South and West Iceland
May fr. £1,350
Jun - Aug fr. £1,455
Sep fr. £1,445
On this journey through western and southern Iceland you get to explore the landscapes of thundering waterfalls, black lava sandy beaches and lush greenery. You also get to travel through history, going far back in time, making this beautiful trip like one straight out of the famous sagas of Iceland and a memory for life. Total driving distance: 1650 km (50-300 km/day).
Departures 2026: January - October; daily.
Book directly – or receive a personalised proposal
When you book directly on this page, you can choose between our carefully curated accommodation categories: Economy (rooms with shared bathroom) or Comfort (rooms with private bathroom). Along the route, you will stay at thoughtfully selected hotels, each chosen for comfort and character. Well before your departure, you will receive the name and address of every place you will stay.
If you prefer to explore a personalised proposal before making a decision, simply send us an inquiry. We will reply with a detailed travel plan and pricing, where the hotels are named and tailored to your wishes, giving you a clear picture of your journey ahead.
Included & add-ons
The trip includes:
add-ons:
Booking and payment:
Map
Share your adventure with us!
Share your experiences and join Vulkan's photo contest My Magical Iceland, where you can win a gift card worth £750!
@vulkantravelgroup | #vulkantravelgroup | #mymagicaliceland
Day description
Arrival in Iceland - Reykjavik (50 km)
You arrive at Keflavík Airport in the morning or afternoon. Your rental car will be ready for pickup at the airport. A great way to start your stay in Iceland is with a relaxing visit to the famous Blue Lagoon – an optional activity that must be booked in advance.
The lagoon is like an oasis in the middle of a lava field between the airport and Reykjavik. The mineral-rich water maintains a soothing temperature of 36–39°C all year round. On site, you'll also find an indoor lagoon, a geothermal sauna, and a lovely restaurant.
Feeling refreshed after your visit, you’ll continue to Reykjavik for your first overnight stay. Depending on your flight arrival time, you may have the opportunity to explore Reykjavik on your own in the afternoon or evening.
Reykjavík - Hella/Hvolsvöllur – Kirkjubæjarklaustur (270 km)
After breakfast at your hotel, leave the capital city and travel south following road no 1. You will pass through the towns Hveragerdi, Selfoss and Hella. In Hvolsvöllur you can visit the interactive Lava Centre (optional) for an insight into Iceland's volcanic forces.
East of Hvolsvöllur you will reach the two waterfalls Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss, two stops not to be missed. At Skógar you will also find a museum giving interesting insights into how Icelandic people lived in the past as well as in current times. You can also explore the glacial tongue Solheimajökull and the bird cliffs of Dyrhólaey, where many migrating sea birds nest, among them the famous puffin during spring and summer.
The black lava beaches on the South Coast are well known, and you can take a walk along the Reynisfjara beach or in the village Vik. Be careful when walking too close to the waves, their powerful pull can easily drag a person out to sea!
After Vik you pass through the black sand desert Mýrdalssandur and later the enormous lava field Eldhraun, which was formed during the big volcanic outbreak in 1783. Before reaching Kirkjubæjarklaustur, a stop at the beautiful Fjaðrárgljúfur canyon is recommended.
Overnight stay: in or near Kirkjubæjarklaustur.
Highlights:
- Lava Centre (interactive volcano museum, optional)
- Seljalandsfoss & Skógafoss (waterfalls)
- Skógar Museum (optional)
- Sólheimajökull (glacial tongue)
- Dyrhólaey & Reynisfjara (bird cliffs and black beach)
- Vik
- Eldhraun (lava field)
- Fjaðrárgljúfur (canyon)
Vatnajökull - Kirkjubæjarklaustur – Vik (300 km)
Start your third day by driving to the area at the foot of the Vatnajökull glacier. On the way east you can see Dverghamrar, a belt of basalt columns a few kilometres from Kirkjubæjarklaustur. Continue east from here over Skeidarásandur, a wonderful viewpoint with views over Europe’s largest glacier, Vatnajökull.
Past this wide stretch of desert is Skaftafell National park, a beautiful area at the foot of the Vatnajökull glacier known for its unique natural flora and lush green vegetation. There are a number of walking paths you can take from here, for example through the park to the beautiful Svartifoss waterfall, or to the edge of the glacial tongue Skaftafell.
Further east you reach the magical glacial lagoon Jökulsárlón, where enormous icebergs float in the still blue water. It is possible to take a boat trip (optional) here to get right in between the icebergs. Drive back via Kirkjubæjarklaustur to Vík, where you stay overnight in or near Vik.
Highlights:
- Dverghamrar (basalt columns)
- Skaftafell National Park (nature reserve)
- Vatnajökull (Europe's largest glacier)
- Jökulsárlón (glacier lagoon)
- Boat trip on the lagoon (optional)
Vík - Hekla – Geysir – Gullfoss – Golden Circle (300 km)
Today, you will visit some of the most interesting and well-known places in Iceland. You will start by driving west towards Hella and then turn north on road 26. This road leads you towards Iceland’s most famous volcano, Hekla.
