2-Day South Coast & Ice Cave Small Group Tour 

The southeastern corner of the country has some of the most stunning sights, including Iceland’s largest glacier and highest mountains, and of course, Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon, where massive icebergs float around this stunning lagoon and wash up on the black sand shores of Diamond Beach. You will also explore the depths of one of Iceland’s biggest and most impressive ice caves. The blues and textures of the ice will leave you in awe!

We get to witness the beauty and power of Seljalandsfoss and Skógarfoss waterfalls and the Black Sand Beach and basalt columns at Reynisfjara. You get up close and personal to the astonishingly beautiful ice formations of an outlet glacier of the enormous Vatnajökull Icecap, hiking across the glacier to get to the massive ice caves we will explore and photograph. The textures, light, and colors will leave you in awe. You will be mesmerized by the giant icebergs floating around the Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon. If you are lucky, you can spot some curious seals swimming around the lagoon and large crystals of ice from the same lagoon washed up on the nearby Diamond Beach, sparkling on the black sand. We will also visit the famous Fjaðrárgljúfur gorge. During the dark nights of winter, there’s a chance you’ll see the northern lights dancing across the sky from right outside of our accommodation. This tour includes accommodation and a delicious buffet breakfast at the comfortable Lilja Guesthouse (or Brunnhóll Country Guesthouse in December & January) with modern rooms and private bathrooms. You will rest easy, all ready for another day exploring this fantastic part of Iceland. The southeast of Iceland is one of our favorite areas. Book now to find out why!

Day 1

After leaving Reykjavik, we head straight for the impressive Seljalandsfoss waterfalls, which you can walk right behind for the ultimate view when not too icy. Next is the mighty Skógafoss waterfall – a sight you will not forget. From there, we will drive to the famous Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach with basalt columns and stop for lunch at the Black Beach Restaurant. Then, we will continue east to explore Fjaðrárgljúfur, where you can see the impressive forces of nature that have eroded this spectacular gorge. Further east, we will drive past the powerful Vatnajökull icecap, where Iceland’s highest mountains will dwarf us. We spend the night at the new and comfortable Lilja Guesthouse, resting for another action-packed day. All the rooms are recently finished with modern fittings and private bathrooms. Dinner from the kitchen at Lilja Guesthouse is always delicious, with the chefs taking advantage of the fresh, local Icelandic produce. With favorable conditions in winter, we will hunt for the magical northern lights. While Lilja Guesthouse is closed in December and January, we will stay at Brunnhóll Country Guesthouse, which is also ideally located and has wonderfully comfortable rooms and delicious local food at their restaurant.

Day 2

We start the day with a delicious buffet breakfast (included) before we go to one of our all-time favorite locations in Iceland, the Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon. We will be mesmerized by the giant icebergs floating around this incredible lagoon, and the washed-up icebergs glisten like crystals down at ‘Diamond Beach’. Then we meet up with our friends from the Local Guide of Vatnajökull, who take us to the real highlight of the trip, our ice cave adventure. Local Guide of Vatnajökull gets us to a remote part of the glacier in their amazing super jeeps to access one of the most stunning ice caves in the region. Other groups may also visit this ice cave, but we look to arrive early before most other groups arrive. From the jeeps, we hike for about 30-40 minutes across relatively easy terrain, with some great views of the enormous glacier ahead. The hike is spectacular and well worth it, getting us to see the most amazing blues and textures within the ice caves. This is always a highlight of any trip to Iceland. On our way back to Reykjavík, further stops will be made for dinner before arriving back in Reykjavik around 8 PM.

Ice Cave & Glacier Hike Tours 

All ice cave and glacier tours are completely dependent on weather. Sometimes, ice cave tours must be canceled at short notice due to strong winds or warm, wet weather, which can force the ice caves to fill with water. If we cannot visit the planned ice cave due to conditions, we will attempt to see another if conditions there are better. If ice caves are unavailable, we will try to go on a glacier hike if weather conditions allow that. Yours and our safety is our top priority, so we will only go on a glacier hike or ice cave tour if conditions allow us to do so safely.

What do I need to bring?

As with all our trips, bring waterproof jackets and pants for the unpredictable Icelandic weather. You must also have strong, waterproof hiking boots above your ankle to wear the crampons (spikes) required on the glacier. Hiking boots, waterproof jackets, and pants are available for hire (free of charge) but must be reserved before the tour to confirm availability. Make sure to order in the booking process or contact us directly.