Iceland: 2-day South Coast road trip
I had been dreaming of travelling to Iceland for a while, and I will definitely be back for a longer trip to drive through the whole country and visit the full ring road. For this adventure, my goal was pretty simple, I wanted to be immersed in a winter landscape with snow, glaciers, and mountains for a long weekend. I was travelling solo, therefore even though I come from Canada and am used to bad driving conditions during the winter season, I didn’t feel comfortable doing a road trip by myself. There are plenty of benefits when you book an organised tour including the fact that you don’t have to plan anything, and it is usually (almost) all-inclusive.
After doing an exhaustive research of which tour I should book, and with which company, I opted for the:
2 DAY SOUTH COAST tour by Arctic Adventures
Cost: ISK 64,990 (€480 - $545 US)
Pick-up time: 9AM
Pick-up location: Reykjavík (your hotel or closest bus stop)
Duration: 2 days
Number of people: 15-20 max
South Coast Tour
with Arctic Adventures
Inside this Iceland 2-Day South Coast travel guide:
DAY 1
1. Seljalandsfoss Waterfall
Our first stop after we left Reykjavík was this stunning waterfall. During summer, it is possible to hike behind it which gives an amazing view, but most of winter it is closed because the mist from the waterfall freezes the whole path, which makes the access very dangerous. We got there before it started getting crowded which was nice.
2. SKÓGAFOSS WATERFALL
Second stop on the way to the glacier was that famous waterfall you might have seen many times on Instagram: Skógafoss. This waterfall is very impressive; it is one of the biggest in the country, and creates a lot of mist. In winter, all this spray freezes so beware as you get closer, it’s very slippery. You’ll likely see one or two rainbows somewhere near the waterfall which adds to the beauty of this place.
3. Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach
Next on the list was this gorgeous black sand beach just before we arrived to the little town of Vík. The strange rock formations that can be found in Reynisfjara inspired the architecture of Hallgrímskirkja church.
Warning: be careful when you get closer to the water as this beach is well-known for its “sneaker wave” phenomenon that can drag you into the water before you even realize it. Our tour guide recommended that we stay at least 10 meters away from the water at all times. If you don’t believe me, just do a quick YouTube search and you will see for yourself.
4. Vík
This super cute town is located right after the black sand beach. Its iconic little church offers a breathtaking view on the ocean and the other side of Reynisfjara. You will most likely stop there for a quick photo op, then head to the supermarket to buy some food for the road. There are two restaurants in that same building if you’d like to buy a full meal (you can take it to go). There is also a nice souvenir store where I bought a bunch of goodies including wool socks (wool clothes are very typical from Iceland, and all made locally).
5. Kirkjubæjarklaustur & Hof
Our first day ended by a 2-hour drive to the tiny village of Hof, located at the bottom of Iceland’s highest peak: Öræfajökull volcano (note: it is still active). On our way there, we stopped at Kirkjubæjarklaustur to snap some photos of the sunset over the large lava field. We also stopped a few other times to admire the view as the sky was changing colours. Once we arrived in Hof, we checked in at our hotel (Hof 1 Hotel) and got ready for dinner at their restaurant. Dinner is not included in the tour price, but it is well worth paying for it. We were told to try out their lamb burger, and it did not disappoint! They also have a few veggie and vegan options for those that don’t eat meat. After we were done eating, our tour guide showed us where to go to spot the Northern Lights, unfortunately they weren’t strong that night so I barely even saw them 😔 Nonetheless, I went for a little night stroll around the village to contemplate their fascinating church that has a grass roof, and had the chance to witness many shooting stars.
DAY 2
6. Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon
We agreed to leave Hof around 8:45am on our second day to try to head to the glacier lagoon before the crowd gets there. The lagoon is a 35-min drive from Hof, which means we arrived just in time for a magical purple sunrise! I did not expect much from this place, but OMG it was one of the most stunning things I’ve seen in my life. The melting waters of Vatnajökull glacier have created some sort of lagoon where icebergs float around. Once those pieces of ice become small enough, they are dragged into the ocean through a tiny canal… this is the result of global warming, which is pretty sad, but oh so beautiful. I felt very lucky to be there. I even got the chance to see a curious seal swimming around.
7. Vatnajökull Glacier & Ice Cave
Once we were done admiring the lagoon, we got ready for the highlight of our trip: an ice caving expedition. We had to change truck, and they landed us some crampons and a helmet. The next thing we knew, we were on our way to the glacier. Our truck was so massive that we had no problem driving on top of the ice and snow, what an experience! The ice caves can be found in many places of the glacier. They change every year depending on the weather conditions. Our guides were experts, and each year they go and explore the glacier to find new caves and test if they are safe or not.
8. Diamond Beach
Last but not least, the insta-famous Diamond Beach. You’ve probably seen it everywhere, but let me tell you that it looks completely different in real life. This place is incredibly stunning, and I recommend walking further away on the beach to avoid tourists. Most people won’t walk very far so if you make the effort, you’ll have the place to yourself. Diamond Beach is located just on the other side of the glacier lagoon, and those mini icebergs that get released into the ocean when they’re small enough end up getting pushed back to the closest shore, which happens to be a black sand beach. It creates this gorgeous site where each piece of ice actually looks like a giant diamond.
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