10 Fun Day Trips From Reykjavik

Although Reykjavik has beautiful architecture, delicious food, and beautiful views, I highly recommend venturing outside to see the stunning Iceland landscape. Reykjavik is not far from waterfalls, highlands, glaciers, and mountains!

If you are staying in Reykjavik when you visit Iceland, you can take day trips to some of the most beautiful areas in the country! Some places take longer to get to than others, but all these areas will not disappoint. And if you do not want to drive, do not worry! Many tours can pick you up from the city and bring you on an adventure.

If you want to take day trips from Reykjavik when you are in Iceland, look no further! This guide has everything you need to know about the best day trips from Reykjavik that should be on every bucket list.

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Tips for Making Day Trips from Reykjavik

Start your day early in the morning. Many of these day trips from Reykjavik require over two hours of driving, so I recommend starting your day early in the morning to give yourself plenty of time. Some areas require driving on F roads, so you must give yourself more time than you think you will need to make the drive.
Book your tour in advance. Many tours that pick you up in Reykjavik sell out quickly. I recommend booking your tours in advance so you can have your choice of time slot and not have to worry about them selling out.
Book an early tour. Tours that leave earlier in the morning will likely have fewer people. Many people start their days later, and you can enjoy these beautiful day trips without the crowds if you leave earlier.
Pack everything you need before starting your day trip. Many of these areas are remote and do not have towns nearby. I recommend packing everything you need, including food, before you leave for your trip. You also should fill up on gas before you leave the city.

Where to Stay in Reykjavik

Reykjavík has many wonderful accommodations throughout the city. It is a big city, and if you want to stay near the main downtown area, I recommend looking up accommodations near Hallgrimskirkja and Rainbow Street. That area has the most shops and restaurants, so you can easily walk from your accommodation to downtown.

Best Hotels:

The Best Day Trips From Reykjavik

Langjökull

Distance from Reykjavik: 2 hours to the glacier tour departure point
Things to do: glacier tours

Langjökull is the second largest glacier in Iceland, and it is known as the Long Glacier because it is about 21 miles long. Langjökull sits in the western highlands about two hours from Reykjavik, making it a popular area for glacier tours.

Although you cannot explore the glacier by yourself because it is dangerous, you can choose from a variety of tours! Two of the best tours are snowmobile tours or a hike through ice caves. You can even walk through a stunning glacier ice tunnel!

Since Langjökull is the closest glacier to the city, it is a great place to explore a beautiful glacier in Iceland without a long drive. Some tours will even pick you up from the city!

Glymur

Distance from Reykjavik: 1 hour
Things to do: waterfall and hiking

Glymur is the second tallest waterfall in Iceland, standing at 643 feet, and is one of the best waterfalls near Reykjavik. Although the views of the waterfall are limited, the views of the surrounding area are stunning!

One of the best things about Glymur is its fun hike. You have to work to get to this waterfall, but the 4-mile round-trip hike is a really fun adventure! The trail travels through a cave, up steep inclines, and crosses two rivers. And do not worry! The first river crossing has a log to help you.

Once you get to the Glymur viewpoint, you can experience the beauty of the waterfall and the views overlooking the valley. The views of the waterfall are not the best since it is in a canyon, but the views of the surrounding landscape make up for it. I would even go so far as to say that the views of the valley were better than the waterfall!

The loop continues above Glymur where you encounter your second and final river crossing. The water is usually shallow, but it is freezing. We kept our boots on during this section because the water was too cold and the rocks were slippery. But once you cross, the hike to the parking lot is beautiful! You will quickly fall in love with making the day trip from Reykjavik to Glymur.

glymur waterfall hiking guide

Thingvellir National Park

Distance from Reykjavik: less than 1 hour
Things to do: hiking, waterfalls, and snorkeling

Thingvellir National Park is the shortest day trip from Reykjavik, making it a great place to visit if you do not want a long drive. The national park is a historical place in Iceland because it was home to their first parliament in 930 AD. It offers many things to do, including waterfalls, churches, and hiking trails. Two of the best hikes in Thingvellir National Park are:

Öxarárfoss is a 44-foot waterfall in Þingvellir National Park and drops over the Almannagjá Gorge. Although it is not as tall as other nearby waterfalls, it is incredibly picturesque! The 2.7-mile round-trip hike is beautiful, bringing you to the waterfall viewpoint.
Thingvellir Loop is one of the best ways to explore everything the national park offers! The 6.5-mile round trip hike brings you to basalt columns, Öxarárfoss, and many beautiful viewpoints in the park. It is a fantastic way to experience Thingvellir National Park.

Thingvellir National Park is also home to tectonic plates in Silfra, which has some of the clearest waters in the world. One of the best things to do is snorkel in Silfra, where you can see up to 390 feet into the water. It is easily one of the coolest experiences in Thingvellir National Park! We spent an hour snorkeling through the clearest waters we had ever seen, and it was an unforgettable experience.

If you want to snorkel, I recommend booking the earliest tour so you do not have to wait in line to enter the water. It is much more enjoyable without the crowds! Many companies offer this experience, but I highly recommend DIVE.IS. We had an incredible time with their guides.

