Travel the country from the west to the east, discover raw rural landscapes of Iceland with lava deserts and leftover moraine, hike on a glacier, and marvel at the biggest hot spring in Europe on this 4-day unforgettable adventure.
During the first half of this exuberant trip, you’ll indulge in the biggest hot spring in Europe, challenge your strength against the Vikings of old, and explore captivating Snæfellsnes peninsula. On the second part of the trip, we’ll discover the very south of Iceland. There, waterfalls Skogafoss and Seljalandsfoss roar with unimaginable power, remnants of trolls at the iconic black sand beach of Reynisfjara hide behind basalt sea stacks, and the world-famous luminescent icebergs in Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon cast an otherworldly scene.
Customer reviews on TripAdvisor
Excellent tour- 4 day Northern lights, Snaefellsnes and Glacier lagoon
The tour is split into 2 parts. The western tour and southern tour. The tours are separate and the driver/bus and other visitors will likely change. The first 2 days were in the west. The weather played a big role in the planning as a severe storm was expected. Our guide , Siggi, was excellent. He was intelligent, knowledgeable, and importantly a very safe driver in what became extremely difficult driving conditions.I loved his saga stories. We could not see all the stops planned as we had to return around and back track as the road ahead had become too dangerous . Having reached our excellent hotel safely, we enjoyed a fantastic meal and went off to bed listening to a howling gale. That night there were amazing aurora but we couldn't see due to blowing snow! We woke to a mountain of snow outside and a reception full of stranded drivers. But after a great breakfast and some snow clearance, the winds dropped and we went on our way. Day 2 was excellent- waterfalls, horses and hot springs...
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Worried that your travel plans might change? Book your tour more than 21 days in advance with a 10% deposit & pay the rest 14 days before departure. Alternatively, you can pay full price and get a 5% early bird discount!
Our 4-day trip will begin in Reykjavik, where we’ll pick you up from your hotel or at a nearby pickup point. Then, we’ll head towards the West, where enchanting landscapes of rural Iceland will take your breath away. Have your camera ready at all times as exquisite and unique scenery might sneak up on you at any time. Our first stop of the day will be at a small town called Borgarfjörður, where hot spring Deildartunguhver sprays groundwater at everyone who comes close. Then, we’ll drop by the waterfalls Hraunfossar and Barnafoss, and you’ll learn the stories behind their names. Both waterfalls are attractive and whimsical in their own way. We’ll cap the day off by seeking out the supernatural Northern Lights phenomenon in the dark sky.
On the second day of our trip, we’ll continue to explore the west of Iceland, in radiant Snaefellsnes Peninsula, and we’ll start by traversing the ravishing Djúpalónssandur beach. Once home to a thriving fishing village, the cape is now known for its gorgeous black sand and a few ruins from the mid-20th century. Try to spy the antique British trawler Epine that lies lifeless on the shore or the few colossal lifting stones that were once used to test the strength of daring locals. After we’ve explored most of what the Snaefellsnes Peninsula has to offer, we’ll head back to Reykjavik for the night.
The third day of the trip begins with us paying a visit to the Seljalandsfoss and Skogafoss waterfalls. We’ll explore these wonders of nature from the inside, where remarkable photo opportunities of the waterfalls and surrounding areas await. Remember to bring waterproof clothing for this adventure. Next, we’ll head to Reynisfjara, a world-famous black sand beach with majestic basalt column formations just off the shore, the Reynisdrangar peaks, which, according to the legend were once trolls, petrified one fateful morning when the sunlight touched their skin. We’ll finish the day off with a Northern Lights hunt!
Ready for some adrenaline? Our fourth and final day will begin with an enthralling hike in a Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon. Before the hike, you’ll be provided with the necessary equipment and safety guidelines, to make sure the hike is a delightful experience all around. To make this hike even more sensational, our tour guide will tell you about the lagoon, when and how it was formed, point out the most astonishing icebergs. From here, we’ll have a short walk toward the Diamond Beach. This beach is covered in icebergs, some massive and others minuscule, and the chiaroscuro of crystal on black creates a sort of an apocalyptic scene. Plenty of photo opportunities are to be had here!
Pick up will be at 9 am from the Reykjavík meeting point you have chosen. Please note that even though the pickup procedure up can take up to 30 minutes, you do have to be ready and waiting at 9 am. Be prepared to embark upon a tour that will leave y...)
Pick up will be at 9 am from the Reykjavík meeting point you have chosen. Please note that even though the pickup procedure up can take up to 30 minutes, you do have to be ready and waiting at 9 am.
Be prepared to embark upon a tour that will leave you inspired long after you’ve left Iceland. We’ll first head towards a town called Borgarfjörður, home to Europe’s biggest hot spring, Deildartunguhver. The hot spring pumps out around 33 ounces (180 liters) of hot water per second. The temperature of the hot spring is about 100°C and it is used to provide heating and hot water to the neighboring areas.
You will have the option of visiting the Krauma geothermal baths on this day. For those that choose not to visit Krauma, we will go and visit a nearby horse farm and pet some Icelandic horses!
Afterward, we’ll be on our way to Reykholt, a small, yet culturally important town in Iceland where famed medieval poet and politician Snorri Sturluson lived. There’s also a hot spring pool where he’s said to have bathed. Close to Reykholt, you’ll visit two waterfalls unlike any other in the world: Hraunfossar and Barnafoss. Afterward, if the forecast is favorable, we’ll try to catch a glimpse of the Northern Lights. As the day draws to an end, we’ll head to the Snæfellsnes Peninsula, where the next day’s adventures await.
