5 Day - Northern Lights, Golden Circle, South Coast, Jökulsárlón & Ice Cave

by Arctic Adventures · Northern lights · Ice caves · Glacier hiking · Vatnajökull & Jökulsárlón

4.60(5,129) · operator on Google
PaceSteady

Two or three stops a day. A full holiday without being a route march.

11 stops across 5 days in the operator's own itinerary — 2.2 a day.

5 Day - Northern Lights, Golden Circle, South Coast, Jökulsárlón & Ice Cave — Arctic Adventures

Would this be cheaper direct? No — we sell at Arctic Adventures's own price and take our commission from them, not from you. What you get here is one checkout across operators, one confirmation, and one place to change or cancel it. If you ever find it cheaper on their own site, tell us and we will match it or explain why we cannot.

More photos of 5 Day - Northern Lights, Golden Circle, South Coast, Jökulsárlón & Ice Cave

5 Day - Northern Lights, Golden Circle, South Coast, Jökulsárlón & Ice Cave, photo 65 Day - Northern Lights, Golden Circle, South Coast, Jökulsárlón & Ice Cave, photo 75 Day - Northern Lights, Golden Circle, South Coast, Jökulsárlón & Ice Cave, photo 85 Day - Northern Lights, Golden Circle, South Coast, Jökulsárlón & Ice Cave, photo 95 Day - Northern Lights, Golden Circle, South Coast, Jökulsárlón & Ice Cave, photo 105 Day - Northern Lights, Golden Circle, South Coast, Jökulsárlón & Ice Cave, photo 115 Day - Northern Lights, Golden Circle, South Coast, Jökulsárlón & Ice Cave, photo 125 Day - Northern Lights, Golden Circle, South Coast, Jökulsárlón & Ice Cave, photo 135 Day - Northern Lights, Golden Circle, South Coast, Jökulsárlón & Ice Cave, photo 145 Day - Northern Lights, Golden Circle, South Coast, Jökulsárlón & Ice Cave, photo 15

15 photos from Arctic Adventures. Tap any one for the full-size original.

  • Duration

    5 days

  • Difficulty

    Easy

  • Season

    Sep – Apr

  • Starts in

    Reykjavík

  • Meeting

    Meet on location

  • Languages

    EN, DE, IS, FR, DA, ZH, ES

  • Departs

    14:00

  • Minimum age

    8

  • Cancellation

    Free until 24h before

About this experience

5 Day - Golden Circle, South Coast, Jökulsárlón & Ice Cave

Trip difficulty: 2/5, easy.

Tour Highlights: Small Group Experience, Þingvellir National Park (Thingvellir), Geysir Hot Springs, Gullfoss Waterfall, Seljalandsfoss Waterfall, Skógafoss Waterfall, Skaftafell - Vatnajökull National Park, Jökulsarlón Glacier Lagoon, Diamond Beach, Ice Cave Visit, Reynisfjara - Black Beach & Basalt Columns, Eyjafjallajökull - Volcano / Glacier Views*, Hekla - Volcano Views*, Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon*.

*subjected to weather conditions

- Day 1: make your way from the airport to Reykjavík and check into your accommodation. Explore the city on your own. Free day in Reykjavík. Northern Lights boat tour in the evening. 

- Day 2: on this day you'll explore the famous Golden Circle. Thingvellir National Park will be our fist stop. followed by the hot spring area of Geysir, where you can expect to see Strokkur geyser erupt every 10 minutes. The last part of the Golden Circle, is the magnificent waterfall of Gullfoss.
Next, experience the drive down route 1 that will lead us to the famous Seljalandsfoss and Skogafoss waterfalls. On a clear day, you will have the opportunity to see the two surrounding glaciers, Eyjafjallajökull. Next is coastal village of Vik where you will reach your hotel for the night.

- Day 3: really close from Vík we will find Reynisfjara, the black sand beach, which is also famous for its basalt columns, called Reynisdrangar.
We continue our journey towards Jokulsarlon Ice Lagoon and Diamond Beach.
Next we head to an Ice Cave where our certified guides will assure a safe and exciting experience. Ice Caves are only found during the wintertime when the glacial rivers retract and the water freezes.

- Day 4: we will start early to go for a glacier hike. Your guide will give you ice crampons and everything you need to explore Svínafellsjökull Glacier.
Lastly, we will start making our way back to the city with some stops along the way. Northern Lights minibus tour in the evening.

