Booking choice: The South Coast minibus tour, from $133 per person. Check dates Compare the options below
A South Coast day from Reykjavik covers roughly the same ground whichever company you book: Seljalandsfoss, Skógafoss, the Sólheimajökull glacier, Reynisfjara and Vík, about 180 km each way. What changes the price is the size of the bus, whether you set foot on the ice, and whether the day stretches all the way to the glacier lagoon.
The prices below are Viator from-prices per adult, checked in October 2026. They move with the season and the date, so the checkout price is the one that counts.
The quick answer
A coach day starts at about $108, the Your Day Tours minibus at $133 and smaller saga-style minibus days at $165 to $180. Adding a glacier hike costs $149 to $196, the Katla ice cave about $302 and a Jökulsárlón day about $235. Lunch is never included.
How much does a South Coast tour from Reykjavik cost?
From about $108 on a big coach to about $302 for a day with an ice cave, per adult, in 2026.
Every tier below includes return transport from Reykjavik and a guide. None of them includes lunch.
| Tier | Tour | From | Length | What the money adds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coach | South Shore Adventure | $108 | 10 hours | Cheapest; large coach, pickup from accommodation or a bus stop |
| Minibus | Your South Coast by minibus | $133 | 10 hours | Up to 19 guests, five stops, Wi-Fi |
| Small group plus | South Coast Sagas | $165 | 10 hours | Adds Gljúfrabúi and saga storytelling |
| Smallest group | Summer minibus, max 16 | $180 | 10 hours | Capped at 16, adds Gljúfrabúi (summer) |
| Hike optional | Nicetravel | $149 | 13 hours | Same stops, 1.5-hour glacier hike as an option |
| Glacier hike | Troll Expeditions | $196 | 12 hours | Walk on Sólheimajökull with crampons, max 18 |
| Ice cave | Katla ice cave | $302 | 11 hours | 4x4 to an ice cave under Mýrdalsjökull |
| Glacier lagoon | Jökulsárlón day trip | $235 | 14 hours | Icebergs and Diamond Beach, far beyond Vík |
Mid-range and most booked: the minibus day is $133 with free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
Check dates for the South Coast minibus tourIs it cheaper to book with Your Day Tours directly or on Viator?
At the time we checked, no: the operator's own site listed the tour from USD 150 per adult, while Viator showed it from about $133.
Both are the same tour with the same operator, bus and guides. Prices change with the date and the currency, so compare both on the day you want before you book. Viator's version cancels for a full refund up to 24 hours before; the operator asks for 24 hours' notice as well.
What is the difference between the coach and the minibus?
Group size and flexibility: the coach listing allows up to 99 people, while the minibus caps the group at 19.
A smaller group gets off and back on the bus faster, which leaves more of each stop for you. The trade-off is the price: about $133 against $108. The coach also spends less time at each stop on its listing, for example 30 minutes at Skógafoss against 40 on the minibus. One honest catch: guests on a full minibus say the middle seats in the back row give a poor view of the scenery, so board early if views matter to you.
What is not included in the price?
Lunch, snacks and drinks. The minibus stops for lunch at Reynisfjara, where you pay your own way or eat a packed lunch.
The Your Day Tours listing includes all fees and taxes, so you do not pay the car-park fees that drivers pay at each stop. Iceland is almost cashless, so bring a card. Gratuities are optional, and one tour here, Back to Iceland, lists them as excluded. On the glacier hike, boots, a waterproof jacket and waterproof trousers are rentals, not included (see below).
How much do children pay?
Children 6 to 12 get a discounted rate on the Your Day Tours minibus; Your Day Tours says the minimum age is 6.
Rules differ by operator, which matters for families. EastWest does not take children under 4. The Troll glacier hike has a minimum age of 8 and the Nicetravel hike version a minimum age of 10. On the Back to Iceland minibus, the child rate only applies when sharing with two paying adults. Ask for a booster or child seat when you book.
Travelling with younger children? EastWest takes children from age 4 and adds the Gljúfrabúi gorge, from $165.
Explore the South Coast Sagas tourIs a glacier hike or ice cave worth the extra money?
Yes if walking on the ice is the point of your trip; no if you are happy to see the glacier from its edge.
The standard day stops at Sólheimajökull for about 45 minutes as a viewpoint only: nobody walks on the ice. The Troll hike ($196) includes harness, helmet, ice axe and crampons, but rents boots, jacket and trousers at 1,750 ISK each. In July 2026 the Icelandic Met Office warned about unstable ice and new lagoons at the glacier edge, and local operators paused glacier trips for a while, so check the listing close to your date. The Katla ice cave day ($302) spends about three hours at the cave, and guests say the cave itself is short.
What about Jökulsárlón and Diamond Beach?
They are not on any Vík tour. The glacier lagoon is about 380 km from Reykjavik, and the day trip that reaches it costs about $235 and takes 14 hours.
That is a very long day on the bus. The boat ride on the lagoon is an extra on the listing, not included in the price.
Icebergs are the goal? This long day reaches Jökulsárlón and Diamond Beach, which the Vík tours never do.
Explore the Jökulsárlón day tripIs the South Coast tour worth the price?
For most first-time visitors, yes: five big sights in one day without driving icy, windy Route 1 yourself.
A driver would pay car-park fees at almost every stop (roughly 750 to 1,000 ISK per car at each of Seljalandsfoss, Skógafoss, Sólheimajökull and Reynisfjara), plus fuel and rental. The minibus is rated 4.8 from 6,634 reviews. The honest downsides: it is a 10-hour day with about five hours on the road, some guests found the stops rushed, and one guest reports extra stops at souvenir shops. If you only have one free day, compare it with the Golden Circle in South Coast vs Golden Circle.
Sounds like your kind of day? Check prices on your date: free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
Check dates for the South Coast minibus tourFrequently asked questions
How much is the South Coast tour by minibus?
On Viator it is from $133 per adult in 2026, with a discounted rate for children 6 to 12. The operator's own site listed it from USD 150 when we checked.
Is lunch included on South Coast tours?
No. None of the tours on this site includes lunch. The minibus stops at Reynisfjara, where you can buy food or eat your own.
What is the cheapest South Coast tour from Reykjavik?
The large-coach South Shore Adventure, from $108. It covers Seljalandsfoss, Skógafoss, Sólheimajökull and Reynisfjara with less time at each stop.
Can I cancel if the weather is bad?
On Viator every tour here cancels free up to 24 hours before. If Your Day Tours cancels for weather, it offers a full refund or another date.
Ready to book
Choose your day
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before on every option. Prices are from-prices in USD and move with the season.
Your South Coast Full Day Tour by Minibus
- Pickup and drop-off at designated Reykjavik bus stops and the Skarfabakki cruise terminal
- English-speaking driver-guide, small group of up to 19
- Seljalandsfoss, Skógafoss, Sólheimajökull viewpoint, Reynisfjara and Vík
South Shore Adventure by Coach
- Pickup from your accommodation or a nearby bus stop in Reykjavik
- Guided tour on a large coach
- Seljalandsfoss, Skógafoss, Sólheimajökull and Reynisfjara
South Coast & Glacier Hike Small-Group Tour
Walking on the ice with crampons, not just looking at it
