ICELAND BANK HOLIDAY - 2-Day Waterfalls, Glacier Lagoon, Canyon & Glacier Hike

The South Coast of Iceland is an amazingly diverse natural environment filled with magnificent must-see landscapes, majestic waterfalls, eye-catching volcanoes, iconic black sand beaches, fast-flowing rivers, iceberg lagoons, and gigantic glaciers.

This two-day tour will quickly take you there from Reykjavik, and you’ll first be amazed by one dazzling waterfall after another. Then you will strap on crampons and walk across a blue-ice glacier, before walking across the world-famous black sand beach at Reynisfjara, taking in the astonishing Reynisdrangar sea stacks.

The second day will take us further east into the Vatnajokull National Park, visiting a breathtaking Fjadrargljufur river canyon and a traditional Icelandic turf church. Then comes the highlight of the tour – the glittering Glacier Lagoon and Diamond Beach at Jokulsarlon, where enormous ghostly icebergs slowly wander their way to the Atlantic Ocean. You’ll even be able to take a memorable boat trip amongst the bergs too!

ITINERARY

Day 1 | South Coast Waterfalls & Black Beach of Reynisfjara

Our South Coast adventure will start with a convenient pick-up from the designated meeting point in Reykjavik, and a picturesque drive over a magnificent mountain pass down to the coastal plain. 

On the way, we’ll pass through Hveragerdi and Selfoss and the South Coast’s fertile farmlands before a rest stop at Hvolsvollur. As we continue, the Atlantic Ocean and the Westman Islands can be seen on one side on bright days, with looming volcanoes, mountains, and glaciers on the other.

Seljalandsfoss & Gljufrabui Waterfalls

Our tour’s first sensational sight is the “hidden” waterfall at Gljufrabui, which is concealed in a cave and is missed by most visitors here – but we will show you how to find it! 

Nearby there is an even more fantastic sight, a 60-meter-high waterfall called Seljalandsfoss, which plunges off the side of the Eyjafjallajokull volcano into a deep pool. There is also a path that can be walked around this waterfall, although it can be very slippery, so you should check with our guide first. This place is very popular, as it has been seen in several music videos, TV programs, and feature films. 

Skogafoss Waterfalls

The next stop on our South Coast tour brings us to Skogafoss, one of the most recognizable waterfalls in the world, featured in “Game of Thrones” and many other films and TV programs. 

From a height of 60 meters, the waters crash over the cliffs and produce sheets of spray and spectacular rainbows on sunlit days. It’s even possible to climb up some stairs to see the falls from on high too. There’s a café and restrooms here if you want to grab a snack or a coffee.

Hike on top of the Sólheimajökull Glacier

After our time at Skogafoss, we will drive east to Solheimajokull, which translates as “Sun’s Home Glacier”. 

Solheimajokull glacier is part of a much larger glacier, Myrdalsjokull, the ice sheet in the Katla UNESCO Global Geopark, and you will have a chance to walk across this ancient blue-ice glacier. Accompanied by a qualified guide and with all the necessary safety equipment provided, including ropes, crampons, and helmets, you’ll be able to really appreciate the sheer scale of the glacier and explore the crisscross of crevasses, ice tunnels and other glacial features here.

Black Beach of Reynisfjara

The final stop on your first day on the South Coast is a visit to the famous black sand beach at Reynisfjara, once named by National Geographic in the Top Ten of non-tropical beaches in the world. The dark volcanic sands are pounded by powerful Atlantic waves and the brooding sea stacks of the Reynisdrangar loom just offshore, a supernatural picture opportunity.

Hexagonal basalt columns decorate the cliffs, providing a home to puffins and other summer seabird visitors. The stone sea arches of Dyrholaey can also be seen in the distance.

OVERNIGHT STAY IN THE COUNTRYSIDE

You will stay in a cosy country hotel located just a few kilometres away from the Glacier Lagoon

Day 2 | Glacier Lagoon & Fjaðrárgljúfur River Canyon

The second day of your South Coast summer tour sees us travelling into the Vatnajokull National Park, the largest in Iceland. There are stops at the picturesque seaside village of Vik, the enchanting Fjadrargljufur canyon, the traditional turf church at Hofskirkja, and crowned by the glittering Glacier Lagoon and Diamond Beach at Jokulsarlon.Diamond Beach

Now we come to the highlight of your South Coast adventure – the Diamond Beach, and the Glacier Lagoon at Jokulsarlon.

Diamond Beach gets its name from the countless sparkling fragments of multi-coloured icebergs found here. They are slowly being sculpted into fantastic shapes by the wind and the waves on this black-sand Atlantic beach. The eye-catching slivers and chunks of ice of all shapes and sizes will astound you and offer fantastic photo opportunities. This is the perfect location to pop up the question.

Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon

Just a few hundred yards from Diamond Beach is the Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon, one of Iceland’s “crown jewels”.

Here, enormous bright-blue and ghostly-white icebergs tumble away from the receding Breidamerkurjokull glacier and crash into an ever-growing meltwater lagoon.

Jokulsarlon truly is an extraordinary place, a bucket-list location featured in several Hollywood movies, but also very peaceful and tranquil too. The scenery is stunning, and constantly changing, as wind and tides pull the icebergs in different directions all the time.

After enjoying the magic of the Glacier Lagoon, it will be time to return to Reykjavik, with a drive first to Vik for a rest stop and then continuing onwards to your drop-off in the capital city.

Hofskirkja Church & Lava Fields

Hofskirkja was the last church of this type to be built in Iceland, dating back to the 19th century. Deep layers of turf make up the roof of the church here, which is also surrounded by moss-covered burial mounds. Rebuilt in the 1950s, it is still a practising church, even though it seems to be merging into the landscape around it. Not many turf churches have survived in Iceland, so this is a rare opportunity to see one. The church is not open to the public, so this will be a quick photo stop.

Fjaðrárgljúfur River Canyon

The river canyon at Fjadrargljufur is an astonishing place, a winding green gorge about a hundred meters deep and nearly two kilometres long. 

Fjadrargljufur became famous when it was featured in a Justin Bieber music video. It is now very popular with visitors from all over the world as a result. It’s a unique natural environment, deeply carpeted with fragile mosses. The canyon was formed a few thousand years ago during a glacial period, leaving a snaking river behind when the ice sheet retreated. 

We will stay at this marvellous place for an hour.

Vik Village The charming village of Vik is the furthest point south in Iceland. It has a fairytale feel to it, overlooked by a pretty church where there are fantastic panoramic views. We’ll take you to this vantage point, where you’ll also be able to see the Reynisdrangar and Dyrholaey from another perspective. Vik is also unusual for being an Icelandic seaside village without a harbour. In the summer, countless seabirds nest here, including Arctic terns.

TOUR DETAILS

DURATION - 2 DAYS

INCLUDED

• Professional tour guide in English 
• Private minibus
• Pick up and drop off within Reykjavik which will be agreed upon before your arrival
• Accommodation for Saturday night in a double or a twin ensuite room 
• Breakfast on Sunday
• Glacier Hike Expedition with all the safety equipment provided
• Free Wi-Fi on the minibus 
• USB chargers next to every seat
• Glacier Hike
• Glacier Equipment

NOT INCLUDED

• Lunches & Dinners – we make scheduled stops so that guests can buy lunch or snacks during the tour
• Anything else not listed above
• Flights
• Accommodation in Reykjavík

Know Before You Go

• You will need to fly in on Friday night and find your own accommodation in Reykjavík for Friday
• You will need to fly out on Monday anytime and you will need to find your own accommodation in Reykjavík for Sunday
• Pickup takes place between 08:30 – 09:00 in central Reykjavík – so please be ready from 8:30 at your pick-up location
• The tour is operated under all weather conditions: please bring warm, wind & waterproof clothes
• The duration of the tour is 2 days and 1 night
• Estimated arrival time in Reykjavík on Day 2 is around 21:00 (Depending on weather and road conditions)

Hiking boots are mandatory Proper footwear when walking on uneven and slippery surfaces increases your safety and comfort. Please note, that you can be banned from participating in glacier activities when not wearing required shoes. If you do not own proper footwear (solid shoes reaching above your ankle) you can rent them during booking processOne small carry-on luggage is included per person For your convenience and safety reasons, it is recommended that you pack lightly for this tour, in a small suitcase or backpack. If you have large luggage with you, please check with your accommodation if they offer luggage storage for your time on this tour. If that is not a possibility, you can pay a small fee per luggage and we will make sure we have space for it on the tour bus or in a special luggage trailer

FEE

£502 - Single room occupation 

£465 - Twin shared room - per person per bed

Pay a deposit now of £60 and we will contact you 30 days before the trip starts for the balance which must be settled up to 15 days before the trip starts.

Please make sure the email and telephone number you enter in the form are correct. We will never call you before texting :-)

 What to Wear 

• Warm clothes (first layer)

• Waterproof outdoor clothing (second layer)

• Hiking boots (available for rent on booking)

• Gloves and hat

• Joy and happiness!

Meeting Point & Time 

Pick-up is from designated locations in Reykjavík on a drop-down menu at the time of booking. 

Pick-up is not available from Keflavik airport or outside the greater capital area.

Pick-up is from 8 to 8.30 am from your chosen pick-up point.

Please beware that if the weather is dangerous this trip will be cancelled, shortened or adjusted for your safety. We hate cancelling trips, so we will do our best to make it happen.

Please read our Terms and Conditions for more details