Reykjavik: 5-Day Winter Minibus Tour | South Coast, Snæfellsnes, Golden Circle & More

Day 1 - Borgarfjörður Valley, Waterfalls, and Viking Heritage

We start the tour in West Iceland. You will be picked up in the morning by a guide and a driver and you will be heading straight towards the mountain Esja, which overlooks Reykjavík. Driving along side it you will reach Hvalfjörður fjords, the name of it translates to “whale fjord”. You will enjoy the features of the area, towering snow capped mountains and open fields. You will be able to see an old abandoned naval base, which was occupied by the British during WWII.

After Hvalfjörður you will head on to Borgarfjörður, a region filled with historical heritage, Viking sailors reached land and settled there after leaving their homeland.Reykholtsdalur valley is your next location, there you can learn all about the forces of Deildartunguhver, Europe’s most powerful hot spring. From there you will journey to the village of Reykholt, where Snorri Sturluson, the poet, lawmaker and historian used to live during the Middle ages. Snorri wrote many codices that are invaluable records of mythology and the Old Norse language.

Not far from there are you will find two very different but equally beautiful waterfalls, Hraunsfossar and Barnafoss. Hraunfossar are a series of streams rushing through dark lava fields and Barnafoss, a bright blue stream speeding through a narrow ravine.You will then head to your accommodation for a restful sleep. Keep an eye out for the magical Aurora at night, especially if the sky is starry and clear.

Day 2 - Snaefellsnes Peninsula

Prepare to explore amazing things like, lava fields, dreamy waterfalls, dark caves, black and white beaches, historical locations and the mighty Snæfellsjökull Glacier of the west. The glacier played an important role in the novel Journey to the Centre of the Earth, by Jules Verne, where it was the opening point to a great underground journey. You will have a nice breakfast and then head out for an adventure where you will be exploring the underground.

Once you have reached the Snæfellsnes Peninsula you will visit Gerðuberg Cliff, a large basalt column wall. Next you will be able to explore a white sand beach at Ytri-Tunga, which is unusual for Icelandic beaches, most of them have black sand. The sand in Ytri-Tunga is golden and the location is great for spotting seals.The village of Arnarstapi is your next destination, a small fishing village surrounded by basalt ravines and lava pillars. You can see old fisherman landing spots and you can follow a path leading you along the coast with the Atlantic Ocean waves crushing against Gatklettur arch rock.

You will head to Djúpalónssandur, a black pebble beach, to get there you will trek through a unique field of lava pillars and rocks, a very special location, unlike anything else. When you reach the beach you can walk on the pebble shore and take in all the incredible features of the location.Afterwards, the iconic Kirkjufell mountain will welcome you with all of its unique features. As you may know, the mountain was featured in the popular series, Game of Thrones and has become one of Icelands most popular sites.

On your way back to the capital, you will past Hraunsfjörður, a beautiful fjords surrounded by mountains covered in snow you will be able to see the dark lava field of Berserkjahraun, and your guide will give you some knowledge about the road’s construction.Remember to keep a look out for the magical sight in the sky when it gets dark, the Northern Lights with their unbelievable colours cant wait to put on a show for you. You then will reach your accommodation in Reykjavík in the evening where you can relax, that concludes your journey to West Iceland.

Day 3 - The Golden Circle

You will visit the famous Thingvellir National Park, Gullfoss Waterfall, Geysir and the surrounding Geothermal Area. In Thingvellir, Iceland’s first parliament was founded in the year 930 AD. Also, Thingvellir is a UNESCO World Heritage due to its visible tectonic plates on the surface. At Haukadalur Geothermal Area you'll see Strokkur erupting every five to ten minutes, and the original Geysir that has named all geysers worldwide.

The Golden Circle has its name from Gullfoss, which means "The Golden Waterfall". Its water from the glacial river Hvítá, rushes down two tiers of a 32 meters fall.

