Day trip · pickup in Reykjavík
Katla Ice Cave Tour from Reykjavík
One long day down the south coast: waterfalls on the way, a Super Jeep across the black sand and an hour or more in the blue ice. Pickup in the city, back in the evening.
- From
- €239 per person
- Day
- 10–12 h pickup included
- Day trips
- 4 +1 Vík tour with pickup
The road · Route 1 east
- ReykjavíkPickup
- HvolsvöllurCoffee stop
- SeljalandsfossWaterfall
- SkógafossWaterfall
- Vík187 km
- Katla ice caveSuper Jeep + ice
Quick answer
A Katla ice cave tour from Reykjavík is a 10–12 hour day trip with pickup in the city. Every one of the four day trips stops at Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss — some on the way out, some on the way back — and two add a black-sand beach. Prices start at €239; food is not included.
Updated Nov 2026 · 4 day trips compared · itineraries and prices checked Nov 2026
Key takeaways
- 187 km each way to Vík, about 2.5 h without stops
- 10 h on the shortest trip, 12 h on most
- €239–285 per person
- 30 min to 3 h at the cave, depending on the trip
- Free cancellation up to 24 h before
Katla ice cave and south coast tour from Reykjavík
Four day trips, the same road, different stops. Read across a row to see where each trip stops and for how long; read down a column to see who stops where.
| Day trip | Hvolsvöllurcoffee stop | Seljalandsfosswaterfall | Skógafosswaterfall | Víkvillage | Katla ice cavethe main event | Black-sand beach | Price · book |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Small-group day tripOperator not stated · 10 h4.7812 reviewsDay shown below Book now | — | 25 minway back | 25 minway back | 30 minbreak | 30 minin the cave + 2 h off-road | 30 minVíkurfjara | €239per person iCheck availability |
 Ice cave & south coast day tripArctic Adventures · 12 h4.71,378 reviewsSee the day Book now | 20 minbreak | 25 minway back | 30 minway out | 30 minbreak | 2.5 hjeep, glacier, cave | — | €249per person iCheck availability |
 Minibus day tourOperator not stated · 12 h4.9222 reviewsSee the day Book now | 15 minbreak | 30 minway out | 40 minway out | — | 3 hjeep, hike, cave | 40 minReynisfjara | €254per person iCheck availability |
 Bus day tourBusTravel Iceland · 11 h4.6224 reviewsSee the day Book now | 15 minoptional | 30 minway back | 30 minway back | 30 minoptional | 3 hjeep, walk, cave | — | €273per person iCheck availability |
Book straight from the table, or open “See the day” for the hour-by-hour plan. On a phone, swipe → for every stop.
Source · each tour’s itinerary on GetYourGuide, Nov 2026 · operators note itineraries are for reference and can change
Katla ice cave day tour from Reykjavík, hour by hour
Operator not stated · 10 h
Small-group day trip
Listed itinerary · 8 h 30 min of a 10 h day, pickup and drop-off rounds take the rest
- 0:00South coast drive, guided2 h
- 2:00VíkBreak and photo stop30 min
- 2:30Off-road to the glacier1 h
- 3:30Katla ice caveGuided, in the cave30 min
- 4:00Víkurfjara black-sand beach30 min
- 4:30Off-road back1 h
- 5:30Drive20 min
- 5:50SkógafossPhoto stop25 min
- 6:15Drive20 min
- 6:35SeljalandsfossPhoto stop25 min
- 7:00Back to Reykjavík1 h 30 min
Whichever trip you pick, it is a long but easy day. About five hours are on the road, with Wi-Fi on board on most trips, and the drive is broken by the waterfalls and a stop in Hvolsvöllur or Vík. Food is not included on any of them, so bring snacks or budget for a meal in Vík.
The order matters in winter. Arctic Adventures stops at Skógafoss on the way out and Seljalandsfoss on the way back; the minibus tour does both waterfalls in the morning; the small-group and BusTravel trips leave both for the return. If daylight photos at the falls matter to you, pick a trip that stops there on the way out.
