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The drive along the south coast of Iceland is one of the country’s most scenic regions where you can see a Glacier, Black Sand Beach, Glacier Lagoon, Canyon, waterfalls and more. We will take you to all the major sights along the way and others less traveled.
Day 1:
The drive along the south coast of Iceland is one of the country’s most scenic regions. In this tour we will drive as far as the Glacier Lagoon.
This tour starts with a pick up from your accommodation in Reykjavik and then we will begin the drive of the day. We start by visiting the Lava Center museum where you can examine the various volcanic, eruptions and lava flows, volcanic and rift systems, faults and glacial floods that make Iceland a showcase of volcanism. A great way to start the day since we will be driving at much of the area that is explored at the Lava Center.
Along the way we stop at the majestic and much-photographed Skógafoss waterfall, with its 60 m (196 ft.) drop. Next up is the oversight of the stunning Solheimajokull glacier before heading to Dyrholaey Arch and Kirkjufjara (these sights can be closed in the winter). After those sights we head for lunch in Vik before heading towards the Glacier Lagoon.
Jökulsárlón (Glacier Lagoon) measures about 7 square miles (20 km2) and until 1932 was covered in thick glacial ice. Then the glacier started to retreat, and nowadays more than 300 feet (100 m) of ice breaks away each year to reshape the lagoon and fill it with spectacular icebergs. The lagoon is open to the sea and so contains a mixture of salt and freshwater, giving it a unique blue-green colour.
On the other side of the road you can find an Ice Beach often called the Diamond Beach where icebergs from the Glacier Lagoon wash up to shore and become diamond like.
The Diamond Beach is a strip of black sand belonging to the greater Breiðamerkursandur glacial plain, located by Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon on the South Coast of Iceland. At the Diamond Beach, the icebergs which fill Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon wash up on shore, standing dazzling and defiant in stark contrast to the black sand beach. It is, therefore, a favourite amongst photographers, nature-lovers, and wildlife-enthusiasts. Many seals call this beach home, and therefore this is one of the best places in the country to see seals from the shore.
After exploring the Glacier Lagoon and Diamond Beach we head to the hotel for the night.
Day 2:
Today we continue and drive back the South Shore and enjoy the sights on the way that we did not get the chance to visit on day 1.
If you are in the mood for a nice walk we will start by walking up to Svartifoss Waterfall at Skaftafell National Park (needs decent physical shape to walk uphill). After the walk we head to Fjaðrárgljúfur canyon and other extra stops along the way. After lunch we than take our time to enjoy the Reynisfjara Black Beach before heading back to Reykjavik, but we can not skip the gorgeous 60m (196 ft.) high Seljalandsfoss waterfall, which is unique since you can walk behind it and through to the other side (walking behind is not accessible in winter).
Note that the Itinerary can vary between summer and winter depending on accessibility to sights.