Thórsmörk

Distance from Reykjavik: 3-4 hours
Things to do: hiking
Note: The drive into Thórsmörk has dangerous river crossings, so you should take a tour or ride the mountain bus.

Thorsmork is a beautiful valley and mountain range between three glaciers - Tindfjallajokull, Myrdalsjokull, and Eyjafjallajokull. Picture huge green valleys with rivers and stunning mountains. And yes, it is as beautiful as it sounds!

The drive into Thorsmork is long, with dangerous river crossings. Many people every year get stuck at the river crossing because their vehicles cannot handle it. Luckily, you can buy a ticket to ride on a mountain bus that brings you to Thorsmork from the city! If you do not want to handle any planning, you can also take a Super Jeep Tour.

One of the best things to do in Thorsmork is to hike! Although you can enjoy the views from the floor, the best are from higher viewpoints, where you can see into the valley. The views will quickly take your breath away because they are stunning! A few of the best hikes are:

Valahnukur - 1.5 miles round trip
Langidalur - Valahukur Loop - 2.7 miles round trip
Thorsmork Loop - 6.2 miles round trip
Básar - Móði Loop - 9.5 miles round trip

Thorsmork is easily one of the most beautiful areas in Iceland. The highlands are stunning because of their untouched landscape, and it will quickly become one of your favorite day trips from Reykjavik.

best places in the iceland highlands

Snaefellsnes Peninsula

Distance from Reykjavik: 2-3 hours
Things to do: hiking, waterfalls, black sand beaches, and volcanic craters

A little over two hours north of Reykjavik lies a stunning peninsula that should be on every Iceland bucket list. The Snaefellsnes Peninsula has black sand beaches, waterfalls, volcanoes, glaciers, and mountains within its 56 miles of land.

The peninsula offers many fun things to do, but if you only want to enjoy a scenic drive, you will not be disappointed. The drive around the Snaefellsnes Peninsula is one of my favorites, and it has many opportunities for short walks to beautiful viewpoints. Here are a few of the best things to do on your day trip to Snaefellsnes Peninsula:

Kirkjufell is one of the most well-known mountains in Iceland. Photographs of Kirkjufell and Kirkjufellsfoss are everywhere because it is an iconic spot! Kirkjufell is a 1,500-foot mountain next to a small, beautiful waterfall called Kirkjufellsfoss.
Snæfellsjökull National Park is located at the tip of the Snæfellsnes Peninsula and is one of three national parks in Iceland. It has many beautiful sights, with the most well-known being Snæfellsjökull- a two-peak volcano, Buðahraun- a lava field, and Djúpalónssandur. Djúpalónssandur is a beautiful black pebble beach with incredible rock formations in the ocean, and it has many trails to two freshwater lagoons, Djúpulón and Svörtulón, and a shipwreck from 1948.
Eldborg Crater is an inactive volcano on the Snæfellsnes Peninsula and was last active over 5,000 years ago. If you want to see what it looks like inside, there is an easy 3.9-mile hike to the top of the crater. Once at the top, you can see a few other nearby craters.

South Coast

Distance from Reykjavik: 3 hours
Things to do: waterfalls, hiking, black sand beaches, and glaciers

The South Coast of Iceland is easily one of the most beautiful and popular areas. And the best part? It is an easy day trip from Reykjavik! Although it takes a few hours to get to Vik, you can enjoy many stunning sites along the drive. Trust me, you will not be disappointed.

The drive from Reykjavik to Vik does not have a shortage of things to do and places to see, and the drive will go by quickly! You can spend your day exploring waterfalls, walking along black sand beaches, or hiking beautiful trails. Here are a few of the best things to do on your day trip:

Seljalandsfoss is one of the most iconic waterfalls in Iceland. Although you can experience the beautiful 197-foot waterfall from the parking lot, you also have the opportunity to have the unique experience of walking behind it.
Gljufrafoss is a 131-foot waterfall hidden behind a cliff. If you want to visit this beauty, it is a quick 1.2-mile hike from Seljalandsfoss. You can walk right up to it and get an up-close and personal experience with the unique waterfall.
Skógafoss is another iconic waterfall, standing 200 feet tall and 82 feet wide. The easiest way to experience it is to walk the flat path to the bottom of the Skógafoss. If you are up for a fun hike, you can hike about 530 steps to the top. Although the steps are steep, they reward you with an incredible view of Skógafoss and the surrounding area.
If you want to explore more waterfalls above Skógafoss, you are in luck! The 4.1-mile round-trip trail above Skógafoss leads to many stunning waterfalls along the river, and it will quickly become one of your favorite hikes along the south coast!
Sólheimajökull is one of the smaller glaciers in Iceland, but it does not lack beauty! If you want to explore a glacier along your drive from Reykjavik to Vik, Sólheimajökull is perfect! You can take a guided hiking tour of the glacier to explore crevasses and freezing water cauldrons.
Dyrholaey is a 390-foot arch standing in the ocean that you can see from a beautiful cliff. The cliff also has a lighthouse and expansive views of the surrounding black sand beach and mountains. You can drive to the top or hike 2.8 miles round trip from the beach below it. Either way, you will fall in love with the views!
Reynisfjara is the iconic black sand beach in Iceland! The sand has eroded volcanic rock, which gives it its beautiful black color. You can view the beach from the parking lot or walk along the beach to the Reynisdrangar sea stacks, the Hálsanefshellir sea cave, and the Gardar cliff.
Although Fjaðrárgljúfur is about an hour past Vik, I highly recommend visiting it if you have time! Fjaðrárgljúfur is a gorgeous canyon about 330 feet deep and over a mile long. It has an easy two-mile round trip trail along the canyon rim, offering incredible views of the moss-covered canyon.

