Golden Circle, South Coast and Northern Lights: Winter Private Tour - 2 Day

You leave Reykjavík and head east, where the Golden Circle connects three of Iceland's most visited natural sites across a single continuous drive. In winter, the low light changes the experience at each stop: longer golden hours, harder shadows, and a quiet at the sites that disappears once the season turns.

First stop is Þingvellir National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You'll walk the rift valley between the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates, where the land is being pulled apart in real time. This is also where Iceland's original parliament, the Alþingi, first convened in 930 AD. The Öxarárfoss waterfall sits nearby, and in winter the valley has a stillness that's hard to find anywhere else in the country.

At Geysir, Strokkur erupts every five to ten minutes: a column of superheated water shooting out of a steaming pool surrounded by hot springs and steam vents. The Blesi double pool sits a short walk from the main area and is worth the detour for the colour contrast between its two basins.

Gullfoss closes out the Golden Circle. Two tiers drop into a canyon, and in winter the spray freezes on the canyon walls, building formations that change through the season. Your guide knows the best viewpoint at each stop.

From Gullfoss, you drive south to Hotel Umi, a south coast property between Hvolsvöllur and Vík. Its location away from town light pollution makes it one of the better spots on the coast for Northern Lights viewing. Your guide tracks the aurora forecast and cloud cover through the day and will advise on the best viewpoint available that evening, whether that's the hotel grounds or a short drive to darker skies. The aurora cannot be guaranteed, but the conditions here give it a genuine chance.

Optional activities (book through your Travel Consultant)

• Friðheimar Greenhouse Lunch: tomato farm restaurant on the Golden Circle route. Reservation required.

• Silfra Snorkelling at Þingvellir: snorkel the rift between the tectonic plates. Wetsuit provided.

• Snowmobile on Langjökull Glacier: a detour from the Golden Circle route onto Iceland's second largest glacier.

Suggested hotel

Hotel Umi or similar (Superior tier)

Day two starts east of your hotel and works back west to Reykjavík, covering six stops along one of Iceland's most varied stretches of coastline.

The centrepiece is the Katla Ice Cave, reached from Vík. A guide leads you into the volcanic cave system beneath Mýrdalsjökull, one of Iceland's largest glaciers, which sits above the Katla volcano. The cave walls layer volcanic ash and compressed glacier ice, and the formations shift every season as the glacier moves. Crampons and ice helmets are provided; the tour runs approximately 90 minutes to two hours inside the cave. The standard booking is a small group tour, but if you'd prefer to have the cave to yourselves, your Travel Consultant can arrange a private slot before you travel.

From Vík, your guide turns west. Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach comes first: jet black sand, hexagonal basalt columns rising from the cliff face, and the Reynisdrangar sea stacks offshore. The Atlantic swell here is unpredictable and powerful. Your guide will brief you on the safe distance from the waterline before you approach.

Dyrhólaey is a short drive west, a coastal promontory that juts into the sea with a natural rock arch and a lighthouse viewpoint. On a clear day the views back along the black sand coast toward Vík and Reynisfjara are some of the most dramatic on the south coast.

Skógafoss falls in a wide, unbroken sheet roughly 60 metres down. The base viewpoint is a flat 100-metre walk from the car park, and in winter ice builds on the rock face around the falls. The staircase to the top is steep; your guide will advise based on conditions.

Seljalandsfoss is the last stop before Reykjavík. A path runs behind the curtain of water when conditions allow: approximately 200 metres on flat to moderate terrain. Your guide will check whether the loop is open before you attempt it, as the path can ice over in winter. From Seljalandsfoss, your guide drives you back to Reykjavík and drops you at your accommodation.