South Coast Private Day Tour: 5 Waterfalls & Glaciers from Reykjavik
Five waterfalls, two black sand beaches, and a glacier tongue in one private route
A full-day private tour from Reykjavik along Iceland's South Coast takes you to five named waterfalls (Seljalandsfoss, Glufrabui, Skógafoss), the black sand beaches at Reynisfjara and Dyrholaey, and the Sólheimajökull glacier. Your driver-guide speaks English and picks you up from your hotel. The route covers farmland, glaciers, cliffs and Atlantic coastline in about 10 hours. The glacier hike is optional and arranged separately if you want it.
Step-by-step itinerary
Explore South Coast waterfalls and beaches
- Visit Seljalandsfoss waterfall
- Walk to Glufrabui waterfall gorge
- See Skogafoss waterfall and climb observation deck
- Lunch near Skogafoss at Bistro Bar
- View Dyrholaey rock formation and lighthouse
- Explore Reynisfjara black sand beach
- Walk trail to Solheimajokull glacier
- Seljalandsfoss Entry included 30m
- Gljufrabui Waterfalls 30m
- Skógafoss 1h
- Dyrholaey 30m
- Reynisfjara Beach 40m
- Sólheimajökull Glacier 1h
What’s included
- Hotel pickup and drop-off in Reykjavik.
- private van for your group.
- English-speaking driver-guide for the full 10 hours.
- stops at Seljalandsfoss, Glufrabui, Skógafoss, Dyrholaey, Reynisfjara, and Sólheimajökull glacier.
- Every day 08:30 09:00
Information
Full-day private tour of Iceland's South Coast from Reykjavik with hotel pickup, English-speaking driver-guide, and stops at Seljalandsfoss, Skógafoss.
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The experience
The day starts with hotel pickup in Reykjavik and heads east along the South Coast. Seljalandsfoss is the first stop: a 63-meter waterfall fed by Eyjafjallajökull glacier meltwater, with a hidden trail that lets you walk behind the falls and see it from all angles. Just 560 meters away, Glufrabui sits in a gorge, a 40-meter waterfall you reach by following the cliff path down to the canyon floor. Both stops sit within the first stretch of the route, so the morning builds around water and stone.
Skógafoss comes next, one of Iceland's largest waterfalls at 60 meters high and 25 meters wide. The spray is heavy enough that sunny days often throw a rainbow across the falls. You can walk to the base or climb the stairs to the observation deck above it. The nearby Bistro Bar restaurant is a natural lunch stop before the afternoon leg. From there, the route turns toward the coast and the black sand beaches. Dyrholaey is a headland with a working lighthouse 120 meters above the ocean, offering views of the Atlantic, black sand, and the glaciers covering the Katla and Eyjafjallajökull volcanoes. Reynisfjara, the most famous black sand beach on the South Coast, follows: vertical basalt columns, powerful waves, and the Reynisdrangar rocks offshore make it a distinct stop from anywhere else on the route.
The final major site is Sólheimajökull glacier, the tongue of Myrdalsjökull, Iceland's fourth-largest glacier. A trail from the parking lot leads to the ice itself, where you can walk close enough to touch thousand-year-old formations and feel the cold radiating from crevasses and ridges. If you want to hike onto the glacier itself, that can be arranged separately at your request and is not part of the standard tour. The drive back to Reykjavik closes the day.
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 is Seljalandsfoss and why can you walk behind it?
Seljalandsfoss is a 63-meter waterfall fed by meltwater from Eyjafjallajökull glacier. A hidden trail runs behind the falls, so you can stand in the spray and see the waterfall from all directions instead of just from the front.
Can I walk on Sólheimajökull glacier during this tour?
The standard tour includes a walk to the glacier from the parking lot, where you can touch the ice and see crevasses and ridges up close. A full glacier hike onto the ice itself is optional and can be arranged separately at your request.
How long does the full South Coast tour take from Reykjavik?
The tour runs about 10 hours total, including hotel pickup and drop-off in Reykjavik, all five waterfall stops, both black sand beaches, and the glacier viewpoint.
Does the tour include lunch?
Lunch is not included in the tour price. A restaurant stop near Skógafoss waterfall is built into the route, so you have time to eat at the nearby Bistro Bar or bring your own food.
What are Reynisfjara's basalt columns and why are they there?
Reynisfjara is a black sand beach with vertical basalt columns rising from the sand and the Reynisdrangar rocks visible offshore. The columns form from ancient lava flows that cooled and fractured into these distinctive hexagonal shapes, making the beach one of the most visually striking on Iceland's South Coast.
Is this tour private or shared with other travelers?
This is a private tour for your group only. Your driver-guide picks you up from your hotel in Reykjavik and follows the South Coast route at your group's pace, with no other passengers joining the van.
Operated by Top Iceland Tours. Explorevia does not run this tour: we compare it with similar options, and you book it with our booking partner.
Prices and times updated 2 days ago
South Coast Private Day Tour: 5 Waterfalls & Glaciers from Reykjavik
10h · EN · at your hotel
from US$ 750 per person
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