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Travel by Example - Perfect One Day Trip to Snæfellsnes Peninsula

Perfect One Day Trip to Snaefellsnes Peninsula in Iceland

Posted on September 18, 2021August 17, 2022
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Snaefellsnes Peninsula is a region in western Iceland famous for its beautiful landscapes and natural sights. There are many things to see and do in Snaefellsnes – from mountains and volcanoes, to waterfalls, scenic beaches and dramatic cliffs. Whether you are travelling around Iceland or just having a few days in Reykjavik the Snaefellsnes Peninsula is a must see destination in Iceland. In this article we’d like to share the itinerary for a Perfect One Day Trip to Snaefellsnes Peninsula.  

How to get to Snaefellsnes Peninsula

The easiest way to see Snaefellsnes Peninsula is by car (you can rent a car at Reykjavik via Rentalcars.com). If you are travelling from Reykjavik take the Ring Road (route 1) until you reach Borgarnes and then turn onto Route 54. It takes about 2.5 hours to reach western part of the peninsula.

Always check road conditions and weather alerts, especially during colder months of the year. Use road.is and safetravel.is to find out the road conditions and weather alerts before you drive. Don’t forget to keep headlights on when driving – that’s required at all times and all year round in Iceland.

Driving in Snæfellsnes Peninsula
Driving in Snaefellsnes Peninsula

Alternatively you can visit Snaefellsnes Peninsula on a group bus tour. Here are few options to pick from:

We visited Snæfellsnes Peninsula in summer as part of our Road Trip Around Iceland. Thanks to Iceland’s long daylight hours in summer, we’ve seen everything on our itinerary within just one day. If you plan to stay a night in Snaefellsnes Peninsula we recommend booking well in advance as there are not that many options for accommodation in Snæfellsnes.

Here are the top things to see and do on a Perfect one day trip to Snaefellsnes Peninsula.

Kirkjufell and Kirkjufellsfoss

One of the most popular places to visit in Snæfellsnes Peninsula is the mountain of Kirkjufell. 

Kirkjufell is a 463 m high mountain on the north coast of Snaefellsnes peninsula, near the town of Grundarfjörður. It’s the iconic mountain you’ve seen on many postcards, souvenirs and ads about Iceland. 

Name of Kirkjufell translates to English as ‘Church mountain’, as apparently its shape resembles a church. In the olden days it was also called ‘the sugar top’ by Danish sailors. 

Perfect one day trip to Snæfellsnes Peninsula - Kirkjufell mountain
Perfect one day trip to Snaefellsnes Peninsula – Kirkjufell mountain

The lowest part of Kirkjufell is believed to be formed more than one million years ago – early in the Ice Age. It contains fossils of the organisms that lived during the Ice Age. The upper part of the mountain formed during later periods of the Ice Age with lava layers stacking on top of each other, and later formed by glacier erosion.

Park the car at Kirkjufellsfoss Parking Lot and walk towards a small waterfall – Kirkjufellsfoss. There are few nice spots with the views to Kirkjufell and Kirkjufellsfoss.

Kirkjufellsfoss waterfall, Snæfellsnes Peninsula
Kirkjufellsfoss waterfall, Snæfellsnes Peninsula

It’s a nice place to walk around and simply admire the views and the nature. We came to Kirkjufell early in the morning and there were very few other people. We enjoyed our morning coffee in that beautiful spot, spent some time walking around and taking pictures, and then went off to the next destination on our perfect one day trip to Snaefellsnes Peninsula – Ondverdarnes.

Ondverdarnes, Svortuloft Lighthouse and Skarðsvík Beach

Ondverdarnes is the westernmost point of Snaefellsnes peninsula and in the olden days it was a center of the fishing industry. It is a long narrow piece of land surrounded by large lava fields on one side and the Atlantic ocean on the other side. 

Cliffs of Ondverdarnes, Snaefellsnes peninsula
Cliffs of Ondverdarnes, Snaefellsnes peninsula

At the southern point of Ondverdarnes stands Svortuloft Lighthouse – a 6 meter tall bright orange building. The road to the lighthouse is narrow and windy – take extra care when driving – and ends with a tiny parking lot. Walk to the Svortuloft Lighthouse to enjoy the views over the coastline’s cliffs and the ocean.

Svortuloft Lighthouse, Ondverdarnes
Svortuloft Lighthouse, Ondverdarnes

Another point of interest in Ondverdarnes is Skarðsvík Beach. It’s one of the few beaches in Iceland that have yellow sand. Make a stop there to stretch your legs on the way to Svortuloft lighthouse.

