5 day Iceland south coast itinerary | Epic road trip from Reykjavik

Iceland’s south coast feels like another planet, with glaciers that glow under the sun, gushing waterfalls (or frozen in mid-cascade, depending on when you visit!) and vast black-sand beaches that seem to swallow the horizon.

This 5 day Iceland south coast itinerary is ideal for first-time visitors dreaming of an Icelandic road trip in the colder months. It’s short enough to manage in the limited daylight hours, but packs in many of Iceland’s most breathtaking winter attractions.

Last summer, we spent two weeks driving Iceland’s full ring road on one of the most epic trips of our lives. If I was to go back in winter (it’s still on the bucket list), this is what I’d change or do differently to make it the perfect 5 day itinerary for Iceland’s south coast.

Essentials to know before you go

Driving in Iceland

Weather conditions change notoriously fast in Iceland all year-round. For our summer road trip, our Toyota Aygo X kept us perfectly safe (although isn’t allowed on unpaved F-roads), as virtually every road we took was really well-maintained – particularly in the south.

In winter, you might want to consider a 4×4 to ease driving in snow or ice: the most affordable and common option in most rental places is a Dacia Duster. This itinerary won’t take you far from the ring road at all, so nervous drivers have nothing to worry about!

We used tons of websites (such as Booking.com) to compare prices, then opted for Lotus Car Rental who took us in a minibus to their office near the airport. I’d highly recommend them!

Two websites you’ll want to bookmark for daily use in Iceland are https://umferdin.is/en (road conditions) and https://en.vedur.is/ (weather).

Daylight hours in winter

Depending on when you visit, the amount of sightseeing time you’ll have varies wildly. In midwinter December, you may only get five hours of daylight, compared to 10 – 11 hours in October or late February.

Personally, I’d avoid December and January to allow for maximum time in nature, but that’s totally your call. Whatever you choose, plan your sightseeing carefully to reach your must-sees in daylight.

What to pack for Iceland in winter

Careful packing can make or break your trip. Even in September, I was already rocking a thermal base-layer, fleece and waterproof with thermal leggings, so step this up a level in winter months.

Choose lots of layers that you can build up as appropriate, with natural fibres your best choice – real wool or cashmere will keep you far warmer than moisture-trapping polyester. A down (or cruelty-free alternative) jacket is also ideal for warmth. Waterproof overtrousers are great not only for rain, but to help protect against Iceland’s powerful and biting winds.

A warm hat and gloves are essential too – I like Uniqlo’s ‘heat tech’ range for affordable options.

Finally for footwear, waterproof hiking boots or shoes will give you a decent grip on the walking trails I’ll recommend in this itinerary, with crampons extremely helpful for particularly icy paths.

My hiking boots – the Salomon Quest 4 boots – have served me really well this year, or if you prefer a similar look with a lower rise, the Salomon X Ultra Pioneer hiking shoe are also good. If you want a top-of-range vibram sole, the Merrell Moab Speed 2 are another decent mid-height shoe.

Where to stay in Iceland at a glance

You can find recommendations for each day in detail below, but here’s a quick snapshot of all the places we stayed in Iceland (and enjoyed!) here.

Iceland south coast itinerary day 1: Keflavík to Vík

This itinerary is based on an early flight arrival at Keflavík International Airport, helping you to really make the most of your first day in Iceland! If you arrive later on, the rest of your first day exploring Reykjavik before heading out on your road trip the next day.

Opting to pick up your car at the airport makes it super easy to kick off your road trip quickly. Then, it’s ready for a day of adventures as the scenery turns epic from just outside of Reykjavik.

Reykjadalur Thermal Bathing Pools

This is the first stop we made on our Icelandic road trip and from what I’ve heard from winter visitors, it’s an equally incredible yet totally different experience. From the car park, it’s around 30 minutes lovely hike to the river and the water gets hotter the higher you get – a welcome relief if you’re already shivering!

Seljavallalaug Swimming Pool

Another super cool thermal swimming spot to try, this one in the shape of a traditional pool! This is located between the next two waterfalls, so it’s a good way to break up the road trip if you’re ready for another dip.

