We picked this combination tour so that we could visit key locations in the South Coast including Seljalandsfoss Waterfall, Skogafoss Waterfall, Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach and Reynisdrangar Basalt Sea Stacks. The pit stops were relatively short but we didn’t mind it too much as the highlight for us was the Solheimajokull Glacier hike which was around 3 hours. For the hike itself we would recommend proper hiking shoes with good ankle support and then adequate clothing (we went during winter so we had to layer up). The Artic Adventure staff at the glacier are ever so friendly and it just topped off the experience. They help you check your clothing and provide hiking crampons and a pickaxe. We would just say that the hike is although relatively manageable it still involves hiking up and down crevices and at times steep slopes. The views at the plateau of the glacier are absolutely breathtaking in winter and definitely worth the visit - We’ve never seen something quite like this!
In terms of things we felt could have been improved - the website itself says lunch is not provided and to bring our own food, but when we got to the Black Sand Beach there was a little cafe that was serving hot food which we would have preferred especially in the cold. The biggest downfall for us was our driver/tour guide. There was a huge difference from this experience compared to other companies we used during our stay in Iceland where others shared local anecdotes, history and facts to make the trip more interesting, whereas our tour guide was more of a driver bringing us to point A to B. I understand we were running on a strict schedule which was probably more difficult to maintain with poorer driving conditions in the snow but he did make it very obvious he was frustrated with some of the other group members. At times we asked questions he came across rather unfriendly and it did ruin the experience for us but thankfully the glacier walk made the trip worth it. The website also sells that the tour includes highlights to see the Eyjafjallajokull Glacier / Volcano view and the Hekla Volcano view which we didn’t have as part of our tour. Im unsure if that was because of bad weather and visibility during winter but it would have been nice to know if this wasn’t possible.
Unfortunately our northern lights tour had to be cancelled which we already expected that evening due to the aurora forecast but thankfully we managed with another tour company earlier in the trip.
All in all we would still recommend this trip if you’re keen on visiting the South Coast and doing a glacier walk as not many tours provide this (as far as we could find) as it is definitely worth it, but as long as you’re aware of what we’ve mentioned above.