If you’ve ever dreamed of dramatic landscapes, the land of fire and ice is the place to be. Nothing is quite as striking as Iceland, with its volcanic rock and icy glaciers. The place almost seems to be an oxymoron, and yet here it is, with its stunning black sand beaches and rippling northern lights. In December of 2025, I finally had the chance to visit Reykjavik and see why it’s one of the best cities in the world for the holiday season, and during that time, I had the pleasure of taking a tour bus along the south coast of the island to fully take in the frigid winter sights. The cold bites, the wind howls, but you know what? The views are absolutely worth bundling up for. Fortunately, it was also a bit warmer than usual during our stay, so that helped too.
There are plenty of tour companies out there, but after hearing raving reviews from mutual acquaintances who had done similar trips, I went with EastWest. This company specializes in small groups, and they have knowledgeable guides with easy pickups from various stations across Reykjavik. Since winter means icy roads and shorter days, we opted for the South Coast Tour instead of venturing farther north, although EastWest also offers tours to see the Northern Lights, the Golden Circle, and the Snaefellsnes Peninsula. The South Coast Tour was perfect for our needs. It was stunning, accessible, and packed with some of Iceland’s most beautiful highlights without pushing too far into unpredictable conditions.
Pickup in downtown Reykjavik
Our tour ran about ten hours in total, with pickup at several stops and hotels in the Reykjavik area. Since Iceland has limited amounts of daylight in the winter, we were outside in pitch dark, but the city’s streetlights kept the area lit well enough. This meant that we weren’t able to see the volcanic fields on our way out, but most of us were jet lagged anyways so this was a great time to nap. Our bus was equipped with wifi, so you can also get some work done or browse during the down-time, if desired.
If you’re visiting during the wintertime, I highly recommend wearing warm layers, preferably waterproof. While many of the wetter adventures happened later during our tour, it can get chilly out so wet clothes aren’t your friend. Avoid cotton since that retains moisture, and wear something moisture-wicking like merino wool. Sturdy footwear is a must, since some of these activities require a short hike. We brought crampons just in case, but didn’t end up needing them since December 2025 wasn’t nearly as icy as it usually is. In addition, you may want to bring snacks and a big water bottle to make sure that you stay hydrated and un-hangry during your trip.
Visiting the Sólheimajökull Glacier
Once we got to the south coast, we took a short pit stop before visiting our first destination: the Sólheimajökull glacier. Our tour guide decided to detour from the original itinerary posted on the website due to the day’s particular weather. It was cold and windy out, so he figured that if we got the worst one over with, we’d have enough energy to face the rest of them no problem. He was right! While it was freezing out, we were so excited at the start of the day that it really didn’t matter. We took a short hike up to a viewing area, where we could see the surrounding mountains and the glacier that rested in the valley. Our guide explained that the blue color comes from the trapped oxygen in the ice, which reflects the sky. I’d never seen anything like this before, and it was fantastic.
Visiting the Black Sand Beach
After warming up in the bus, we swung by the charming Víkurkirkja church in Vík, which is this little red-roofed building perched on the top of the hill. While the church itself was closed, we were able to see the Black Sand Beach from here. That was our next stop, and we had lunch there at the restaurant before going to view the huge basalt columns and the cave formations. Our guide was super clear about safety: stay far back from the water. Sneaker waves are no joke here, and they can soak you to the skin and pull you under if you’re not careful, so we didn’t risk it. The sand itself varied from black-jelly-bean-sized pebbles to baseballs, smoothed round by the ocean.
Visiting Seljalandsfoss
We certainly saved the best for last. As the light started to fade, we pulled up to Seljalandsfoss. This waterfall is particularly special because there is a walking path that goes right under the falls. Arriving near the dusk hour was so special, because the light turned everything golden. Mist floated up from the falls, creating a gorgeous haze as the sky turned hues of orange. I’m glad that this was our last stop because we were a bit damp by the time we finished the loop.
Throughout the day, our EastWest guide wove in Icelandic myths, legends, and history, which greatly enriched the experience. While Icelandic winter wasn’t exactly gentle, we sincerely enjoyed learning how the land of fire and ice shaped the Icelandic culture and lifestyle.
