Short Breaks and Getaways

Hiking, Hot Springs & Northern Lights

Northern Lights

An active winter holiday to some of Iceland's best highlights!

Tour code: IMG520

The Best of the South West in Winter

This four-day winter adventure and hiking tour embraces the highlights of the South West of Iceland. It includes the historical and geological Thingvellir National Park, the majestic Golden waterfall Gullfoss, the world famous Geysir hot spring, as well as the immense black sand beaches and beautiful waterfalls of the south coast, Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss.

On top of these unique natural wonders, our friendly and knowledgeable guide will take our small group on exciting hiking or snowshoeing walks amongst spouting hot springs, volcanic fissures and hot rivers as well as a thrilling Glacier Walk. We spend three nights at a country hostel where our guide/chef cooks for us delicious traditional Icelandic dinners. This is the perfect place to hunt for the Northern Lights!

Read our Covid-19 health and safety guidelines for multi-day tours

Tour Overview

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Group Size
6 - 16 participants
16
Minimum age
16 years
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Duration
4 days
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Difficulty
Challenging

Contact Us

For availability information on a tour, please contact us using the form below.

Primary passenger information

Tour information

Included

  • Experienced and qualified guide/driver
  • Accommodation at a country side hostel in double/twin with shared facilities
  • Transportation in 4x4 minibus
  • Breakfast (3), Lunch (4), Dinner (3)
  • Glacier Walk
  • Snow Shoes

Optional extras

  • Single room (single travelers and groups with odd numbers must choose the single supplement option during the booking process)
  • Accommodation in Reykjavík before and after the tour

Tour Map and Itinerary

Click map for detailed itinerary
Map & Itinerary

Hiking, Hot Springs & Northern Lights

Reykjavík - Thingvellir hike, Geysir and Gullfoss

Day 1

Our driver guide will pick us up at our accommodation at 8:30. A short drive in 4x4 minibus brings us to the National Park of Thingvellir where we will hike along the fault lines that make evident the rifting of the earth’s crust. We hear about the major historical events that have taken place here and come to understand why we are stood in a UNESCO world heritage site. After this interesting hike we drive on to discover the rest of the Golden Circle namely the spouting springs of Geysir and the majestic Gullfoss waterfall. Dinner and accommodation in a nice hostel by lake Laugarvatn where we will stay for three nights.
In the evening, we will look out for Northern Lights.

Hike: 10 km

Nesjavellir – Hike in Geothermal Area

Day 2

A short drive brings us to Nesjavellir which is a big geothermal power plant where heat is pumped up and used for warming houses in the capital area. Depending on the conditions we will either hike or a show shoe walk in this magnificent area amongst the lava rocks, mud pots and boiling springs. After the hike we return to our hostel for dinner and overnight.
In the evening we have the possibility of baiting in the Geothermal Baths of Fontana Spa (optional) only few minutes’ walk from the hostel. If we are lucky, we will be able to admire the Northern lights from the outdoor hot jacuzzi.

Hike: 5-10 km

South Coast, Glacier Walk, Black Beach and Waterfalls.

Day 3

Today we drive towards the South Coast of Iceland. We head for the Sólheimajökull glacier where an exciting adventure awaits us. Our certified and experienced glacier guide will lead us through a frozen wonderland of different shades of glacier ice. The spectacular colors of the ice can be white, blue or crystal clear. You will safely view deep crevasses and water cauldrons, along with other interesting features of the glacier. Your guide will share his wisdom about the ever-changing landscapes of the Icelandic glaciers, their formation and how these icy giants relate to the surrounding volcanoes and mountains. After this thrilling experience we will drive a little bit further east to visit the Black Beach of Reynisfjara. On the way back to our hostel we stop to admire the waterfalls, Skógafoss and Seljalandsfoss. Dinner and overnight at the hostel. Look out for Northern Lights in the evening.

Reykjadalur Valley hike – Bathing in hot river, Reykjavík

Day 4

Today we pack our bags and drive to the greenhouse village of Hveragerði from where we will hike, or snowshoe walk to the Reykjadalur valley. We will be climbing up the hills into the magical valley of solfataras and hot springs. Those brave enough can dip into a natural hot river. We then drive to our accommodation in Reykjavík.

Hike: 11 km

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Practical Information

Can I get a triple room?

It is no problem to check if a triple room is available for you during your tour. Please send us an email to incoming@mountainguides.is to check availability.

Will we see the Northern Lights?

To see the Northern Lights you need solar activity, clear skies and darkness. The first two we cannot control but our darkest months are September to March and therefore your best change too see them is during that period.

How much luggage can I bring on the tour/can I bring a suitcase?

We recommend that you bring one piece of luggage per person. We recommend that you bring að soft duffel bag, since they are easier to stack in the vehicle.