Seljalandsfoss

One of my favourite spots in the whole country was Seljalandsfoss waterfall – you won’t miss this from the road as it’s huge! If you’re visiting in winter, it’ll be super slippy around here as the wind blows the waterfall everywhere, so come prepared and be careful if walking behind the falls.

Don’t forget to stroll further down the path to Gljufrabui to spot the hidden waterfall inside a canyon.

Vík Lava Show

This is a brilliant bad-weather option that comes highly recommended by a friend – especially convenient if you’re staying right in Vík.

Inside a cosy theatre during the 45 – 55 minute show, molten lava is poured out before your eyes as well as getting a look behind the scenes into the furnace room in the optional backstage tour.

Skógafoss

Skógafoss is another totally epic waterfall that’s a must-see to close out your daylight hours.

It’s super atmospheric and moody, with the option to get close down below and look down on it from the higher viewing platform.

Stay

Located just five minutes drive from Reynisfjara beach, The Barn is aesthetically pleasing hostel just outside Vík. It’s on the expensive side for a hostel but has comfy double bunks, a lovely common area and really clean, well-stocked modern kitchen.

For more boujie stays in the town itself, Signature by Vik Apartments look gorgeous, cosy and are located right in the centre of Vík.

Iceland south coast itinerary day 2: Vík to Höfn

This is a long driving day but don’t worry – we’ll be coming back this way again, so it’s a good opportunity to split the attractions up between going there and back.

It was also one of the most stunning parts of our Iceland south coast itinerary.

Leaving Vík after breakfast, with a short stop at Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach to see the towering basalt columns, the landscape opens up into a cinematic stretch of mossy lava fields. I can imagine this looking totally otherworldly under a blanket of snow.

Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon

A dramatic, winding gorge that was featured on Game of Thrones where Jon Snow flies his dragon for the first time, the pictures really do it justice.

The path can be icy in the colder months, but it’s a short simple walk with the right footwear and conditions. Believe me, it’s worth it.

Vatnajökull National Park

The heart of Iceland’s coastal glaciers, this spot is full of showstopper views around every turn. We couldn’t believe the size of the glacier, contrasting with the lush summer greens, but in the winter snow, it must be completely spectacular. Our first stop here was unplanned, but the best part of our entire day…

Fjallsárlón Glacier Lagoon

Smaller and quieter than its more famous neighbour, but that just makes it even more magical. Don’t miss this spot!

Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon & Diamond Beach

This is one of the most famous spots on Iceland’s south coast. It’s super exposed, with biting winds, but worth it to watch the huge icebergs floating out to sea. You can park here and see both the glacier lagoon and Diamond Beach at the same time, where chunks of ice are scattered across the black sand like jewels.

I would have absolutely loved to do one of the kayaking tours on the Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon but they sold out super far in advance, so book early if you’re interested!

It’s also the place where many end their Iceland south coast itinerary, but I wanted to carry on as I think the extra day out east gives the chance to experience something really magical – worth the extra couple of hours drive to Höfn. Plus, if you’re lucky, this is an excellent spot to try and spot the Northern Lights.

Stay

Spend the night at Hofn HI Hostel, a social hub on the outskirts of the town of Höfn. The rooms are comfortable, there are plenty of bathrooms and a great kitchen/communal area.

Iceland south coast itinerary day 3: Höfn to Vík

If you can, wake up early to get outside for sunrise. If there are clear skies, this could be one of the most epic sights of your 5 day Iceland south coast road trip.

Vestrahorn Mountain & Skoksnes beach

One of the most iconic, dramatic sights on Iceland’s south coast, I hear that the spiky black peaks of Vestrahorn Mountain are utterly breathtaking.

Unfortunately, I haven’t witnessed them for myself as there was zero visibility for our entire time on Skoksnes beach – the worst weather of our whole trip! However, it’s well worth giving it a go in hope of an unbelievable view.

Viking Village

Whether the clouds play ball or not, the nearby Viking Village is also surprisingly worth a visit. A film set built for a production that never happened, it’s been semi-reclaimed by nature and makes for a surreal place to explore.

