Categories Self Drive Tours Adventure & Eco Travel Iceland Self Drive Vacations

Experience a week of natural wonders on the beautiful south Iceland, the perfect setting for waterfalls, glaciers and black-sand beaches.

From rushing rivers to jagged cliffs and glistening glaciers, Iceland‘s landscape of extreme contrasts provides the perfect backdrop for this adventurous road trip. Challenge the mighty forces of nature with a string of optional activities such as mountain biking, hiking and horseback riding. Best of all, our recommended options are great for beginners; you can learn a fun new activity in amazing, picture-perfect landscapes!

Customize your Adventure: We’ve suggested a variety of unforgettable adventures you can add to each day. Whether it’s by land or by water (or even ice), we’ve got an activity (or two or three) we’re sure you’ll like.

Our expert Sales staff is on hand to quote you the best price for each activity at booking time.

**Please note that the package price is based on 5 x 24-hour rental days starting at the time of rental. If your flight arrives early on day 1 and departs late on day 6, an additional supplement will be charged unless you choose to return the car in Reykjavik when the 5-day rental is up and use our Airport Direct Transfer

Highlights

Pump up your adrenaline with a selection of uniquely Icelandic activities

Tailor your trip to fit your own personal “style” of adventure

Snap unforgettable pictures of those “must-see” amazing Iceland landscapes

Wander along the wonders of Iceland’s famous Golden Circle, including Geysir geothermal area and Thingvellir National Park

View the photogenic Jokulsarlon Glacial Lagoon, with its blue-tinted glaciers, and the nearby black Diamond Beach

Visit two of Iceland’s best-known national parks: Thingvellir and southern Vatnajokull

Explore the Skaftafell area of Vatnajokull National Park, home to two glaciers a basalt-lined waterfall.

Take advantage of the season‘s long daylight hours to enjoy a full day of adventurous activities in South Iceland

Itinerary

Arrival in the Land of Fire and Ice

Approximate distance: ca100km / 62miles

Once you have landed at Keflavik Airport, please pick up your luggage and head through customs. Collect your rental car at the airport and proceed to your hotel.

Drive along mystical lava landscapes to the charming village of Hveragerdi for your overnight. Hveragerdi is one of the few sites in the world located directly on top of a geothermal area and, because of its many greenhouses heated by hot water from nearby springs, it is often called the “flower village.”

Overnight in Hveragerdi

Please note check-in for most hotels begins at 14:00 – 16:00 (2:00pm-4:00pm)

National Park - Famous Golden Falls – Bubbling Geysers - Impressive Lava Field

Approximate distance: ca385km / 239 miles

Breakfast at your hotel. Today is open for you to explore the wonders of the Golden Circle region. Visit Thingvellir National Park, site of the ancient Icelandic Viking parliament and a jewel of nature. Here you can see the meeting point between the North American and Europe continents. Several walking trails and hiking trails take visitors to historical points of interest. Continue to the amazing sites of Gullfoss waterfall and the Geysir hot spring area. Gullfoss is considered by many visitors to be Iceland’s most beautiful waterfall. Geysir is an active geothermal field with many bubbling steam vents and spouting hot springs, including the famous Strokkur geyser.

Drive along the scenic south shore, one of Iceland‘s best areas for farming. If the skies are clear you‘ll get a great view of two famous volcanoes. Hekla is Iceland‘s most frequently erupting volcano. Eyjafjallajokull is the (in)famous volcano whose 2010 eruption impacted air traffic around the world.

The path takes you over vast lava fields and black sand plains created by glacial floods and on to the town of Kirkjubaejarklaustur.

Overnight in Kirkjubaejarklaustur area.

Massive Lava Field- Glacier National Park - Europe‘s Largest Glacier – Iceberg filled Lagoon

Approximate distance: ca210km / 130miles

Breakfast at your hotel. You will soon be in the vicinity of Vatnajokull National Park, named after the largest glacier in Europe, and you‘ll see amazing views of Vatnajokull through the day.

