Experience Iceland’s Golden Circle, Ice Caves & Northern Lights - A Reykjavík Winter Escape
Are you after a winter adventure in the Land of Fire and Ice that goes beyond typical sightseeing? On this action-packed 5-day active winter trip to Iceland, you'll walk inside one of the country's largest lava tubes, exploring underground volcanic passages. The next day, you'll be whisked up onto a glacier by super jeep for an adrenaline-fueled experience combining snowmobiling and Golden Circle exploration.
From there, you'll jump onto a snowmobile and ride across the glacier's pristine surface, experiencing the thrill of high-speed travel on ancient ice. You'll also have the chance to explore a stunning ice cave underneath another glacier, stepping into a frozen world of blue and black ice. All this excitement happens with time to hunt down the Northern Lights on guided evening excursions and spend quality time exploring Reykjavík's vibrant culture and dining scene.
If you're an epic adventure lover, you'll feel right at home on this trip where you'll spend almost as much time below ground as above it, experiencing Iceland from unique perspectives few visitors ever see. This multi-day tour combines underground lava cave exploration, glacier super jeep expeditions, snowmobiling adventures, and ice cave discovery into one unforgettable winter package.
Tour the iconic Golden Circle, where waterfalls, geysers, and tectonic rifts await your discovery. Walk inside Raufarhólshellir, one of Iceland's largest lava tubes, seeing colorful rock formations. Ride a snowmobile across the vast Langjökull glacier, feeling the power beneath you. See dazzling formations when you explore an ice cave beneath Mýrdalsjökull glacier. Hunt for the Northern Lights on evening excursions venturing into dark countryside. Enjoy guided super jeep tours of glaciers, accessing terrain regular vehicles cannot reach.
With Reykjavík as your comfortable base and expert guides leading every adventure, this tour delivers maximum thrills with maximum convenience. Get ready for Iceland's ultimate adventure package!
On this tour you will...
Tour the iconic Golden Circle – expect waterfalls, geysers and more
Walk inside Raufarhólshellir, one of Iceland’s largest lava tubes
Ride a snowmobile across the vast Mýrdalsjökull glacier
See dazzling formations when you explore an ice cave
Hunt for the Northern Lights on an evening excursion
Enjoy a guided super jeep tour of Langjökull glacier
Top attractions
Downtown Reykjavík
Gullfoss
Geysir and Strokkur
Þingvellir National Park
Skógafoss
Seljalandsfoss
Why book a multi-day trip with Iceland Tours?
Start your tour on the date that suits you
Stay at the same place in Reykjavík for your whole trip
Travel on comfortable buses with free Wi-Fi
Effortlessly customize your trip with extra activities
24/7 emergency helpline in Iceland
Secure your booking with just a 5% deposit
Your 5-day bus & super jeep itinerary
Transfer from Keflavík International Airport to your hotel in Reykjavík is included.
Welcome to wintry Iceland, where your active adventure awaits! Spend your first day exploring Reykjavík, the buzzing capital, at your own pace. You could take a walk around the city's old harbor district before grabbing a bite at a local restaurant, sampling Icelandic cuisine. Browse shops for supplies or souvenirs, visit museums, or simply wander the colorful streets getting oriented.
Alternatively, relax in a hot tub at one of the city's excellent geothermal pools, soaking in naturally heated water while locals gather and socialize. This is a perfect way to recover from your flight before tomorrow's first day of activities. Settle into your hotel, knowing you'll be based here for your entire stay, and rest up for the adventures ahead.
Highlights
Downtown Reykjavík
Included experiences, upgrade options & extra activities
UpgradeUpgrade - Arrival via Blue Lagoon
ExtraPerlan Museum Wonders of Iceland & Northern Lights Show
This morning, you'll have the thrilling chance to actually walk inside an extinct Icelandic volcano, experiencing the underground world created by ancient eruptions. Stand inside Raufarhólshellir cave, a hollow tube in the rock where lava would once have been rushing by with incredible force. As you walk through the widest lava cave in Iceland with your guide, you'll notice colorful rock formations in the walls left behind by the eruption approximately 5,200 years ago. The cave extends deep underground, and your guide will point out fascinating geological features and explain how lava tubes form.
In the afternoon, you'll return to Reykjavík and have time to continue exploring the city at leisure. Why not unwind with coffee and a slice of cake at a cozy cafe after your underground expedition? In the evening, an exciting aurora adventure awaits! Spend the night on a magical Northern Lights hunt included with your package. Join a large group bus tour to dark-skied locations perfect for spotting the auroras. Your guide will take you away from city lights. You also have the option to upgrade to a small group excursion, super jeep tour, or boat trip for a more intimate experience (upgrades available at additional cost).
Good to know: The Northern Lights are a natural phenomenon and sightings cannot be guaranteed. The tour may be canceled if conditions are unfavorable, but you can join again free later. Return to your hotel.
