Staying in Vik, Iceland and wondering what adventures you can get up to? I’ve got you!
Vik was my favourite town on Iceland’s south coast. I loved taking photos of the purple lupine flowers up at Vik i Myrdal church, admiring the mossy coastal cliffs and black sand beaches, and buying practical souvenirs at Ice Wear.
For such a small town, there is an enormous list of things to do near Vik. You can also take glacier trekking tours, zip line over Fargil Canyon, and more!
In this complete list of 19 things to do in Vik I Myrdal, you will find the best sightseeing attractions in town, natural wonders to check out nearby, and awesome tours to add a thrill to your time in Iceland.
🤩 One of my favourite activities is this Icelandic horse experience across black sand beaches. The horses are fuzzy!!!!
⭐ My quick cheat sheet for Vik:
🏠 Places to Stay:
→ The Barn is the most affordable option in Vik with hostel dorm rooms and private rooms with shared or private bathrooms.
→ Vik Apartments is the best option if you want an entire kitchen and apartment set up. They also have views over Lupine fields and cliffs out their windows.
→ Black Beach Suites has INSANELY good views over Vik’s black sand beaches with beautiful balconies and modern design.
👉 Must-do tours:
→ Katla Ice Cave – trek through an ice cave on top of a volcano!!
→ Quad Bike Safari Over Black Sand Beaches – cross streams and ride to an eerie D3 plane wreck.
→ Zip Line Over Waterfalls – fly over Grafargil, a canyon almost no one else visits in Iceland.
1. See the view at Vík i Myrdal Church
Visiting this white and red church is the #1 place to visit in Vik. It sits high above the town on a hill, so there are amazing views of Vik sprawled beneath cliffs on the black sand coast.
We spent an entire hour taking photos of the town and roaming through the lupine flowers that cover the hill surrounding the church. The flowers bloom between June and July.
The church was built in 1934 and the locals use it as a refuge point in case of any eruptions from the Katla volcano nearby. You can’t visit inside it.
Vik i Myrdal church is only 2 minutes drive from the main part of town.
👉 You’ll also want to check out this guide on how to see lava and volcanoes in Iceland. Many of them are driving distance from Iceland’s south coast, like the Reykjanes Peninsula 45 minutes from Reykjavik.
2. Hike on a natural sea arch at Dyrhólaey
Dyrholaey is about 20 minutes drive from Vik. It has a massive arch-shaped rock formation jutting out of the crashing waves. You can also see puffins here between May and August, which is their nesting season.
There are two sections at Dyrholaey to visit: The upper and the lower sections.
The upper section is where you can visit a lighthouse and walk out on top of the sea arch. It has the best views over the black sand beaches near Vik.
The lower section has black sand beaches to walk on and you can get a lot closer to the sea stacks.
Important to Know: The upper section and part of the lower section are closed between May and early June because this is the peak nesting time for the puffins.
We travelled to Iceland in early June, so we could only really see the arch from a distance at the lower section. I don’t think it is worth visiting at this time of the year if you’re trying to decide between Dyrholaey and something else.
3. Visit Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach
Reynisfjara is only 10 minutes from Vik and most famous black sand beach in Iceland. The pure black sand is reason enough to go, but it is also home to a large cliff made of hexagon basalt columns. The entire beach, columns and sand, were created from thousands of years of volcanic activity.
We wandered up and down the black sand beach, admiring the Reynisdrangar sea stacks out in the waves. I also climbed up onto the hexagon columns to take pictures.
If the tide is low, you can also walk around the columns and further down the beach where you’ll see massive caves and cliffs made of the same black stone. We spent about an hour at this beach, exploring and taking pictures.
The beach is open year round and there is a small café on site called the Black beach restaurant.
Watch out for sneaker waves, which suddenly surge up the shore and have been known to catch people and pull them out to sea. I kept a wide distance from the ocean waves.
💡 Fun fact: The beach and its black columns are so otherworldly that it’s been used to film scenes from Game of Thrones and Star Wars, like in rogue one.
4. Grab a coffee and a treat at Skool Beans Café
Skool Beans is a tiny coffee shop and micro-roastery operating out of an old converted school bus. They have delicious coffee, homemade pastries, treats, and lots of quirky Icelandic decor.
It is worth visiting as a quick stop between activities to refuel. It’s located right next to the N1 gas station at the turnoff into Vik.