Skarðsvík Beach on the way to Svortuloft Lighthouse
Skarðsvík Beach on the way to Svortuloft Lighthouse

Djupalonssandur beach

Djupalonssandur beach is marked on Google Maps as ‘black-sand beach with a shipwreck’. But it’s much more than that. There are pretty cool rock formations, black sand and pebbles, a small lagoon and nice surrounding cliffs.

Djupalonssandur beach, Snæfellsnes Peninsula
Djupalonssandur beach, Snæfellsnes Peninsula

From the carpark make your way to the beach via a narrow pathway among the rocky formations. Among others there is a nice big lava rock with a hole in the middle – called Gatklettur rock.

Rocky pathway to Djupalonssandur beach
Rocky pathway to Djupalonssandur beach
Lava rock with a hole in the middle on the way to Djupalonssandur beach
Lava rock with a hole in the middle on the way to Djupalonssandur beach

You can take a pathway to the right to enter the beach from the side of a small lagoon – Djúpulón (Deep Lagoon). Turn back and admire the views over the lagoons and lava formations towards the Snæfellsjökull volcano:

Lake on Djupalonssandur beach with the views to Snæfellsjökull volcano
Lake on Djupalonssandur beach with the views to Snæfellsjökull volcano

As you enter the beach you will notice four distinctive stones of different sizes laying together. They are Aflraunasteinar – Steinatök or Icelandic lifting-stones. It was a tradition in Iceland to measure the strength of fishermen by lifting the heavy stones.

Another thing you will notice is the old and rusty pieces of metal spread all over the beach. Those are the remains of a British trawler, which was wrecked in the area in 1948.

Remains of a shipwreck on Djupalonssandur beach, Iceland
Remains of a shipwreck on Djupalonssandur beach, Iceland

If you visit with children they would love to play with pebbles and explore fancy rock formations on the beach. 

Bizarre rock formations on Djupalonssandur beach
Bizarre rock formations on Djupalonssandur beach

We really liked Djupalonssandur beach and it easily became one of our favourite places in Snæfellsnes Peninsula.

Travel by Example - Perfect one day trip to Snæfellsnes Peninsula
Travel by Example – Perfect one day trip to Snæfellsnes Peninsula

Londrangar

Next point of interest is Londrangar. Londrangar is a pair of rock pillars on the southern coast of Snæfellsnes Peninsula. Park your car at the Lóndrangar Parking and take a short walk to the viewing platform above the cliffs.

Basalt rocks of Londrangar, Iceland
Basalt rocks of Londrangar, Iceland

Londrangar pillars and the surrounding cliffs are inhabited by birds. Local legends say that the area around Londrangar is also inhabited by elves. Unfortunately, we haven’t seen any elves but at least we’ve watched wildlife birds from the viewing platform.

Cliffs of Londrangar are inhabited by birds
Cliffs of Londrangar are inhabited by birds

Another option to see Londrangar pillars is to park at Snaefellsjokull National Park D.I.O and walk towards Malarrif lighthouse. From there you will see the pillars from their western side, or walk further all the way to Londrangar to see them up close.

Arnarstapi

Arnarstapi is a small village a short drive from Londrangar. It’s a popular tourist destination for its bizarre rock formations on the coast, one of which is Gatklettur – a stone arch or a bridge naturally formed due to erosion.

When in Arnarstapi check out a statue made of stacked up rocks – Bárðar Saga Snæfellsáss Statue, and find a monument to Jules Verne. Did you know that in the famous book ‘Journey to the Centre of the Earth’ by Jules Verne the author used the site of Arnarstapi and Snæfellsjökull volcano as the entrance to the Earth’s core?

Iceland's Snæfellsjökull volcano is the entrance to the center of the Earth according to famous novel by Jules Verne
Iceland’s Snæfellsjökull volcano is the entrance to the center of the Earth according to famous novel by Jules Verne

We stopped in Arnarstapi for a short coffee and snacks break. You will find a few places to eat and stay in Arnarstapi if you plan to spend the night in Snaefellsnes Peninsula.

Rauðfeldsgjá ravine

Rauðfeldsgjá ravine is a high and narrow gorge not far from the small village of Arnarstapi. The ravine in the mountain is quite big and tall and it can be seen from the road. 

Perfect one day trip to Snæfellsnes Peninsula - Rauðfeldsgjá ravine
Perfect one day trip to Snæfellsnes Peninsula – Rauðfeldsgjá ravine

Park at the carpark and walk towards the Rauðfeldsgjá ravine. We would recommend waterproof shoes when visiting this place as you have to walk over a water stream to get inside the ravine.

Inside the Rauðfeldsgjá ravine
Inside the Rauðfeldsgjá ravine

To walk in we had to jump from stone to stone in the stream of water coming from the ravine. Passing the narrow opening we entered the first chamber of the ravine. In order to go further you have to climb a few meters following the path of the water. We weren’t prepared to get completely wet, plus the climb didn’t look like a good idea to do with kids and so we didn’t go further. 

