Home / Multi-Day Tours / Reykjavík / Far From the Crowds: 6 Days – Iceland New Years Holiday
What better way is there to celebrate the New Year, than in the breathtaking countryside of the South coast of Iceland! Explore countless frozen waterfalls, breath and witness the majestic beauty of Thingvellir National Park and relax in the many geothermal pools that populate this area. This region of Iceland is dotted with natural wonders like Geysir Spouting spring and Kerið Crater.
There is so much to explore, and the end of December is one of the most fascinating months to venture along the South Coast. Cold crispy winter days, with snow and the cozy Christmas lights to light up the day. And of course, if you are lucky and the weather permits it, you might see the dancing aurora borealis (the Northern Lights) above you to keep the night lit up as well. Iceland New Year Holiday in the wonderful and quiet countryside of the island.
If you are interested in receiving more information about this tour, please click on the “Request a quote” widget on the left side of the page. A quick form will open up where you will provide us with more information about your travel expectations. You will then be connected with your specialized travel agent who will assist you throughout the planning a provide a fully detailed quote.
Please note that this itinerary can be adjusted and customized to meet your travel needs and preferences. The package can also be offered as a privately guided tour if a self-drive option is not what you had in mind for your Iceland experience.
NC-07
New Years
Self-Drive Tour
6 days / 5 nights
South Iceland
Welcome to your New Years Eve holiday in Iceland. After touching ground at Keflavík International Airport, make your way through the Christmassy decorated airport. After clearing customs, you will collect your rental vehicle.
Afterwards, you are ready to start your winter self-drive adventure! After a long flight, you will have a relaxing day in the countryside of Iceland. Make your way to Selfoss, where the nearby town of Hveragerði has a lot to offer. Enjoy your time in this small lovely town, visiting exhibitions and learn some Icelandic history. Hveragerði is located conveniently in a high-temperature area, so do not be surprised to see many greenhouses in this village. If interested in geothermal powers, we highly recommend visiting Hellisheiði Geothermal Interactive Exhibition.
In the afternoon, make your way towards Hella, where you will stay for the next couple of nights.
In the evening and if you are not too tired, we highly recommend hunting for the magical dancing Northern Lights if the forecast is favorable.
Please note that the itinerary for this day is flexible and can be arranged and adjusted depending on your preferences and expectations, considering also the weather and whether you feel more active or relaxed.
Iceland is often dubbed as the land of Fire and Ice, and we agree with that. Today you will be visiting the famed South coast of Iceland. Iceland is a highly active volcanic island and the best way for you to learn about its volcanic history is at the LAVA Centre, an interactive exhibition!
Soon after leaving Hvollsvöllur, you will find the most glorious waterfall, Seljalandsfoss waterfall. This unique waterfall has a height of 60 meters in one drop! In the summertime, visitors can actually walk behind the waterfall to get a 360° view of the drop. This won’t be the only waterfall you will see on today’s road trip, the next one is just up ahead. The powerful Skógafoss waterfall, with a total width of 25 meters and a total drop of 60 meters will be a breathtaking sight, before you continue to your next location. Nearby, you will see Mýrdalsjökull glacier on your left-hand side, where you can join various glacier activities, such as Snowmobiling tours, glacier walks and ice climbing.
Reynisfjara beach is eye-catching as it is not like every other beach you see. You will soon discover that the sand and pebbles are black, due to volcanic activity from Mýrdalsjökull glacier, which lies above the powerful volcano Katla. On the beach, you will get a perfect view of the Reynisdrangar ocean cliffs. This is the perfect opportunity for a nice afternoon/evening walk. Take extra care though, as the waves are especially strong and have caused serious and fatal accidents.
Now you’ve come to your turning point. Make your way to your accommodation where you will stay for a second night.
Enjoy a relaxing day in the countryside. There are many things in the area, such as Kerið, a volcanic crater displaying its frozen crystal-clear water.
