Most planning around an Iceland South Coast itinerary ends up too big — this is the shorter version. The South Coast of Iceland is one of those drives where the weather, the road and the waterfalls do most of the planning for you. We came at it the second time around with a smaller plan than the first: instead of trying to chase glaciers and ice caves and the full ring road, we cut the route down to the three stops that had stayed with us — Seljalandsfoss, Skógafoss and Vík — and gave them the day they actually need.
This South Iceland waterfalls itinerary is that shorter version. It is the South Coast Iceland itinerary I wish someone had handed me the first time, when we tried to cram too much in between Reykjavík and Jökulsárlón and ended up half-watching everything through the windshield. If you have one full day on the south coast, or two slower ones, this is the route I would do again tomorrow.
South Iceland waterfalls itinerary at a glance
The whole route runs east along Route 1 from Reykjavík and back. Door to door it is about 380 km if you turn around at Vík, which most people do on a tight schedule. If you stay the night in Vík, it becomes a much calmer trip and you get the waterfalls in two lights instead of one.
Here is the simple version of the day:
- 07:30 — leave Reykjavík, drive east on Route 1
- 09:30 — Seljalandsfoss and Gljúfrabúi, about 90 minutes on site
- 11:30 — Skógafoss, about 60 to 90 minutes including the stairs
- 13:30 — quick lunch in Skógar or on the road
- 14:30 — Vík and Reynisfjara, about two hours
- 17:00 — start the drive back, or check into Vík for the night
You can compress it. We have done it as a one-day round trip from Reykjavík in winter and it works, just barely, if the road conditions are kind. In summer the long evening light makes the same plan feel generous instead of rushed.
Why this is the best short South Coast Iceland itinerary
Most South Coast guides try to do everything between Selfoss and Jökulsárlón in one breath. The glacier lagoon is wonderful, but it is a five-hour drive each way from Reykjavík, and you spend so much of the day in the car that the waterfalls in the middle get reduced to a quick stop and a photo.
The waterfalls-first version flips that. You give the three stops on the western half of the South Coast the time they deserve, and you skip the long eastern run that, honestly, you cannot do justice to as a same-day add-on. If you have the days, Jökulsárlón belongs in a separate two or three-night trip with the glacier hike, the ice cave and Höfn for dinner.
The other reason to like this route is weather realism. Iceland's south coast is exposed to the Atlantic, and the wind near Vík can shut the day down fast. The shorter you keep the route, the more weather windows you can actually hit. We have driven east in horizontal rain at Selfoss and walked into clean sun at Skógafoss an hour later. With a tighter itinerary you can chase those gaps without throwing away the rest of the plan.
If this is your first time in Iceland, this is also the route that gives you the most variety per kilometre. You get the curtain-style waterfall you can walk behind, the wide curtain-cliff one, the black sand beach, the basalt columns and a small town with proper food. That is a lot of Iceland in less than 200 km of road.
Stop 1, Seljalandsfoss and Gljúfrabúi
Seljalandsfoss is the first big stop east of Selfoss and it is the one that surprises people. From the road you see a thin white line falling off the cliff. From the gravel path you see why everyone keeps coming back: there is a walkway that takes you all the way behind the curtain of water, and on a clear day the sun catches the spray and turns it into a soft rainbow against the cliff.
Practical notes:
- Parking is 800 ISK as of our last visit, paid at the machine by the toilets. Bring a card.
- The path behind the waterfall is slippery in any season. We wore proper waterproof shoes and still came out with wet ankles.
- In winter the back path is often closed for ice. Even when it is closed, the front view is still worth it.
- Plan 60 to 90 minutes here, more in summer.
Do not leave without walking five minutes north along the cliff to Gljúfrabúi. This is the half-hidden waterfall tucked inside a slot canyon. You walk into the gap between two basalt cliffs with the stream at your feet and the waterfall opens up overhead. We almost skipped it the first time and ended up calling it our favourite stop of the day. Wear shoes you do not mind getting soaked, because there is no dry route in.
If you want the cleaner photo of Seljalandsfoss without the crowd, come back at the end of the day on the way home. Most coach tours have moved on by 17:30, and the evening light in summer is much kinder than the midday flatness.
Stop 2, Skógafoss and the extra walk if you have time
Skógafoss is the second waterfall and the one that looks like the postcard. It drops 60 metres in a single sheet that is so wide and so clean you can stand at the base and feel the pressure of the air being pushed out by the water. We have stood in front of it three times now and it still lands as the most physical waterfall on this stretch.
