3-Day Private Tour of South Iceland with Northern Lights Experience
Discover Iceland's winter magic on this 3-day private Iceland tour focusing on the spectacular south coast and famous Golden Circle. With your own expert driver-guide leading the way, you'll experience Iceland's most iconic attractions blanketed in snow while hunting for the mesmerizing Northern Lights dancing across Arctic skies. This intimate winter journey combines daytime exploration of breathtaking landscapes with evening aurora hunting, all enhanced by the personalized attention only a private tour can provide.
Your 3-day Iceland tour showcases the country's most dramatic winter scenery. Walk behind frozen waterfalls, explore black sand beaches framed by ice, and watch massive icebergs drift through Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon. Your private guide uses their local expertise to position you at the best viewpoints, share fascinating stories about each location, and most importantly, maximize your chances of witnessing the Northern Lights. Unlike group tours, this private Iceland tour adapts to weather conditions and your interests, with your guide making real-time decisions about the best spots for aurora viewing.
Experience the Golden Circle's geological wonders, stroll along Reynisfjara's dramatic black sand beach, and marvel at south coast waterfalls draped in winter ice. With handpicked accommodations, continental breakfast daily, and Iceland Tours' winter expertise, this private Iceland tour delivers an unforgettable Arctic adventure with dedicated guidance throughout.
On this tour you will...
Hunt for the Northern Lights with your private guide's expert knowledge of best viewing locations
Explore the Golden Circle including Gullfoss waterfall, Geysir, and Þingvellir National Park
Walk along Reynisfjara black sand beach and discover the charming village of Vík in winter
Marvel at south coast waterfalls Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss dressed in ice and snow
Watch icebergs drift through Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon against a backdrop of winter mountains
Travel in comfort with your own private driver-guide sharing local stories and folklore
Top attractions
Downtown Reykjavík
Skógafoss
Seljalandsfoss
Vík í Mýrdal
Gullfoss
Þingvellir National Park
Geysir and Strokkur
Skaftafell
Vatnajökull Glacier & National Park
Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon
Why book a privately guided trip with Iceland Tours?
Let your own driver take you around Iceland
Expert local guidance in English
Start your tour on the date that suits you
24/7 emergency helpline in Iceland
Secure your booking with just a 5% deposit
Handpicked local accommodation options
Your 3-day privately guided itinerary
Your memorable Icelandic winter adventure begins when your private guide meets you at your hotel in Reykjavík. Head off to enjoy the stunning snow-covered scenery of Iceland's spectacular south coast. Your guide drives you to the magnificent Seljalandsfoss waterfall, where you can walk behind the curtain of falling water, an experience made even more magical when surrounded by winter ice formations. Continue to Skógafoss, one of Iceland's most powerful waterfalls, where your guide will show you the stairs for aerial views of the dramatic winter landscape. Visit the Folk Museum in Skógar, where your guide shares fascinating stories about how Icelanders lived centuries ago, providing cultural context to your journey.
Continue along the coast lined with black sand beaches, the snow creating striking contrasts against the dark volcanic sand. Visit the charming village of Vík and walk along Reynisfjara black sand beach, where your guide points out the dramatic Reynisdrangar sea stacks and towering basalt columns. Tonight, your guide will take you Northern Lights hunting if conditions are favorable.
Highlights
Seljalandsfoss
Skógafoss
Vík í Mýrdal
Extra activities
ExtraRaufarhólshellir Lava Tunnel
Today your guide takes you east to explore one of Iceland's most spectacular winter landscapes. Drive through the snow-covered south coast with your guide pointing out features in the landscape and sharing local stories. Look out for breathtaking views of Skaftafell, a green oasis surrounded by glaciers and black sand plains. Your guide can suggest winter hiking options suitable for the conditions, or you can simply marvel at the dramatic scenery where glacial tongues meet black sand deserts.