One of the most unique sights in Iceland is the beautiful Friðheimar: a local farm that produces tomatoes all year round: a beautiful location, surrounded by nature: you can visit the premises, walk around the greenhouse and learn more about the power of our geothermal energy. Escape the cold and enter this cozy space, take a tour and have a nice warm meal in the beautiful indoor restaurant. In the Golden Circle area, you will also find many great geothermal pools and hot pots. Near Friðheimar Tomato farm is Flúðir, the home of the Secret Lagoon, a natural pool with hot water and rising steam, that only add magic to an already breathtaking location.
If you are looking for a more luxurious experience, we highly recommend visiting Fontana Spa, its hot pots and saunas.
Stay another night in the same accommodation as the night before.
Today you will explore the wonderful Golden Circle. Make your way to Geysir in the morning, where you might have the place all to your self, as the group tours from Reykjavík are yet to arrive.
Geysir hot spring area is the home and the namesake of all geysers around the world! Geysir hasn´t been active for a long time, but its little brother Strokkur keeps gushing up warm waters, every 5-10 minutes. Make sure you see this natural miracle erupt!
Nearby you will find Gullfoss or the “Golden Waterfall”, one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Iceland, with the ground around it covered in ice and likely shielded with snow! This photogenic and alluring waterfall is the perfect place to take your Christmas card photo. Be careful when taking in the sights, as the ground can be slippery.
To complete the Golden Circle, one cannot forget the Þingvellir National Park. This unique park is one of a kind, where you can walk between the North American and the Eurasian tectonic plates. Þingvellir is also a part of UNESCO World Heritage sites, as it is the world´s oldest parliament. Enjoy a leisurely walk in the park and admire all the stunning natural beauty & history.
Make your way back to your accommodation, where you will celebrate the New Year, with a festive meal and seeing the sky light up with colorful fireworks.
The first day of 2020 and your destination of the day is on the Reykjanes Peninsula. Reykjanes Peninsula is a highly active high-temperature area and often missed by travelers. Make your way to Selfoss, and from there to Seltún, a high-temperature area with steaming waters from the boiling mud pools. There are well- marked paths, to guide you through the area safely.
Continue towards the Blue Lagoon, a unique spa located in the middle of lava fields, surrounded by moss and milky blue waters. At this world-famous geothermal area, you can relax after a couple of days on the road and benefit from the effects of the lagoon’s restorative waters (entrance to the Blue Lagoon is optional and currently not included in the itinerary).
Relax and enjoy in this unique environment: natural silica mud mask, warm waters and the best the Icelandic nature has to offer: we can´t think of a better way to start your 2020!
If you are up for it, there are other sights that Reykjanes Peninsula has to offer, such as Gunnuhver, a high-temperature area and Reykjanes Lighthouse. Here you will also find another site where you can stand on the North American and the Eurasian Tectonic plates at the Bridge between the continents.
You will stay the night in Reykjanes Peninsula.
All good things come to an end and today is the last day of your Iceland vacation. Make your way to Keflavík International in time for your departing flight back home.
Us at Iceland Unlimited thank you for choosing to travel with us and hope to see you again in the future.
Have a safe flight and all the best for the New Year!
Comfort accommodations offer access to private facilities (shower and toilet). This type of lodges belongs to the 3-star hotel category. Most of these properties have an in-house restaurant. This section offers an upgrade in comfort and service compared to the budget category. Breakfast is included.
Quality accommodations offer private rooms with en-suite shower/bath and toilet. These rooms are the best available accommodations in 4-star hotels or the highest quality lodges in each region. Luxury accommodations - the highest class of lodges, suites, and penthouses - are available upon request. Breakfast is included.
