Guided Grand Tour of Iceland

Tour Itinerary

Day 1 - Welcome To Iceland (50 km/31 mls)

The Flybus shuttle brings you from Keflavík International airport to Reykjavík where you spend the first night in Iceland. We provide you with ideas how to explore Iceland's capital on your own.

Accommodation: Hotel Klettur or similar including breakfast.

Day 2 - Golden Circle (300 km/186 mls)

We see classic highlights today, the Golden Circle Route. We start with a visit to a geothermal greenhouse and watch how Icelanders grow tomatoes. Next door, we can take a selfie with an Icelandic horse and learn about its unique qualities and history. We explore Gullfoss, the beautiful double “Golden Falls”, and we walk through the active geothermal area of Geysir, where Strokkur “the churn” spouts up to 25 meters (70 feet) every five to seven minutes. The next stop is the ancient Viking Parliament area and UNESCO world heritage site of Þingvellir National Park. The Þingvellir plain is situated on a tectonic plate boundary where North America and Europe are slowly tearing away from each other. As a result, the plain is scarred by dramatic fissures, ponds, and rivers, including the great rift Almannagjá.

Accommodation: Icelandairhotel Hamar, Borgarnes or similar including dinner and breakfast.

Day 3 - Snæfellsnes Peninsula & Ferry trip to West Fjords (290 km/180 mls)

Today, we explore the Snæfellsnes Peninsula, which juts out from Iceland’s West Coast. A rugged mountain chain runs its length, capped by the 1,446-meter Snæfellsjökull glacier, a mystical cone-shaped stratovolcano. We travel around the Snæfellsnes Peninsula, through lava fields, and along the ocean with many excellent Icelandic photo opportunities. We see the most popular sites at the Snæfellsnes National Park where volcanic craters, lava flows, an ice cap, glaciated peaks, fjords, sandy beaches, and high cliffs shape its landscapes. We follow the adventure of Jules Verne’s classic science-fiction novel about “The Journey to the Center of the Earth”. Do not miss your chance to go on a trip to the interior of the earth under the glacier Snæfellsjökull! This lava cave tour takes you 35 meters underground and about 200 meters into the lava tube called Vatnshellir. In the afternoon, we catch the car ferry Baldur from Stykkishólmur to Brjánslækur in the West Fjords. On the 2,5-hour journey over Breiðafjörður Bay, we pass the island of Flatey, which is inhabited only during the summertime. If the weather is beautiful, you will enjoy a magnificent view of the bay’s countless isles as well as the glacier Snæfellsjökull.

Accommodation: Fosshotel Westfjords, Patreksfjörður or similar including dinner and breakfast.

Day 4 - Iceland's Westernmost Point (150 km/93 mls)

We follow the coastline and stop at the folk and transport museum in Hnjótur. We continue through a very remote and sparsely populated region to the bird cliffs of Látrabjarg, the most abundant seabird cliff and the westernmost point of Iceland and Europe where you can see puffins from mid-May till mid-August. We take a walk in the wilderness to the top of the highest bird cliff in Iceland. Látrabjarg is known in the world for its density of Nordic birds. Puffins, razorbills, guillemots, fulmars, cormorants, kittiwakes, and other cliff birds flock either in hundreds, thousands and even in millions. Látrabjarg is a place where you can get very close to the seabirds, and even if you’re not into bird watching, you are entertained by the comic puffins and mesmerized by the sheer number of birds. If weather and road conditions allow, we travel to Rauðisandur beach with endless red sand. Well, not endless but 10 km is a lot. The magnificent hues of the sand differ with daylight, tides, and weather. This pure sand beach is home to countless seabirds and seals and is an oasis of unique tranquillity. Forget everything, except maybe getting the perfect shot of the ever-changing hues of yellow, orange and red.

Accommodation: Fosshotel Westjfords, Patreksfjörður or similar including dinner and breakfast.

Day 5 - Beautiful West FjordsS (440 km/273 mls)
We travel over mountains and along the shore of scenic fjords until we reach the majestic fjord Arnarfjörður, surrounded by high mountains. At the bottom of the fjord, we come across the unique waterfall Dynjandi with its seven levels of plunging water, declared the country’s most beautiful waterfall by the people of Iceland. We continue over a mountain pass and along the southern shores of the West Fjords which is a route less travelled and is characterized by sheer cliffs, deep cut bays and narrow stretches of coastal lowland. We overnight at the remote Vogur Country Lodge in West Iceland. This overnight location is a truly peaceful and beautiful place close to Breiðafjörður Bay, giving you the feeling of being all alone in Iceland.

