Looking for winter tours? | Check it out!
Currency:
USD
ISK
USD
EUR
CAD
Join us on a four-day adventure, exploring Iceland's most stunning locations, including the Golden Circle, Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach and the Diamond Beach, just to name a few.
This magical four-day tour will take you to some of the most famous places in the land of fire and ice. We’ll go on the iconic Golden Circle route, see Iceland’s famous South Coast, explore mesmerizing ice caves, walk on vast glaciers and see the recently erupted volcano. You'll join a small group of like-minded adventurers and a friendly guide. If you're looking to spend four wonderful days traveling around Iceland, then this is the perfect tour for you.
Please note: If you’re traveling with a party of 2 or more, be sure to book everyone under a single reservation. Otherwise, we can’t guarantee you will all be on the same tour activity.
From
Your adventure starts with a pickup in Reykjavik. Your guide will pick you up in a comfortable minibus at a convenient location. For your first activity, we'll embark on a tour of the Golden Circle and visit its famous attractions - Thingvellir National Park, Geysir, and Gullfoss. We will then make our way to the South Coast, making a stop at Seljalandsfoss waterfall. We will spend the night in a small country hotel and, weather permitting, go searching for the Northern Lights in the evening.
After breakfast, we head farther along the South Coast where our next attraction awaits - the breathtaking Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon. The lagoon is spectacular during the winter season and offers plenty of photographic opportunities. We'll also visit nearby Diamond Beach, where you'll get a closer look at the icebergs that have washed ashore. For the final stop, we'll indulge in a glacier hike and explore a natural ice cave accompanied by a certified glacier guide. We'll stay overnight near Skaftafell and, if we're lucky, you will have the opportunity to spot the Northern Lights.
On the third day, we’ll go sightseeing on the South Coast of Iceland. We'll visit many awe-inspiring attractions, such as Eldhraun Lava Field, Skógafoss Waterfall, Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach. After the South Coast tour, we’ll come back to Reykjavik.
For the final day, you'll have a chance to experience the once-in-a-lifetime experience of hiking to Meradalir to watch the site of a recently erupted volcano. After that, you will be able to hunt the Northern Lights.
Please note: Volcanoes are a natural phenomenon, and the level of volcanic activity at the site varies daily. Even if the volcano is not erupting during your visit, visiting the area is still fascinating.
The first day of our adventure will take us on the world-renowned Golden Circle route – a trio of legendary attractions that are widely considered to be the best in Iceland. We’ll begin at Thingvellir National Park – a UNESCO World Heritage Site due ...)
The first day of our adventure will take us on the world-renowned Golden Circle route – a trio of legendary attractions that are widely considered to be the best in Iceland.
We’ll begin at Thingvellir National Park – a UNESCO World Heritage Site due to its geological and historical importance. It’s the original location of Althingi – a dramatic glacial plain where a group of Viking nobles founded the first Icelandic Parliament in 930 AD. The modern parliament in Reykjavik retains its name – making it one of the oldest democratic institutions in the world. Thingvellir also hosts a seismic rift valley that marks the ever-expanding gap between the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates. A unique place that is the only land visible land border between two continents.
Our next stop will be the Geysir Geothermal area – famed for the bubbling geysers that have become synonymous with Iceland. We’ll see the now dormant Great Geysir – which was the first geyser to appear in the English language and gives them all their name. Alongside Strokkur – the most active geyser in the area – firing boiling torrents of water up to 30 meters into the air every few minutes or so. The powerful geothermal forces beneath Iceland’s surface have made it the country it is today, and the Geysir Geothermal area is the best way to see its incredible power in the flesh.
The final stop on the Golden Circle route is Gullfoss (or “the Golden Falls”) – a stunningly beautiful two-stage waterfall that gets its name from the golden color its water takes as it cascades over the dark brown rock. Beneath it is an emerald valley, and rainbows regularly form above it – making for an awe-inspiring scene.
After visiting the Golden Circle, we’ll drive southwards and head for one of the most impressive waterfalls in the world, Seljalandsfoss. On a clear day, we can even get a view of Hekla Volcano on the way!
After all this adventure, we will head to our countryside hotel, which is a great place to see the flickering colors of the Northern Lights.
Our day begins with a hearty Icelandic breakfast before we head on the road towards the Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon and the nearby Diamond Beach – passing moss-carpeted lava fields, volcanically scarred deserts, and some spectacular rock formations th...)
