5 days self-drive tour to South Iceland

Enjoy the southern part of Iceland, stay at the romantic resort Hotel Ranga and visit all the amazing pearls on the south coast and nearby area
This idea is for people wanting to enjoy the southern part of Iceland, including the four star luxury hotel Ranga, the main waterfalls, such as Seljalandsfoss, Gullfoss and Skogarfoss, see the amazing glacier lagoon at Jokulsarlon and enjoy some of the local restaurants in the area.
South Iceland

THE 5 DAYS ITINERARY

Day 1 – Arrival in Keflavik, Iceland


Arrive at Keflavik airport and pick up your rental car. We recommend Thrifty and a 4×4 car like Ford Kuga would be a great fit in the wintertime. After a long flight it is great to drive straight to the Blue Lagoon and relax a bit. It will take you only some 15 min to drive to the lagoon from the airport. At the Blue Lagoon we highly recommend to reserve the in-water massage treatment. It is great to relax in the water after the flight with a massage.



Having enjoyed the treatment at Blue Lagoon we are now heading to the great fish restaurant, Red House, in the fishing village Eyrarbakki. It serves some of the greatest lobster dishes you can get in Iceland. It should only take you some 1 hour to drive from Blue Lagoon to the Red House in Eyrarbakki going via the new South Coast road and Grindavik. After a meal you will drive through Selfoss and straight to Hotel Ranga. Enjoy the evening in the hotel and hopefully you can see the northern lights in the evening. Below you can see a map for Day 1 (you can press View Large Map to see exact driving time, how many km or simply for printing it):


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Day 2 – the Golden Circle via Fludir

Today we will do the Golden Circle from Hotel Ranga. Normally it is done from Reykjavik, but can just as well be done from Hotel Ranga. The first stop will be Kerið. A lovely volcanic crater lake in Grimsnesi, close to Selfoss. See the picture below:


Having checked out Kerid in Grimsnesi we will head to Thingvellir National Park. A UNESCO World Heritage Site and formerly the site for the Icelandic Parliament – Althing. It was Iceland’s supreme legislative and judicial authority from its establishment in 930 until 1271. You will drive through road passing Alftavatn and pass by the dam Ljosafossstod. When at Thingvellir you should see Almannagja and check out Silfra which is very popular for diving. It is a crack between the American and Eurasian continents. The water is amazingly clear. Many Icelanders through some coins into the water and get one wish in exchange! The beautiful picture below is Oxararfoss waterfall – small but beutiful waterfall with a lot of history in the river Öxara:


Next stop is Laugarvatn. A small town next to the lake Laugarvatn, best known for its school and well known Laugarvatn Fontana Spa. It is a natural hot spring steam baths and pools – a great place to relax between driving to various attractions in south Iceland. Below is a picture from Laugarvatn Fontana:


Next stop is the world famous Geyser – a erupting spring in Haukadalur. The name Geyser comes from the Icelandic verb “geysa” – to gush – a verb coming from the Old Norse. The most active spring is Strokkur that erupts ca every 5 min. To learn more about the area and its history we recommend to check out the exhibition Geysisstofa, located in the main builds. A great picture from Strokkur erupting in the wintertime is below:


Next stop is Gullfoss waterfall. Amazing waterfall very close by Geyser area and is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the country. It is the unique three steps “staircase” shape that make it so beautiful. Below is a picture taken in the summer:


After stopping at Gullfoss we now take a bit different route than the normal Golden Circle route. We will drive over the bridge on Hvita and head over to Fludir. At Fludir we will be visiting the only African restaurant in Iceland. Yes in a small small town Fludir we have a local restaurant with food from Ethiopia. Enjoy it and drive back home to Hotel Ranga. Relax at the hotel in the evening.


Below is the map for Day 2 (you can press View Large Map to see exact driving time, how many km or simply for printing it):


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Day 3 – a glacier exploration day

The third day will be the day for glacier exploration. Our first recommendation is a glacier walk for 2 hours with Arcanum. You will need to drive to Myrdalsjokull glacier and be there around 12:00 – you should be done there in 2 hours and then head over to Jokulsarlon. Below is a picture from the glacier walk with Arcanum:


It will take some 2 hours to drive to Jokulsarlon from Myrdalsjokull glacier – our main stop for the day. At the lagoon they only operate scheduled tours in the summer time but of course you could book a private tour but these are more expensive. The operator is Ice Lagoon and they use fun zodiac boats. Below you can see a picture from the Jokulsarlon glacier lagoon:


After visiting Jokulsarlon you should drive straight home to Hotel Ranga as it will start to be late in the evening. Here is the itinerary for day 3 on a map (you can press View Large Map to see exact driving time, how many km or simply for printing it):


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Day 4 – Waterfalls in the south

Today will be easy day. You will simply drive to Dyrholaey in 2 hours drive, look at 2x waterfalls and the rest of the day you will relax either by staying at the hotel or do some hiking close the waterfalls or on the black sand beaches in the surrounding. Below is picture of Dyrholaey:


From Dyrholaey you will drive to Skogarfoss waterfall. A great waterfall and one of the biggest in the country – the width is around 25 m (81 feet) and the drop is around 60 meters (200 feet). Below is a picture of Skogarfoss:


The second waterfall we recommend to visit is Seljalandsfoss – a spectacular waterfall as you can walk behind it. There are great hiking routes in the area around the waterfall. Check this out or simply go to the beaches close by. Below you can see a picture of Seljalandsfoss:


After seeing Dyrholaey, Skogarfoss and Seljalandsfoss it is great to go back to the hotel and enjoy the last evening at the hotel´s restaurant and even dip into the outdoor spa. Below is the route for the Day 4 on a map (you can press View Large Map to see exact driving time, how many km or simply for printing it):


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Day 5 – Back to Reykjavik

Last day in Iceland. You will drive back to Reykjavik and go for horse riding with Eldhestar on your way back. It is next to Hveragerdi. In Reykjavik you will go shopping on Laugavegur and walk around in downtown, before leaving for Keflavik airport – and if you have time we highly recommend the new Tapas House in the Old Harbour or the Seafood Grill at Skolavordustigur. Below is a picture from downtown Reykjavik:


This is the map for your drive to Hveragerdi (Eldhestar), to Reykjavik and then to Keflavik airport.