Iceland is a country of sharp contrasts. A place where fire and ice co-exist. Where dark winters are offset by the summer’s midnight sun. A country where insular existence has spurred a rich and vibrant culture.
ITINERARY
1.day: Arrival Reykjavík
We will take care of you from the moment you land until you depart. You will be greeted by your private chauffeur & guide directly after customs at the airport. You will take a short 20-40 minute ride to your accommodations to settle in and relax after the flight.
2.day: Golden Secret Circle
09:00 – This tour is designed to let you explore the highlights of Golden Circle route. We will show you sights that are not marked on a map, and only the locals know about. We will start the tour by heading to Iceland´s Western Volcano belt and visit Hengill Volcano.
After driving through Hengill volcano area we arrive at Þingvellir (Thingvellir), which is the National Park where Althingi, an open-air assembly representing the whole of Iceland, was established in 930 and continued to meet until 1798. The Althing has deep historical and symbolic associations for the people of Iceland. The park shows evidence of the way the landscape was cultivated for over 1,000 years. We continue the Golden Circle by heading to the famous Geysir geothermal area which is home to The Great Geysir and it’s active sidekick Strokkur! Although the original Geysir is not predictably active, its neighbour, Strokkur, will erupt every 5-7 minutes – so have your camera ready. We will then have an option to stop for lunch at Geysir or Gullfoss. Your guide will notify you.
We then drive a few minutes down the road to the most famous part of the Golden Circle: Gullfoss, or “Golden Falls“. To stand at Gullfoss and bask in the beauty and the wonder of nature is an uplifting experience. One feels more energetic when leaving Gullfoss than when arriving.
After the Golden Circle experience we will take you to the Secret Lagoon to relax and float and if the weather conditions are in our favor watch the Northern Lights dance over us! On route back we will have added bonus and hunt for the Northern Lights if conditions are in our favor.
3.day: Essential Iceland by Helicopter
An extensive highlight reel of the things that make Iceland… well, Iceland! This action-packed half-day journey brings you the ultimate sample of Iceland’s natural and cultural highlights. From stunning glaciers, volcanoes, and waterfalls, to marvels of human history and engineering, you will see, feel, and understand what makes Iceland so unique. Fly over the foundations of the world’s oldest existing parliament at Þingvellir, through the geothermal explosions of Geysir and the power plants that harness their energy. Gaze at the technicolour mountains around Landmannalaugar and thread the needle between the cascading glaciers of Þórsmörk, to the site of Eyjafjallajökull’s world-famous 2010 eruption. From here, follow a trail of towering waterfalls as they drop out of the mountains to black sandy coastlines of newborn volcanic islands, then make a right turn and follow the sky back to Reykjavík! This is a quintessential Icelandic sightseeing tour, you get to experience in a helicopter! A lunch stop at the remote Volcano Huts in Thorsmörk valley is included from October 1st to May 31st. During the warmer summer months we take refreshments along on the tour.
4.day: Lunar Landscape on the Reykjanes Peninsula
The lunar landscape at Reykjanes, with all its volcanoes and different lava formations, gives you a good idea why Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin came to Iceland to practice their moonwalk. We start by going through the town of Hafnarfjordur and see how Icelanders still dry fish in the lava field just outside of the capital area. A few minutes later we are away from all city lights off-roading in the Super Jeep on lunar like landscape which is vast, barren and deserted with many volcanoes and endless lava. We are in fact driving right where the tectonic plates meet, the Eurasia plate and the North-American plate. This is the reason why the Reykjanes Peninsula is so volcanic.
VIKING WORLD – The museum, which opened in 2009, offers five different exhibitions which are all connected to the viking age in one way or the other. They offer a unique opportunity to learn about the history and lifestyle of the Vikings of the North Atlantic a thousand years ago. In addition visitors can enjoy the magnificent view of the ocean from the Cafe as well as free internet access. A gift shop and facilities for special events such as lectures and receptions are also available on site.
