Reykjavik: Blue Ice Cave & Glacier Lagoon 2-Day Tour

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Free cancellationTravelers' pick

1/11

Duration2d

GroupUp to 19

LanguagesEN

PickupAt your hotel

Driving South from Reykjavik to Iceland's Glaciers & Ice Caves

You drive the South Coast in a heated minibus, stop at five major waterfalls and two glaciers, spend a night in a hotel with a private bathroom, then take a superjeep into Vatnajokull to explore the Blue Ice Cave before returning to Reykjavik. Breakfast, guide, transport, and all activity fees are included; you just need to arrange luggage storage and wear the right clothes for the cold and wet.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — South Coast Waterfalls & Black Beach

Depart from Reykjavík
Drive along Route 1 past Hveragerði
Pass through Selfoss town
Visit Seljalandsfoss waterfall
See hidden Gljufrabui waterfall
Learn about Eyjafjallajökull eruption
Visit Skógafoss waterfall
Explore Sólheimajökull Glacier
View Dyrhólaey sea arches
Visit Reynisfjara black sand beach
Overnight on South Coast

Day 2 — Glacier Lagoon & Blue Ice Cave

Stop in Vík Village
Visit Eldhraun Lava Field
See Hofskirkja turf church
Explore Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon
Walk at Diamond Beach
Blue Ice Cave expedition by superjeep
Return to Jökulsárlón
Drive back to Reykjavík with stop in Vík

The Experience

You're heading out of Reykjavik on Route 1 before dawn breaks, the minibus heated against the cold, and the first real stop comes at Seljalandsfoss—a 60-meter waterfall that drops straight off the Eyjafjallajökull volcano's flank. The thing about this waterfall is you can walk behind it, which most people do, and the mist hits you hard. Then it's on to Gljufrabui, the hidden waterfall tucked into a canyon that the guide knows about and most tourists miss. By midday you've passed through Selfoss and you're standing at Skógafoss, the one that was in Game of Thrones, and the south-facing angle means there's often a rainbow caught in the spray. You can climb to the top if you want the panoramic view, but most people just stand there and let it sink in.

The second day is when the Blue Ice Cave part happens. You leave early from your overnight accommodation on the South Coast and drive toward Vatnajokull National Park, stopping first at the Eldhraun Lava Field—a moss-covered expanse of ancient lava that looks like another planet—and then at Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon, where icebergs drift slowly across the water and you might see seals. The real moment comes when you transfer to a superjeep for the glacier itself. The ice caves are formed fresh each winter as meltwater refreezes deep inside the glacier, and the blue inside them is so vivid it doesn't look real until you're standing in it. Your guide leads you through, pointing out the formations that won't exist next year because glaciers keep moving and reshaping. After the caves, you walk across to Diamond Beach—black sand scattered with fragments of turquoise ice that the waves have polished smooth.

The whole thing is two days, which means you're not rushing through any single stop and you're sleeping on the South Coast instead of driving back to Reykjavik the same night. Breakfast is included both mornings. The minibus has WiFi, which sounds small but matters when you're out for 36 hours. Groups stay small, and your guide is local, so they know which waterfalls have the best light at which hour and which parts of the lagoon the seals favor. You'll need to pack warm, waterproof clothes and good hiking shoes—the terrain changes fast and the weather does too. Luggage is a constraint: only small carry-on fits on the bus, so you'll want to arrange storage in Reykjavik for anything you're not bringing with you.

What’s included

Your two days include hotel pickup and drop-off from Reykjavik, a professional guide, heated minibus with WiFi on board, breakfast both mornings, overnight accommodation with a private bathroom on the South Coast, guided access to the Blue Ice Cave via superjeep, entry to all attractions (Seljalandsfoss, Gljufrabui, Skógafoss, Sólheimajökull Glacier, Reynisfjara Beach, Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon, and Diamond Beach), and all tour activities. You arrange your own luggage storage in Reykjavik before departure.

Good to know

Moderate physical levelNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problems

Operated by Nicetravel ehf

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to see Iceland's major South Coast waterfalls, glaciers, and the Blue Ice Cave in one trip without arranging transport, accommodation, or timing yourself—the two-day structure and included overnight stay are what make all these stops possible without backtracking to Reykjavik each night.