South Coast – Private Self-Drive Guided Tour

by Volcano Trails · Drive yourself there · South Coast

4.5· 11 Google reviews of the operator
  • Couples
South Coast – Private Self-Drive Guided Tour — Volcano Trails
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1 / 9

  • Duration

    10 hours

  • Difficulty

    Easy

  • Season

    All year

  • Starts in

    Reykjavík

  • Pickup

    Hotel pickup included

  • Starts at

    Volcano Trails HQ

    Desjamýri 8, Mosfellsbær

  • Guide

    Guided in English

  • Departs

    09:00

  • Cancellation

    Cancelling costs 20% of the price within 999 days of departure, rising to 50% within 30 days, then 75% within 7 days.

About this experience

Your guide will pick you up from your accommodation or meet you at the Volcano Trails HQ. The day starts with a short introduction before we load up our Land Rover Defenders and head out onto the trails with you behind the wheel. You and your companions will be assigned to your cars. Every individual group gets their own private Land Rover Defender to drive. The Defenders are specially equipped for overland expeditions and will take you to all the best hidden and hard-to-reach places on the Volcanic way. Follow the North Atlantic coastline from Reykjavík into the volcanic and glacier covered wonderland that is Iceland's South Coast.

The tour starts with a drive through lava fields, right by the actively volcanic Hengill mountain and then down to the rich coastline farmland. On clear days you will see Hekla Volcano and in the distance the glacier-capped Eyjafjallajökull Volcano will rise majestically above the coastal mountains at its base. Just a few kilometres off the coastline and easily visible are the volcanic Westman Islands, an archipelago of around 15 small islands, one of which is inhabited.

We stop by the powerful Skógafoss Waterfall where a short walk up a flight of steps will reveal one of Iceland's most scenic views that includes glaciers, volcanoes and black sandy beaches. Single or double rainbows are often on display when it is sunny. You have the option of visiting many beautiful nature sites like, Reynisfjara beach, Sólheimajökull glacier tongue, Mýrdalsjökull glacier and the black beaches at Sólheimasandur.

Before heading back to the city we stop at the 60-metre high Seljalandsfoss Waterfall, famous for the hidden pathway behind and around it. Feel the spray on your face as you venture behind it.

Description from the operator, Volcano Trails. Prices and availability in the booking panel are live.

Where you go

  1. Skógafoss/Kvernufoss
  2. Reynisfjara
  3. Sólheimajökull Glacier
  4. Seljalandsfoss

Good to know

  • The tour is operated in all weather conditions, so please dress according to the weather
  • Good walking shoes
  • Bring your camera

Cancellation for this tour

Cancelling costs 20% of the price within 999 days of departure, rising to 50% within 30 days, then 75% within 7 days. 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 forecast the operator judges unsafe. Here is exactly what happens to your booking.

  1. 1Volcano Trails 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 the cutoff shown above, the operator's policy after that.

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

Why we list it

Volcano Trails is one of 204 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 Volcano Trails

Read all 11 reviews on Google →

Operator rating 4.5/5 from Google — these are reviews of the company, not this specific tour. Shown as Google returns them, unedited.

  • Michael A

    ★★★★★ · a year ago

    We've booked a Highland bus with Volcano Trails from Hvolsvöllur gas station to Þórsmörk Langidalur in July 2024 for 2 people on their website, a red reykjavik excursions bus arrived, the driver will check your name on his list. Everything went smoothly, the weather was perfect too. We spent a total of 4 hour in the area of Thorsmork, hiking up to the vantage point of Thorsmork and down, then we had enough time to wait for the bus.

  • Dirk Van Nieuwenhove

    ★★★★★ · 9 years ago

    As a first time visitor of the magnificent country that Iceland is, I couldn’t have come across a better travel agency to arrange the week long holiday that we undertook just recently. From the planning stages of this trip I felt part of an experience rather than just a customer. The frequent updates, personalized approach and rapid responses made booking and planning this trip of a lifetime like a walk in the park. Fantastic team, great accommodation arrangements. I would definitely recommend Isafold Travel to anyone thinking of visiting Iceland! I for one can hardly wait to book my next holiday!

  • Emma Clift

    ★★★★★ · 2 years ago

    We visited Iceland a year ago and did the Reykjavik 4x4 Tour. It was fantastic! We were the only people on the excursion so it was just us in a Defender following the guide car. Our guide Bjarni was amazing, so knowledgable and lovely to chat to you at the end of the tour. Would highly recommend!

  • Anne L.

    ★★★★★ · 9 years ago

    We just returned from a trip to Iceland. We were on a tight schedule as we only had 4 days. Many of the tour companies we contacted had fixed schedules that did not work with our's. I came across Isafold Travel through a blog. Our Travel Consultant was Edda S. Edda was consistently responsive, patient with our requests/questions, and put together an amazing package for us. The tour included the Northern Lights, a private driver for 2 days to transport us to activities such as the ice caves, snowmobiling on a glacier, and, of course, the sights along the Golden Circle. Our guide also took us to some off-the-beaten-path sights. On the morning before our flight, Edda also booked a horse riding tour. We were very happy with Isafold Travel and will definitely use their services again when we return to Iceland.

Reviews from Google · updated 21 Oct 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.

Reviews arrive the day after each trip — none yet for this one. After your tour we send one email asking how it was, and what you write goes here, unedited.

Hotels

Where to stay for this tour

From the cheapest to the top end of what is near Reykjavík, from our hotel partners. Rooms are booked on our hotels site.

All hotels in Reykjavík →

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Pairs well with

Add any of these to this tour and 3 % comes off both at checkout. One basket, one payment, however many operators they come from.

Arctic Mike

South Coast

from €242 per person

68% above the €144 typical for sightseeing day tours

pickup included · works in rain

11 h · from Reykjavík

  • Gear included
  • Wi-fi on board
  • Admission included
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