7 Days Iceland Self Drive Tour Golden Circle South Coast Snæfellsnes Reykjavik

After breakfast, you’ll be headed to all the wonders that the Hidden Gem of the West, the peninsula of Snæfellsnes has to offer.

Kirkjufell, “The Church Mountain”, and Kirkjufellsfoss waterfall This iconic narrow mountain has become the landmark of Snæfellsnes in recent years. It became famous after being presented as the “Arrowhead Mountain” on Game of Thrones. The erosive powers of the glaciers during the last ice age about 12,000 years ago gave this mountain its shape. Due to this unique look, it is one of the most photographed sights in Iceland and just across you will see the beautiful waterfall Kirkjufellsfoss which completes your perfect shot of the mountain. There are numerous vantage points for the perfect photograph and our guides know them all!

Búdakirkja, the Black Church of Búdir On the south coast of the peninsula, there’s a village with only a hotel and a tiny black church called the Búdakirkja that sits alone among a field of lava rocks. Búdakirkja was built on the spot in 1703 and reconstructed in 1987 after a claim by a single member that lobbied to have it back. It has a historic graveyard, a bell and a chalice from the time it was erected. It is a listed building, owned by the National Museum of Iceland, but it is in the care of the Búdir parish. Without a doubt, this picturesque chapel has a romantic air about it and is a real attraction to the site

Arnarstapi Fishing Village, Hellnar & Arch This tiny fishing village has picturesque coastal cliffs derived from glowing magma hitting the wild waves of the Atlantic. Known in Iceland as the most beautiful harbor in the country. Thousands of years later erosion has formed beautiful stone arcs and a remarkable marine geyser. Enjoy a walk along the coastline while your guide tells you all about Bárður, half-man half-troll, and his misdeeds in the area.

Ytri Tunga beach and seal colony Ytri-Tunga is a sandy beach that has a little secret hidden away down by the sea, behind the farmhouses… a seal colony! Seals love to spend their time on the rocks of this beautiful beach. They are friendly and curious and will climb up on the rocks for you to spot them from a distance.

The next attraction of the day is Europe's most powerful hot spring, Deildartunguhver, where bailing water is bubbling from the ground, you will feel the heat from the hot steam. The next stop is Reykholt, one of the most important historical locations in Iceland. This was the home of Snorri Sturluson who was one of the most significant figures of the Middle Ages. After leaving Reykholt you will see two waterfalls, Hraunfossar and Barnafoss. Hraunfossar is a series of rivulets that stream through the dark lava field. Barnafoss waterfall is a light blue waterfall that rushes through a narrow gorge.

Spend the night near Borgarnes.

Þingvellir National Park

We visit the place where the two tectonic plates, the North American and the Eurasian plate, are moving away from each other. Few places in the world offer a better and clearer view of this massive geographic activity. The biggest natural lake in Iceland is also located at Thingvellir National Park and hosts a great variety of fish and birdlife. Thingvellir is also an important place for Icelandic national history. At Thingvellir Icelanders founded their parliament in 930 a.d. where the chieftains had their annual meeting every summer. The name “Thingvellir” translates to “Parliament Plains”.

Geysir Geothermal Area

The Geysir geothermal area hosts hundreds of colorful hot springs and two geysers, erupting hot springs. One is called “Geysir” and name giving for all the geysers in the world. Today, however, it erupts very seldom. The other geyser is called “Strokkur” and erupts every 5 minutes up to 40 meters.

Gullfoss Waterfall

The melting water from Iceland´s second biggest glacier, Langjökull, falls into a deep canyon forming the majestic “Golden Falls”. On a sunny day, you can see the glacier Langjökull in the distance and enjoy a rainbow in the mist of the waterfall, an Instagram blockbuster waiting to happen!

Activities in the area

1) Snowmobile

Go on a snowmobile tour on Iceland's second largest ice cap. Once you are at our base camp we suit up for the tour, we offer snowsuits, gloves, helmets, and shoe-covers if needed. We go over a safety briefing before heading out to the Snowmobile tour so that everyone feels safe and secure to start the tour.

2) Dog-sledding

This tour will operate with a sled on snow or with a kart on DRY- LAND depending on the conditions. Feel the power, excitement, and energy of our amazing sled dogs as they are harnessed to go. During the ride your Musher guide will drive your team while sharing his knowledge and passion about dogsledding.

