South coast
The south coast glacier day: twelve hours, and what is in them
Three waterfalls, a black sand beach and two hours on a glacier, with somebody else driving. It is the most-booked shape of day in Icelandic winter tourism and it is genuinely good. Here is exactly what the twelve hours contain, in order, and the one thing to understand before you compare it with a three-hour walk.
Quick answer
A south coast day tour is about five hours of coach, three stops and roughly two hours on Sólheimajökull. Three of them run on this site, from $136, and the cheapest is also the highest rated on the whole page at 4.9 with 502 reviews. You are buying the driving and the waterfalls as much as the ice — and for a visitor without a car, that is exactly the right purchase.
The south coast day, at a glance
- Total
- 12 hoursdoor to door from Reykjavík
- On the glacier
- About 2 hoursthe same as a three-hour walk gives you
- In the coach
- About 5 hoursspread across the day
- Stops
- Three, plus the iceSeljalandsfoss, Skógafoss, Reynisfjara
- Which glacier
- Sólheimajökullabout 160 km from the capital
- From
- $136and it is the highest-rated tour here
- Highest rating
- 4.9 with 502 reviewson the cheapest of the three
- Gear
- Crampons, harness, axesupplied at the glacier
- Daylight in December
- About 4–5 hoursmuch of the driving is in the dark
- Cancellation
- Freeon all three
The twelve hours, in order
What actually happens between pickup and drop-off
Five hours of coach, three stops, two hours on the ice.
07:30 — pickup. Most operators collect from designated stops around Reykjavík rather than from hotel doors, and the pickup window is generous because the coach has a lot of stops to make. Be early; they do not wait.
09:00 — Seljalandsfoss. The waterfall you can walk behind, on a path that is often closed in winter for ice. Twenty to thirty minutes. You will get wet; the spray is unavoidable and that is part of it.
10:00 — Skógafoss. Sixty metres wide and loud enough that people stop talking. There are steps up the side for the view from above, which is worth the climb if the stop is long enough.
11:30 — Sólheimajökull. The glacier. Crampons and harness at the car park, fifteen to twenty minutes over the moraine, then about two hours on the ice with a guide. This is the part the whole day is arranged around and it is shorter than people expect.
14:30 — Reynisfjara. The black sand beach with the basalt columns and the sea stacks offshore. Guides will tell you about the sneaker waves and they are not being dramatic — stay well up the beach.
19:30 — back in Reykjavík. Twelve hours after you left, and in winter most of the last two are in the dark.
Every trip, current fare
Every walk, with the three south coast days
Compare the cost-per-hour column: a twelve-hour day tour divides down to less per hour than almost any three-hour walk on this page.
| Hike | Length | Price | Glacier | Cost per hour | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vatnajokull: Skaftafell Glacier HikeThe cheapest guided walk on the ice | 3 h | $91 | Vatnajökull | $30.33 | 4.5 · 93 |
| Skaftafell: Falljokull Glacier Easy Group HikeThe easy Falljökull group hike, 1,674 reviews | 3 h | $101 | Falljökull | $33.67 | 4.6 · 1,674 |
| Sólheimajökull: Guided Glacier HikeThe closest glacier to Reykjavík | 3 h | $107 | Sólheimajökull | $35.67 | 4.6 · 3 |
| From Reykjavík: Waterfalls, Black Beach & Glacier Day TripWaterfalls, black beach and a glacier, rated 4.9 | 12 h | $136 | Sólheimajökull | $11.33 | 4.9 · 502 |
| Jökulsárlón: Vatnajökull Glacier Guided Hiking TourVatnajökull from the lagoon side | 4.5 h | $140 | Vatnajökull | $31.11 | 4.8 · 1,054 |
| Skaftafell: Half-Day Vatnajökull National Park Glacier HikeHalf a day in the national park, small group | 4 h | $153 | Vatnajökull | $38.25 | 5.0 · 143 |
| Skaftafell: Ice Cave Tour and Glacier HikeA glacier walk and an ice cave, most reviewed here | 4 h | $153 | Falljökull | $38.25 | 4.5 · 1,962 |
| Skaftafell National Park: Falljokull Glacier Advanced HikeThe advanced Falljökull route | 5 h | $155 | Falljökull | $31.00 | 4.8 · 1,181 |
| Skaftafell Glacier Explorer - Extended Small Group TrekFive hours and a longer route on the ice | 5 h | $158 | Vatnajökull | $31.60 | 4.8 · 375 |
| From Reykjavik: South Coast & Glacier HikeThe south coast day with a glacier walk in it | 12 h | $186 | Sólheimajökull | $15.50 | 4.8 · 504 |
