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From: kr.94.900,0
maximum 19 guests
within Reykjavík
chargers next to every seat
English commentary
During this guided 3-day Small Group Tour you will travel across the most popular region of Iceland – South Coast.
The tour starts with classic Golden Circle Route that includes Thingvellir National Park, Geysirs and Gullfoss waterfall and we add a visit to the unique Kerid Volcanic Crater. For the next two days you will also visit magical waterfalls, the Black Beach of Reynisfjara, and the stunning Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon where huge icebergs float in ice cold water and seals swim around them next to the Diamond Beach just to name a few. Included is also visit at Fjadrargljufur River Canyon.
During the booking process you can add additional experience to this trip to make the most of your travel – amphibian boat tour among floating icebergs at Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon.
Your 3-day tour will begin with a convenient collection from your accommodation in Reykjavik and a delightful drive out of the capital city through striking scenery, passing Mount Esja on our way to the Thingvellir National Park, the first stop on the Golden Circle.
We’ll take you first to Thingvellir National Park, where you will see the astonishing spectacle of continental plates tearing apart. Here you can stand with one foot in America and the other in Europe, on either side of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge.
Thingvellir is a place of great historical and cultural significance for Icelanders. It’s where its first parliament met for a thousand years, as chieftains would gather to make laws, dispense justice and settle disputes. Some were even executed in the “drowning pool”!
It’s a superb natural setting too, as immense fissures in the Earth’s crust have been splitting the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge here for millions of years. That means that you can stand with one foot on each continent at the same time!
The next stop on Golden Circle route is Geysir, the highlight of the Haukadalur geothermal area. Bubbling with “hot spring” activity, this is the place that gave geysers all over the world their name.
The “Great Geysir” has fallen silent now, but another spouting spring called Strokkur is just a few meters away. Strokkur is an “old faithful”, erupting every few minutes, sending fountains of superheated water high into the air.
You’ll smell the sulfur in the air, and you’ll sense the phenomenal power of nature boiling under the surface of the Earth!
After Geysir, there is a short drive to another fantastic sight, Gullfoss. The “Gold Falls” are a two-step waterfall fed by the nearby glacier at Langjokull with freezing meltwater, thundering down 30 meters into a deep ravine.
The power of these cascades creates a lot of mist and spray, so you might get a little wet if you get too close! On sunlit days, that means there will be constant displays of brilliant rainbows too.
Next, we take you to the South Coast to visit Kerid, a brightly colored volcanic crater. Kerid is only a few thousand years old, and the crater’s colorful appearance comes from iron deposits in the rocks.
The caldera is also covered with lush banks of velvet-green moss. Inside the crater lies a shallow turquoise-colored lake, making Kerid one of the most striking sights seen anywhere in Iceland.
Optional Activity (no pre-booking required):
After exploring four incredible attractions located on the Golden Circle Route you will arrive in Hveragerði, a town renowned for its vibrant geothermal activity. Not only will you have the chance to witness a smaller version of Geyser, but you can also indulge in a relaxing dip in the warm, naturally heated waters.
Be sure to pack your swimwear and end your day in the famous Icelandic geothermal pools! There is no better way to enhance your evening! Hot Tubs are located at or by your hotel and entrance is included.
After a good night rest jump back on the bus, relax and enjoy a thrilling journey to Iceland’s sensational South Coast.
Along the way, you’ll see the little towns and villages that line the route through fertile farmland, and maybe you’ll spot the famous Icelandic horses too!
Look inland for views of the famous volcanoes such as Hekla, Katla, and Eyjafjallajökull.
Hekla has been asleep for 20 years, so keep a close eye on the volcano they call the “The Hooded One”! Out to sea, you might be able to spot the Westman Islands, where another volcano erupted in the middle of town one night in 1973!
Our first stop is at the waterfalls at Seljalandsfoss and Gljúfrabúi. You can easily explore both of these cascades by taking a short walk from the car park.
