Dyrhólaey

The wind hits you as soon as you open the car door at the top of Dyrhólaey. Not a breeze. A shove. Hold on to the door, hold on to your hat, and then walk out towards the lighthouse, because the view from this headland is one of the best on the whole South Coast of Iceland.

Dyrhólaey (usually searched as Dyrholaey) is a 120-metre-high promontory about 10 minutes west of Vík, formed in volcanic eruptions around 100,000 years ago. Its name means something like "door-hill island", after the huge arch the sea has punched through its southern tip. It has been a protected nature reserve since 1978, mostly for its birdlife.

Tours that visit Dyrhólaey

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Private South Coast Tour from Reykjavik in Multi-Language Guide Options

10 hours · From Reykjavík

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From 215.000 ISK

Complete South Coast Private Tour from Reykjavík

9 hours · From Reykjavík

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Private Bespoke South Coast Tour

10 hours · From Reykjavík

From 254.900 ISK

Complete South Coast Private Tour from Keflavík Airport

11 hours · From Keflavík

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South Coast | Private Tour | Photo Package included

10 hours · From Reykjavík

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Private South Coast & Jokulsarlon Lagoon Tour in Multi-Language Guide Options

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What to see at Dyrhólaey

There are two areas, and most people only see one. The lower area sits at the foot of the headland, with parking, toilets and a path up onto the lower cliffs. From here you look down on the arch and east along the coast to Reynisfjara and the Reynisdrangar sea stacks.

The upper area is reached by a gravel road that gets steep and narrow near the top. An ordinary car manages fine in summer if you take it slowly; in winter the road is often closed because of ice and wind. Up there is the orange-roofed lighthouse, from 1927, and the big panorama: the black beach running west in an endless curve, the Mýrdalsjökull ice cap behind you to the north, and nothing but open Atlantic to the south.

In summer, the grassy cliff tops are one of the easiest places in South Iceland to see puffins, usually from about May to mid-August. Walk slowly along the edge, but not too near it, and you'll often spot them standing outside their burrows a few metres away.

Dyrhólaey opening hours and nesting season

Because of the nesting birds, access to Dyrhólaey can be restricted in spring and early summer, roughly between 1 May and 25 June. The exact dates change each year depending on how the birds are doing. During the nesting period both areas are typically open during the day only (recently 9:00 to 19:00) and the upper area closes completely overnight. Check before you go if you're visiting in May or June.

Safety is simple but serious. The cliffs are high, crumbly and often undercut, and the wind up here can knock a person off balance. Stay behind the ropes and away from the edge, especially with children. Drones are a bad idea near nesting birds, and in a gale they won't come back anyway.

Pro tip: if you're heading to Reynisfjara as well, do Dyrhólaey first. From the top you can see the whole beach and the waves rolling in, which gives you a healthy respect for the sea before you walk down onto the sand.

How to get to Dyrhólaey from Reykjavík

Dyrhólaey is about 175 km from Reykjavík, roughly two and a half hours' drive on Route 1, with a signposted turn-off a few kilometres before Vík. Parking is paid through the parking app. Give it 30 minutes to an hour, more if you're watching puffins.

Big-bus South Coast tours often skip Dyrhólaey because of the narrow road, so the tours that stop here tend to be private or small-group trips with more flexible stops. Tours that include Dyrhólaey are below.