Home / Multi-Day Tours / Reykjavík / Iceland In Winter – Guided Tour for 6 Days
Iceland in winter is simply a wonderful time but we understand that not everybody is interested in a self-drive tour in snowy and icy conditions. Therefore we created this special Iceland winter tour only with guided tours included. Enjoy Iceland in its winter colours and visit the highlights of Iceland such as geyser, waterfalls, Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon and glacier. See the magic northern lights in the winter sky and enjoy Reykjavik the world’s northernmost capital.
If you are interested in receiving more information about this tour, please click on the “Request a quote” widget on the left side of the page. A quick form will open up where you will provide us with more information about your travel expectations. You will then be connected with your specialized travel agent who will assist you throughout the planning a provide a fully detailed quote.
Please note that this itinerary can be adjusted and customized to meet your travel needs and preferences. The package can also be offered as a privately guided tour if a self-drive option is not what you had in mind for your Iceland experience.
Please note that this tour is not suitable for wheelchair users.
NL-09
Oct - Apr
Guided Group Tours
6 Days / 5 Nights
Reykjavík & South Iceland
8 Years Old
Welcome to Iceland in winter! After landing at Keflavík International airport, you will be transferred to your hotel or guesthouse in Reykjavik. In the afternoon we recommend exploring the city center of Reykjavik. You should visit Harpa Music Hall, the Hallgrímskirkja Church, the Laugavegur shopping street, and the small lake Tjörnin often frequented by many water birds. In the evening you will join a Northern Lights tour by minibus. You will leave the city with its disturbing lights and you will search for the magic lights also called Aurora in the countryside. You stay for the night in a comfortable accommodation in the city center.
~ 4 hours
Today you go on a guided bus tour around the Golden Circle to see three of Iceland´s most stunning sights – Þingvellir National Park, Geyser geothermal area and Gullfoss waterfall. After these natural wonders, you will visit Fontana´s natural steam baths. Relax in various hot tubs and steam baths naturally heated by Icelandic hot springs. Before returning back to Reykjavik, you can taste some typical Icelandic rye bread which is slow-baked in the natural hot springs. In the evening you can go on another (optional) Northern Lights tour or you visit one of the gourmet restaurants in Reykjavik. Reykjavik is also famous for its nightlife and the bars are open during weekends until 04:00 a.m.
~ 9 hours
For the next two days, you will be joining on an exciting 2-day tour to the magnificent south coast of Iceland. The south is often said to have it all! You will start your journey by being picked up by your guide for the next two days, and then you will head out to the countryside. Your first sight will be at the mesmerizing Seljalandsfoss, where if the conditions are good and you have the right attire, you have an option to walk behind the waterfall to get a 360°view of it. Next up is another well-known waterfall, the great Skógafoss waterfall. On a good day, you might be able to see the peak of Eyjafjallajökull volcano, that erupted famously in 2010.
Continuing will be the Reynisfjara black sand beach and the picturesque Reynisdrangar rock pinnacles rising from the sea. Afterwards, you will continue your travels to Skaftafell, where you will stay the night in the area. On your way, you will travel through the great lava field and witness the spectacular glacier Vatnajökull. The countryside is perfect for catching the dancing lights in the sky.
Reykjavík
Skaftafell area
After breakfast, you will be starting your day by exploring the magical world of Vatnajökull. The first sight of the day will be the out of this world glacier lagoon, Jökulsárlón. This lagoon is full of great, dazzling icebergs in various fascinating shapes and forms, constantly breaking from Breiðamerkurjökull glacier. These icebergs float in the lagoon and slowly end up in the Atlantic ocean. Many of these natural icebergs cast ashore to the nearby beach, where they shimmer like diamonds on the beautiful black sand beach, given the name, the Diamond beach.
