The Snæfellsnes Peninsula in a Day

Snæfellsjökull, the coast at Arnarstapi, Djúpalónssandur and Kirkjufell, and how the long day works

Snæfellsnes
Day trips
Planning

September 24, 20264 min read

The Snæfellsnes peninsula, north-west of Reykjavík, packs a glacier-capped volcano, sea cliffs, black beaches and one of Iceland's most photographed mountains into a single day. It is a long day: driving the usual loop takes about eight hours before any stops, so a tour runs to twelve hours or more.

Snæfellsjökull and the National Park

At the tip of the peninsula stands Snæfellsjökull, an active stratovolcano about 1,446 metres high with a glacier on its summit. It is the glacier where Jules Verne's explorers climb down into the earth in Journey to the Centre of the Earth. The land around it has been Snæfellsjökull National Park since 2001.

The park charges a single service fee, paid with the parking and valid in the whole park until midnight: at the time of writing, 1,100 ISK for a car with up to five seats.

Búðir, Arnarstapi and Hellnar

On the south coast of the peninsula, the small black church at Búðir stands alone in a lava field. The first church here was built in 1703, and the present one dates from 1848.

The small black wooden church at Búðir with a white door, under a clear blue sky — Búðakirkja, the black church at Búðir.

Further west, the coast between Arnarstapi and Hellnar has been protected since 1979: lava cliffs shaped by the surf, with sea arches such as Gatklettur at Arnarstapi. A coastal path of about 2.5 km links the two villages, roughly 45 minutes to an hour on foot each way. Arnarstapi was once a trading post, and Hellnar was for centuries one of the largest fishing stations under the glacier.

A rocky coastline with grassy lava outcrops and a small white house above the sea — Lava and sea on the south coast of the peninsula.

Lóndrangar and Djúpalónssandur

Around the tip of the peninsula, Lóndrangar are two rock pillars, 75 and 61 metres high, the remains of a crater worn away by the sea; an easy path leads to them from the car park, about a kilometre there and back.

Rock pillars rising on a green coastal plain beside the sea under a grey sky — Rock pillars on the western coast of the peninsula.

Djúpalónssandur is a black pebble beach reached through a lava gorge. On the beach are four old lifting stones, from 23 to 154 kg, once used to test the strength of fishermen, and the rusting iron of the trawler Epine GY-7, which ran aground nearby in 1948. A path of about a kilometre continues to Dritvík, where hundreds of seasonal fishermen once lived. The surf here is heavy and the undertow strong: wading and swimming are forbidden, so stay well back from the water.

Kirkjufell

On the north coast near Grundarfjörður, Kirkjufell rises 463 metres above the sea, with the small Kirkjufellsfoss waterfalls in front of it; this is the view most visitors come for. Admire the mountain from below. Climbing it is dangerous: there have been fatal falls, and climbing is forbidden in winter. Parking at the waterfall is paid through an app.

On the Way: Ytri-Tunga

On the way out, the beach at Ytri-Tunga is a good place to see seals, which can be seen there all year. Keep at least 50 metres from them, 100 metres if there are pups, and never stand between a seal and the sea.

Where to Stop for Lunch

Choose a lunch stop that fits the direction you are driving, rather than adding another detour to an already long day.

Snjófell, Arnarstapi: A restaurant focused on ingredients from the surrounding area. Its location makes it a practical stop before or after exploring the coastal paths at Arnarstapi.
Arnarbær, Arnarstapi: The same operator lists pizza and fish and chips here, offering another option when your route brings you through the village.
Sker, Ólafsvík: An option on the north side of the peninsula. The restaurant advertises a weekday lunch buffet; check its current lunch menu and serving times before setting off.

Opening hours and menus can change with the season. Confirm lunch service directly, especially in winter, and contact the restaurant ahead if you are travelling with a group or need dietary arrangements.

Planning the Day

Borgarnes, on the way to the peninsula, is about an hour and a quarter from Reykjavík, and the round trip is roughly 460 km. Around the winter solstice there are fewer than four hours of daylight at the western end, so much of a winter day is driven in the dark. Check the road conditions on umferdin.is and the weather on en.vedur.is before you leave, keep your headlights on, and never stop on the road for a photograph. The emergency number is 112.

On our private tour your guide drives the whole loop and adjusts the stops to the weather and the light.