3) Geothermal Bread Baking (Fri - Sun only)

Guests are invited to experience the geothermal bakery first hand and take part in baking a bread in the ground. It takes 24 hours for the earth to bake the bread, the slow cooking makes the dark rye bread very tasty and rememberable for everyone sampling it. After the informative walk and entertaining demonstration, everyone is invited to sample the freshly baked bread. Ideal in combination with geothermal bathing.

4) Kerid Volcano Crater

Kerid is a 3000 year old extinct volcano. After its last eruption, the volcano collapsed to form a crater. This scenic lake has attracted visitors from near and far.

Spend the night in Hvolsvöllur.

Seljalandsfoss

The adventure begins when your arrival is announced by the powerful theatrics of Seljalandsfoss. Bring a raincoat and you’ll be able to make the short hike behind the falls. The scene behind the fall and the trembling ground from the power of the falling water makes for an automatic Instagram blockbuster!

Skogafoss

Further west along the coast is Skógafoss waterfall. Skógafoss is an incredibly picturesque sight. Tucked in a little gorge, the river Skógá tumbles down a 60 meter cliff before continuing down the landscape towards the Atlantic Ocean. Alongside the gorge, a staircase can take you to the shelf above the waterfall for stunning views. See if you can count your steps on your way up.

Reynisfjara, the Black Sand Beach

Heading further west, we visit the black sand beach of Reynisfjara where the massive waves of the Atlantic meet the unique basalt columns in the cliffs above the sand. Rock pillars in the water and the cliffs of Dýrhólaey are seen in the distance. This area of the south is also a paradise for bird lovers, as Puffins and dozens of other unique species nest on top of these cliffs in the summertime from June to August.

Activities in the area

1) Glacier Hike in Sólheimajökull

Sólheimajökull is a part of Mýrdalsjökull, one of the biggest glaciers in Europe. It is featured in detail in the 2012 documentary "Chasing Ice," an award-winning investigation of climate change. Once you reach the ice, you’ll be given plenty of time to marvel at the eerie silence and feeling of isolation, as if you and your fellow hikers are alone in a vast, empty world of ice and snow. You’ll view millennia-old blue ice, created when oxygen bubbles are trapped in the snow and compressed into ice by the enormous weight of the glacier pressing down upon it. You’ll be able to gaze deep into a glacier moulin, a vertical shaft like a well, which can go all the way to the bottom of the glacier.

2) DC3 Plane Wreck

Visit the famous plane wreck on Solheimasandur. This plane wreck of the US Navy has been sitting on the vast black sand since 1973.

3) LAVA Centre

The Lava Centre is an interactive, high-tech educational exhibition depicting volcanic activity, earthquakes and the creation of Iceland over millions of years. Examine the various volcanos—eruptions and lava flows, volcanic and rift systems, faults and glacial floods that make Iceland a showcase of volcanism.

Spend the night in Hof/Kirkjubaejaklaustur.

Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon

Starting this day by heading to Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon, a 200m deep glacial lagoon fed by Breiðamerkurjökull, an outlet glacier of Europe’s largest glacier. Enormous icebergs come from Breiðamerkurjökull all year round so the lagoon is usually filled with ice that floats south. We will give you the opportunity to book a boat ride between the icebergs during summertime and get a closer look at the millenary ice. If boating is not your thing, then we walk alongside the glacier lagoon enjoying the magnificent views and dead silence of Icelandic nature.

Diamond Beach

On the other side of the road the icebergs from Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon float into the Atlantic Ocean where they are quickly thrown back to shore by the tide and winds. This black sand beach is full of smaller ice rocks in all shapes and sizes, sparkling like diamonds in the daylight. The ice itself comes in all shades of white and blue forming beautiful contrasts, guaranteed to make your Instagram account pop!

Activity in the area

Summer: Amphibian Boat Tour, Zodiac Tour

Winter: Blue Ice Cave Tour

Amphibian Boat Tour is an exciting boat trip on the lagoon in an amphibian boat. During the excursion you sail among the huge icebergs in the picturesque scenery of Jökulsárlón. On the boat you get to taste the 1000 year old ice and if you are lucky you might even see some seals. The excursion takes 30–40 minutes and includes an English speaking guide who explains to you the geology and facts of the lagoon. Other languages may be offered upon request.

