South Coast of Iceland

Seljalandsfoss is usually the first stop. The river Seljalandsá falls 60 metres from a cliff that leans back far enough to leave a footpath behind the water, so you can walk all the way around it. A short walk west, Gljúfrabúi hides inside a narrow gorge.

About 30 km on is Skógafoss, another 60-metre fall, this time a wide, straight curtain on the river Skógá. On a sunny day there is often a rainbow in the spray. A staircase climbs to a platform at the top, and a path carries on upstream past more waterfalls. Local legend says the settler Þrasi hid a chest of gold behind the falls.

Sólheimajökull is an outlet glacier of Mýrdalsjökull, the ice cap that covers the Katla volcano. Its tongue reaches down almost to the lowland, which makes it one of the easiest glaciers in Iceland to walk on with a guide.

Near Vík, Iceland's southernmost village, Reynisfjara beach is backed by basalt columns, with the Reynisdrangar sea stacks offshore. It is also dangerous. Sneaker waves run far up the sand without warning and can pull people into the sea.

A classic South Coast day takes eight to eleven hours and covers Seljalandsfoss, Skógafoss, Reynisfjara and Vík, often with a glacier viewpoint on the way. You get time to walk behind Seljalandsfoss, climb at Skógafoss and walk along the black beach. Bring waterproofs: the spray at Seljalandsfoss will soak you.

Glacier-hike days replace some sightseeing with two to three hours on Sólheimajökull. A certified guide fits you with crampons, a harness and a helmet and leads you between ridges, ice formations and crevasses. No experience is needed, but you should be comfortable walking on uneven ground. Ice cave trips near Katla follow a similar plan, with helmets and crampons provided.

Longer trips continue east to Jökulsárlón, where icebergs from the Breiðamerkurjökull glacier float in a lagoon before washing up on Diamond Beach. Seals often swim near the river mouth. These are very long days, mostly on the road. Private tours let you set your own pace and stay longer where you like.

At Reynisfjara, a warning light at the entrance shows how far down the beach it is safe to go. When it is yellow or red, stay out of the marked zones. There are no staff on the beach.

The South Coast is open all year, and trips run in every season. Summer gives long days, green fields and puffins on the cliffs at Dyrhólaey. It is also the busiest time, so the waterfalls are quieter early in the morning or in the evening light.

In winter the days are short and the coast takes the full force of Atlantic storms. Paths at Seljalandsfoss can ice over, and large pieces of ice fall from the cliff, so the way behind the waterfall is often closed.

Spring and autumn sit between the two, with fewer people at the waterfalls and enough light for the full drive to Vík. From September to April, a clear sky on the drive home after dark can bring the northern lights.

In any season the weather changes fast. Check vedur.is for the forecast and safetravel.is for warnings before you go.