South Iceland

From the Golden Circle to Vík's black sand beach and the Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon, the southern region has Iceland's greatest concentration of waterfalls, glaciers and volcanic scenery.

This region is Iceland's Southern Region (Suðurland), from Mount Hengill and Hveragerði at the eastern edge of the capital area in the west to near Höfn at the southern foot of Vatnajökull in the east, and north to the interior highlands, and it includes the Westman Islands. To the west lie Reykjavík and the Reykjanes peninsula, and to the northeast it meets East Iceland. Highlights: the three Golden Circle sights, Þingvellir National Park, Geysir and Gullfoss; the south coast's Seljalandsfoss, Skógafoss, Sólheimajökull glacier, and the Reynisfjara black sand beach and Dyrhólaey near Vík; glacier hikes and winter ice caves at Skaftafell (Vatnajökull National Park); and the Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon and Diamond Beach. In the interior are the colourful rhyolite mountains of Landmannalaugar and the Þórsmörk valley. Classic routes: a 1-day Golden Circle from Reykjavík, then 2–3 days eastward along the south coast on Ring Road 1 to the glacier lagoon; a full circuit of the island takes 7–10 days. Most people self-drive, and there are also many day tours. In summer the interior F-roads require a 4WD, while in winter roads ice over and strong winds are common, so be sure to check road.is for road conditions and weather warnings. "Sneaker waves" on black sand beaches are dangerous, so never go near the water's edge.

Destinations

Itineraries