Explore spectacular coastline and the wonderful Westman Islands
This 6-day road trip combines some of Iceland’s most stunning attractions with a visit to the Westman Islands, a true hidden gem. Get the behind the wheel of your own car and explore all the best of South Iceland.
You’ll have plenty of time to explore this corner of Iceland at a relaxed pace. What’s more, you’ll get to stay in both Reykjavík and the countryside, seeing different sides of the country.
On this tour you will...
Visit the Westman Islands, one of Iceland’s hidden gems
Get up close to roaring waterfalls and active geysers
Marvel at a glacier lagoon with newly formed icebergs
Complete the famous Golden Circle touring route
Have the chance to bathe in geothermal hot springs
Set the pace and stop where you like, when you like
Top attractions
Westman Islands
Gullfoss
Geysir and Strokkur
Þingvellir National Park
Skógafoss
Seljalandsfoss
Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon
Skaftafell
Vatnajökull Glacier & National Park
Vík í Mýrdal
Downtown Reykjavík
Why book a self-drive trip with Iceland Tours?
Start your tour on the date that suits you
24/7 emergency helpline in Iceland
Secure your booking with just a 5% deposit
New rental cars with 2 drivers as standard
Handpicked local accommodation options
Best Price Guarantee
Your 6-day self-drive itinerary
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
Downtown Reykjavík
Extra activities
ExtraFlyOver Iceland
ExtraSky Lagoon Saman Pass
ExtraPuffin Watching
ExtraClassic Whale Watching from Reykjavík
ExtraThe Reykjavík Food Walk
ExtraHorse Riding from Reykjavík
ExtraInside the Volcano tour from Bláfjöll
You can start with 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 along the south coast to Hvolsvöllur area for your overnight stay.
Today you get to experience one of Iceland’s best kept secret, the volcano island of Heimaey in the Westman Islands archipelago. On your way to the ferry crossing at Landeyjarhöfn you can stop at Seljalandsfoss waterfall – you can actually walk behind it and enjoy its beauty from behind. Heimaey is a little treasure in itself and has much to offer! Hike to the top of Eldfell (the volcano which erupted in 1973), discover the “Elephant” mountain, and sail around the islands where it is not uncommon to see whales and seals. Most likely you will meet some beautiful puffins, too, as Westman Islands are considered being the largest Atlantic puffin colony in the world.
Your next stop is Iceland’s scenic southeast. After passing various outlet glaciers belonging to Vatnajökull, Europe’s largest ice cap, you’ll arrive at the stunningly surreal beauty of Jökulsárlón, a glacial lagoon. This exceptional sight sits at the foot of Iceland’s highest mountain, Hvannadalshnúkur.
Skaftafell is another area definitely worth a visit. This oasis, surrounded by glaciers and black sand plains, offers a broad range of options for great hiking. Later, continue your drive to Vík/Kirkjubæjarklaustur for your overnight stay.
Today you will spend the day along the south coast. This gives you a chance to take a closer look at attractions that you did not have the time to visit on your way east: Skógafoss waterfall and Seljalandsfoss waterfall, which you can walk behind. At Skógar, you will find a folk museum showing how people lived in the past in Iceland.
If you have time in the afternoon, you can go to the Dyrhólaey bird cliff where you can usually see puffins (please note: Dyrholaey is closed from May 15 till June 23 and from mid-August the puffins will have gone to sea!). Your day will end in Reykjavík where you will spend your last night in Iceland.
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 5 days
2 authorized drivers as standard
Unlimited mileage
Unlimited in-car Wi-Fi
Collision damage waiver
Tickets for Herjólfur ferry to Westman Islands
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
Customer reviews
Read what real customers had to say about South Iceland Waterfall Adventure.
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.
