Whether you use a guided tour or you self explore, a visit to the south coast of Iceland is a must. There’s the black sand beaches, towering waterfalls, epic glaciers, and more. While you could take your time exploring this area in depth, many people opt to see as much of the south coast of Iceland as they can in one day. It’s a busy day, but it’s definitely possible too see the highlights.
A Tour or Self Guided
As much as I don’t like to rent a car when I’m traveling abroad, Iceland is a place where it really makes sense, whether you’re just exploring the south coast of Iceland or the entire country. A car is really going to give you the freedom to explore at your own pace. Plus it will allow you have the most efficient sightseeing experience.
The next option is public transportation, but I wouldn’t necessarily recommend it. Technically it is an option because there are bus services, but the schedules are not convenient. If you are insistent on using public transportation, you’ll need to give yourself more than just one day to explore. And quite frankly, you’ll likely be left with down time and that may get boring.
The third, and final, option is to take a guided tour. For travelers without their own rental car, this is the option I recommend. It’s what I used when I visited Iceland and opted not to rent a car. As a solo traveler, the price of a rental car, fuel, and insurance was comparable to just paying for a tour. So cost wise, it made sense. Plus, I also didn’t want to rent a car and worry about driving in a foreign country. So, I booked this (and another) tour with Your Day Tours and had a great experience.
The Highlights of the South Coast of Iceland
This list does not cover everything to see and do on the south coast of Iceland, but it does hit on the highlights. If you take a tour, all of these sights will be covered, but if you self explore, these are sights that you cannot miss.
Seljalandsfoss
Here’s a great waterfall to add to your Iceland itinerary. Seljalandsfoss is a towering waterfall at nearly 200 feet tall (60 meters). But it’s not just a stop where you pull into a parking lot and look at a waterfall. I mean, it could be, but you’d be missing one of the coolest parts.
The waterfall flows over the rocks in such a way that there’s a small passage way behind the falls. So, follow the path (and the tourists) and you’ll find yourself behind the waterfall. It offers a really cool perspective, but you need to be prepared that you’ll get a little wet. That’s unavoidable, but I wasn’t completely drenched after my visit.
Skógafoss
This towering waterfall is a favorite among travelers and is a must do on the south coast of Iceland. The waterfall itself is massive—nearly 200 feet tall (60 meters)—and is one of the tallest in the entire country.
You should absolutely see it from the bottom of falls, but there’s a set of stairs off to the right. Climb the stairs and walk all the way to the top of the falls to get a different perspective. Not only is this viewpoint cool, it’s also the start of a beautiful hike.
The trail leading from here is part of the Fimmvörðuháls Trail, which is a multi-day backpacking trip through southern Iceland. But if you’re not looking to backpack, hike part of the this trail. The first part of this trail, which starts at Skógafoss, is known as the Waterfall Way. On this trail, you’ll pass 25 additional waterfalls over five miles. This trail is not a loop, so whenever you’ve felt like you’ve seen enough, turn around and retrace your steps.
Since I visited with a tour, I didn’t have a chance to do any hiking on the Waterfall Way, which was a bummer. However, one day I hope tome it back to Iceland and hiking this trail is one of the top things on my list.
Sólheimajökull
Iceland is the land of fire and ice, so let’s add some ice to this trip. Sólheimajökull is a massive, very easily accessible glacier. You can walk up and touch it. The black that you see on the glacier? That’s volcanic ash!
But it’s also at this glacier that you can see the affects of climate change. When I visited, my guide told us how when he used to visit, the parking lot was just 100 meters from the edge of the glacier. Now it’s a five to ten minute walk to get to the glacier. The glacier has melted and receded that much.
Still, the walk is totally worth it and visiting this glacier was my favorite activity of the day.
Reynisfjara Beach
Next up is a visit to Iceland’s black sand beaches. Reynisfjara Beach sits just outside the small village of Vik. A lot of Iceland’s south coast is covered with black sand, but I’m specifically recommending Reynisfjara. There’s two reasons for this. First, it’s the beach I visited. Second, it’s just outside the village of Vik.
Not only will you find the black sand, but you’ll also see some lava formations. If you’ve been to Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland or the Isle of Skye in Scotland, you’ll have seen something similar. These hexagonal pillars are pretty cool and you should see them at least once.
But let’s jump back to Vik. You’ve probably seen photos of Iceland before. Have you ever seen a picture of a red-roofed church near the ocean, with cliffs in the background? That’s Vik. So make a quick stop and try to find that photo.
If you’re driving the entire Icelandic Ring Road (instead of just focusing on the south coast of Iceland), consider spending the night in Vik. Villages on Iceland are spread out, so you’ll need to plan your time accordingly. You could keep driving further, but I think with everything else I’m sure you’ve done today, Vik seems like a great place to stop.
If you’re just day tripping from Reykjavik, this is the point where you can turn around and start heading back.
A Note
There is of course so much more that you can see on Iceland’s south coast, but I feel that these four things give a really good overview. Plus, these four things are easy to do as a day trip from Reykjavik without feeling too overwhelmed.
When I took my tour of the south coast of Iceland, these were our four big stops. All in all, these four stops, plus the driving time to and from Reykjavik took a full day.
Planning Your Day
In order to have the best experience, you need to think about your Icelandic Itinerary as a whole. For people taking a tour, you can skip this section. For those with a rental car, you need to plan how to efficiently structure your day.
If you have your own car, are you driving the entire Ring Road or are you just basing yourself in Reykjavik and day tripping fro there?
If you’re driving the Ring Road, depart from Reykjavik and visit all of the sights in geographic order. You’ll finish at Reynisfara Beach and the small town of Vik. The order looks like:
- Seljalandsfoss
- Skógafoss
- Sólheimajökull
- Reynisfjara Beach
If you’re day tripping from Reykjavik, I recommend using a similar route that my tour used. This will put you near Reynisfjara Beach, and the town of Vik, around lunch time. Bring your own food for a picnic or stop at a restaurant. Your order for the day will look like:
- Skógafoss
- Reynisfjara Beach
- Sólheimajökull
- Seljalandsfoss
Final Thoughts
A visit to the south coast of Iceland is a must. This was my favorite day that I spent in Iceland, even though I didn’t have the greatest weather. I’d do this day over again in a heartbeat.
Continue Your Adventure
More in Iceland: Iceland is full of dramatic beauty. Don’t skip out on the Golden Circle, which features more waterfalls and a national park. For a bucket list item, snorkel between two tectonic plates at the Silfra Fissure.
Itinerary: For a great introduction into Iceland, try this Five Day Itinerary.
Iceland Travel Guide: Check out my Iceland Travel Guide for all of the information you need to start planning your trip.