Jökulsárlón is the furthest of Iceland's great sights from Reykjavik, and for most people the most memorable. Icebergs calve from the glacier and drift slowly across a lagoon that has grown fivefold in under a century. Some reach the sea, and the waves push them back onto the black sand of Diamond Beach a short walk away, where they lie polished and catching the light.

Getting there and back is a full day on the road, which is why doing it privately makes a difference. There is no group to assemble, no headcount at every stop, and no fixed departure time called out from the front of a coach. The vehicle is yours, and so is the pace.

The lagoon and Diamond Beach are fixed. Alongside them you choose two further stops along the South Coast, agreed with us before the tour so we can plan the timing properly. The options are Seljalandsfoss, Skogafoss, Dyrholaey, Reynisfjara black sand beach, Fjadrargljufur canyon and the Solheimajokull glacier viewpoint. Tell us what you are drawn to and we build the day around it.

We stop in the village of Vik for lunch and a proper break, roughly halfway. Meals are at your own expense.

Your guide drives this road year round and knows what the season allows. If conditions rule out one of your chosen stops on the day, you will be told early and offered the nearest alternative.