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This six-day Iceland tour is a fabulous option for people who want to make the most of their time in Iceland.
You go further, explore more, straying off the beaten track. Get up close and personal with a glistening glacier, gushing geysers, majestic volcanoes, and astounding waterfalls. Relax in the Vök Baths, watch the north whales, meet travelers from all over the world, and craft incredible memories. In winter, climb through ice caves and marvel at the Northern Lights.
Your first day mainly focuses on visiting the fabulous and famous Golden Circle attractions.
We visit Þingvellir National Park, an incredible UNESCO World Heritage Site with immense geological, historical, and cultural significance. The historic Icelandic Parliament, called the Alþing, was founded here in 930 CE/AD. Icelandic Parliament is the oldest still existing democratic parliament in the world. The Mid-Atlantic Ridge, where the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates continue to move apart, runs right through Þingvellir. You will see the rugged plate edge of the gorge. This must have been a really dramatic backdrop to the ancient parliamentary sessions!
Your next stop is at the Geysir geothermally active area, home to Great Geysir. This famous spouting hot spring gave us the English word ‘geyser.’ You will witness Strokkur, the most active hot spring in recent times, blasting powerful torrents of superheated water every 5 to 10 minutes. Steaming fumaroles and hot springs can also be seen around the area.
Before we head along the south coast, the final Golden Circle attraction is the thundering Gullfoss waterfall or the “Golden Falls.” You will see golden-toned mists rising around the waterfall as the mighty Hvítá river crashes through two drops of 11 m and 21 m. Hvítá means ‘White River.’ This raging glacial torrent originates at Langjökull, the second biggest glacier in Iceland.
On our way to your country hotel, situated near the village of Vík, we will stop to enjoy two legendary and stunning waterfalls, Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss. Both are around 60 m high, but otherwise, they are very different. Skógafoss waterfall cascades gracefully from the former sea cliffs. Seljalandsfoss is sometimes referred to as “the unusual waterfall,” there’s a pathway that leads behind the curtain of falling water, offering you a unique experience and views.
After settling into the country hotel in Kirkjubæjarklaustur, if conditions are good we will slip away for a couple of hours to chase the Northern Lights (from September to April).
You will be picked up in Reykjavík at 8:00. Picking everyone up takes up to 30 minutes. You may have to wait a few minutes, depending on where your accommodation in Reykjavik is located. Your patience is much appreciated.
Hotel Geirland or similar (subject to availability)
Our first stop today is at Reynisfjara black sand beach. A short walk along the beach will bring you to the awe-inspiring and unusual basalt-column cave. You will also see the troll-like and atmospheric Reynisdrangar peaks rising just off-shore. Now to the glaciers!
We travel through some extraordinary landscapes and other-worldly scenery to Skaftafell in Vatnajökull National Park. You will see views of the stunning Mýrdalsjökull glacier, home to one of the most feared volcanoes of all, the notorious Katla. You will also see another great fire maestro, Eyjafjalljökull. Our journey will take us over the Eldhraun lava field to Skaftafell, a lush green oasis amid black volcanic sand areas. Skaftafell is quite sheltered with flourishing vegetation and birch forests.
Our experienced glacier guide will lead you on a three-hour hike, allowing you to explore the stunning glacier tongue of Vatnajökull, the biggest glacier in Europe. You will learn all about this sensational blue/white ice world.
From October to April, we explore Vatnajökull’s crystal ice caves instead of the glacier hike. Each winter, new ice caves form and freeze through the heart of the glacier. Walk through with your guide to see ice caps from a whole new angle!
We continue with the theme of ice, onwards to Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon. Action scenes from James Bond and other movies have made this the most famous ice lagoon in the world. Feast your eyes on the jaw-droppingly beautiful iceberg-filled lagoon and visit the fabulous Diamond Beach. This coal-black beach glitters with shimmering blue/white icebergs washed ashore by the tide. You will feel as though you have stepped through a magic doorway into a mystical ice realm with magic landscapes.
Your accommodation will be in Höfn, a charming town known as ‘the lobster capital of Iceland.’ If the conditions are good we will search for the Northern Lights at night (from September to April).
Hotel Höfn or similar (subject to availability)
We leave the Vatnajökull National Park area behind, but the sensational scenery continues! We follow the twisting and turning roads, flanked by the coast on one side and majestic mountain peaks on the other, through the East Fjords to Egilsstaðir. This picturesque town on the banks of the Lagarfljót River is home to the legend of Largarfljótasormurinn, the Largarfljót worm. Tales of the giant Largarfljót worm, which is said to reside in the lake and show itself from time to time, are firmly established within Icelandic folklore tales.
We stop off at Djúpivogur, a small and remote fishing village. The North Atlantic waves wash over the black sandy beach, and a rich birdlife thrives. Most Icelandic birds live and nest around the area during the summer months. Locals lie to joke that there are probably more birds here than people. Djúpivogur is home to just over 1100 people. As a community, they have a reputation for being welcoming and strongly committed to eco issues.
