Southcoast Waterfall & Gletsjer Tour

Skógafoss waterfall is a 60m high waterfall where the Skógá river ends above what were once sea cliffs. The shoreline has receded here, leaving behind this beautiful vertical waterfall. The intensity and power creates a permanent mist or spray around the area, which on a sunny day can often result in rainbows around the falls.

Skógafoss is actually the last in a series of waterfalls that wind their way down from the highlands. If you take up the challenge and climb the steep 527 steps to the top viewing platform, you will not only be rewarded with a bird’s-eye view, but you can also follow a trail up the mountain past numerous smaller waterfalls. This is actually the starting point of the Fimmvörðuháls trail, a 22 km long route to the highland area, Thorsmörk. From there, many hikers continue on the Laugavegur trail all the way to Landmannalaugar. In a sense, Skógafoss is the gateway to the Icelandic highlands.

One of Iceland’s most visited and beloved attractions, the landscape here has an otherworldly, elemental quality. The competing forces of lava and the sea have worked together to create a basalt cliff, a large domed cave, and of course the famous black sand itself. Steaming lava from an eruption of the nearby Katla volcano once met the sea here, and the force of the sea eroded and broke down the lava into the black sand we see today.

The sea can be rough here, so follow your guide's instructions and avoid the loudspeaker waves which can be extremely dangerous.

Named in National Geographic’s Top Ten list of the world’s most beautiful non-tropical beaches.

Vík is a small village located the southernmost point on the Icelandic mainland. With views of the Reynisdranger basalt columns to the south, a black beach and a great panoramic view from the church on the hill, this is a charming little enclave.

Vík lies directly south of the Katla volcano, a sleeping giant beneath the Mýrdalsjökull glacier. An eruption here would most likely flood the city with meltwater from the glacier, a threat the city takes very seriously with frequent evacuation drills.

The lunch stop will be held here.

The next stop is the Sólheimajökull glacier. This is a so-called glacier tongue that radiates from the larger Mýrdalsjökull. The parking lot used to be next to the glacier itself. The parking lot has not been moved, but the glacier itself has unfortunately retreated considerably over the past two decades, so much so that the walk to the ice from the parking lot now takes about 15 minutes.

The path to the edge of the glacier is over uneven terrain, but not particularly hilly and therefore suitable for most people. We pass a large glacier lagoon formed by meltwater from the glacier. Large parts of the glacier have broken off into the lagoon, a process known as glacier calving. Your guide will discuss the science behind glaciers, their role in shaping the landscape and their future in the face of climate change. The glacier is retreating more and more each year and its future is tragically very uncertain.

The last stop of the day is Seljalandsfoss waterfall, a truly memorable experience. This elegant waterfall is 60m high, just like Skógafoss, but much less powerful. It is fed by the Seljalandsá river that rises beneath the Ejyafjallajökull glacier, another example of how different forces come together to shape the landscape and features of the Icelandic countryside. Famously, there is a hiking trail behind the falls, offering a unique, albeit wet, perspective!

Seljalandsfoss also marks the entrance to the Thorsmörk Nature Reserve, located along a rocky road north of the waterfall. Close to Seljalandfoss is Gljúfrabúi, a hidden waterfall and a favorite of photographers.

You will be dropped off at the place where you were picked up that morning. This concludes a day full of impressions and experiences that have introduced you to the real Iceland.