The accommodation for the night will be in Hotel Borgarnes.
Once awake and spoiled with a generous breakfast, we’ll head towards Djúpalónssandur Beach. On the way there, you’ll be able to soak in the beautiful alpine and coastal scenery of western Snæfellsnes. Djúpalónssandur used to be a flourishing fishing ...)
Once awake and spoiled with a generous breakfast, we’ll head towards Djúpalónssandur Beach. On the way there, you’ll be able to soak in the beautiful alpine and coastal scenery of western Snæfellsnes. Djúpalónssandur used to be a flourishing fishing village with around 60 fishing boats. You might notice a handful of huge stones on the shoreline. Back in the day, fishermen would challenge each other to lift the stones in order to prove their strength. Here we’ll enjoy a short hike along the coast, as the shimmering silver-tipped Atlantic waves roll over the glossy black pebbles of this beach. An old British trawler, shipwrecked in 1948 is still visible from the shore.
At the top of the beach, we’ll come across a picturesque view of Iceland’s most photogenic mountain, Kirkjufell. Snæfellsnes is known for its diverse and artistic landscapes, and is often referred to as “Iceland in a nutshell.” We’ll cap the day off with spectacular views of Snæfellsjökull, the monumental glacier, made famous by Jules Verne’s book “Journey to the Center of the Earth.” After a full day of adventures, we’ll drive you back to the Reykjavík for the overnight.
If the forecast is favorable, we will be on the lookout for the Northern Lights!
The second half of your trip will take place in the southern and eastern parts of Iceland. Throughout out the entire day, expect to see breathtaking landscapes, consisting of immense, moss-smothered lava fields, waterfalls, volcanic black sands, and ...)
The second half of your trip will take place in the southern and eastern parts of Iceland. Throughout out the entire day, expect to see breathtaking landscapes, consisting of immense, moss-smothered lava fields, waterfalls, volcanic black sands, and glacier tongues.
After a hearty breakfast in Reykjavik, we’ll head along the South Coast, passing through farmlands, towns, and villages, towards the Seljandsfoss waterfall. This remarkable waterfall is definitely worth getting damp for as you hike up behind the waterfall, soaking in the pleasant peek through the water curtain cascading down. Our next highlight is the neighboring Skógafoss, located on the base of a volcano called Eyjafjallajökull. Hike up this waterfall’s crest for panoramic views of the lowland below, and, on a clear day, Mýrdalsjökull is also visible.
Our next stop is Reynisfjara, a black sand beach with wind-sculptured basalt cliffs and sea stacks. On the way to our accommodation in Hof, we’ll drive through the charming small town of Vík. Once at the hotel, we’ll enjoy a peaceful evening and, if the conditions are right, we’ll hunt for the Northern Lights once more.
Once well rested, we’ll start our last day of the trip by visiting world-famous Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon nearby Diamond Beach. We encourage you to explore the glittering, out-of-this-world ice lagoon and go on an ultimate hike in the Vatnajokull ic...)
Once well rested, we’ll start our last day of the trip by visiting world-famous Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon nearby Diamond Beach. We encourage you to explore the glittering, out-of-this-world ice lagoon and go on an ultimate hike in the Vatnajokull ice cave.
Many of these natural ice sculptures are washed onto the beach and broken into a million pieces that then decorate the black sand like sparkling diamonds. This is how the site earned the name of “Diamond Beach”. Don’t forget to look out for the floating icebergs, cut off from the glacier tongue, on the shore of Diamond beach. You might even see a seal or two.
Next, we will literally enter the body of a glacier and visit a spectacular ice cave, accompanied by a qualified guide, of course. Ice caves are fascinating natural wonders that are always changing, winter after winter. Due to the melt and freeze cycle of the glaciers, new caves are born each year and will later refill with ice and disappear.
Inside a glacier, you will find ice of a surprisingly deep jewel blue. This color is caused by both the compression of the ice under its own weight and the way that our eyes perceive light and color. For any photographer, the journey into an ice cave will give them the superb opportunity to capture the shimmering blue light that filters through the glacial ice into the ice cave.
On our way back to Reykjavik, we’ll stop by the Vatnajökull National Park for a quick visit. Skaftafell Nature Reserve is a green area in the middle of jagged mountains and snow-capped peaks. The splendid scenery of Skaftafell is definitely going to be the highlight of the day. As night falls, we’ll go on a hunt for Northern Lights.
Due to traffic, weather, and the possibility of Northern Lights, we can expect to return to Reykjavík from around 9 pm to 11 pm.
Please note that as the ice caves are an ever-changing natural phenomenon, it is, therefore, not possible to say that we will visit any specific cave. The choice of ice cave will always be based on the conditions and safety considerations at the time of the trip.
If you do not choose the single supplement you will be paired in a twin room with another participant of the same gender. )
If you do not choose the single supplement you will be paired in a twin room with another participant of the same gender.
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 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 Northern Lights information.
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
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).
* The combined dimensions of each bag must not exceed 158 cm (62 in).
* It’s possible to store your luggage with us in Reykjavík while you are on your tour, for a small fee. We highly recommend storing the luggage in Reykjavík to help us reduce our carbon footprint.
* Please note that luggage storage is not refundable.
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.
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.
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. 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!