Time at the cave varies more than the price: three hours on the minibus and BusTravel trips (jeep, walk and cave together), two and a half on Arctic Adventures, and 30 minutes inside the cave on the small-group trip, plus an hour of off-road driving each way.
Itineraries · GetYourGuide (543542, 941274, 617259, 599627) · distance · Guide to Iceland · Nov 2026
Reykjavík to Katla ice cave tour: day trip or drive yourself?
Answer three questions and compare the tour cost for your group.
If you have a car, driving to Vík and joining a three-hour tour there is usually cheaper and gives you more freedom. Tours from Vík cost €158–260 per person, against €239–285 for the day trips.
The trade-off is the driving: 187 km each way, about 2.5 hours without stops, and in winter the road can be icy, dark and windy. Car hire and fuel come on top, so for one person the saving can disappear.
A day trip is the better choice if you do not want to drive in winter, travel alone or have only one free day. Driving wins for groups sharing a car, or if you want a night on the south coast.
Do you have a car?
How many of you?
When are you going?
Our suggestion
Book a day trip
- No car needed — pickup in Reykjavík
- Waterfalls, a black-sand stop on some trips and the cave in one day
- €478 for 2 people — no fuel, no 374 km drive
Tour prices only, cheapest options, per GetYourGuide Nov 2026. Car hire and fuel are not included.
Compare the day tripsDistance · Guide to Iceland · prices · GetYourGuide · Nov 2026
Pickup in Reykjavík: hotel, bus stop or cruise port
Every day trip includes pickup, but where you are collected differs. Your confirmation names the exact stop and time — check it the evening before.
Small-group day trip
Choose the nearest at booking
from €239 per person
Ice cave & south coast day trip
9:00 · hotels, bus stops #1, #4, #6, #9 and #12, Hallgrímskirkja, Skarfabakki cruise terminal
from €249 per person
Minibus day tour
Listed as Miðborg, Reykjavík’s centre
from €254 per person
Bus day tour
Walk to Bus Stop #12 Höfðatorg for €273, or take the hotel transfer for €285
from €273 per person
Super Jeep tour + Reykjavík pickup
The most-booked Vík tour, sold with pickup and waterfall stops
from €249 per person
Source · GetYourGuide pickup lists and options · Nov 2026
Live availability
Ice cave & south coast day trip · 12 h
Pickup from 27 points — check which days still have seats.
Katla ice cave tour from Reykjavík: questions
Is there an Iceland Katla ice cave tour from Reykjavík with pickup?
Yes — all four day trips include pickup in Reykjavík, from a hotel, a numbered bus stop or the city centre. Arctic Adventures also sells its Vík Super Jeep tour with pickup from 26 locations for €249.
How long is the day trip?
10 hours on the small-group trip, 11 on BusTravel, 12 on the Arctic Adventures and minibus tours. About five of those hours are driving.
Which waterfalls do you see?
Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss on all four. The minibus tour visits both on the way out; Arctic Adventures one each way; the small-group and BusTravel trips both on the way back.
Which day trip stops at a black-sand beach?
The minibus tour stops at Reynisfjara for 40 minutes and the small-group trip at Víkurfjara beach in Vík for 30 minutes.
Is food included?
No. None of the day trips includes meals. Most stop in Vík or Hvolsvöllur, where you can buy food; bring water and snacks.
Should I drive to Vík instead?
If you have a car and do not mind winter driving, a Vík tour is cheaper (from €158) and shorter. Without a car, or alone, the day trip is simpler.
What if the tour is cancelled for weather?
The operator may cancel or change plans for safety. You can cancel for free up to 24 hours before on every trip listed here.
Sources
Every price and rating comes from the tour’s own GetYourGuide page; other facts from the sources below. Live dates and seats are only in the booking widget.
- GetYourGuide product pages4 day trips: itineraries, prices, pickup, ratings, reviewsNov 2026
- GetYourGuide (135519)Vík Super Jeep tour with Reykjavík pickupNov 2026
- Guide to IcelandDistance Reykjavík → VíkNov 2026
Book your day trip
Shortest and cheapest: the small-group trip, €239. Longest at the cave and best rated: the minibus tour, €254.