Tour to the South Coast and the Jokulsarlon Glacier lagoon, one of the main attractions of Iceland
Experience this magnificent full-day tour of the wonders of Iceland’s south coast, including Jokulsarlon, the deep glacial lagoon, and surreal places that will take your breath away. Visit the South Coast’s main attractions, such as Seljalandsfoss and Skogafoss waterfalls, and stroll along the black sand beaches of Reynisfjara and Diamond Beach. Take an hour-long boat ride through the lagoon to sail between icebergs of all shapes and sizes at the foot of Vatnajokull, Europe’s largest glacier.
Highlights
- A perfect introduction for the first-time visitors
- Explore Iceland on a privately guided tour
- Visit remote attractions on the South Coast
Visited Places
- Seljalandsfoss waterfall
- Reynisfjara Black sand beach
- Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon
- Diamond Beach
- Skogafoss waterfall
The tour can be tailored according to your wishes. Please let us know if you would like to visit other places or change activities on your trip.
| Travel Style | Private Day Tour |
| Availability | May – September, Daily |
| Group size | Up to 5 people |
| Tour Duration | 14 hours. Travel distance is 780 km/490 miles |
| Pickup Time | 7:30 AM (or 8:00) |
| Transportation | SUV or Minivan |
- Pick up and drop off in Reykjavik
- Driver/guide services during the trip
- Private transportation for your group
- Food and drinks
- Cost of the boat tour at the Glacier Lagoon
Optional Extras (recommended)
- Zodiac boat tour (1:45 hours, approx. 100 USD for adults)
Additional pickup details
We will pick you up from your Reykjavik accommodation or the cruise ship terminal.
To know before booking
- Most travelers can participate.
- Infant seats are available.
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the tour starts.
- If the operator cancels the tour due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.
Tour Pricing
Tour availability and price depend on your group size, as the booking form below indicates.
We leave Reykjavik in the early morning and drive through the Hellisheydi mountain pass, crossing the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Then, we will go through the lowlands, make a short stop at a gas station in Hvolsvollur, and continue towards the beautiful Seljalandsfoss waterfall. Seljalandsfoss is one of the most famous waterfalls in Iceland. It is 63 meters / 210 feet high and is stunningly beautiful. Here, we can follow the path behind the waterfall to see it from all sides.
We then drive east along the farms at the foot of the former seaside cliffs in the Eyjafjoll area and arrive at the mighty Skogafoss waterfall, which falls from 60m/190ft and is fed by the waters of the Eyjafjallajokull and Myrdalsjokull glaciers. This majestic waterfall is one of the most visited places in Iceland and for a good reason.
Next, we will continue our journey and stop for a walk along the coast of Reynisfjara beach, near the village of Vik. It is considered Iceland’s most impressive black sand beach, with unique vertically shifted basalt columns reminiscent of a stone-stepped pyramid. In the water opposite the beach, you will also see the stunningly shaped basalt rocks of Reynisdrangar.
Then, we will head to the Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon, part of the Vatnajokull National Park. Iceland’s south coast boasts an ever-changing glacial lagoon, where blue, white, turquoise, and black icebergs shift and squeak in an icy dance. Icebergs are chunks of the thousand-year-old retreating Breidamerkurjokull glacier that broke and floated away into the ocean. The lagoon is connected to the sea and contains a mixture of salt and fresh water, giving it a unique blue-green color. Between May and October, local operators offer boat trips on the lagoon. You can also walk along the lagoon’s perimeter and visit Diamond Beach.
On the way back from the glacial lagoon, we shall stop at Vik before getting to Reykjavik.
Please note: the itinerary is subject to change depending on weather and road conditions.
We assume that you may have questions while preparing for your trip. We would like to answer some of them in advance to provide you with complete information about our tours and make them as comfortable as possible. Below you can find the most frequently asked questions.
Payments for day tours are collected online while booking. We accept major credit cards such as Visa, MasterCard, and American Express. If you have any problems with using American Express, please contact us. If another way of payment is preferable, please contact us through e-mail at info@topicelandtours.com.
Pick-up is included in the tour price and arranged from your lodging places or designated bus stops in Reykjavik. Please be ready outside the hotel or in a lobby at the pick-up time mentioned in the tour description. Please contact us, if you like to change a place or time for pick-up.