- Day 5: check out of the hotel and explore Reykjavík on your own.

If you want to see more information about the itinerary or accommodation please click here 

Please note.
Your safety is our priority and sometimes weather or road conditions mean that access to certain ice caves is unavailable and/or unsafe. Our main ice cave in the winter is the Crystal Ice Cave. However, at times when it’s inaccessible, we’ll visit an alternative ice cave. During the summer months (from April to October), we’ll visit the Ice Cave Under the Volcano. If it’s inaccessible, we’ll do a glacier hike instead.

Arctic Adventures reserves the right to alter itineraries and/or timetables should it be necessary, due to adverse weather and or other related conditions.

Description from the operator, Arctic Adventures. Prices and availability in the booking panel are live.

Where you go

  1. Reykjavík
  2. Day 2: Thingvellir National Park
  3. Day 2: Geysir
  4. Day 2: Gullfoss Waterfall
  5. Day 2: Seljalandsfoss Waterfall
  6. Day 2: Skógafoss
  7. Day 2: Reynisfjara
  8. Day 2: Vík
  9. Day 3: Skaftafell
  10. Day 3: Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon
  11. Day 4: Reykjavík

Included

Pick-up from your hotel in Reykjavík, a guided tour in a minibus, visit to Þingvellir, Geysir, Gullfoss, Seljalandsfoss, Skogafoss, Reynisfjara, Skaftafell, Jokulsarlon Ice Glacier Lagoon, Ice Cave, a certified glacier guide. Hotel room with bathroom for 4 nights and breakfast.

Not included

Please note that food is NOT included on this tour, except breakfast on day 2 & 3 

Good to know

Warm outdoor clothing, a waterproof jacket and pants, headwear and gloves. Good hiking shoes are recommended.

Cancellation for this tour

Free cancellation until 24 hours before departure; no refund after that. If the operator cancels for weather or safety, you get a full refund or a new date.

If the weather cancels this tour

Iceland's weather is real. What usually stops this one is a solid cloud forecast — most operators call it by late afternoon and let you rebook on a clearer night free of charge. Here is exactly what happens to your booking.

  1. 1Arctic Adventures decides, and tells us. Operators cancel when it is unsafe or pointless, and we back that call every time — we do not ask them to run anyway.
  2. 2We contact you by email, and by phone if your tour is the same or next day. You choose: another date if there is one you can make, or a full refund. There is no fee and nothing to argue.
  3. 3The refund goes back to the card you paid with, through Stripe, usually visible within a few working days. If this tour was one of several in your booking, the others are untouched.

What you do not get is the day back. If this is the only free day in your plan, put a spare day next to it — the planner leaves days free with the rest-day option. And if you want out because the forecast looks bad, that is your own cancellation: free until 1 day before departure, the operator's policy after that.

Questions on the day: [email protected] · +354 497 1373. How cancellations work in Iceland →

Sold out on your date?

Seats come back — a cancellation, or the operator adding a vehicle. Tell us the date and we will check once a day and email you if one opens. One email, then we delete the address; nothing else is ever sent to it.

Who this is not for

  • Children under 8 cannot join this one.
  • Not available in summer; the operator runs it roughly September to April.

Read off the operator's own conditions. If none of it applies to you, this is a good one.

Why we list it

Arctic Adventures is one of 154 operators we work with — chosen for reliability, honest descriptions and how they treat guests when weather changes plans. We don't list everything; we list what we'd book ourselves. The six checks every operator passes →

What travellers say about Arctic Adventures

Read all 5,129 reviews on Google →

Operator rating 4.6/5 from Google — these are reviews of the company, not this specific tour. Shown as Google returns them, unedited.

  • Kai Gilchrist

    ★★★★★ · 2 months ago

    This was a phenomenal trip with AMAZING sights. Our tour guide was informative, friendly, and easy to listen to. You will learn a lot and see nature at its greatest. We absolutely loved this tour and would recommend it to anyone. The car ride is comfortable and there is wifi as well! Shout out to our tour guide, Magnus (I hope I’m spelling his name correctly), who told us some hilarious stories.

