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This 4-day tour will take you through the most fascinating attractions in Iceland. It will begin with Golden Circle, where we’ll visit Thingvellir National Park, Gullfoss, and Geysir. The second day is reserved for visiting mesmerizing Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon and Skaftafell Nature Reserve, where we’ll hike to the unique Svartifoss waterfall. We’ll see South Coast highlights on the third day, like Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach, Skógafoss Waterfall, and Eldhraun Lava Field. We’ll finalize our four-day tour with a fantastic hike through Landmannalaugar. The sights there are so fascinating that it almost feels surreal.
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During this 4-day tour, you’ll visit some of the most impressive sights in Iceland! Don’t miss out on anything with this Golden Circle, South Coast, and Landmannalaugar. About the sights:
The Golden Circle is probably the most known route by tourists. It includes three famous attractions in Iceland - Geysir Geothermal Area, Thingvellir National Park, and Gullfoss Waterfall.
We’ll visit Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon, one of the most famous glacier lagoons in the world. It is full of floating icebergs from the Breiðamerkurjökull Glacier. Some of these icebergs are later washed into Diamond Beach and create a beautiful contrast between black sand and ice crystals.
Skaftafell Nature Reserve is a beautiful wilderness area within the Vatnajökull National Park. It features the most diverse landscapes, including glaciers, majestic waterfalls, and black sand deserts.
Katla Ice Cave is a unique ice formation that lives under a volcano. This isn’t something that you see every day!
South Coast offers a range of incredible highlights. Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon, also known as “Bieber Canyon” among tourists, is a beautiful 2-kilometer long and 100-meter deep formation. This canyon became particularly popular after the famous singer, after whom the place is nicknamed, filmed his clip there.
Next on the list is the Elhraun lava field. This iconic field formed after one of the greatest volcanic eruptions ever recorded.
Reynisfjara black sand beach is a true South Coast marvel. It is also one of the most dangerous places in Iceland. The “sneaker waves” phenomenon is common and threatens unsuspecting tourists to pull them to sea.
South Coast is also home to some of the most iconic waterfalls in Iceland. Skogafoss and Seljalandfoss are some of the most renowned waterfalls in the area, and you’ll be able to visit them!
Landmannalaugar is a geothermal paradise of clear blue lakes, rambling lava flows, hot springs, and colored peaks. Its stunning hiking trails attract hikers from all over the world. Hiking through the diverse landscapes of Landmannalaugar is undoubtedly something you wouldn’t want to miss.
Our 4-day tour begins with the famous Golden Circle attractions: Thingvellir National Park, Gullfoss and Geysir.
Thingvellir National Park is considered to be the birthplace of the Icelandic nation. It is where the first Icelandic parliament gathered in 930 CE. The whole area is a fantastic geological site between the splitting North American and Eurasian tectonic plates. It is worth seeing for anyone coming to Iceland who wants to understand this country better.
Next, we'll head to Gullfoss, the Golden Falls, probably Iceland's most known and visited waterfall. The water of the Hvita river thrusting down the two stages is an impressive sight to see.
Geysir is home to the most active hot spring in Iceland. Strokkur, which is Geysir's "little brother," erupts in boiling water every 5 to 10 minutes!
After a day full of adventures, we'll spend the night near the small town called Kirkjubæjarklaustur.
In the morning, we'll head towards the Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon and the nearby Diamond Beach. The lagoon is filled with icebergs of various sizes and shapes that drift towards the Atlantic. Some of them are washed on the Diamond Beach and glitter-like crystals on the black sand.
After Jokulsarlon, we head to the nearby Skaftafell Nature Reserve. Here, we will visit the info center and watch a short film about the National Park to learn more about the park and the glaciers.
Then, we will hike to the nearby Svartifoss waterfall, one of the most unique waterfalls in Iceland and one of the most popular sights in the park.
Our accommodation for the night will be at the Adventure Hotel Geirland.
After a delicious breakfast, we'll make our way through the magical South Coast of Iceland. If the road conditions allow it, we'll kick off our day with a small detour to Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon.
Our next stop will be at the iconic Eldhraun lava field, where the powerful volcanic eruption once occurred.
After this short stop, we'll go to Katla Ice Cave, the only ice cave that can be visited all year round. So, even if you come in the summer, you'll be able to experience what a real ice cave looks like.
Since temperatures in the ice cave are below zero, we recommend you dress warmly.
Next, we'll head to Reynisfjara Black Sand beach, where you can see the waves of the Atlantic Ocean in their full power. The waves here can be very unpredictable, so you'll have to be extra cautious here.
After Reynisfjara, we'll visit the impressive 60-meter Skógafoss waterfall. There are 527 steps leading to the fantastic panoramic view from the top.
After enjoying the day visiting South Coast, we'll get to the Hotel Hella for the night's rest.
After starting our day with a delicious breakfast, we will drive towards Landmannalaugar, where we will have our hiking experience in Landmannalaugar. The hiking trail is approximately 8-10 km, which will take around 4 hours to finish. This trail goes through the Laugahraun lava field, continuing to Vondugil Canyon, reaching up to Mt. Brennisteinsalda, a multicolored peak that is highly characteristic of the area. On our way back, we'll pass through the Graenagil Gorge, called Green Gorge in Icelandic because of its dominant green color. If there's enough time, we will climb to Blahnukur Volcano before finally soaking in the hot springs and enjoying the surroundings of Landmannalaugar.
We will arrive back in Reykjavik at around 9:00 pm.
Pick-up information
Pick up is at 9:00 a.m. 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.
Remember to bring:
Warm outdoor clothing includes layers, thermal underwear (top and bottom), a waterproof jacket and pants, headwear, scarves, and gloves. Sturdy hiking boots are essential for glacier hiking since they are the only kind of footwear that fit ice crampons. Hiking boots for the hike to the ice cave can be rented in the booking process, we recommend renting in advance.
What if I don't own all of these clothing items?
Don't worry, you can always rent sturdy hiking shoes, a waterproof jacket, and pants in the booking process. However, if you wish to rent extras for the whole duration of the tour then this must be added to your booking at least 48 hours before your tour starts.
Our multi-day tours are operated in a minibus which will give you a small group experience and a better connection with the guide.
Accommodation is included during your multi-day tour which is often booked far in advance. By booking with us, you don’t have to worry about finding an accommodation during the time of the tour. Staying overnight in the countryside gives you the opportunity to explore Iceland further and experience places that you would normally not be able to on a one day tour. Note that Adventure packages do not include accommodation.
You’ll have an English speaking licensed adventure guide throughout the tour that will be able to tell you about everything you will see along the way and knows where the best locations to stop by are to give you the absolute best experience.
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!
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 multi-day 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.
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 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.
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 starting by using our customer portal - My Adventures, or contacting our customer care.
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.
If you're having trouble booking your tour, please note that we accept payments in Canadian Dollars (CAD), American Dollars (USD), British Pounds (GBP), Euros (EUR), and Icelandic Króna (ISK). Start by checking with your credit card provider to ensure they allow payments in your selected currency.
Sometimes, your credit card company may need to pre-authorize the transaction before you can complete your booking online.
If you're still facing issues while trying to book through our website, please reach out to our Customer Care Team. We’re here to help you!
