Iceland’s Plane Wreck Hike: Solheimasandur Crash Site
Plane wreckage in South Iceland has survived 50 years of harsh storms and sticky-fingered tourists. I was surprised by how much of the original plane is left today, and by how many people are interested in checking it out.
The Iceland Plane Wreck: Solheimasandur
Tour the Plane Wreck Site from Reykjavik
There are a few tours that will take you to the plane wreckage at Solheimasandur in Iceland.
This tour option has excellent reviews:
➡️ Click to Book: Tour from Reykjavik
It’s a full-day tour from Reykjavik, so there’s no need to rent a car! This option will bring you to the wreck site, plus several amazing waterfalls, like Seljalandsfoss (below) and Skogafoss, and the black sand beach at Reynisfjara!
Drive Yourself: Reykjavik to the Plane Wreck
The drive from Reykjavik is between two and three hours. The speed limit on the two-lane Ring Road is slow (by American standards) but the traffic isn’t bad at all.
It’s easy to rent a car in Iceland
Renting a car and driving around Iceland is a great option. It’s safe and easy, and I usually use Discover Cars, since their search includes the big international rental brands along with local companies.
From the link, search for rentals from Keflavik Airport:
The Drive from Reykjavik to the Plane Wreck Site
You’ll find several other amazing sites on your drive to check out the wreckage, including Skogafoss (pictured below) and Kvernufoss, two iconic waterfalls (which are very different from each other). They’re about 10 kilometers west of the plane crash site, and right off the Ring Road.
If you continue east, you’ll find a turn down to Reynisfjara, which is the famous black sand beach with amazing rock formations. You might recognize the ocean view from an episode of “Game of Thrones.”
You could extend your day trip by staying overnight in the small town of Vik, which is about 20 minutes east of Solheimasandur.
Continuing east beyond Vik, you’ll see Iceland’s famous Diamond Beach!
Hotels Near Iceland’s Plane Crash Site
If time is limited, and you can only spend one night away from Reykjavik, I’d head to the plane crash site, Skogafoss, and Kvernufoss, before going to spend the night in the great town of Vik, Iceland.
Vik is 24km east of Solheimasandur. You can plug your dates into this interactive map to check the availability and rates at both hotels and rentals:
I’d recommend Hotel Vik Myrdal, which is convenient and has a delicious breakfast!
As mentioned above, if you stay in Vik, I’d get up at dawn to go to the black sand beach at Reynisfjara to avoid the crowd that gathers later in the morning:
The US Navy Plane Crash in Iceland
A US Navy plane crashed on a remote stretch of land during a storm in 1973. It encountered severe wind, fog and sleet.
The remaining fuselage of the Douglas C-117D, or Douglas Super DC-3, became a tourist attraction many years later.
Most accounts seem to agree that the pilot, in a panic, switched over to the wrong fuel tank.
A crew of seven was delivering supplies to a radar station, when the plane encountered severe icing on the way back.
Believing he’d run out of fuel, the pilot ditched the plane on what he thought was a frozen river two hours east of Reykjavik.
A helicopter came in to rescue the crew. The Navy later salvaged important parts of the plane, and left the rest.
Location of the DC-3 Wreck at Solheimasandur
The barren landscape where the plane landed decades ago is right off Iceland’s Route 1, known as the “Ring Road.”
It’s more than two hours east of Reykjavik, and closer to the small town of Vik.
It’s a short walk from the plane wreck down to the Atlantic Ocean.
Parking for the Plane Wreck Hike
The plane, as I mentioned, can’t be seen from the road, but there’s a rather large parking lot for visitors. It doesn’t have a sign, so it’s easiest to put the GPS coordinates into your phone:
Also, the name of the site will bring it up on Google Maps: Solheimasandur.
The parking lot was built after years of visitors parking dangerously along the side of the highway.
It’s a paid lot, which you can take care of on the Parka app, or at : https://www.parka.is/pay/solheimasandur/
The cost is around $5 – $6 (US dollars), or 750 ISK (Icelandic Krona).
What You’ll Find at Solheimasandur Today
While it’s disappointing to see the graffiti on the old DC-3, it’s great to see how people haven’t really snapped off many pieces to take home as souvenirs.
The wreckage has been used in target practice, and is riddled with bullet holes. Still, the main portion of the fuselage hasn’t been ripped apart. Huge chunks of the original wiring remain.
Someone told me a farmer used the fuselage for storage for many years… but there’s literally nothing around. Storage for what? And what farmer?
While you’re free to climb all over the plane wreckage, be careful: there are sharp edges and slices of metal removed from parts.
The crowd will vary, depending on the time of year and time of day.
There were at least 20 other people when we arrived, after that long walk. Honestly, I think many were so exhausted and dazed by the trek, that they only spent a few minutes taking photos of the plane in the cold and wind before they turned back to the lot.
