Glaciers, Volcanos and Waterfalls

Your memorable adventure in Iceland begins the very moment you arrive at Keflavík Airport. Once you have picked up your rental vehicle, you will head directly for Reykjavík, the colorful capital city of Iceland. If your flight arrives early enough, we recommend visiting Iceland’s world-famous Blue Lagoon or Sky Lagoon, the newest spa and wellness attraction situated just a short drive from Reykjavík. Be sure to pack your swimsuit, so you can take a relaxing dip in either of these spa’s soothing geothermal waters before heading to your hotel.

Overnight in Reykjavík.

(Approximately 50 km)

After breakfast, drive towards Borgarnes and then make your way to Snæfellsnes Peninsula, famous for the majestic Snæfell volcano. Spend the day exploring its numerous places of interest including the basalt pillars of Gerðuberg, the lovely wooden church of Búdir, and Arnarstapi, a small fishing village, where basalt columns have been eroded by the the North Atlantic Ocean. Observe seabirds along the cliffs like home kittiwakes, cormorants, and arctic terns. Take a stroll at Djúpalónssandur black sand beach and at Skardsvík, its white-sand counterpart. Along the north shore of the peninsula, discover fishing villages, beautiful mountains such as Kirkjufell and ancient lava fields such as Berserkjahraun. Nearby, you can visit Bjarnarhöfn’s Shark Museum and even “enjoy” a snack of this local treat.

Overnight on Snæfellsnes Peninsula.

(Approximately 200-300 km)

Complete your visits on the Snæfellsnes Peninsula before heading towards the Borgarfjörður region, either driving through Borgarnes or along the north coast of Snæfellsnes. Head east towards Búðardalur village and the Dalir region where you can visit Eiríksstaðir Viking farm where Erik the Red lived until approximately 980. He then settled at the southernmost tip of a land that he and his descendants would call “Greenland”. Once you’ve reached the Borgarfjörður area, plan a stop at Grábrók, a small but picturesque volcanic crater, and Glanni, a beautiful waterfall on the Norðurá River. On that day or the next morning, you can take some time exploring the area. You can plan a stop at the Icelandic Goat Centre in Háafell. This farm is working towards protecting and maintaining Iceland’s goat stock. Make a stop at Deildartunguhver, Europe’s highest-flow hot spring. Further away, discover Hraunfossar Waterfall, where the water flows out from underneath a lava field into the river below.

Overnight in Borgarfjörður and Borgarnes area.

(Approximately 150-300 km)

Complete your visits in the Borgarfjörður area before heading towards the Golden Circle region. Drive to Þingvellir National Park, a UNESCO world heritage site and one of the geological wonders of the world. Here, you can see the effects of the movements of tectonic plates. Observe various cracks and fissures in the earth’s crust. Discover numerous small springs as they boil and bubble all around you. Stop at Geysir geothermal area where the Strokkur hot spring ejects its water column high into the air every 5-10 minutes. Afterwards you only have a short drive to reach Gullfoss, surely one of the country’s most beautiful waterfalls.

Overnight in Laugarvatn, Flúðir or Hella area.

(Approximately 200-300 km) 

Continue along the South Coast for your overnight stay in Vík or the Kirkjubæjarklaustur area. On your way there, or on your way back, later in your trip, discover beautiful waterfalls, such as Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss, then explore the famous black-sand beach and basalt columns of Reynisfjara. Take a short detour to Dyrhólaey promontory, the southernmost point of Iceland. A small road takes you to the top of this 120m high sea cliff where you often can see some puffins from late April to early August. However, note that access to Dyrhólaey is closed during nesting season, approximately from May 15 to June 23. Past mid-August, the puffins have all gone out to sea and are nowhere to be seen. Finally, you might want to take some time to explore the Sólheimajökull glacier outlet and its breathtaking surroundings. In the beautiful region between Vík and Kirkjubæjarklaustur, on this day or the next morning, drive across the vast Mýrdalssandur sand plains and Eldhraun lava field, a result of the major Laki eruption.

Overnight in Vík or Kirkjubæjarklaustur area.

(Approximately 150-250 km)

Further east, between Kirkjubæjarklaustur and Jökulsárlón, discover the towering cliffs of Lómagnúpur, Iceland's highest at 670m, the Skeidarársandur sand plains and Skaftafell National Park. Under the gaze of Hvannadalshnúkur Peak, this area is a true oasis bordered by the glacial tongues of Vatnajökull on one side and vast volcanic sand plains on the other. Discover Iceland’s scenic southeast. Explore Vatnajökull Glacier area, observing numerous glacial outlets along your route. At Jökulsárlón glacial lagoon, the glacier breaks into stunning icebergs that drift peacefully towards the ocean (“Diamond Beach”). This exceptional site sits at the foot of Iceland’s highest mountain, Hvannadalshnúkur.

Overnight in Jökulsárlón and Höfn area.

(Approximately 150-250 km)

On your way back to the region of Vík and Skógar, explore one of Iceland’s most beautiful regions. Stop at Fjallsárlón glacier lagoon not too far from Jökulsárlón, then hike to the splendid Svartifoss waterfall in Skaftafell, discover the basaltic columns of Dverghamrar nearby Kirkjubæjarklaustur, or walk to the beautiful Kvernufoss waterfall in Skógar, to name but only a few of the many natural wonders scattered along your way.

Overnight in Vík and Skógar area.

(Approximately 250 km)

Today, in the vicinity of Katla and Eyjafjalajökull volcanoes, south of Mýrdalsjökull glacier, you have more time to explore the South Shore area around Vík and Skógar. Continue towards Reykjavík. Once in Selfoss and the Hveragerði area, you can either go straight to the capital city and relax in one of its cosy coffee shops or drive to the Reykjanes volcanic peninsula, where you can discover the Krýsuvík and Gunnuhver geothermal areas, as well as the recent lava fields of Fagradalssfjall volcano which erupted in 2021, 2022 and 2023! Once in that area, you can also enjoy a relaxing bath at the Blue Lagoon if you didn’t get the chance to do it earlier in your stay.

Overnight in Reykjavík.

(Approximately 200-340 km)

After breakfast, check out from your hotel and drive to Keflavík International Airport and return your rental car before your flight home.

(Approximately 50 km)