joellebohringerIceland’s Solheimasandur Plane Wreck is one of the most iconic sites of the country’s southern coast. However, visiting the site can be quite a challenge, as there is no way to drive directly there.
Read below to learn more about the options for seeing this unique site.
What is Sólheimasandur Plane Wreck?
A few miles from Skogafoss Waterfall on Iceland’s Southern Coast, there is an abandoned airplane resting on a pristine black sea beach.
On July 4th, 1973, a U.S. Navy DC-3 airplane crash landed in Solheimasandur, Iceland after running out of fuel. It landed on the black sand beach, and luckily everyone survived due to local farmers who helped rescue the crew. Today, the plane still sits were it crash-landed more than 50 years ago, and it has become an iconic tourist destination.
Options for Visiting Sólheimasandur Plane Wreck
Previously you could drive directly onto the black sand beach. However, after Icelandic rescue teams repeatedly had to help stranded tourists whose cars got stuck on the black sand beach, they closed off direct access to the beach. Today, there are three options for visiting the black sand beach.
Parking and Walking
The first option is to park at the designated parking location. From the parking, it is about 4km to the plane wreck. It takes around 2 hours to walk to the plane and two hours to walk back. If you are travelling in the summer, this can be a good option, as there is ample daylight.
However, if you are travelling in the winter, I do not reccomend this. Considering that there are only 5 hours of a daylight a day, it is not advisable to spend four of them walking to see the plane. Additionally, the area if very cold because of the proximity to the beach, and it is hard to complete this hike safely and comfortable. Locals strongly advise against walking this route in the dark, as there are no direction points, and it is very easy to get lost and very dangerous in changing Icelandic weather conditions. A few years ago, two tourists died while walking back from the plane in the dark after they got lost and caught in a blizzard.
Taking the Shuttle
The landowners who own the land leading to the plane wreck have recently started a shuttle service to the plane wreck and back. It leaves from the parking lot every 30 minutes and takes you directly to the plane. You can then stay as long as you’d like, and the shuttle returns from the plane every 30 minutes as well.
The shuttle is a large, 4×4 overland rig, and it makes the very bumpy 15 minute ride considerably more comfortable. The shuttle cost 3,000 IKR per person for a return trip (about $21).
Even though we were on a budget, we were so happy that we chose this option. The area near the plane was absolutely freezing, and it allowed us to visit the site safely and comfortably. It also allowed us even more flexibility to enjoy the limited daylight during the winter.
ATV or Snowmobile Tour that Includes Sólheimasandur
You can also take a guided ATV tour that includes a stop at Sólheimasandur Plane Wreck. Check out the following tours below, both which includes stops at Sólheimasandur.
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[…] a bit difficult, as you can no longer drive more than 4km away from the site. However, check out my full guide to visiting Sólheimasandur for details of how to see this site, including a shuttle bus […]
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