I land on March 16 into Reykjavic. I would like 3-4 "must sees" while there. I have an AirBnB and a rental vehicle, but I am open to tours . I have experience the mineral springs in Alaska so I do not need the Lagoon. I am seeking cost effective Icelandic experiences. I will be traveling alone and I am in fair physical health. Thank you.
Avid hikers with good hearts and knees, we hired a tour company (Iceland Adventure Tours) for a glacier hike, visiting crevasses and vast ice fields with hiking boots and crampons and ice axes. Even if you’re not up to that physical adventure, drive to the southeast corner of Iceland, to the Jokulsarlon glacier lagoon. Not a place to soak, but you’ll see floating ice masses that have broken off of the lagoon. A wondrous place.
Like so many visiting Iceland, we also drove the “Golden Circle” out of Reykjavík, for a sampling of some of Iceland’s best, and most accessible volcanoes, waterfalls, hot springs and geysers, and scenic vistas. The road conditions can change in an instant, though, with fierce side winds, glare black ice, or storms arriving where it was nice a moment earlier. We witnessed a fatal car accident in April 2015.
Also, if you can do a whale watching tour, Elding Tours in Reykjavik give you a waterproof suit, and an unmissable experience at sea. If it’s cold, the boat is snug and warm inside. If it’s not overcast at night, Iceland’s the place to see the Northern Lights, on your own or with a tour to get you to a good viewing spot.
I'm on the TripAdvisor Iceland forum, and most people there (especially the locals) advise against self-driving in March as it is still winter there.
The most popular tour is the Golden Circle, which can take up the better part of one full day. Make sure you bring lots of warm clothes. We were there in June and I was freezing, so March will be super cold I'm sure. Sorry, but I can't remember the name of the tour we took.
How long will you be in Reykjavik?
I did a nice day tour with GeoIceland to the South Coast. Long day (10 hours) but worth it to have someone else drive. I also took Golden Circle and Northern Lights tours with Reykjavik excursions, which were fine enough. I enjoyed my food walking tour with Your Friend in Reykjavik (I was the only tour participant!)
(also, hi fellow Salemander!)
Which neighborhood in Reykjavík is your Air BnB?
We stay in one that has some interesting local spots within walking distance or short bus ride.
We are also going in March but towards the end of the month.
On the Iceland FB pages, the locals say that whale watching in March is not a good idea as they aren't there yet.
We are planning on riding the horses, doing the Golden Circle, watching the polar lights (hopefully) from the beach near our B&B guesthouse, and doing the Flight Over Iceland ride, which though expensive looks amazing. Other than that, probably visit some pools and museums as want to get the City Card which gives you either free or reduced entry.