South Coast Iceland Photo Review

Many people choose the Golden Circle as their tour when visiting Iceland on a cruise. We felt that we wanted to avoid the places with more crowds.

We had an overnight in Reyjkavik and thought a lot about how to take advantage of our time in port.

We decided to take a private Superjeep tour of the South Coast on our first day in Iceland and were very, very pleased with our option.

In this review, I will highlight the places visited with photos.

We were picked up punctually at 9:00 am in our Superjeep. We have a family of five and we were all very comfortable. Our guide, Gummi, was very engaging, funny and warm and gave us a lot of insight about life in Iceland during our 10 hour tour.

I was afraid ten hours would be exhausting... But all of my family returned energized and happy to the ship. The pace of the tour was perfect.

Upon leaving the port, we drove for a bit , chatting about life in Iceland. Gummi suggested that we buy some snacks and stop at a bathroom before getting into the "main" events of our trip. We decided to purchase sandwiches and snacks and have a picnic rather than stop at restaurant ( too much food on the cruise! A lighter lunch was a good option).

Our first stop was Seljalandsfoss, the famed 60 foot waterfall that you can walk behind. It is a highlight of many bus tours, so there were many people there.

It is quite a stunning place and we had a gorgeous day with blue skies.

Walking behind the waterfall, you get wet and it is slippery, so be sure you have good footwear.

We then headed to Thorsmork Valley. Our Superjeep went to work, driving through rivers and streams. We saw maybe one other car during this portion of the trip. It was otherworldly. We headed to the Gígjökull Glacier, where we got out and took a small hike ( we did not hike on the glacier). It was almost a lunar landscape.

This area was transformed in the volcanic eruption of 2010.

After our glacier visit, we stopped for our picnic at the breathtaking Gljufrabúi waterfall, which is hidden in a mountain crevice.

Lush and fascinating

We had our picnic and headed to the Skogáfoss, another more popular ( and lovely) waterfall on the South Coast. It and the first waterfall were the only places we met many people.

As we had such nice weather, there were rainbows dancing in the water.

The area is carpeted in green.

After this stop, we got in the jeep and enjoyed the scenery before arriving at the Black Sand Beach.

It is windy and stark and really lovely.

We took a family photo on the basalt columns ( Reynisdranger Pillars).

Our guide then asked us if we were afraid of heights... We kind of are but said no. We then proceed to drive up a cliff (nobody else in sight) and take in amazing views.

Icelandic Landscapes

We took in views of Vik and wildflowers and savored the beauty of this country.

Our next destination was Dyrhólaey, another place for amazing views and a wild ride in the jeep.

One of the views

The lighthouse

It was quite windy.

We headed back towards Reyjkavik and I asked to stop along the way to take some photos of the Icelandic horses.

The Icelandic horses are special and have a very pure lineage.

Do not call them ponies! They are very proud of their horses.

Here is a photo of our jeep... Observe the license plate

I think the word sums up our day...

On our second day, we took a Greyline tour to the Blue Lagoon. The day was overcast and we were glad we had taken our main tour the day before.

The Blue Lagoon was nice... But lots of people. I am glad I went, but once is enough. I don't think I would need to do it again.

It is very well organized.

The lava fields around it are attention grabbing.

The entrance of the facilities

We enjoyed the relaxing waters and the silica masks

The black against the blue is dramatic

You get a good idea of the geothermic power Iceland harnesses

Enjoyed your review & posting of pictures. Very nicely done. Some day we hope to an adventure like yours. Seems everyone was having a great time.

Happy Travels, John

After the Blue Lagoon, we investigated downtown Reyjkavik. It is a charming city with a "funky" vibe.

Be sure to walk along the shore to see the Sun Voyager sculpture

The stores are colorful and lots of street art.

There many cafés and restaurants and we stopped for a snack. Quite expensive ( as we knew!)

The interior of the iconic church is stunning

At the end of our day, we walked back to the port. A bit of a hike, but worth it.

That is the end of our time on Iceland's main island.

Enjoyed your review & posting of pictures. Very nicely done. Some day we hope to an adventure like yours. Seems everyone was having a great time.

 

 

 

Happy Travels, John

Thank you! It is a place worth exploring...I would love to stay longer.

Thanks for your review and great eye candy...I am feasting on your pics! We are doing two days pre-cruise in Iceland, and are also considering the super jeep tour for our family of five (not sure the South Coast or the Golden Circle). Your photos are making me lean to the South! One thing I'm concerned about is that we have a family member prone to car sickness and I'm wondering if there is a lot of jostling and rough riding and windy roads?

Thanks for the report and the great pics. Do you happen to know what hotel in Reykjavik might be best for a couple looking for quiet and restful? We definitely want a hotel (3 nights), not the other kinds of accommodations.

Thanks for your review and great eye candy...I am feasting on your pics! We are doing two days pre-cruise in Iceland, and are also considering the super jeep tour for our family of five (not sure the South Coast or the Golden Circle). Your photos are making me lean to the South! One thing I'm concerned about is that we have a family member prone to car sickness and I'm wondering if there is a lot of jostling and rough riding and windy roads?

One of our sons gets seasick and the other gets a bit queasy on long car rides ( but not carsick per se). There are not a lot of windy roads...most of the roads are pretty straight and well paved.

As for jostling....when we offroad, we jostled because we drove through rivers and streams and on dirt roads. It was exciting and not uncomfortable for any of us, but it depends on each person's level of tolerance. Most of the tour is on paved roads.

I may have bias, but after reading many, many reviews, I feel that we made a very good choice with the South Coast. I think it is less touristy and offers a very scenic variety with the coastal views, waterfalls, cliffs , columns , valleys and glaciers. The Superjeep was a huge hit with all members of our family .

Thanks for the report and the great pics. Do you happen to know what hotel in Reykjavik might be best for a couple looking for quiet and restful? We definitely want a hotel (3 nights), not the other kinds of accommodations.

As we visited on a ship, we did not have the opportunity of checking out the local hotels. While walking around, I admit I did not see any that called attention. I would check out Tripadvisor for reviews and advice.

You will love Iceland!