Frequently Asked Questions

Important Information – 4-Day Snæfellsnes, South Coast & Ice Cave Tour

Tour Details

• Duration: 4 days / 3 nights
• Difficulty: Easy
• Minimum age: 6 years
• Group size: Small group, up to 18 participants
• Departure: Reykjavik
• Pickup is available from selected locations in Reykjavik
• Pickup can take up to 30 minutes

Accommodation

The tour includes 3 nights of accommodation in rooms with private bathrooms.

Accommodation locations may vary depending on availability and operational conditions. Therefore, the exact hotels can differ from those shown in the sample itinerary.

Breakfast is included each morning during the tour.

What to Bring

Icelandic weather can change quickly, so come prepared for different conditions.

• Warm outdoor clothing
• Waterproof jacket and pants
• Warm hat and gloves
• Good hiking shoes
• Comfortable layers
• Small overnight bag or luggage suitable for a multi-day tour

Meals

Breakfast is included during your stay. However, lunch and dinner are not included.

There will be opportunities to purchase food during the journey. We also recommend bringing snacks and a reusable water bottle.

Natural Ice Cave

A guided natural ice cave experience is included.

Iceland’s ice caves constantly change with the glaciers. Therefore, the exact cave and location depend on the season, weather and current glacier conditions.

For safety reasons, the operator may change or adjust the ice cave experience when necessary.

Northern Lights

During the Northern Lights season from October to April, your guide will look for opportunities to see the Aurora Borealis when conditions are favourable.

However, Northern Lights sightings depend on weather, cloud cover and solar activity. Sightings cannot be guaranteed.

Optional Vatnshellir Lava Cave

A visit to Vatnshellir Lava Cave on the Snæfellsnes Peninsula may be available as an optional extra.

If you would like to add this experience, select the option during booking when available.

Not Included

• Lunch and dinner
• Personal expenses
• Optional activities unless selected when booking
• Vatnshellir Lava Cave admission unless added to your booking

Important to Know

The itinerary may change because of weather, road conditions or other circumstances. Arctic Adventures reserves the right to adjust the itinerary or timetable when necessary for safety and operational reasons.

Cancellation Policy

Cancellation conditions apply according to the terms shown during booking.

Day 1 – West Iceland, Hot Springs & Waterfalls

Your 4-day Iceland tour from Reykjavik begins with morning pickup from your selected meeting point. From the capital, travel north towards the beautiful Borgarfjörður region in West Iceland.

Your first highlights include Deildartunguhver, one of Europe’s most powerful hot springs. Here, you can experience Iceland’s geothermal energy in action.

Next, visit a local Icelandic horse farm. Meet the famous Icelandic horses and learn how geothermal energy plays a role in everyday farm life.

Continue to Reykholt, a historic village closely connected to medieval writer and politician Snorri Sturluson.

The journey then takes you to Hraunfossar and Barnafoss waterfalls. At Hraunfossar, clear glacial water emerges through layers of lava before flowing into the Hvítá River. Nearby, the powerful Barnafoss rushes through a narrow rocky channel.

In the evening, settle into your countryside accommodation on the Snæfellsnes Peninsula.

Between October and April, your guide will also watch for favourable Northern Lights conditions. If the skies cooperate, you may have your first chance to see the Aurora Borealis.

Day 1 highlights: Deildartunguhver • Icelandic horse farm • Reykholt • Hraunfossar • Barnafoss • Snæfellsnes Peninsula

Day 2 – Snæfellsnes Peninsula & Kirkjufell

After breakfast, spend the day exploring the spectacular Snæfellsnes Peninsula. Often called Iceland in Miniature, this region brings together volcanoes, glaciers, lava fields, rugged coastline and black beaches.

Visit Djúpalónssandur, a dramatic black pebble beach surrounded by volcanic formations. Remains of a shipwreck can still be seen along the shore, while historic lifting stones offer a glimpse into the lives of Icelandic fishermen.

Next, continue to Kirkjufell, one of Iceland’s most photographed mountains. Together with nearby Kirkjufellsfoss waterfall, it creates one of the most recognizable landscapes in West Iceland.

You will also explore the coastline around Arnarstapi and Snæfellsnes National Park, beneath the impressive Snæfellsjökull glacier and volcano.

For an additional adventure, you can add a guided visit to Vatnshellir Lava Cave. This optional experience takes you underground into an ancient lava tube formed thousands of years ago.

Later, return towards the Reykjavík area for your second night. During the Northern Lights season, your guide will once again keep watch for favourable aurora conditions.

Day 2 highlights: Djúpalónssandur • Kirkjufell • Arnarstapi • Snæfellsnes National Park • Vatnshellir Lava Cave optional

Day 3 – Waterfalls & Black Beaches of the South Coast

After breakfast, your journey continues along Iceland’s famous South Coast.

First, visit Seljalandsfoss Waterfall, which drops around 60 metres from the cliffs above. When conditions allow, a path leads behind the waterfall for a unique view through the falling water.

Next is powerful Skógafoss, another of South Iceland’s most famous waterfalls. You can admire it from below or climb the staircase beside the falls for panoramic views across the surrounding landscape.

Continue east to Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach. Here, dramatic basalt columns, black volcanic sand and the Reynisdrangar sea stacks create one of Iceland’s most distinctive coastal landscapes.

You will also pass through Vík, Iceland’s southernmost village, before continuing towards your accommodation in Southeast Iceland.

From October to April, there may be another opportunity to search for the Northern Lights after dark if weather and aurora conditions are favourable.

Day 3 highlights: Seljalandsfoss • Skógafoss • Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach • Vík • South Coast

Day 4 – Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon, Diamond Beach & Ice Cave

Your final day brings some of the biggest highlights of the entire journey.

Visit the spectacular Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon, where icebergs break away from the glacier and drift slowly across the lagoon towards the Atlantic Ocean.

Just across the road lies Diamond Beach. Here, pieces of glacial ice wash onto the black volcanic sand and create an ever-changing landscape.

Then, prepare for one of the tour’s most memorable adventures: exploring a natural ice cave in Iceland with a certified glacier guide.

Ice caves constantly change as glaciers move, melt and refreeze. Therefore, the exact cave visited depends on the season and current conditions. When possible, the tour visits a natural cave in Vatnajökull glacier. If conditions do not allow this, another suitable ice cave, such as the Katla Ice Cave, may be selected instead.

Before returning to Reykjavik, make a final stop in Skaftafell Nature Reserve within Vatnajökull National Park. The area is surrounded by dramatic mountains and glacier landscapes.

During the winter season, keep an eye on the sky for another possible Northern Lights display on the journey west.

Arrival back in Reykjavik is expected between approximately 21:00 and 23:00, depending on weather and road conditions.