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This four-day adventure takes you across the West and South of Iceland—Snæfellsnes Peninsula, Glacier Lagoon, and a natural ice cave are just the start. Travel with a small group, guided by local experts, and see waterfalls, black sand beaches, lava landscapes, and glacier views. Available year-round, this tour packs the top highlights into one smooth journey—no planning needed!
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Over four days, travel through West and South Iceland with expert guides and a small group. Visit Deildartunguhver hot spring, Hraunfossar and Barnafoss waterfalls, and explore the coastlines and volcanic beaches of Snæfellsnes. Continue to the South Coast to see Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss waterfalls, Reynisfjara black beach, and finish at Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon and Diamond Beach. In winter, you’ll also have chances to spot the magnetic Northern Lights!
Pickup begins at 9 a.m. from your chosen meeting point in Reykjavík. While the process may take up to 30 minutes, please be ready on time—we’re setting off for an exciting journey through the West!
Our first stop is Borgarfjörður, where you’ll visit Deildartunguhver, Europe’s most powerful hot spring. It pumps out a staggering 180 liters (about 47.5 gallons or 6,300 ounces) of boiling water every second at nearly 100°C (212°F)—used to heat homes and pools in the region.
On this day, you can also relax in the Krauma geothermal baths (an optional extra) or instead visit a nearby horse farm, where you can meet and pet the famously friendly Icelandic horses!
Next, we continue to Reykholt, a small but historically rich village where the medieval writer Snorri Sturluson once lived. Nearby, you’ll visit two uniquely beautiful waterfalls: Hraunfossar, where glacial springs stream through lava rock, and Barnafoss, steeped in local legend.
As evening approaches, we’ll settle into our countryside hotel on the Snæfellsnes Peninsula. Once night falls, and if conditions are right between October and April, your guide will check the forecast and lead a search for the Northern Lights—fingers crossed for a glowing show in the sky!
After breakfast, we head west to explore the wild and dramatic Snæfellsnes Peninsula. Often called “Iceland in Miniature,” this region squeezes glaciers, volcanoes, lava fields, black sand beaches, and rugged coastlines into one stunning stretch of land.
Our first stop is Djúpalónssandur Beach—a once-thriving fishing outpost turned black pebble haven. Scattered along the shore, you’ll see rusted remains of a British trawler that wrecked in 1948 and a row of “lifting stones” once used by fishermen to test their strength. We’ll enjoy a short coastal hike here, with the Atlantic surf crashing nearby.
Next, we’ll visit Mount Kirkjufell, Iceland’s most photographed mountain, along with its nearby waterfall, Kirkjufellsfoss—an iconic scene you’ll likely recognize.
You’ll also have the option to join a guided tour of Vatnshellir Lava Cave (optional extra). With helmets and flashlights, you’ll descend into an 8,000-year-old lava tube and discover the volcanic forces that formed it. This is the same region Jules Verne imagined as the gateway to Earth’s core in Journey to the Center of the Earth.
We typically stop for lunch in the seaside village of Hellnar and continue to explore highlights like Arnarstapi and its wave-carved cliffs.
In the evening, we return to the Reykjavík area for the night. From October to April, your guide will watch the sky—if conditions are right, you might catch a Northern Lights display before turning in.
The second half of your journey takes you into the scenic southern and southeastern regions of Iceland. Today is all about dramatic contrasts—mossy lava fields, roaring waterfalls, black sand beaches, and distant glaciers lining the horizon.
After a hearty breakfast in Reykjavík, we head out along the South Coast, passing farmlands, villages, and rugged terrain. Our first stop is Seljalandsfoss, a striking waterfall you can walk behind for a unique perspective—just be prepared to get a little wet!
Next, we visit the neighboring Skógafoss, a powerful cascade that plunges from ancient sea cliffs. Climb the stairs to the top for sweeping views of the lowlands, and on clear days, you might even spot the edge of Mýrdalsjökull glacier.
From there, we continue to Reynisfjara, the world-famous black sand beach framed by towering basalt columns and sea stacks. Before reaching our accommodation in Hof, we’ll pass through the charming coastal village of Vík.
Once at the hotel, we’ll enjoy a peaceful evening, and if the conditions are right during the winter months (October to April), we’ll look for the Northern Lights once more.
Once well rested, we’ll begin our final day with a visit to the world-famous Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon, located near Diamond Beach. Take time to explore this shimmering, otherworldly lagoon where icebergs drift quietly across the water. Just across the road lies Diamond Beach, where chunks of ice from the lagoon wash ashore and glisten like gemstones on the black sand.
Next, we’ll step inside the heart of a glacier to explore one of Iceland’s natural ice caves, guided by a certified glacier expert. These caves are shaped each year by melting and freezing, so no two visits are ever the same. When conditions allow, we enter the Crystal Ice Cave or another naturally formed cave in the Vatnajökull glacier. If that’s not possible on the day, we’ll head to the Katla Ice Cave in Mýrdalsjökull—an equally stunning alternative with deep blue walls and striking formations.
