About us
Who are we?
Specializes in tailor-made private & luxury tours and all kinds of day trips around Iceland. Open schedule tours or private
Southcoast Adventure was established in 2009 by Þorgerður Guðmundsdóttir and Ársæll Hauksson. To begin with, there was just ONE jeep that was used to offer trips to tourists and mostly Icelanders who wanted to see more of their beautiful country. 2 years later, their first member of staff was hired. The company today has 28 vehicles of all shapes and sizes, including snowmobiles and 4×4 buggies.
Initially, daily trips were offered to Eyjafjallajökul, Þórsmörk, and Fimmvörðuháls. Today the company has grown considerably and daily trips are offered in many vehicles to many destinations; snowmobile and buggy trips; twice, daily departures to the ice cave; trips transporting luggage for those clients who are doing hikes to the various glaciers, mountains, and the interior; glacier ice-hikes as well as those up mountains and further inland.
All of this as well as custom-made trips/adventures for those who have a thirst for something off the beaten track. Many of the staff are also active members of the local Search and Rescue and this obviously is an added bonus when dealing with Icelandic nature and the sometimes rugged environment. Thankfully their special skills have not often been called upon but it is a reassuring skill to have.
No two days are the same and there is always a feeling of excitement for the next day at work and what adventures it may bring. The company prides itself on building incredible trips and memories for all of our clients, both locals and foreigners. Staff/guides are always encouraged to extend their knowledge as much as possible so that all clients are satisfied and the company aims to always improve their service. As mentioned, most of the staff/guides are from the surrounding areas – this is a huge advantage as it means that when needs arise, the local knowledge makes for a more comfortable working environment.
Our guides
Our guides are passionate about Icelandic nature, geography, history, sagas and folk stories and provide enlightening entertainment along the way. They are locals who have grown up with the Icelandic nature surrounding them and are dedicated to sharing their love of it with you!
Contact us now for further information on what we can offer, or if you want to create your own adventure. We will make it happen.
Our guides
Our guides are passionate about Icelandic nature, geography, history, sagas and folk stories and provide enlightening entertainment along the way. They are locals who have grown up with the Icelandic nature surrounding them and are dedicated to sharing their love of it with you!
Contact us now for further information on what we can offer, or if you want to create your own adventure. We will make it happen.
The staff
Ársæll Hauksson Sæli
Owner & Driver Guide
Þorgerður Guðmundsdóttir (Gogga)
Owner & Billing
Sigurbjörg Fríða Ólafsdóttir (Sigga Fríða)
Head of Sales & Marketing
Þröstur Ólafsson
Operations
Ana Costa
Customer Service
Sigrún Þórarinsdóttir
Customer Service
Sigrún Þórarinsdóttir
Accounting & Finance Department
Narfi Hrafn Þorbergsson
Driver & Guide
Alex Daníel
Driver & Guide
Andreas
Driver & Guide
Atli
Driver & Guide
Baldur
Driver & Guide
Bernhard
Driver & Guide
Davíð Geir Jónasson
Driver & Guide
Eiður Smári
Driver & Guide
Einar Vignir
Driver & Guide
Elías Rúnar
Driver & Guide
Elvar Páll
Driver & Guide
Eric Lacour
Driver & Guide
Geirmundur Klein
Driver & Guide
Guðjón Þór
Driver & Guide
Guðni Ragnarsson
Driver & Guide
Guðný Eiríksdóttir
Driver & Guide
Halldór Scheving
Driver & Guide
Haukur
Mechanic
Haukur Þorsteinsson
Driver & Guide
Helgi Thorsteinsson
Driver & Guide
Ingibjörg Eiríksdóttir (Íbí)
Driver & Guide
Ingimar Skjóldal
Driver & Guide
Ingvar Hafberg
Driver & Guide
Jakob Már
Driver & Guide
Jón Tryggvi
Driver & Guide
Kari
Driver & Guide
Kristófer Ragnarsson
Driver & Guide
Lóa
Driver & Guide
Magnus Denisson
Buggy/Snowmobile Guide
Magnús Thoroddsen Ívarsson
Driver & Guide
Margrét Jónsdóttir
Driver & Guide
Maria
Driver & Guide
Mímir
Driver & Guide
Ómar Baldursson
Driver & Guide
Rakel Rún
Driver & Guide
Róbert Jan Roszkowski
Mechanic
Róbert Schmidt
Driver & Guide
Sigurður Jón Björgvinsson
Drive & Guide
Skúli Már Gunnarsson
Drive & Guide
Stefán Arngrímsson
Drive & Guide
Stefán Haukur
Drive & Guide
Stefán Markússon
Drive & Guide
Steinþór Birgisson
Drive & Guide
Victor Soares
Buggy/Snowmobile Guide
Viðar Helgason
Driver & Guide
Our cars
Super Jeeps
Stella
Bóthildur
Katla
Hallgerður
Fosstinn
Baldur
Eiríkur
Henry
Ingibjörg
Saga
Gurrý
Lára
Snáðinn
Helga B.
