2 Day Winter Package | Blue Ice Cave, South Coast, Skaftafell & Northern Lights

 

ABOUT TOUR

Join us on a comfy and exciting tour of the south coast of the land of ice and fire. Led by an experienced guide and left in small groups of people, this 2-day long trip will explore almost all prominent places on the south coast. So, pack a day pack that lasts for at least 2 days if not more, put on your warm cozy jackets, get the groove on and get ready for this unforgettable adventure that will take you to some of the most beautiful places that you will get to see not only during your travels in Iceland but also in life, in general. Trust us when we say that the south coast has it all because it does and we will take our sweet time in admiring all the beauty that South Iceland is.

ITINERARY:

However only a two-day long, the tour will explore several sights so make sure that you are sharp, active, and ready to roll. Following is the detailed description of the 2-day tour of the south coast that will take you all the way to Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon, the Diamond Beach and Skaftafell National Park along with a Northern Lights Hunting experience. 

DAY 1

 The first day of the tour will start at the capital city of Reykjavik where you will meet your tour guide and the group that you will travel with. The guide will meet you at the designated pick up point and you, along with your tour group, will board a minibus to head to the southern part of the country.

SELJALANDSFOSS WATERFALL

The first stop after leaving the capital city will be the amazingly beautiful Seljalandsfoss waterfall which is known for its beautiful aesthetics. Seljalandsfoss is known for its unique walk-in cave that hides behind the cascading waters of the waterfall. Carry some shell waterproof clothing for the trip and you will be able to hike to the back of the waterfall and experience a whole new paradigm in the world of waterfall watching. Being able to spot the glorious, gleaming sun from behind the water simply means that you will be able to check another thing on your list. Imagine standing on a natural rocky surface, water droplets splashing on your face from the beautiful cascade in front of you which creates a contrast with the lush green landscape and the bright blue skyline.

SKÓGAFOSS WATERFALL

Located a little more towards the east on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean is the next spot of your tour, Skógafoss waterfall. It is a fair chance that you will approach the waterfall from the bottom i.e., the gorge. So, it is a happy coincidence that the waterfall has a beautifully aligned staircase on the side that leads to the top of the falls. You can hike the stairs and climb up to get a different and equally beautiful view but from a different angle. Skógafoss slaps on a brand-new look in the winter season with white fluffy snow covering the moss brown rocks around the waterfall and the black sand of gorge covered with a white blanket of snow.

GLACIER HIKE IN SKAFTAFELL IN VATNAJÖKULL NATIONAL PARK

Hiking the largest glacier in Europe is the next thing on the list of activities and destinations that we cover on day one. Your hike will take place in the Skaftafell Nature Reserve. You will meet your hiking guide and instructor at the foot of the glacier where you will be briefed about the safety measures and other instructions that you need to follow when hiking the glacier. Skaftafell has been a top spot for filming many Hollywood movies like Interstellar, Game of Thrones, James Bond, etc. Remember that beautiful planet covered in an exceptional amount of snow crawling with black veins that the search party discovered? You guessed it right, it is Svínafellsjokull glacier in Skaftafell. Svínafellsjökull is a glacier tongue from the famous Vatnajokull glacier. The visuals here are undeniably beautiful and unique. The black lava veins on the ice are made with leftover lava ashes and give a new look to the glacier. So, your hike will begin when you are done with the briefing and strapping on the hiking equipment such as crampons, helmets, ice axes, and harnesses.

BLUE ICE CAVE

The hike in Skaftafell will continue till you and your hiking party reach the blue ice cave of the glacier. The interesting thing about ice caves is that they breakdown, melt, flow away, and get built again every season. So, no matter how many beautiful pictures you may have seen or had even visited the cave before, you will always find something new and different about the cave. It is recommended to wear sturdy hiking boots that cover your ankles properly. Your tour guide will guide you through the trip and keep you updated about the new and exciting facts about the ice cave.

NORTHERN LIGHTS HUNT

After finishing up the hike and the visit to the ice cave, you will head to your accommodation – a hotel in the southeast part of the country. You will relax for a while, have dinner, and meet with your guide once again when it is dark out there. Your guide will examine the weather conditions out there and check for the sky to be clear enough in order to spot the northern lights. If the weather allows, you guys will head out to find a good spot to catch the Aurora and even get some good pictures of the lights with beautiful background.

Don’t forget to bring your camera to capture the beautiful northern lights dance above the skies. Here you can find a guide to photograph the northern lights in Iceland. 

DAY 2 – VISITING THE TOP ATTRACTIONS OF THE SOUTH

The second day will be focused on covering some of the top tourist destinations of the country which incidentally include places like Diamond Beach, Jökulsárlón Glacial Lagoon, and the Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach of the south coast. Let’s breakdown the schedule for the second day of your two-day trip.

JÖKULSÁRLÓN GLACIAL LAGOON

The deepest lake of Iceland, also known as the crown jewel of the country, Jökulsárlón glacial lagoon is a must-visit destination for every single tourist that comes to Iceland. Jökulsárlón glacial lagoon is made from the water that melts from a glacial tongue of the Vatnajökull glacier, named Breiðamerkurjökull. Along with water, icebergs break from the glacier and float on the calm waters of the lagoon. The bright shining waters of the lagoon reflect the clear sky, the glaciers covered in electric blue ice stand in the background while the unevenly shaped icebergs float around in the water makes up a dreamland for every nature enthusiast.

DIAMOND BEACH

The iceberg from the Jökulsárlón Glacial Lagoon floats and reach the Atlantic Ocean and get thrashed by the waves. The waves carve the snowy white ice from the glaciers and turn them into transparent blocks that reflect light. These blocks of ice wash up on the south coast of Iceland which boasts a beautiful black sand beach. The washed-up blocks of ice end up being stranded on the black sand beach and create a beautiful monochromatic view for the visitors. Note that beaches in Iceland can be a bit dangerous given the changing dynamic of the weather. So, ensure that you maintain a safe distance and are not caught up by some sneaker waves. Rest assured, the diamond beach is one of the most picturesque places in Iceland and would create a beautiful space to get some insta-worthy pictures.

REYNISFJARA BLACK SAND BEACH

Last, but not least, on the list of destinations to be covered on this tour is the Reynisfjara black sand beach. Loaded with humongous basalt columns on one side and the crashing Atlantic waves on the other, the Reynisfjara black sand beach is a pretty unique entity, especially when compared to the glaring white glaciers that you have already covered before on the tour. Not far from Reynisfjara are the cliffs of Dyrhólaey which serve as the home to the migratory birds of Iceland. 

After visiting the beach, you and your party will head back to the capital in the minibus and will be dropped at the designated drop off location. The ever learned and experienced guide will stay with you throughout the tour and keep you updated as well as safe.