# South Iceland

Route 1 links waterfalls, glacier tongues and black sand beaches between Reykjavík and Jökulsárlón. Explore it by car or campervan.

Fuente: https://www.geocalia.com/en/iceland/south-iceland · Revisado: 2026-11-11

## Datos clave

| Dato | Valor |
|---|---|
| Mejor época | June – September |
| Noches recomendadas | 4 to 6 |
| Cómo moverse | Car or campervan |
| Aeropuerto | Keflavík (KEF) |
| Ideal para | Nature, road trips, photography |

## What is there on the south coast?

A stretch of about 380 km of Route 1, between Reykjavík and the Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon, with Vatnajökull, Iceland's largest glacier, closing off the horizon at the end. Almost nothing needs a detour: the stops are right by the road, and you take them from west to east in this order.

Seljalandsfoss, about 125 km from Reykjavík. A waterfall that drops from an old sea cliff; a path passes behind the curtain of water. Bring a waterproof jacket: you will get wet.

Skógafoss, about 30 km further on. A wide, straight drop, beside a staircase that climbs to the edge. From the top the trail to Fimmvörðuháls begins, following the river past one waterfall after another.

Sólheimajökull, a tongue of the Mýrdalsjökull glacier a few minutes from the road. You can see it from the edge on foot; to walk on the ice you must go with a guide and crampons.

Reynisfjara, next to Vík, about 185 km from Reykjavík. The black sand beach with basalt columns and the Reynisdrangar sea stacks in the water. It is also the most dangerous: waves that come in without warning and a current that has already dragged several people away.

Eldhraun and Fjaðrárgljúfur, on the way to Kirkjubæjarklaustur: a lava field covered in moss and a narrow canyon that you walk along the rim of.

Skaftafell, inside Vatnajökull National Park. From the visitor centre marked trails set off: the one to the glacier tongue, about 4 km and an hour to an hour and a half, and the one that climbs to Svartifoss, the waterfall among basalt columns, in an easy loop of about 6 km and two hours.

Jökulsárlón and Diamond Beach, about 380 km from Reykjavík. Icebergs that have broken off the glacier float in the lagoon and drift out to sea through a short channel. On the beach on the other side of the road, the sea washes pieces of ice up onto the black sand. Next to it is Fjallsárlón, a smaller lagoon with fewer people.

## How to organise the trip

You can do it there and back from Reykjavík, but not in a day: to Jökulsárlón it is more than five hours' driving without stops. What works is to split it into three areas to sleep in.

Hella, Hvolsvöllur or Skógar, for the waterfalls. An hour and a half to two hours from Reykjavík.

Vík, the village with the most services on this stretch, with a supermarket and petrol station, for Reynisfjara and Sólheimajökull.

Kirkjubæjarklaustur, Skaftafell or the Höfn area, for the national park and the glacier lagoons.

With four nights you see everything at an easy pace and return to Reykjavík on the last day. With six, you can add long hikes in Skaftafell, a guided glacier trip or the Golden Circle at the start.

## How do you get there and get around?

You fly to Keflavík and pick up your car or campervan at the airport. The whole route follows Route 1, paved and with no need for a 4x4 in summer. Headlights are always on and the limit is 90 km/h. Do not stop on the hard shoulder to take photos: use the car parks at each stop. At many of them parking is paid.

If you sleep in a campervan, do so only at campsites. The one at Skaftafell is open all year; at the others, check dates.

Without a car, day tours by bus leave Reykjavík for the waterfalls and Vík, and two- or three-day tours go as far as Jökulsárlón.

## When to go

From June to September everything is open and the road is clear. In June and July it hardly gets dark, and you can see the waterfalls at night, with far fewer people. May and September are quieter and prices are a little lower. From October to April there are northern lights and the waterfalls freeze, but the days are very short and wind and snow close the road on some days: leave slack in your plan and check road.is every morning.

