A comprehensive guide to visiting Iceland plane crash site

Iceland’s breathtaking landscapes – towering waterfalls, volcanic beaches, and hidden gems like the Iceland plane crash site – are best explored with the freedom of your own car. With limited public transport, renting a car is the most convenient way to uncover the country’s remote wonders at your own pace. Whether you’re driving along the Ring Road or making stops at iconic sites like Sólheimasandur, having your own vehicle ensures a smooth and unforgettable adventure in the Land of Fire and Ice.

Moving around Iceland and the Iceland plane crash site

Exploring Iceland without a car can be quite challenging, as public transportation is limited and doesn’t reach many of the country’s most breathtaking spots. The best way to experience Iceland’s raw beauty is by renting a car, giving you the freedom and flexibility to travel at your own pace. We rented ours from Blue Car Rental, and the whole process—from pickup to drop-off—was seamless and hassle-free.

If you’re planning to visit the Iceland plane crash site at Sólheimasandur, the parking area is located about 160 km from Reykjavík and around 100 km from Selfoss if you stayed overnight in the Golden Circle area. From the parking lot, be prepared for a long but scenic walk across the black sand beach to reach the abandoned DC-3 airplane wreck, one of Iceland’s most surreal and photogenic landmarks.

Once to reach the parking, I have included more details on how to reach the actual crash site below, so keep on reading.

Here are the directions to the parking, where you can leave your car:

What is Iceland’s famous plane wreck?

This mysterious image of a plane wreck on the beach of Solheimasandur might seem familiar to you. It’s probably one of the most sought-after sights in Iceland and there are breathtaking pictures taken there (even Justin Bieber filmed one of his clips at Solheimasandur plane crash site).

DC-3 US Navy aircraft crashed on the Solheimasandur black beach in 1973. Miraculously, everyone onboard survived. The cause of the accident has never been determined, however, icing and weather conditions could be the reason (according to some sources I find online).

Iceland’s famous plane crash site of Solheimasandur is a photographers’ dream, even more so in winter with the presence of northern lights in the background. If that’s the season of your trip, make sure you dress very, very warmly.

How to reach the plane wreck site from the parking

Once you reach the parking, there are two ways of reaching the plane wreck: on foot or by a shuttle bus.

In the past, it was possible to drive from the main road to the beach where the plane is, however, it is now not allowed.

There is quite a walk to get to the actual plane crash from the parking: around 4 km each way on the gravel path (between 45- 60 minutes of walking). It is well marked by orange sticks, however, I’d suggest checking the weather forecast just before deciding on the walk as the weather conditions are very changeable. Some locals warned against walking because there is stormy and windy weather as it can get quite tough.

The anticipation to see the famous plane wreck crash on the black-sand beach was quite exciting. As we walked for an hour or so, we did not spot it until the last moment as the plane is kind of hidden behind a dune.

There were not many people around, but new groups frequently arrived by the shuttle bus. With patience and some time on our hands, we managed to have the place almost entirely to ourselves.

A path from the parking to the crash site

When to visit the Solheimasandur- Iceland plane crash site

The Solheimasandur, the famous Iceland plane crash site is open the full year, however, the weather can be quite dangerous in Iceland in the winter months. Icelanders recommend visiting the wreckage in the summer months, between May and August, when the weather tends to be calmer. This is also the time when you get sunlight for almost 24 hours, so surely you can benefit from longer days and have more flexibility with planning your stop at Solheimasandur.

Icelandic weather is known for being capricious, unpredictable and bitterly cold in winter. Although my trip took place in summer, you can see that I am wearing layers, including a hat and a scarf. You can only imagine what you need to consider packing for winter.

When to visit for northern lights

The peak season to see the northern lights in Iceland is between September and March, which could give you the dreamy opportunity to snap a picture of the plane wreck with the dancing Aurora Borealis in the background.

Plane wreck shuttle bus

Alternatively to taking a long walk, there is now an option of a shuttle bus. It leaves frequently from the parking- the sign with all shuttle info is just at the entrance to the path, so you won’t miss it.

To come back from the wreck site, the driver will inform everyone a few minutes before leaving in case anyone wants to join. The bus ride is only 10 minutes.

Cost: 2900 ISK (as of 2022)

Schedule: every day from 10 am to 5 pm, approximately every 30 minutes

Parking

This Iceland famous plane crash site is quite popular among visitors. At times it gets crowded.

If you are not on an organised tour, the best way to get to Solheimasandur is by car as the bus service is not that frequent in Iceland. There are two things that you need to know about parking in Iceland: it’s forbidden to park on the side of the road and many designated parking spots are private and involve a fee.

While the entrance to the plane crash site is free, you will need to pay for the parking.

Often, there are cameras at the entrance to parking that registers plate numbers. You have two options for paying: at the site on a machine if it’s available or online. In some instances, the only available option is online as there is no payment machine at the parking.

If you use online payment, you just need to select the name of the parking on the website called Parka or via ParkaApp. The name of the parking is always written on a sign; in this case, the name of the parking is Gjaldskylda. You have 24 hours to do so, after that you might be fined.

Be cautious about the automatic parking, ferry and tunnel charges. For example, we did not pay for a single ferry but rather were charged afterwards by deducting the money from the car rental deposit.

Where to stay

Depending on your plan, I think it is the most convenient to either stay overnight in Selfoss (best if you do the Golden Circle) or Vik (if you plan on proceeding further around the island as there are many amazing places around Vik). If you opt for Vik, I highly recommend Volcano Hotel– it’s very comfortable and, most importantly, at a strategic point for the Solheimasandur plane crash site as well as the famous Reynisfjara black-sand beach.

See also:

Please note that this post included affiliate links, when you decide to purchase anything through these links I get a small commission at NO extra cost to you, it helps me to keep running this blog! I only promote products and services I use or would use myself. All images are the property of Postcards from the World and cannot be used without permission.

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