ICELAND: ACCESSIBLE SOUTH COAST SELF-DRIVE TOUR

Welcome to Iceland! After arriving in Keflavik airport, you will receive your rental car and make your way to your accommodation in central Reykjavik. After you have checked into your hotel and received all the travel documents that we prepared for you, we would like to invite you for an optional private information meeting during office hours. After the meeting you will have free time to explore Reykjavik and enjoy the northernmost capital of the world.

Today you will gradually start to realize why Iceland is famous for its nature. Start driving east towards Þingvellir National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The natural beauty and history of the park make it a must see highlight of Iceland. Here you can see how the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates are diverging, as well as the first parliament. The paths in Þingvellir are very well kept and most of the places are easily accessible by wheelchair.

Your next stop for the day will be the famous Geyser geothermal fields where you will see the great spouting spring, namesake of every other spouting spring in the world. Gullfoss (the Golden Falls), will complete your ‘’Golden Circle’’ tour.

Cafes near Gullfoss and Geyser are popular lunch stops and if you want to enjoy a traditional Icelandic meal, we recommend the Icelandic lamb soup. Leaving Gullfoss, you will start driving towards the south coast through lush farmlands.

Spend the night at the Hotel Lækur.

It is time to travel further east along the beautiful south coast. The impressive Seljalandsfoss waterfall will be your first stop for the day. A wheelchair friendly path will take you closer to that 60m high waterfall. Close to the waterfall, you will find the Eyjafjallajokull visitor centre, a very interesting exhibition about the major eruption in 2010. Remember to collect some volcanic ash in the entrance!

Continue to Skógar where you will find the picture perfect Skógafoss waterfall and the Skógar Folk Museum. Continue to the charming village of Kirkjubæjarklaustur, home to Iceland’s first monastery (built in 1186). From the village, you can admire the Systrafoss (sister waterfalls). Stay for the night at Hotel Katla

After breakfast continue to Skaftafell, a part of the Vatnajökull National Park. A short movie presented at the visitor centre tells you the story of fire and ice in Iceland and how those two powers have affected the formation of the area.

Further east, you will find the spectacular Jökulsárlón glacial lagoon; the crown jewel of Icelandic nature where will be surely amazed by the floating icebergs. An optional boat tour is always recommended, to admire the floating icebergs from a closer distance. The tours are suitable for disabled people and the staff on the boat is always willing to help.

After enjoying this unique experience, continue to the village of Höfn – the lobster capital of Iceland, so don´t miss the chance to taste a delicious lobster menu! Overnight at the Fosshotel Glacier Lagoon.

After breakfast you will start driving back to the capital. On the way, make sure to visit the village of Vík in Mýrdalur. By the time you arrive in Vík, you can already admire the giant pillars of rock (Reynisdrangar), as high as 66 meters that rise out of the sea to the south of Reynisfjall and are highly visible from Vík.

In folklore, they are explained as the remains of some giants caught by the sun at dawn and turned into stone! You can also see the Víkurkirkja (Vik´s church) which was built in 1932-1934. If you are planning to buy some Icelandic Wool products, it is a good chance to buy them in Vik and the Icelandic Wool Factory.

Continue to the Hvolsvöllur area where you will stay at Hotel  Lækur  for the night.

Today you will return to Reykjavik. Before that though, we would suggest that you still visit some natural sights. Head for the Reykjanes peninsula; an active geothermal area and a diamond in the rough. You first stop is Krýsuvík that consists of several geothermal fields, such as Seltún. Here solfataras, fumaroles, mud pots and hot springs have formed, the soil is coloured bright yellow, red, and green hues.

Next stop is the unique Blue Lagoon where you can relax and unwind after a few days on the road (optional). The Blue Lagoon is easily accessible to everyone, containing special changing rooms, a pool access lift and special wheelchairs for the lagoon itself. The deepest part of Blue Lagoon is around 1.60m/5.2ft ft but most parts of the lagoon are far shallower. In the afternoon you can visit the bridge between two continents and later you drive back to Reykjavik, and stay for the night at The Canopy Hotel in the city centre.

Enjoy a full free day in the vibrant and lively capital city, you have earned it! Go shopping or sightseeing or simply relax at a nice cafe or in one of many outdoor swimming pools that are to be found within the city limits. Visit some of the major landmarks of Reykjavik, such as the Hallgrímskirkja church, Perlan dome, the Solar Voyager sculpture or Harpa – Music & Conference Center.

In the evening, we recommend that you award yourself with a gourmet dinner at one of many high-quality restaurants in the city. In the later hours, explore the world-famous nightlife of Reykjavik. Stay again at The Canopy Hotel.

This is the last day of your vacation in Iceland. Drive to Keflavik International airport where you will drop off your rental car and check in for your flight. Have an enjoyable trip back home!!