South Coast and DC-3 Plane Wreck Tour

After pickup in Reykjavík, the first stop is about 90 minutes east in Hvolsvöllur, at the LAVA Centre. This is a comfort stop rather than an exhibition visit, so entry to the museum isn’t included. There will be time for restrooms and to pick up food or drinks for the road, as meals aren’t included on the tour.

The location fits the landscape around it. Five active volcanic systems surround the town, including Hekla, Katla, and Eyjafjallajökull.

From there, the tour continues to Skógafoss, one of South Iceland’s major waterfalls. It drops 60 meters (197 feet) from a former sea cliff and stretches about 25 meters (82 feet) wide. A staircase beside the waterfall leads up to a viewing platform near the top, giving a different angle on the falls and the surrounding coastline.

Keep an eye on the rock faces around Skógafoss, where fulmars can often be seen nesting. These birds are protected in Iceland and listed as endangered on the European Red List, so visitors should keep a safe distance from the cliff edges.

Reynisfjara is planned as the lunch stop, giving more time at the beach than many South Coast itineraries allow. Lunch isn’t included, so bring food or buy what you need earlier in the day.

The beach is made of black volcanic sand, shaped by the Atlantic surf. At the western end of the beach, the Garðar cliff shows a wall of columnar basalt, formed as cooling lava cracked into rough hexagonal columns. Offshore, the Reynisdrangar sea stacks rise out of the water. Icelandic folklore says they were trolls caught by the sunrise while trying to drag a ship ashore.

Reynisfjara is beautiful, but it’s also one of the most dangerous beaches in Iceland. Sneaker waves can run much farther up the shore than the waves before them, and the steep beach creates a strong undertow. Never turn your back on the sea, stay well behind the warning signs, and follow the guide’s instructions at all times.

After Reynisfjara, the route turns back west toward Sólheimasandur, a black outwash plain shaped by glacial floodwater from Mýrdalsjökull. The landscape is open, exposed, and almost completely without shelter, which is part of what makes the DC-3 wreck feel so remote.

A US Navy DC-3 came down on the Sólheimasandur sand in November 1973. Everyone on board survived, and the fuselage was left on the plain, where it has since become one of the South Coast’s most recognizable photo stops.

The tour includes the shuttle to the wreck site, so there’s no need to walk the 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) each way from the road. Without the shuttle, the return walk would be about 8 kilometers (5 miles) across loose black sand. Windproof layers are strongly recommended, even in summer, because the plain is fully exposed to wind from the sea.

In Vík, the tour stops at the church on the hill above the village. The short climb gives a wide view over the rooftops, the black coastline, and the Reynisdrangar sea stacks from above.

A few kilometers west of Vík, Dyrhólaey rises above the coast with cliffs, a natural sea arch, and a lighthouse on top. The headland is a nature reserve managed by the Environment Agency of Iceland, and puffins nest along the cliffs in summer.

Access to Dyrhólaey can be restricted between May 1 and June 25 to protect nesting birds. Restrictions are decided year by year based on an ornithologist’s assessment, so the guide will confirm which viewpoints are open on the day. Kirkjufjara beach below Dyrhólaey is closed year-round after a series of rockfalls.

Sólheimajökull is an outlet glacier that flows south from the Mýrdalsjökull ice cap. This tour stops at a viewpoint only. It doesn’t include a glacier hike, and guests don’t walk on the ice. The stop gives views over the glacier tongue and the meltwater lagoon at its edge.

Seljalandsfoss is the final stop before the drive back to Reykjavík. This waterfall is known for the path that leads behind the falling water, although that path usually closes in winter when ice makes it unsafe. Whether visitors can walk behind the waterfall depends on the conditions on the day.

Pickup starts at 8:00 AM from the selected collection point in Reykjavík, with drop-off at the same place in the evening. Pickup can take up to 30 minutes, so guests should be ready from the start of the selected pickup time.

The tour lasts about 13 to 13.5 hours, so return to Reykjavík is expected in the late evening.

• The total duration is about 13 to 13.5 hours.
• Lunch and food aren’t included. Pick up food during the Hvolsvöllur stop, as food options later in the day are limited.
• The shuttle to the Sólheimasandur DC-3 plane wreck is included.
• This tour visits the Sólheimajökull viewpoint only. Glacier hiking and ice walking aren’t included.
• Access to Dyrhólaey may be restricted between May 1 and June 25 to protect nesting birds. The guide will confirm access on the day.
• Reynisfjara has powerful and unpredictable waves. Stay behind the warning signs and follow the guide’s instructions.
• Waterproof and windproof clothing is essential. Warm layers and sturdy footwear are strongly recommended.
• Warm clothing and boots can be rented during booking.