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[Iceland] South Coast Part 1: Seljalandsfoss, Skógafoss & Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach

You can view the full day-by-day route and accommodation on Wanderlog here 🙂

Other Iceland posts:

South Coast Overview

If you don’t have time for the full Ring Road, the south coast is essentially non-negotiable. It’s a long stretch, so we split it across multiple days — much less exhausting. The Ring Road here is an easy drive: two-way single-lane, but low traffic and almost no issues.

Urriðafoss & Lava Center

We spotted Urriðafoss from the road en route from the previous night’s accommodation and stopped for a look. There’s a parking fee, and honestly — given how many waterfalls you’ll see in Iceland — this one is skippable if you’re short on time.

We also passed the well-known Lava Center. We ducked in briefly but didn’t do the paid exhibit — though it’s a genuinely good mid-drive break: free parking, free restrooms. If you’re interested in Iceland’s volcanic geology, it’s probably worth the ticket price.

Seljalandsfoss

Iceland has waterfalls everywhere. By the end of the trip, if someone asked “want to check out that waterfall?” the answer was a universal “nah.” But of all of them, Seljalandsfoss is one I’d call truly essential.

Reminder: Bring a waterproof jacket or rain gear. You will get wet. One member of our group refused to wear their waterproof jacket and ended up soaked, running back to the car to change.

Seljalandsfoss is sometimes called the “Curtain Falls” because you can walk behind the waterfall — not the only place in Iceland where this is possible, but the most famous. The path is well-trafficked but moves quickly. With proper waterproof gear, this is genuinely unforgettable.

The area actually has three waterfalls total — give yourself extra time to visit all of them. The meadow between them is beautiful on its own.

The last one, Gljúfrabúi, takes you almost entirely inside the waterfall 😄 If you want to experience it properly, waterproof shoes are a good idea here too.

Skógafoss

Skógafoss is often called the “Rainbow Falls” because on sunny days you can almost always see a rainbow in the mist. We were among the lucky ones 😉 Rainbows are surprisingly common all over Iceland, but something about a massive waterfall with a rainbow right in front of you hits differently.

On a good day you can also climb the stairs to the observation platform above the falls and look down. The stairs are a bit steep and do wobble — assess your energy level honestly.

If you’re hungry around noon, try your luck at Mia’s Country Van nearby — open 12:00–16:00. It’s a single food truck run by one person, so the wait can be a while. There’s parking and a few outdoor seats, though it was too cold for us to eat there — we took it back to the car instead.

I somehow didn’t get a photo, but it was really good fish and chips. No fishy smell, great chips, generous portion, multiple sauces — I ended up preferring the Garlic & Lemon 😄

Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach

We arrived at the famous black sand beach early and the waves were absolutely massive. There’s a warning sign at the entrance — most people still went near the basalt columns for photos. The scenery here is genuinely striking: the black sand, the towering basalt hexagons, the sea stacks. Iceland has a long history of people being swept away by sneaker waves here, so please respect the warnings and don’t go near the waterline when the sea is active.

Accommodation: Lakeview Cabin near Kirkjubæjarklaustur

We stayed here two nights. The cabin is about an hour from the glacier, so we booked two nights as buffer against weather changes — which turned out to be exactly the right call. We went to the glacier a day early, and the next day was a full-on storm.

The cabin is smaller than the photos suggest — one room had no space for any luggage at all, so bags ended up in the living room. But this is the most memorable accommodation from the whole trip: we saw the northern lights for the first time right here, and stepping outside gives you a perfect lake view. If you’re not looking for luxury, the vibe is perfect — it genuinely feels like a lakeside retreat. The Fjaðrárgljúfur canyon is also very close.

Wrap-Up

The south coast has so much to offer — I’d genuinely recommend building in more time here and taking it slow 🙂

Thanks for reading :D

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