We highly recommend visiting the Skaftafell area of Vatnajokull National Park. There are some excellent hiking trails with views of glaciers. Another popular hiking trail leads to Svartifoss (the Black Falls), waterfalls framed in dark basalt columns. You can also take a hiking tour with an expert glacier guide. Near the park is the Glacier Lagoon (Jokulsarlon), where icebergs drift and collide with each other in a lake formed by Vatnajokull glacier.

Some icebergs have drifted up onto a nearby black sand beach that provides a dramatic setting for photos. Known as the Diamond Beach, this is a beautiful place to linger, catching views of icebergs and seals.

Head eastward to the village of Hofn, which lies in the shadow of Vatnajokull glacier.

Overnight in Hofn.

Glacial views- Lava Landscapes – Powerful Waves and Black Sand Beaches

Approximate distance: ca289km / 180miles

Breakfast at your hotel. Take your time and enjoy a leisurely drive back along the South Coast.

Start with a visit to Vestrahorn, the mountain outside of Hofn. This is a wonderful place of steep cliffs and seacoast, ideal for photographs.

Now head back along Road 1, getting a completely different view of Vatnajokull and Southeast Iceland. You should definitely stop again at the Glacier Lagoon and Iceberg Lagoon.

The road leads to Vik, the southernmost community in Iceland. Vik is a pretty town set against the dramatic seacoast. Admire the black sand beach, basalt columns and powerful Atlantic waves of Reynisfjara beach near Vik. Far out to sea are huge sea stacks that local tales say were once trolls. Dyrholaey* is a rocky headland famous in photos for its black lava arch. During the summer, thousands of sea birds and puffins nest here (puffins are generally in Iceland between mid-May and early August)

*Important: Please note that Dyrholaey is closed during nesting season, from about the middle of May until late June.

Overnight in Vik

Dramatic Coastline – UNESCO Geopark - Geothermal Lagoon

Approximate distance: ca290km / 180miles

Breakfast at your hotel. Today you‘ll continue west along the South Shore.

The route leads by two beautiful waterfalls. Seljalandsfoss is a ribbon-like waterfall that you can walk behind if trail conditions are good. Skogafoss is believed to contain hidden treasure from the Middle Ages.

This is a great day to get acquainted with Iceland‘s famous volcanic and tectonic forces with an optional visit to the interactive Lava Centre in Hvollsvollur village.

You’ll then take a turn onto a coastal road known for its breath-taking views of powerful sea waves slamming against the shoreline to the Reykjanes peninsula, a UNESCO Geopark with many intriguing geological wonders, including the bubbling and colorful Krysuvik geothermal area. You can also opt to enjoy a relaxing soak in the famous Blue Lagoon, a unique wonder of nature with pleasantly warm and mineral-rich geothermal water located in a middle of a black lava field. (Please note that admission to the Blue Lagoon must be booked in advance. We would be happy to help you with booking admission). If you’re interested in culture and history, we definitely recommend a visit to the Viking World exhibit where you can discover facts about Viking life and see Islendingurinn, a replica of a Viking ship that sailed from Iceland to North America in the year 2000.

Return to Reykjavik for overnight stay.

Approximate distance: ca50km / 30miles

Breakfast at your hotel. Drive back to Keflavik International Airport. ** We recommend departing your hotel in Reykjavik no later than at least 3 hours before your flight departure. It takes approximately 1 hour to drive to the airport, and check-in will start 2 hours before your departure.

If you did not visit the Blue Lagoon earlier but have some free time today, you might want to use the opportunity en route to the airport. For this detour, please be sure to allow for at least 2-2,5 hours extra so you’ll have ample time at the lagoon. Your rental car should be returned to the airport service area, which is located only 2 minutes from the airport building. A shuttle will then transport you to the departure hall.

**Please note that the package price is based on 5 x 24-hour rental days starting at the time of rental. If your flight arrives early on day 1 and departs late on day 6, an additional supplement will be charged unless you choose to return the car in Reykjavik when the 5-day rental is up and use our Airport Direct Transfer

Notes