Hop in your super jeep in Reykjavík for an adventure-filled day! First, your expert driver-guide will take you to Þingvellir National Park, the historic site of Iceland's Viking-age parliament and a place of tremendous cultural significance. It's also where the European and North American tectonic plates are visibly drifting apart, creating a dramatic rift valley. Then you'll head to the Geysir geothermal area, where the famous Strokkur geyser erupts approximately 25 meters into the air with impressive power. Here you can also see other geothermal formations like bubbling hot springs creating colorful displays and steaming mud pots.
Next, you'll round out the Golden Circle section of today's tour by stopping at Gullfoss, one of Iceland's most spectacular waterfalls, where glacial water plunges into a deep canyon. Now you've whetted your appetite for adventure, you'll head up onto Langjökull glacier with your driver-guide. Your super jeep will navigate the icy terrain with ease, accessing areas regular vehicles cannot reach! Once you reach base camp on the glacier, you'll jump onto your two-person snowmobile. Spend one hour exploring this mind-blowing glacial landscape, racing across pristine snow and ice. The thrill of snowmobiling combined with glacier views creates an unforgettable experience. You're probably thinking you can't get much closer to a glacier than this. Well, just wait for tomorrow! Return to Reykjavík.
Today it's time for your second super jeep expedition, and it's going to be spectacular! This time you'll be driven up onto Mýrdalsjökull glacier, Iceland's fourth largest ice cap. The super jeep journey itself is an adventure, bouncing across black sand deserts. Put your glacier gear on, including crampons and helmet, and set off on a fully guided hike past spectacular ice formations and deep crevasses on the glacier surface. Learn about glacial processes from your expert guide. After trekking across the ice, you'll reach Kötlujökull, where you'll step into a jaw-dropping ice cave glowing with blue and black colors. This glacier sits atop Katla, one of Iceland's powerful dormant volcanoes. Here you'll see how the volcano and ice have interacted over centuries, with layers of black volcanic ash creating dramatic stripes in the blue ice. The cave's beauty is absolutely mesmerizing.
You'll also stop at Seljalandsfoss waterfall, where you can walk behind the falling water if accessible. If you're traveling between 1 February and 15 November, you'll also stop at its companion Skógafoss just down the road, one of Iceland's tallest waterfalls. Return to your Reykjavík hotel this evening, perhaps sharing your ice cave stories over dinner.
Transfer from Reykjavík to Keflavík International Airport is included.
Depending on when your flight departs, you might have time for a warm dip in the Blue Lagoon before you jet off home (available at additional cost, pre-booking required). Why not arrive at the airport feeling fully relaxed and restored after days of adventure? If you go for this option, you'll be picked up from your hotel and driven to the Blue Lagoon, where you can store your luggage for a fee. Once you're done soaking in the mineral-rich waters, you'll be taken onward to Keflavík International Airport.
Good to know: Most airlines require arrival at least 2 hours before departure. The drive takes around 20 minutes from the Blue Lagoon. If not adding the spa, enjoy your final morning in Reykjavík before your included transfer, carrying memories of walking inside lava tubes, snowmobiling on glaciers, and exploring glowing ice caves.
What’s included?
Budget, Comfort, or Quality accommodation every night
Continental breakfast every day
Airport transfer
Raufarhólshellir lava cave tour
Northern Lights guided bus tour
Golden Circle & snowmobiling tour
Katla Ice Cave – Under the Volcano tour
24/7 emergency helpline when you’re in Iceland
Carbon offsetting of your tour
VAT, taxes & service fees
Flights to Iceland
Food & drink, unless otherwise stated
Attraction entrance fees, unless otherwise stated
Personal travel insurance
FAQs about our multi-day trips
Throughout your multi-day trip with Iceland Tours, you’ll be based in the Icelandic capital of Reykjavík or Akureyri the capital of the North. From here, you can join guided tours into the surrounding countryside to soak up the mind-blowing scenery. Your package will include at least one day trip, and depending on the length of your tour package you can opt to add more.
It’s worth bearing in mind that you won’t have the same guide throughout your trip. In fact, on each escorted group day trip from Reykjavík or Akureyri, you’ll get to meet a new guide and new fellow travelers.
What’s more, spending each night in the same accommodation means you don’t need to worry about unpacking and repacking during your trip. It also gives you the chance to experience more of the city’s restaurants, food halls, and bars. And you’ll have time to browse the local shops and visiting the city’s attractions.
When you opt for a multi-day package, you won’t be traveling with the same guide and group throughout your trip. This means that number of fellow travelers you meet on your guided excursions will vary depending on the activity.
For instance, if you’re going on an ice cave tour, your group could include a just a handful people. Meanwhile, a tour of the Golden Circle by bus will often be a larger group as you’ll likely be traveling by coach. And you’ll find evening Northern Lights tours are usually by coach too, although you have the option to upgrade to a small group, super jeep, or boat tour.
Depending on the excursion, your bus could be either a minibus or coach. Most buses will have free onboard Wi-Fi and charging points for your phone. Larger buses also have overhead compartments for stowing your bag and jacket.
It’s good to know that although there’s no restroom on the bus, your guide will make sure to include regular breaks throughout the journey.
Yes, all of these multi-day trips include airport transfers by bus from Keflavík International Airport to Reykjavík on arrival and departure.