They are open Wednesday through Friday from 9 to 3 and Saturday and Sunday from 9 to 5. Skool Beans is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.
5. Trek through the Katla Ice Cave
Katla ice cave is a bright blue, ash-striped tunnel through an ancient glacier… ON TOP of a volcano. Mýrdalsjökull glacier caps over the crater of Katla Volcano, which is one of Iceland’s most active volcanoes. Its last eruption was in 1918, but there’s been lots of activity rumbling through it since.
The Katla ice cave is also known for its black stripes that were formed from layers of volcanic ash over centuries.
You need to take a tour to visit inside the cave and many of them start from Vik. It’s a 40 minute super jeep journey to get to the cave’s entrance.
This is, in my humble opinion, the best tour option because it’s run by local tour operators and guides and has an exciting super jeep excursion over black sand terrain. You meet at the Puffin Hotel in Vik and then all transportation, crampons, and helmets are included!
6. Zip Line Over Grafargil Canyon
Grafargil Canyon is a complete hidden gem that hardly any other visitors see when travelling to Iceland. The canyon forms a large mossy valley with streams running through it and waterfalls.
The only way to visit this canyon is through a ziplining excursion where you get to fly above the canyon on three zip lines and then hike through a portion of it.
The ziplining tours start in Vik and are only 5 minutes drive from the canyon. The zip lines range from 30 metres to 240 metres. You zip high above the canyon and on the last one can even get shots of you flying over a waterfall.
7. Touch 600 year old ice at Sólheimajökull Glacier
Solheimajokull glacier is a branch of the larger Myrdalsjokull glacier that covers over Katla Volcano. It is one of the most accessible glaciers to visit, because it only requires about 15 minutes of easy hiking to get to the glacial lagoon where it sticks out.
We admired the front ice wall and its height above the glacial lagoon. Then we walked up right next to it and actually got to lay our hands on the 600 year old ice.
There were signs once we got further than that point, warning us that hiking up onto the glacier was forbidden unless part of a guided ice trekking tour. I felt so jealous watching the small groups of trekkers, putting on their crampons, helmets, and harnesses and embarking on their journey. They got to cross the glacier’s crevasses, waterfalls, and fluorescent blue glacial ponds.
I regretted not doing my research on this glacier in advance and booking one of those glacier trekking tours. I ended up hiking on a glacier in Patagonia a year later and it was honestly in my top 5 adventures I’ve ever done worldwide.
When I travel back to Iceland eventually, I plan on booking this tour. I love that they are run by local mountaineers. Instead of getting to spend only 30 minutes on the ice like I did on Perito Moreno in Patagonia, you get to spend over an hour trekking! Compared to the price I paid in Patagonia (well over $500), these glacier tours look like a bargain to me now.
If you don’t want to get right onto the glacier, but still want to get closer than you can by foot, you can also book this kayaking tour on the lagoon the glacier wall forms.
8. Shop for practical souvenirs at Ice Wear
Ice Wear is a local Icelandic company that sells outdoor activewear. They are located in a small shopping centre in the heart of Vik. I’m not big on buying souvenirs but I ended up purchasing a long rain jacket and a pair of authentic wool gloves to bring home with me.
I’ve always had the philosophy that whatever souvenirs I bring home should be wearable or at least functional. That way I don’t collect knick-knacks to crowd my mother’s home (I’m a digital nomad) and can think of the adventure I was on whenever I wear those pieces in the future.
It ended up being a lifesaver too, because despite bringing a down jacket and a fleece sweater, I was still not packed warm enough for the whale watching adventure I did in Husavik (in Northern Iceland) later.
9. Explore Thor’s Valley by 4×4
Officially named Thorsmork Valley, it was shaped from the glacial movements of Myrdalsjokull. It has large canyons that pass between mossy cliffs, two volcanic craters named after Thor’s sons in Norse mythology, Magni and Modi, and it is completely remote and untouched.
You can explore the valley by foot, hiking into the valley and camping overnight. Or if you want to cover the most ground possible in a short amount of time that fits with your itinerary, you can take a 4×4 tour.
The tour below has a combination of super jeep rides over river crossings with guided hikes to waterfalls and canyons. You’ll either be in a vehicle with just you and your companions or with only a couple of others, because you can only fit so many people in a jeep.