Type: SUV Economy
Passenger: 5
Luggage: 3
Doors: 5
Transmission: Automatic
(Manual option available)
Type: SUV Full Size Intermediate
Passenger: 5
Luggage: 4
Doors: 5
Transmission: Automatic
(Manual option available)
Type: SUV Full Size
Passenger: 5
Luggage: 4
Doors: 5
Transmission: Automatic
(Manual option available)
Hellisheiði power station is the third-largest geothermal power station in the world, located in southwest Iceland. The plant has a geothermal energy exhibition and offers presentations on sustainable energy as well as educational tours.
Seljalandsfoss is one of the most famous and visited waterfalls in Iceland. It located along the South Coast of the Country right by the road n. 1. The waterfall is part of the Seljalands river that originated from the famous volcano glacier Eyjafjallajökull. The waterfall is approximately 60-meter high and it is famous for its path that leads visitor behind its powerful water flow.
Skógafoss is a waterfall located on the Skógá river on the South Coast of Iceland. This picture-perfect waterfall descends 60 meters from the cliffs. Before pouring down the cliffs becoming the famous waterfall, the river flows through the Skógárgil gorge.
Reynisfjara is a famous black sand beach in the South of Iceland, just next to the village of Vik. Black sand, lava formations, and basalt columns make it a popular stop for all visitors.
Reynisdrangar cliffs are towering basalt-type rock formations situated near the shore of Reynisfjara black sand beach, on the South Coast of Iceland. The folk legend wants them to be the rocky representation of two trolls turned into stone after being caught by the sunlight after dawn.
Kerið is a volcanic crater lake located in the area called Grímsnes in the South of Iceland, along the famous Golden Circle route. The crater walls are steep and often covered with Icelandic moss. The inside of the crater is a lake whose water is aquamarine colored due to the minerals from the soil. The crater is 55 meters deep and about 3000 years old.
Laugarvatn Fontana is a Spa & Wellness center built on natural hot springs. It is located at the Golden Circle area, you can enjoy steam baths or the geothermal pools while taking in the stunning views of the surrounding mountains and lake Laugarvatn.
The Secret Lagoon was created in 1891. This geothermal pool is the oldest one in Iceland! It opened to the public in 2005 and it offers showers, a bar & an eating area. It is conveniently located in the Golden Circle area.
Þingvellir National Park is the most important historic and geological sites in Iceland. The area is part of a fissure zone running through Iceland, being situated on the tectonic plate boundaries of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Major events in the history of Iceland have taken place at Þingvellir and today the entire area is a protected national treasure.
Gullfoss, also called the Golden Waterfall, is one of the most iconic gems of the likewise named Golden Circle. The waterfall is located in the upper part of the River Hvíta. Gullfoss is actually two separate waterfalls, the upper one has a drop of 11 meters and the lower one 21 meters.
Geysir is the famous hot spring area located in the Haukadalur valley. The main attraction is known as Strokkur, which erupts energetically at regular intervals of 10 minutes or so its boiling waterjets can reach as high as 30 meters.
The Reykjanes peninsula is located on a drift zone, between two continents, the North American and Eurasian plate. It is a unique area where you can see different elements of the drift zone; very active geothermal energy, lava fields and other natural phenomenon. The Blue Lagoon and Keflavik international airport are also located in the area.
Gunnuhver is an active geothermal area. It is located within the Reykjanes UNESCO Geo park and there you can find mud pools, boiling hot springs and steam coming up from the ground.
Gunnuhver is named after a female ghost named Gunna and she had caused great disturbance in the area until a priest set a trap for her and she fell into the spring.
Seltún is located on the Reykjanes Peninsula, a highly active geothermal area. Seltún consists of boiling mud pools and colourful mountains.
The Bridge Between the Continents is a small footbridge over a large fissure, where the continental plates are diverging. The bridge is located on the Reykjanes peninsula and is a symbol of the connection between Europe and North America.
Here you can have one foot in each continent at the same time.
The Blue Lagoon is a famous geothermal spa located in Reykjanes peninsula nearby the International Airport of Iceland. It was formed during an operation at the nearby geothermal power plant. Reservations in advance are necessary for those who are planning a visit.