2-day South Coast Trip: Blue Ice Cave, Glacier Hike, & Northern Lights, from Reykjavik

With natural wonders at every turn, this 2-day trip through Iceland never ceases to amaze. Visit flowing waterfalls, a black beach, a massive glacier, and a bright blue ice cave, just to name a few, then spend the night searching the sky for the Northern Lights. Read more to find out which of Iceland's most phenomenal sites you visit after your pickup in Reykjavik. 

Seljalandsfoss waterfall

Feel the powerful theatrics of the 60 m (197 ft) tall Seljalandsfoss waterfall. With a raincoat, you’ll be able to make the short hike behind the falls. The scenery behind the fall and the trembling ground from the power of the falling water makes for a picture perfect moment.

Skogafoss waterfall

Further east along the coast is the mighty Skógafoss waterfall. Tucked in a gorge, the river Skoga tumbles down a 60 m (197 ft) cliff before continuing down the landscape towards the Atlantic Ocean. Alongside the gorge, a staircase leads up to the shelf above the waterfall for stunning views. See if you can count all your steps on your way up.

Glacier Hike in Skaftafell in Vatnajokull National Park

Hike an outlet glacier stemming from one of the largest glaciers in the country. After meeting your highly trained glacier guides and strapping on your safety and glacier equipment, you hike on the ice for an hour and a half of frosty fun. Enjoy this spectacular experience and opportunity to learn more about an increasingly rare natural phenomenon.

Blue Ice Cave

After a short hike to reach the cave, enter the dazzling site of the Blue Ice Cave. Located under the active Katla Volcano, wandering through this extremely rare natural wonder is a once-in-a-lifetime chance. Learn about the fascinating ice caves and stare at the blue all around you.

Northern Lights hunt

Arriving at our hotel in the Southeast, you will move into your room, have dinner and then meet your guide for further information about the Northern Lights. If the sky is clear and the forecast is promising, your guide will find a good spot to hunt the famous Aurora Borealis. If all the conditions are right, you'll be among the lucky crowd who's witnessed this colorful spectacle in the sky. 

Jokulsarlon, the Glacier Lagoon

Start off day number two with a visit to the Jokulsarlan glacier lagoon, a 200 m (656 ft) deep glacial lagoon fed by Breioamerkurjokull, an outlet glacier of Europe’s largest glacier. Enormous icebergs from Breioamerkurjokull fill the lagoon. Walk alongside the glacier lagoon to enjoying the magnificent ice sculptures and dead silence of Icelandic nature.

Diamond Beach

On the other side of the road, the icebergs from Jokulsarlon glacier lagoon float into the Atlantic Ocean where they are quickly thrown back to shore by the tide and winds. This black sand beach is full of smaller ice rocks in all shapes and sizes, sparkling like diamonds in the daylight. The ice itself comes in all shades of white and blue forming beautiful contrasts. It's guaranteed to make your eyes pop!

Reynisfjara, the Black Sand Beach

Heading further east, visit the black sand beach of Reynisfjara where the Atlantic coastline presents massive waves hitting the unique basalt columns in the cliffs above the sand. Rock pillars in the water and the cliffs of Dyrholaey can be seen in the distance. This area of the south is also a paradise for bird lovers, as puffins and dozens of other unique species nest on top of these cliffs in the summertime from June to August.