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

by Arctic Adventures · Ice caves · Glacier hiking · Multi-day packages · Vatnajökull & Jökulsárlón

4.60(5,129) · operator on Google
PaceBusy

Four or so stops a day. Early starts, and you will be glad of the coach seat.

10 stops across 3 days in the operator's own itinerary — 3.3 a day.

3 Day - 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 3 Day - Golden Circle, South Coast, Jökulsárlón & Ice Cave

Hiker exploring Skaftafell ice cave during 3 day south coast iceland tourSkaftafell glacier during 3 day south coast iceland tourJökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon during 3 day south coast iceland tourJökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon during Iceland multi day toursSmall group hiking on Skaftafell glacier during Golden circle and south coast tourWaterfall during Golden circle and south coast tourGeysir experience during 3 day golden circle and south coast tourIceland landscape during Multi day tour icelandpeople admiring waterfall during Golden circle and south coast tour

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

  • Duration

    3 days

  • Difficulty

    Easy

  • Season

    Sep – Apr

  • Starts in

    Reykjavík

  • Meeting

    Hotel pickup available

  • Languages

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

  • Departs

    09:00

  • Minimum age

    8

  • Cancellation

    Free until 24h before

About this experience

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

Trip difficulty: 2/5, easy.

On this 3 day South Coast Iceland tour, you'll visit some of the best attractions in Iceland. Cannot decide - Golden Circle or South Coast tour? Choose Golden Circle and South Coast combo tour.

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: On the first day of this 3-day Golden Circle and South Coast tour you'll explore the famous Golden Circle. Thingvellir National Park will be our first 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 Gullfoss waterfall.

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. Next is the coastal village of Vik before we head to our countryside hotel in Krikjubæjarklaustur.

Day 2: We continue our journey towards Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon and Diamond Beach. In Skaftafell National park you will meet our certified glacier guides and embark on a glacier hiking and ice caving tour on Falljökull. Ice Caves are only found during the wintertime when the glacial rivers retract and the water freezes and they can look completely different every year. 

Day 3: We will start early today. On the way back to Reykjavik, really close to Vík we will find Reynisfjara, the famous black sand beach, which is also famous for its basalt columns, called Reynisdrangar. If the conditions are right you can expect a visit to Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon. There are a lot of amazing places on the south coast so we will make some additional stops today before making our way back to the city.

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. As needed, we might visit a different ice cave or a glacier on this tour. Please note that due to weather conditions and daylight hours the order of sightseeing stops can be changed. 

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

Check out more Iceland multi-day tours here.

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

Where you go

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

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 2 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 melt-water or unstable ice after a warm spell — the guide decides on the morning, and a cave can close for days. 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

Read before you book

Reviews from our travellers

Only people who booked this tour through us can write here. We publish every review in full — good or bad.

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.

Ice caves — questions people ask

When can you visit an ice cave in Iceland?

Natural blue ice caves open from around November to March, when the glacier is cold enough for the meltwater tunnels to be safe. They form under Vatnajökull near Jökulsárlón, and the caves change every year. Two exceptions run all year: the Katla ice cave near Vík, which is dark ice striped with ash, and Into the Glacier at Langjökull, a man-made tunnel. If you want the glowing blue photos, come between November and March.

Can I do an ice cave tour as a day trip from Reykjavík?

Only the Katla cave. The South Coast and Katla ice cave tour (/experience/22559/) is about twelve hours from Reykjavík and back. The blue caves at Vatnajökull are five hours' drive each way, too far for a day, so operators sell them as two- or three-day tours (/experience/6131/, /experience/7358/) with a night near Jökulsárlón. If you are self-driving, stay in the Höfn or Skaftafell area and book the Crystal Ice Cave tour (/experience/17337/) from there.

Is the Katla ice cave as good as the blue ice caves?

Different, not worse. Katla's cave under Mýrdalsjökull is black and white, layered with volcanic ash, and open all year. It will not give you the glowing blue tunnel photos from Instagram; those are the Vatnajökull caves, November to March only. What Katla gives you is a shorter super-jeep drive from Vík (/experience/22558/) and availability in summer. If you are here between November and March and can reach Jökulsárlón, choose blue. Otherwise choose Katla.

Are ice caves safe?

With a guide, yes. Operators inspect the caves daily and cancel when meltwater, warm weather or ice movement makes them unsafe, which happens most often in November and March at the edges of the season. You wear a helmet and crampons and stay with the group. Never enter a glacier cave on your own. If your tour is cancelled for safety, you get a full refund or another date, and most operators try to substitute another cave first.

  • One checkout, any number of operators

  • Rankings are not for sale

  • 153 operators vetted, and not all of them accepted

  • If it falls short, we fix it

Pairs well with

Everything here goes into the same basket and the same single payment, however many operators it comes from.

from

€931 per person

Check dates & book