South Iceland Classic

Itinerary for the South Iceland Classic tour

Day 1, Blue Lagoon and the Golden Circle
At the airport you’ll be picked up by a driver guide in a private Super Jeep with huge tires.  You start your journey right away, driving through the rugged, lunar-like lava fields of the Reykjanes peninsula and to the Blue Lagoon where you’ll enjoy a relaxing soak after your flight in the natural geothermal water in the lava formations.

Your journey continues east past the lava fields and to Thingvellir national park, where the Icelandic parliament was established in 930 AD and the Eurasian- and North American tectonic plates meet, which have formed a large crevice in the lava while slowly drifting apart.  After a walk around the area you continue onwards to the Geysir area where the enormous geothermal heat in the ground has formed several hot springs.  Among them is Geysir, from which the English word geyser takes its meaning and Strokkur, which spouts boiling water 25-30 meters high in the air every 5 minutes or so.

From Geysir it’s a short drive to Gullfoss waterfall which cascades 32 meters down a canyon in two steps.

The driver guide then takes you Kerid Crater Lake where you’ll take a photo stop of the opaque and vivid aquamarine colors before you head south to Hotel Ranga for the night.

 

Day 2, Thorsmork valley and Eyjafjallajokull Volcano & Glacier

After enjoying breakfast at the hotel your driver guide takes you into Thorsmork valley along one of the greatest strips of mountain track you’ll encounter, crossing unbridged rivers in a really fun 4×4 track.  You’ll stop on the way to take photos of Eyjafjallajokull glacier below the crater of the volcano. There used to be a glacier lagoon here but the eruption of 2010 changed the landscape dramatically.

Thorsmork is named after Thor, the Nordic god of thunder.  The valley is surrounded by glaciers and mountains and provides a beautiful panorama of green valleys and steep mountains whichever way you look.  It’s one of the country’s most popular hiking grounds and there are several options for hiking routes, both for those looking for a casual stroll and serious hikers.  Your driver guide will show you the best routes and you’ll spend the day exploring the valley which has an unusually mild climate compared to the rest of southern Iceland.

On the way back to the hotel in the late afternoon you’ll stop for a walk through a small but magnificent canyon where there’s a hidden waterfall at the end.

At Hotel Ranga you can enjoy fine dining, outdoor hot tubs and if you’re lucky, watch the auroras on clear winter nights (September – March/April).

 

Day 3, The Spectacular South

Travelling east from your hotel you stop at Seljarlandsfoss, one of the tallest waterfalls in Iceland where you take a short path that leads behind it so you can see the waterfall from an interesting view and feel the spray and drizzle on your face.  A short drive east is Skogarfoss, one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Iceland which offers a spectacular view as you stand on the grassy fields and gaze upon the waterfall and the mountains around it.

Next you’ll feel the great power of the Super Jeep, driving along the tracks and up to Myrdalsjokull glacier, which is situated on top of Katla volcano and you’ll have a spectacular view of the surrounding countryside and the smaller Solheimajokull glacier.  You can either cruise on the white plains in the Super Jeep or go for an hour long snowmobile ride, speeding across the glacier and feeling the wind on your face which is a great experience. Another option is to take a glacier hike on Solheimajokull glacier.

We will explore the black sand beach off-road and go to Dyrholaey cliff which forms an arch into the ocean.  From the cliff you have a magnificent view of Reynisdrangar, strange lava formations that stand out from the sea, as well as the surrounding countryside and Myrdalsjokull glacier from ground level.

The driver guide will then take you back west along the southern road, travelling through the small town of Hveragerdi, which is built on a geothermal hot spot and has a number of greenhouses.  You’ll then head back, either to Reykjavik or Keflavik, depending on where you choose to end the tour.

Tour Highlights

Reykjanes lunar landscape
– Relax in the Blue Lagoon

Thingvellir national park
– Where the tectonic plates meet
– Iceland’s original parliament site, Althingi

Geysir hot spring area
– The ‘original’ geyser, Geysir
– Strokkur geyser which erupts often

Gullfoss Waterfall

Thorsmork (Þórsmörk, Porsmork)
– Great hiking routes to choose from
– Surrounded by 3 glaciers, including Eyjafjallajokull

Myrdalsjokull glacier
– Drive onto the glacier to see the blue ice up close

– Solheimajokull glacier outlet

Seljarlandsfoss waterfall
– Walk behind the waterfall

Skogafoss waterfall and Skogar

Great off-roading across unbridged rivers, on a black sand beach and on a glacier.

What to bring and other helpful details

Warm wind & wet proof clothes
Warm sweater (fleece or wool)
Good shoes (preferably hiking boots)
Sunglasses
Comfortable evening wear
Bathing suit
Camera

Hotel Ranga is an excellent hotel, one of very few 4* hotels in the countryside of Iceland – but it is therefore often quite booked. This tour is of course dependent upon availability. If Hotel Ranga is fully booked, we can adjust the tour and price by staying at another hotel.

We deliberately do not include photos of the auroras or mention them in the itinerary. The reason is that this tour is available all year but the auroras are only visible in winter – and only if the skies are clear.

However, by staying in a countryside hotel, away from the city lights, you have a much greater chance of seeing the auroras than if you stayed in Reykjavik.

“The great fun we had exploring Iceland with Haukur, especially the off road adventure.  The snowmobiling was an experience, with Hauk’s ‘nip’ at the end a good touch.  Loved the beach with the onshore icebergs a unique highlight. Accommodation was very suitable.  It was all fantastic!  Having a personalized tour just for us with the feeling that Hauk was making it a special and unique experience, made it a 5+++++ ‘super’ tour. -Gayle Raven”