South Coast Spectacular: Waterfalls & Glacier Hike

by Your Friend in Reykjavik · Glacier hiking · Hiking & trekking · Airport transfers · South Coast

4.90· 1,779 Google reviews of the operator

Luxury
Works in the rain
Eco-certified
Skip the queue
Can be tailored

from €2,118 per person

Next departure: Thu 22 Oct

Book Thu 22 Oct · €2,118 Other dates

South Coast Spectacular: Waterfalls & Glacier Hike — Your Friend in Reykjavik

Travellers greeting a Guide from Your Friend in Reykjavik

A picture of Reynisfjara, the Black Beach

A picture of Vik i Myrdal taken from a nearby hill.

A picture of rock formations by Reynisfjara, the Black Beach.

A traveller stranding at Reynisfjara, the Black Beach

South Coast Spectacular: Waterfalls & Glacier Hike, photo 10

South Coast Spectacular: Waterfalls & Glacier Hike, photo 11

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11 photos from Your Friend in Reykjavik. Tap any one for the full-size original.

Duration
12 hours
Difficulty
Moderate
Season
All year
Starts in
Reykjavík
Pickup
Hotel pickup included
Guide
Guided in English, French, German, Spanish
Departs
08:00
Minimum age
8
Cancellation
Free until 24 hours before

About this experience

Experience the natural wonders of Iceland’s South Coast on a private guided tour from Reykjavik. This 12-hour journey takes you to some of the country’s most iconic landscapes: majestic waterfalls, black sand beaches, and glacial terrain.

Walk behind the 60-meter Seljalandsfoss waterfall, marvel at the towering Skógafoss, and traverse the icy expanse of Sólheimajökull Glacier on a guided hike. Discover the dramatic basalt columns and sea stacks of Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach, and enjoy a scenic lunch in the village of Vik. During summer, optional stops at Dyrhólaey allow for panoramic views and puffin spotting.

Perfect for photography enthusiasts, nature lovers, and families, this private tour offers a flexible, immersive, and unforgettable South Coast experience.

All additional activities that extend the tour duration will incur separate charges.

Examples of such activities include visiting the Blue Lagoon, glacier hiking, snowmobiling, and similar excursions.

Additionally, the tour price will increase for each hour added beyond the standard duration of the tour.

Description from the operator, Your Friend in Reykjavik. Prices and availability in the booking panel are live.

Where you go

Seljalandsfoss Waterfall
Skógafoss Waterfall
Sólheimajökull Glacier Hike
Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach
Vík í Mýrdal
Dyrhólaey

Included

Private guide/driver for full day
Luxury or comfortable private vehicle
Fuel and transportation
Glacier hike at Sólheimajökull with crampons and safety gear

Not included

Tips (optional)
Additional activities or extensions beyond itinerary
Meals and drinks

Good to know

Weather-appropriate clothing (wind/waterproof layers)
Sturdy walking or hiking shoes
Warm hat and gloves
Camera for capturing the stunning scenery

Summer-only stops: Dyrhólaey for puffin viewing
Tour duration may vary depending on optional stops or weather
Dress appropriately for Icelandic weather—layers, waterproof clothing, and sturdy shoes 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 high wind or rain on the ice — the guide decides at the meeting point, sometimes after you have set off. Here is exactly what happens to your booking.

1Your Friend in Reykjavik 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.
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.
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 →

Why this one and not the cheaper one?

The nearest cheaper Glacier Hike, South Coast Waterfall & Black Sand Beach from Glaciers and Waterfalls is €161 — €1957 less. Here is every difference we can actually measure.

	Your Friend in Reykjavik · €2118	Glaciers and Waterfalls · €161
How long it runs	12 hours	11 hours

The €1957 buys you 1 more hour out. Whether that is worth it is your call — but that is what the difference is.

Who this is not for

Children under 8 cannot join this one.
Not a good fit if you want a relaxed day: 12 hours is a long time on the road, most of it spent getting there and back.

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

Why we list it

Your Friend in Reykjavik 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 Your Friend in Reykjavik

Read all 1,779 reviews on Google →

Operator rating 4.9/5 from Google — these are reviews of the company, not this specific tour. Shown as Google returns them, unedited.

