its distinctive shape. Due to this unique look, it is one of the most photographed sights in Iceland and just across the road you will see the beautiful waterfall Kirkjufellsfoss which completes your perfect shot of the mountain. There are numerous vantage points for the perfect photograph and our guides know them all! On the south coast of the peninsula, there’s a village with only a hotel and a tiny black church called the Búdakirkja that sits alone among a field of lava rocks. Búdakirkja was originally built in 1703 and reconstructed in 1987 after a claim by a single member that lobbied to have it back. It has an historic graveyard, a bell and chalice from the time it was erected. It is a listed building, owned by the National Museum of Iceland, but it is in the care of the Búdir parish. Without a doubt, this picturesque chapel has a romantic air about it and is a real attraction to the site. At our next stop, Arnarstapi, this tiny fishing village has picturesque coastal cliffs, derived from glowing magma hitting the wild waves of the Atlantic. Known in Iceland as the most beautiful harbor of the country. Thousands of years later erosion has formed beautiful stone arcs and a remarkable marine geyser. Enjoy a walk along the coastline while your guide tells you all about Bárður, half-man half-troll, and his misdeeds in the area. Ytri-Tunga is a sandy beach that has a little secret hidden away down by the sea, behind the farmhouses… a seal colony! Seals love to spend their time on the rocks of this beautiful beach. They are friendly and curious and will climb up on the rocks for you to spot them from a distance. The Lóndrangar are a pair of rock pinnacles in Iceland and are remnants from a bigger crater which has mostly eroded away. Looming over the entire southern coastline, Lóndrangar, a set of 75-meter high basalt pinnacles set the tone for what’s to come. They host a variety of seabirds, northern fulmars and puffins, and others. Djúpalónssandur is a beach of black volcanic sand and stones where for centuries Icelandic fishermen rowed out to the fertile fishing grounds of the Atlantic ocean. Still today we find the so-called “lifting stones” which fishermen of yore used to test out their strength and prove themselves worthy of the physically straining life of Atlantic rowboat fishing. You can try to lift them yourself! In 1948 a British fishing trawler stranded on the sand reefs of Djúpalónssandur. Five men perished while 14 were rescued by local rescue squads. The remains of the ship are still there, strewn across the beach as an eerie reminder of the awesome power of nature. Our last stop for the day will be Saxholl volcano crater, formed over 4,000 years ago, this volcanic crater has now been made accessible via an iron staircase giving you the option of hiking it. The hike is not too challenging and gives you a 360° view of the lava fields with Snæfellsjökull glacier looming over. After you had seen all these magical places, you’ll get back on the bus and we’ll take you to the hotel to rest and get ready for the second day of your tour.

Day 2: Reykjavik / Geysir / Gullfoss / Thingvellir / Selfoss

The Geysir geothermal area hosts hundreds of colorful hot springs and two geysers, erupting hot springs. One is called “Geysir” lending its name to all the geysers in the world. Today, however, it seldom erupts. The other geyser is called “Strokkur” and erupts every 5 minutes up to a height of 40 meters. The melting water from Iceland’s second biggest glacier, Langjökull, falls into a deep canyon forming the majestic “Golden Falls”. On a sunny day, you can see the glacier Langjökull in the distance and enjoy a rainbow in the mist of the waterfall, an Instagram blockbuster waiting to happen! We visit Efstidalur farm owned by the same family since 1850. This Icelandic family-run business sticks to traditional Icelandic farming culture and focuses on cows and cattle breeding. You will be able to enjoy their tasty farm-to-table dairy products, see the stunning mountain view and pet the friendly animals. We will invite you to taste the ice cream yourself, while watching the animals relaxing in the stable. We visit the place where the two tectonic plates, the North American and the Eurasian plate, are moving away from each other. Few places in the world offer a better and clearer view of this massive geographic activity. The biggest natural lake in Iceland is also located at Thingvellir National Park and hosts a great variety of fish and bird life. Thingvellir is also an important place for Icelandic national history. At Thingvellir Icelanders founded their parliament in 930 a.d. where the chieftains had their annual meeting every summer. The name “Thingvellir” translates to “Parliament Plains”.

Day 3: Selfoss / Seljalandsfoss / Skogafoss / Skaftafell / Hofn

Our arrival is announced by the powerful theatrics of Seljalandsfoss. Bring a raincoat and you’ll be able to make the short hike behind the falls. The scene behind the fall and the trembling ground from the power of the falling water makes for an automatic Instagram blockbuster! Further east along the coast is Skógafoss waterfall. Skógafoss is an incredibly picturesque sight. Tucked in a little gorge, the river Skógá tumbles down a 60 meter cliff before continuing down the landscape towards the Atlantic Ocean. Alongside the gorge a staircase can take you to the shelf above the waterfall for stunning views. See if you can count your steps on your way up. We will hike an outlet glacier spawning from the one of the largest glaciers in the country, Vatnajökull. After meeting our highly trained glacier guides and strapping on our safety and glacier equipment, including helmets, harnesses, crampons and ice axes we hike on the ice for an hour and a half. A spectacular experience and opportunity to learn more about this breathtaking and increasingly rare natural phenomena. Skaftafell area has been used as a filming location for many famous TV shows and films, such as Game of Thrones, Interstellar, James Bond, and others… Follow the steps of your favorite characters into the glacier!

Day 4: Hofn / Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon / Diamond Beach / Reynisfjara Black Beach

Then comes Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon, a 200m deep glacial lagoon fed by Breiðamerkurjökull, an outlet glacier of Europe’s largest glacier. Enormous icebergs come from Breiðamerkurjökull all year round so the lagoon is usually filled with ice that floats south. Try walking alongside the glacier lagoon enjoying the magnificent views and dead silence of Icelandic nature. On the other side of the road the icebergs from Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon float into the Atlantic Ocean where they are quickly thrown back to shore by the tide and winds. This black sand beach is full of smaller ice rocks in all shapes and sizes, sparkling like diamonds in the daylight. The ice itself comes in all shades of white and blue forming beautiful contrasts, guaranteed to make your Instagram account pop! Later, we visit the black sand beach of Reynisfjara where the Atlantic coastline presents massive waves hitting the unique basalt columns in the cliffs above the sand. Rock pillars in the water and the cliffs of Dýrhólaey are seen in the distance. This area of the south is also a paradise for bird lovers, as puffins and dozens of other unique species nest on top of these cliffs in the summertime from June to August.

Optional activity

Blue Ice Cave Tour (Winter) - You will get the opportunity of a lifetime to enjoy one of the world’s greatest wilderness, Iceland’s largest glacier. You are driven in a specially modified Super Jeep to the glacier, where you get to explore the glacier environment, enjoy a view out of this world, go into and underneath the glacier and experience the glacier’s beauty from the inside! Blue Ice Cave Exploration is truly a unique experience. An experienced local guide leads the way and shares a wealth of fascinating information about glaciers, ice fields and their impact on our environment during our journey, making sure everyone enjoys themselves to the fullest. Our guides provide you with safety equipment (helmet and crampons) and the fun begins!

Your guide will return you to your accommodation in Reykjavik.