A 4-day winter self-drive tour of South Iceland for travelers short on time, covering Geysir, Gullfoss, Þingvellir, waterfalls and black sand beaches, with Sky Lagoon and a chance of the northern lights.
Price from 878 EUR per person
Welcome to Iceland! After you have cleared customs, you will pick up your rental vehicle at the airport and you will drive straight to the charming city of Reykjavík. After you have checked at your hotel and received your travel documents, you will get to relax and rejuvenate both your mind and your body at the newly opened spa just 15 minutes away from your accommodation. Sky Lagoon is known for its 7-step ritual, a unique experience tightly connected to the roots of Icelandic culture. Bathe in the geothermal waters in an infinity pool, relax in a warm blanket of steam and revitalize your skin with a nourishing body scrub. Afterward, you’ll have free time in Reykjavik to explore and enjoy the northernmost capital of the world. Alternatively, you can join a Northern Light to admire this breathtaking, natural phenomenon. Stay the night in central Reykjavík.
Suggested hotels, or similar
HOTEL
Tier
Classic
Region
Reykjavik city centre
A short walk from the centre of Reykjavik. Our Classic option in the city: simpler rooms than Saga, same easy access on foot.
HOTEL
Tier
Superior
Region
Reykjavik city centre
Central Reykjavik, walking distance to Laugavegur and the harbour. Our usual Superior choice in the city when guests want to be able to leave the hotel and be somewhere on foot.
ATTRACTION
Region
Iceland
Reykjavík is the capital and biggest city of Iceland with a population of approximately 124,000. It is the northernmost capital in the world. Despite its small size, you can find many attractions and museums, making Reykjavik a popular destination.
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Region
Iceland
Sky Lagoon is a geothermal spa on the Kársnes peninsula in Kópavogur, about 6 kilometers south of central Reykjavík, sitting on a cliff edge above Faxaflói Bay. Opened in 2021, it is the newest major geothermal bathing attraction near the capital and the closest to the city with direct ocean views. The main feature is a 70-meter infinity-edge lagoon maintained at around 38 to 40 degrees Celsius, where the water appears to merge with the North Atlantic horizon. The spa also offers the Skjól ritual, a seven-stage wellness sequence that moves between the geothermal lagoon, a cold plunge, an oceanview sauna, a mist room, a sea salt scrub, a steam room, and a crowberry elixir. The architecture draws on traditional Icelandic turf house design, with dark volcanic stone and grass-covered rooflines.
ATTRACTION
Region
Iceland
Harpa is Reykjavik's concert hall and conference center, sitting on the waterfront at the edge of the Old Harbor. Its glass facade, designed by artist Ólafur Elíasson and Henning Larsen Architects, has made it one of the most photographed buildings in Iceland since it opened in 2011. The public areas are free to enter, and the building is home to the Iceland Symphony Orchestra and the Icelandic Opera.
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Region
Iceland
Laugavegur is the main street of central Reykjavik and the busiest in Iceland, running through the historic heart of the city from Hlemmur square to Lækjartorg. It is lined with Icelandic design shops, wool boutiques, restaurants, cafés, galleries, and bars, and forms the spine of Reykjavik's nightlife. The lower section is pedestrianized. The name translates as Wash Road, a reference to the route women once walked to reach the hot springs of Laugardalur with their laundry.
Today you will start the day by driving East towards the amazing Þingvellir National Park, UNESCO World Heritage Site, rich with its incredible natural beauty and history. There you will be able to see how the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates are diverging. Continue to the famous Geysir geothermal area and witness the great spouting spring, namesake of every other spouting spring in the world. Even though Geysir itself has been dormant for decades, his brother Strokkur gets to erupt every 6 to 10 minutes, spouting water to the average height of 20 meters. After a short drive, you are going to arrive at Gullfoss (Golden Falls), which has been voted as one of the 10 most beautiful waterfalls in the world. If you fancy grabbing some lunch, the area around both Geysir and Gullfoss is your place to go. From there, make your way towards the South Coast and drive through the farmlands, but make sure to make a stop at Kerið, a volcanic crater displaying its crystal-clear water. Stay the night in the Hella area.
Suggested hotels, or similar
HOTEL
Tier
Classic
Region
Hvolsvöllur, South Iceland
In the Hvolsvöllur area within easy reach of the South Coast waterfalls, and the overnight stop after the Golden Circle and Friðheimar.
HOTEL
Tier
Superior
Region
Hvolsvöllur / Hella area, South Iceland
A hotel in the Hvolsvöllur and Hella area, well placed for Seljalandsfoss, Skógafoss and the rest of the South Coast.
HOTEL
Tier
Classic
Region
Hella, South Iceland
A practical, comfortable hotel in Hella, central to the Golden Circle and the South Coast.
HOTEL
Tier
Classic
Region
Hella, South Iceland
A farm hotel near Hella in South Iceland, with open views across the countryside.
