Waterfalls & Wildlife
Waterfalls & Wildlife custom itinerary — 8 day luxury Iceland photography and nature tour by Juniper Tours. Covers Reykjavik (2 nights, Hallgrimskirkja cathedral, Harpa Concert Hall, Old Harbor), the Blue Lagoon geothermal spa, the Golden Circle (Thingvellir, Geysir, Gullfoss, Secret Lagoon), the full South Coast waterfalls (Seljalandsfoss, Skogafoss, Svartifoss in Skaftafell with hexagonal basalt columns), Solheimajokull glacier walk with certified Icelandic Mountain Guide, Reynisfjara black sand beach and Dyrholaey puffin colony (May-August nesting season), Jokulsarlon glacier lagoon with floating icebergs and Diamond Beach with iceberg fragments on black sand, Vestrahorn mountain at Stokksnes (signature reflection landscape at low tide), and the Eastfjords — Iceland’s least-visited region — covering Djupivogur, Seydisfjordur (the ferry harbor village surrounded by waterfalls), Borgarfjordur Eystri puffin colony at Hafnarholmi, and reindeer country (Iceland’s only wild herd, introduced 1771, most reliable viewing in winter). Private driver-guide throughout with domestic flight from Egilsstadir to Reykjavik on Day 7 (55 minutes). 4-star or higher accommodations, daily breakfast, pre-booked site entries, Northern Lights hunting in winter season. Designed by Juniper Tours’ Iceland specialist Taryn Harrison (25 years experience, CMSC certified, primary Iceland specialist). IATAN accredited (22-787413). 4.9★ · hundreds of verified Google reviews. Custom Iceland itineraries from $2,500 per person. Sample itinerary — all trips custom designed by our top travel specialists.
Sample Itinerary · Iceland
Waterfalls & Wildlife
South Coast · Jokulsarlon · Vestrahorn · Eastfjords
Duration
8 Days · 7 Nights
Accommodations
4-Star or Higher
Transport
Driver-Guide + Domestic Flight
Best For
Nature · Photography · Wildlife
Plan a Similar Trip
← All Iceland Itineraries
8 Days · 7 Nights
4-Star+ Accommodations
Private Driver-Guide Throughout
Daily Breakfast Included
Sample — Fully Customisable
This is a sample itinerary — for inspiration only. Every Juniper trip is designed from scratch around you. Many clients travel a very similar route — if this resonates, book a free consultation and a specialist will build something just like it (or better) specifically for your travel style, dates, and group.
1
Day One
Arrive in Iceland — Blue Lagoon on the Way
Keflavik · Reykjavik
Welcome to Iceland. Your private driver-guide meets you at Keflavik International Airport (KEF) and the route into Reykjavik runs along the Reykjanes Peninsula — black lava fields, steam vents, and the North Atlantic on one side. The Blue Lagoon is 20 minutes from the airport and built into the arrival day as a soft landing: pre-booked entry with a private changing cabana, a short soak in the milky-blue geothermal water, and a bite to eat at the Lava Restaurant.
By late afternoon your driver continues the 45-minute run to Reykjavik and your hotel in the 101 postal code. Check in, unwind, and have a first Icelandic dinner somewhere your specialist has flagged. Early night; the photography starts tomorrow.
Private airport transfer
Blue Lagoon pre-booked
Arrive Reykjavik
Overnight: Reykjavik
2
Day Two
Reykjavik City + Golden Circle
Reykjavik · Thingvellir · Gullfoss
A compressed city-plus-Golden-Circle day that keeps the photography-forward trip moving. Morning: a short private walking tour of Reykjavik covering Hallgrimskirkja (the 243-foot concrete church with the elevator to the tower for city views), the Sun Voyager sculpture on the waterfront, and the Harpa Concert Hall with its Olafur Eliasson glass facade. The pacing is brisker than a full-city day — the target audience for this trip wants to get to the landscape.