There is a metal staircase to a viewing platform at the top. It is about 370 steps. Most people stop there, take a photo down the falls and turn around. If you have the time and the legs, keep going. The path continues upriver along the Skógá and passes a string of smaller waterfalls that most visitors never see. We walked about 45 minutes upstream once and lost count of how many side falls we counted.
Practical notes for Skógafoss:
- Parking is free at the lower lot but it fills by mid-morning. There is a paid overflow lot if you arrive late.
- The base of the falls is wet in any wind direction. Keep your camera in a bag until you are ready to shoot.
- The Skógar Folk Museum is a five-minute walk from the falls and is genuinely good in bad weather. Worth knowing if the rain shuts the path down.
- Plan 60 to 90 minutes for just the falls, 2 to 3 hours if you walk the upper river.
If you have an extra day, the detour to Kvernufoss is the local secret that is not really a secret anymore. It is a 15-minute walk from the Skógar museum parking, mostly flat, and the waterfall sits at the back of a small canyon where you can walk behind it. We did it on our second trip and it was the quietest 30 minutes of the whole route. Skip it if you are tight on time. Add it if you want the version of the day where you saw three waterfalls and a half-hidden one.
Stop 3, Vík and Reynisfjara
From Skógafoss it is about 35 minutes to Vík, the small black-sand town that anchors the eastern end of this itinerary. Most people stop at Reynisfjara first, which is the black sand beach with the basalt columns, and then drive the last few minutes into Vík for food and the church on the hill.
Reynisfjara is the part of this route that needs a serious word about safety, and we are not going to soft-pedal it. The waves here are sneaker waves — they look small from a distance and then one of them runs up the beach 30 metres beyond the rest and pulls people in. There are warning signs at the parking lot. The official guidance is to stay at least 30 metres back from the waterline and to never turn your back on the sea. Take the signs seriously. We watched a family being shouted at by a guide last winter for posing on the sand with the surf at their heels.
With that out of the way, Reynisfjara is unlike anywhere else we have been. The basalt columns rise out of the sand in a stack so geometric it does not look natural — if dramatic Nordic coastlines are what you came for, the same instinct that draws you here is what makes the best photo spots in Lofoten worth a second trip. The sea stacks of Reynisdrangar sit a kilometre offshore. On a clear day you can see the cliffs of Dyrhólaey to the west. Plan an hour here. It is worth a slow walk along the sand, not a quick stop for a photo.
Then drive into Vík itself. The town is small — maybe 300 people in winter — but it has a few good places to eat, a wool shop that has been there forever, and the white church on the hill that gives you the best wide view back across the basalt cliffs. We always end the day at the church for ten minutes of quiet before turning back to Reykjavík or checking into a guesthouse.
If you want a half-day adventure based out of Vík, the small-group Katla Ice Cave tour leaves from town and pairs naturally with an overnight here. If you want a proper dinner, Suður Vík and Smiðjan Brugghús are the two we have eaten at and would recommend. Smiðjan is a small brewery with a burger menu and the kind of room that warms up fast when the wind picks up outside.
Optional stops if you want to stretch the itinerary
If you are doing this over two days instead of one, the route opens up. The four add-on stops we have used and would do again, in rough order from west to east:
- Kvernufoss — the hidden waterfall behind Skógar, 15-minute walk, walk-behind. Add 60 minutes.
- Dyrhólaey — the cliff with the sea arch, sweeping view back over Reynisfjara. Add 60 to 90 minutes. The road up is closed during puffin nesting season in summer, so check before you go.
- Sólheimajökull — the glacier tongue between Skógafoss and Vík. Five-minute walk from the parking lot to the viewpoint, or a guided blue-ice glacier hike if you booked one. Add anywhere from 30 minutes to half a day depending on the option.
- Eldhraun lava field — the moss-covered lava you drive through east of Vík if you go a little further. Worth a slow ten-minute pull-off rather than a separate stop.
The one we always say no to on a one-day plan is the glacier lagoon at Jökulsárlón. It is too far. If you really want to see it, plan a second night east of Vík and treat the lagoon as its own day.
Driving times, parking and practical tips
The driving on this route is easier than people expect. Route 1 is paved the whole way, two lanes most of the time, and the speed limit outside towns is 90 km/h. Realistic Reykjavík-to-Vík drive time is about 2 hours 45 minutes without stops, closer to 3 hours 30 if the wind is up or the road has slush.