Our day begins with a hearty Icelandic breakfast before we head on the road towards the Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon and the nearby Diamond Beach – passing moss-carpeted lava fields, volcanically scarred deserts, and some spectacular rock formations that stand as vivid reminders of volcanic eruptions over the years. By then, you'll be able to catch sight of the majestic Breidamerkurjokull Glacier, which unfurls like a tongue from Vatnajokull, the largest glacier in the whole of Europe.
The Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon lies in its shadow, famed for the glittering icebergs that float across its icy-blue surface. Many of them wash up on the nearby Diamond Beach, where they shine like beautiful diamonds against the black sands. Both places are breathtakingly beautiful and will leave you with memories you'll treasure forever.
After Jokulsarlon, we head to Skaftafell Nature Reserve for yet another adventure. Your certified glacier guide will meet you there and take you to mesmerizing Vatnajokull Glacier. After taking a breathtaking glacier hike, we'll go into the icy depths of the glacier by entering a natural ice cave.
Iceland's ice caves usually form over the winter months. When the meltwaters from summer freeze, they create huge pockets and beautiful patterns within the sapphire-blue ice. During the glacier hike, your guide will explain exactly how these incredible ice formations came to be.
These kinds of tours are very weather-dependent, so the ice cave we'll visit will be chosen considering the day's conditions. Since ice cave temperatures are below freezing, don't forget to dress warmly.
Our accommodation for the night will be at Adventure Hotel Geirland.
After a nutritious breakfast, we’ll start our tour along the South Coast. If the road conditions allow us, we’ll make a small detour to Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon, also known as the “Bieber Canyon”, after the famous singer shot his music video here. Next...)
After a nutritious breakfast, we’ll start our tour along the South Coast. If the road conditions allow us, we’ll make a small detour to Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon, also known as the “Bieber Canyon”, after the famous singer shot his music video here.
Next, we’ll visit the Eldhraun lava field before heading to the iconic Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach. There we’ll take in the stark contrast of the white-crested waves of the Atlantic Ocean as they wash against its jet-black sands. From the cliffside rises a cluster of basalt sea stacks, reminiscent of the Giant’s Causeway in Ireland. We’ll also see the Reynisdrangar basalt pillars, which rise like jagged peaks from the sea. Folktales say they were once a trio of trolls turned to stone by the sun as they tried to drag a boat back to land.
We’ll also stop at the equally impressive Skogafoss Waterfall – whose wider cascade tumbles down 60 meters into a pool below. We’ll climb up the meandering path next to the falls – for a spectacular vista over the entire area. Skogafoss also plays a prominent role in Icelandic myth, and our guide will point out the two strange rock formations that are believed to be trolls who were petrified by the dawn. Some locals also believe that a Viking settler hid a treasure chest somewhere beneath the falls – offering fabulous wealth to the person who finds it.
The famous Eyjafjallajökull stands above the Skogafoss waterfall, and with good visibility, you can catch a glimpse of this magnificent mountain.
In the evening, we’ll return to Reykjavik for the night’s rest.
On this final day, you will Join us on a once-in-a-lifetime experience to hike up to Meradalir to see the recently erupted volcano site! This truly is an experience that you will never forget! Eruptions are rare events, and they are very hostile in n...)
On this final day, you will Join us on a once-in-a-lifetime experience to hike up to Meradalir to see the recently erupted volcano site! This truly is an experience that you will never forget!
Eruptions are rare events, and they are very hostile in nature. This element of rarity, the sheer power, and the potentially destructive forces behind eruptions make them hypnotically fascinating. Not all eruptions are created the same, some spew ashes far up into the sky while others pump out molten magma.
For our final stop, if you are traveling during the winter months (September - March) we'll drive out to hunt the magical Northern Lights. Our tour of the Northern Lights starts off with the thrill of the pursuit. Once your guide picks you up, be prepared for the hunt. You’ll drive out into the unparalleled beauty of a starry night.
As the forecast changes daily, unfortunately, we can’t tell you in advance exactly where our quest for the aurora borealis will take us. But one thing is guaranteed–we will take you far away from the city lights! We could go to Hvalfjörður, Þingvellir, Reykjanes, or to some other rural area in South Iceland to escape light pollution. Traveling by minibus means we can get to offbeat locations that the big buses just can’t reach.
Please note: Nothern Lights chase is available only during the winter season from September to March.
