EastWest · Reykjavik
A minibus of up to 19 picks you up at your hotel, loops the peninsula and stops for 75 minutes at Lysuholl, a family horse farm, for a hot homemade buffet. It's the one tour that solves the biggest problem of a Snaefellsnes day: where and when you eat.
EastWest sends a driver-guide to your hotel (or the nearest bus stop if your street is closed to coaches) and the day runs counter-clockwise: Borgarnes, the Ytri Tunga seal beach, then lunch. Lysuholl is a family farm on the south coast with cottages, a restaurant and Icelandic horses, which guests pet after the meal. The buffet is homemade. Reviewers mention lamb, chicken, meatballs, cod, a vegetarian dish and chocolate marble cake.
After lunch you get some of the longest listed stops of any day tour: 20 minutes at Budir church, 40 at Arnarstapi and 45 at Djupalonssandur, then 30 at Kirkjufell on the way home. The national park itself is a drive-through and Berserkjahraun a pass-by. Guests repeatedly call the pace good, and a few report bonus stops when the group runs ahead of schedule.
Two caveats. You don't know the menu until you sit down, so picky eaters and anyone with allergies should tell EastWest when booking (guests say they handle special requests well). And the day runs long: one guest clocked nearly 12 hours. Drinks are on you. Children under 4 are refused at boarding, so families with toddlers should look at the Gateway minibus or the private tour.
Be ready 30 minutes before the start time. Before pickup, EastWest sends the driver's name, van colour and plate.
Coffee and toilets in Borgarnes, then the seal beach. Seals are wild: June and July at low tide are best.
A hot buffet at the farm, then time with the horses.
The black church, then a proper walk on the Arnarstapi cliffs to the Gatklettur arch.
The longest beach stop on this site's day tours: time for the lifting stones and the wreck.
Kirkjufell in the late light, a last break in Borgarnes, back in Reykjavik after about 11 hours.
★★★★★Every stop had its magic! My fav was the lunch!!! OMG, everything was homemade! It was a buffet style with chicken, lamb, and vegetarian options.
★★★★★Oh, and the provided lunch was no soup and a piece of bread...no, this was a very hearty and delicious homemade hot buffet with large meatballs with a sauce to die for, and all the trimmings - down to the fabulous dark chocolate covered marble cake.
★★★★★This tour is a long day, but Martin our driver and guide made 10+ hours fly by. [...] The home cooked lunch at the horse farm was delicious and my wife loved getting the chance to pet the horses.
★★★★★We had enough time at each stop. The homemade lunch was a nice touch.
Read next:
A hot homemade buffet at Lysuholl, a family horse farm on the south coast. Guests mention lamb, chicken, meatballs, fish, a vegetarian option and cake. The exact menu changes, and drinks cost extra.
75 minutes on the listing, including time to see the horses. That still leaves 45 minutes at Djupalonssandur and 40 at Arnarstapi.
Yes, pickup and drop-off at Reykjavik hotels, or at a nearby bus stop if your hotel is in the zone closed to tour buses. Be ready 30 minutes before the start.
From age 4 with an adult; children 4-12 pay the child rate. Under-4s are not allowed and will be refused at boarding.
Ready to book
A small group and a 75-minute homemade lunch at Lysuholl farm, with hotel pickup and 45 minutes at Djupalonssandur.
Minibus Tour with Local LunchMax 17, lunch at the Arnarstapi village hall included, hotel pickup and infant seats. Shorter stops at the beach.★ 4.9 · 11 hours · from $234
Small-Group National Park Day TripHotel pickup, 19 guests at most and long stops: 40 min with the seals, 45 at Arnarstapi. Food is on you.★ 4.9 · 11 hours · from $154
Snaefellsnes Classic Day TourThe cheapest full loop: eight stops by coach, an hour in the national park, Kirkjufell on the way out. Bring lunch.★ 4.8 · 11 hours · from $143