Reykjavík Winter Getaway: Lava & Ice Caves Adventure - 5 Days

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.

Lava cave Iceland tours take you inside ancient volcanic tubes created when molten lava flowed thousands of years ago, leaving behind hollow rock passages after eruptions ceased. Raufarhólshellir, one of Iceland's longest and widest lava caves, features colorful rock formations where minerals deposited by the 5,200-year-old lava flow create stunning patterns in tunnel walls.

Tours typically last 1-2 hours and involve walking on uneven underground surfaces while guides explain how lava tubes form during volcanic eruptions. The experience provides unique perspectives on Iceland's volcanic activity, letting you stand where superheated lava once rushed through underground channels at incredible speeds.

A snowmobile tour in Iceland differs from regular glacier tours by offering active participation and speed rather than passive observation. While standard glacier tours involve walking on ice with guides explaining geological features, snowmobiling lets you cover significantly more ground quickly, accessing remote glacier areas and experiencing the thrill of motorized travel across pristine ice sheets. You'll control your own two-person snowmobile, navigating crevasse-free zones while absorbing panoramic views of Iceland's highlands. The adventure combines education about glacial processes with genuine excitement, appealing to travelers seeking both knowledge and adrenaline during their Iceland winter vacation.

A snowmobile tour Iceland experience on multi-day packages provides genuine glacier access that goes beyond typical bus-based sightseeing. You'll travel to Langjökull glacier via Super Jeep, accessing terrain regular vehicles cannot reach, then ride two-person snowmobiles across vast ice fields for one hour. The combination of speed, panoramic glacier views, and the physical sensation of racing across ancient ice creates exhilarating memories. This adventure integrates seamlessly with Golden Circle touring, meaning you'll experience both Iceland's famous landmarks and genuine wilderness exploration in a single comprehensive day combining culture with adrenaline.

Fire and ice tour Iceland experiences on 5-day packages systematically showcase volcanic and glacial forces through dedicated daily adventures. Day 2 explores "fire" via Raufarhólshellir lava cave, walking through volcanic tubes created by ancient eruptions. Days 3-4 focus on "ice" with snowmobiling across Langjökull glacier and exploring Katla ice cave beneath Mýrdalsjökull, experiencing glacial environments from multiple perspectives.

The Golden Circle visit connects both themes, showing how geothermal activity (fire) creates geysers while glacial rivers (ice) form powerful waterfalls like Gullfoss. Northern Lights hunting adds natural phenomenon observation, completing your comprehensive exposure to Iceland's diverse geological and atmospheric wonders.

Five day Iceland tours focused on adventure include four nights of accommodation in Reykjavík with continental breakfast, round-trip airport transfers, a Raufarhólshellir lava cave exploration walking through Iceland's widest lava tube, a Northern Lights guided bus tour hunting auroras in dark countryside, a Golden Circle super jeep tour combined with one hour of glacier snowmobiling on Langjökull, and a Katla ice cave expedition involving Super Jeep travel, glacier hiking, and exploring blue and black ice caves beneath Mýrdalsjökull glacier. The package also includes all necessary safety equipment, 24/7 emergency support, and carbon offsetting.

Ice cave and snowmobile tour Iceland packages deliver diverse glacier experiences that showcase different aspects of these massive ice formations. Snowmobiling on Langjökull glacier provides high-speed surface travel across pristine snow fields with panoramic highland views and adrenaline rushes. Ice cave exploration beneath Mýrdalsjökull offers intimate glacier encounters, walking inside frozen chambers where you're completely surrounded by blue and black ice, observing how volcanic activity and glacial processes interact over centuries.

Together, these activities provide both thrilling adventure and contemplative wonder, appealing to travelers wanting comprehensive glacier engagement beyond standard sightseeing.

Iceland lava cave tour experiences combine with ice caves to showcase Iceland's "fire and ice" duality in tangible ways. You'll walk inside Raufarhólshellir lava tube seeing colorful volcanic rock formations created by ancient eruptions, then days later explore Katla ice cave beneath Mýrdalsjökull glacier where volcanic ash from the underlying volcano creates black stripes through blue glacial ice.

This pairing demonstrates how volcanic and glacial forces shape Iceland's landscape differently, with lava caves revealing past volcanic activity while ice caves show ongoing glacial processes. The contrast makes Iceland's geological complexity visceral and memorable.

An Iceland snowmobile tour combines with ice cave exploration by dedicating separate days to each activity, allowing you to fully experience both adventures without exhaustion. Day 3 features Golden Circle sightseeing followed by Super Jeep access onto Langjökull glacier where you'll ride snowmobiles across pristine ice surfaces for one hour, experiencing the thrill of high-speed glacier travel. Day 4 brings your ice cave expedition on Mýrdalsjökull glacier, involving glacier hiking with crampons and exploring Katla's ice caves with their distinctive blue and black volcanic ash striping. This sequencing ensures proper rest between physically demanding activities.

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.

Carbon offsetting is already included as standard with every Iceland Tours package. We have partnered with an environmental fund in Iceland to cover the carbon footprint of the tour itself, so there is nothing extra you need to do or pay.

Iceland Tours is Travelife-certified, meaning our operations are independently assessed against sustainability standards covering environmental, social, and supply chain criteria. This certification reflects a commitment to responsible travel that goes beyond carbon offsetting, including how we select local accommodation and activity partners.

Carbon offsetting for international flights to and from Iceland is not included in the tour package, but your airline may offer offset options at the time of booking, or you can arrange this through a local or national environmental fund. For more on how we approach sustainable travel, see our sustainability policy and our article on responsible and sustainable travel in Iceland.