9 of the Top Day Trips From Reykjavik

If you only have time for one of the handful of short trips from Reykjavik, make it the Golden Circle, which is packed with natural wonders. You’ll feel the sheer power of Gullfoss waterfall, watch Strokkur geyser erupt like clockwork, and walk between tectonic plates at Thingvellir National Park, where Viking history meets raw geology. Want to add something extra? Some tours amp up the adventure with snowmobiling on Langjökull glacier, while others end at the Secret Lagoon (Gamla Laugin) hot spring to relax after you explore the sights.

Did you know?: The Golden Circle takes its name from Gullfoss, whose mist sometimes glows gold in the sunlight.

The South Coast is another top day trip near Reykjavik. Most tours stop at Seljalandsfoss, where you can walk behind the cascade; Skógafoss, a waterfall so powerful you’ll feel the mist from meters away; and Reynisfjara Beach, famous for its basalt cliffs and towering sea stacks. Like the Golden Circle, day trips from Reykjavik to the South Coast vary—some include hikes on Sólheimajökull Glacier, while others take you snowmobiling on Mýrdalsjökull Glacier or deep into the ice cave of Katla Volcano, where blue ice glows like something out of a sci-fi movie.

It’s a long haul compared to most Reykjavik day trip destinations, but if you want to see Iceland’s icebergs up close, Jökulsárlón and Diamond Beach are worth every mile. At the lagoon, massive icebergs break from Vatnajökull glacier and drift across the water, creating a constantly shifting, otherworldly scene. Right next door, Diamond Beach glows with crystal-clear ice chunks scattered across black volcanic sand. Most tours stop at South Coast waterfalls along the way, making this an epic road trip.

Insider tip: Some tours include a boat trip among the icebergs for an even closer look.

The Snæfellsnes Peninsula offers a deep dive into Iceland’s beauty—where volcanoes, lava fields, black sand beaches, and towering sea cliffs all collide into one astounding landscape. See the arrowhead peak of Kirkjufell (Iceland’s most photographed mountain), walk the jagged sea cliffs of Arnarstapi, and explore the black pebble sands at Djúpalónssandur. At the heart of the peninsula is Snæfellsjökull, a glacier-capped volcano that inspired Journey to the Center of the Earth.

Did you know?: In 1993, a British man predicted that aliens would land on Snæfellsjökull, drawing thousands—including UFO enthusiasts, media, and intelligence agents—to the glacier for an intergalactic meeting that never happened.

Most travelers forgo the Reykjanes Peninsula, thinking Iceland’s best landscapes are further away. But few know that the region around the international airport is one of the country’s most dramatic. Just a short drive from the city, it’s an ideal way to escape Reykjavik with a day trip that feels otherworldly—lava fields, steaming vents, and twisted, Mars-like terrain await. In Reykjanes you can walk between two continents, marvel at the bubbling mud pools of Gunnuhver, and hike through the shifting volcanic landscapes.

Insider tip: Recent eruptions have reshaped the area, and some tours of eruption sights visit lava fields that are still cooling.

Adventuring to Landmannalaugar is arguably the best one-day trip from Reykjavik for those looking for an amazing hiking experience. Getting there is half the fun, though—you’ll cross glacial rivers by super Jeep and bounce around the mountain roads before arriving in a landscape so colorful that it’s a bit surreal. Here, the combination of minerals and geothermal heat have painted the mountains in red, orange, and green, beautifully contrasting with the ghostly black lava fields. Hike the trails and then hit the hot spring—one of the country’s largest natural pools—before heading back.

If hiking in Landmannalaugar piqued your interest, a day trip from Reykjavik to Thórsmörk will be right up your alley. This glacier-carved wilderness is tucked neatly between three glaciers in South Iceland, the icy giants hiding away braided rivers shimmering through black sand, basalt canyons, and valleys filled with birch forest. It’s another hiking paradise, and the only way in is via a super Jeep ride across a vast area of glacial floodplains and along rugged mountain roads. The trip is worth it though; it’s a feast of sweeping views, glinting glaciers, and luscious Icelandic nature.

Langjökull glacier is the second largest ice cap in the country, and it's a top pick for adventure seekers. Here, glacier hiking tours are a great option, although thrill seekers might prefer racing across the ice on the back of a snowmobile. And for something entirely unique, step inside the world’s largest man-made ice cave and venture deep into the ice to admire the glowing blue walls, frozen crevasses, and streaks of black ash captured from past eruptions.

The Silver Circle is one of the more unique day trips from Reykjavik, as it winds past lava waterfalls, bubbling hot springs, and Viking ruins. Stops on this route include Hraunfossar, where water tumbles through a lava field, and Deildartunguhver, Europe’s most powerful hot spring. You’ll also stop at Snorralaug, a small geothermal pool where Icelandic chieftain and historian Snorri Sturluson is said to have bathed while writing the Sagas that shaped Norse mythology. Then, the drive continues through a maze of rivers and roads further inland to Husafell, home to lava caves such as Viðgelmir and beautiful hikes into rugged valleys beneath the glacier.