Adventure · Iceland
Iceland Waterfalls & Glaciers
The Golden Circle, the south coast's waterfalls, a black-sand beach and a guided glacier walk, with a private driver-guide and a countryside lodge as your base.
- Duration
- 5 nights
- Guide price
- from $4,800 pp
- Best time
- Jun–Sep
From the East Coast, Iceland is a five- or six-hour overnight flight, so five nights is enough for the south coast. You spend three nights in one lodge, and a guide who knows the roads adjusts each day to the weather, which can change within the hour.
The itinerary
Day by day
Day 1
Straight to the Warm Water
Overnight flights from the U.S. land at Keflavík in the early morning. Your driver stops at a geothermal lagoon for a long soak on the way into Reykjavík, and the rest of the day is for sleep and dinner.
Day 2
The Golden Circle
Your guide drives you to Þingvellir, where you walk through the rift between two continental plates, then on to the geyser Strokkur, which erupts every few minutes, and the falls of Gullfoss. By evening you're at the lodge in the south.
Day 3
The South Coast
Walk behind the curtain of Seljalandsfoss, climb the stairs beside Skógafoss and stand on the black sand of Reynisfjara, well back from the waves, as your guide will insist. Lunch is in the village of Vík.
Day 4
On the Glacier
Strap on crampons for a walk on the ice of Sólheimajökull with a glacier guide; minimum ages apply. Spend the afternoon in a hot pool or on an Icelandic horse.
Day 5
Back to Reykjavík
Drive back to the city, then take a whale-watching boat out from the old harbor. Finish with a farewell dinner in Reykjavík.
Day 6
Home from Keflavík
Your driver takes you to Keflavík airport, about 45 minutes away, for your flight home.
Want it a little different?
Come between late September and March for a chance of the northern lights, add a night further east for the Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon, or self-drive to bring the cost down.