things to do near vik

beautiful waterfalls near vik

Vestmannaeyjar

Distance from Reykjavik: 2 hours and a ferry ride
Things to do: hiking, museums, and puffins

Vestmannaeyjar is a small island off the southern coast of Iceland and is a hidden gem! Although many people do not know it exists, it does not lack things to do and beautiful views. It is a quick ferry ride from the south coast, making it an easy day trip from Reykjavik!

You can spend your day watching puffins, exploring museums, enjoying ocean views, or hiking. Hiking is one of the best ways to experience everything Vestmannaeyjar offers, and you will quickly fall in love with its trails! Here are some of the trails:

Home Rock Hike: 1.1 miles round trip
Eldfell Volcano Loop: 3.2 miles round trip
Stórhöfði Loop: 1.9 miles round trip

Landmannalaugar

Distance from Reykjavik: 4 hours
Things to do: hiking and hot springs
Note: You must have a 4x4 vehicle to drive to Landmannalaugar because of its F roads.

Landmannaglauar is easily one of my favorite places in Iceland because the landscape is stunning. It is a long drive from Reykjavik, but if you leave early, you will have plenty of time to make the drive and hike around in the highlands. Plenty of tours also depart from Reykjavik, too!

Landmannalaugar, also known as the People’s Pool, is the land of multi-colored mountains, lava fields, and volcanoes. The landscape is unreal, and you can enjoy some of the most beautiful hiking trails. You can also end your day with a dip in a natural hot spring. A few of the best hikes are:

Laugavegur Circle - 3 miles round trip
Brennisteinsalda Volcano - 5.4 miles round trip
Mt Bláhnjúkur - 3.8 miles round trip

The drive to Landmannalaugar is long but worth it! You will drive along F26 to F208, one of the most scenic drives in Iceland. It makes you feel like you are on another planet! Although the drive on the F road is long, it will quickly become one of your favorite day trips from Reykjavik.

beautiful hikes in Landmannalaugar

Gullfoss and Kerlingarfjöll

Distance from Reykjavik: 3-4 hours
Things to do: waterfalls, hiking, geothermal areas, hot springs
Note: You must have a 4x4 vehicle to drive to Kerlingarfjöll because of its F roads.

Kerlingarfjöll is a breathtaking and remote mountain range in the central highlands of Iceland. It is one of the lesser-known highland areas but does not lack beautiful views! Since it requires a long drive on various F roads, many people skip visiting the area, but I promise, it is worth a visit!

Kerlingarfjöll has beautiful multi-colored mountains, a small hot spring, and the Hveradalir Geothermal Area. The Hveradalir Geothermal Area was my favorite place because the views were unmatched. You can explore both areas from various overlooks or hike on its many trails. Here are some of the best things to do in the highlands:

Kerlingarfjöll to Hveradalir Geothermal Area Hike - 7.8 miles round trip
Hike in the Hveradalir Geothermal Area - short trails to various overlooks
Soak in the Kerlingarfjöll Hot Springs

On the way into Kerlingarfjöll, you drive along the Golden Circle past some of the most popular attractions. You can stop at Gullfoss, the largest volume waterfall in Europe. It has a 36-foot and 69-foot section that flows into the Hvítá River in a 1.6-mile-long canyon. It requires an easy 1.1-mile round-trip hike from the parking lot to the rim above the waterfall, and it will take your breath away! The Great Geysir, also known as Stokkur, is near Gullfoss, and it erupts every 6-10 minutes and hits over 50 feet high. The Golden Circle to Kerlingarfjöll is the perfect day trip from Reykjavik to explore waterfalls and the highlands!

things to do in Kerlingarfjöll

Northern Lights

Distance from Reykjavik: Varies

Iceland is one of the best places to see the northern lights. The best time to see them is between late fall and early spring. These months have less daylight, giving you more opportunities to see the northern lights light up the sky!

Since Reykjavik has a lot of light pollution, you need to travel away from the city to experience it. Luckily, you do not need to drive far to see them, but the further you drive, the better the experience will be. I recommend booking a tour because the tour guides know the best places to see the northern lights!

If you are looking for fun day trip ideas when you visit Reykjavik, you are in the right place! This guide has everything you need to know about the best day trips from Reykjavik.