| Reykjavík: Glacier Hike, Waterfalls, & Black Sand BeachGlacier, waterfalls and Reynisfjara in twelve hours | 12 h | $191 | Sólheimajökull | $15.92 | 4.7 · 120 |
| Reykjavík: Sólheimajökull Glacier Hike & Ice Climbing IntroA walk plus a first go at ice climbing | 5.5 h | $199 | Sólheimajökull | $36.18 | 4.8 · 458 |
| Skaftafell: Glacier XTreme - Hike & Ice Climbing AdventureThe longest day on the ice here | 7.5 h | $230 | Falljökull | $30.67 | 4.9 · 83 |
| Sólheimajökull Ice Climbing TourIce climbing on Sólheimajökull, no walk | 4 h | $273 | Sólheimajökull | $68.25 | 4.8 · 52 |
| Glacier Hike, South Coast Iceland, Black Beach & Sky LagoonGlacier, black beach and a hot lagoon to finish | 10 h | $287 | Sólheimajökull | $28.70 | 5.0 · 5 |
| From Reykjavik: Fire And Ice Helicopter Tour with 2 LandingsTwo glacier landings by helicopter | 2 h | $913 | Two landings | $456.50 | 4.7 · 158 |
| Reykjavík: South Coast Glacier Private ExpeditionA private twelve-hour south coast expedition | 12 h | $1,803 | South coast | $150.25 | New |
If the glacier is the point rather than the coast, a three-hour walk at Skaftafell gives you the same two hours on the ice for half the money.
Skaftafell in full→Choosing between the three
What separates the south coast tours
They cover the same road. The differences are real but small.
- The highest rated — $136
502 ratings at 4.9, which is the best score on this entire site. It is also the cheapest of the three. If you are choosing on evidence, this is the one.
- The most reviewed — $186
504 ratings at 4.8, effectively tied on evidence and a little dearer. Some operators run a smaller coach; check the group size on the listing.
- The photography-led one — $191
120 ratings at 4.7. Built around getting you to each stop in decent light rather than around covering the most ground.
- The one that ends in hot water — $287
Ten hours rather than twelve, a smaller group, and the Sky Lagoon at the end of it. A different shape of day and the one people remember.
- If you want an axe too
The climbing introduction at $199 also leaves from Reykjavík and uses the same glacier, with a rope on blue ice instead of two of the stops.
- If you want the group to be only you
The private expedition at $1,803 covers the same coast at your own pace, and costs what a private driver and guide cost.
Common questions
The south coast glacier day, answered
How long are you actually on the glacier?
About two hours. The other ten are the coach and three stops. That is the single most important thing to know before comparing this with a three-hour walk that gives you the same two hours.
Which glacier does the south coast tour use?
Sólheimajökull, about 160 kilometres from Reykjavík. It is the only glacier close enough to fit inside a day from the capital.
Is the south coast tour worth it?
Yes, especially without a car. Seljalandsfoss, Skógafoss and Reynisfjara are three of the best stops in Iceland and the glacier is a genuine walk rather than a viewpoint. The cheapest of them is rated 4.9.
What time does it start and finish?
Typically a pickup between 07:30 and 08:30 and a return around 19:30. In December much of the driving at both ends is in the dark.
Do I need my own crampons?
No. Crampons, a harness and an ice axe are supplied at the glacier. Waterproof boots above the ankle are yours to bring and guides do check.
Can I do the south coast myself and just book the walk?
Yes, and it is cheaper: meet at the glacier car park and pay $107 for the walk alone. You need a car and, in winter, a willingness to drive it in the dark.
Go deeper
More on walking on an Icelandic glacier
What a glacier hike in Iceland costs
Seventeen walks priced per person and per hour, from $91 to $1,803.
SkaftafellThe Skaftafell glacier hike
Falljokull and Vatnajokull from the national park, and which route is which.
VerdictThe best glacier hike in Iceland
Seventeen walks ranked for one decision, with a straight answer at the end.
SolheimajokullSolheimajokull glacier hike
The closest glacier to Reykjavik, and the one most day tours actually use.
Glacier walksGlacier walks in Iceland
What a guided walk on the ice involves, and how it differs from a hike.
FalljokullThe Falljokull glacier hike
Easy, advanced and extended on the same tongue of ice — the real difference.
