This fantastic day tour from Reykjavik is full of splendid views of Iceland’s spectacular nature. Drive along the beautiful south coast with stops at Iceland’s must-see highlights, including the stunning waterfalls, Seljalandsfoss, and Stjórnarfoss. Visit Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon and Diamond Beach.
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We start our day in Reykjavik at 7 am and drive along Iceland's epic South Coast. We will stop at the most beautiful locations and must-see natural attractions. Due to dramatic daylight differences, the number and the order of our stops may vary between summer and winter.
Seljalandsfoss is one of Iceland’s most famous waterfalls. It is very photogenic as it plunges over 60m into a shallow pool. The river that feeds Seljalandsfoss originates at the magnificent volcano glacier, Eyjafjallajokull. But the main reason why this cascade is so unique is that you can walk behind the water flow and see the waterfall and the world from a new perspective. Bring your raincoat as you will get wet from the drizzle! (Please note that the path behind the cascade may be closed during winter as it gets too slippery and dangerous.)
With 300 inhabitants, Iceland's southernmost village, Vík í Mýrdal, is the busiest settlement in a 150-km / 39 mi area on the South Coast. This vibrant little place is a typical Icelandic countryside village, with colorful houses, scenic views, and a teeny-tiny church on the top of a hill.
Jökulsárlón is a large glacial lagoon (and the deepest lake in Iceland) located at the foot of the Vatnajökull glacier. As the glacier reaches the lowland areas, it retreats and melts, creating a lagoon. The lagoon is filled with giant icebergs that float slowly towards the ocean from the glacier. The icebergs are pretty varied in size and shape. The biggest ones can be as large as 20 to 30 meters. As the glacier "calves" and new icebergs enter the lagoon, it changes its appearance all the time.
The black sand beach where the icebergs are washed ashore by the waves is called the Diamond beach. Together these two attractions are probably the most photographed natural attractions in Iceland. Jökulsarlon has deserved the nickname "the Crown Jewel of Iceland."
Jokulsarlon glacier lagoon and Diamond beach have become world-famous as they have appeared in Hollywood movies such as James Bond, Batman Begins, and Tomb Raider.
Fjallsárlón lagoon is renowned for the shimmering icebergs that float in its waters. The vivid colors of the ice range from electric blue to crystal clear. Some of the icebergs are streaked with grey, caused by volcanic eruptions.
The icebergs often collide, releasing shuddering groans as they rub against one another. The acrobatic antics of Great Skua seabirds overhead and playful seals in the water make for an incredible show.
If the conditions are favorable, we will visit Fjallsárlón lagoon, famous for the shimmering icebergs that float in its waters.
Pick-up:
Pick-up starts at 7:00 am. You will be picked up from Bus Stop #12 (opposite Storm Hotel) or your selected pick-up location in Reykjavík. We will pick you up there within 30 minutes from the departure time. You can find directions to this location here.
Boat ride: For the optional 30-minute boat tour at Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon, a ticket can be purchased on the bus for ISK 5900 per person. The boat trip is only possible during the summer months, from May to October.
Jökulsarlon is situated in the South East of Iceland on the edge of a glacier called Breiðamerkurjökull. It is about a 4.5-hour drive from Reykjavik.
The Diamond Beach is a black sand beach next to Jokulsarlon glacier lagoon. It is a beach where icebergs have drifted onto the shore creating the illusion of huge diamonds.
Just outside of Vatnajokull national park you will find the Diamond Beach it is about 5 hours outside of Reykjavik.
There are a few glacier lakes in Iceland but Jökulsarlon is the largest. Here the icebergs are made up of glacial ice that can be up to 1000 years old.
This is a great question. We ask all participants to be ready from the start of the pickup time indicated. This is because you may well be the first pick up of the day. Please be at your assigned location at the start time that you chose when booking the tour.
Here you should wait for your guide.
Have your email and phone number listed with us so we can contact you if we run into any trouble finding you.
View our pick-up locations in Reykjavík.
Before and during activities on the multi-day tours consumption of alcohol is prohibited. If we suspect that a participant is intoxicated, we will prohibit them from joining the activity.
After the activities of the day are finished, you are welcome to have a drink and relax.
Yes, we do. Langjökull Ice Cave is a magical experience, the tour has no minimum age and is a wonderful option for the whole family. Whale Watching with our partner company Elding has been a favourite with families traveling with young children, these guys have a great success rate in seeing whales (upwards of 98% in the summertime).
Another option would be the Landmannalaugar Safari on this tour you get to explore parts of the Icelandic highlands and bathe in natural hot springs. Most of our super jeep tours are also suitable for children over the age of 6 years old. If you would like a nice and relaxing experience we would also recommend the Golden Circle & Secret Lagoon tour.
Your safety is our number one priority! Keeping this in mind, Arctic Adventures reserves the right to adjust the itinerary and/or take different routes depending on conditions. Please read more information in our cancellation policy.
Yes, there is a specially trained and certified guide on each of our tours. The only exception to this is for our self-drive tours.
All of our tours are guided in English.
No, for all your questions and concerns you would need to contact our customer service.
The standard in Iceland is 230V and 50Hz and we use F-type power sockets and plugs, so you might have to bring an adaptor if you are visiting from UK, USA, Canada or other countries using a different voltage, Hz or plugs.
Our tours are split into four different categories that help participants to understand what to expect from the tour. The categories are Easy, Moderate, Challenging and Demanding. Each tour is rated making it easier to find tours that suit you.
For further information about the difficulty ratings and descriptions.
We’ve partnered with the Kolviður Fund in a new carbon offsetting program, which passengers can select to participate in at the time of booking.
The Kolviður Fund is the oldest, most respected carbon offsetting program in Iceland. With your support, one tree will be planted in special Kolviður forests in Iceland to carbon offset your tour with us.
Kolviður forests are strategically planted to absorb the maximum amount of CO2 and the forests are protected for a minimum of 60 years. During their lifetime the trees absorb carbon and store it in their root system, trunk, and branches. Trees also prevent soil erosion and maintain storage of carbon in the soil.
