Included
Departure
October 5 - April 5
Travel Style
Guided Group Tour according to the itinerary with English speaking guide
Accommodations
Quality for 8 nights with Continental breakfast
Emergency
24 hour emergency service
Tax & Fee
Taxes and service fee
Northern Lights Tour
Northern lights guided hunt on foot one selected evening and Northern lights hunting kit (use of blanket and headlight)
Airport Transfers
Airport transfers to and from hotel in Reykjavík
Tour ID
GT03
Activities
Microbrewery visit and beer tasting, Herring Museum admission, Laufás Museum admission and refreshments, Horse show
Dinner
6 three-course local-cuisine dinners in the countryside with coffee/tea (days 2-7)
Not included
Travel
Flights to Iceland
Meals & Drinks
at restaurants (unless otherwise stated)
Insurance
Personal travel insurance
Museums & Activities
Entrance to museums and optional activities not mentioned in the included section
Transport
Duration
9 days / 8 nights

Tour Map and Itinerary

Day 1 - Welcome to Iceland

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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.

Driving Distance
Approximately 50 km (30 miles)
Reykjavík

Day 2 - Classic Golden Circle route & south coast

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After a quick introduction to our home city of Reykjavík, head to the greenhouse village of Hveragerði and then on to the Golden Circle natural wonders. Explore Gullfoss, the “Golden Waterfall”, and the nearby Geysir hot spring area to see the famous Geysir and Strokkur, as well as numerous other hot springs and boiling mud pools. 

Continue along the south shore and stop to admire the Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss waterfalls before continuing to Dyrhólaey and the black sand beaches of Iceland’s south coast. Continue to Vík, Iceland’s southernmost town.

Driving Distance
Approximately 325 km (201 miles)
Vík area

Day 3 - Vatnajökull glacier & Jökulsárlón glacial lagoon

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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.

Driving Distance
Approximately 285 km (177 miles)
Höfn

Day 4 - Enchanting Eastfjords

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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. Keep your hand on your camera and keep an eye out for wild reindeer, which can sometimes be seen in the area during the winter months.

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. 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.

Driving Distance
Approximately 260 km (162 miles)
Eastfjords area

Day 5 - Dettifoss waterfall & Lake Mývatn hot springs

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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.

Driving Distance
Approximately 255 km (158 miles)
Mývatn area

Day 6 - Akureyri, the capital of North Iceland

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Start the day by exploring the peculiar lava formations at Dimmuborgir. The name means “Dark Citadels” in Icelandic, and they certainly look as if they were built by fantasy creatures. There are local legends that elves live here.

Visit the magnificent Goðafoss waterfall, one of the most important symbols of North Iceland, and the old turf farm Laufás. Enjoy a taste of some traditional Icelandic farmhouse refreshments and hear tales of life in the old days. Afterwards, visit Akureyri, the colorful northern “capital” of Iceland. The town has charming buildings and a beautiful view of the Eyjafjörður fjord.

After spending some time in Akureyri, continue along the coastal roads of Eyjafjörður and the Tröll Peninsula. This is a beautiful drive along steep mountains with amazing views over the Arctic Sea and the black sand coastline. 

The day’s destination is Siglufjörður, set in a beautiful fjord of the same name. This town has some of the finest timber buildings in the country, beautifully restored to their original glory. Siglufjörður is a very picturesque and easily walkable town for an evening stroll. You may even recognize some of the buildings; the town was a filming location for the popular Icelandic thriller series Trapped.

Driving Distance
Approximately 220 km (137 miles)
Siglufjörður area

Day 7 - Historic villages of West Iceland

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This morning, visit Siglufjörður’s award-winning Herring-Era Maritime Museum. The museum recreates the atmosphere of the early 20th century, when Siglufjörður was transformed into a boom town, thanks to a large migration of herring. The museum will transport you back to that exciting time.

Afterwards, head along majestic mountains and narrow passes to Skagafjörður, considered to be one of the finest places in Iceland for horse breeding. Enjoy an introduction to the unique Icelandic horse breed with its special fifth gait – the tölt

Continue towards the village of Blönduós, built on both sides of the river Blandá. This is a part of Iceland mentioned in the ancient Viking tale, Vatnsdæla Saga. Cross the Holtavörðuheiði plateau taking you into West Iceland. 

Drive through Borgarfjörður, a region that has been getting international recognition for its diverse types of scenery and its Viking history.

Driving Distance
Approximately 310 km (193 miles)
Borgarnes area

Day 8 - Þingvellir National Park, where the continents meet

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Visit some of the beautiful natural wonders of Borgarfjörður. Drive to Deildartunguhver, the most powerful hot spring in Europe. 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.

Drive through the scenic and mountain lined Hvalfjörður fjord to the Þingvallavatn lake, Iceland’s largest lake, and Þingvellir (Thingvellir) National Park. This UNESCO World Heritage site is where the world’s oldest continuing parliamentary government was founded in the 10th century. 

It’s also the place where the North American and European tectonic plates meet. You will have the unusual experience of walking between two continents! Afterwards, head to Reykjavík for a last night in the colorful capital city, where your guide bids you farewell.

Driving Distance
Approximately 205 km (130 miles)
Reykjavík

Day 9 - Farewell to the Land of Fire and Ice

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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!

Driving Distance
Approximately 50 km (30 miles)

Accommodation on this tour

When we design our tours we book the best accommodation available, in order to make the trip as comfortable and enjoyable for you as possible.
We offer a great selection of hotels, farmhouses and guesthouses for our clients. You can be assured of a warm welcome and an enjoyable stay at all the options offered by us.
Below you’ll find examples of the type of accommodation you could be staying in.

Please note

The accommodation options are shown as examples of the types of accommodation we book. Due to high demand during the summer time and limited accommodation capacity in some regions we cannot always guarantee availability. In these circumstances, we will supply an accommodation of an equal standard in the same region before your travel dates. We highly recommend you book as well in advance as possible.

Quality accommodation:

Rooms with private shower (or private bath) and WC. Quality accommodation may be in country hotels (3- or 4-star) or the best accommodation available in each area at the time of booking. Breakfast is included.
Svartifoss waterfall in Skaftafell National Park, Iceland

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