South Iceland awaits you with spectacular landscapes filled with majestic waterfalls, impressive glaciers, black sand beaches, and legendary volcanoes. This tour is the perfect opportunity to discover the magic of Icelandic nature, where every corner tells a story and every view leaves an indelible mark. Come and experience the adventure!
Seljalandsfoss was the first of many waterfalls we saw in Iceland. It was an excellent first glimpse of what awaited us around virtually every bend in Iceland’s spectacular landscape.
Like most of Iceland’s waterfalls, it is formed by melting snow from the country’s desolate interior, which makes its way from the plateau to the sea. At Seljalandsfoss, the melting snow splits in two, creating a smaller and a larger waterfall, side by side.
Perhaps the most exciting thing about Seljalandsfoss is the chance to walk along a path to the other side of the waterfall. From this small cave, you can see Seljalandsfoss from a completely different perspective, while being constantly showered with icy water.
The hike can be treacherous, with wet, slippery, and very uneven terrain. If you’re not steady, it’s best to avoid the hike to the cave, especially in bad weather.
Following the trail away from Seljalandsfoss, you’ll see a couple of smaller waterfalls before reaching a narrow cliffside gully. Adventurous visitors with suitable footwear can hike past here to see Gljúfrabúi, another waterfall that cascades down the gorge from the plateau above.
The next waterfall on Iceland’s south coast is Skógafoss. Skógafoss is one of Iceland’s most photogenic waterfalls. It’s large, imposing, and nestled in a ravine, surrounded on three sides by steep cliffs, with a small beach at the approach.
Due to this topography, it’s quite common to see rainbows form in the mist from the waterfall at the foot of the cliffs. We were lucky enough to see one during our visit, and it turned out to be one of the most beautiful photos I have of Iceland.
Intrepid travelers can also climb the 500 steps to the top of Skógafoss to enjoy views of the waterfall’s precipice or walk along the river that feeds it. After walking for several more minutes, you’ll reach another small waterfall that cascades across the river.
Sólheimajökull is your chance to get up close and personal with one of Iceland’s most accessible glaciers. After turning off the main road on the South Coast, park your car and begin walking. It’s about a 15-minute walk to the glacier, but the hike is quite easy considering the ultimate reward.
As you walk, keep in mind that, until relatively recently, the glacier extended all the way to the parking lot. In fact, the hike to Sólheimajökull lengthens each year as the glacier melts due to climate change.
When you reach the end of the trail, you will see a sign warning you not to proceed further. I don’t condone going against official recommendations, but I must say that many people ignore this sign and continue to the foot of the glacier, including me. Please be aware that, due to geological forces, what seems like an easy hike can be more dangerous than you think, so don’t do anything beyond your physical capacity.
That being said, it was great to be able to touch a glacier!
The small town of Vík is an ideal stopover point for a restful break before returning to Reykjavik. It also has some accommodations if you want to stay overnight before venturing further east, toward Jökulsárlón and Diamond Beach.
Vík itself doesn’t have much to offer. We drove up to the red-roofed church on the hill overlooking the town for a beautiful view of the surrounding area. Afterward, we had lunch at Smidgen Brugghús (described below) and then continued our way back to Reynisfjara.
If you spend the night here or have some free time, you can also visit Vík’s Skaftfellingur Museum or its small beach.
Reynisfjara is perhaps Iceland’s most famous black sand beach. It’s probably most famous for its association with the popular TV series «Game of Thrones,» but that doesn’t make it any less stunning. The famous black sand is pristine, but that’s not Reynisfjara’s most memorable quality.
As you walk toward the shore, your eye is drawn to the hexagonal rocky remains of one of Iceland’s many volcanic eruptions. These rock formations unfold like a seashell from the beach in a stunning arrangement.
Farther out to sea are Reynisfjara’s best features: large basalt rock formations. These formations, along with the black sand, are enough to evoke times gone by. This viewpoint was used in «Game of Thrones» to represent Eastwatch by the Sea.
Perhaps the main reason to visit Dyrhólaey headland is the chance to see one of Iceland’s most famous native animals: puffins! These adorable birds typically nest here between May and August, especially on the high part of the headland, next to the lighthouse.
The hike to the lighthouse is approximately half a mile along the cliffs. It can be windy and rocky, so be prepared. The reward is spectacular views of the coast and, of course, the chance to spot puffins.
If your feet are tired by now, you can hike to a lower viewpoint from where you can still enjoy good views of Reynisfjara and the surrounding coastline. At the very least, it’s worth a short stop that doesn’t require much walking and still gives you a good view of Iceland’s south coast.
We were pretty exhausted by this point, as we had arrived in Iceland that same day and rented a car to explore the south coast. So, we only went up to the lower viewing point and didn’t see any puffins. Maybe you’ll get lucky!
Jökulsárlón is a 200 m deep glacial lagoon fed by the melting of Breiðamerkurjökull, an outlet glacier of Vatnajökull, the largest glacier in Europe. Huge icebergs also calve from Breiðamerkurjökull throughout the year, so the lagoon is often filled with ice blocks that float south.
During this excursion, we will embark on an unforgettable adventure exploring the floating icebergs. It is possible to spot seals swimming in the lagoon or resting on the icebergs during the summer months.
Across the road, icebergs from the Jökulsárlón glacial lagoon float out into the Atlantic Ocean, where the tide and wind quickly carry them back to shore.
This black sand beach is littered with small blocks of ice of all shapes and sizes, which sparkle like diamonds in the daylight. The ice comes in a wide range of shades of white and blue, creating beautiful contrasts.
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