5 Day - Northern Lights, Golden Circle, South Coast, Jökulsárlón & Ice Cave
by Arctic Adventures · Northern lights · Ice caves · Glacier hiking · Vatnajökull & Jökulsárlón
- Beginners welcome
- Fine on your own
- Suits older travellers
- Good with teenagers
- Eco-certified
Two or three stops a day. A full holiday without being a route march.
11 stops across 5 days in the operator's own itinerary — 2.2 a day.
from €1,466 per person
Next departure: Sun 25 Oct
1 / 15
Duration
5 days
Difficulty
Easy
Season
Sep – Apr
Starts in
Reykjavík
Pickup
Meet at the start point
Starts at
Geirsgata 11, Reykjavík
Guide
Guided in English
Departs
14:00
Minimum age
8
Cancellation
Free until 24 hours before
About this experience
5 Day - Golden Circle, South Coast, Jökulsárlón & Ice Cave
Trip difficulty: 2/5, easy.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: make your way from the airport to Reykjavík and check into your accommodation. Explore the city on your own. Free day in Reykjavík. Northern Lights boat tour in the evening.
- Day 2: on this day you'll explore the famous Golden Circle. Thingvellir National Park will be our fist 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 waterfall of Gullfoss.
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, Eyjafjallajökull. Next is coastal village of Vik where you will reach your hotel for the night.
- Day 3: really close from Vík we will find Reynisfjara, the black sand beach, which is also famous for its basalt columns, called Reynisdrangar.
We continue our journey towards Jokulsarlon Ice Lagoon and Diamond Beach.
Next we head to an Ice Cave where our certified guides will assure a safe and exciting experience. Ice Caves are only found during the wintertime when the glacial rivers retract and the water freezes.
- Day 4: we will start early to go for a glacier hike. Your guide will give you ice crampons and everything you need to explore Svínafellsjökull Glacier.
Lastly, we will start making our way back to the city with some stops along the way. Northern Lights minibus tour in the evening.
- Day 5: check out of the hotel and explore Reykjavík on your own.
If you want to see more information about the itinerary or accommodation please click here
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. Our main ice cave in the winter is the Crystal Ice Cave. However, at times when it’s inaccessible, we’ll visit an alternative ice cave. During the summer months (from April to October), we’ll visit the Ice Cave Under the Volcano. If it’s inaccessible, we’ll do a glacier hike instead.
Arctic Adventures reserves the right to alter itineraries and/or timetables should it be necessary, due to adverse weather and or other related conditions.
Description from the operator, Arctic Adventures. Prices and availability in the booking panel are live.
Where you go
- Reykjavík
- Day 2: Thingvellir National Park
- Day 2: Geysir
- Day 2: Gullfoss Waterfall
- Day 2: Seljalandsfoss Waterfall
- Day 2: Skógafoss
- Day 2: Reynisfjara
- Day 2: Vík
- Day 3: Skaftafell
- Day 3: Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon
- Day 4: Reykjavík
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 4 nights and breakfast.
Not included
Please note that food is NOT included on this tour, except breakfast on day 2 & 3
Good to know
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 a solid cloud forecast — most operators call it by late afternoon and let you rebook on a clearer night free of charge. Here is exactly what happens to your booking.
- 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.
- 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 →
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 207 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 5,195 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.
★★★★★ · 3 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.
★★★★★ · 2 months 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.
★★★★★ · 3 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!
★★★★★ · 2 months ago
What a wonderful adventure! The 3 Day South Coast/Golden Circle tour included all of the sites we wanted to see and it did not disappoint. We were picked up at a bus stop in downtown Reykjavik and our journey began with about 16 other guests, a good group size. Our tour guide "Good" John did an excellent job teaching us about the history of Iceland and the sites we saw. The tour is well organized with just enough time at each site. He also made adjustments to the itinerary based on the weather as well as including sites not on the tour to give us more to see, which we loved! There were plenty of bathroom/food breaks as needed and we loved that we could just sit back, relax, and enjoy the views outside the window rather than worrying about driving and parking. Our multi-day tour included a 2 night stay at Adventure Hotel Geirland, which Arctic Adventures owns. Such a quiet hotel, convenient location with beautiful views. Our only complaints were that the shower leaked and made the floor wet, and that dinner at the restaurant was expensive with limited options. However the food was good and breakfast was included. The Katla Ice Cave was our favorite part, which was partnered with Southcoast Adventure, and our guide Inga was very friendly and knowledgeable. We did pay for a hiking boot rental for my husband but never received the boots. We did not ask our tour guide so we are not sure what happened with that. Overall we absolutely loved this tour and would highly recommend Arctic Adventures to anyone visiting Iceland for the first time!
Reviews from Google · updated 23 Oct 2026
Read before you book
- Iceland packages: what 'hotels included' meansMulti-day tours bundle the bed, the bus and the guide. What's usually in, what's usually extra, and which BusTravel and Arctic Adventures packages we'd pick.
- 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.
- Best Horse Riding Tour in Iceland (2026): 4 PicksThe horse riding tours we would book ourselves: an easy lava-field ride near Reykjavík, the hot-spring valley, and longer rides for confident riders.
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.
Northern lights — questions people ask
When is the best time to see the northern lights in Iceland?
September to April, when the nights are dark enough. Within that, late September to March gives the longest dark hours, and the equinox months, September and March, often have active skies. There are no lights in June or July; the sky never gets dark. Anyone selling you a June lights tour is selling you a bus ride. Give yourself at least three nights, because clouds, not the aurora, are the usual reason people miss them.
Are the northern lights guaranteed on a tour?
No. Nobody can promise them, and we will not. Two things have to line up: a clear sky and solar activity. Guides check the cloud forecast at vedur.is and drive to gaps, which is the real value of a tour over standing outside your hotel. What most operators do promise is a free second attempt if the lights do not show. Check the exact retry policy on the tour page, because the number of retries and the validity period vary.
Is a northern lights bus tour or a boat tour better?
Bus, if you want the best odds. A minibus can drive an hour inland to find a clear patch; a boat stays in Faxaflói and sees whatever sky is over Reykjavík. Boats are shorter, about two hours, and pleasant with hot chocolate, and Reykjavik Sailors' cruise (/experience/6637/) includes a free retry. For a serious hunt, a small-group minibus like BusTravel's (/experience/150646/) or a 4x4 tour (/experience/1088067/) is the better bet.
Can I see the northern lights from Reykjavík itself?
Yes, on strong nights. The city is small and the sky over the sea to the north is fairly dark. Grótta lighthouse at the western tip and the Ægisíða shoreline are the usual spots, twenty minutes' walk from the centre. On average nights the street lights drown out a faint aurora, which is why tours drive out. If the forecast shows high activity and clear sky, walk to Grótta first and save the tour money.
One checkout, any number of operators
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If it falls short, we fix it
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