The South Coast of Iceland

Skogafoss & Seljalandsfoss & Snowmobiling! OH MY!

When you think about Iceland, you may think of vast lava fields, black sand beaches, glaciers, lagoons, and northern lights. However, the waterfalls of this country were what I fell in love with. As I scoured the internet for the top things to do in Iceland, I had narrowed our choices down to the Golden Circle, or the South Coast. Eventually I realized I just couldn’t rationalize going and not seeing the two biggest waterfalls Iceland had to offer: Skogafoss & Seljalandsfoss. There was just something drawing me to them, and luckily for me they are both along the South Coast!

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If you aren’t familiar with Iceland’s day tours, they’re on average about 10-14 hours long depending how much you want to see in one day. My group found this to be a daunting idea to be stuck on a bus all day, so we opted for a tour that was only 10.5 hours long. It included the Skogafoss & Seljalandsfoss Waterfalls, as well as a snowmobile tour over the Mýrdalsjökull glacier. We went through SagaTours for the whole tour, but their site no longer has this day tour available. However I did find this link for the snowmobile portion of it by itself through Arcanum Glacier Tours.

First stop: Skogafoss Waterfall

As we headed out for the day, we made sure to all wear our waterproof clothing with plenty of layers which were quickly shed as we hopped into a small, heated minibus. Our tour was guided by Oskar and he was downright impressive as he rattled off bits of knowledge about his country for two hours straight before we stopped in at a local store to grab snacks. We made sure to pick up some Skyr to try, as we had been told this yogurt-like dairy product was one of the must-try’s for Icelandic Cuisine. We were not disappointed!

As we pulled up to Skogafoss, it was a scene straight out of a movie. I have never seen a waterfall so grand in my entire life. It boomed down on the rocky land beneath it, and its mist engulfed you the closer you got. In my complete disbelief that there were no barriers to keep me from getting as close as I pleased (not something I’m used to living here in the states), I started running over the rocky terrain and promised myself to get as close as I could. I didn’t understand why people were still so far away! As I got closer I realized how intense the spray from the waterfall was and how drenched I was becoming with every step. Mission abort!!! My husband and I took some pictures, tucking my camera in my jacket in-between each shot, and got the heck out of there! I felt like a little kid again playing outside in the rain, running back and forth.

At Skogafoss, there’s also a staircase that will bring you to the very top of the waterfall. Our driver told us it usually takes about 30 minutes to complete the trip up and back, and he warned us that this in itself would be a daunting task. We were also on a time limit of 30 minutes for that particular stop, of which we had already spent about 10 minutes running up to the base of the waterfall. Screw it. Off we went. We hustled up to the base of the stairs and started ascending at a decent speed. The stairs aren’t terribly steep, but it is definitely a workout! As I caught up to some of our friends about halfway, I had second thoughts about being able to make it to the top. Or if I did, someone might have to carry me down. I pushed forward and made it to the top (with a little extra help from my husband). I was rewarded immensely with the views of Iceland as far as I could see, and a birds eye view of the waterfall as it falls over the side of the cliff. Well worth the jello legs I currently had! The way back down wasn’t so bad, and before I knew it we were back on the bus and on our way to the glacier. Oh and our tour guide was super impressed that we made it up to the waterfall’s base and also up the stairs and back in under 30 minutes!!

Next Stops – Bra Fence & Eyjafjallajokull

On our way to snowmobiling we learned more about Iceland’s culture and even got to see a few elves standing outside their homes. Well… our Icelandic tour guide saw them… we must have just missed seeing them… *wink wink* We also passed a fence lined with bras. Iceland has been at the forefront of women’s rights, and the bra fence is similar to actions or protests in the states relating to the “Free the Nipple” movement. It started at the lagoons, when women protested having to wear tops if men didn’t, and progressed from there. If you want to stop here, it’s on the main road between the Skogafoss and Seljalandsfoss waterfalls. (N63° 32.788′ W19° 44.088′)

We also stopped at a turnout for a view of Eyjafjallajokull. The volcano looms over a farm that was once buried in ash when the volcano erupted, but with great resiliency was able to restart their farming. There are a few informational boards at this stop that you can read more about the eruption and see pictures of it. I really enjoyed this short little pit-stop because the mountain across the road turned out to be a beautiful backdrop for some pictures, and it allowed us to stretch our legs.

Next Stop: Snowmobiling

We were dropped off at the shop where they suited us up. (Travel Tip: Make sure to use the restroom before you get all those layers on!) We were all pretty toasty already in our thermals, layers, and snowboarding coats, so with the sun peeking out we were trying to decide if we should shed some layers. Luckily for us, someone who had just been up on the mountain advised us to keep them on, as it was significantly colder up at the peak. Also, we didn’t know that they provided us with waterproof boots for the trip too so that was nice. Anything not needed was left at the shop and we jumped into the Super Jeep! The company drove us up to the nearby snowmobile shop, we got a quick safety and tutorial, then jumped on our snowmobiles!

Our First Snowmobile Ride! White All Around Us For Miles!

It was my first time on a snowmobile ever! I was super nervous at first but we went slow enough for me to get the hang of it. I think the hardest part was having to wipe of your helmet’s visor every so often. First timers should have no reason to worry booking this activity, even as a solo rider. Once we got going, the scenery on the trip to the top of the mountain was the most surreal thing I’ve ever seen. It was an overcast day so as we went higher, we were surrounded by what I can only explain as whiteness…. the snow, the sky, the cloud cover… just white. It made you strain your eyes to try and see further or to make out shapes in the distance but there wasn’t anything to see except white. Definitely the coolest but eeriest experience ever. Finally we made it over the mountain and the skies opened up. We stopped to overlook rolling hills of snow and saw the glacier out in the distance. A few of us made snow angels, while a few of us attempted to see how many times we could knock down our friends when they weren’t looking. I even took a few big leaps into fresh powder just to see my legs disappear a few feet down into the snow. After a group picture we headed back to the shop and got ready to meet up with our minibus again.

Next Stop: Seljalandsfoss Waterfall

As if our day couldn’t get any better, we still had one more waterfall to visit: Seljalandsfoss. This waterfall is about 200 feet tall and you can even walk behind it. Travel Trick – It was recommended that we take the path on the right of the waterfall, and walk through to the left side. The left side is steep and has jagged rocks which were somewhat slippery with all the mist from the waterfall. It was definitely more sketchy that way and I’m glad we took the advice to start on the right. Walking behind the waterfall was just amazing. As you look out from behind it, the curtains of water are falling from above and you can see glimpses of the landscape through them. It’s dark in the cutout, but the sunlight from beyond the waterfall peeks through. It’s just magical.

A little extra info: If you take pictures behind the waterfall, make sure to use flash! Or if you want some pictures with silhouettes, leave it off! I also HIGHLY recommend waterproof clothes for this waterfall. As we were headed up the left side of the pathway, a gust of wind came and a sheet of water from the waterfall crashed over us. The one person in our group wearing sweatpants was soaked and immediately regretted her clothing choice! There is also a great photo op spot at the front of the pool that we took advantage of, as there weren’t many people around that particular area.

Last Stop: Home

Finally we headed back home. We were all exhausted from our adventures that seemed to be over too quickly. The 10.5 hours went by in a flash, so if you’re ever planning a day trip in Iceland don’t be like us and worry about how long the tours say they are. There are so many sights to see and things to get out and do that it’ll be over before you realize what happened. I can’t wait to go back and book another so I can see more of this beautiful country!!