Please keep in mind that volcanic eruption is a natural phenomenon and therefore is hard to predict. We cannot guarantee the sight of boiling lava, but while the main crater is dormant, you will still be able to see the fresh lava surrounding the area.
Return time: We will return to Reykjavík between 00:00 – 01:00 am (12-1:00 a.m.) Pick-up Information: Pick-up is at 09:00 am from your hotel or a nearby meeting point in Reykjavík. Picking everyone up can take up to 30 minutes, your patience is much ...)
Return time: We will return to Reykjavík between 00:00 – 01:00 am (12-1:00 a.m.)
Pick-up Information: Pick-up is at 09:00 am from your hotel or a nearby meeting point in Reykjavík. Picking everyone up can take up to 30 minutes, your patience is much appreciated.
Available pick-up points: Arctic Adventures’s pick-up list.
Frequently Asked Questions
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. The rooms come with private or shared bathrooms, depending on your booking. 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!
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.
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.
You should count on spending around 8,000 ISK (80$) on food each day per person. Cash is not necessary, as credit cards are almost always accepted. Having a small amount of cash doesn’t hurt though.
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.
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).
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.
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 starts.
For further information about rental gear:
2 Day Tours – Rental Equipment & Upgrades
3 Day Tours – Rental Equipment & Upgrades
4 Day Tours – Rental Equipment & Upgrades
Most of the hotels we use during our tours are remotely located and therefore ideal to spot 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 and therefore we can unfortunately never promise that 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 have a look at our blog about Northern Lights.
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.
The first step is to make sure your credit card provider allows you to make payments in Canadian Dollars (CAD) or American Dollars (USD) if you have selected.
In some cases, your credit card company would need to pre-authorize the transaction for you before you can process the transaction online.
If you are still having problems booking through Arctic Adventures website www.adventures.is then please contact our Customer Care Team
Iceland is known for colourful weather. It can sometimes show you all 4 seasons in one day.
Dressing for this sort of weather can be a challenge so we always recommend dressing in layers. 3 or 4 upper layers are highly recommended such as a light t-shirt (preferably wool) next to the skin, then a fleece or heavy wool garment, topped off with a waterproof windbreaker.
Jeans are not recommended for our trips as they become very heavy, cold and uncomfortable to wear when they get wet.
Lightweight hiking pants, track pants or long cotton pants are best and then wind/waterproof pants over. We also recommend using sunglasses and sunscreen even if it is cloudy due to the high UV and sunlight reflecting off of the glacier.
You will need sturdy hiking boots that fit crampons for the glacier hiking tours. If you do not own a pair then we rent out good hiking boots as well as a waterproof raincoat and trousers.
This is, of course, a personal choice, we have often had pregnant women on our trips. We recommend you take a close look at our trip description and difficulty rating, they will hopefully give you a better idea. It is also good to contact your physician, pregnant women’s health can be quite different. Feel free to contact us if you have further questions or concerns.
You can bring your camera along, and you should definitely bring one since the setting on the tour is full of amazing, scenic views.
When glacier hiking you will be provided with an ice axe, crampons, harness and helmet. This will help you to complete the tour safely. The minimum shoe size to attach crampons is EU 35.
This guide to Glacier Hiking includes all the information you might need when preparing for a glacier hike.
Scientists and the Department of Civil Protection and Emergency Management are always monitoring the area closely and informing the public if there are any updates. The area is open to the public but that can of course change with little notice. The safety of our passengers is our number one priority therefore we will follow the instructions coming from the authorities but as of right now the area is open and is not considered to be dangerous to the public.
Also, we recommend visiting the volcano to follow these steps in the area:
There are no restrooms at the area just nature 😊 We do recommend that people use the restrooms in Grindavík where we stop for lunch before we start the hike.
The site is open 24/7, but be mindful that it can be restricted for visitors due to weather or other unforeseen circumstances. We advise checking the Safe Travel page for any changes.
It is not obligatory to be accompanied by a professional guide to visit the site. However, taking a guided tour is safer than visiting the eruption site as fellow travelers will accompany you, and a local professional guide will ensure your safety. Get to know more about hiking to Meradalir volcano from a local Arctic Adventures guide.
A new eruption started on the 3rd of August 2022 in Mt. Fagradalsfjall after being officially declared over on December 18th, 2021.
Since August 21st, 2022 there has been no visible activity in Meradalir Volcano. No flowing lava can be seen at the moment, but the hiking path remains open.
The Meradalir Volcano is located on the Reykjanes peninsula close to Grindavík.