Afternoon: the Golden Circle run. Thingvellir National Park first (UNESCO-listed, mid-Atlantic ridge visible above water, the Althing Parliament site from 930 AD), then Geysir geothermal area (Strokkur erupts reliably every 6-10 minutes), and Gullfoss — the Golden Waterfall — at the afternoon light when the rainbow is at its strongest. Return to Reykjavik for the final city-night. Aurora-season evening has the driver-guide on standby if the forecast aligns.
Private driver-guide
Reykjavik walking tour
Golden Circle afternoon
Overnight: Reykjavik
3
Day Three
South Coast Waterfalls + Dyrholaey
Seljalandsfoss · Skogafoss · Dyrholaey · Vik
The pace shifts from day-trip to journey. Your driver-guide leaves Reykjavik mid-morning heading southeast along Route 1, with the coast on one side and the foothills of the Eyjafjallajokull ice cap (the 2010 eruption) on the other. Seljalandsfoss is first — a 197-foot waterfall you can walk behind via the cave path. The shot from inside is one of Iceland’s signatures; morning light catches it well.
Skogafoss is next — wider, more powerful, with a staircase to a viewing platform at the top. Dyrholaey peninsula follows, a promontory with puffin colonies from May to mid-August and views west toward the Eyjafjallajokull glacier. Afternoon: Reynisfjara black sand beach, with its hexagonal basalt columns, the Reynisdrangar sea stacks (mythologically trolls caught by the sunrise), and the real sneaker-wave warnings. Check in to the Hotel Ranga or similar South Coast property for the night. Dinner at the hotel — in aurora season, the Hotel Ranga has a rooftop observation deck with wake-up calls for strong displays.
Seljalandsfoss & Skogafoss
Dyrholaey puffin viewing
Reynisfjara black sand
Overnight: Vik area
4
Day Four
Solheimajokull Glacier Walk + Skaftafell
Solheimajokull · Skaftafell · Hofn
Morning: a 3-hour guided glacier walk on Solheimajokull, an outlet of the Myrdalsjokull ice cap. Crampons, ice axe, and helmet are provided at the trailhead with safety instruction from the certified Icelandic Mountain Guide. The terminus is active and changing — the walk gets you onto textured ice, past moulin drains and crevasses, with the guide explaining the glaciology. About 1.5 hours on the ice itself.
Afternoon: into Skaftafell, part of the Vatnajokull National Park, where the Svartifoss waterfall is the site’s signature — a narrow column of water falling over a cliff of hexagonal black basalt columns (the same formation as at Reynisfjara, just vertical). The 1.5-hour return hike from the visitor center is moderate. Continue east along the Ring Road with the enormous Vatnajokull glacier filling the view to the north. Check in at a Hofn-area hotel; dinner features the local langoustine (Hofn calls itself the langoustine capital of Iceland, earned).
Solheimajokull guided walk
Skaftafell + Svartifoss
Ring Road east
Overnight: Hofn area
5
Day Five
Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon + Vestrahorn at Stokksnes
Jokulsarlon · Diamond Beach · Stokksnes
The signature day. Jokulsarlon glacier lagoon is west of Hofn — a body of water where icebergs calve from the Breidamerkurjokull glacier and drift toward the sea. A pre-booked 40-minute Zodiac or amphibious boat tour gets you among the icebergs. Directly across Route 1 is Diamond Beach — black sand with translucent iceberg fragments washed up from the lagoon outflow. Your specialist builds in a second Jokulsarlon visit later in the day if the light changes; photographers benefit from morning and evening passes.
Late afternoon: Vestrahorn at Stokksnes. The 1,490-foot peak rises directly out of a black-sand beach with a shallow tidal lagoon in front — at low tide, the wet sand reflects the mountain perfectly, producing the signature Stokksnes landscape shot. Access is via a private gated road (the Viking Cafe charges a small access fee, pre-arranged by your specialist). Best light is 90 minutes before sunset in summer, or the full blue hour in winter. Return to Hofn for dinner.
