The South Coast of Iceland has many natural wonders and quaint villages to explore.
In 2024, this South Coast tour received the Tripadvisor Travelers’ Choice Best of the Best Award, based on customer reviews. It also earned the Viator Experience Award in 2024, 2023 and 2022, recognizing the world's top experiences chosen by travelers.
We depart from Reykjavík driving east up onto the Mid Atlantic Ridge, through rugged lava fields, past a geothermal power plant giving the area a mystic atmosphere filled with the 'sweet' smell of sulfur. We continue over a mountain pass to the lowland South Iceland area. We pass the steaming town of Hveragerdi (Hot spring garden) with its many greenhouses as the tour continues through the largest agricultural area of Iceland. Icelandic horses (not ponies !) are grazing in the many fields we pass and offer inviting photo opportunities.
Approaching the Eyjafjoll (Island mountains) we have views of the Westman Islands and the infamous Eyjafjallajokull volcano that erupted in 2010. The magnificent 60 m (200 ft) high waterfalls of Seljalandsfoss and Skogafoss cascade down the sides of Eyjafjoll and offer unique opportunities for getting up close and personal. But don't worry, we'll visit them on our way back to Reykjavik.
We get right down to business by heading through the south coast and drive straight to the magnificent Solheimajokull glacier, an outlet glacier from Myrdalsjokull, the fourth largest glacier in Iceland. We detour to the edge of the glacier and take a short walk to experience the unique formations of the landscape of ice, mountains and water.
Our next destination is the dramatic black sand beach Reynisfjara. Powerful waves have hammered the shore and basalt cliffs giving shape to some of the most famous natural wonders of the area. Cliffs with caves and the Reynisdrangar sea stacks are just off the shore. The long and stark black sand beach reachs to the 120 m (400 ft) high Dyraholaey promontory, the southernmost tip of Iceland. The cliffs in the area are home to a rich variety of birdlife, among other species you might see fulmar, guillemot, razorbill, gannet and various types of seagulls - during the summer you will also see a large puffin colony.
Our next destination is the small town of Vik where we will visit the local wool and gift shop. The village of Vik is the southernmost village in Iceland, surrounded by beautiful valleys, beaches, cliffs and mountains. It has about 300 inhabitants and is 192 km from Reykjavík.
Continuing east we drive along the picturesque cliffs of Eyjafjoll to the Skogarfoss waterfall. Now we have to opportunity to take a hike to the top of the waterfall to view its majestic power from above. The 25 m (80 ft) wide waterfall is one of the largest in Iceland and due to the amount of spray a rainbow can often be observed during sunny days.
Seljalandsfoss is one of few waterfalls that is actually possible to walk behind and view from the inside out. Falling in a majestic arch from the ancient sea cliffs it crashes down with intense power into a deep pool literally at our feet.
After a full day it is now time to return to Reykjavik, taking with us our beautiful images and memories from the south coast of Iceland, a place which you perhaps visit again one day.