ATTRACTION
Region
Iceland
Þingvellir National Park is Iceland's first national park and its only UNESCO World Heritage Site, sitting 47 kilometers east of Reykjavik at the first stop on the Golden Circle. It is the site of the Alþingi, Iceland's parliament, which first convened here in 930 AD, making it the oldest continuously operating parliament in the world. The park also straddles the rift valley between the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates, one of the few places on earth where the Mid-Atlantic Ridge can be seen and walked above sea level.
ATTRACTION
Region
Iceland
The Geysir geothermal area in the Haukadalur valley of South Iceland is one of the three main stops on the Golden Circle and home to the hot spring that gave the English language the word geyser. The Great Geysir has been erupting intermittently for thousands of years and at its peak could blast water up to 70 meters into the air, but it is now largely dormant, erupting unpredictably and rarely. Its neighbor Strokkur, whose name means the Churn, erupts reliably every 5 to 10 minutes to heights of 15 to 40 meters and is the reason visitors gather here. The wider geothermal field contains dozens of hot springs, bubbling mud pools, fumaroles, and smaller geysers, making it worth exploring beyond just waiting for Strokkur. The site is free to visit year-round.
ATTRACTION
Region
Iceland
Gullfoss, meaning Golden Falls, is one of Iceland's most powerful and visited waterfalls, dropping 32 meters in two dramatic tiers into the narrow Gullfossgjúfur canyon on the Golden Circle route. Fed by glacial meltwater from Langjökull glacier, it carries an average of 140 cubic meters of water per second in summer, producing a roar and a cloud of mist that can be heard and felt long before the falls come into view.
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Region
Iceland
Kerið is one of Iceland's most striking volcanic craters, a 6,500-year-old caldera filled with vivid aquamarine water and ringed by steep red and black volcanic rock. It sits right off Route 35 on the Golden Circle route, making it one of the easiest natural wonders in Iceland to add to a day trip.
After having breakfast and packing, it is time to travel further east along the beautiful South Coast. Shortly after leaving the Hella area, you will reach the spectacular Seljalandsfoss waterfall. Take the opportunity to enjoy a 360° view of the waterfall, as it is possible to walk behind it but watch out – it can get quite icy during wintertime! Don’t forget to have a look above, as you can get a very good view of Eyjafjallajökull volcano, famous for its 2010 eruption. Don’t skip paying a visit to the majestic falls of Skógafoss, with the impressive heights of 60 meters. If interested, visit the Skógar Folk Museum where you can see reconstructed turf houses and ancient artifacts on display. From there, continue to Dyrhólaey promontory with its impressive stone arch and Reynisfjara beach, with its black sand, stunning cliffs, and basalt columns. If you wish, grab something to eat at the adorable town of Vík í Mýrdal and head back all the way back to the capital city. Overnight in the center of Reykjavík.
Suggested hotels, or similar
HOTEL
Tier
Classic
Region
Reykjavik city centre
A short walk from the centre of Reykjavik. Our Classic option in the city: simpler rooms than Saga, same easy access on foot.
HOTEL
Tier
Superior
Region
Reykjavik city centre
Central Reykjavik, walking distance to Laugavegur and the harbour. Our usual Superior choice in the city when guests want to be able to leave the hotel and be somewhere on foot.
ATTRACTION
Region
Iceland
Seljalandsfoss is a 60-meter waterfall on Iceland's South Coast, fed by meltwater from Eyjafjallajökull glacier flowing down the Seljalandsá river. It is one of the first major waterfalls visitors encounter heading east from Reykjavík along the Ring Road, about 120 kilometers from the capital. What makes it unusual among Iceland's waterfalls is a path that runs around the base of the cliff and directly behind the falls, allowing visitors to stand inside the curtain of water and look back out through it. The walk takes about 10 minutes and the cavern behind the falls is large enough to move around comfortably, though the path becomes extremely slippery and is closed in winter when ice makes it dangerous. The waterfall faces west and catches sunset light particularly well in the late afternoon. A second waterfall, Gljúfrabúi, is hidden inside a narrow gorge two minutes drive east and is worth the small detour.
ATTRACTION
Region
Iceland
Skógafoss is one of Iceland's largest and most visited waterfalls, dropping 60 meters over a 25-meter wide curtain of water on the South Coast near the village of Skógar. The sheer volume of spray it produces means that on clear days, single and double rainbows are almost guaranteed, making it one of the most photogenic spots in the country.
ATTRACTION
Region
Iceland
Dyrhólaey, meaning Door Hill Island, is a 120-meter volcanic promontory on Iceland's South Coast about 10 kilometers west of Vík. It is best known for its massive natural rock arch, wide enough for small boats to pass through, which was carved by wave action over thousands of years. The promontory is a protected nature reserve and one of the most accessible puffin-watching sites in Iceland, with colonies nesting on the clifftops from May through August. From the top, views extend across Reynisfjara black sand beach, the Reynisdrangar sea stacks, and Mýrdalsjökull glacier.
