Itinerary

Day 1 Reykjavik
Upon arrival Flybus to your hotel. For an additional fee you can make a stop at the Blue Lagoon before heading to your hotel. Remainder of the day is at leisure in Iceland’s bustling capital. Overnight Hotel Natura or similar.

Day 2 Reykjavik-Akureyri
After breakfast at 9am meet your tour guide and travel west along the scenic Hvalfjordur Fjord,passing the town of Borgarnes and climb the Grabrok volcano crater. In the afternoon visit a natural history & seal museum in a small fishing village in Northwest Iceland and stroll around the local harbor. Further north stop at the turf church of Vioimyri which has been extensively restored to its original form and is widely considered one of the purest and most beautiful examples of traditional Icelandic architecture. Continue along scenic fjord landscape and over several mountain passes until You reach Akureyri, the capital of North Iceland. Overnight location is at the Hotel Akureyri or similar.

Day 3 Akureyri-Lake Myvatn
In the morning explore Akureyri, a charming town of 17,000 inhabitants, visit the botanical garden and enjoy the panoramic view over Eyjafjordur fjord. In the afternoon travel to an important spot in Iceland’s history, Godafoss, the waterfalls of the Gods. Continue to Lake Myvatn which is known for its geological wonders and active bird life during summer. Stop at the bizarre lava formations at Kalfastrond followed by a walk around the many pseudo craters of Skutustadi and see the Tephra Cone Hverfjall .End an exciting day with a relaxing soak at Myvatn Nature Baths that contains a unique blend of minerals, silicates and geothermal micro-organisms. The warm soothing waters benefit both skin and spirit alike. Overnight location is at the Hotel Sel-Myvatn or similar.

Day 4 Lake Myvatn-East Iceland
In the morning hike in a lava labyrinth at Dimmuborgir “the dark castles”, hoping to get a glimpse of the trolls who are said to live there. After an optional lunch visit the hot spring area of Namaskard with bubbling mud pools and steaming solfataras. Head through the uninhabited highlands and moon like surrounding to East Iceland. With some luck you might spot an Arctic fox or see reindeer. From June to August the tour includes a detour to Dettifoss, Europe’s most powerful waterfall in the northern part of Vatnajokull National Park. Overnight location is at the Hotel Herad or the Álfheimar Guesthouse or similar.

Day 5 East Iceland
It’s a day to admire the dramatic fjord landscape and its tiny fishing villages at the end of twisty roads in the East Fjords and on route visit an interesting stone and mineral collection. In the afternoon see Vatnajokull, Europe’s biggest glacier that is visible all over Southeast Iceland. Overnight Hotel Hofn or similar.

Day 6 East Iceland-South Iceland
Start the day with a stop at Jokulsarlon, a glacial lagoon filled with floating icebergs, and explore the extraordinary site and might see seals swimming in arctic waters. You can walk on the black sandy beach where large icebergs get stranded. Depending on the season optional boat trips are available. Travel along the southern part of the glacier Vatnajokull and spend time at Europe’s largest national park, which has Iceland’s highest mountains, an alpine environment, and Europe’s largest glacier. In the afternoon, a beautiful drive with many natural wonders awaits as you head across the Eldhraun lava field, cross the sandy desert of the south coast, overlooked by mountainous cliffs, glaciers and waterfalls. Stroll along the black lava beach of Reynisfjara near Vik. In the small village of Skogar there is the Skogafoss Waterfall which is 60 meters high and is one of the most impressive waterfalls in the country. Continue to the high but narrow Seljalandsfoss Waterfall which plunges over the mountain. There is an interesting trail that goes behind the fall if you are prepared to get wet Further west stop at the Lava Center and learn about Iceland’s volcanic activity. Overnight at the Hotel Eyjafjallajokull or Hotel Hella or similar.

Day 7 South Iceland-Reykjavik
Explore classics today as you travel the route of the Golden Circle sites. Start the day at Fridheimar, where you learn about the Icelandic horse, its special qualities and history and visit a geothermal greenhouse. Later on you will see steam from the Geysir geothermal fields as you arrive. There is a variety of hot springs and bubbling pools. The original geyser is now dormant but has been replaced by Strokkur “the Churn” which erupts at 5-10 minute intervals. Continue to Gullfoss, “the golden falls”, which is a double waterfall that tumbles 34 meters into the Hvita river and attracts travelers in summer and winter. Travel inland to Thingvellir National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site. As you return to Reykjavik, You will enjoy a short city tour to show highlights of the world’s northernmost capital. Overnight is at the Hotel Natura or similar.

Day 8 Reykjavik-End of Tour
After breakfast Flybus to the airport. For an additional fee you can make a stop at the Blue Lagoon before heading to the airport. You can extend your stay in Reykjavik or continue to Greenland, Scandinavia or the Faroe Islands.

Additional nights in Reykjavik available

There is a possibility that some of the nature attractions around Iceland might charge an entrance fee during the trip. These entrance fees are not included in the tour price and need to be paid by all tour members additionally on the spot, when entering any of these nature sites. Locations, amount of entrance fee, form of payment and other details are not known at the present time and are subject to change.

Maximum group size is 25 passengers.

DAILY DRIVING: Total mileage without airport transfers is 1,032 miles which is an average of 172 miles per day. You spend about 4 hours per day on the bus, depending on road conditions, traffic and daily distances. On some days the driving might be longer than on some other days. During the off season, from September to May, in rare cases, a change of itinerary might be necessary especially for winter programs in Iceland, should snow, road and weather conditions not allow to follow the scheduled itinerary, and certain outdoor activities might be cancelled. In this case no refund will be given, but we will try to find reasonable alternatives where and whenever possible.