3-Day South Coast & Golden Circle Tour: Glacier hike and ice cave

Walk on a glacier and inside an ice cave on the same tour: most other three-day trips don't offer both.

A 3-day tour of Iceland's South Coast and Golden Circle that includes a glacier hike on Vatnajökull, a guided visit to Katla ice cave, and a boat ride among icebergs at Jökulsárlón. Pickup from Reykjavik, two nights in 3-star hotels, English-speaking guide, and all glacier safety equipment are included. Minimum age is 13.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Golden Circle

• Visit Thingvellir National Park
• See Gullfoss waterfall
• Explore Great Geysir area

Day 2: South Coast

• Pick up in Reykjavík and travel south
• Visit Seljalandsfoss waterfall
• Visit Skógafoss waterfall
• Hike on Skaftafell glacier

Day 3: South East Iceland

• Visit Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon and boat ride
• Visit Reynisfjara black sand beach
• Explore Katla Ice Cave

The experience

You get picked up in Reykjavik in a small minibus and head straight south to Seljalandsfoss, where you can hike behind the waterfall if you bring a raincoat: the trembling ground and the roar of water falling 60 meters make the moment stick. The route continues to Skógafoss, another major waterfall tucked in a gorge, and then to Skaftafell National Park, where you meet a trained glacier guide, strap on helmets, harnesses, crampons and ice axes, and spend an hour and a half walking on Vatnajökull, Europe's largest glacier. The ice itself is the thing: you are standing on it, feeling how it moves, seeing the crevasses and the scale of it.

Day two takes you to Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon, a 200-meter-deep basin fed by an outlet glacier where enormous icebergs float south year-round. You walk alongside the lagoon in the silence of the landscape, then board a boat to drift among the ice. The third day brings you to Katla ice cave beneath Mýrdalsjökull glacier. A guide meets you in Vík and takes you into the shimmering blue formations inside the ice itself. Before heading back to Reykjavik, you stop at Reynisfjara, a black sand beach where basalt columns rise from the cliffs and puffins nest in the summertime from June to August.

The Golden Circle stops: Thingvellir National Park, where Iceland's parliament was founded in 930 a.d. and where two tectonic plates are visibly moving apart; Gullfoss, the waterfall fed by meltwater from Langjökull glacier; and the Geysir geothermal area where Strokkur erupts every five minutes up to 40 meters. Are woven into the first day. Wi-Fi and Icelandic music play on board. You stay two nights in 3-star hotels, one in South Iceland and one in the Southeast.

What’s included

• Pickup and drop-off from designated bus stops in Reykjavik.
• two nights' accommodation in 3-star hotels.
• glacier hike with all safety equipment (helmets, harnesses, crampons, ice axes).
• Katla ice cave guided visit.
• Wi-Fi and Icelandic music on the minibus.
• English-speaking guide throughout.

Before you book

Days and timesNext departure: 3 May 2027

Book up toStart time

AgesAdult (13 and older) · Under 13: can't be booked

GroupUp to 18

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Paid on siteUS$ 56

Prices and times updated 11 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortPublic transport nearby

Operated by Troll Expeditions

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you want to walk on a glacier and explore an ice cave in one trip: most three-day South Coast tours offer one or the other, not both. The fixed itinerary and included guide mean you don't arrange the glacier logistics or the ice cave access yourself. The minibus picks you up and the timing holds the whole route together across three days.

Traveler reviews

4.91★★★★★★★★★★

153 verified traveler reviews

5 ★146

4 ★2

3 ★4

2 ★0

1 ★1

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What's the difference between the glacier hike and the ice cave visit on this tour?

The glacier hike takes place at Skaftafell in Vatnajökull, where you walk on the ice surface for an hour and a half with full safety equipment. The Katla ice cave is a separate experience on day three. You explore the interior of the ice beneath Mýrdalsjökull glacier with a specialized guide, seeing the blue formations and caverns inside.

Do I need my own hiking boots and waterproof gear, or can I rent them?

You can rent waterproof jackets, pants, hiking boots and other gear on-site for a fee (boots are 3,000 ISK, jacket and pants each 1,750 ISK). The tour includes all glacier safety equipment (helmets, harnesses, crampons and ice axes), but weather gear is separate.

What happens at Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon?

Jökulsárlón is a glacial lagoon filled with icebergs that calve from Breiðamerkurjökull glacier year-round. You walk alongside the lagoon to see the icebergs and the views, then board a boat to drift among the ice on the water itself.

Is there a boat ride included in the price, or do I pay extra for Jökulsárlón?

The boat ride at Jökulsárlón is not included in the tour price and is paid separately at the time of your visit.

What's the minimum age for this tour?

The minimum age is 13 years old.

Does the tour include meals?

Lunch and dinner are not included. Accommodation for two nights and breakfast are covered, but you'll arrange your own meals during the three days.