South Coast Adventure - Jökulsárlón & Ice-Caving

Upon arrival, you have a FLYBUS transfer from the Keflavík airport to your Hotel in Reykjavík.  

In the evening, you will enjoy a Whale Watching Tour - on board the tour boat with several outdoor viewing platforms, a large indoor saloon with an on board café where you can buy light refreshments, basic bathroom facilities and a cloak room where you can borrow one of our blankets or overalls on colder days. You can either stay outside in the fresh air but you are also welcome to stay inside the heated lounge and observe the views from within, through our large panoramic windows. Guides will commentate on the sights and views at hand through the intercom system on board and will be available to you and happy to answer any questions you may have throughout the tour. 

The most common cetacean in the area are the Minke whales, White-beaked dolphins and Harbour porpoises. Occasionally we spot other species including Humpback whales, Killer whales/Orcas, Fin whales and Blue whales to name but a few.  

Overnight in Reykjavik

The first step to this great combo tour is efficient pick up form your hotel in Reykjavik. Once everyone is accounted for we will begin our drive towards our first stop, The Secret Lagoon. 

Originally known as Gamla Laugin (the old pool), this hot spot in the town of Fludir is relatively untouched compared to other lagoons in the area. What this spot lacks in development however, it more than makes up for with its scenery and ambience. There is nothing in the world quite like letting all your worries melt away in these hot waters whilst also feeling the history of the generations of people who have done so before you. 

Following on from your trip to one geothermal marvel we then take you to another, Geysir geothermal area. The area is named after the “Great Geysir” a large geyser in the area that interestingly is one of the first of its kind to be mentioned in texts. As a result the Great Geysir is actually the origin of the English word Geyser. Sadly due to its age Geysir is no longer able to erupt of its own volition but luckily there is still activity here to be seen and Geysirs sister hot spring Strokkur still erupts frequently. There is also a large visitors center here and a great spot for you to buy some lunch. 

Leading on from Geysir we will then travel to our next destination which will be Gullfoss, the golden waterfall. Gullfoss is a huge waterfall that drops around 32 meters over two different stages. It is fed from the white river which originates from Iceland’s 2nd biggest glacier, Langjökull. The waterfall got its name due to a unique mineral composition that causes a shimmering effect as the water drops. 

Last but not least comes Þingvellir (Thingvellir) National Park. This is the site where the world's first parliament was formed when the old Viking group leaders decided to join together on a yearly basis to discuss their country. This area is also notable as being the location where the Eurasian and American tectonic plates are separating from each other. 

After enriching our mind, body and soul with these fantastic examples of both Icelandic culture and nature we will drive back to the city to wrap up the day. 

Overnight in Reykjavik.

Remember to bring: Warm and waterproof outdoor clothing, headwear, gloves, and sturdy shoes. Bathing suit & towel are also essential.

On this two-day group tour - you explore all the highlights of the Icelandic South Coast and visit a magical ice cave in Vatnajökull Glacier and Jokulsarlon Lagoon, making the most of your short holiday in Iceland.

Early breakfast & check out of your hotel in Reykjavik, you will be picked up is at 09:00AM. 

Today we will take you south before continuing to the east as we whisk you away for two days of amazing adventure sightseeing. We drive towards the slowly rising sun on the way to our first stop, the very unusual Seljalandsfoss waterfall, you can actually walk behind the gracefully falling cascade. It is well worth getting a little damp for such an exciting experience! 

Our next highlight is another waterfall, Skógafoss, located at the foot of a very famous volcano, Eyjafjallajökull.  On a clear day, you will also get a great view of another volcano mountain glacier, Mýrdalsjokull. As we continue on, we come to Reynisfjara, a black beach where some fantastic sights, such as the picturesque basalt column formations and the famous Reynisdrangar peaks, will greet us. We will drive through the charming small town of Vík on our way to our accommodation. Throughout the entire day, you can expect to see breathtaking landscapes consisting of vast lava fields, waterfalls, black sands and glacier tongues. We will enjoy a relaxing evening, if the conditions are right we will hunt for those northern lights! The countryside close to Vatnajökull glacier, away from the city lights, is perfect for spotting this natural phenomenon. Your hotel will be in the Skaftafell area. 

Overnight in a hotel near Skaftafell (One night in a country hotel with Private Bathroom ** We recommend bringing an overnight backpack & keep the main luggage at Hotel)

After breakfast, you will really get to know the glacier, venturing into the sparkling, blue/white world of an ice cave with a qualified guide, and visiting the extraordinary glacier lagoon, Jökulsárlón. Getting up close and personal with a vast glacial tongue of the great Vatnajökull glacier does not get any better than this! 

The renowned Jökulsárlón Ice Lagoon, made famous by several blockbuster movies including Batman Begins and The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, to name just a couple, is a totally mind-blowing place. Splendid icebergs of amazing shapes, some incredibly large, have calved off the receding Breiðamerkurjökull glacier. They jostle one another in the huge lagoon before gliding on their surreal and stately journeys to the Atlantic ocean. Many of these natural ice sculptures are washed onto the nearby Diamond Beach, you will see them glittering like diamonds, as they rest on the dramatic coal blackness of the beach. 

Next, you go into the glacier with a qualified guide! Ice caves are fascinating. New caves are formed each winter by the melt/freeze cycle of the glacier, they are always changing, both from year to year and within each winter. The journey into an ice cave will give photographers the most amazing opportunity to capture the shimmering blue light which passes through the glacial ice. Surprisingly deep shades of jewel blue will surround you, these tones are caused by ice compression, the way we perceive light and color, and the blueness can sometimes be intensified by algae. 

After visiting the ice cave we head towards Reykjavík. We stop at Skaftafell Nature Reserve in Vatnajokull National Park, a green area in the midst of amazingly jagged mountains and glacier-topped peaks, the splendid scenery of Skaftafell is certain to be a highlight of your tour. In Winter months, keep an eye out for the Northern Lights on our way back to the city and will make a short stop if conditions allow for it. You will return to Reykjavík around 21:00 pm. 

Overnight in Reykjavik (same hotel you stayed upon arrival)

After check-out transfer to the airport (B)