Jokulsarlon boat tour
Diamond Beach
Vestrahorn at Stokksnes
Overnight: Hofn area
6
Day Six
Into the Eastfjords
Djupivogur · Breiddalsvik · Seydisfjordur
The transition into the least-visited part of Iceland. Your driver-guide takes the Ring Road north out of Hofn and the landscape shifts immediately — the coastline becomes narrow, cliff-walled, with small fishing harbors tucked into the fjords. Djupivogur is the morning’s first stop, a harbor village of 470 people with the Gleðivík Eggs (a public sculpture of 34 eggs representing local nesting birds) and the Bulandstindur peak behind the town.
Afternoon: the long coast drive past Breiddalsvik, Stoðvarfjordur, and Faskrudsfjordur (a former French fishing station with bilingual street signs) before crossing the inland road to Seydisfjordur. Seydisfjordur is the Eastfjords’ most striking village — surrounded by waterfalls (27 named ones within walking distance), set at the head of a 9.9-miles fjord, and the mainland terminus of the Norrona ferry from Denmark. The rainbow street up to the blue church is the signature photograph. Check in to the Hotel Aldan or similar in Seydisfjordur; dinner at a fjord-side restaurant.
Private Eastfjords drive
Djupivogur & villages
Seydisfjordur rainbow street
Overnight: Seydisfjordur
7
Day Seven
Puffin Colony + Reindeer + Fly to Reykjavik
Borgarfjordur Eystri · Egilsstadir · Reykjavik
The most concentrated wildlife day of the trip. Morning: your driver-guide takes you north to Borgarfjordur Eystri — 43.5 miles from Seydisfjordur on a partly unpaved road but worth every mile for the Hafnarholmi puffin viewing platform, which is built directly over the nesting burrows. From May to mid-August, photographers get within a foot or two of the birds. Plan 90 minutes minimum.
Afternoon: drive back toward Egilsstadir through reindeer country. Iceland’s only wild reindeer herd (introduced from Norway in 1771) lives in the eastern highlands and descends to the lowlands in autumn and winter, making them easier to photograph from October through April. Summer travelers can still spot them at higher elevations with patience. Your driver-guide knows the current territory. Late afternoon: check-in at Egilsstadir Airport for the domestic flight to Reykjavik (55 minutes, Air Iceland Connect). Arrive Reykjavik for the final evening; your specialist has the closing dinner reservation ready at one of the city’s top restaurants — Dill, Matur og Drykkur, or Grillmarkadurinn.
Borgarfjordur Eystri puffins
Eastfjords reindeer
Domestic flight back
Overnight: Reykjavik
8
Day Eight
Depart Iceland
Keflavik Airport
A final Icelandic breakfast, then your private driver collects you for the transfer to Keflavik International Airport. Most Eastfjords photographers leave with a specific list for the return trip — usually the Westfjords (even more remote, strawberry arctic foxes and bird cliffs at Latrabjarg) or the Highlands in summer (F-road only, Landmannalaugar and Thorsmork).
Your Juniper specialist remains reachable throughout departure day, and your in-app itinerary stays accessible for any last-minute questions. Safe travels home.
Private airport transfer
App support throughout
Love this itinerary? Make it yours.
This is a sample luxury custom route — a starting point, not a fixed package. Many clients travel something very close to this, customized for their travel style, group, and dates. Book a free consultation and a specialist will build from here.
Accommodations
Boutique hotels, charming B&Bs, or historic castle stays — chosen based on your preferences and travel style.
Transportation
Private driver-guide, self-drive rental, or a mix of both — all transfers confirmed before you travel.
Experiences
Pre-arranged tours and activities built around your interests — entrance tickets sorted, no queuing.
Book a Free Consultation
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Activities on this itinerary
Your specialist pre-arranges the right luxury experiences based on your interests and travel style. These are the custom experience types available on this route — specific choices are made with you, not for you.