Anna
Birna
Mæja
Beggi
Steini
Ingólfur
Lína
Hámundur
Alla
Hekla
Geirmundur Heljarskinn
Rakel
SUV’s
Stína
Frikki
Þórður
Valdi
Buggies, Snowmobiles & more
Buggies
Snowmobiles
Dagmar
Blær
Frequently Asked Questions
FAQ
Payment Policy
Booking and payment of tours
You can pay and book through the internet, through our website. This is by far the easiest, safest and fastest way to reserve and pay for your adventure.
You can also contact us via email at info@southadventure.is
You can book and pay via phone, the phone number is +354 867 3535
Sometimes you can pay when you arrive, but this is only possible in special circumstances.
All our tours are available as Private Tours
You can make the most of your valuable time in Iceland by choosing the option of a customized private tour.
If you are travelling independently, with your family, a group of friends or colleagues, private tours are designed to cater to your specific interests and time constraints.
The price for all private tours is an additional 80.000 ISK with a minimum of 3 persons.
Small group
If otherwise not stated, for most of our tours the max guide to client ratio is 1:14
Minimum number of passengers
There is a minimum of 2 people for most of our trips. We usually run the trips on the guaranteed departure dates. If you are interested in some trips and are travelling solo we can put you on a waiting list and contact you if more people book the trip.
Few of our tours have a minimum of 3 persons. The reason for this is the nature and logistics of the tour. We can put you on a waiting list and contact you if more people book the trip.
Currency exchange
All prices are in ISK (Icelandic Krona) and all invoices are in ISK.
If requests are in any other billing currency, Southcoast Adventure reserves the right to add an exchange surcharge to the package price before the final payment has been made in case of any currency fluctuations. After the final payment has been made, no surcharges will be applicable.
All adventure trips are weather and condition depended and we reserve the right to change your itinerary or cancel your trip last minute with your safety in mind.
Cancellations & refunds
Day tours:
Cancellations with more than 48hrs notice before departure of the trip will be refunded fully.
Cancellations with less than 48hrs notice before departure of the trip will not be refunded.
Multi-day tours:
Cancellations with more than 42 days before departure leaves you with an 80% refund of multi-day tours. 20% is non-refundable, due to the fact that arrangements have already been made for you on the trip.
Cancellations less than 42 days before departure leave you with a 50% refund. 50% are non-refundable, due to the fact that arrangements have already been made for you on the trip.
Cancellations with less than 72 hrs notice are non-refundable.
In case of a no-show on any of our trips, refunds will not be made.
All cancellation fees held by Southcoast Adventure are only intended to cover our direct cost of canceling your tour.
All complaints must reach Southcoast Adventure within 5 days from completion of your tour. Otherwise, possible compensation is not valid.
Safety
Weather conditions
In Iceland, all itineraries are designed to be flexible taking weather conditions into account. All adventure trips and outdoor activities are weather and condition dependent and we reserve the right to change your itinerary or cancel your trip with your safety in mind. At Southcoast Adventure your safety is our priority.
Please keep in mind that the weather changes fast on our northern island and with it, conditions change. Our guides are specially trained to deal with changing conditions and their number one priority is to make decisions with your safety in mind.
