Enjoy an easy active guided South Iceland tour and get an introduction to this popular Iceland region. Tour the main highlights of the Golden Circle including Gulfoss and Thingvellir National Park. Hike in Skaftafell and along the black-sand beaches near Vik. Witness the massive Vatnajökull ice cap and its outlet glaciers, or opt to go on a glacier hike with crampons and ice axe! Visit the ancient craters from a fissure eruption on Laki Volcano. This introductory Iceland tour lets you experience the dramatic landscapes, volcanoes, glaciers, and waterfalls that have made South Iceland so popular. This Iceland trip is designed for those who are short on time, yet want to experience the main highlights of the country in an active way.
Highlights
Tour the popular Golden Circle route and see Gullfoss and Thingvellir
Enjoy short hikes in the dramatic South Iceland region and Skaftafell Park
See the stunning Vatnajökull ice cap and the icebergs of Jökulsárlón Lagoon
Visit the large craters from a fissure eruption on Laki Volcano
Moderately active but not overly strenuous. This level includes activities like casual cycling, yoga, or excursions/activities that typically last 3-5 hours total each day.
You are picked up in Reykjavik this morning to set out along the Golden Circle route to visit the Geysir geothermal area. Stop to see Strokkur geyser which spouts every 5 -10 minutes. Next travel on to Gullfoss Waterfall, one of the most visited and popular in Iceland. Here the water plunges 32 meters into a deep gorge along the Hvita River. Continue east towards a large agricultural area, passing by two glaciers, a sand desert, and a lava field en route. Arrive to your new hotel which will be your base for the next four nights.
Drive Time: 6 hours
Walking Time: 2-3 hours
Day 3: Svartifoss | Skaftafell Hike | Vatnajökull Glacier
Spend your first day in South Iceland touring Vatnajökull National Park, the largest in Europe consisting of multiple parks combined and covering the area of the Vatnajökull Ice cap. Travel to the southeast part of the park known as Skaftafell. This portion of the park consists of natural forests growing in between various glaciers which creates a stunning landscape for day hikes. Walk through birch forest to the unique Svartifoss Waterfall, framed in by black basalt columns which have been the inspiration for architecture in various towns in Iceland. Enjoy views of both the Vatnajökull glacier and the high peak of Hvannadalshnúkur. If you are feeling up to it, set out on an optional Svínafellsjökull glacier walk for 2-3 hours, complete with crampons and ice axes*. Discover the world of blue ice as you explore ridges and crevasses with an adventure guide. Return to your hotel this evening.
In 1783 a long fissure opened up and spewed out lava from 130 craters in what was the greatest eruption in Iceland since its settlement. The eruption devasted huge pasture fields, and clouds of poisonous gases killed livestock all over Iceland and led to a great famine on the island. Visit these craters today on Laki Volcano. Mostly covered now in green moss, they create a striking contrast with the black and red lava lying underneath. With good weather, climb to the top of Laki Mountain for a breathtaking view over all the craters and of Vatnajökull in the distance.
Travel further east today towards the Breiðamerkurjökull glacier, one of the many outlet glaciers atop Vatnajokull ice cap. Here the glacier meets the sea at Jökulsárlón lagoon where its calving chunks create a stunning backdrop of floating icebergs in the vast blue lake that has created the backdrop for many Hollywood films. Admire the stunning beauty of the area before returning in the afternoon. On the way, stop for a walk at the foot of the Öræfajökull glacier which offers views over the vast sand plains of the river Skeiðará and the site for a large flood created by an ice mass in 1996. Return to your hotel this evening.
Return to Reykjavik today, passing by various points of interest along the western route. Stop at the coastal village of Vík and take a walk on the black-sand beach. From here you can spot the pinnacles of Reynisdrangar just offshore, which are basalt sea stacks jutting out from the water. Stop next just north of Hveragerði to take a walk in the geothermal area of Reykjadalur. Take a relaxing bath in a natural warm stream before returning to Reykjavik.
Drive Time: 4 hours
Walking Time: 3-4 hours
Day 7: Return Home
1 Breakfast
Take a taxi back to the airport in time for your return flight home.
Apologies for the inconvenience. Prices for not yet published. Below per person rate based on previous season. Contact us to confirm upcoming season pricing.
Prices for are estimated based on inflation. Contact us to confirm pricing and availability for your desired departure date.
Notes
Select a Date
Rates based on Group Departures of 6-16 people.
Private Group Rates available starting at $4945 for group of 4.
Rates are based on the current exchange rate with the Iceland Krona and may fluctuate.
Initial deposit is 25%, and most travelers will call our office and pay the deposit with a credit card.
Final payment is due 70 days prior to departure by bank transfer, check, or credit card. Final payment by credit card may be subject to a surcharge and maximum $20,000 charge
This was my first experience with Adventure Life - and I couldn't have been more pleased with the trip. The guides and local staff in both Buenos Aires and Uruguay were terrific - extremely helpful and accommodating. I really enjoyed meeting the friendly staff in Buenos Aires in person (I left my bags with them for the afternoon).
Karen Snider
TrustScore 4.8 | 135 reviews
TrustScore 4.8 of 5
Based on 135 reviews on
8 hours ago
The agent had great response to questions and coordinated well to create an itinerary that met our expectations.
Bob Sunshine
1 day ago
Very responsive to all questions
Teresa Cardoso
2 days ago
Kelly and Rhenee were excellent to work with on planning our trip. The logistics all worked smoothly and everyone was friendly and on time. Our accommodations were very good, particularly the incredible Patagonia Camp in Torres del Paine! Our guides on every excursion were outstanding and made the hikes memorable! Overall we had a wonderful trip with incredible memories!
Scott Gibson
2 days ago
Adventure Life is definitely a first-class safari tour company, and our representative was Franny Friesz. First of all, she responded immediately after we contacted Adventure Life. We told Franny that we had never been on a safari, and she was more than eager to offer a mountain of information about the trip. She informed us fully about all the ups, downs, and all arounds! She even prepared a number of packages for us to review -- even after we made changes to the areas we wanted to explore. Friendly, helpful, professional, and extremely knowledgeable -- these words describe Franny, and what a wonderful trip she prepared! We couldn't have asked for better service than Franny of Adventure Life. We HIGHLY recommend her and her outstanding company! Bon Voyage!
Prima Burke
3 days ago
The staff at Adventure Life made planning my family's trip to the Galapagos Islands as easy as possible. They listened to what we were hoping to experience and made thoughtful suggestions about how to accomplish our vacation goals while meeting the needs of travelers ages 17-76! They patiently answered questions and follow up questions in the months leading up to the trip. They helped us trouble shoot and customize the trip in every way possible. The logistics involved in traveling from Boston to the Galapagos are innumerable. The Adventure Life staff helped us arrange every detail and the team they assembled in the Galapagos was tremendous. I have never done a trip this big before and after working with Adventure Life this time--would not hesitate one second in working with them again.