5.day: Ice Tunnel and Fjord Experience
Journey to one of the world’s greatest wilderness where you will be able to explore the incredible ice cap glacial environment. This three in one tour will enable you to explore around, on and within, the giant, 953sq/km glacier. taking ice cap glacier exploration to a whole new level. This isn’t your average Iceland tour, it is a once in a lifetime adventure, to Iceland’s man-made Ice Cap Glacier, located high on Europe’s second largest glacier, Langjokull. Experience the awesome ice cap glacial environment. Ride in our special modified glacier vehicles. Never before has anyone been able to see the beautiful blue ice at the heart of an Ice Cap Glacier; it feels like an exciting and magical journey, deep within the glacier, and it is deep enough to reach another world, a world of magnificent, stunning blue ice. On route back to you next accommodation, we will make some stops along the way to some fjords and local waterfalls.
6.day: South Coast Iceland
We start by heading to the beautiful waterfall called Seljalandsfoss. We will have an option of walking behind the waterfall. We will also show you a beautiful cave with a waterfall inside. After we have enjoyed this location we will head out to the other side of the Glacier of Eyjafjallajökull and meet a farmer that lives under this big volcano of Eyjafjallajökull. At Þorvaldseyri you get to know the true spirit of a local Icelander as when most people think about the devastation from the volcanic eruption he thinks about opportunities and positive angles. Our next stop will be a spectacular 60-meter-high waterfall called Skógarfoss. Next stop we will meet our snowmobiling guide for top of the glacier experience! The snowmobile tour is the perfect length of time for first-time riders and individuals looking for a scenic, fun ride, exploring and experiencing the wilderness, glacier and the breathtaking views over South Iceland in good weather. The tour starts from our base, after a short briefing and dressing up in a snow suit we step into a real glacier truck and drive up the mountain to the glacier where we pick up the snowmobiles and ride to the glacier Mýrdalsjökull. The glacier adventure will provide stunning photo opportunities in good weather. Our guides will take you through safety procedures and equip you in special clothing and helmets. After Snowmobiling we will head to Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach to view the incredible Basalt Columns that were the inspiration for our famous Hallgrimskirkja church in Reykjavik. Our final stop of the day will be at Dyrholaey Lighthouse close to the town of Vik in hopes for an incredible sunset with a view for miles fill with the black sand beach and volcanoes and glaciers in the background.
7.day: Free Day in Reykjavik
Sleep in and have the day to explore Reykjavik on your own.
8.day: Snæfellsnes Peninsula
A Journey to the Centre of the Earth is a classic 1864 science fiction novel by Jules Verne. The story involves a German professor (Otto Lidenbrock in the original French or Professor Von Hardwigg in the most common English translation) who believes there are volcanic tubes going towards the center of the earth. He, his nephew Axel (Harry), and their guide Hans encountered many adventures, including prehistoric animals and natural hazards, eventually resurfacing in southern Italy. In the novel, the glacier of Snæfellsjökull was the gateway to the center of the earth. We will in this tour take a scenic route that included the largest fjord (Hvalfjörður) of the south-west coast of Iceland where in WWII there used to be an allied naval station. We continue to the picture perfect Snæfellsnes peninsula with endless waterfalls and brown sandy beaches. We continue to the glacier of Snæfellsjökull and drive up almost to the top. At the top we are at 1446 meters above sea level and we have an amazing visibility over the peninsula. We then continue to Reykjavik city to drop you off at your accommodations. Exploring Vatnshellir cave is truly amazing and unforgettable experience. This 8000-year-old lava tube reaches over 200 meters and goes 35 meters below the surface.
9.day: Visit the Largest Glacier in Europe
With its enormous icebergs breaking off from Vatnajökull glacier, this natural wonder is a something you cannot miss! We continue our route by foot to explore the natural beauty of the Skaftafell national park, we take a 30 minute hike Svartifoss (Black Fall). It is surrounded by dark lava columns, which gave rise to its name. The base of this waterfall is noteworthy for its sharp rocks. New hexagonal column sections break off faster than the falling water wears down the edges. Head out to the magnificent glacial lagoon Jokulsarlon, and follow in the footsteps of James Bond in “Die Another Day” and Lara Croft in “Tomb Raider”. Jokulsarlon lagoon started to form in the early 1920s, and is growing bigger every year. You will see blocks of ice that have broken off Europe’s biggest glacier, Vatnajokull, and are sailing slowly towards the ocean, which is only a mile away. Some of the icebergs are partially covered with volcanic ash from ancient eruptions, and look like sculptures, made by Mother Nature herself!
