Iceland is open for travel: Volcanic eruption in Iceland 2024
A sightseeing tour that will take you to a host of natural wonders, including glaciers, the Sólheimasandur plane wreck, black sand beaches, and gushing waterfalls!
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This amazing sightseeing day tour will take you on an epic journey through to some of Iceland’s most famous attractions. It begins on the South Coast, visiting three cascading waterfalls known as Seljalandsfoss, Gljúfrabúi, and Skógafoss, each unique and beautiful in its own right. Every sight is guaranteed to provide memories that will last a lifetime.
From there, we’ll continue to the desolate Sólheimasandur Plains to visit the famous DC-3 Plane Wreck before we stop off at the mighty Sólheimajökull Glacier and Reynisfjara Beach on our way home. If you’re looking for the most wondrous sights the South Coast of Iceland has to offer, then this tour is the ideal day trip on your getaway in Reykjavik.
The first stop is the magnificent Seljalandsfoss Waterfall, whose steep cascade tumbles 197 ft (60 m) down into a pool below. During the summer, you can walk behind the vast curtain of water – offering a unique perspective on the beauty of nature. We’ll then make the short walk to Gljúfrabúi Waterfall (available from February to September), a less-visited, secret waterfall, which is hidden in a verdant canyon. To reach it, we’ll need to ford a calm stream, so waterproof clothing is an absolute must.
Our next destination will be the mighty Skógafoss Waterfall, whose sprawling cascade measures 80 ft (25 m) across and falls an impressive 197 ft (60 m). We’ll scale the steep steps that run alongside the waterfall for stunning views of Skogafoss and the surrounding mountains.
Look out for the fascinating rock formations, which local legend claims were trolls who were so enchanted by the beauty of the falls that they forgot about the sun and were turned to stone.
Seljalandsfoss Waterfall
From the South Coast, we’ll travel to Sólheimasandur Plains – a vast volcanic desert that stretches far into the horizon. It was created by glacial meltwaters from Sólheimajökull glacier, meaning that there are no natural landmarks in the area.
In November 1973, a US Navy DC-3 plane crashed in this desolate area, but fortunately, there were no casualties. What’s left behind, however, is an incredibly photogenic memorial for hikers to enjoy. The wrecked plane lies dilapidated on the black beaches in an Icelandic wasteland, a profound monument to our small place in the natural world.
The plane is located around 2.5 mi (4 km) from the road, which means it’s quite secluded. This is the perfect location for some quiet contemplation about our relationship with the natural world.
From there, we'll return to the minibus and head to Sólheimajökull Glacier where we will take a walk around the area to see the mesmerizing glacier tongue along with the glacier lagoon surrounding it. See these icy natural wonders in all of its glory from a spectacular viewpoint.
Next up, we’ll head to the world-famous Reynisfjara beach, whose dark volcanic sands and amazing rock formations have made it the most popular beach in the entire of Iceland.
You’ll see the iconic Reynisdrangar sea stacks rising like a stone ship close to the coast, the majestic hexagonal Gardar basalt columns and a host of fascinating birdlife. Make sure that you bring your camera, because the contrast between the white-crested waves of the Atlantic and the jet-black sands of the beach, creates a perfect photo opportunity!
From there we’ll make the scenic drive back to the capital – we hope you enjoyed the tour and can’t wait to see you on your next adventure.
We’ll pick you up and drop you off at your chosen collection point in Reykjavik at 08:00 am.
Please note that the pick-up within 30 minutes – we thank you for your patience in advance.
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.