Accommodation: Hotel Laugarbakki, Hvammstangi or similar. Breakfast & dinner included.

Day 6 - Heading North (290 km/180 mls)

Today’s journey is a little bit of the beaten track, around the Vatnsnes peninsula. We pass the fishing village of Hvammstangi, also called the seal capital of Iceland. A gravel road takes us around the peninsula to Hvítserkur, a highlight on the east coast of the region; a mass of igneous rock, about 15 meters high, situated on the seashore where fulmars and gulls live. An old story has it that Hvítserkur is a petrified troll that intended to stone a nearby cloister, but dawn arrived before he could succeed. We continue to Kolugljúfur canyon, where waterfalls cascade into the deep, rugged gorge. It is a breath taking sight to walk on the viewing platform and watch the calm waters of the river suddenly leap and tumble onwards over so many impressive falls – a sight which will leave no one unmoved. Further north we stop at Víðimýri to visit one of the few preserved turf churches in Iceland. The church was built in 1834 and has turf walls, but timber gables both back and front. We continue along a high mountain road to Akureyri, also called the capital of North Iceland, where we stay for two nights.

Accommodation: Sæluhús Studio Apartments, Akureyri or similar. Breakfast & dinner included.

Day 7 - Iceland's Northernmost Town, Whale Watching & Sea Angling (170 km/106 mls)

Enjoy breakfast in the beautiful surrounding of the botanical garden in Akureyri. Afterwards enjoy a whale watching tour for 2-3 hours in Eyjafjörður – Iceland’s longest fjord right below the Arctic Circle. For additional bonus and fun, try your luck at sea angling towards the end of the tour. In the afternoon see the spectacular fjord landscapes while travelling to Siglufjörður, Iceland’s northernmost town, known as the herring capital of the North Atlantic. Siglufjörður is located on the mountainous Tröllaskagi Peninsula. On the way, we pass small fishing villages and stop at a deserted valley that even most Icelanders have not seen. Included is a visit to the Herring Era Museum in Siglufjörður, Iceland’s largest maritime museum and the only one in Iceland that won the European Museum Awards. We won’t miss the opportunity to taste the herring along with Brennivín, Icelandic schnapps.

Accommodation: Sæluhús Studio Apartments, Akureyri or similar. Breakfast & dinner included.

Day 8 - Geological and Volcanic Lava Wonders (370 km/ 230 mls)

We explore Goðafoss, the waterfall of the Gods, and continue to Lake Mývatn, known for its abundant bird life and amazing volcanic lava landscapes. We see pseudo craters, walk in the mysterious lava field Dimmuborgir, see the tephra cone Hverfjall, explore the hot springs, fumaroles, and bubbling mud pools of Námaskarð. We travel to Dettifoss, Europe’s most powerful waterfall, in the northern part of Vatnajökull National Park. The round-trip walk takes about 40-60 minutes. We continue east through the bare and sometimes deserted landscape with mountains all around and head through the uninhabited highlands to East Iceland. We explore the northernmost fjord on the East Fjord Mountain range. The isolated village Bakkagerði at Borgarfjörður-Eystri has only 120 inhabitants; offering an end of the road location. This charming village is built snugly next to the steep mountainside and getting there is a dramatic but rewarding drive. The colourful mountains are unique and impressive.

Accommodation: Guesthouse Álfheimar, Borgarfjörður Eystri or similar. Breakfast & dinner included.

Day 9 - East Fjords and Geothermal Bathing (340 km/211 mls)

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. Our first stop will be at Vök baths, a geothermal floating pool in Lake Urriðavatn where guests can soak in the hot water, within and surrounded by the lake. Later we visit Petra’s fascinating rock collection. A naturalist and a collector are two terms that have been used to describe Petra since she was a little girl. Petra collected for nearly 80 years this unique treasure of rocks, crystals, zeolites, quartz and more, all from the nearby area in the Eastfjords. In the afternoon we see Vatnajökull, Europe’s biggest glacier that is visible all-over Southeast Iceland.

Accommodation: Fosshotel Vatnajökull, Höfn in Hornafjörður or similar. Breakfast & dinner included.