Now you will be venturing up and in the magnificent glacier with a qualified glacier guide. Entering an ice cave is surely an out of this world experience. Ice caves are formed during the summertime when the glacier is slowly melting the flowing water runs through cracks and crevasses, slowly enlarging over time. Every autumn expert guides search for new ice caves for the new season, allowing you to enter the newest ice cave in the glacier. Glaciers are constantly on the move and the same applies to the caves, but slowly.
Your guide will choose the best suitable ice cave, depending on the time of travel, and surely the weather.
The amazing colour of the ice inside the cave makes you feel like you are in a wonderland. The variant shades of blue and the structure of the ice can truly mesmerize you! You will ride up the glacier in a large super-jeep, before parking as close as possible to the mouth of the cave. Please remember to bring good hiking shoes with you as you will now hike to the opening of the cave, where you will have plenty of time to enjoy the cave and capture the moment on film.
After this dreamlike experience of the cave, you sadly have to say goodbye to the glaciers and head back to the city. Depending on the weather conditions, you might make some stops along the way to stretch your legs during the long drive. If promising conditions show Northern Lights activity, be sure to keep an eye out for the magical dancing lights in the sky.
Please keep in mind that the program of this two-day tours can slightly change, based on the weather and different months of winter.
Skaftafell area
Reykjavík
Today you go on a guided tour inside a lava cave. You will see natural stalactites, different lava rock formations and unexpected colours. The cave is only a short drive away from Reykjavik and is located near a volcanic crater. It is about 900 meters long and was first mapped in 1992. Most of the floor in the cave is even and the cave becomes wide and high. However, in a few places you need to crawl and therefore you should wear good walking or hiking shoes. The afternoon you can spend in the city of Reykjavik and we recommend to visit the old harbour area where many interesting museums are located such as the Northern Lights Center, the Saga Museum or the Marine Museum.
~ 3 hours
Your winter adventure is about to come to its end. You will be transferred to Keflavik International Airport. If your flight is in the afternoon, you still have time to stop at Blue Lagoon and enjoy a soak in the milky blue earth sea, a perfect end to your stay and a nice way to relax and unwind before your flight home.
Budget accommodations include shared facilities in guest houses, country hotels, farmhouses, etc. In some cases, the rooms might be equipped with a TV and a washbasin. The in-room amenities are limited and basic but they all adhere to a high standard of cleanliness.
Breakfast is included.
Comfort accommodations offer access to private facilities (shower and toilet). This type of lodges belongs to the 3-star hotel category. Most of these properties have an in-house restaurant. This section offers an upgrade in comfort and service compared to the budget category. Breakfast is included.
Harpa is the famous concert hall and conference center located in Reykjavik. The building features a distinctive and original colored glass facade inspired by the basalt landscape of Iceland. Its unique architecture makes it one of Reykjavik most loved landmarks.
Hallgrímskirkja Church is most certainly Reykjavík´s best-known landmark. The white concrete Church whose image is printed in many postcards, dominates the city. As a matter of fact its tower can be seen from almost every corner of Reykjavík. Its distinctive and futuristic exterior made the Church one of the most visited spots in Reykjavík.
Laugavegur is the main shopping street in Reykjavik and it is located in the heart of the city. Its name means literally „wash road“ as this was once the route to the hot springs where many Icelanders took their clothes to launder. Today it is a vibrant and innovative street filled with designer ateliers, tourist gift shops, bars, and restaurants.
The Aurora is a natural phenomenon caused by electrically charged particles, mainly electrons and protons ejected from the sun colliding with atoms of oxygen and nitrogen causing them to emit light that is visible to us. These hypnotic lights are known as Aurora Borealis, Polar Lights or Northern Lights in the arctic north and Aurora Australis (southern lights) around the south pole. The color of the Aurora has to do with the type of gas that these particles collide with, oxygen produces green light at low altitudes and red at high altitudes. Nitrogen produces purple Aurora. The green color is the most common and red can only be seen at the strongest of geomagnetic storms. The full understanding of the physical processes that cause the aurora are still a mystery but we know the fundamental causes of the Aurora is the interaction of solar wind with the Earth‘s magnetosphere.