The tour meets at the Seljalandsfoss parking lot, which is 50 minutes drive from Vik. Everyone in your group has to be 16+ to join.
10. Ride an Icelandic Horse across black sand beaches
If you’re an animal lover, you NEED to try horseback riding in Iceland. Icelandic horses are a completely unique breed and only exist on the island of Iceland. They are shorter, often fuzzy for warmth, and in my opinion, cuter than the average horse.
Horse riding tours are offered all over Iceland, but I love the idea of getting to ride these majestic creatures across the dramatic expanse of black sands near Vik. You’ll also get to explore a lot more of the black sand shore than if you visit Reynisfjara, so I would still do both.
The tours start in Vik and are 100% beginner friendly. You don’t need to have ever been on a horse in your life. They are friendly and well-trained to provide a comfortable ride. Even kids as young as 6 years old can join.
11. Visit the DC-3 airplane wreck
In 1973, a small DC-3 airplane crashed onto the black sand beach of Solheimasandur. It was a US Navy craft and luckily, all the crew members survived.
For some reason, maybe due to its eerie and striking image, it has become a famous attraction on Iceland’s south coast.
There is a 4 km trail to get to the plane from the main parking lots and it’s considered quite easy. Or alternatively, you could add a little bit of spice to the activity and take a quad-bike there.
There are tours that bring you with a guide by quad to the plane wreck and further across the black sand to see views of Dyrhólaey and the Mýrdalsjökull glacier. You get to cross rivers and explore more of the volcanic desert than you could on foot.
This tour company offers 1 or 2 hour versions and includes a guide, helmets, overalls, boots and even a balaclava. You have to be 17+ and have a driver’s license to drive, but kids or non-driving adults can join as a passenger.
12. Take a tandem paragliding flight over Vik
We’ve already established that Vik is one of the most stunning towns in Iceland, right? Well, imagine seeing it from high above in the sky.
True Adventure offers tandem paragliding flights over Vik. I’ve paraglided in two locations in the world now and have to say it is one of the most thrilling ways to see some of the best views of your life.
You’ll get those little stomach flips of adrenaline when you catch an air pocket that pulls you higher, all with your jaw hanging open because “how can our planet be this insanely beautiful???”
The paragliding in Vik starts with a shuttle to the take-off point and 20 minutes of soaring over black sand beaches, basalt column cliffs, the crashing ocean, and nearby glaciers.
If you have your heart absolutely set on this activity, book yourself a flexible buffer day in Vik in case of reschedules due to weather conditions.
13. Visit Seljalandsfoss Waterfall and Gljufrabui
Seljalandsfoss is one of Iceland’s best waterfalls and is conveniently only 30 minutes drive from Vik, towards Reykjavik. It is a large curved cliff with a narrow, yet roaring, rush of water falling over 60 meters (197 feet) to the ground.
The best part of Seljalandsfoss is that you can walk behind it. Some of my favourite pictures I took on my 9 day road trip in Iceland were of us standing behind the waterfall with rainbows created by the mist.
I definitely found Seljalandsfoss to be one of the busiest in Iceland, but I still think it is 100% worth visiting. Plus, there’s a bonus waterfall called Gljufrabuionly 10 minutes walk away.
If you continue along the path further from the parking lot you’ll find it. It’s tucked inside a canyon and you can stand beneath it by walking through a narrow opening in the rock.
14. See Skogafoss waterfall
Skogafoss is another massive and popular waterfall in Iceland, about 40 minutes from Vik. It is much wider across and flows from a river that stretches for several km’s through valleys above it.
We got there at 6 am to have some time there before the crowds arrived. There was only one other group there at the same time as us.
We walked right up close to the pounding waterfall at ground level and then also climbed up the metal staircase to view it from the platforms at the top too. The stairs take about 10 minutes to climb and are worth the views.
15. Hike the Fimmvörðuháls Trail
The Fimmvorduhais trail starts at the top of Skogafoss. It’s a 24 km point to point trail that brings you further into the remote landscape that was shaped by volcanic activity.
You will pass over 26 waterfalls (which is why the trail gets the nickname “waterfall way”), cross several snowfields, and even trek between the Eyjafjallajökull and Myrdalsjökull glaciers.
The hike takes about 10 – 12 hours to complete and is considered challenging due to the mountain passes and over 4000 feet in elevation gain.
