Vatnajokull tours from Reykjavik carry you from the capital to the south side of the ice cap and back, so you never drive the ring road yourself. Here that means a 14.5 hours coach day to the glacier lagoon, or eight days round Iceland with an ice cave on the way.
Coach pickup in central Reykjavík for a fourteen-and-a-half-hour day: two waterfalls, a stop in Vík and about 1 hour 35 minutes at the lagoon and the black beach. No walk on the ice and no boat in the fare.
From $185 per person
Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.
Eight days round Iceland by minibus from Reykjavík bus stops, with seven nights, seven breakfasts, an ice cave in the south-east, a glacier hike and whale watching. Lunch, dinner and rental gear are extra; larger parties pay less each.
From $2,675 per person
Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.
The day trip costs $185 with pickup in central Reykjavík, and refunds in full up to 24 hours ahead. Pick your date and see the pickup time before you pay.
Check availabilityOn the day trip you leave the BSÍ bus terminal with pickup in central Reykjavík, and a local guide talks you along the South Coast. The coach stops 25 minutes at Skógafoss, 40 minutes at Freysnes, 1 hour 20 minutes on a guided visit to the lagoon, 15 minutes at the black beach and 45 minutes at Vík. It calls at Seljalandsfoss on the way back.
You see the ice from the shore. The day never sets foot on the glacier and includes no boat; one traveller was offered a boat ride as an extra at the start of the day. The eight-day tour is a different thing: a minibus round Iceland with seven nights, an ice cave on Breiðamerkurjökull and a glacier hike on the South Coast.
The lagoon is a long way from the capital, and the road can close in bad weather. One traveller on the day trip was stuck behind an accident until it cleared; on a coach, that is the driver’s problem, not yours.
The day trip carries a professional local guide on board. One traveller said the stories made the hours on the bus pass, and called the bus the only way to reach some of these places without a car.
The coach stops at two of the South Coast waterfalls and the village of Vík, with breaks for food. You would stop at the same places driving yourself; here the timing is done for you.
The real alternative is a hire car and a night near the ice. Here is what each gives you.
| The day trip from Reykjavík | Driving to Skaftafell | |
|---|---|---|
| Time | 14.5 hours in one go | 4.5 to 5 hours each way, plus a night |
| On the glacier | Never | Yes, with a hike from $104 |
| At the lagoon | About 1 hour 35 minutes with the beach | As long as you like |
| Fare | $185 per person | The hike fare, plus the car |
| Group | Up to 45 | Your own car |
Compare the tours from Reykjavik
If walking on Vatnajökull is the point, drive and book one of the glacier hike tours at Skaftafell. If you only want to see the lagoon and have no car, the day trip is the way to do it.
On the day trip you get the coach, a professional local guide, pickup and drop-off in Reykjavík, Wi-Fi on board and cruise-port pickup if you choose that option. Infant seats are available. You do not get food, gratuities, a boat ride or any time on the ice.
On the eight-day tour you get seven nights, seven breakfasts, an English-speaking driver-guide, the ice cave, a glacier hike and a whale-watching trip from Hauganes. You do not get lunch or dinner, and boots, waterproofs and luggage storage cost extra. The visitor guide explains the glacier gear.
| What to expect | |
|---|---|
| Day trip length | 14.5 hours |
| Day trip fare | $185 per person |
| Eight-day fare | From $2,675 per person, less each in larger parties |
| Meeting point | The BSÍ terminal, or your pickup in central Reykjavík |
| Check-in | 15 minutes early at BSÍ |
| Cancellation | Free up to 24 hours ahead |
Treat the day trip as a long day on a coach. One traveller called it a 14-hour day; another reached the last waterfall in the dark and rain, too late to walk behind it. Eat well before you leave and bring snacks.
Check the weather for the day, and dress for the lagoon shore, which is exposed to wind. If you have two days and a car, the two-day itinerary does more with the same distance.
Eight days by minibus from Reykjavík bus stops, with seven nights, breakfasts, an ice cave and a glacier hike. Pick your dates before you pay.
Check availabilityNext: See what you can do alone in Vatnajokull without a tour, or plan a drive in the two-day itinerary. Every fare sits side by side on Vatnajokull Tours.