If your group is larger than 5 people and a minibus used for tour transportation, we have limited possibility for pickups in downtown Reykjavík due to driving/parking restrictions in the area. Then, we shall pick you up from designated bus stops or ask to meet a driver-guide at a nearby location, where we can pick you up. You can also preliminary e-mail us at info@topicelandtours.com, and we‘ll figure out the best pick up location.
Drop-offs are provided at the same place as pick-up unless otherwise arranged with the driver/guides.
We arrange refreshment stops at cafés or restaurants on every day tour, where you can purchase your lunch and snacks. Therefore, you are not required to bring your food for the tour, however, if you prefer to bring some snacks or drinks, that is accepted. Please note that food and beverages are not included in the tour price.
Nearly all restaurants in Iceland offer some vegetarian food. There is no problem with purchasing vegetarian meals on tours.
The bathrooms are available at visitor centers at many stops on popular routes such as Golden Circle and South Coast. Some bathroom stops are available on the Snaefellsnes Peninsula tour. Your driver-guide will inform you about available places for bathroom stops on the route.
Flexible Policy for Cancellations and Refunds
All Top-Iceland day tours are fully refundable, up to the day of tour delivery. You will receive a full refund of the tour price:
- If you cancel a booking before the start of the tour for any reason. Please note you will not receive any refund if you do not cancel the tour and do not show. Also, timing is calculated following the time zone of the tour;
- If Top-Iceland cancels the tour;
- If You cannot take the tour because of an unforeseeable event that is out of your control (“Unforeseeable Events”).
Refunds will be sent back to the original payment method used in making the booking. Depending on the bank’s processing time, it can take 7 business days for the refunds to reflect in your bank account or card balance.
All cancellations must be initiated by contacting Top-Iceland via:
- Emailing info@topicelandtours.com
- Sending a Message through the website topicelandtours.com
- Telephone: +354 626 9000
Top-Iceland is not responsible for any incidental expenses you and/or any other participant may have directly or indirectly incurred as a result of the booking of a tour. These expenses include but are not limited to, the cost of visas, accommodation, vehicle rental, vaccinations, flights, and/or loss of enjoyment.
In any cancellation event, you may also choose to reschedule the tour, or take a credit towards a future booking, instead of receiving a refund. You can find more details for cancellation policies on the page Terms & Conditions
Please contact us if you have any questions about our cancellation policy.
Solid, warm & waterproof shoes, as well as warm rain & windproof outdoor clothing, is recommended for all the tours. (Please see the question below about weather and temperature).
Here below, a table with average temperatures, precipitation, and daylights by months in Iceland:
| Month | Avg. High | Avg. Low | Avg. Rainfall | Avg. Sunlight |
| January | 36°F (2°C) | 28°F (-2°C) | 4 inches | 5 hours |
| February | 36°F (2°C) | 28°F (-2°C) | 4.3 inches | 8 hours |
| March | 38°F (3°C) | 30°F (-1°C) | 3.7 inches | 12 hours |
| April | 43°F (6°C) | 34°F (1°C) | 2.9 inches | 16 hours |
| May | 48°F (9°C) | 40°F (4°C) | 2.3 inches | 18 hours |
| June | 54°F (12°C) | 46°F (8°C) | 2.1 inches | 21 hours |
| July | 57°F (14°C) | 49°F (9°C) | 2.7 inches | 19 hours |
| August | 55°F (13°C) | 47°F (8°C) | 3.5 inches | 16 hours |
| September | 50°F (10°C) | 42°F (6°C) | 4.6 inches | 13 hours |
| October | 44°F (7°C) | 36°F (2°C) | 4.5 inches | 9 hours |
| November | 39°F (4°C) | 30°F (-1°C) | 4.2 inches | 6 hours |
| December | 36°F (2°C) | 29°F (-2°C) | 4.1 inches | 4 hours |
Please remember, that weather in Iceland changes rapidly and you cannot count on long-term forecasts. Two most reliable sources of the weather forecast: https://www.vedur.is/ and https://www.yr.no/
Fortunately not, even on the shortest days of the year, there are several hours of daylight every day – between 11:00 am and 4:00 pm. If you wish to check a specific time of a year we recommend to use https://www.timeanddate.com/sun/iceland/reykjavik
In general – the earlier, the better. Consider the fact that most of our tours are privately guided, and therefore an availability on certain dates might be limited.
Tipping in Iceland is not required but always appreciated.
Yes, it is requested by Icelandic law to have child seats/boosters. Some families are already traveling on their own, but if you would like us to provide child seats and/or boosters on the tour, please send us an e-mail.
