Iceland Ring Road Group Adventure

Transfer from Keflavík International Airport to Reykjavík (included).

If you’re arriving earlier in the day, you might consider adding a day tour. We’d be happy to make suggestions based on your interests.

One of our favorite activities after a long flight is to visit one of the neighborhood geothermal pools. It is so refreshing to relax in the warm water, breathing in the fresh Icelandic air. It’s a great way to get to see Icelandic daily life and maybe meet a few locals. It’s also nice to take a stroll in the old city center, perhaps visiting one of the museums or relaxing with a cup of coffee in a cozy café.

Tonight, there will be an information meeting at your hotel. You’ll meet your guide and travel companions and learn more about the tour.

Dinner this evening is at your leisure. Reykjavík offers a multitude of restaurants and/or coffee-houses, making dinner a great way to get better acquainted with Iceland’s capital.

Please note: If you’ve added extra nights in Reykjavík before your tour, your guide will meet your group on the evening of Day 1 as per the standard itinerary for this tour.

If you cannot make the information meeting on Day 1, you’ll meet your guide in the morning of Day 2 in the lobby of your hotel. Please check the “Services” section in your travel documents to see how to meet your guide at the start of the tour.

Your guide will meet you at your hotel at around 08:45.

After a quick introduction to our home city of Reykjavík, head to Lake Þingvallavatn, Iceland’s largest lake and Þingvellir (Thingvellir) National Park. This UNESCO heritage site is where the world’s oldest continuing parliamentary government was founded in the 10th century. It is also the place where the North American and European tectonic plates meet. You will have the unusual experience of walking between two continents!

Next on your journey is Gullfoss, the “Golden Waterfall”, where various walking paths give you photo-worthy views of the beautiful double-ledged cascade. You’ll also visit the nearby Geysir hot spring area to see the famous Geysir and Strokkur, as well as numerous other hot springs and boiling mud pools.

During the day you’ll get a glimpse into Icelandic local life. Visit an Icelandic family farm where tomatoes are grown using organic geothermal energy. Tour the greenhouse and sample some of the farm’s sweet Icelandic tomatoes.

The day ends in Hveragerði, a pretty town located in an active geothermal area. The locals have made clever use of underground hot springs to provide heat for homes, as well as greenhouses that grow flowers, fruits and vegetables.

Explore enchanting Þjórsárdalur valley and its ever-changing landscapes of birch woods, sandy lava fields, rivers, and waterfalls. If the skies are clear, you’ll also see the impressive and beautiful Mt. Hekla volcano towering over the region. Visit Stöng, where you can view a replica of a Viking-age longhouse that was buried by a volcanic eruption of Hekla. The area was a filming location for Game of Thrones Season 4.

Drive along the scenic farmlands of Iceland’s South Shore. Stop to admire the scenic waterfalls Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss. Each waterfall has its own charm. Continue to Dyrhólaey* and the thundering waves of the Reynisfjara black sand beaches. End the day in Vík, Iceland’s southernmost town.

*Please note that Dyrhólaey is closed for the bird nesting season between mid-May and the 25^th of June.

Today you’ll be in a world of glaciers! You’ll be visiting the southern area of Vatnajökull National Park, named after Europe’s largest glacier. The total park area covers almost 14% of Iceland, making it the largest national park in Western Europe. Drive through vast sand plains created by glacial outwash as you head east.

Visit the national park’s famous Skaftafell area, a site of outstanding natural beauty. Enjoy the views of rich green landscapes and black sands dominated by several magnificent glaciers. You’ll also see Svínafellsjökull, one of the most beautiful glacial “tongues” that are slowly creeping down from Vatnajökull.

Visit Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon where you’ll enjoy the breathtaking sight of icebergs floating in the fantastic 180-meter (591-foot) deep glacial lagoon. Make sure that camera is charged and ready! Nearby is the dramatic beauty of Breiðamerkursandur (the Diamond Beach), named for the shrinking icebergs that settle on the black sands before drifting out to sea.

Your overnight stay is in Höfn, a fishing port in the shadow of Vatnajökull glacier. Höfn has a nice selection of restaurants and cafés. The local specialty is langoustines (Norway lobsters), and you might enjoy the opportunity to try some for yourself!

Extra activities

Amphibian Boat tour on the Glacier Lagoon

Get the chance to taste the 1000-year-old ice and if you are lucky you might even see some seals.

