Reykjavik: Glacier Lagoon & Fjaðrárgjúfur Canyon Small-Group Tour
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Reykjavik, Iceland
- 14 to 16 hours (approx.)
- Pickup offered
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Feast your senses on the frozen majesty of Iceland’s Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon on this full-day excursion from Reykjavik. With an expert guide, travel to the charming village of Vik to marvel at the area’s spectacular rock formations and black-sand beaches, and admire the dramatic volcanic landscapes surrounding the Glacier Lagoon.
- Leave all the driving and navigation to someone else
- This tour makes exploring beyond Reykjavik city limits simple
- Spot wildlife, glaciers, icebergs, black-sand beaches, and much more
- Round-trip transit via comfortable minibus from downtown Reykjavik
- Travel in a small group for a more intimate experience
What's Included
- Professional Local Driver-guide
- Live commentary on board
- Pickup and drop-off from designated bus stops & hotels
- Small-group tour (tour operated exclusively on minibuses)
- Food and drinks (available to purchase at the supermarket and on-site)
- Commentary outside of the bus (self-guided sights & free time only)
- Boat ride (optional on site for an extra cost)
Meeting and Pickup
Pickup points
Select a pickup point
Pickup details
Some of the center hotels are located in the restricted area where we aren't allowed to drive. Please find your hotel below and meet us at it's designated bus stop. Thank you for understanding. PLEASE NOTE: These bus stops for tour buses are not the same as the bus stops for city buses. The tour bus stops have a blue pillar with pink bus sign at the top and the number and name of the bus stop. The city bus stops have a yellow "S" in a red circle (S as Strætó - city bus). Please do not wait at the city bus stops! Once you submit/confirm with us a specific bus stop, please meet us exactly at that bus stop and not any other. ___________________________ Bus stop 1 – Ráðhúsið – City Hall: Center Hotels Plaza Downtown Hostel Hotel Reykjavik Centrum Iceland Parliament Hotel Kvosin Downtown Hotel ___________________________ Bus stop 3 – Lækjargata (near the Hard Rock Café): Alva Apartments Apotek Hotel City Center hotel Hotel Borg Hotel Reykjavik Saga Radisson Blu 1919 Reykjavik Konsulat Hotel ___________________________ Bus Stop 4 - Miðbakki Black Pearl Apartment Hotel Exeter Hotel ___________________________ Bus stop 6 – Safnahúsið – The Culture House (corner of Ingolfsstraeti and Hverfisgata: 101 Hotel Canopy by Hilton Reykjavik City Centre Center Hotels Arnarhvoll Center Hotels Skjaldbreid Hotel Frón Loft Hostel Thingholt by Center Hotels Vintage Hotel Apartments ___________________________ Hallgrímskirkja (Bus Stop 8) B47 Hostel Baron's Hostel Hotel Holt Hotel Odinsve Leifur Eiriksson Reykjavik Downtown Hotel Sunna Guesthouse ___________________________ Bus stop 9 – Snorrabraut: 100 Iceland Hotel 4th Floor Hotel Alfred's Apartments Center Hotels Laugavegur Hotel Vera Hotel Von Laugavegur Apartments Skuggi Hotel ___________________________ Bus stop 12 – Höfðatorg (in front of Fosshotel Reyjavik): - Storm Hotel - Fosshótel Reykjavík - Tower Suites ___________________________ Bus stop 13 – Rauðarástígur (in front of Centerhotel Miðgarður): - Centerhotel Miðgarður ___________________________ Bus stop 14 - Skúlagata (corner of Skúlagata/Klappastígur) 41 - A Townhouse Hotel Alfred's Studios Ion City Hotel Reykjavik Residence Hotel Reykjavik Residence Suites Sandhotel The Swan House ___________________________ Bus Stop 15, Vesturbugt: - Reykjavík Marina - Berjaya Iceland Hotels - Grandi by Center Hotels ___________________________ BSÍ Bus Terminal: Travel Inn Hotels in Kópavogur and Hafnarfjörður: - 201 Hotel, Hlíðarsmári 5 - Iceland Comfort Apartments - Icelandic Apartments - Hotel Ísland Comfort - Hotel Heidmork - Reykjavik Peace Center - Vellir Hotel - Viking Village Hotel BSI Terminal is approx. 10mins bus ride from Hamraborg stop in Kópavogur and 25 mins ride from Fjörður stop in Hafnarfjörður. In both cases, you need to take line #1. ___________________________ If your accomodation is located more than 10minutes walking from our pick up locations, you can contact us directly though Viator chat or send us an an email. We will try to arrange the best pick up location for you.
