SELFOSS
When travelling in the South of Iceland it is almost impossible not to make a stop in Selfoss as the Ring Road nr 1 goes straight through the town which is only about 50 km away from the capital city Reykjavík.
Selfoss is the largest town in South Iceland and offer many good accommodations like hotels, guesthouses, camping area, cottages, or apartments hotel. It has a great variety of restaurants, coffeehouses, bars and grocery stores like Krónan, Netto and Bónus.
Selfoss is the ideal place to stay as it is nearby the most popular tourist attractions in South Iceland like the Golden Circle route.
SELJALANDSFOSS WATERFALL
Seljalandsfoss on the river Seljalandsá falls 62 meters from the edge of the cliff. Seljalandsfoss is in a charming location, surrounded by green cliffs and slopes. It is a landmark visible from afar like a white streak against the dark cliff. A path leads behind the waterfall (don't forget your raincoat!) where you can take the most spectacular photos.
In addition to the main waterfall at Seljalandsfoss, smaller streams fall from the cliff on its western side, so be sure to visit the hidden waterfall called Gljúfrabúi that you will find walking from the main waterfall.
EYJAFJALLAJÖKULL VOLCANO 2010
On April 14th 2010 the top crater in the center of the glacier of Eyjafjallajökull started erupting. The eruption was explosive and big floods (Jökulhlaup) followed this eruption and volcanic ash was thrown few kilometers up in the atmosphere from the crater. The eruption caused problems both in Iceland and all over Europe. About 800 people in Iceland had to evacuate from their homes and air travel was interrupted in Europe for six days and many airports were closed down including Heathrow one of the biggest airports in Europe.
The amazing Eyjafjallajokull can be seen from many areas along the South Coast.
SKOGAFOSS WATERFALL
Skógafoss is one of Iceland’s most splendid and photogenic waterfalls, Skógafoss falls 62 metres from the cliffs by Skógar. The Skógá river flows from springs below the Eyjafjöll mountains and the west of Mýrdalsjökull glacier.
The rainbow that forms when the sun’s rays shine on the spray of Skógafoss has given rise to the legend of Þrasi’s chest of gold:
Þrasi, who was the first settler at Skógar when Iceland was settled in medieval times, is said to have hidden a great chest full of gold under the Skógafoss waterfall. According to tradition, the end of the chest was visible beneath the falls. In the 17th century, so the story goes, three local men tried to lift the chest up out of the water: they got a rope through the ring on the end of the chest, but the ring came loose, and the chest fell back into the depths. That ring was later used as a door-ring on Skógar Church. Interestingly enough, the door-ring from the old church (whether or not it came from Þrasi’s chest of gold) is now on display in Skógar Museum.
In the Skógar area do not forget to visit the hidden waterfall called Kvernufoss
SÓLHEIMAJÖKULL AND MÝRDALSJÖKULL GLACIERS
Sólheimajökull is one of the most visited glaciers in Iceland. It is a glacial tongue that comes from the main glacier Mýrdalsjökull. Access is easy, from the main road 1, you need to take road 221 (suitable for all vehicles), and then you reach a parking lot. From here there are 2 options: walk along a marked path (approx. 20 minutes) and see the glacier from the viewpoint or access the ice with a guided tour (visit our glacier walk tours).
The icecap of the Mýrdalsjökull glacier covers the active volcano Katla. The caldera of the volcano has a diameter of 10 km, and the volcano erupts usually every 40–80 years.
To get to the glacier can be done from the main driving route, Route 1, since it lies close to Mýrdalsjökull, but to step on the ice you must be accompanied by a local guide and with all the security guarantees. To enjoy this experience, visit our snowmobile tours or glacier walks tours.
DC PLANE WRECK IN ICELAND
It was used as a cargo plane and belonged to the US Navy. US forces had a permanent base on the island until 2005, and during a routine flight in 1970 it ran out of fuel (although the real causes were never explained) and crashed on the black beach of Sólheimasandur. Fortunately, all the passengers on the plane survived. The remains of the plane can be visited, it is a place loved by locals and visitors thanks to its inhospitable and wild landscape and its great visual contrast. If you plan to visit the place, we recommend one of our ATV tours in which you can visit the huge black beach Sólheimasandur and the plane wreck.
WHERE TO SEE PUFFINS IN ICELAND? DÝRHOLAEY
The famous peninsula Dyrhólaey is the southernmost part of Iceland not far from the town of Vík. It is a beautiful naturally formed arch and a former volcanic island. What is the most mesmerizing thing about Dyrhólaey is the hole in the middle of the peninsula, it shows the true power of the nature and how the ocean has been shaping the coast of Iceland for centuries.
Dyrhólaey is a nesting place for puffins and other seabirds. For bird lovers, this is the place to go. Best time to spot puffins is in end of April until early September. Best time of the day to spot them is in the morning (07:00-10:00) and in the evening (18:00-22:00). Note that the place is a environment reserved for nesting seabirds and for that reason access is limited in May and June.
REYNISFJARA BLACK SAND BEACH
From Reynisfjara you can enjoy some great views of the Atlantic Ocean with the basalt sea stacks Reynisdrangar to the East and the famous peninsula Dyrhólaey to the west. Reynisfjara is probably the most famous black sand beach in Iceland. The beach is a black pebble beach, located in the south of Iceland very close to the town of Vík and is easily accessible from the ring road.
Sometimes you can see cute little puffins sitting on the top of the cliff but the puffins are only visible in Iceland from May-August.
Please read the warning signs before entering the beach and be extra careful.
VÍK I MÝRDAL
The beautiful Vík í Mýrdal is the southernmost village in Iceland, and it is located by the blacks sand coast nearby the famous black sand beach Reynisfjara and the cliffs Reynisdrangar. It is about 180 kilometres from the capital Reykjavík.
Vík is now a popular tourist place which still retains its simplicity and local charm, and a great location if you'd like to explore the south part of Iceland. In its vicinity you can find a great variety of nature.
Vík and the surrounding area offers a lot of good accommodation as well as restaurants and other service like grocery store, gas stations, clinic, swimming pool, post office and a bank.
There are many activities you can enjoy in Vík or its surroundings, like zipline, paragliding, glacier walk, or ATV tours.