Once you’ve had your fill, it’s time to start the drive back west. Now you’ll be driving through familiar landscapes, so it’s a great time to repeat anything you’ve missed from the previous days – especially if you had bad weather!

Skaftafell National Park

I skipped this out of our second day itinerary, but there are several cool attractions that make this national park well worth a stopover.

It’s the first point on the ring road where you can get up close to the Vatnajökull Glacier, both solo and on guided walks. You can also hike in the opposite direction to see Svartifoss, a dramatic waterfall surrounded by geometric basalt columns.

On a quick trip, you’ll usually have to pick just one of these options – we chose the Vatnajökull Glacier as we had lots of falls to see on our Iceland ring road trip – but neither are likely to disappoint!

Stay

I’d recommend you stay near Vík again to minimise the driving on day 4. You could choose to return to the same place as previously or opt for a more unique stay in a remote location.

Some of the favourites I had my eye on included Hotel Katla by Keahotels, a nicely-decorated but affordable property with an outdoor hot tub, or the cosy cabins at Mid Hvoll Cottages.

Iceland south coast itinerary day 4: Vík to Reykjavik

It’s time for one of Iceland’s most famous full day trips – the Golden Circle. If you have your own car, you absolutely don’t need to do a tour, although if you want to, this Golden Circle full day tour comes highly recommended.

The Golden Circle

We started our Golden Circle tour at the vibrant Kerid Crater before moving onto Geysir, where you can see boiling water erupt from the earth every few minutes – some jets bigger than others!

Afterwards, Gullfoss is a thunderous waterfall – bigger than any you’ll have seen on the south coast so far – that looks even more dramatic when surrounded completely by snow and ice.

The absolute must-do for your time in the Thingvellir National Park is snorkelling or diving between the American and European tectonic plates. It’s a totally unique experience in some of the clearest water on the planet – you can literally drink it as you glide through the water! This was absolutely one of the highlights that rounded off our trip.

Quite a few different providers offer similar options including a full drysuit, vans to change in and hot chocolate afterwards – check out the options below, or message me if you’d like my 10% off code for Adventure Vikings.

If you still have time after your day of activities, book an evening session at the Secret Lagoon – the oldest swimming pool in Iceland – or head for a delicious meal at Restaurant Varma. The restaurant cooks some of its dishes in the heat generated by the hot spring and the food was exquisite!

Stay

In Reykjavik, we stayed in R13 – A Townhouse Hotel with its dark interior design and our own kitchenette! It was around 15-20 minutes walk into the town itself, but came with a free car parking space that was super useful to end our road trip.

If you don’t fly home tomorrow and have an extra night, you can also stay in the Golden Circle region itself. There are tons of cool options like these Golden Circle Domes or Golden Circle Luxury Cottages.

Iceland south coast itinerary day 5: Reykjavik and home!

Honestly, I think you could happily do an entire Iceland trip without touching Reykjavik. However, if you do want time to see Iceland’s capital, this few hours is a great way to finish off the trip.

With colourful streets, cosy café breakfasts and the towering Hallgrímskirkja church, it’s a good way to get any last souvenirs before you start the journey back to the airport.

Blue Lagoon

An Icelandic staple on the way to/from the airport is to reward yourself with a soak in the Blue Lagoon. Floating in milky blue water, surrounded by steam and snow, is absolutely the perfect way to end your 5 day Iceland south coast itinerary.

If you’re flying home the same day, it’s conveniently located between Reykjavik and Keflavík Airport. Otherwise, stay one more night in the city for an unhurried farewell.

calm body of water surrounded by mountains — Photo by Peter Stewart on Pexels.com

Summary

Nature does some of its finest work on Iceland’s south coast with some of the country’s most spectacular waterfalls, glaciers and lagoons located within a few short hours of each other.

Whether you visit in the lighter summer months or the moody winter, you’ll have a totally different but equally captivating experience each time.

We totally fell in love with these landscapes in summer, but are craving to go back and experience the contrast for ourselves. And if we did – this itinerary is exactly how I’d do it.

Have you tried this 5 day Iceland south coast itinerary? Let me know how you got on!

Laura x