ATTRACTION
Region
Iceland
Reynisfjara is Iceland's most famous black sand beach, sitting on the South Coast just west of the village of Vík í Mýrdal, about 180 kilometers from Reykjavik. The beach is framed by a wall of hexagonal basalt columns and the three offshore Reynisdrangar sea stacks, which folklore says are trolls turned to stone by the rising sun. It is regularly cited as one of the most dramatic non-tropical beaches in the world, and is equally well known for its powerful and unpredictable sneaker waves, which can surge far up the beach without warning.
Your wintery Iceland adventure is about to come to its end. Drive to the Keflavik International Airport, where you drop off your rental vehicle. If your flight is in the afternoon, you still have time either to explore the lovely city of Reykjavík or for an optional stop at Blue Lagoon to enjoy a soak in the milky blue waters. It’s a perfect end to your stay and a nice way to relax and unwind before your flight home.
ATTRACTION
Region
Iceland
The Blue Lagoon is Iceland's most visited tourist attraction and one of the most recognizable geothermal spas in the world, set in a black lava field on the Reykjanes Peninsula about 20 minutes from Keflavík International Airport and 45 minutes from Reykjavík. Its milky-blue color comes from silica dissolved in the geothermal water, which precipitates to the surface as the water cools and scatters light in the blue wavelengths. The water is maintained at 37 to 39 degrees Celsius year-round and is rich in silica, sulfur, and algae. The lagoon was not designed. It formed accidentally in 1976 when wastewater from the adjacent Svartsengi geothermal power plant began flooding a nearby lava field. A power plant employee with psoriasis bathed in it and found it relieved his condition; word spread, and by 1987 the site had been developed for public bathing. The formal spa facilities opened in 1999.
Let your personal travel consultant know what other activities catch your eye and we’ll add them to your custom-made trip itinerary.
We handpick accommodations to ensure memorable stays for every type of traveler.
Our Superior accommodations feature spacious private rooms with en-suite bathrooms, offering the choice of a relaxing bath or a refreshing shower, along with a private toilet to ensure maximum comfort and privacy. These rooms represent the best available lodging options, found within prestigious 4-star hotels or the finest, highest-quality lodges across each region. In Reykjavik, all Superior accommodations are centrally located, placing you within easy reach of the city's key attractions, shopping areas, and vibrant dining and cultural scenes. These accommodations provide an elevated experience with superior comfort, thoughtful amenities, and attentive service designed to make your stay truly memorable. To enhance your visit, a complimentary breakfast is included each morning, helping you start your day well-nourished and ready to explore.
Experience a higher level of comfort with our carefully selected Classic accommodations, each offering private facilities including a shower and toilet for your convenience and privacy. These lodges fall under the 3-star hotel category, providing a perfect blend of quality and value. Most properties boast an on-site restaurant where you can enjoy a variety of meals without needing to venture far. In Reykjavik, all Classic accommodations are ideally situated in central locations, giving you easy access to the city's main attractions, shopping districts, and vibrant cultural spots. This category represents a significant upgrade in both comfort and service compared to budget options, making it an excellent choice for travelers seeking a cozy yet affordable stay. To make your mornings hassle-free, a delicious breakfast is included with your stay.
Our luxury accommodations feature exquisite suites and premium rooms within top-tier lodges and resorts, offering an elegant and sophisticated ambiance. Designed with refined decor and upscale touches, these accommodations provide a seamless blend of style, comfort, and exclusivity. Personalized services cater to your every need, ensuring a truly indulgent and tailored experience. In Reykjavik, all luxury accommodations are centrally located, placing you at the heart of the city’s vibrant cultural scene, fine dining, shopping, and key attractions. Whether you’re seeking a tranquil retreat or an immersive urban experience, these upscale lodgings deliver the perfect base. Classy, elegant, and supremely comfortable, our luxury options strive to provide a first-class stay marked by exceptional amenities, impeccable service, and attention to detail. Every aspect is carefully crafted to make your visit not just memorable, but extraordinary.
Prepare for your adventure with these essential tips and information for a smooth journey.
Yes. Visitors can drive in Iceland with a valid driver's license from their home country. If your license is not in Latin script, an international driving permit is recommended.
IcelandUnlimited.is is the official booking platform and trading name of Iceland Unlimited Holdings. We are a fully licensed and locally operated travel agency based in Reykjavík, Iceland. Specializing in incoming tourism, we offer tailor-made travel services and guided tours throughout Iceland and Greenland. Our office is located at Suðurlandsbraut 34, 108 Reykjavík, and we proudly work only with certified guides and trusted local partners.
All travel arrangements should be booked at least 48 hours in advance. For holiday packages and custom-made tours, we strongly recommend you book with a few weeks/months notice. For larger groups we recommend you book with a few months’ notice.
Yes, Iceland is one of the safest countries in the world with very low crime rates. However, nature can be unpredictable. Always follow weather alerts, road conditions, and safety advice when exploring outdoors.
The official language is Icelandic, but English is widely spoken, especially in the tourism industry. Most locals are fluent and happy to assist visitors in English.
