South Iceland Northern Lights & Ice Cave Self-Drive - 6 Days

This Iceland 6 day itinerary is specifically designed for winter travel, combining Iceland's most iconic attractions with seasonal experiences you can only enjoy during the colder months. You'll explore the famous Golden Circle attractions including Gullfoss waterfall, erupting Geysir, and historic Þingvellir National Park, then venture along the stunning South Coast to witness frozen waterfalls and dramatic black sand beaches. The tour includes a guided ice cave exploration inside Kötlujökull glacier, where you'll see mesmerizing patterns created by alternating layers of volcanic ash and blue glacial ice. Each evening brings opportunities to hunt for the elusive Northern Lights dancing across Iceland's dark winter skies, making this a comprehensive winter adventure.

While the Blue Lagoon isn't included in the standard Iceland 6 day itinerary, you have flexibility to add it at the beginning or end of your trip. Many travelers choose to visit the Blue Lagoon on arrival day when driving from Keflavík Airport to Reykjavík, as it's conveniently located along the route and provides the perfect way to relax after your flight. Alternatively, you can stop at the Blue Lagoon before your departure, storing your luggage for a fee and arriving at the airport feeling refreshed. This flexibility allows you to customize your iceland northern lights golden circle and blue lagoon tour experience based on your flight times and personal preferences.

The guided ice cave tour takes you onto Mýrdalsjökull glacier, Iceland's fourth largest ice cap, where you'll hike across the glacier's surface before entering Kötlujökull ice cave. This natural ice cave sits atop Katla, one of Iceland's dormant volcanoes, creating unique black and blue ice formations. As you explore the cave with your expert guide, you'll notice distinctive patterns in the walls formed by centuries of interaction between volcanic ash from eruptions and glacial ice. The cave's colors range from deep blue to striking black, creating a surreal underground landscape. All necessary safety equipment including helmets, crampons, and ice axes are provided, and guides ensure safe exploration of this extraordinary natural phenomenon.

Northern Lights sightings depend on natural conditions including solar activity, weather, and darkness, so they can never be guaranteed even on clear nights. However, this Iceland 6 day itinerary maximizes your chances by providing multiple evening opportunities throughout your trip. Your accommodations are strategically located away from Reykjavík's light pollution in South Iceland, offering darker skies ideal for aurora viewing. Iceland's winter months (September through April) provide the long dark nights necessary for Northern Lights displays. Many travelers on this iceland northern lights golden circle and blue lagoon tour successfully spot the auroras during their stay, particularly when they remain vigilant and venture out on clear evenings to check the skies.

The South Coast section of your iceland 6 day itinerary includes some of Iceland's most photographed natural attractions. Seljalandsfoss waterfall offers the unique opportunity to walk behind the curtain of falling water for iconic photos and perspectives. Depending on your travel dates, you'll also visit Skógafoss, one of Iceland's largest waterfalls at 60 meters high, where you can climb stairs beside the falls or walk right up to the powerful base. The tour takes you past the notorious Eyjafjallajökull volcano-glacier (famous for its 2010 eruption) and along dramatic black sand beaches where winter storms create powerful waves crashing against volcanic shores.

Your Iceland 6 day itinerary features comprehensive exploration of the Golden Circle, Iceland's most famous touring route. You'll witness Strokkur geyser erupting every 5 to 10 minutes, shooting boiling water up to 25 meters into the air, while the surrounding geothermal area bubbles and steams. Gullfoss waterfall presents a dramatic spectacle as the Hvítá river plunges 32 meters over a double cascade, often partially frozen in winter creating stunning ice formations. At Þingvellir National Park, you'll walk through the rift valley where the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates are slowly pulling apart, visiting the historic site where Iceland's Viking-age settlers established their parliament over 1,000 years ago.

