Iceland South Shore Winter Adventure

5 days / 4 nights
Couple walking by a snow covered Skógafoss waterfall
Ribbons of the Northern Lights in the sky above Thingvellir National Park
The Strokkur geyser erupting against the winter sun
Couple walking by a snow covered Skógafoss waterfall
Ribbons of the Northern Lights in the sky above Thingvellir National Park

The top hits of Icelandic nature mixed with city life

Experience the south coast on this 5-day Iceland winter self-drive tour. See where North America and Europe meet at Þingvellir National Park. Marvel at the Strokkur geyser, which erupts every few minutes.

And get your fill of striking waterfalls, including the incredible Gullfoss, Skógafoss, and Seljalandsfoss. That last one you can even walk behind!

Of course, because it’s wintertime, you also have the chance to chase the Northern Lights. This incredible natural light show can often be seen on clear winter nights.

Travel styleSelf-drive
Trip length5 days / 4 nights
VibeEasy-going
SeasonWinter
(1 Oct–31 Mar)
TransportRental car
Starts fromReykjavík
Tour codeSD08

On this tour you will...

  • See the Strokkur geyser shoot water into the air

  • Experience 3 of the most popular waterfalls

  • Walk the sands of Reynisfjara black sand beach

  • Spend a full day exploring Reykjavík, Iceland’s capital

  • Stay overnight in the countryside and the city

  • Have the chance to bathe in geothermal pools

View the summer version of this trip

Top attractions

The Gullfoss waterfall in summertime

Gullfoss

The Strokkur geyser erupting in winter against a sunset

Geysir and Strokkur

Þingvellir National Park, Iceland, in autumn colors

Þingvellir National Park

The Seljalandsfoss waterfall covered in icicles

Seljalandsfoss

A rainbow over the Skógafoss waterfall on a sunny day

Skógafoss

Vik Church with Reynisdrangar sea stacks in the distance

Vík í Mýrdal

The Tjörnin pond in Reykjavík in summer

Downtown Reykjavík

Why book a self-drive trip with Iceland Tours?

  • Start your tour on the date that suits you

  • New rental cars with 2 drivers as standard

  • 24/7 emergency helpline in Iceland

  • Handpicked local accommodation options

  • Secure your booking with just a 5% deposit

  • Best Price Guarantee

Your 5-day self-drive itinerary

Staying inReykjavík
Driving distance50 km (31 mi)

Your memorable, Iceland adventure begins the very moment you arrive at Keflavík Airport. Once you pick up your rental vehicle, you’ll head directly for Reykjavík and your exciting, first night in Iceland.

Highlights

The Tjörnin pond in Reykjavík in summer

Downtown Reykjavík

Extra activities

Riders on FlyOver Iceland above a virtual waterfallExtra

FlyOver Iceland

The Sky Lagoon at sunsetExtra

Sky Lagoon Pure Pass

Staying inSelfoss/Hveragerði area
Driving distance220 km (137 mi)

You can start by a drive to Þingvellir National Park, a UNESCO world heritage site and one of the geological wonders of the world where you can see the effects of the tectonic plate movements which have opened various cracks and fissures in the earth’s crust. You continue to the famous Geysir area where the Strokkur hot spring ejects its water column high into the air every 5–10 minutes and where numerous small springs are boil and bubble. Afterwards you only have a short drive to reach Gullfoss, surely one of the country’s most beautiful waterfalls. Drive back in direction to Selfoss area for an overnight stay.

Staying inSelfoss/Hveragerði area
Driving distance285 km (177 mi)

Today you will spend the day along the south coast. You will pass two spectacular waterfalls, the Seljalandsfoss waterfall which you can walk behind and Skógafoss waterfall. At Skógar, you will find a folk museum showing how people lived in the past in Iceland. The black sand beaches of the south coast are famous and you can take a walk on them in the little village of Vík or in Reynisfjara. Drive back to Selfoss for a second night.

Staying inReykjavík
Driving distance150 km (93 mi)

Drive back to Reykjavík through Hveragerði. Take some time to explore Iceland’s capital, with its cool cafés and restaurants, interesting shops, and captivating museums and galleries. And why not relax and unwind in a “hot pot” at one of the city’s many pools? This is a great way to experience authentic Icelandic culture.

Driving distance50 km (31 mi)

It seems as if your journey to fabulous Iceland only began a moment ago, but now it is time to head back home, driving back to Keflavík Airport for your flight. Depending on your flight’s time, you may be able to squeeze in a last day in Reykjavík or an extra night in there to experience all the amazing things that the city has to offer.

What’s included?

Detailed itinerary

Budget, Comfort, or Quality accommodation every night

Continental breakfast every day

Rental car of your choice for 4 days

2 authorized drivers as standard

Unlimited in-car Wi-Fi

Unlimited mileage

Collision damage waiver

24/7 emergency helpline when you’re in Iceland

VAT, taxes & service fees

Flights to Iceland

Fuel & parking charges

Food & drink, unless otherwise stated

Attraction entrance fees, unless otherwise stated

Personal travel insurance

Best price

Adults

Ages 12+

2

Children

Ages 2-11

0

Infants

Ages 0-1

0

FAQs about our self-drive trips

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.

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.

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 your travel documents to you.

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.

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.

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