## Dónde está
- Zonas: Game of Thrones Locations

## Qué hacer
- **Skógafoss, the waterfall of the dragon arrival** (1 h · All ages; the staircase needs good legs · Independent): Skógafoss is the second great waterfall on the south coast, about 30 km after Seljalandsfoss and right by Route 1. The water falls in a wide, straight curtain onto a gravel plain, and a staircase beside the drop climbs to the upper edge. It is a filming location: the South Iceland tourist office says it appears in the eighth season of Game of Thrones, when Jon and Daenerys arrive on dragonback.
What to see
Below, you walk across the plain as close as the spray lets you. Above, a viewpoint looks out over the drop and from it the trail to Fimmvörðuháls begins, following the river past one waterfall after another. A short out-and-back is enough to see another drop or two and leave the crowds behind; the full trail is already a mountain crossing.
There is nothing left from the filming: it is the same waterfall that appears on screen, with no sign or plaque.
How to visit
You park beside the waterfall; at many stops on this coast parking is paid. The short visit, below and above, takes an hour. The staircase is long and steep; with small children stay below, which is where it looks best.
Tour buses from Reykjavík arrive by mid-morning. In summer, with light almost all night, at eight in the evening it is peaceful.
Nearby, more locations
The south coast has other places from the series given by the tourist office: the beach at Reynisfjara, by Vík, which was Eastwatch-by-the-Sea, and the Mýrdalsjökull glacier, the icy landscape north of the Wall, whose Sólheimajökull tongue you can see a few minutes from the road.
- **Reynisfjara, the black beach of Eastwatch-by-the-Sea** (45 min · All ages, away from the water · Independent): Reynisfjara is the black sand beach by Vík, about 185 km from Reykjavík: a wall of basalt columns on one side and the Reynisdrangar sea stacks in the water. It is a filming location for Game of Thrones: the South Iceland tourist office says this is where Eastwatch-by-the-Sea, the Night's Watch castle on the coast, was. The castle was from the series; the beach, the columns and the sea stacks are what you see.
Before you go down: the water
It is also the most dangerous beach in the country. Safetravel warns of waves that come in without warning, much further up than on other beaches, and that have already dragged several people away. At the entrance there are signs and a system of lights: with the yellow light you do not enter the yellow zone, and with the red you go no further than the sign. Rangers can close the beach at short notice.
Stay on the upper part of the sand, never turn your back on the sea and do not climb onto the rocks at the water's edge for a photo.
What to see
The wall of basalt columns at the foot of the hill and, ahead, the Reynisdrangar sea stacks. A good half hour is enough to see it. Very close is the headland of Dyrhólaey, with the coast seen from above.
How to get there
From Route 1, just before Vík, a turn-off leads to the beach car park. Vík is the village with the most services on this stretch, with a supermarket and petrol station: a good base to sleep and see the beach at first or last light.

## Consejos

### Stop at the waterfalls early or late
Buses from Reykjavík reach Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss by mid-morning. With the long summer light, at eight in the evening they are peaceful.

### Keep away from the water at Reynisfjara
Stay on the upper part of the sand and never turn your back on the sea. If there is a warning, do not go down.

### Do not step onto the glacier without a guide
The tongues have crevasses and ice that breaks. To walk on top, go with a company that provides a guide and crampons.

### Do your shopping in Vík or Kirkjubæjarklaustur
There are few services between the villages. Fill the tank and buy food for two days.

### Check the national park notices
The car parks at Jökulsárlón have temporary closures; park rangers post the notices on their website.

## Preguntas frecuentes

### How many days do I need for the south coast?
Four nights to reach Jökulsárlón and come back at an easy pace. If you only have two, stay at the waterfalls and Vík.

### Do I need a 4x4?
No. Route 1 is paved along the whole stretch. In winter, take a car with good winter tyres and drive very carefully.

### Can you walk behind Seljalandsfoss?
Yes, along a path that circles the waterfall. It is slippery and you get wet: bring a waterproof jacket and shoes with grip. In winter it may be closed because of ice.

### Is Reynisfjara beach dangerous?
Yes. Spain's foreign ministry (Exteriores) marks it as a medium-risk area: the waves and currents are very strong and people have drowned. Follow the signs and do not go near the shore.

### Can you walk on a glacier?
Only with a guide. Several companies run crampon walks on Sólheimajökull and at Skaftafell. From the edge, on foot and independently, you can see it safely.

### Where can you see icebergs?
At Jökulsárlón and Fjallsárlón, and on Diamond Beach, across the road from Jökulsárlón.