Iceland's South Coast: Waterfalls & Glaciers

From Seljalandsfoss on Iceland's south coast we had a super rainy and windy evening. The wind at Seljalandsfoss was not so bad — on the other hand I had to ask multiple times if it was going to tip over our campervan because it was so wild. We survived the night only to wake up to more wind and rain.

This was day 3 of our 12-day Iceland itinerary. We had done the Golden Circle the day before and were now heading east along the South Coast.

Chasing Waterfalls on Iceland's South Coast

Seljalandsfoss Waterfall

We bundled up in full waterproofs and explored Seljalandsfoss. This waterfall is absolutely stunning — and uniquely, you can walk behind it along a path cut into the rock. On a rainy windy day we were completely soaked. We got some extraordinary shots and then it was time to move on — the tour buses started arriving around 9am and it got busier and busier.

Skógafoss Waterfall

From Seljalandsfoss we headed to Skógafoss. This waterfall is simply powerful — the volume of water coming down is extraordinary. The pouring rain deterred us from taking the hike up to the top of the waterfall which we regretted later. If conditions allow, do the staircase up the side — the views down the coast from the top are spectacular.

Skógafoss waterfall on Iceland's south coast

Top tip for Skógafoss: arrive early. The buses start arriving at 9am and beyond. Beat them.

Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach

The wind and rain did not ease up at all on the drive along Iceland's south coast but we got a brief break in the rain at one of the black sand beaches near Vík. We ran outside and took in the scenery — the basalt columns rising from the black sand, the enormous waves crashing in from the Atlantic, the puffin colony on the rock stacks.

Black sand beaches on Iceland's south coast

Important safety note: Reynisfjara has extremely dangerous sneaker waves. Stay well back from the water line at all times. Do not turn your back on the ocean. Several people have been killed here. The beach is extraordinary but the waves are genuinely unpredictable and can be fatal. Stay back.

Vík

The tiny black church perched on the hill above Vík is one of the iconic Iceland photographs. We drove up for shots and found some Icelandic horses on the hillside nearby, then continued east towards Skaftafell.

Skaftafell National Park

The drive to Skaftafell was drop-dead gorgeous. Rain holding up in patches gave us extraordinary views at every turn — glaciers reaching down to the road, waterfalls on every hillside, mountains rising from perfectly flat lava plains.

Views from inside Skaftafell National Park

We arrived at Skaftafell around 4pm — too late for the Svartifoss hike. We walked down towards Skaftafellsjökull glacier and camped at Skaftafell overnight.

Skaftafellsjökull glacier tongue

Svartifoss Waterfall

We woke at 7am the next morning for our first sunny day in Iceland. We hiked to Svartifoss in the early morning light and were two of the first people there.

Svartifoss is framed by perfectly hexagonal basalt columns that look almost architectural — completely regular six-sided columns of black rock dropping down on either side of the falls. It is genuinely unlike anything else.

Svartifoss at Skaftafell — well worth the hike

The Glacier Lagoons

Fjallsárlón

Our first glacier lagoon was Fjallsárlón — smaller and less visited than Jökulsárlón just down the road. It was absolutely breathtaking. Just a handful of people here at Fjallsárlón, icebergs drifting in perfect silence.

Fjallsárlón glacier lagoon on a sunny day

Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon

Jökulsárlón is the headline attraction of the South Coast and it deserves every word written about it.

We parked on the far side of the bridge from the main car park — all the buses were at the main car park, so it was just us and a few other people. Icebergs the size of houses drifted past in water so cold and clear it looked unreal. We watched seals playing around the ice. The ice glows an extraordinary electric blue from being compressed for thousands of years.

Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon — one of the most extraordinary places on earth

Diamond Beach

Cross the road from Jökulsárlón to reach Diamond Beach. Icebergs that have washed out to sea come back ashore on the jet black sand. The contrast of the crystal clear ice and the black sand looks completely unreal — like scattered diamonds, which is exactly why it is called Diamond Beach.

Diamond Beach — ice on black sand near Jökulsárlón

From Diamond Beach we had a three hour drive to the Eastern Fjords.

All Iceland Posts

• Epic Iceland Road Trip Itinerary — 12 Days
• Iceland Day 1 — The Golden Circle
• Discovering Iceland's Eastern Fjords
• North Iceland — Volcanoes and Waterfalls
• Iceland's Westfjords — Hot Spring Hunting
• From Snæfellsnes to Reykjavik
• Is Iceland's Blue Lagoon Overrated?
• The Best Hikes in Iceland
• The Ultimate Iceland Road Trip Guide