This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one of those links I will make a small commission at no extra cost to you. I appreciate any purchases!
After the Golden Circle, the Ring Road in Southern Iceland is one of the most popular areas of Iceland to explore. It is home to powerful waterfalls, giant glaciers, and quiet black sand beaches. As we drove away from Reykjavik, Iceland began to show its true nature and volcanic history.
The landscapes of Southern Iceland will change from one extreme to another. You will see smoke rising from the ground along with a strong smell of sulfur. Trust me, you aren’t entering the pits of hell (I think). The grounds will go from flat to rolling hills to tall mountains. Craggy cliffs line the shores of beaches with sand that looks like crushed Oreos. Leave me alone, I love Oreos.
As you drive the Southern Ring Road, you will come across fantastic sights, but many are slightly off the road. If you are planning on visiting Iceland, and have time to drive along the Southern Ring Road, use this article to help with your planning.
Stórólfshvolskirkja
As our journey from Reykjavik began, we passed through the small towns of Selfoss and Hella. Our first stop was in Hvolsvöllur at the church of Stórólfshvolskirkja. Though there is nothing special about this church, something about approaching it in the snow is quite beautiful. Atop a hill with trees around it (which are not super common in Iceland), this Lutheran church stands sentinel.
If you are looking for a serene place, or just want to see a beautiful church in Iceland, make sure that you stop here. It is only a few minutes off the Ring Road. If you are looking for a good place to base yourself from in Southern Iceland, Hvollsvöllur is a decent sized town, with places to eat and fill up with gas as well as guest houses and hotels.
Seljalandsfoss
This waterfall is my favorite of all of the waterfalls that I saw in Iceland. From the road, it honestly did not look that impressive to me. Then, as we approached, the sound of the falls, the birds flying overhead, and the Seljalandsá River that runs from Seljalandsfoss through the lowlands and to the sea combined to create a magnificent scene.
Seljalandsfoss is unique in that you can walk all the way around the falls due to large caverns that open behind. If the paths are open in the winter, make sure that you have crampons. The ice and rocks are made even slicker by the constant mist of the falls. I recommend wearing a waterproof jacket and pants as you will most certainly get wet.
If you choose to walk further past Seljalandsfoss, you can see the more hidden Gljúfrafoss. I did not make the trek since I enjoyed myself a bit too much and was soaking wet, but I noticed that very few people headed in that direction as well. If you want to see a waterfall with fewer people, I would recommend seeking it out.
Holtsós
We happened upon this place along the Ring Road without planning for it. I imagine that conditions would have to be good to truly appreciate the reflective waters of Holtsós. The still waters of this tidal lagoon reflect the sun, clouds, and nearby mountains.
I stood in awe of the stillness and silence. Birds flew over the water and seeing them and their bodies reflected perfectly in the water is just incredible. Make a quick stop here to walk up to the edge of the water and feel like maybe you are on the edge of the world instead.
As you drive by Holtsós, take a look toward the land and you will see the “bra fence”, which has become something of a tourist attraction. I am not sure of its purpose, but it is not something that I expected to see. Icelanders have good humor if nothing else.
Skógafoss
By the small village of Skógar, you will find the tall and powerful Skógafoss. Walking up to this waterful is like walking towards another world. As a person who reads fantasy novels and historical fiction, I imagined moving back in time to a period where we humans had not yet touched nature. You have to give Icelanders their due, they have preserved the nature so well even with thousands of tourists visiting each year.
Before you leave Skógafoss, dare to climb the stairs to the right of the falls (conditions permitting). It is a climb to be sure, it wore me out, but that isn’t saying much because I was super out of shape. Once you reach the top, you can look down not only on Skógafoss but on the village of Skógar and the farms in the valley below. You can watch and listen to the birds as they dive around the falls.
Once you climb the stairs, walk along the Skógá River. The entire path was not open for us in March, but it looks to be quite long with a lovely view. There are bathrooms, food, and a museum in Skógar. Take a rest here before you move on.
Dyrhólaey
This was a bit of an excursion from our original plans. We had some time and decided to go off the Ring Road to see what we could find, and lucky for us we found Dyrhólaey.
This nature preserve near Reynisfjara Beach holds unique and stunning views. I recommend driving up to the lighthouse at Dyrhólaey Viewpoint. You will need a 4-wheel drive in the winter to get up here. The road is narrow, so be cognizant and use your judgment. The view is worth any anxiety the drive may bring on.
With a cold wind whipping through the air, make your way toward the lighthouse. To your right you will see black sand stretching along the coast, to your left you will see two arches formed in rock with waves crashing upon their side.
When you leave the viewpoint, turn right at the end of the road and you will find a path to the beach (and a bathroom). Dyrhólaey is a bird nesting area, so parts of it may be blocked off to travelers in the summer. Plan your visit accordingly.
Ride Icelandic Horses in Vik
Vik is a cute town in Southern Iceland. As you approach, you will drive down a hill and see Vik i Myrdal Church, which overlooks the town. The charm is apparent as soon as you drive through. You can find access to Reynisfjara Beach in Vik, which is popular for its black sand and basalt columns.
We decided to do something a little special in Vik. At Vik Horse Adventure, you can go on a short ride on those black sand beaches. Icelandic horses are the only breed that you will find in Iceland, and they have a special four-beat gait called a tölt.
The ride was an easy one, and people of all experience levels could do it. They will take pictures for you on the beach, let you experience the tölt, and even canter along the shore if you are up for it.
The tölt is a smooth, fast gait that you can ride easily for a long time. Icelandic horses are built to hold it for a long time. I even learned that they have competitions where they hold a stein of beer and race at a tölt. Whoever has the most beer at the end wins and gets to finish their beer. Sounds like my kind of party!
Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon
This glacier lagoon is fed by the glacier Vatnajökull. The lagoon is home to large chunks of ice that calve from Breðamerkurjökull, one of Vatnajökull’s “fingers”. During the winter, the lagoon plays host to hundreds of seals. We saw one before our glacier tour, and when we returned many were laying out on the ice.
Many tours leave from Jökulsárlón and head out onto the glacier, where you can walk on the glacier, go into an ice cave, see crevasses, and pretend to be a wildling beyond the wall. Many scenes from Game of Thrones were filmed out on the glacier, as well as many other movies that you would recognize, such as Star Wars, or The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.
From the lagoon, you can walk down to Diamond Beach, which got its name from the chunks of ice that drift from the glacier to its shores. The ice looks like a diamond against the black sand. The beach is split where the lagoon meets the ocean. The west side has a parking lot and is more crowded than the east side. There are also more ice “diamonds” to the West. You have to walk from the lagoon to reach the East side, which I found to be more quiet and enjoyable.
The Charms of Southern Iceland
There is much to see in Southern Iceland. It is truly an incredibly scenic place to visit and shows much of Iceland’s unique charm. This is without a doubt the most touristy area of Iceland. The further North I went, the fewer people I saw. Do not avoid the South for this reason, though. There is so much beauty and some of Iceland’s most impressive places are in the South.
If you are planning a trip around the entire Ring Road, I put together a full 10-day itinerary that you can use to help make your plans. I recommend seeing as much of Iceland as you can. No matter how much you see, it will never feel like enough.
Like this post? Pin it!