Tour: Amphibian Boat tour (optional)
Duration: 30 minutes
Included: Guided tour on amphibian boat

Drive from Höfn through Almannaskarð pass, stopping to admire the majestic coastline. Continue to the towering mountains plunging vertically into the sea that form the magnificent Eastfjords. We’re sure you’ll love the amazing views, so keep your camera ready. You’ll also pass villages, each with its own special history and charm.

One of these is the tiny village of Breiðdalsvík. Your group will visit the Beljandi Microbrewery and sample some of the wonderful beer. The local community came together in 2017 to transform a rustic warehouse into a charmingly quirky brewery. You’ll meet one of the townsfolk and get a feel for life in a small town, as well as see how great beer is made.

The road brings you to Egilsstaðir town, located near Iceland’s largest forest and a lake said to be home to a legendary (friendly) monster. The area also has an excellent reputation for locally sourced cuisine, and you’ll enjoy some of it at dinner.

Explore the empty vastness of the highland desert plateau Möðrudalsöræfi, desolate and yet hauntingly beautiful, as you head towards the Lake Mývatn area. On the way, stop at Dettifoss, Europe’s largest and most powerful waterfall.

Continue onwards to the Námaskarð pass with its boiling mud pools and vibrant colors. We often feel like we are visiting another planet when we come here, and you may feel the same way. It’s such a surreal experience!

Explore the natural beauty of the Lake Mývatn area, including the pseudo craters at Skútustaðir and the Laxá salmon river. You will probably see why this area has become so popular for film producers.

Start your day’s adventure with a visit to magnificent Goðafoss waterfall, one of North Iceland’s most important symbols. Afterwards, you’ll see Akureyri, the colorful northern “capital“ of Iceland. The town has charming buildings and a beautiful view of the Eyjafjörður fjord. After spending some free time in Akureyri, you’ll continue along the coastal roads of Eyjafjörður and the Tröll Peninsula. You’ll surely be amazed at the steep mountains with amazing views over the Arctic Sea and its black sand coastline.

Stop in Siglufjörður, a town with some of the country’s most beautiful timber buildings. Visit the town’s award-winning Herring-Era Maritime Museum. The museum recreates the atmosphere of the early 20th century, when Siglufjörður was transformed into a frontier-like boom town, thanks to a large migration of herring. The museum will transport you back to that exciting time.

Head along majestic mountains and narrow passes to your overnight in Skagafjörður, a scenic region full of historical sites and folk tales.

Icelanders consider the Skagafjörður area to be one of the country’s finest places for horse breeding. Enjoy an introduction to the unique Icelandic horse breed with its special fifth gait – the tolt. This horse breed has remained unchanged since Viking times.

Cross the Holtavörðuheiði plateau taking you into West Iceland. Drive through Borgarfjörður, a region that has been getting international recognition for its lovely volcanic and wooded scenery and for its Viking history. Walk up to the top of Grábrók crater for an amazing view. Listen to the powerful rushing waters of Deildartunguhver, Europe’s mightiest hot spring area. Stop to admire the beautiful Hraunfossar waterfalls, where brightly blue water rushes through black lava formations. Nearby is Barnafoss, a waterfall with even more brilliantly blue colors. There is an interesting and poignant legend associated with this waterfall.

Today you will explore the amazing variety of natural landscapes in Snæfellsjökull National Park. The park’s crown jewel is Snæfellsjökull glacier itself, which covers a dormant volcano that last erupted in 250 AD. In addition, you’ll also see Kirkjufell, one of the most photographed mountains in Iceland. Walk along the uniquely pebbled seascape of Djúpalónssandur beach. At the picturesque harbor village of Arnarstapi, you can observe magnificent basalt rocks in stacked formations.

One Icelandic Saga mentions that Snæfellsnes and its people are protected by a benevolent half troll who lives high on the glacier. You might even find a sense of magic and healing energy in this beautiful peninsula.

At the end of the afternoon, head to Reykjavík for a last night in the colorful capital city, where your guide bids you farewell.

Transfer from Reykjavík to Keflavík International Airport by Flybus (included).

Breakfast at your hotel. Please note that this might be a light breakfast if you are taking an early morning flight.

We recommend you depart your hotel no later than three hours before your departure flight. We wish you a pleasant trip back to your homeland and hope to see you in Iceland again!