Inside the cave, expect to see centuries-old ice sculpted by time and pressure—a surreal experience and a dream for photographers. The exact cave may vary based on the season and conditions, but every path leads into a truly magical world of ice!
On our way back to Reykjavík, we’ll stop at Vatnajökull National Park for a short visit to Skaftafell Nature Reserve. Surrounded by rugged peaks and glacier views, it’s a picture-perfect way to end the journey.
If you’re traveling between October and April, we’ll also keep watch for a possible Northern Lights show on the way back. We expect to return to Reykjavík between 9 p.m. and 11 p.m., depending on weather and road conditions.
We always recommend booking a multi-day tour starting at least one day after arriving in Iceland. If you’re flying in from the US or will be landing early (4-6:30 am) you should be able to join the tour, but some risks would follow (i.e if the flight gets delayed) and could, therefore, miss out on the tour.
Most of the hotels we use during our tours are remotely located and therefore ideal for spotting the northern lights. If the forecast is in your favor, then it is more than likely that you will be able to see the magical show put on by the dancing northern lights during your tour with us. Most of the hotels offer a Northern Lights wake-up call up on request if the lights are spotted.
The Northern Lights are a natural phenomenon; therefore, we can unfortunately never promise they will be seen. Their appearance depends upon atmospheric and weather conditions. The best time to see them is between September and March when it’s dark and clear. The sky needs to be as dark as possible, so the best places to see them are well away from city lights (that’s where we are going!).
For more information on the Northern Lights, please look at our blog about Northern Lights.
If you are not sure that you have suitable gear for your tour, we offer some necessary items for rent. For most of our multi-day tours, we rent out waterproof jackets and pants as well as hiking boots. You can book these items and more under the selection “Extras” in the booking widget when booking your tour on our website.
If you have already booked the tour and wish to add some rental gear to your booking, you can do so at least 24 hours prior to your tour starting by using our customer portal - My Adventures, or contacting our customer care.
If you're visiting during winter, typically from mid-October to mid-April, we highly recommend using lightweight crampons (also called ice spikes) for added safety on icy paths while sightseeing. You can purchase them during the booking process to ensure a more secure and comfortable experience.
Find more details about crampons and ice spikes in this guide.
We drive on average around 300 km (186 miles) per day on our multi-day tours. You will be spending approximately 4-5 hours in the car each day. We do of course stop on multiple locations throughout the tour for sightseeing, activities, bathroom breaks and lunch stops.
We do welcome participants of all ages older than the listed minimum age for each tour. We have people of ages ranging from 8-99 years joining our multi-day tours. Our average group usually consists of participants between the age 20-55 years. We do get a lot of solo travellers joining our tours, as well as families and friends.
If you have difficulties participating in any of the activities included in the tour, for example, a glacier activity, you are more than welcome to skip it. You can explore your surroundings in the meantime or wait elsewhere. Our guide should be able to drop you off at a nearby place where there are some services available.
For multi-day tours, each participant is allowed to bring a small backpack and 1 piece of luggage weighing a maximum of 20 kg (44 lbs). If you have more or heavier luggage with you, you will need to book storage for the surplus luggage before you arrive, there is a small fee for using this facility. Luggage storage in Reykjavík can be added during the booking process of your order in the extras section.
* The combined dimensions of each bag must not exceed 158 cm (62 in).
Breakfast is included at all the hotels we stay in during the tour. The breakfast will be a typical breakfast buffet, offering bread, toppings, cereal, yogurt, fruits, coffee, and tea etc.
Your guide will also find a good place for the group to eat lunch. We always try to choose places that have a wide selection of dishes on the menu, so there will be options available for everyone. The dinner is usually at the hotels we stay at for the night.
If your tour includes accommodation, breakfast is always included during the tour at the hotel/guesthouse restaurant.
Meals and beverages are otherwise not included on your tour. (Unless it’s specifically stated in the description of the tour)
On our multiday tours, we will be making stops at restaurants and convenience stores where you will be able to purchase all necessities. Cash is not necessary, as credit cards are almost always accepted. Having a small amount of cash doesn’t hurt though.
A single supplement is available if you want to have your own room, but you are not required to pay a single supplement. If you are a single traveler and do not wish to book a single room, you’ll be roomed with another traveler of the same gender.
When booking with Arctic Adventures, you are guaranteed an accommodation at a nice country hotel and/or a guesthouse. The hotels we have partnered up with are all of the same standard and offer nice rooms with made-up beds and private bathrooms. The standard room is a twin room but it’s possible to request a double room or a triple room, with no extra charge.
If you are traveling solo, you will have to add the single room fee if you wish to have a single room.
All hotels have free Wi-Fi. Towels, a hairdryer and a kettle are accessible at all of the hotels. Hotel breakfast is included!
