Short Breaks and Getaways

The Wonders of Snæfellsnes

This winter adventure to Snæfellsnes is packed with famous attractions and stunning nature.

Tour code: IMG514

The Wonders of Snæfellsnes

A Wonderful Winter Getaway in Iceland’s West Coast

This 2-day short break will take you around the magical Snæfellsnes peninsula. The area’s diverse and dramatic landscape will give you a taste of the amazing variety you can find all over Iceland. The most dominant feature in this region is the mighty Snæfellsjökull Volcano, topped by a glacier. On the northern side, you will find charming little fishing towns, like Grundarfjörður and Ólafsvík, as well as lava fields, beautiful black and golden beaches, and picturesque mountains, like the much photographed Kirkjufell. The end of the peninsula is home to a national park. There, you will visit the lava cave Vatnshellir and the pebble beach Djúpalónssandur, which is surrounded by gorgeous rock formations. The south side is packed with natural wonders. See the little beach in Hellnar and the breathtaking basalt columns and cliff formations. Marvel at the beautiful natural harbor at Arnarstapi and don’t forget to visit the old little black church at the hamlet of Búðir. On the way back to Reykjavík, we take a detour into the valley of Borgarfjörður. There, you will view the spectacular waterfalls Hraunfossar and the hot spring Deildartunguhver.

This tour fits with our Ice Cave and Northern Lights tour to south Iceland ,so you can create a 4 day itinerary by booking both tours.

 

Tour Overview

  • We pick you up @

    Included

  • Group size

    Up to 16 participants

  • Language

    English

  • Accommodation

    Hotel

  • Difficulty

    Easy

    Difficulty

    Accessible to all people in good health.

  • Availability

    Sept - May

  • Duration

    2 days

  • 10

    Minimum age:

    10 yrs

Contact Us

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

Primary passenger information

Tour information

Thank you for the request, we will contact you with further information.

Customer Reviews

Tour Highlights

Included

  • Experienced and qualified guide
  • Accommodation at a hotel in double/twin rooms with breakfast
  • Transportation in 4x4 minibus
  • Visit to Vatnshellir cave

Not Included

  • Lunch
  • Dinner

Optional Extras

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

Tour Map and Itinerary

Click map for detailed itinerary

The Wonders of Snæfellsnes

MAP & ITINERARY

Day 1

Reykjavík - Snæfellsnes North

Early morning departure from Reykjavík. Your expert driver-guide will meet you at your accommodation or the nearest bus stop. We set course to Snæfellsnes and head for the northern part of the peninsula. On the way, we stop to dip our feet into a nice hot natural spring. We explore the northern coast of the peninsula with its small fishing towns, take pictures of the picturesque and much-photographed mountain Kirkjufell. We enter the Snæfellsjökull National Park and stretch our legs by climbing up to the crater Saxhóll (100m high). Our next stop will be the Djúpalónssandur pebble beach where we wonder the amazing rock formations. After the beach a short drive takes us to the 8000-old lava tube cave Vatnshellir. Overnight in a comfortable hotel. If the conditions are favorable, we will have a perfect view of the northern lights.

Day 2

Snæfellsnes South – Borgarfjörður

In the morning we will explore the astonishing South coast of the peninsula teeming with natural wonders. We visit the ancient fishing village of Hellnar and the cold-water spring found at the lava’s edge and dedicated to the Holy Virgin, because it is said she had appeared here once. From Hellnar a short drive takes us to the hamlet of Arnarstapi where we will walk among the basaltic rock formations. We will also stop at Búðir to visit the beautiful little black church and the golden sand beach. On our way to Reykjavik in the afternoon we will then drive towards the beautiful Borgarfjörður area where we will explore the magnificent waterfalls of Hraunfossar and Europe’s most powerful hot spring Deildartunguhver.

  • Day 1
  • Day 2
Click to activate the map

Practical Information

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.

It is no problem to check if a triple room is available for you during your tour. Please send us an email to [email protected] to check availability.

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.

Should you have any questions regarding this equipment list or the equipment on our tours feel free to contact [email protected].

  • Light hiking boots.
  • Thermal underwear – Wool or synthetic. 
  • Wind and waterproof jacket and pants.
  • Hiking pants.
  • Gloves.
  • Warm socks.
  • Warm hat.
  • Extra warm jacket / parka for cold days (winter).
  • Small backpack for clothes and items used during the day – 20L (1200 cu in).
  • Sunglasses and sun protection (summer & spring). 
  • Water bottle. 
  • Casual clothes / change of clothes.
  • Prescription medication and other personal health items.
  • Toiletries; Toothbrush, toothpaste, soap etc.
  • Swim suit (depends on tour).
  • Walking pole(s). 
  • Sun/rain Hat or a Cap. 
  • Camera, spare batteries and a memory card or films.