On the other side of the road there is a beautiful black sand beach covered in the washed up icebergs that have now become ice cubes, we call this the Diamond beach of Breiðamerkursandur. Like diamonds in the sun they sparkle on the black beach and transform the Breiðamerkursandur into a glowing field of ice. We continue and will meet our guide at Jökulsárlón, the glacier lagoon, for our close experience of the icebergs. Glacier Lagoon is located under the largest glacier in Europe, Vatnajökull. The glacier lagoon has its own residents; a seal colony that is not shy and can be spotted close to the beach. Get even closer to the icebergs with the Zodiac Boats!
10.day: Goðafoss and Lake Myvant
The first stop of the day is at Goðafoss, one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Iceland. It drops 12 meters is 30 meters wide. The name stems from the Icelandic conversion from Norse Paganism to Christianity in the year 1000. The ex-pagan chieftain, Þorgeir Ljósvetningagoði, threw his statues of the pagan Norse gods into the waterfall right after returning from Alþingi Parliament where the conversion was made. And so the waterfall was named Goðafoss, “The Waterfall of the Gods”. We then continue our journey to Lake Myvatn. The Lake Myvatn area is considered both the most beautiful and the most catastrophic place in Iceland. The ecosystem here is truly unique and the birdlife is varied: more species of duck are said to live here than in any other place on Earth. We will start by exploring the pseudo craters at Mývatn. This natural phenomenon is formed when lava flows over wet ground and pushes the ground down. This causes a lot of steam to be trapped under the weight of the lava which then causes a lot of pressure, which causes steam explosions and the formation of these beautiful pseudo craters. This day will be marked by many fascinating destinations, such as Dimmuborgir, a lava labyrinth that was formed around 2300 years ago when a partially cooled lava lake drained out and left magnificent basalt pillars and sculptures. After a short walk in Dimmuborgir the tour continues to Grjotagja, an underground bathing cave that is popular among the locals, for a nice and relaxing warm foot bath.After a short walk in Dimmuborgir the tour continues to Grjotagja, an underground bathing cave that is popular among the locals, for a nice and relaxing warm foot bath. On route back to our accommodations we will go back through the town of Akureyri and have a dinner option if you would like.
11.day: Highlights of Akureyri Flight to Hofn
We will head back into the town of Akureyri for lunch and experience a bit of culture from the town up North in a relaxed manner before flying to our next stop The little Christmas House Our first stop in Akureyri will be at the Christmas House, a quaint gift shop that keeps the spirit of Christmas all year round. It looks like a cross between a typical Icelandic fisherman’s house and a gingerbread house, painted red with candy decorations. There is always a countdown to Christmas, and no matter how far away it is, you can always.buy Christmas gifts, decorations and even traditional Icelandic Christmas food any day of the year. Akureyri Botanic Garden Next stop is at the Akureyri Botanical Gardens that function both as a public park with decorative plants (formally opened in 1912) and as a botanical garden (opened in 1957) with a noteworthy collection of specimens of Icelandic flora along with imported flowers, trees and shrubs. The botanical garden was established by the women of Akureyri, and has been in their care ever since.
12.day: Airport Transfer with a Twist
The lunar landscape at Reykjanes, with all its volcanoes and different lava formations, gives you a good idea why Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin came to Iceland to practice their moonwalk. We start by going through the town of Hafnarfjordur and see how Icelanders still dry fish in the lava field just outside of the capital area. A few minutes later we are away from all city lights off-roading in the Super Jeep on lunar like landscape which is vast, barren and deserted with many volcanoes and endless lava. We are in fact driving right where the tectonic plates meet, the Eurasia plate and the North-American plate. This is the reason why the Reykjanes Peninsula is so volcanic.
If you have a late departure we can add in a visit to the Blue Lagoon before departing !
Experience the famous Blue lagoon –your entrance package : Premium
Premium: Entrance to Blue Lagoon, Use of Towel, 1st Drink of your choice, Skin Care Pack, Use of Bathrobe, Slippers, Reserved table at LAVA, Sparkling wine at LAVA.
Lunch at Lava Restaurant inside the Blue Lagoon LAVA Restaurant combines modern design with the wild spirit of Icelandic nature. Built into a stunning lava cliff, with views over the lagoon, it is an unforgettable setting for a relaxed lunch, a family dinner or a romantic evening meal.
Next stop is Keflavik International Airport where we say Bless Bless from Iceland!
All offers will be considered tailor-made. Contact us for our best prices for this programme and information on availability.