Yes, this iceland 6 day itinerary is designed specifically for winter self-drive travel along Iceland's main routes. The tour follows well-maintained roads including Route 1 (the Ring Road) and paved routes to Golden Circle attractions. However, winter driving in Iceland requires caution due to potential ice, snow, and reduced daylight. We strongly recommend renting a 4x4 vehicle for added stability and safety in winter conditions. The self-drive format allows you to travel at your own comfortable pace, stopping when weather conditions warrant extra caution. All accommodations are strategically located to minimize driving distances, and you'll have flexibility to adjust daily plans based on weather conditions.

The ice cave exploration is a professionally guided experience included in your iceland northern lights golden circle and blue lagoon tour package. Your certified guide provides all necessary safety equipment including helmets, crampons for walking on ice, and ice axes. The tour begins with a ride in a specialized vehicle onto Mýrdalsjökull glacier, followed by a guided walk across the glacier's surface where you'll learn about glacial formations and ice structures. Inside Kötlujökull cave, guides share insights about the glacier's geology, the volcanic history of Katla beneath the ice, and the processes that create the cave's stunning blue and black ice patterns. Small group sizes ensure personalized attention and optimal photography opportunities.

This Iceland 6 day itinerary balances sightseeing with comfortable pacing perfect for winter travel. Day one allows arrival and Reykjavík exploration. Day two covers the Golden Circle's three major attractions. Day three ventures along the South Coast to Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss waterfalls before the guided ice cave tour. The remaining days provide flexibility for additional South Coast exploration, Northern Lights hunting from your countryside accommodations, and a relaxed return to Reykjavík. This structure ensures you experience Iceland's winter highlights without exhausting daily drives, leaving energy for evening Northern Lights viewing when conditions permit.

Absolutely! This Iceland 6 day itinerary includes the essential winter experiences while leaving flexibility for optional activities. You might add a snowmobile tour on Langjökull glacier, book a specialized Northern Lights photography tour with professional guidance, or arrange a visit to local geothermal pools for a more intimate experience than the Blue Lagoon. Some travelers add a glacier walk for additional ice hiking beyond the ice cave tour, or book a South Coast horseback riding experience. The self-drive format means you control your schedule and can spontaneously stop at attractions that catch your interest, making this one of the most flexible iceland northern lights golden circle and blue lagoon tour options available for independent travelers seeking winter adventure.

On a self-drive trip with Iceland Tours, you’ll be at the wheel of the rental car of your choice and free to go pretty much where you want, whenever you want.

We provide a detailed itinerary to help you plan your route and where you want to stop along the way. But it’s up to you whether you want to stick to it or go your own way. If you do take detours, make sure that you aren’t too far from your accommodation on any given night.

That said, it’s a good idea to stick to the suggested itinerary if you’ve never visited Iceland before. Created by our Reykjavík-based travel experts, it contains plenty of things for you to and see and do on each leg of your trip. One thing’s for sure: you won’t be short on ideas!

You also get unlimited in-car Wi-Fi, so you can stay connected and use maps on your phone for navigation.

It’s best to book your trip at least a few weeks before you travel. This gives us enough time to organize your preferred accommodation and itinerary. For this reason, we’re unable to accept bookings with less than 1 week’s notice.

In the summer, which is the most popular time of year, booking a few months ahead is a good idea. In certain parts of the countryside, accommodation options are more limited and can be booked up well ahead of your trip.

You have to be at least 20 years old to rent a car in Iceland, or 23 years old for larger vehicles like jeeps and vans. You’ll need to have held a valid driver’s license for at least 1 year and present a credit card when you collect your car.

You don’t need an International Driving Permit unless your license is not in Latin script (for example, Arabic or Chinese).

Find out more about car rental in Iceland.

Yes! It’s possible to add extra activities or extend your trip with additional nights in Reykjavík or the countryside. Check the itinerary above to see what activities are available on what day.

Of course you can add extra adventures! We want you to be able to get the absolute most out of your trip to Iceland, so you can pick optional extra activities at checkout. You’ll be shown exactly what’s on offer for each day of your trip.

