Highlights
- Travel off-the-beaten track through the highlands and barren black sands of the south shore.
- View the lava fields, Hekla Volcano, a puffin colony, geothermal activity, geysers and lagoons, thundering waterfalls, hot springs, pebble beaches, Viking horses, and quaint fishing villages.
Details
Prices in US dollars, per person, in double occupancy.
* Note that good trekking shoes/hiking shoes are important for this tour.
Included:
9 day tour with driver-guide from/to Reykjavik.
2 nights with breakfast and facilities in Reykjavik.
8 nights with breakfast and dinners, and facilities in the countryside.
Participation in a Reforestation Project in Haukadalur (day 2).
Entrance to Eriksstadir Museum (day 9).
Not Included:
International airfare.
Airport transfers to/from Reykjavik International Airport.
Travel insurance.
Tips for tour guide and driver.
Personal expenses such as drinks, telephone, souvenirs and laundry etc
* Add additional days to your tour and partake in unique excursions from Reykjavik.
-Icelandic Glacier Hike: all gear included.
-Underworld Caving: explore a hidden world in and under lava fields.
-Inside the Volcano: descend inside the magma chamber of a dormant Icelandic volcano.
Itinerary
Day 1: Reykjavik.
Arrival. Afternoon and evening at leisure. Overnight in Reykjavik.
Day 2: Reykjavik - Hvolsvollur .
Visit Thingvellir National Park and the North American and Eurasian continental divide. View an active Geysir, boiling pools, hot springs, and impressive Gullfoss Waterfall. Dinner and overnight in Hvolsvollur area.
Day 3: Hvolsvollur - Kirkjubaejarklaustur/Vik.
Visit Seljalandsfoss and Skogafoss waterfalls. View thousands of puffins and other seabirds. Cross the Myrdalssandur volcanic ash plains through the vast lava field. Dinner and overnight in Kirkjubaejarklaustur/Vik area.
Day 4: Kirkjubaejarklaustur/Vik.
Drive to Vatnajokull, the largest glacier in Europe. At Jokulsarlon Glacial Lagoon observe huge icebergs dancing in icy seawater. Optional: Boat tour among the icebergs. Continue to the superb Skaftafell National Park. Dinner and overnight in Kirkjubaejarklaustur/Vik area.
Day 5: Kirkjubaejarklaustur - Thjorsardalur .
Drive the interior track to Landmannalaugar, an area surrounded by colorful rhyolite mountains. View the deep valleys and mossy mountains formed by volcanic eruptions during the Ice Age. Bathe in a warm brook created by the convergence of hot and cold springs. Dinner and overnight in the Thjorsardalur area.
Day 6: Thjorsardalur - Lake Myvatn.
Discover Iceland's uninhabited interior, a vast, barren, black desert connecting the north and south. Navigate the rugged passage between the glaciers with your experienced driver. Dinner and overnight in the Lake Myvatn area.
Day 7: Lake Myvatn.
Travel north to Asbyrgi, with its 100 meter high walls and horseshoe-shaped canyon. Continue to Lake Myvatn, a geological wonderland and paradise for bird watchers. View the mud pits of Hverarond and the lava fields of Krafla, still steeming with lava flows and fissures. Overnight in Lake Myvatn area.
Day 8: Lake Myvatn - Akureyri - Laugarbakki.
Visit Godafoss waterfall and continue to Akureyri, the vibrant 'Capital of the North'. At leisure visit the botanical gardens or take a dip in a local geothermal pool. Continue to Skagafjordur, the heart of horse breeding. Optional: Ride a purebred Viking horse. Dinner and overnight in the Laugarbakki area.
Day 9: Laugarbakki - Snaefellsnes.
Visit the original home of Erik the Red and birthplace of his son Leif Eiriksson. Partake in a simulated 1000 year old, lifestyle experience. Continue through northern seaside towns on the coast of the Snaefellsnes peninsula. Dinner and overnight in the Snaefellsnes area.
Day 10: Snaefellsnes - Reykjavik.
Explore Snaefellsnes National Park glacier and dormant volcano. Walk the pebbled Djupalonssandur beach; observe stacked basalt, rock formations at the harbor village of Arnarstapi; trek the trail linking the settlements of Arnarstapi and Hellnar before driving back to Reykjavik. Overnight in Reykjavik.
Day 11: Reykjavik - HOME.
Departure from Iceland.
