3 Days | South Coast, Glacier Lagoon and Golden Circle

Tour description

Day 1: Golden Circle

It's time to head on the road. Today we explore the Golden Circle. Our first stop is at Þingvellir, the place of the first Icelandic parliament. The first parliament was established there in 930 AD and it is, therefore, the oldest one in Europe. Besides all the history you can also see the Mid-Atlantic ridge. This is the split of the tectonic plates that divides Europe from North America. After that, we stop at Geysir. This "water puddle" gives its name to all the other Geysers in the world. It erupts every 5-8min and it is truly a big spectacle. After a short ride, we arrive at Gullfoss, the golden waterfall. In the summertime, up to 130.000 l/s are running down this powerful waterfall. In good weather conditions, we are also able to see Langjökull glacier as well. Before we drive to our hotel, we end the day with a visit to the Secret Lagoon. It was formed in 1891 and is still a popular place for all the locals in the area. It is therefore the oldest swimming pool in the country with a constant temperature of 38/40 °C, thanks to the hot waters from surrounding geothermal activity.

Day 2: Waterfalls, black sand beaches, and Viking Sagas

We have breakfast at the hotel and afterward, we go back on the road. Our first stop is Seljalandsfoss waterfall. If conditions allow we talk a walk behind the waterfall curtains. After a short ride, we arrive at Skogafoss waterfall. Skogafoss was featured in "Game of Thrones" and it is said that one of the first settlers has buried a treasure chest behind it. Now it is time for some action. The guide drives you to Sólheimajökull glacier. We put on our safety gear and step on the glacier. Our glacier is around 2,5h long with 1,5h spent on the glacier. Next up is Reynisfjara black sand beach. The beach was once rated as one of the 10 most beautiful places worldwide. In the summertime, hundreds of Puffins are nesting here and the rock stacks called Reynisdrangar are standing picturesque in the ocean next to the beach. Reynisfjara is also the perfect place to grab something to eat. On our way to our overnight accommodation, we pass the Skaftafell national park and Iceland's biggest glacier called Vatnajökull.

Day 3: Glacier Lagoon and Diamond beach

After breakfast, we head to one of the most popular locations in Iceland, the Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon. Big icebergs are breaking apart the man glacier and they are then floating around in the lagoon that is situated in front of the glacier. After some time, the icebergs melted enough to float out to the ocean. Waves bring back the crystal clear ice to the black beach next to the lagoon, creating a special place called the Diamond Beach. Now it is time to head back in the direction of Reykjavik. On the way back, your guide will make a stop next to the lava fields that were created during an eruption of the Volcano Laki in 1783/84. The eruption was so severe, that around 25% of the Icelandic population died. Our next stop is at Hofskirkja, an old church with a roof covered with turf. It's one of six turf churches that are left in the country. A great place to learn more about Iceland's history. Next up will be the well-known canyon Fjaðrárgljúfur (please note that the canyon is only accessible from April to October). The canyon is about 2km long and the cliffs can be high as 100m. Definitely, the perfect place to witness the power of mother nature. On our way home we will make stops for dinner and you can expect to be back in Reykjavik around 8 pm.

Please note

• During the booking process, you have the chance to select your room type. You can choose between single, double or triple rooms. If you are a single traveller then a Single Room needs to be chosen.
• Pick up is from designated locations in Reykjavík. Pick up is not available from Keflavik airport or outside of the greater capital area.
• When it comes to the glacier hike, safety is our priority number one. Even though the hike is created for first-timers, some of the terrains lead us through icy and steep terrain. If you don't like to be on your feet, the glacier hike may not be for you. We will provide you with all the necessary gear but full mobility is required in order to have a safe trip on the glacier. All our guides have a lot of experience with glacier hikes and they will make a final decision whether you are able to participate or not when we arrive at the glacier. Please remember that if a guide refuses to let you go on the glacier, the decision is made with your safety in mind.
• As we said before, safety is really important to us. The weather situation can change really fast in Iceland. Stormy weather or heavy rainfall can make the glacier inaccessible. In case we can't operate the glacier hike on Sólheimajökull, we have several other outlet glaciers as a Plan B.
• Fjaðrargljúfur canyon is sometimes closed by the Icelandic government because of flooding or nature protection. In case we can't visit the canyon, we will add other stops. There are plenty of beautiful places we can explore on the South Coast.