Nicetravel · Reykjavik
Nicetravel collects you from your Reykjavik hotel and drives a group of 19 at most around the south side of the peninsula, with long stops at Ytri Tunga and Arnarstapi, before ending at Kirkjufell for about 30 minutes. It's the small group to pick on rating and value: 4.9 stars and free hotel pickup at close to the coach price.
Pickup runs from 8:30 to 9:00. Look for a minibus with red NICE Travel logos; if your hotel sits in the part of the centre closed to buses, you'll be sent to the nearest stop. You can also meet the tour at the Nicetravel office at Fiskislóð 45M if you're there before 8:20 and tell them in advance. The route: a 10-minute break in Borgarnes, 40 minutes at Ytri Tunga for the seals, the black church at Búðir, 45 minutes for the cliff walk at Arnarstapi and Hellnar, 30 at the Lóndrangar basalt cliffs and 30 at Djúpalónssandur. Then the bus passes through the national park to Kirkjufell for 30 minutes and drives straight back.
Reviews mostly praise the guides by name, for their playlists, folklore and photo-taking. One even listed every stop on a whiteboard so guests could match their pictures later. The exception was a guest in May 2026 who got a driver who gave very little commentary. Guides vary; the company is consistent. Gratuities aren't included.
Two practical warnings from guests. Toilets are limited, and the first stop is the best place to buy food for later, since no meal is included. In winter, the last stop at Kirkjufell falls at dusk: a December guest wrote of only 4 to 5 hours of daylight, and a November guest saw the mountain at sunset. For the mountain in full light in the dark months, look at the premium small group.
Be ready from 8:30 and watch for the red NICE Travel logos, or meet at Fiskislóð 45M before 8:20.
A short stop in Borgarnes, then 40 minutes on Ytri Tunga beach, where seals often rest on the rocks.
The black church, then 45 minutes on the clifftop path between the two villages.
The basalt cliffs and sea stacks, then the black beach with its lifting stones, 30 minutes each.
Through the national park to Kirkjufell for 30 minutes, then straight back to Reykjavik.
★★★★★Beautiful area and more quiet than south side. Tour operator was on time and easy to find. Great communication throughout the tour especially with bathroom and food breaks. [...] Lots of waterfalls and horses over here and we got to see seals on the shore too!
★★★★★An 1.5 hour drive out of downtown is well worth the investment to see some truly beautiful natural landscape and wildlife. Our guide, Hakon was informative, funny and did a great job herding us cats to keep us on track on a long day.
★★★★★I highly recommend this tour. It was a small group of just 13 travelers with a fantastic tour guide. [...] She even summarized on a whiteboard all the places that we visited so that we would be able to associate our pictures with the right spot later on!
★★★★★The tour with our guide, Siggi, was wonderful. We had plenty of time at each stop without feeling rushed. [...] Kirkjufell was lovely at sunset, and the beach with the seals was surprisingly peaceful and beautiful.
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Yes, from hotels within Reykjavik, between 8:30 and 9:00. Where buses can't drive in the centre, you're collected from the nearest bus stop, and Nicetravel tells you which one.
About 30 minutes, at the end of the day, before the drive back to Reykjavik.
No. Food, drinks and gratuities are extra. The bus stops where you can buy food; buy enough at the first one for the afternoon.
Yes, in all weather, but daylight is short. In December you get about 4 to 5 hours of usable light, so Kirkjufell, the last stop, is at dusk. Check the road conditions the night before.
Ready to book
Free hotel pickup, a group of 19 at most and about 30 minutes at Kirkjufell as the last stop.
Snæfellsnes & Kirkjufell Small-Group TourA small group of 19 at nearly the coach price, with Kirkjufell saved for last: about 25 minutes in the evening light.★ 4.8 · 12 hours · from $150
Snæfellsnes Day Tour with Farm LunchThe best-rated full day: a home-cooked lunch on a horse farm, hotel pickup, and 30 minutes at Kirkjufell to finish.★ 4.9 · 11 hours · from $224
2-Day Snæfellsnes Tour with Lava CaveSnæfellsnes and Kirkjufell on day one, a hotel night in Borgarnes, the Víðgelmir lava cave and Hraunfossar on day two.★ 4.9 · 2 days · from $559