Day 4- South Coast & Glacier Hike

The first stop is at Seljalandsfoss waterfall where you can walk behind the tumbling water flow and feel the vibrations of the water hitting the ground. Thirsty? Just open your mouth. Right next to it is the waterfall Gljúfrabúi which snugly tucked in a gorge hidden from most. Gljúfrabúi actually means Canyon Dweller in English. To reach the waterfall, you must first test your balance by bouncing on rocks lying in the river bed. A failure means instant foot wetness and a good laugh by your co-travellers. Skógafoss Prepare to meet the pearl of the South Coast, Skógafoss waterfall. Majestically tucked in a wide gorge, the waterfall tumbles down 60 metres from up above a cliff into a small river, producing a cloud of mist and spray that rainbows like to dance in during sunshine. Try to warm up for the glacier by running up the 527 steps to the top... Your guide will be timing you!

Reynisfjara - Black Sand Beach. Heading further east, we visit the black sand beach of Reynisfjara where the Atlantic coastline presents massive waves hitting the unique basalt columns in the cliffs above the sand. Rock pillars in the water and the cliffs of Dýrhólaey are seen in the distance.  Glacier Hike complete our perfect adventure we will hike an outlet glacier spawning from the one of the largest glaciers in the country. After meeting our highly trained glacier guides and strapping on our safety and glacier equipment, including helmets, harnesses, crampons and ice axes we hike on the ice for an hour and a half. A spectacular experience and opportunity to learn more about this breathtaking and increasingly rare natural phenomena.

Day 5 - Jökulsárlón & Blue Ice Cave

A 200m deep glacial lake fed by Breiðamerkurjökull, an outlet glacier of Europe’s largest glacier. Fed enormous icebergs all year round the lagoon is usually filled with ice that floats south. We walk alongside the glacier lagoon enjoying the magnificent views and dead silence of Icelandic nature. Diamond Beach On the other side of the road the icebergs from Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon float into the Atlantic Ocean where they are quickly thrown back to shore by the tide and winds. This black sand beach is full of smaller ice rocks in all shapes and sizes, sparkling like diamonds in the daylight.

The ice itself comes in all shades of white and blue forming beautiful contrasts, guaranteed to make your Instagram account pop!  And to make the experience even better we end with an Ice cave tour from Jökulsárlón, where you'll meet our guides, hop into our super jeep and take on an amazing journey up the glacier where the blue ice caves are. There you'll enter the unique phenomena which is the blue ice cave. What are you waiting for? Come and join us to check all the fun stuff we can do in the southern region, including glacier hiking!

Please note:

You'll be stayin in local guesthouses and countryside hotels throughout Iceland. While the actual hotel for each destination is subject to availability, travelers typically stay in Hotel Drangslid, Hotel Hrifunes, Guesthouse Gerdi, Hotel Valaskjalf and Hotel Nordurland.

Solo travelers will receive a single room. Reservations for 2 people will be allocated a double room. For bookings of 3 or more, triple rooms will automatically be allocated. For example, a group of 8 will receive 2 triple rooms and 1 double.

It can happen, in the case of extreme weather, that an activity is cancelled. If your chosen activity is cancelled, we will assist you with rearranging or booking other activities when possible, and any potential price difference will be refunded to you.

Please note that only pick up and drop-off from designated pick up locations in the greater capital area is available, not from Keflavík International Airport. Therefore, we do not recommend attempting to start this tour on your arrival day in Iceland. We recommend to book one hotel night in Reykjavik before, and one after, the tour.

Arrival time back to Reykjavík at the end of your tour can vary depending on weather and traffic. It is highly recommended that you do not book your flight home the same night as bad weather or delays could affect your journey. Please be sure to arrange accommodation for this evening and an airport transfer the next day to take you to Keflavík International Airport for your departure.

This is the ultimate Icelandic experience with a small group and experienced guide guaranteed. Welcome!