Sanket Das
★★★★★ · 2 months ago
Your Friend in Reykjavik is the best tour company in Reykjavik . I took Walk with a Viking Tour , Snaefellsnes Peninsula day tour and 6 days around Iceland Adventure tour . I spent 8 Nights in Iceland . I stayed 2 nights at Hotel Reykjavik Grand , 1 night at Hotel Geirland , 1 night at Hotel Hofn , 1 night at Wilderness Center , 1 night at Akureyri Berjaya Iceland Hotels , 1 night at Hotel Laugarbakki , 1 night at Hotel Keflavik . It was an amazing tour . My experience in Iceland was magical and heavenly . I also visited Blue Lagoon and it was a nice experience. I enjoyed my every second in Iceland . Iceland is one of the most beautiful country on our planet . I would keep visiting Iceland in the future . Thank you for making my Iceland journey special and memorable .
Wendy Uhlig
★★★★★ · 2 months ago
We had a great time on our Iceland Folklore tour. Our guide was Einar. He was a fantastic storyteller!! Hidden people/elves, trolls and ghost stories - and a lot of Icelandic history. Thank you Einar!!
Nanci Ritter
★★★★★ · 2 months ago
Petra was an incredible guide. We asked her to show us as much as she could before taking our crazy family of 10 to the airport for our flights to three different cities ! First stop was the beautiful church in downtown Reykjavik that had just opened with an organ recital. Next stop a lovely spot and observation sight overlooking the city by the Pearl. Cold and wet she found us a lovely coffee shop with the best pastries for a welcome mid morning rest next to the sea. Back in the van we drove for a bit before having the opportunity to explore a geothermal field on our way to the airport. A perfect day and ending to our time in Iceland. Petra shared alot of history and information from the perspective of a local which we all appreciated and enjoyed!
Vincent Damas
★★★★★ · 4 months ago
Nice walking trip in Reykjavik city centre with our local guide Hrafn, very friendly and knowledgeable. A good introduction to Iceland on the very first day of our 2 weeks road-trip around the island 👍

Reviews from Google · updated 21 Oct 2026

Read before you book

Best Glacier Hike in Iceland (2026): 5 PicksThe glacier hikes we would book ourselves in Iceland, on Sólheimajökull and in Skaftafell, with real adult prices, departure points and who each one is not for.
Glacier hike in Iceland: which glacier to bookThree glaciers sell almost the same walk at different prices and distances. Which one fits your route, what 'easy' means, and what blue ice really requires.
Glacier hike or ice cave: which to bookBetween October and April, book the Skaftafell hike-and-cave combo and get both. The rest of the year, a glacier hike on Sólheimajökull is the better day.

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.

Glacier hiking — questions people ask

Which glacier is best for a first glacier hike?

Sólheimajökull on the South Coast, about two and a half hours from Reykjavík. It is the most accessible glacier tongue, the walk from the car park is short and the three-to-four-hour tours (/experience/6853/ or /experience/914990/) suit beginners. Skaftafell in the southeast has bigger ice and fewer people, with tours like Glacier Wonders (/experience/17340/), but it is a five-hour drive each way, so it only works if you are staying out there.

Can you hike on a glacier in Iceland in summer?

Yes. Glacier hiking runs all year. In June to August the ice is grey and gritty on the surface with blue crevasses and meltwater channels, and the weather is milder. In November to March the ice is whiter and you may see ice formations, but daylight is short and the wind bites. Neither is better; summer is easier, winter is prettier. The one thing you cannot do in summer is visit a natural blue ice cave.

How fit do I need to be for a glacier hike?

Moderately. You walk two to three hours on uneven ice in crampons, with some short steep sections. Anyone who can manage a hilly day walk will be fine; the pace is slow because the guide is checking the route. It is not for anyone with knee or balance problems, and most operators set a minimum age of eight to ten. Check the tour page. Longer tours like Glacier Explorer (/experience/17338/) push further onto the ice and need more stamina.

What do I need to bring on a glacier hike?

Sturdy boots with ankle support, waterproof jacket and trousers, warm layers, gloves and a hat, plus water and a snack. The operator provides crampons, a harness, a helmet and an ice axe. Jeans and trainers are not allowed on the ice, and guides do turn people away. Most meeting points rent boots and rain gear for a small fee; check the tour page and book them in advance in summer.

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 →

One checkout, any number of operators
Rankings are not for sale
203 operators vetted, and not all of them accepted
If it falls short, we fix it

from

€2,118 per person

Your Friend in Reykjavik's own price. 3% off the whole trip when you book two or more tours together, in one checkout.

Your date

The next departure we can see — change it if this tour is for another day.

Pick a date to check departures.

Departs08:00

Reykjavík: light 08:37–17:48, 9 h 11 min of daylight.

✓ Free cancellation until 24 hours before
✓ Instant confirmation by email
✓ If Your Friend in Reykjavik cancels for weather or safety: a full refund, or another date
✓ Card — Apple Pay or Google Pay where your device offers it — through Stripe; the charge is made in Icelandic krónur
✓ Price promise: Your Friend in Reykjavik's own price, or we refund the difference
✓ One checkout, even with tours from several operators
✓ Vetted operator — the six checks every operator passes

Pairs well with

Add any of these to this tour and 3 % comes off both at checkout — about €71 on the cheapest pair. One basket, one payment, however many operators they come from.