Continue to the spectacular Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon, where enormous icebergs drift through deep blue water like shining diamonds. Your guide gives you ample time to walk along the banks, capturing fantastic photos of this surreal winter scene. The contrast between white icebergs, blue water, and snowy mountains creates an unforgettable vista. Cross the road to Diamond Beach where your guide helps you find the best ice formations scattered across black volcanic sand, sparkling in the winter light. Your guide will drive you back to Kirkjubæjarklaustur for a second night, with another opportunity to hunt for Northern Lights this evening.
Today you visit the most famous attractions in Iceland as part of the renowned Golden Circle route. Your guide drives you to the geothermal area of Geysir, where you'll watch Strokkur hot spring eject its water column up to 30 meters high into the air every 5 to 10 minutes. Your guide positions you perfectly to capture the eruption and explains the geothermal forces at work. Numerous smaller springs boil and bubble nearby, creating clouds of steam in the cold winter air. Continue with a short drive to Gullfoss, one of Iceland's most beautiful and powerful waterfalls. In winter, ice formations frame the cascading water, and your guide takes you to the best viewpoints to appreciate this natural wonder.
Next, your guide drives you to the incredible Þingvellir National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Walk through the rift valley where your guide explains the tectonic plate movements opening cracks and fissures in the earth's crust. Your guide shares the historical significance of this site where Iceland's parliament was founded in the 10th century. After exploring the Golden Circle, head back to Reykjavík where your privately guided winter adventure ends.
What’s included?
Comfort or Quality accommodation every night
Continental breakfast every day
Rental car of your choice for 3 days
Private driver-guide
Unlimited in-car Wi-Fi
24/7 emergency helpline when you’re in Iceland
Carbon offsetting of your tour
VAT, taxes & service fees
Flights to Iceland
Airport transfer
Accommodation in Reykjavík
Food & drink, unless otherwise stated
Attraction entrance fees, unless otherwise stated
Personal travel insurance
FAQs about our private guided trips
All of our private guided tours start in Reykjavík. Here your driver-guide will pick you up from your accommodation and you’ll hit the road.
With your enthusiastic guide leading the way, you will head out into the Icelandic countryside. As you’re immersed in the country’s incredible nature, you’ll learn from your guide about the places you’re visiting.
Once you’ve arrived at your accommodation for the night, you and your guide will say goodbye until the morning. You’ll have time to yourself to enjoy dinner and recharge before the next day’s adventure.
At the end of your tour, you’ll be dropped off back at your hotel in the capital.
Good to know: Our private tour packages do not include hotel stays in Reykjavík at the start or end of the tour, or a transfer from the airport as standard. The option to add extra nights in Reykjavík is available on the tour’s page after clicking “Find your price.” You’ll see options to select extra nights before or after the tour, and the updated price will display on the right side of the screen as you make your selections.
If you’d like us to arrange airport transfer for you, please let us know in the ‘Special requests’ box at checkout.
You’ll get to meet your guide for the first time when they collect you from your hotel in Reykjavík. Over the course of your trip, you’ll have the chance to get to know them and swap stories and jokes!
Guidance is in English as standard, although if you would like a guide that speaks a different language, please let us know in the ‘Special requests’ box at checkout.
We can’t guarantee that a guide that speaks a language other than English will be available for your selected tour dates, but we’ll do our best to honor your request.
It’s normally possible to book a guide that speaks Spanish, French, Italian, German, Dutch, or a Scandinavian language. Note that there may be an additional charge for a non-English-speaking guide.
In Iceland, tipping is not commonplace in restaurants, hotels, taxis, and the like.
That said, if your guide goes above and beyond to make your tour extra special, they would graciously receive a tip. Just know that it’s not expected, so it’s totally up to you.
You can customize your trip to Iceland with extra days in Reykjavík at the start or end of your trip. This is your chance to pack in day tours and activities like snowmobiling and ice caving.
If you want to customize the itinerary of your actual guided tour, contact us and we’ll be happy to help. Just so you know, there’s an extra fee for this service. See our terms and conditions for all the details.