On each morning of your trip, you’ll get a tasty continental breakfast at your accommodation. In most places, this is served buffet-style in a communal dining room.
With most packages, lunch and dinner are not included so you’re free to choose from all of the options available. In Reykjavík and Akureyri, you’ll be spoiled for choice when deciding where to eat.
Some festive packages include special meals. Check the ‘What’s included?’ section for the individual package to find out exactly what you’ll get.
If your package features longer day tours, you’ll find that the guide will factor in lunch and restroom stops. But it’s still good to come prepared by packing a few snacks and plenty of water. And if you prefer, you could bring a picnic lunch rather than eat out.
Absolutely! You can customize your package by:
- Picking your level of accommodation (Budget, Comfort, or Quality)
- Extending your stay with extra nights in Reykjavík at the start or end of your trip
- Adding optional activities, such as a food tour or glacier hike
Enter your dates and the number of people in your group on the tour package page. Here you can also choose your accommodation level.
At checkout, you can customize your trip with extra days and activities. Afterwards, follow the steps to finalize your booking and you’ll get a confirmation from us via email.
There’s one more thing that’s great to know: all it takes is a 5% deposit to secure your booking today.
Because a multi-day trip is made up of different excursions every day, you won’t always be with the same group. That said, Iceland is small enough that you might just bump into someone from the day before!
If you’re looking for the kind of experience where you can hang with the same group and make new friends, we also offer guided group tours of Iceland. These are led by local experts who will take you and your travel buddies all over the country.
Once you’ve decided roughly when you want to visit Iceland, you can start searching for flights online. Iceland is well connected to major airports in Europe and across North America.
It makes the most sense to book your package with Iceland Tours first. Once your booking is confirmed, go ahead and purchase your flights. Then all you need to do is think about what to pack! In fact, you can read all about that below.
On all of our multi-day tours from Reykjavík, you’ll stay at the same hotel or guesthouse in the city for the length of your trip. This is great if you prefer to stay settled in one place and explore by day.
If you’d rather get to stay in different places in the countryside, you could go for an Iceland self-drive tour, where you can set your own pace. Another great option is a guided group tour, where you’ll travel with the same awesome fellow travelers for your whole trip.
On a multi-day package with Iceland Tours, you can choose from 3 levels of accommodation:
- Budget – Guesthouses and hotels, with shared bathrooms
- Comfort – Hotels or guesthouses of around 3 stars, with private bathrooms
- Quality – Hotels or guesthouses of around 4 stars, with private bathrooms
Each accommodation level offers different types of rooms. We’ve described them below to help you choose the best one for you. Just keep in mind that not every hotel has all these room types available.
- Single room: one single bed in a room, perfect for solo travelers.
- Double room: a full-sized double bed for 2 people.
- Twin room: a room with 2 single beds that fit 1 person each.
- Triple room: these vary in size and layout, but are designed to fit 3 adults. Triple rooms feature a combination of double, single or sofa beds, depending on the hotel.
No matter which accommodation level you pick, breakfast is included. Read more about the differences between the levels on this accommodation page.
In Iceland, the weather can change in a flash. The upshot is that if you don’t like the weather, you won’t need to wait long for it to pass.
With that in mind, you should pack smart so you’ll be comfortable no matter the conditions. Here’s a suggested Iceland packing list:
- Rugged hiking boots
- Wooly hat, scarf, and gloves
- Thick, waterproof winter coat
- Sweaters and fleeces for extra warmth
- Swimming gear (for hot springs and pools)
- Sunglasses
- Lip balm and moisturizer
If you’re planning a trip to Iceland in winter, sunglasses are essential because the sun is low in the sky for most of the day. You’ll also want to protect your skin from the dry air with moisturizer.
For more tips, see our Iceland packing list.
There’s an incredible amount you can do on a multi-day vacation from Iceland Tours. Here’s some ideas to spark inspiration:
- Roam the black sands of Reynisfjara beach on a south coast tour
- Venture under a glacier on a guided ice cave tour
- Complete the Golden Circle, including Gullfoss waterfall
- Explore ‘Iceland in Miniature’ on the Snæfellsnes peninsula
- Join a glacier hike across thousand-year-old pack ice
- Go whale watching from Reykjavík and spot the gentle giants
- Follow in the footsteps of Vikings at Þingvellir National Park
- Marvel at natural hot springs, like the Strokkur geyser
- Unwind in the soothing waters of the Blue Lagoon or Sky Lagoon
- Hunt down the Northern Lights on a magical winter tour
Because you’ll be based in Reykjavík for your whole trip, most excursions will take you to the south or west of Iceland. Be sure to check out this guide to the best things to see and do near Reykjavík.
If you want to see North Iceland, East Iceland, or the Westfjords, you might want to consider a self-drive or guided group tour. These are also great options if the Ring Road is on your must-do list.
For even more inspo, explore these awesome things to do in Iceland.
No worries! Iceland Tours is already offsetting the carbon footprint of your tour package. We've teamed up with an environmental fund in Iceland to cover the carbon offset for all our tours.
Carbon offsetting for international flights is not included, but we suggest checking with your airline or through a local environmental fund for options.