Rough segment times:
- Reykjavík to Seljalandsfoss — about 1 hour 50 minutes, 130 km
- Seljalandsfoss to Skógafoss — about 35 minutes, 30 km
- Skógafoss to Reynisfjara — about 35 minutes, 33 km
- Reynisfjara to Vík — about 10 minutes, 8 km
- Vík to Reykjavík (return) — about 2 hours 30 minutes, 187 km
Parking is paid at Seljalandsfoss (about 800 ISK) and free at Skógafoss and Reynisfjara as of writing. Watch the machines — they do read foreign cards now but some stop working in cold rain. Bring an alternative card if you can.
Petrol is best at Hvolsvöllur on the way out and Vík on the way back. There are smaller stations in between but they sometimes run out of fuel in storms. Always start the day with at least a half tank.
For weather, the vedur.is site is the official source and the one locals check. For road conditions, road.is shows live closures and gives you a clear answer on whether Route 1 is open all the way to Vík. We refresh both before leaving Reykjavík.
If you want a hire car for this drive, a small front-wheel drive is fine in summer. In winter we have used a 4×4 every time and would do so again — not for the road itself, but for the wind that pushes light cars around at Vík.
If you'd rather not drive yourself, this stretch is one of the most popular day-trip routes from Reykjavík, and the small-group versions are calm and well-paced. South Coast Waterfalls, Black Sand & Glacier Tour from Reykjavík usually cover Seljalandsfoss, Skógafoss and Reynisfjara in a single day, which lines up with this exact itinerary.
What to wear and when this route works best
The South Coast is wetter and windier than most people expect. The water at Skógafoss is going somewhere, and most of the time it is going on your jacket. We have made every clothing mistake at least once and this is what we land on now.
Layers we actually use:
- Waterproof shell jacket with a real hood — not a windbreaker.
- Waterproof trousers, or hiking trousers that dry fast. Jeans are a bad idea.
- Proper waterproof hiking shoes or boots. The path behind Seljalandsfoss is the test.
- A warm mid-layer even in summer. The wind off the Atlantic is colder than the temperature reads.
- A small dry bag for the camera and phone.
The best months for this route are May through September if you want long days and easier driving. June has the most daylight, which means you can do this as a slow evening trip instead of a rushed daytime one. September gives you the same waterfalls with quieter parking and the first hints of autumn light.
Winter — November through February — is the version most people do not consider. The days are short and the road can close, but if you get a good window the waterfalls partly freeze, the light is low and golden by 11:00, and Reynisfjara at low sun is one of the most striking places we have stood. We go in winter as often as in summer now. The trade-off is that you have to be willing to change the plan an hour ahead based on the weather.
FAQ
Can you do Seljalandsfoss, Skógafoss and Vík in one day?
Yes, comfortably, as a Reykjavík round trip. From Reykjavík it is about 5 hours 30 of total driving and three to four hours at the stops. If you leave at 07:30 you are back by 19:00 with time to eat. In winter give yourself a bigger margin and start earlier — the daylight is the constraint, not the road.
Is this the best short South Coast Iceland itinerary?
For most first-time visitors, yes. The three stops give you the most variety per kilometre on the South Coast, and you avoid the long drive east to the glacier lagoon that swallows the rest of the day. If you have three or more days for the South Coast, add Jökulsárlón and the glacier tongues as their own trip rather than tacking them onto this one.
Do you need a car for this South Iceland itinerary?
A car is by far the easiest way. Public transport along Route 1 exists but is sparse and you cannot do all three stops in a day on it. If you do not want to drive, a small-group day tour from Reykjavík covers the same three stops in roughly the same order.
What is the best time of year for the South Coast waterfalls?
May to early September for easy driving and long days. June for the most daylight. September for fewer people and good light. December and January for a quieter, harder, more atmospheric version with partial ice and short golden afternoons. Avoid March and October if you can — the weather is the most unpredictable and the light is not yet at its best.
Is Reynisfjara worth adding to a waterfall-focused day?
Yes, but treat it as the bookend, not the focus. An hour at Reynisfjara, including the basalt columns and a slow walk on the sand at a safe distance from the water, sits naturally at the end of this route. Skip it only if the wind warning at the parking lot is red — the sneaker waves are not something to negotiate with.
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Plan your trip
If you want more like this — the slower, smaller plans we actually use on the road, not the everything-everywhere lists — that is what we send out in the newsletter. One trip a month, the route we drove, the stops we kept, the ones we cut. Sign up at the top of the page and the next Iceland piece lands in your inbox when we publish it.
And if you want a wider shortlist of stops outside the South Coast, our guide to Iceland's top attractions is the easiest next read. For a shoulder-season Nordic trip in a similar key, our short Lofoten itinerary covers the same kind of slower, weather-led route in northern Norway.