Please be aware of this and respect your guide’s authority to do so. This is especially valid for winter travel in Iceland.
Assumed risk
All adventures and glacier tours are undertaken on the responsibility of its participants. Southcoast Adventure does not assume any responsibility for accidents that are caused by its customers or can be traced to their own actions. All customers are to realize that all outdoor activities carry an inherent risk.
Appropriate footwear and suitable outdoor clothing must be worn.
We reserve the right to refuse participation to clients we believe are under the influence of alcohol or drugs, in such circumstances no refunds shall be given.
Our guides reserve the right to refuse participation to any customer whose conduct or manner is likely to cause offense, upset, or put other passengers in danger.
All adventure trips are undertaken on the responsibility of its participants. Southcoast Adventure does not assume any responsibility for accidents that are caused by its customers or can be traced to their own actions.
Personal belongings
Passengers are responsible for the safety of their own belongings. We accept no responsibility for loss or damage to personal belongings or baggage.
Travel insurance
A few words about travel insurance
As with any and all world travel, we strongly recommend that you buy a travel insurance policy in your home country that covers your cost should you have to cancel on short notice. This kind of travel insurance is not expensive and frequently covers other risks. In general, travel insurances are a good idea to have when you are on the move in the world.
Age limit
The age limit for all our tours is 6 years old. If you have children under the age of 6 years old, please contact us and we can discuss which tours could be suitable for your child.
What is the age limit to go snowmobiling?
To drive the snowmobile, you need a valid international car driver’s license. For sitting at the back of the snowmobile, the age limit is 6 years old.
Pickup and Drop-off
If you need pickup and dropoff, please see the prices below:
Hvolsvöllur and Hella
(all postcodes apart from 850, 851, 860, and 861):
Pickup: 2.500 ISK per person
Drop-off: 2.500 ISK per person
Pickups start 30 minutes before tour departure time.
Selfoss and Vík
Postcodes 800, 801, 870, and 871:
Pickup: 5.000 ISK per person
Drop-Off: 5.000 ISK per person
Selfoss and Vík Hotel pickups start at 09:00, for 10:00 departure.
Reykjavík and surroundings
Pickup: 10.000 ISK per person
Drop-Off: 10.000 ISK per person
Reykjavík Hotel pickups start at 08:00, for 10:00 departure.
PLEASE NOTE Not valid for snowmobiling, buggy, or Katla ice cave tours.
Brú base and other meeting points
***Please note! Your trip may have a different meeting point. See your meeting point under "Departure" on the specified trip***.
Our main meeting point is:
Brú Base
Road 249 ( 3 km past Seljalandsfoss )
Tel: +354 867 3535
Email: info@southadventure.is
Special meeting points:
Private glacier hike & Private Ice climbing:
Sólheimajökull, road 221
Katla Ice Cave:
Vík (outside of the building at the corner of Ice Cave Bisto Cafe)
Landmannalaugar:
Bus Stop Hella
Please contact us for customized pickups and departures.
Difficulty Ratings
Easy, moderate, challenging …
What does this really mean? Below you can read the definitions we use for our ratings. We hope this will help you get an idea of the trip difficulty to make sure you choose a trip that suits you best.
Easy
Suitable for most people in fair condition. You have to be able to walk on uneven surfaces and hike for at least 2 – 3 hours at a slow pace, with breaks. Trails are generally of good quality and glaciers travel at a relatively low angle.
Moderate
Suitable for those in good condition who are able to walk for about 4 hours at a low or moderate pace. Trails are generally of good quality and glaciers travel at a relatively low angle.
Challenging
For someone in good hiking condition and with experience of hiking. Trails are generally in fair conditions but some parts of the tour might be off track. Glacier/snow travel can be on uneven ground with challenging sections. Increased distance. We recommend guests have the ability to cover 12 km a day on rugged trails and snow.
Demanding
Only a few of our trips are defined as Demanding. Hence most of our tours are rated Easy, moderate, or challenging.