And if you feel like you just don’t have enough time to fit it all in, you can also add extra days.

The rules of the road in Iceland are similar to most other countries, although there are some local quirks that you might not be familiar with.

Iceland drives on the right and steering wheels are on the left side of the car. Distances and speed limits are given in kilometers only.

Roundabouts are very common in Iceland, especially in towns. If you’re not familiar with these, make sure you understand how to give way (yield) to other traffic.

In the countryside, you might encounter sheep on the road, or even reindeer in East Iceland. You may also come across gravel roads, single-lane bridges, and blind summits.

For all the info on how to handle these, see this guide to driving in Iceland.

Although Iceland’s weather can sometimes get in the way, it’s perfectly possible to have a safe self-drive trip in winter. The main roads are cleared regularly and there is good 4G coverage in most of the countryside if you need it.

That said, roads can sometimes close in winter if there are storms or heavy snowfall. When you book with Iceland Tours, you’ll get access to a 24/7 helpline while you’re in Iceland. Rest assured that help is at the end of the phone when you need it.

We’ll often contact you proactively if we think your trip will be affected by bad weather and adjust your plans accordingly. This means you’ll always stay safe and get the most out of your trip, no matter the weather.

Once you’ve paid your deposit for your trip, we’ll finalize bookings for your accommodation, rental car, and any activities. As soon as we receive confirmation of everything, we’ll email you, letting you know your travel documents are available in our portal.

We aim to finalize everything within a few weeks of receiving your booking request, but in busy periods this might take longer. That said, you’ll always receive all of your documents before your departure date.

You’ll be able to pick up your rental car at Keflavík International Airport from the arrivals hall. Before your trip, we’ll send you information about where to go in the terminal to collect your keys.

Make sure you have your driver’s license and credit card ready when you collect your vehicle.

If you land late at night, you can use the out-of-hours phone at the pick-up desk to contact someone who will be able to help you.

You also have the option to collect your rental car in Reykjavík, if you’re planning to spend some extra days in the city before your trip starts. If you’d like to do this, please let us know in the ‘Special requests’ box at checkout.

Yes, you can easily collect your rental car from Reykjavík instead of Keflavik Airport.

During the booking steps on our website, just let us know you'd prefer your pick-up/drop-off location to be in the city centre. We'll take care of it for you, no problem.

Just a quick heads-up: if you request different pick-up and drop-off locations (e.g. collect from the airport, drop off in the city, or vice versa) there's a one-way fee of around ISK 7.900 ISK (EUR 60). You'll pay this directly to the rental company when you pick up the car.

All of our self-drive tour packages include the following as standard:

• Rental car of your choice, with unlimited mileage
• Basic liability insurance coverage
• Collision damage waiver
• Authorization for second driver
• Unlimited in-car Wi-Fi
• Accommodation level of your choice
• Breakfast every day
• Detailed itinerary crafted by local travel experts
• 24/7 helpline in Iceland, just in case you need it

When you book your vacation on our website, you’ll be able to choose your preferred rental car and accommodation level.

You can see what vehicles are available on this car rental page.

On a self-drive package with Iceland Tours, you can choose from 3 levels of accommodation:

• Budget – Guesthouses and country 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.

Feel like getting closer to nature? Check out these self-drive camping tours.

In Iceland, you can expect all weathers no matter what time of year you visit. With that in mind, it’s good to make sure you’ve got everything you need to stay cozy, warm, and dry.

Here’s a packing list to help you get ready for your trip:

• Tough, waterproof walking boots
• Thermal underlayers
• Sweaters or fleeces
• Waterproof raincoat
• Warm winter jacket
• Scarf, hat, and gloves
• Sunglasses
• Swimwear (for pools and hot springs)
• Lip salve and moisturizer

For more tips on what to bring with you, see this Iceland packing list.

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.