Yuriy and our boys enjoyed the adventure
Yuriy and our boys enjoyed the adventure

Even if you are not planning to go further inside the Rauðfeldsgjá gorge, the place and the views from there to the valley below are still worth the visit.

View from the  Rauðfeldsgjá gorge entrance to the valley below
View from the  Rauðfeldsgjá gorge entrance to the valley below

Bjarnarfoss waterfall

Bjarnarfoss waterfall is a tall cascading waterfall in the southern part of Snæfellsnes Peninsula.

It’s very close to the main road and seen from afar. Park the car at the carpark and follow the walking path to the base of the waterfall.

It is possible to climb all the way up to the basalt pillars (which we didn’t) to get up close to the waterfall. A little down the hill you will find a few picnic tables.

Bjarnarfoss waterfall with basalt pillars stretching out on both sides
Bjarnarfoss waterfall with basalt pillars stretching out on both sides

Ytri Tunga beach 

If you want to see Icelandic seals in the wild then head next to Ytri Tunga beach.

Here, on the rocky beach a short walk from the carpark you can watch seals lying around in the distance. Please don’t try to come too close to the seals. Firstly to respect the wildlife and secondly because seals can attack if frightened. It’s a good idea to bring binoculars or a camera with a zoom when visiting Ytri Tunga beach.

Watching seals in the wild
Watching seals in the wild

A visit to Ytri Tunga beach concludes the trip around Snaefellsnes Peninsula. Start making your way back to Reykjavik.

The basalt columns of Gerðuberg

On the way back to Reykjavik make a stop at Gerðuberg. Gerðuberg is a cliff with a long stretch of basalt column formations. 

From the main road turn left (towards Gerðuberg car park) and drive a few more minutes on a gravel road. Basalt columns of Gerðuberg can be seen from the road, but you can also climb the hill to see them up close.

Basalt rock formations of Gerðuberg, Snæfellsnes Peninsula
Basalt rock formations of Gerðuberg, Snæfellsnes Peninsula

That was our Perfect one day trip to Snaefellsnes Peninsula. Snæfellsnes Peninsula is a beautiful region in Iceland with so many things to see and do. It makes a perfect one day trip from Reykjavik, especially in summer months when the days are long.

Read next – our post on Top things to do in Reykjavik or 10 Day Road Trip Around Iceland

Ready to travel? Book accomodation in Iceland:
Booking.com
Perfect One Day Trip to Snaefellsnes Peninsula in Iceland
Perfect One Day Trip to Snaefellsnes Peninsula in Iceland

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6 thoughts on “Perfect One Day Trip to Snaefellsnes Peninsula in Iceland”

  1. Lannie says:
    September 21, 2021 at 4:59 pm

    Wow! Great road trip!! I did this peninsula on a tour and there’s just so much I missed! Loved the Jules Verne reference, how cool!

    Reply
    1. Elena says:
      September 22, 2021 at 2:29 am

      We knew we are not going back to Iceland any time soon, so we decided to make our visit thorough and go to as many places as we can (without rushing through them though) 🙂

      Reply
  2. Chalk and cheese travels says:
    September 22, 2021 at 6:26 am

    What a great trip love the rocky landscape. Seeing the seals in the wild would be worth the trip alone.

    Reply
  3. Wendy White says:
    October 1, 2021 at 3:10 am

    I’d love to take a day trip to the Snaefellsnes Peninsula, what beautiful scenery. I’d make a point of visiting Ytri Tunga beach to see the Icelandic seals.

    Reply
  4. John Quinn says:
    October 4, 2021 at 10:38 am

    I love just how wild Iceland is. Fortune favoured you too with the weather. It’s a shame we didn’t get that direction on our trip. Next time eh. Be using this as a pointer. Thanks.

    Reply
  5. Nils says:
    April 19, 2022 at 3:40 pm

    Wow! What a beautiful place. Lovely pics. I especially loved the ravine. Thanks for the itinerary!

    Reply

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Amersfoort Amsterdam Auckland Austria Bavaria Belgium Christchurch Delft Europe France Frankfurt Germany Goat Island Gouda Hallstatt Hiking Iceland Innsbruck Koblenz Leiden Louvre Luxembourg Maastricht MtCook Munich Netherlands New Zealand Northland Paris Queenstown Reykjavik Rhine RoadTrip Rothenburg ob der Tauber Rotterdam Salzburg The Hague TravelWithKids Tulips Utrecht Waikato Wanaka Wellington Zaandam Zaanse Schans
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