Demanding tours are for someone in very good hiking and physical condition. Trails are generally in fair conditions but large sections of the tour might be off track. Glacier/snow travel on uneven ground with some challenging sections. Increased distance. We recommend guests have the ability to cover 20 km a day on uneven trails and snow. A significant increase in elevation and some technical difficulty should be expected.
Equipment list
Equipment needed can vary greatly from season to season as well as the length of your tour. The following list can be used as a guideline for our trekking, hiking, and longer Snowmobile tours in Iceland.
Try to pack as lightly as possible and take only essentials. Excess baggage can be a burden to you and to our support crew. Keep in mind that there are limits on how much your duffel bag can weigh because the weight restrictions on international and domestic flights are usually around 20 kg.
Luggage for Multiday tours and longer journeys with assistance vehicle
An extra bag clearly marked with your name can be kept at your Reykjavik accommodation.
Large duffel bag (60/80 liters) sturdy and water-resistant, not exceeding 15 kg
Daypack (30 to 50 liters)
Clothing
You will need to bring comfortable and adequate clothing to protect you from the cold and wet weather. Wool, synthetics, and wool/synthetic blends are good. We discourage the use of cotton, as this does not insulate against cold or wet conditions. When camping, tents are provided. You will be responsible for bringing your mattress and sleeping bag.
When layering, the innermost layer should be long underwear. The middle layer can be a synthetic turtleneck or wool shirt, and pants. The outermost layer should be a synthetic jacket, and/or a good quality Gore-Tex wind/rain parka and over-pants.
For quantities for each item listed, use your own judgment, based on the expected weather conditions and overall packing/weight restrictions for your luggage.
- Regular underwear. Synthetics are easier to wash and dry
- Synthetic or wool thermal underwear
- Long-sleeved, synthetic, or wool shirt
- Short-sleeved synthetic or cotton/synthetic T-shirts
- Medium-weight synthetic fleece sweater or jacket
- Full-length pants, quick-drying synthetic fabric
- Down jacket from mid-August to September (optional)
- Hiking shorts, quick-drying synthetic fabric
- Pile/fleece pants, ideal for around the camp
- Sun & rain hat
- Woolen hat
- Gloves (wool or pile)
- Waterproofed shell gloves
- Medium-weight synthetic socks
- Gore-Tex rain/wind parka
- Gore-Tex rain/wind pants
- Hiking boots, medium-weight, all leather, with padded ankle, good arch support, and a lug sole traction. – —Your hiking boots should be waterproof, well broken in, and suitable for rocky terrain or possibly snow.
- Comfortable shoes to wear when not hiking.
- Teva-type sandals and/or neoprene socks/shoes for river crossing. Absolutely recommended!
- Gaiters. Highly recommended!
Travel Accessories
- Comfortable sleeping bag +10°C to –10°C
- Sleeping mattress (recommended)
- Pillow if you can’t sleep without it (optional)
- 1-to-2 liters capacity unbreakable water bottle or thermos
- Headlamp or small flashlight with spare batteries (daylight getting shorter around August)
- Toiletry kit—soap, toothbrush, etc.
- Sunglasses
- Spare pair of prescription glasses, prescription sunglasses, or contact lenses (but not only lenses)
- Sunscreen and lip protection (The sun in Iceland is much more intense than you probably imagine)
- Personal first aid kit
Optional Travel Accessories
- Hiking poles. Highly recommended
- Binoculars
- Repair kit with needle, thread, and safety pins
- Your favorite snack food such as raisins or chocolate
- Protein supplements for vegetarian
1 or 2 good bottles of wine or a bottle of something stronger
Additional gear for backpacking tours
- 1 set of eating utensils with a bowl
- Pocketknife – multi-tool
- Thermo bottle 0.75L – 1L
Participants responsibility
All adventures and glacier tours are undertaken on the responsibility of the participants. Southcoast Adventure does not assume any responsibility for accidents that are caused by its customers or can be traced to their own actions. All customers are to realize that all outdoor activities carry an inherent risk.
Southcoast Adventure cannot be held responsible for any loss or damage to personal property that participants choose to bring with them while participating in activities.