Seljalandsfoss Walk-BehindSouth Coast · 60m · cave path
Skogafoss WaterfallSouth Coast · wide & powerful
Svartifoss at SkaftafellHexagonal basalt columns · 1.5hr hike
Solheimajokull Glacier WalkCertified guide · 3 hours · age 10+
Dyrholaey Puffin ColonyMay-August nesting · viewing platform
Jokulsarlon Boat TourZodiac or amphibious · 40 min · icebergs
Diamond BeachIceberg fragments on black sand
Vestrahorn at StokksnesBest at low tide · blue hour magic
Borgarfjordur Eystri PuffinsHafnarholmi platform · closest access
Eastfjords Reindeer CountryIceland’s only herd · winter best viewing
Seydisfjordur Village27 waterfalls within walking distance
Northern Lights Hunt (Winter)Driver-guide on standby · aurora forecast
Activities are selected and pre-booked with your specialist based on your interests — not all activities are included in every trip version. Availability varies by season.
The people who will design your Iceland trip
You work directly with a specialist who knows Iceland deeply — not a call center or booking agent. Every consultation is with someone who has been there, has driven the South Coast in both summer and aurora-season winter, knows which waterfall has the quietest morning light and which Reykjavik restaurant actually delivers on the reputation.
Iceland · Ireland · Scotland · UK
Taryn Harrison
Juniper Tours’ most tenured specialist with 25 years of experience designing Iceland itineraries across every season. CMSC certified and a former Peace Corps volunteer. Taryn knows which South Coast hotel has the best geothermal hot pot for aurora-watching, which Golden Circle day-order avoids the coach-tour peaks at Gullfoss, and which booking needs to be made six months out or it won’t happen.
25 Yrs
CMSC
Iceland Specialist
Book a Consultation
About this itinerary
Puffin nesting season runs from roughly early May to mid-August, with peak numbers in June and July; the Borgarfjordur Eystri colony at Hafnarholmi and Dyrholaey on the South Coast are the two most reliable spots on this itinerary and are both accessible from purpose-built viewing decks very close to the nesting burrows. Reindeer are present in the Eastfjords year-round (Iceland’s only wild herd, introduced in 1771) but visibility is much higher in winter when they descend to lower elevations and are easier to spot from the Ring Road. Whales are present year-round at Reykjavik harbor but the richest species mix (including humpbacks) is June through August. Your specialist shapes the trip around your priority species.
The Eastfjords are the least-visited part of Iceland — most first-time travelers don’t make it past Jokulsarlon — and the landscape reflects that: narrow coastal roads clinging to fjord walls, small fishing harbors (Djupivogur, Seydisfjordur, Breiddalsvik) with almost no tourist infrastructure beyond the essentials, and a genuine sense of remoteness the west side of the island doesn’t have. This is exactly why serious photographers and wildlife travelers go. The 8-day itinerary handles the distance by using the Egilsstadir → Reykjavik domestic flight on Day 7 (55 minutes) instead of the 10-hour return drive; this leaves a meaningful Day 7 for the puffin colony and reindeer country, plus a final evening in Reykjavik before departure.
Yes. Solheimajokull is an outlet glacier of the Myrdalsjokull ice cap on the South Coast, with a well-marked guided route on the accessible terminus. The walk is led by a certified Icelandic Mountain Guide, takes about 3 hours total (1.5 hours actually on the ice), and the ice-walking gear — crampons, ice axe, helmet — is provided at the trailhead along with instruction. Fitness level required is moderate; any healthy adult who can walk on uneven terrain for a few hours can do it. Age minimum is typically 10. Your specialist books the small-group or private guided option depending on preference.
Yes, several. The driver-guide on this itinerary is briefed that the trip is photography-forward — which means early-morning starts when the light is directional rather than flat, flexibility to wait when a shot is developing, and advance knowledge of the right angle at sites like Vestrahorn (best at low tide with wet sand reflections), Gullfoss (morning for the rainbow), and Jokulsarlon (blue hour before sunrise when the icebergs glow internally). The car has space for tripods and camera bags. Winter travelers should bring dry bags and lens-changing protection since the conditions at waterfall mist zones are genuinely wet. Your specialist can also arrange a dedicated photography guide instead of a generalist driver-guide for a supplementary fee.
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“Cannot recommend enough! Taryn was amazing to work with and allowed us to see all of the best views in Iceland. Even with a few hiccups in our trip (nothing that they could control), everything was figured out and redirected seamlessly.”
Jennifer M. · Iceland Photography Tour · Verified Google Review
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