South Coast and Sólheimasandur Plane Wreck ATV Tour

A Sólheimasandur plane wreck ATV tour that combines two South Coast waterfalls with a guided ATV ride across black sand plains to the wreck of a 1973 DC-3 aircraft.

• Two of Iceland's best-known waterfalls, Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss
• A 2-hour guided ATV ride, two people per vehicle
• The Sólheimasandur DC-3 plane wreck, down since 1973
• Views of Mýrdalsjökull glacier on the way
• Pick-up from central Reykjavík included

Your day, stop by stop

2SeljalandsfossA waterfall you can walk behind on a path around the back.

Seljalandsfoss drops 60 metres from what was once the edge of the coastline, before sea levels fell after the last ice age. The Seljalandsá river is fed by meltwater from Eyjafjallajökull, the volcano that erupted in 2010 and grounded flights across Europe. It is one of the few waterfalls in Iceland with a path behind the falling water, so expect to get wet and bring a waterproof jacket.

Walking · short path, can be wet and slippery

Read our Seljalandsfoss guide →

3SkógafossA wide, powerful waterfall with a viewing platform above.

Skógafoss falls in one broad curtain about 60 metres high and 25 metres wide, right beside the village of Skógar. On sunny days the spray usually throws a rainbow, sometimes a double one, across the pool at its base. A staircase of 527 steps leads to a viewpoint at the top, where you can see the river before it drops.

Walking · steps to the upper platform, optional

Read our Skógafoss guide →

4ATV ride to the plane wreckA guided 2-hour ATV ride across black sand plains near Mýrdalsjökull.

A guided ride of about 2 hours across the black sand plains near Mýrdalsjökull to the wreck of the US Navy DC-3 at Sólheimasandur. Walking there is a long trek each way, so the ATV covers it quickly. Two people share each ATV, and a valid driver's licence is needed to drive. Protective gear is provided.

Duration · about 2 hours guided ridingRequirement · valid driver's licence to drive

Read our Sólheimasandur plane wreck guide →

5Sólheimasandur plane wreckThe wreck of a US Navy DC-3 that came down on the black sands in 1973.

On 21 November 1973 a US Navy Douglas Super DC-3 made an emergency landing on this flat black sand plain after icing caused engine trouble. All seven crew walked away unhurt, and the plane was stripped of anything of value and left where it landed. Wind, salt air and visitors have left the rusted hull you see today. The walk from the car park on Route 1 is about 4 kilometres each way across flat, exposed ground, so bring layers. The aircraft has sat on the beach since its crash landing and has become one of the most photographed spots on the South Coast.

Read our Sólheimasandur plane wreck guide →

About the Sólheimasandur plane wreck ATV tour

This tour combines the classic South Coast waterfalls with something different: a guided ATV ride across the black sand plains at Sólheimasandur to see the wreck of a US Navy DC-3 that came down there in 1973. Walking to the wreck on foot is a long trek each way, so the ATV section covers that ground quickly and is part of the appeal.

The day starts with pick-up at the BSÍ bus terminal in Reykjavík, then heads along the South Coast to Seljalandsfoss, where a path lets you walk behind the falling water, and Skógafoss, a wide, powerful waterfall with a viewing platform above it. From there, you head onto the black sands near Mýrdalsjökull glacier for the ATV ride itself, riding two per vehicle with a guide leading the group to the wreck.

A valid driver's licence is needed to drive an ATV; passengers without one can ride along. Solo travellers or odd-numbered groups may be charged a single-rider supplement, and it's usually one child per adult on a vehicle. It's an easy to moderate day: waterfalls are short walks, and the ATV section needs no special experience but does need some comfort with off-road vehicles.

Questions people ask