At one point, an ATV tour with people clad in fluorescent attire pulled up out of nowhere, but they, too, left within 15 minutes.
The Hike to the DC-3 Plane Wreck
The walk to the plane wreckage itself is long and boring. It’s flat and dusty and black, with nothing to look at, and it’s a full 2 miles from the parking lot!
I scoffed at the people waiting around for the shuttle in the lot, only to have the shuttle lap us several times on our walk out.
I love walking and hikes, but this was beyond boring 😵💫😵💫
You can’t even see the wreckage for most of the walk out. It’s really like walking on the surface of the moon or something.
Vehicles used to be allowed on the path, but are now forbidden.
I didn’t see any bikes on the way out to the plane crash, but I was told a nearby homeowner will bring bikes over to rent out of a trailer in the parking lot once in a while.
Take the Shuttle Bus to the DC-3 Wreckage
There’s a workaround to save you time (and save you from the boredom): A shuttle started running from the parking lot to the plane crash site!
Most of the year, the shuttle bus to the plane crash site operates from 10:00am to 5:00pm.
The shuttle FLIES down the road. It may have just been the driver the day we were there, but he wasted no time zipping people back and forth from the crash site to the parking lot.
The ride takes about 10 minutes each way, and runs every 20-to-40 minutes, depending on the driver and the crowd looking for rides.
Again, I love to hike, but the walk to the plane wreck is not worth your time. Definitely grab a seat on the shuttle bus, if you visit the plane during the hours the bus operates.
Check out the shuttle’s website, and book your tickets in advance, if you’d like. Based on our experience, the shuttle doesn’t exactly run according to the printed schedule.
https://www.arcanum.is/tours/the-plane-wreck-shuttle/
It’s 2900 ISK, which is just more than $21 (US dollars) for adults. Children and teens are half-price.
The driver only charged us $7 (US dollars) for a one-way ride back. Honestly, we would have paid a lot more!
Tourist Deaths and Warnings at Solheimasandur
It doesn’t happen often, and shouldn’t be a reason to stay away from the wreck, but keep in mind: the weather here changes quickly.
How Tourists Have Died Visiting the Iceland Plane Wreck Site
Tourists have been rescued many times on the trek to the crash site.
The last known death happened in October of 2017. An American died from exposure.
The advice is: If you’re going during the long winter months, go with a guide or make sure you’re booked on the shuttle bus.
During our visit, which lasted a couple of hours, the weather turned from sunny, to cold and windy, to rainy. We saw a large storm moving in off in the distance, and knew it was time to leave.
Definitely leave the site before dark, if you’re walking back to the lot. It can be disorienting to get back to the lot (unless you have a compass or strong signal on your cellphone).
The Best Time to Visit Iceland’s Plane Wreck
No matter what month or time of year, you should check road.is and travelsafe.is
The websites feature real-time road condition maps, which warn of storms and hazards anywhere in Iceland.
When to Visit Solheimasandur
For photography and crowd size, I’d try to go close to sunrise, but the shuttle likely won’t be running that early in the morning.
Most tours and crowds come through in the warmer hours of the day.
During the winter months, storms can move in quickly, so definitely check the forecast. You’re completely exposed to the elements out there. I can definitely see how people could get lost on the barren landscape if visibility drops in a snowstorm.
What to Bring to the DC-3 Crash Site
Bring more water than you think you’ll need, along with some food.
We ended up waiting a while for the crowd to leave, so we appreciated the provisions we’d packed away for our visit.
It’s really windy, so bring a windbreaker, gloves, and anything else you think will keep you warm.
There are no trees or rocks or mountains to serve as windbreaks, so you’re at the mercy of the unpredictable weather in Iceland.
Photography and Drones at the DC-3 Wreck
If there’s a crowd, it’s impossible to get the iconic shots of the plane on the black sand (unless you photoshop the people out later).
Again, we waited around a while for the crowd to leave. After about 45 minutes, we were almost completely alone with the plane (and the wind).
Strategic angles of camera shots allowed us to block the few other stragglers out of our photos.
Drones are allowed, but you’re bound to have at least another one accompanying yours in flight.
Wrap: Is it Worth Visiting Iceland’s Plane Crash?
In general, I loved checking out the wreckage site, since it gave me “Lost” vibes.
I doubt I’ll venture back there on my next visit to Iceland, unless I return with a crew who’s never seen the wreck. I’m glad I did it once, and wish I’d known everything that was in this blog *before* my visit! The shuttle bus will be used for a round trip!
Check out our other posts about more things to do in Iceland, like Silfra for snorkeling between the tectonic plates, and choosing between Sky Lagoon and Blue Lagoon closer to Reykjavik!