There are three basic requirements for seeing the northern lights. Solar activity, darkness and clear skies. This means that you cannot see the northern lights during summer, they are still happening, there's even a phenomenon called daylight aurora, but our eyes cannot detect them as sunlight drowns out the Aurora. So the darker the better. Going out of the city is not a requirement, the Aurora can often be spotted within city limits in Iceland, however to best enjoy them going away from city lights enhances the experience. Also people should not use mobile phones if they are looking for the northern lights, as the light from the screen will make it harder for your eyes to adjust to the darkness. It‘s always a good idea to take warm clothes on your Aurora excursions as Iceland can get very cold in the winter, that means wool undergarments, warm mid layer and a windproof shell.
Þingvellir National Park is the most important historic and geological sites in Iceland. The area is part of a fissure zone running through Iceland, being situated on the tectonic plate boundaries of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Major events in the history of Iceland have taken place at Þingvellir and today the entire area is a protected national treasure.
Gullfoss, also called the Golden Waterfall, is one of the most iconic gems of the likewise named Golden Circle. The waterfall is located in the upper part of the River Hvíta. Gullfoss is actually two separate waterfalls, the upper one has a drop of 11 meters and the lower one 21 meters.
Geysir is the famous hot spring area located in the Haukadalur valley. The main attraction is known as Strokkur, which erupts energetically at regular intervals of 10 minutes or so its boiling waterjets can reach as high as 30 meters.
Laugarvatn Fontana is a Spa & Wellness center built on natural hot springs. It is located at the Golden Circle area, you can enjoy steam baths or the geothermal pools while taking in the stunning views of the surrounding mountains and lake Laugarvatn.
Seljalandsfoss is one of the most famous and visited waterfalls in Iceland. It located along the South Coast of the Country right by the road n. 1. The waterfall is part of the Seljalands river that originated from the famous volcano glacier Eyjafjallajökull. The waterfall is approximately 60-meter high and it is famous for its path that leads visitor behind its powerful water flow.
Skógafoss is a waterfall located on the Skógá river on the South Coast of Iceland. This picture-perfect waterfall descends 60 meters from the cliffs. Before pouring down the cliffs becoming the famous waterfall, the river flows through the Skógárgil gorge.
Reynisfjara is a famous black sand beach in the South of Iceland, just next to the village of Vik. Black sand, lava formations, and basalt columns make it a popular stop for all visitors.
Reynisdrangar cliffs are towering basalt-type rock formations situated near the shore of Reynisfjara black sand beach, on the South Coast of Iceland. The folk legend wants them to be the rocky representation of two trolls turned into stone after being caught by the sunlight after dawn.
Eldhraun is a lava field in the southern highlands of Iceland. It was created by a great volcano eruption known as Skaftareldar.
Jökulsárlón is a large glacial lake located in the Southeast of Iceland on the edge of the Vatnajökull National Park. The Lagoon developed into a lake after the glacier started receding from the edge of the Atlantic Ocean. The lake can be seen from Route 1 between Höfn and Skaftafell. The lagoon offers outstanding views of the ice cap and it is one of the most spectacular and loved, natural destinations in all Iceland.
The Reykjavík Maritime Museum is located by the old harbour in Reykjavík, founded in 2004 and open daily from 10:00 – 17:00. One of their main exhibitions is the former coast guard vessel Óðinn, and is accessible for guided tours three time per day; 13:00, 14:00 and 15:00.
Reykjavík is the capital and biggest city of Iceland with a population of approximately 124,000. It is the northernmost capital in the world. Despite its small size, you can find many attractions and museums, making Reykjavik a popular destination.
Reykjavík Old Harbour is fast becoming the new lively center of the city. There you will find museums such as Maritime Museum, the Northern Lights center and the Whales of Iceland exhibition. The harbour, which is quickly transforming into a modern city space, is also home to restaurants and cafes. A local favourite is ice cream shop Valdís, which makes fresh ice cream every morning and always offers new flavours.
