10 Winter Activities in Iceland to Build a Day Around

1.3-Day South Coast Winter Tour with Ice Cave

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 171 reviews · 3 days · from $977Our pick

Travel from Reykjavík by minibus with an English-speaking guide such as Hákon, David, or Nicola. You’ll visit the Golden Circle, South Coast waterfalls, Reynisfjara, Jökulsárlón, and a seasonal Vatnajökull ice cave, with two hotel nights, breakfast, hot tubs on night one, Wi-Fi, and USB charging included.

“It was a well planned tour which covered all major tourist highlights. Our guide during the tour Vlad was very interactive and took care of every guest with a personal touch. He was well informed and guided us through every activity.”

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2.8 Day Winter Circle Tour, Ring Route of Iceland with Snæfellsnes Peninsula

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 110 reviews · from $679Top rated

Ride Iceland’s Ring Road in a small group of up to 17 with an English-speaking guide, seven nights of lodging, glacier equipment, a Super Jeep ice-cave trip, and whale watching from Hauganes. You’ll see the Golden Circle, East Fjords, Lake Mývatn, Snæfellsnes, and more. Horse riding, Vök Baths, meals, and the Víðgelmir lava cave cost extra.

“My 8 day tour was broken up as 6 days + 2 days so I was with 2 different groups. But the Troll Ex. Did such an excellent job with the logistics ( i.e pick ups), accommodation and tour itinerary that even though this was a last minute trip. I felt well looked after and unstressRead more”

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3.Winter South Coast Day Tour by Minibus from Reykjavik

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 109 reviews · 10 hours (approx.) · from $180

Spend about 10 hours exploring Iceland’s South Coast from Reykjavik in a Mercedes Sprinter limited to 16 people. Visit Seljalandsfoss, Gljúfrabúi, Skógafoss, Reynisfjara, Vík, and Sólheimajökull Glacier. English-speaking guides such as Anton, Martin, and Thomas add local stories, while Wi-Fi, USB charging, and winter crampons help make the long day easier.

“Amazing guide and experience! Highly recommended!!! Beautiful sights, you will feel like you are in another world. Love the intimate group size as well.”

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4.South Coast, Glacier Hike and Northern Lights Winter Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 66 reviews · from $255

Spend the day exploring Seljalandsfoss, Skógafoss, Reynisfjara, and Sólheimajökull with an English-speaking guide. You’ll use glacier gear on the ice, then return to Reykjavík for dinner before joining a second outing to seek the Northern Lights with guides such as Frank.

“Enjoyed the entire tour, especially the glacier hike. All of the guides were exceptional and ensured we all had a great time. It was unfortunate that we couldn’t see the northern lights but maybe next time. Thanks for an enjoyable trip!!”

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5.Winter Whale Watching and Northern Lights Cruise from Reykjavik

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 24 reviews · 5 hours (approx.) · from $198

Spend about three hours watching for whales from Reykjavik harbor, then return for a two-hour Northern Lights cruise. The crew supplies warm overalls, blankets, live English commentary, crew photos when available, and a free return option if the sky or sea keeps the main sights hidden. Pickup costs extra.

“Amazing experience to see the whales breaching and do fluke dives 🐋🌊 The crew are so knowledgeable and helpful 👌🏼 The northern lights got rescheduled which we so happy about as got to see them so amazingly 🤩”

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6.Goðafoss Waterfall Winter Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 16 reviews · 3 hours · from $117Best value

Travel from Akureyri to Goðafoss in a small minibus with an English-speaking local guide. You get about 80 minutes at the Waterfall of the Gods, time for photos, and the option to finish at the Forest Lagoon, Botanical Gardens, or city center. Guides such as Tabba and Asa have been praised for friendly, clear storytelling.

“We were upgraded to the Lake Myvatn tour due to numbers. Asa was very communicative, knowledgable and engaging. Highly recommend. We thoroughly enjoyed the adventure and recommend Asa! Thank you for sharing your part of the world with us.”

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7.2 Day Iceland Winter Tour to South Coast

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 9 reviews · 2 days · from $660

You’ll travel from Reykjavik in a small group of up to 17 with an English-speaking guide, stopping at Seljalandsfoss, Skogafoss, Reynisfjara, Jokulsarlon, Diamond Beach, and a real ice cave. A three-star hotel, breakfast, and a possible Northern Lights watch are included.

“The explanation was thorough and good. Our time at Gljúfrabúi waterfall was short. I didn't think we needed to spend much time taking photos of the scenic spots along the way. I wanted to spend time at the waterfall. That was the only thing I regret. Thank you.”

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8.Winter Ice Cave + Climbing Private Photoshoot – 20 Shot Package

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 6 reviews · 6 hours (approx.) · from $765

Meet at Jökulsárlón for a private six-hour ice-climbing outing in the Skaftafell area. A certified glacier guide teaches beginners and experienced climbers, while a professional photographer captures the day. Guides such as Julien, Claudia, and Mike have led past trips, with routes chosen for current glacier conditions.

“What an amazing day with my adult son. Climbing was super fun and the caves were spectacular. All of it was made special because of our private guide Julien. He was awesome. Knew the perfect photo spots and made the day just great. Thanks Julien!”

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9.Lake Mývatn & Northern Lights – Winter Special

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 3 reviews · 2 days · from $350

You’ll visit Goðafoss, Lake Mývatn, Grjótagjá, Hverarönd, Dimmuborgir, and Skútustaðagígar with an English-speaking guide. The plan includes a Northern Lights hunt, airport transfers for EasyJet passengers, and an optional soak at Mývatn Nature Baths. Guide Sigi, also called Ziggie, has led both outings for recent bookings.

“Excellent in all aspects. Pick up easy and straightforward. Northern lights evening and Myvatn trips lead by Sigi who kept us informed and entertained. Great lights show and the lake trip was excellent with lots of interesting stops never feeling rushed and plenty of time to explore. The baths were closed for refurbishment so drive 45 mins for an alternative we opted to not do this as been in the forest lagoon the evening prior, but sigi dropped us in a local town to explore whilst others visited the baths.”

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10.Arctic Fox Travel Dettifoss lake Mývatn winter private super jeep tour

★★★★★★★★★★3.5 · 3 reviews

This private 8 to 9 hour Super Jeep tour takes you from Akureyri to Goðafoss, Lake Mývatn, and powerful Dettifoss before a soak at the Mývatn Nature Baths. A local driver-guide handles the route and hotel or port pickup. Bring warm clothing, sturdy shoes, swimwear, and a towel.

“0 stars. We flew into Akureyri just for this tour (desperately wanted to see Detifoss). Got a confirmation from Viator. Got a ticket from Viator. Got reminders and prompts from Viator. Got nothing from the vendor, which made us worried in advanRead more”

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