The amazing South Coast offers beautiful natural wonders and attractions. You’ll experience diverse wildlife, waterfalls, glaciers, volcanoes, and black-sand beaches during the tour. There is also the opportunity for fun outdoor activities such as ice caving or glacier walking.
This region is so spectacular it leaves anyone who visits with warm, lasting memories.
Distances/duration:
The duration is estimated from driving in good road conditions, with no stops, and not taking into account traffic. The road and stops can be crowded as this route is very popular.
Reykjavík to Vík
One way – 190km/ 2.5 hours drive
Round trip – 380km/ 5 hours drive
The tour can be extended to Jökulsárlón (e. Glacier Lagoon) and Diamond Beach – Send us an email for information on extending the tour.
Reykjavik to Jökulsárlón (e. Glacier Lagoon)
One way – 380 km/5 hours drive
Round trip – 760 km/10 hours drive
Your choice of location in the greater Reykjavik area
08:00 (08:00 a.m.) local time, suggested
Icelandic weather conditions change frequently, the weather is highly unpredictable. An Icelandic saying goes “If you don’t like the weather wait 5 minutes.” Therefore we highly recommend you bring extra warm clothing which can be left in the vehicle if not needed. Recommendation on clothing and equipment to bring:
Our tours are private, customized, and tailored to your needs, interest, and wishes. We provide curated tour ideas that can be customized at will. Breaks and photo stops are at your convenience.
Here is a suggestion of places to see and visit on the South Coast. The places mentioned below are to give you an idea of what the area has to offer. Click on the name of each place to get further information. Keep in mind not all of the places can be conveniently visited in one day. The final itinerary is yours to decide on and can be adjusted at your will during the tour.
The tour can be extended to Jökulsárlón (e. Glacier Lagoon) and Diamond Beach – Send us an email for information on extending the tour.
Only a few kilometers away from the south shores of Iceland lies the village of Skógar along the Southern Ring Road. It is a popular summer resort center surrounded by unusual scenic beauty. The breathtaking view of Skogáfoss waterfall and picturesque surroundings and the snow-capped heights of two towering glaciers are Skógar’s major summer attractions. There are two settlements by this name. One is Ytri-Skógar (outer or western Skógar) and the other Eystri-Skógar (eastern Skógar), located at a short distance from each other. Ytri-Skógar, commonly referred to as Skógar, is the main settlement. It is an old farm and has a church from 1890. It is located between the Skógá and Kverná rivers.
The greatest attraction of Skógar is, of course, the beautiful 60-meter high Skogáfoss waterfall in the river Skógá. Like the legends of buried treasures of Egill Skallagrímsson in Mosfell near Reykjavík and Ketilbjörn in Mosfell near Skálholt, there is a similar legend about the settler Þrasi who is believed to have buried his chest of gold under the Skogáfoss waterfall.
Reynisfjara beach has been ranked among the best beaches in the world for 2018, in a recent campaign that featured undiscovered beaches across all 7 continents in over 165 countries. The campaign was done by FlightNetwork, they tapped the wisdom of over 1200 journalists, editors, bloggers, and agencies from around the world, who eat, sleep, and breathe travel. Through the ultimate collaboration, they were able to craft a catalog of beaches that is so thorough travelers will never run out of stunning locations to explore.
Reynisfjall is a 340 m high tuff mountain arising out of a volcanic eruption from under a glacier in the penultimate Ice Age, near the village of Vik. Alternating irregularly are layers of tuff, pillow lava, and columnar basalt veins and loops.
Reynisdrangar stacks are a collection of 66 m high rock pillars that rise out of the sea and are of the same geological formation as Reynisfjall. On Reynisfjöru beach, very beautiful basalt formations in the south part of the mountain can be seen, and there you will find an exceedingly beautiful cave called Hálsanefshellir.
The waves here are deceiving and have caused the death of several visitors in recent years, even in the best of weather. Please take great care and keep a good distance from the sea.
Mýrdalshreppur is one of the three municipalities within Katla Geopark, a UNESCO Global Geopark. Vík in Mýrdalshreppur is situated in the center of the Geopark and is also Iceland‘s southernmost village. The municipality is bordered by Mýrdalsjökull glacier to the north, Jökulsá river to the west, Blautakvísl river to the east, and black sand beaches to the south. Due to the sandy beaches and rough seas, Vík remains Iceland‘s only seaside village that has no harbor. Despite the lack of a port, it has for long been an important trading post for farmers along the south coast of Iceland.
Sólheimajökull is an outlet glacier that descends from the southwest corner of Mýrdalsjökull. It is a so-called “climate glacier” responding quickly to climate change. Access to the glacier tongue is good because it reaches down to the lowlands, and possible to go hiking on the glaciers with tour operators from the parking lot.
Seljalandsfoss
A unique waterfall in the river Seljalandsá, about 30 km west of Skógar: it is 60 meters high with a footpath behind it at the bottom of the cliff, but with a thin cascade. It is the only known waterfall of its kind where it is possible to walk behind it. The waterfall is very picturesque; therefore, its photo can be found in many books and calendars.
Gljúfrabúi
The waterfall Gljúfrabúi tumbles down from the Gljúfurá River. Its source is north of Tröllagil (Troll Gorge) Canyon in the heath Hamragarðaheiði. It is a spring-fed river and less voluminous than its neighbor Seljalandsá River. The river runs from Tröllagilsmýri (Troll Gorge Marsh), a picturesque fertile marsh in the heath. When the river emerges out of the marsh, it runs into the northern edge of a lava field formed in the volcanic eruptions in Eyjafjallajökull at the beginning of the Holocene. There are several little waterfalls to be found in the river in the area.
