Why we recommend the ice cave tour

This tour is the closest offer to a Vík day trip because it starts in Vík: reaching the village is the same drive, and the tour adds a glacier and an ice cave. It lasts from about 3 to 12 hours depending on the start option you choose. If you want the waterfalls and the beach instead, the day tour in South Coast day tours compared stops at five places for 30 to 50 minutes each.

The stops on the way

Seljalandsfoss is about 30 km west of Skógafoss. Skógafoss is a 60 m waterfall beside the Ring Road, with parking at ISK 1,000 per car (Parka). Sólheimajökull is a glacier stop; see Sólheimajökull. Vík is 58 minutes from Hvolsvöllur and 1 hour 40 minutes from Selfoss. At the village, the Katla information centre at Víkurbraut 28 has hiking maps and a free exhibition on the Katla volcano. The Lava Show pours real lava at about 1,100 °C at Víkurbraut 5, and Reynisfjara is about 11 minutes by car. See Vík.

Reynisfjara safety

Reynisfjara has sneaker waves and currents that have killed several visitors. Keep well back from the water and never turn your back on the sea. Parking is ISK 1,000 per 4 hours.

What else is in the village

Vík is Iceland's southernmost village, in the centre of the Katla UNESCO Global Geopark, and the only seaside village in Iceland with no harbour. The Skaftfellingur maritime museum is built around a wooden ship. Walkers can go up Reynisfjall near the bird cliffs, Hatta, Hjörleifshöfði with its old farm ruin and Viking burial mound, or the Þakgil canyon, which is open in summer only. Seljalandsfoss has a path that curves behind the falls, and it may close when ice makes it unsafe.

Day trip or overnight

A day trip leaves little time: 380 km round trip plus the stops. Staying a night in Vík splits the coast into two easy days and avoids a late drive back; see where to stay in South Iceland. In winter, daylight is only four to five hours in December and snow can delay travel, so check safetravel.is and road.is before you drive. See Iceland in winter.

Mistakes to avoid

  • Adding the glacier lagoon to the same day: it is about 380 km from Reykjavík.
  • Paying for the wrong parking class at Parka: choose the seat count registered for your car.
  • Underestimating the drive back after dark.
  • Standing close to the surf at Reynisfjara.

FAQ

How far is Vík from Reykjavík?

About 190 km on Route 1 (Visit Iceland).

Can I visit Vík without a car?

Yes: bus line 51 serves the village, or join a South Coast day tour.

What is there to do in Vík?

Reynisfjara, the Lava Show, the Katla information centre and hikes.

Can I do the ice cave in a day from Reykjavík?

A Reykjavík start option exists in the listing, which is why the duration reaches up to 12 hours.

The Iceland Authority editorial team, 7 November 2026.