On road 32 through Thjorsárdalur you can visit the interesting reconstruction of the Viking farm Stöng (Thjodveldisbaer), the natural oasis Gjáin (summer only) and the beautiful Hjalparfoss waterfall. Further south, you turn towards Flúðir, where you can bathe in the Secret Lagoon (optional) or visit Fridheimar Farm (optional).
Continue to the famous geothermal area of Geysir, where Strokkur is the most active of the geysers. It erupts every 5–10 minutes, sending a column of hot water and steam into the air. Nearby is the golden waterfall, Gullfoss, which impressively plunges into a deep canyon.
Overnight stay: Golden Circle area.
Highlights:
- Mt. Hekla (volcano)
- Stöng / Thjodveldisbaer (viking farm)
- Gjáin (natural oasis, summer only)
- Hjalparfoss (waterfall)
- Skálholt (historic site)
- Secret Lagoon (geothermal bath, optional)
- Gullfoss & Geysir (waterfalls and geysers)
- Fridheimar Farm (greenhouse visit, optional)
Golden Circle – Thingvellir – Borgarnes (250 km)
Thingvellir national park is an interesting place both historically and geologically. This is where the world’s first ever parliament, Althingi, assembled as early as the 930s. In addition, Iceland is located on top of the continental crack between the European and North American continental plates, and at Thingvellir the escarpment formed when these two plates slowly glide apart is particularly visible. We recommend you take a walk in the Almannagjá crack.
After the stop at Thingvellir, drive on to Hvalfjördur, an important port for the allied forces during World War 2, and then on to Reykholt. First on the list of stops to make in this area is the hot spring of Deildartunguhver (the largest hot spring in Iceland).
From here drive towards Reykholt itself, where the famous author Snorri Sturluson lived during the 13th century. You can visit the exhibition dedicated to his life and work in Snorrastofa. About 20 km east of Reykholt you should also visit the stunning Hraunfossar waterfall and the close by waterfall Barnafoss. Finish the day in Borgarnes, where the Settlement Center (optional) is worth a visit.
Overnight stay: In the Borgarnes area.
Highlights:
- Thingvellir National Park (historic and geological site)
- Hvalfjördur (fjord)
- Deildartunguhver (hot spring)
- Reykholt (cultural center)
- Hraunfossar & Barnafoss (waterfalls)
- Borgarnes Settlement Center (optional)
Borgarnes – Snæfellsnes (250 km)
Enjoy a good breakfast at your hotel before taking off towards the Snæfellsnes peninsula and the picturesque Eldborg crater. We also recommend a visit to the Gerduberg Basalt columns, which can be found east of road 54 near Ytri-Raudamelur.
The Snæfellsnes peninsula is a natural phenomenon known for the Snæfellsjökull glacier, which towers over it. Follow the south coast towards Búdir, an earlier trading port where a wooden church surrounded by a field of lava now resides. Further on you get to Arnarstapi, a beautiful fishing village with basalt rock columns in all shapes and sizes.
While driving around the peninsula we recommend that you stop at Djúpalónssandur, an old fishing port with a black beach. Typical fishing villages like Hellissandur, Olafsvik and Grundarfjördur are dotted around the northern coast, where the famous mountain Kirkjufell is located. If you have time you can also stop at Bjarnarhöfn farm (optional). You can learn about shark fishing around Iceland here, as well as taste this delicacy.
Overnight stay: On the northern part of the Snæfellsnes peninsula
Highlights:
- Eldborg (crater)
- Gerduberg (basalt columns)
- Búdir (church and lava field)
- Arnarstapi & Hellnar (cliff formations)
- Djúpalónssandur (black beach)
- Snæfellsjökull (glacier)
- Kirkjufell (mountain)
- Bjarnarhöfn shark farm (optional)
- Stykkishólmur (fishing village)
Snæfellsnes – Reykjavík (180 km)
Today you return to the capital city. To reach Reykjavík in good time, we recommend you take the tunnel underneath the Hvalfjördur fjord. Spend the afternoon and evening exploring the world’s northernmost capital city on your own.
Stroll around the city with its many restaurants, cafes and shops. For the culturally inclined a wide range of museums exist, or you can visit the Hallgrímskirkja church or the Harpa concert hall.
Overnight stay: in Reykjavik
Highlights:
- Reykjavík
- Hallgrímskirkja (optional)
- Harpa
- Laugavegur
Return home (50 km)
Return flights either early in the morning or in the afternoon. Drive from Reykjavík to Keflavík airport (approx. 45 mins) and leave the car there in connection with your return flight.
Rental cars
Hyundai i10
Toyota Yaris Sedan
Skoda Octavia Sedan
Skoda Octavia Station Wagon
Dacia Duster 4WD
Ford Galaxy