  • Tatjana Kultaniemi

    ★★★★★ · a month ago

    I spent six days on a bus tour around Iceland with a professional guide. It was an excellent opportunity to gain a comprehensive overview of Iceland's breathtaking nature while also learning about the country's history and the everyday lives of its people. Iceland's landscape and animals are truly unique, featuring magnificent waterfalls, geysers, whales, seals, puffins, volcanoes, glaciers, and mountains. Every day brought new and unforgettable experiences. Of course, none of this would have been possible without our guide, Viko. He not only drove the bus safely but also shared fascinating stories about Icelandic history, culture, and way of life. He was willing to tailor the itinerary to our group's interests and wishes, making the experience even more enjoyable. I am very grateful for his professionalism, knowledge, and enthusiasm in interpreting Iceland's natural and cultural heritage. He played a key role in making this tour such a memorable experience.

  • Chloe Lamm

    ★★★★★ · 2 months ago

    I did the Iceland South Coast Full Day Small-Group Tour from Reykjavik. Such an amazing tour and one of the highlights of my trip to Iceland! Our guide, Erik, was incredibly knowledgeable and shared so much interesting information about Iceland throughout the day. We visited some of the country’s most beautiful sights, including stunning waterfalls, Vik, black sand beaches, and other breathtaking stops along the South Coast. The pickup process was simple and organized, making the day completely stress-free. The scenery was incredible from start to finish, and Erik helped make the experience even better with his knowledge, friendliness, and enthusiasm. If you’re visiting Iceland, the South Coast is a must-do, and I highly recommend taking this tour with Erik as your guide!

  • maya sterett

    ★★★★★ · 3 months ago

    A Fantastic Trip: Review of 3-Day Golden Circle, Ice Cave and Glacier Lagoon Absolutely incredible experience with Arctic Adventures and the guide Hjalti Bjornsson. The pick up from the bus stop was easy and the instructions were super clear. Be aware that they are extremely punctual at every stop. Do not be late by even a minute. We saw so many sites and the weather was perfect for most of the days. Our guide even took us on some stops that were not in the itinerary, but ones he thought were interesting and on the way, like the power plants and some other glaciers. The bus ride was very smooth with plenty of room and the seats were comfortable. The itinerary was well thought out with a great mix of light walking about 3 - 6 miles per day depending on how much you wanted to walk to each site. Some sites like the glacier Skaftafellsjokull (optional) were further away (4 ish miles), while others were much closer (1000ft). The hotel was situated in a beautiful location with sheep everywhere and interesting rock formations. The hotel was very comfortable with hot water and plenty of space to spread out. Our guide was extremely friendly and knowledgable. I would highly recommend this trip for anyone between the ages 10 - 70. However, this might not be the best experience for those with mobility issues as there is walking to some of the best sites.

Reviews from Google · updated 13 Sept 2026

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Reviews from our travellers

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No reviews yet from our travellers on this one. After your tour we send one email asking how it was, and what you write goes here, unedited.

Northern lights — questions people ask

When is the best time to see the northern lights in Iceland?

September to April, when the nights are dark enough. Within that, late September to March gives the longest dark hours, and the equinox months, September and March, often have active skies. There are no lights in June or July; the sky never gets dark. Anyone selling you a June lights tour is selling you a bus ride. Give yourself at least three nights, because clouds, not the aurora, are the usual reason people miss them.

Are the northern lights guaranteed on a tour?

No. Nobody can promise them, and we will not. Two things have to line up: a clear sky and solar activity. Guides check the cloud forecast at vedur.is and drive to gaps, which is the real value of a tour over standing outside your hotel. What most operators do promise is a free second attempt if the lights do not show. Check the exact retry policy on the tour page, because the number of retries and the validity period vary.

Is a northern lights bus tour or a boat tour better?

Bus, if you want the best odds. A minibus can drive an hour inland to find a clear patch; a boat stays in Faxaflói and sees whatever sky is over Reykjavík. Boats are shorter, about two hours, and pleasant with hot chocolate, and Reykjavik Sailors' cruise (/experience/6637/) includes a free retry. For a serious hunt, a small-group minibus like BusTravel's (/experience/150646/) or a 4x4 tour (/experience/1088067/) is the better bet.

Can I see the northern lights from Reykjavík itself?

Yes, on strong nights. The city is small and the sky over the sea to the north is fairly dark. Grótta lighthouse at the western tip and the Ægisíða shoreline are the usual spots, twenty minutes' walk from the centre. On average nights the street lights drown out a faint aurora, which is why tours drive out. If the forecast shows high activity and clear sky, walk to Grótta first and save the tour money.

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