Packages from Iceland Tours don’t include flights. We do this so that you can get a wider choice and a better price overall. When you’ve figured out roughly what your travel dates will be, you can start to look for flights online.
There are direct flights to Iceland from many cities across Europe and North America, with connections further afield also available. Major airlines such as British Airways, easyJet, Delta, and Icelandair all fly to Iceland.
On a privately-guided package with Iceland Tours, you can choose from 2 levels of accommodation:
- 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.
Our drivers are experienced guides that know Iceland inside-out. They’ve built up years of local knowledge. This means they’ll be able to add those special moments and surprises to your itinerary that you can only get by going private.
Most of our guides have had formal training and qualifications. In any case, they’ll use their know-how to add that element of delight to your private trip.
Start by browsing the vacation packages above. You can choose from both summer and winter trips.
Once you’ve picked out your perfect package, simply follow the steps on the tour page to complete your booking. At checkout, you can add more days and extra activities so you can get even more out of your trip.
You’ll then receive a confirmation by email. Closer to your time of travel, we’ll send you all the documents you need for your upcoming Iceland vacation.
All of the privately guided vacation packages featured on this page include:
- Comfort or Quality accommodation each night
- Continental breakfast every morning
- Rental vehicle of your choice (4x4 or van)
- Expert guidance in English
- 24/7 helpline while you’re in Iceland
For info about the difference between Comfort and Quality options, see our accommodation page.
Good to know: These private trips do not include transfers to and from Keflavík airport or accommodation in Reykjavík. The option to add extra nights in Reykjavík is available on the tour’s page after clicking “Find your price.” You’ll see options to select extra nights before or after the tour, and the updated price will display on the right side of the screen as you make your selections.
If you’d like us to arrange airport transfer for you, please let us know in the ‘Special requests’ box at checkout.
The different seasons offer completely different experiences in Iceland, so there’s no one best time to go.
In winter in Iceland, you can chase the Northern Lights and visit ice caves. There’s a good chance the country will be blanketed in fresh snow.
On the other hand, Icelandic summer gives you longer hours of light, so you can fit more into each day of your trip. You’ll also get warmer weather and see greener landscapes.
If you still can’t make up your mind between summer and winter, check out this blog about the best times to go to Iceland.
No matter what time of year you choose to visit, it pays to pack well so you stay warm and comfortable throughout your stay.
Here’s a suggested Iceland packing list:
- Warm, waterproof jacket
- Sturdy hiking boots
- Thermal layers
- Light raincoat
- Gloves, scarf, and hat
- Sunglasses
- Swimming gear (for hot springs and pools)
- Moisturizer and lip balm
For all the info on what conditions you can expect, check out this guide to weather in Iceland.
Iceland is stuffed to the brim with jaw-dropping natural attractions and once-in-a-lifetime experiences. Take a private tour and you could:
- Watch a geyser erupt on the Golden Circle route
- Follow in the footsteps of Vikings at Þingvellir National Park
- Come up close to Vatnajökull, Iceland’s largest glacier
- Chase the Aurora Borealis under the clear winter skies
- Walk behind the powerful Seljalandsfoss waterfall
- Explore the awesome sights of Snæfellsjökull National Park
- Wind in and out of the spectacular Eastfjords
- See freshly calved icebergs drift by at Jökulsárlón
- Roam the jet-black sands of Reynisfjara beach
- Hike the picturesque trails of Skaftafell
- Savor mouth-watering cuisine at Iceland's best restaurants
You can also enhance your trip with exciting optional activities like:
- Relaxing in hot springs like the Blue Lagoon or Sky Lagoon
- Gliding on top of a glacier on a snowmobile
- Horseback riding through moss-blanketed lava fields
- Touring natural ice caves with a guide in wintertime
- Snorkeling between the tectonic plates at Silfra
To see the available upgrade options, check out the detailed itineraries for one of the tour packages above.
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.