There are a few options for hiking the Fimmvorduhals trail. Some very experienced hikers trek it through in a single day and arrange private transportation at the end of the trail.
You can also break it into a multi-day trek, staying at one of the two mountain huts overnight along the trail and finishing it in 2 – 3 days. Or, of course, you can simply hike as far as you can along the trail and then turn back when you please. The Baldvinsskali hut is about the halfway mark so it makes a good point to turn back.
I didn’t personally hike this trail, so I recommend checking out this amazing blog post on it if you’re interested.
16. Visit Fjadrargljufur Canyon
We’re getting a little further out from Vik on this one, but I loved it so much I have to include it. Fjadrargljufur Canyon is about 1 hour drive from Vik, in the opposite direction of Reykjavik. I’ve seen it listed as “Iceland’s most beautiful” or “most photographed canyons.”
The canyon is narrow, made of walls over 100 metres tall. It was carved by glacier erosion during the last ice age. There is a river streaming through the bottom and a 2 km path across the top of it to view it.
The path at the top has occasional platforms that hang extended over the canyon so you can look down into it and take photos of its multi-layered jutting in and out. They are really strict about staying on trail here, but the 2 km feels like plenty.
17. Visit Kvernufoss Waterfall
For some reason, Kvernufoss waterfall has fallen completely under the radar. It is only 7 minutes from Skogafoss. The waterfall is 98 feet (30 meters) tall and the cliffs are made from volcanic rock.
There is a total of 1.4 km of hiking to see the waterfall round trip. You can park at the Skogar Cultural Heritage Museum.
18. Eat breakfast at the Lava Bakery
I ate at the Lava Bakery after shopping at Ice Wear in Vik. They’re across from each other in the same shopping centre. It’s a quiet and cute coffee shop with tons of baked goods, quiches, savoury pastries, and some light food options like toasts.
They are open everyday from 8 am to 6 pm!
Activities in Vik that are perfect for winter trips
19. Take a snowmobile tour on Mýrdalsjökull Glacier
As a reminder, Mýrdalsjökull Glacier is the one that caps over Katla Volcano. In the winter, you can snowmobile on top of it to explore its crevasses, glacial ponds, and ice formations with an experienced guide.
The tours start in Vik and equip you with full overalls, balaclavas, and helmets. You get to explore a huge perimeter on the glacier because you’re zipping around on a snowmobile instead of trekking by foot.
You have to be 17 to take part in the tour and you can choose to ride with someone or drive alone.
FAQs About Activities in Vik
1. Is Vik worth visiting, or should I just stop quickly on the way to somewhere else?
Yes, Vík is 100% worth spending a night or two. I breezed past it on my road trip around Iceland and was so sad to not spend more time there.
2. Can you see puffins in Vik, Iceland?
Yes, Dyrhólaey is a famous nesting spot for puffins and one of the best places to see them in Iceland.
3. How far is Vik from Reykjavik?
2.5 hours by car. I recommend checking on AutoEurope for the cheapest car rentals.
4. Can you day trip to Vik from Reykjavik
It’s a 2.5 hour drive to Vik from Reykjavik so you can technically do it as a day trip! I have written about some other epic day trips from Reykjavik here too.
🤩 The Katla Ice Cave trekking is a once in a lifetime experience. Who gets to say they walked inside a glacier… on TOP of a volcano!!!
Next Step: Plan Out Your Iceland Itinerary!
If you’re looking at things to do in Vik, chances are you are planning to spend some time on Iceland’s south coast.
I put together a 4 day itinerary for Iceland that hits the best spots on Iceland’s south coast (including where to see real lava!).
If you’re staying for longer and want to road trip, you can find the 9 day ring road itinerary that I did here!
Read More About Adventuring in Iceland:
- 22 EPIC Day Trips From Reykjavik (Half and Full Days)
- My Honest Review of Whale Watching Tours in Husavik Iceland
- Is Iceland’s Blue Lagoon Worth It? My Honest Review
- My Honest Review of the Vok Baths in Iceland
- 19 Amazing Things to Do in Vik, Iceland
- An EPIC 4 Day Iceland Itinerary For Summer
- How to See Lava in Iceland: The ULTIMATE Guide!
- The Ultimate Iceland Road Trip Guide (With 7-10 Day Itineraries)
Plan Your Trip - My Favourite Resources
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