At Seljalandsfoss, the waters crash down more than 60 meters, and there’s an exciting option to walk behind the falls too. The path can be slippery, so check with your guide first! Did you know that Justin Bieber filmed one of his famous music videos here?
Gljúfrabúi hides behind a rock face just a few minutes walk away, and many visitors don’t know that it’s there! We’ll show you the way, so you don’t miss this secret spot!
A short drive brings you to another incredible sight – the astonishing 60-meter waterfall that we call Skógafoss. The name translates as “Forest Falls”, but there aren’t many trees left here now, as the early Vikings chopped most of them down to build their ships and huts!
You may have seen this waterfall in “Game of Thrones” or films like “Thor”, but now it’s your turn to capture it on camera! There are 370 steps to the viewing platform, where you might be lucky enough to see rainbows wrapping around the waters. Perhaps you can race each other to the top!
Next you will pay a visit at Sólheimajökull, the “Sun’s Home Glacier”. From the viewing point you will be able to soak in the view of magnificent glacier and small lagoon forming in front of it.
Did you know that glaciers cover more than 10% of Iceland’s surface? Some are shrinking now, so enjoy this sight while you can.
Our next stop is Dyrhólaey, which means “Door Hill Island”. It’s actually an impressive peninsula that stretches across several towering stacks and stone arches, overlooking the black sand beach at Reynisfjara. The views from here are marvelous in every direction.
But the best thing about visiting Dyrhólaey in the summer are the puffins! These cute, clownish seabirds make their nests here from May until August, and you’ll be able to see them from just a few feet away!
The final stop on the second day of your South Coast adventure is the fantastic black sand beach at Reynisfjara.
Chosen as one of the best beaches in the world by National Geographic, you’ll see stunning stone sea stacks and darkly brooding rock arches whichever way you look.
You’ll also discover beautiful hexagonal basalt columns clinging to the cliffs, and you might want to try to climb up them! Powerful Atlantic waves crash onto the shore here, so it’s essential to listen to your guide so you stay safely out of reach of the waters.
OVERNIGHT STAY ON THE COUNTRYSIDE
You will stay in a cozy country hotel located just few kilometres away from the Glacier Lagoon
The third day of your South Coast summer tour sees us traveling 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.
Now we come to the highlight of your South Coast adventure – the Diamond Beach, and the Glacier Lagoon at Jokulsarlon.
The Diamond Beach gets its name from the countless sparkling fragments of multi-colored 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.
Just a few hundred yards away from the 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.
From there, the icebergs very slowly start making their way towards the Atlantic Ocean, and you will have the opportunity to take a thrilling 45-minute amphibious boat tour amongst the bergs, getting up close to these icy giants and maybe even seeing a seal or two as well.
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 always changing too, 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.
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 harbor. In the summer, countless seabirds nest here, including Arctic terns.
Optional Activity
Take a thrilling 45-minute amphibious boat tour among the floating icebergs. It’s your chance to get up close to these glittering giants as the bergs sway around the lagoon.
You’ll jump on an open-top 4WD vehicle and slide into the glacial waters for a once-in-a-lifetime encounter with these magical mountains of ice. Wrap up warm and look out for seals!
TOUR DETAILS
Know Before You Go
Proper footwear when walking on uneven and slippery surfaces increases your safety and comfort. If you do not own proper footwear (solid shoes reaching above your ankle) you can rent them during booking process
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
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+354 419 0100 | nicetravel@nicetravel.is
NICETRAVEL was founded by three Icelandic families with the aim of helping visitors to Iceland to enjoy a nice and enjoyable experience
All our services are of course fully licensed by the appropriate Icelandic authorities
Nicetravel ehf
Fiskislóð 45M, 101 Reykjavík
ID. 650712-0800 | TAX. 120367
We offer pick up and drop off within the city of Reykjavik. We can pick-up directly from many hotels and guest houses in Reykjavik as well as from the Reykjavik cruise ship terminals.
Parts of Reykjavík City Center are closed for the commercial traffic. Please note, that your pick up might be from one of the dedicated meeting points