We will finish the day by soaking in geothermal Vök Baths surrounded by the amazing scenery of Lake Urriðavatn, they are distinguished by their modern design and the only floating infinity pools in Iceland. Enjoying hot baths there is an optional extra, which you can do at your own cost, please make sure to book it as an extra during the booking process.
Hotel Valaskjalf or similar (subject to availability)
Today is filled with stunning North Iceland highlights. The drive up from Egilssaðir will take us through wild and remote landscapes, we will start from Stuðlagil Canyon, one of the world’s most enchanting basalt rock formations. On our way to visit the magnificent Dettifoss waterfall, we will show you Möðrudalur, at 469 m, the highest farm in Iceland. Dettifoss is the most powerful waterfall in Europe, with a tremendous flow rate of 193 m3/s (6,816 cu ft/s). The thundering Jökulsá á Fjöllum River drops 44 m (144 ft) through the rugged canyon. There’s vastness and rawness to the nature around Dettifoss, where this great river and the glacial floods of the past have carved out imposing ravines.
We continue to Hverfjall, a volcano crater caused by an eruption 2500 years ago. We will also visit the Dimmuborgir lava formations, known as the ‘dark cities.’ Some of these lava forms will tower above us like fairytale giants. Dimmuborgir was formed when the roof of a giant lava tube collapsed. Although entirely natural, some formations may remind you of certain things. Can you guess which one is known as The Church (Kirkjan)? We continue our drive around picturesque Lake Mývatn on the way to Akureyri, making a stop at the stunningly beautiful Goðafoss Waterfall.
We will stay at a country hotel in Akureyri, the second-largest city in Iceland. The clear skies around Akureyri make for great Northern Lights hunting in winter.
Icelandair Hotel Akureyri or similar (subject to availability)
We start the day with a drive through Akureyri, the capital of North Iceland. On a few departures, there is time to make a short stop. On your way to the picturesque fishing town of Dalvík, you will, in good visibility, get fabulous views of Eyjafjörður, the longest fjord in Iceland.
Your whale-watching boat tour from Dalvík will take you across Eyjafjörður Fjord, chasing after whales, dolphins, and other wonderful ocean life. Humpback whales, dolphins, and porpoises are usually seen. Occasionally we can even see seals and blue whales!
We continue to drive the scenic road sandwiched between the towering mountains of Iceland’s best ski resorts and the glorious fjord, taking us around the Tröllaskagi peninsula. We pass through charming villages and hamlets before stopping at Siglufjörður. In the early part of the twentieth century, this village was known as the herring fishing capital of the Atlantic. People rushed to cash in on the boom, and the town acquired a klondike-style gold-rush atmosphere.
Today, the great shoals of herring are long gone, but the rich history and character of those times in Siglufjörður are exceptionally well-preserved. The villages around this peninsula will give you an excellent feel for the kind of life lived in Icelandic places, which seem to be falling off the world’s edge.
We travel onwards through farmlands with many fields of Icelandic horses to Laugarbakki. Your accommodation for the night will be at a country hotel in this area. Your guide will help you search for the Northern Lights at night from September to April.
Hohtel Laugarbakki or similar (subject to availability)
The final day of your 6 day trip around Iceland will be focused on the delights of West Iceland – Lonely Planet voted this area as one of their best destinations in 2016. Your first stop of the day is at Grábrók, a volcano crater surrounded by lunar-like lava. Your guide will lead you on a short hike to view the crater from the top – there are magnificent views over the whole area. We will enjoy the fabulous and extremely diverse sights of Borgarfjörður today. We’ll stop at Deildartunguhver hot spring, the most powerful hot spring in Europe. You will also see the incredible Hraunfossar cascade. These wide falls are composed of thousands of tiny rivulets which tumble out of the lava field – a truly astonishing sight! Then there is Barnafoss waterfall. The name means ‘the Children’s Falls,’ a rather tragic folklore tale associated with this particular waterfall’s naming.
Now for some history and the gentle landscapes around Reykholt, home to the famous Icelandic saga writer, historian, lawyer, and poet, Snorri Sturluson. You will see the pool where Snorri is reputed to have bathed, Snorralaug. Nowadays, this pool is still filled with naturally warm water. Our drive back to Reykjavík will take us around, Hvalfjörður (Whale Fjord), a scenic fjord. We should arrive back in the city at approximately 5 – 6 pm. You are dropped off at a hotel in Reykjavik.
NO HOTEL INCLUDED FOR THIS NIGHT
Pick-up is at 08:00 am from your hotel or a nearby meeting point in Reykjavík. Picking everyone up can take up to 30 minutes. Your patience is much appreciated.
In the checkout process you will be able to go through the accommodation specifics. Also there is a handful of rentals you can pick from a list for an additional charge.