Start time.7:30 am
Itinerary
1
Vík i Myrdal Church
20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
2
Fjadrargljufur Canyon
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
3
Foss a Sidu
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
4
Glacier Lagoon
1 hour • Admission Ticket Free
5
Diamond Beach
20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
6
Hofskirkja Church
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
7
Vik
45 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
8
Seljalandsfoss waterfall
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
9
Northern Lights View Point
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Infant seats available
- Most travelers can participate
- Sturdy, warm, waterproof shoes, as well as warm rain and windproof outdoor clothing, is recommended. For the best comfort, we recommend bringing mittens and a hat even during the summer season.
- Please note: due to the driving restrictions in Reykjavík, we cannot guarantee a hotel pickup from all hotels. In case your hotel is located in the restricted area, we will ask you to meet us at a designated bus stop, which is never more than few minutes walking distance.
- The tour operates with minimum 4 adult participants.
- Vegetarian and allergen-free meal options available to purchase on-site
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 17 travelers
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.6
based on 159 reviews
Sort by: Most insightful
Beautiful scenery, but several issues affected the experience ⭐⭐⭐
The scenery and destinations on this tour were absolutely spectacular, and Iceland itself is breathtaking. Unfortunately, there were several issues that significantly affected our overall experience.
Our morning pickup was delayed due to confusion with the pickup arrangements, which contributed to the tour running quite late. This was a very long 14–16 hour excursion, and although we were informed it would be a small bus, sitting in the very back for such a long journey was uncomfortable.
The biggest disappointment was Seljalandsfoss, our final stop. We didn’t arrive until approximately 9:00 p.m. By then it was dark and raining, making the area wet and slippery. Although the tour operator says the waterfall is illuminated and accessible after dark, we did not feel it was realistically or safely possible to properly experience the waterfall or walk behind it.
Seljalandsfoss was one of the main highlights I was looking forward to, so it was extremely disappointing to arrive so late and not be able to experience it as intended.
If you are considering booking this particular excursion, please be aware of the timing of the final stop at Seljalandsfoss. If walking behind the waterfall is important to you, arriving at night—particularly in rainy conditions—may not provide a safe or realistic opportunity to do so.
I also found some of my interactions with the driver-guide disappointing. I understand that driving and guiding such a long excursion is demanding, but I felt that I was spoken to unnecessarily rudely on one occasion and would have appreciated a more respectful interaction.
I contacted Viator afterward to explain my concerns and requested partial compensation. Unfortunately, my request was declined, even after a secondary review.
The Icelandic scenery was incredible, and there were certainly memorable parts of the tour. However, the delayed start, very late arrival at the final attraction, and the overall experience meant that this excursion did not live up to what I had hoped for.
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Dear Vaichauo,
Thank you for sharing your journey across Iceland with us, and for taking the time to leave your honest thoughts. We know how much planning goes into a dream trip here, and we are so sorry to hear that parts of your day didn't match what you had envisioned.
Keeping everyone safe on our unpredictable roads is always our top concern. Because of that, we occasionally have to make a last-minute vehicle swap to ensure our minibuses are fully compliant and ready for the journey, which unfortunately caused the morning pickup delay. We sincerely apologize for keeping you waiting at the start of your day.
Icelandic weather is famously wild, and our stop at Seljalandsfoss is intentionally scheduled for the evening so guests don't spend the day in wet clothes getting cold. The waterfall is illuminated so visitors can walk behind it after dark, but we completely understand how cold rain and slick ground made that walk feel unsafe and unappealing for you. We are truly sorry that the conditions ruined what was meant to be a highlight of your trip.
We hold our local driver-guides to very high standards of warmth and hospitality, so it breaks our hearts to hear that an interaction felt disrespectful. We are actively sharing your comments with our team to make sure every traveler feels genuinely cared for.
Because the excursion was safely and fully completed according to our planned itinerary, we are unable to offer you a compensation. We appreciate your feedback as it helps us take better care of our guests, and we hope the breathtaking memories of Iceland’s scenery stay with you for a long time.
great opportunity for Aurora sightings. We saw plenty.
Gummi the guide was great😊
waterfall was great
The attractions themselves were amazing, but unfortunately the experience was seriously let down by the driver, Ian.
Ian had an extremely rude and unpleasant attitude throughout the tour. On multiple occasions, he threatened to drop us off on the side of the road simply because we made a small mistake or were slightly late responding to one of his requests. This made the entire experience uncomfortable and stressful.
The driving was also a major concern. The bus ride was extremely bumpy, and Ian repeatedly failed to slow down for bumps in the road. I hit my head several times when I fell asleep because of how violently the bus was moving, and some of my belongings even fell onto the floor because of the constant bumpiness.
A tour driver should make passengers feel safe and comfortable, especially when driving for long periods. Instead, we felt like we were constantly being rushed and threatened over minor issues.
The attractions were fantastic, but based on our experience with Ian, I cannot recommend this tour. The company should seriously address his attitude and driving, as both significantly affected what could otherwise have been a great experience.