Zodiac Tour - During the excursion you sail among the huge icebergs in the picturesque scenery of Jökulsárlón. On the Zodiac we are able to cover large areas of the lagoon and get closer to the icebergs than on the amphibian. When possible the Zodiac goes almost all the way up to the glacier (as close as safe). Passengers are provided with flotation suits and a life jacket. We don’t recommend taking children under the age of 10 on the Zodiac tour.

Blue Ice Cave Tour - You will get the opportunity of a lifetime to enjoy one of the world’s greatest wilderness, Iceland’s largest glacier. You are driven in a specially modified Super Jeep to the glacier, where you get to explore the glacier environment, enjoy a view out of this world, go into and underneath the glacier and experience the glacier’s beauty from the inside! Blue Ice Cave Exploration is truly a unique experience. An experienced local guide leads the way and shares a wealth of fascinating information about glaciers, icefields and their impact on our environment during our journey, making sure everyone enjoys themselves to the fullest. Our guides provide you with safety equipment (helmet and crampons) and the fun begins!

Hovercraft Tour - Experience the exciting Hovercraft tours in the stunning surroundings of Vatnajökull National Park where we go to one of the natural wonders of Iceland, Glacier Lagoon, Jökulsárlón. Enjoy the smooth, safe sailing with an experienced and professional local pilot. Nowhere else in Iceland is this experience available!

Spend the night in Hvolsvollur.

The Reykjavik city tour covers the city‘s top attractions, interesting facts, and stories that relate to history and culture in Reykjavik and throughout Iceland. Traveling the Reykjavik area and surrounding municipalities provides an excellent opportunity to discover various things to see or to do in Reykjavik during your stay in Iceland.

On this tour you will visit the Perlan glass dome where a 360 viewing platform provides some of the best places for sightseeing in Reykjavik.

After enjoying the spectacular view over Reykjavik city and its surroundings the tour proceeds to go to Reykjavik's seafront to the old Höfði building where an important summit between former U.S. President Ronald Reagan and former U.S.S.R. Secretary General Mikhail Gorbachev took place in 1986.

The next stop is Hallgrímskirkja church who's design was inspired by basalt lava columns, a common volcanic rock formation in Icelandic nature. From Hallgrimskirkja church, the tour explores Reykjavik city center in and around the Parliament building by Austurvöllur which, sometimes is referred to as "the Old town".

Activity in the area

1) Wonders of Iceland & Áróra Northern Lights Show

Located in Reykjavik's most iconic building, Perlan – Wonders of Iceland, offers unforgettable experiences of Iceland’s rare and astonishing natural wonders. See, hear, and feel the power of volcanoes, earthquakes, & geothermal energy. Step inside the only planetarium in Iceland and take a visual journey through the unique landscape of Iceland to observe the Northern Lights. Enter a real indoor ice cave and learn about Iceland’s glaciers, their effect on the land and their bleak future. At last enjoy the observation deck with an amazing 360° view of Reykjavik.

2) Northern Light Cruise (Sep – Apr)

Search for Aurora Borealis away from the city lights, on this thrilling winter cruise. Northern Lights are best displayed under dark, clear skies. You can find these conditions from September until the end of April in Reykjavík. Watching the lights constantly change in intensity, color and movement in the vast starry space with the gentle lull of the ocean beneath is a thrilling, unique experience.

4) Aurora Reykjavik

Take a walk through history and learn how people and cultures around the world saw the Northern Lights via legends and myths connected to this amazing phenomenon. There are interactive displays as well as a specially equipped ‘photo booth’ where you can learn how to adjust your camera’s settings should you want to try your hand at capturing the auroras yourself. The high point of your visit to the center will certainly be our theatre where a continuously running HD film is playing throughout the day. Projected onto a 7 meter wide screen, you can sit back and enjoy this 20 minute film that features some of the most magnificent auroral displays seen over Iceland. The film is accompanied by soft music in surround sound, making this a therapeutic and restful experience.

Spend the night in Reykjavik.

You will have this day at your leisure for shopping or any other activity you like to do before your flight back home.