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A Summer Week on Iceland's South Coast With Horses, Ice and Lagoons

Two-night bases, one packed adventure day in Vík and two glacier lagoons, paced for a group of friends in August.

Editor's pick 7 days · August Friends Medium pace Self-drive · 4x4

This August route uses two-night bases in Selfoss and Vík, which cuts down on packing and gives a group room to breathe. It starts slowly with the Reykjanes Peninsula's geothermal fields at Gunnuhver and Seltún, then a Golden Circle day with Kerið, Gullfoss, Geysir, lunch at Friðheimar's tomato greenhouse and an unhurried two hours at Þingvellir.

Day 3 strings Seljalandsfoss, Gljúfrabúi and Skógafoss together before a guided Sólheimajökull glacier hike. Day 4 is the one friends will talk about: a morning horseback ride near Vík, Reynisfjara and Dyrhólaey, the Katla ice cave in the afternoon and the Lava Show at night.

From there the plan runs east to Fjaðrárgljúfur, Jökulsárlón, Diamond Beach and the quieter Fjallsárlón, sleeping at Hof. It returns via Svartifoss and Kirkjubæjarklaustur to Selfoss, and the last day fits whale watching from Reykjavik and a soak at Hvammsvík before an evening flight.

Why we picked it: It balances big activity days with easy ones, and the Selfoss and Vík bases mean fewer hotel changes than most South Coast plans. The horse, ice cave and lava day in Vík is a standout.

Trip highlights

  • Katla Ice Cave (June-September)
  • Solheimajokull Glacier Hike
  • Vik Horse Adventure
  • Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon
  • Fjallsárlón Glacier Lagoon
  • Lava Show - Vik

Tips before you go

  • Day 4 stacks a 9:00 horse ride, an afternoon ice cave tour and an evening Lava Show. Book all three together and leave the buffers between them alone.
  • Friðheimar's greenhouse restaurant is busy in August. Reserve the Day 2 lunch ahead so the Golden Circle day keeps its relaxed rhythm.
  • Fuel stops are sparse east of Kirkjubæjarklaustur. Top up there or in Vík before the Jökulsárlón day, and again on the way back west.
  • Day 7 runs from a 9:00 whale tour in Reykjavik to Hvammsvík and an airport arrival around 18:20. Pick an evening flight and pack the car the night before.

Your route across Iceland

The journey, day by day

Open any day for the full plan — stops, drives, and where to stay.

  1. Arrival and Volcanic PeninsulaDAY 1

    Day 1 · 2026-08-17

    Arrival and Volcanic Peninsula

    5 stops2 hours 10 minsSelfoss
  2. Golden Circle ClassicsDAY 2

    Day 2 · 2026-08-18

    Golden Circle Classics

    5 stops2 hours 10 minsSelfoss
  3. Waterfalls and Glacier HikingDAY 3

    Day 3 · 2026-08-19

    Waterfalls and Glacier Hiking

    4 stops2 hours 40 minsVík
  4. Vík's Coastal AdventuresDAY 4

    Day 4 · 2026-08-20

    Vík's Coastal Adventures

    5 stops2 hours 50 minsVík
  5. Canyons and Glacial LagoonDAY 5

    Day 5 · 2026-08-21

    Canyons and Glacial Lagoon

    6 stops4 hours 30 minsHof
  6. Skaftafell Hike & Return WestDAY 6

    Day 6 · 2026-08-22

    Skaftafell Hike & Return West

    6 stops4 hours 20 minsSelfoss
  7. Whales, City Sights & Hot SpringsDAY 7

    Day 7 · 2026-08-23

    Whales, City Sights & Hot Springs

    6 stops3 hours 50 minsKeflavik

Questions about this itinerary

Is 7 days enough for Iceland's South Coast?

Yes. Seven days covers the South Coast as far as Jökulsárlón with time to stop properly. This plan adds the Reykjanes Peninsula and the Golden Circle at the start and still spends two nights in Vík. The longest drive days, east to Hof and back west to Selfoss, run around four to four and a half hours, broken up by canyon, waterfall and lagoon stops.

Can beginners do the Sólheimajökull glacier hike?

Yes. The guided Sólheimajökull hike is one of the most beginner-friendly glacier walks in Iceland. Guides supply crampons, ice axes and helmets, and the pace is steady rather than technical. You need reasonable fitness and waterproof hiking boots. In this plan it follows a morning of waterfalls on Day 3, so eat before check-in.

Is the Katla ice cave open in summer?

Yes. Unlike the crystal ice caves inside Vatnajökull, which are mainly a winter activity, the Katla ice cave under Kötlujökull is visited year-round on super jeep tours from the Vík area. Its ice is streaked with black volcanic ash. This plan books it on the Vík adventure day in August, between the morning horse ride and the evening Lava Show.

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