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Dear Customer,
Thank you for sharing your feedback with us. We are deeply concerned to read about your experience with your driver, Ian. As a small, family-run company, we hold safety, comfort, and genuine Icelandic hospitality as our absolute highest priorities. The behavior and driving conditions you described do not reflect the standards we hold for our small-group tours. We take allegations regarding customer care and road safety very seriously. We are addressing this directly with our team and reviewing the trip details to ensure our high standards are strictly upheld on every journey. We sincerely apologize that this impacted your time with us.
We hope that you still got to enjoy the beauty of Iceland during the tour.
Amazing trip South to Vik, canyons and glacier lagoon. Pick up was prompt at 7:30am and we returned around 10:30pm that evening. It is definitely a long day, but well worth it. The canyon was the star of the show- definitely a must see.
Our guide, Hoskuldur (Hershey) was perfect. Super knowledgeable and took well care of us. Recommend this tour.
It was an extremely long day, but the tour was absolutely amazing and showed several of the most beautiful locations in southern Iceland. The Glacier Lagoon and Diamond Beach were some of the main highlights of my entire trip. We also got to see seals swimming in the ocean.
The Guide was entertaining and knowledgable. Fun group of people! Everything was smooth and according to plan. Outstanding sites!
We had a great experience on this trip. All the places that were covered were very beautiful. The only drawback was that we had a flat tyre while coming back and the driver was not having any expertise on the same. So we had to wait for almiost 1.5 hours til some help came. But otherwise it was a great one day trip and the driver/guide gave us lot of information during the trip
Tour guide Ian was very knowledgeable and accommodating to the group! Tour felt very private as group was around 10 people! Route was very good as well!
Excellent trip. It was a really great experience. A long day but it was very well worth it. Take snacks.
It’s a very long day but the tour is amazing. You will see many places and learn about the history of those places while you drive there. The canyon is breathtaking and im so glad i chose this option. The lagoon was amazing even tho it was extremely windy and difficult to stand. The diamond beach with the huge blocks of ice outside is a must see. Our guide was very informative and explained everything en route, even took us to another lagoon that was not on schedule. Highly recommend this tour!
Excellent trip with bonus lake at the end.Its a 14-16 hours trip so bring your snacks on!.The guide was knowledgable and a true Icelander,calm voice and shared many stories with the group
It was great trip to glacier lagoon. I was hoping for northern lights but weather did not permit. The tour guide is very knowledgeable about Iceland history and very helpful.
AMAZING!! Thord was an incredible guide and driver, and kept us safe under some sticky driving conditions. This is a very long day (0730 to nearly midnight !) but absolutely worth it. Lots of stops were made along the way to stretch our legs, grab a coffee, and enjoy the scenery. I advise bringing snacks, water, layers (in winter), and a good team attitude :)
Definitely a must-do!
What a fabulous trip. It is a very long day but it is well worth it. Make sure you wrap up very warm in winter as it is cold but it’s the wind chill factor that can get you. It was everything as described and more. Our driver and guide was first class. His name was Trond. He deserves a big mention. So knowledgeable about everything Icelandic.
Trond hosted our tour group and did a phenomenal job. He ensured we squeezed as much as possible during the time we spent with him. The commentary on board was enjoyable (as he was humorous) and educational! he kept to the schedule he did an amazing job in making sure everyone saw/took photos of everything which was a breath of fresh air and extremely kind while proving breaks. The cherry on top was making sure we were at a good stop to see the northern lights! We were so lucky he was knowledgeable in capturing the lights (with forecasts) to ensure we were around the area (especially since our northern lights tour was cancelled the night before). Many thanks to trond and tour company!
Very fun experience, great guide, beautiful scenery. Guide told some amazing stories that we both never knew. Also pulled over to let us see the northern lights which was amazing.
An awesome experience. A zodiac boat tour & a glacier hike would have made it a better tour for me. I understand the time constraints as it was a very long day with hours of driving.
The tour was wonderful. Gummi filled us in on a lot of interesting history throughout the drives. There were enough food and bathroom stops, and 15 hours did not feel too long. We had rented a car but did not want to stress about weather. Weather changed so much multiple times so we were very happy to not have to keep track ourselves. Thank you Gummi!
This was a very long day, but I feel it is worth it. They take us to some of the less visited locations such as the hobbit church. I really enjoyed that experience and chose it specifically. Driver was very friendly and knowledgable and I really appreciate it at. Our driver was called Ian.
