2 Day Snæfellsnes Peninsula Tour | West Iceland & Northern Lights

This 2 day Snæfellsnes Peninsula tour takes you around West Iceland's most varied region, from seal colonies and a lava cave to Kirkjufell mountain and the Hraunfossar waterfalls, with one night in a hotel along the way.

• A full loop of the Snæfellsnes Peninsula in two days
• Seal spotting at Ytri Tunga beach
• A trip into the Vatnshellir lava cave
• Kirkjufell, one of Iceland's most photographed mountains
• One night in a hotel with breakfast, plus a chance of Northern Lights in winter

Your day, stop by stop

2Day 1: Ytri Tunga and BúðirSeal spotting on the beach, then the small hamlet of Búðir.

Ytri Tunga is a small golden-sand beach known for its seal colony, where wild harbour and grey seals rest on the rocks just offshore. Búðir is a tiny hamlet built around a black wooden church and the Búðahraun lava field. The walking is easy, along the beach.

Walking · easy, along the beach

Read our Búðir guide →

3Day 1: ArnarstapiA small fishing village with sea cliffs and birdlife.

Arnarstapi, also called Stapi, is a small fishing village and harbour known for its basalt sea cliffs, birdlife and the Gatklettur arch. It is a short stop.

Time here · short stop

Read our Arnarstapi guide →

4Day 1: Vatnshellir lava caveAn 8,000-year-old lava tube you walk into with a guide.

A short underground tour of about 45 minutes into an 8,000-year-old lava tube, down a spiral staircase to a depth of about 35 metres. The ground underground is uneven.

Walking · stairs down, uneven underground ground

Read our Vatnshellir guide →

5Day 1: DjúpalónssandurA black sand beach with old shipwreck remains.

A black pebble beach inside Snæfellsjökull National Park, known for dramatic lava rock formations, the rusted remains of a 1948 shipwreck, and four lifting stones once used to test fishermen's strength. It is a short stop.

Time here · short stop

Read our Djúpalónssandur guide →

6Day 1: Overnight and Northern LightsHotel stay, with a Northern Lights hunt in winter if skies are clear.

A hotel stay, with a Northern Lights hunt in winter if skies are clear. Aurora viewing is only possible in the darker months, and it is never guaranteed.

Season · aurora viewing only in the darker months

7Day 2: KirkjufellIceland's most photographed mountain, with a waterfall nearby.

Kirkjufell is a 463-metre, cone-shaped mountain on the north coast of the peninsula, right next to the small waterfall Kirkjufellsfoss, and one of Iceland's most photographed mountains. It is a short stop at the viewpoint.

Time here · short stop

Read our Kirkjufell guide →

8Day 2: Hraunfossar and ReykholtA wide waterfall spilling from a lava field, and a historic site with lunch.

Hraunfossar is a series of small waterfalls formed by water seeping out from beneath the Hallmundarhraun lava field over roughly a kilometre of riverbank, beside the more turbulent Barnafoss. Reykholt is a historic site, and the lunch break is included in the schedule.

Time here · lunch break included in the schedule

Read our Hraunfossar guide →

9Day 2: Sturlureykir and DeildartunguhverA horse farm and one of Iceland's most powerful hot springs.

A horse farm and Deildartunguhver, the highest-flow hot spring in Europe, pumping out roughly 180 litres of near-boiling water every second. You can see it from the boardwalk in 20 to 30 minutes. These are short stops on the way back to Reykjavík.

Time here · short stops

Read our Deildartunguhver guide →

About the 2 day Snæfellsnes Peninsula tour

Snæfellsnes is often called Iceland in miniature, with black sand beaches, lava fields, fishing villages and a glacier-topped volcano all on one peninsula. This two day tour covers it properly, with an overnight stay so you are not rushing the whole loop in a single long day.

Day one heads out along the peninsula's south side: seal spotting at Ytri Tunga, the small hamlet of Búðir, the fishing village of Arnarstapi, a trip underground into the Vatnshellir lava cave, and the black sand beach at Djúpalónssandur. If the skies are dark and clear, your guide will look for the Northern Lights in winter before you settle in for the night.

Day two crosses to the north side of the peninsula for Kirkjufell mountain and its waterfall, then heads back towards Reykjavík via Hraunfossar, a wide waterfall spilling from under a lava field, the historic site at Reykholt, a horse farm at Sturlureykir, and the hot spring at Deildartunguhver.

Walks throughout are short and easy, so the tour suits most ages and fitness levels. You stay one night in a country hotel or guesthouse with a private bathroom and breakfast included.

• Vatnshellir lava cave tour
• Single room
• Luggage storage
• Hiking boot rental
• Waterproof jacket and trousers rental
• Ice grips for your shoes, to buy (October to April)

Questions people ask