A long day but so worth the time. The trip provides plenty of time to see landscape, glaciers, icelandic animals ( horses, sheep) in addition to the sites ( myr church, waterfalls, hobbit church,diamond beach and the highlight Glacier lagoon). Bring warm clothes, it was chilly and windy in September. Plenty of bathroom breaks and snacks for purchase along the way. Dinner for purchase near Icelandic wear, lamb soup was wonderful. Our tour guide Ian was amazing, such a wealth of knowledge. Minibus providesd a more intimate size group to get to know. Simply fabulous
Amazing! Gummi was an incredible driver and tour guide. As a local his entire lifetime, he knows just about every inch of the road and all of the history of every inch of the road and all the things that can be seen.
He’s also a wonderful storyteller and a true gentleman. This was an exceptional experience.
It was a full day but fully worth it. I can’t believe the beautiful things we saw and the history that was unlocked by this gentleman tour guide. amazing!
It’s really beautiful, a far drive from the city but so worth it. Our driver Gummi was really awesome at telling stories and keeping informed. Got to see some great scenery though the weather was not so great. I highly recommend this tour.
The Glacier Lagoon was awesome. Also stopped at the glacier itself, while it is still there. Our guide was very knowledgeable about all things related to Iceland! However, the day is really, really long as it is. Some unplanned stops increased that. Also, some in our small group signed up for the boat ride at the lagoon. We were scheduled to be there for an hour, so I assumed those people would be on the boat for a portion of that hour. Instead, their scheduled time was delayed, so everyone ended up staying much longer. It was a very cold , windy, rainy day and staying longer made it very uncomfortable! It was a 16 hour day.
During the drive, the driver using a handheld phone, following cars ahead too closely and not decreasing speed for heavy rain made me very nervous. (Same issue with an Uber driver in Reykjavík, so maybe more relaxed safety laws than where I’m from.)
It might be better to do an overnight stay for that distance.
It's a long day but so worth it. Tour is jam packed with multiple stops at must see places in Iceland. Our guide was Gummy and he was so knowledgeable and gave lots of interesting facts. This was a small group tour and We did this tour with our 3 year old.
This is a long day tour but it is absolutely worth it. Gummi is a wonderful tour guide and he knows everything about Iceland. I learned so much from him and his stories- definitely choose this tour if you want to get to know a true local Icelandic guide! I want to mention that Viator messed up the pick up location and allowed me to choose a hostel that was in the pedestrian only area of Reykjavik- this is not the fault of the company but of Viator, and Gummi was very gracious about it. Highly recommend!
Response from Host, Jul 2025
We are thrilled you found Gummi a wonderful guide, full of local knowledge! Thanks for taking the time to write such a comprehensive review, and for your understanding about the pick-up location mix-up. We will try to improve that in Viator.
Fantastic tour! It was a very long day but our guide/driver did an excellent job providing information as well as stories about the Icelandic people and their customs/traditions. We left not only having seen some incredible sights but more importantly we left with a deeper understanding of the people of Iceland. Kudos to your guide!
Response from Host, May 2025
We are thankful for your review
We are lucky with our guides, they are fantastic.
Hope the rest of your trip was a good one
It’s a long day, but so worth it. Gummi is a great tour guide who wants to make sure that his passengers have a very good time. He is a wealth of knowledge.
The small bus was very comfortable and the day was planned with plenty of rest stops.
Gummi even found the Northern Lights for us.
Thank you for a great day Gummi.
It was a long day - getting picked up just before 8am and arriving back just before 11pm. Ian, our driver/guide provided wonderful insights and gave us a few additional stops to make up for the lack of icebergs at Glacier Lagoon (apparently a rare occurrence). We were driven to another viewing point of the glacier which provided spectacular views.
In case of interest: the minibus was modern and not super cramped. Had charging USB points but no WiFi available (was a chance to focus on the scenery outside). We had multiple chances to have rest-stops and had enough time for dinner in Vik.
The journey is quite long, the tour starts from 7:30 am - 9:30 pm, which was raining most of a whole day. Booked a small tour with only 6 people so it was very comfortable to sit, or get on and off a mini van faster, and there was no time pressure. Mr. Gummi drove carefully and worked hard in this bad weather, but kept his great passion talking about the history and cultures of all the places he passed by as well as all attractions, and did not miss or cancel any attractions that were on the tour descriptions. Because even if I missed it, I wouldn't remember, and even if I knew, I would understand. I just felt bad that the microphone sound is not very good, or because of the noise of the rain and the wind that was distracted, so I could barely hear him well! Because of such bad weather, there was impossible to see the aurora, so it was right to cancel! Thank you very much to Mr. Gummi for a wonderful memory and safe trip!!!
Response from Host, Nov 2024
Thank you very much for your extense review, Binh. It's great to hear that you liked the experience despite the rainy weather and you enjoyed Gummi's stories.
Its a long day tour 14 hours. There is a lot to see and enough time for each sight seeing, enough tiolet break and even enough time for lunch and dinner break.
Response from Host, Nov 2024
Thank you for your opinion, we are happy that you enjoyed the tour with us!
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