Day 10 - Vatnajökull National Park, Glaciers & Glacier Lagoon (280 km/174 mls)

Today we visit Vatnajökull National Park which covers about 14% of Iceland, making it Europe’s 2nd largest national park in terms of area. We stop for a boat ride amongst the floating icebergs on the magnificent Jökulsárlón glacial lagoon, considered one of the highlights on tour around Iceland. Next, we walk along the black sands of the so-called Diamond beach. We explore the region of Skaftafell that is nestled below Iceland’s highest mountain and the second biggest stratovolcano in Europe, the 2.110-meter high Hvannadalshnúkur. We walk close to one of the many glacial tongues in the area – a true photo moment. We cross a sandy desert before reaching our overnight location Vík, the southernmost village in Iceland.

Accommodation: Hotel Vík, Vík in Mýrdalur or similar. Breakfast & dinner included.

Day 11 - The South Coast (210 km/130 mls)

Today we travel along the South Coast of Iceland, between the sea, rugged mountains, glaciers, and waterfalls. We explore the black lava beach, Reynisfjara, and bird cliffs before stopping at the Skógafoss waterfall, another must-see location in South Iceland. The crashing water creates a mist that results in frequent and magical rainbows, just adding some more memorable experiences to the sheer beauty of this stunning scenery and place. Afterwards we visit Skógar folk museum with its turf houses assemblage of traditions of territorial relics on display. Later reach Seljalandsfoss waterfall where you can follow a slick and wet trail and walk right behind it. Come prepared and bring a raincoat and good boots as you will get wet. Then we visit the Lava & Volcano Exhibition Centre focused on geology and active volcanoes and watch a documentary film about volcanic eruptions in the past years in Iceland. Farewell dinner at a local restaurant in Reykjavík, Iceland’s capital.

Accommodation: Hotel Klettur or similar in Reykjavík. Breakfast & Farewell dinner included.

Day 12- Departure Home (50 km/31 mls)

The Flybus airport shuttle picks you up at your hotel and takes you the Keflavík International airport about 3 hours before your flight. If you want to stay longer and explore more of Iceland you can extend your stay.

NOTE:

• Total mileage in 10 days is about 2,710 km (1,683 miles) which is an average of 271 km (169 miles) per day.
• You spend about 4 hours per day on the bus, depending on road conditions, traffic and daily distances.
• On some days, especially in the West Fjords, the driving might be longer than on some other days.
• This tour has an average of 1-2 hours light walking each day, mostly short walks of 5-20 minutes, in order to explore and reach many of the natural treasures around Iceland. Most trails in Iceland are nature trails which include uneven terrain, gravels, stairs and not paved trails.
• Most hotels, farms and guesthouses used on this tour are simple tourist-class category, many of them set in the most stunning locations.
• Itineraries may be subject to change at short notice during severe weather conditions and certain outdoor activities/day trips may be cancelled during the winter season in Iceland. In these rare cases, where situations of force majeure apply, excursions/activities cannot be refunded but the local guides will try their best to find reasonable alternatives where and whenever possible.
• Accommodation is subject to change.

CHANGE OF PROGRAM: Itineraries may be subject to change at short notice during severe weather conditions, and certain outdoor activities/day trips may be cancelled during the winter season in Iceland. In these rare cases, where situations of force majeure apply, excursions/activities cannot be refunded. Still, the local guides will try their best to find reasonable alternatives where and whenever possible.

Tour details

Travel Dates: May - August
Group Size: small group tour, 20 passengers max

The price is from £5,495* per person based on 2 people sharing a double/twin room
*Price is subject to availability

This includes:

• Return flights from the UK including 23kg luggage allowance, taxes and fees
• Return Airport transfer by Flybus
• 10 day fully guided tour with English speaking guide/driver guide
• Free Wi-Fi on the coach
• 11 nights accommodation as per itinerary in rooms with private facilities
• x11 breakfast
• 10x 3-course dinner
• Discover three national parks
• Lava cave in Snæfellsnes
• Ferry trip to the West Fjords
• Folk and transport museum at Hnjótur
• Farm visit
• Visit to a geothermal greenhouse and horse stables
• Herring museum
• Whale watching tour in Eyjafjörður fjord
• Vök Baths, including towel
• Entry to Petra’s stone collection
• Boat trip on Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon
• Entrance to Skógar Folk Museum
• Exhibition and 4K movie at Lava Centre in Hvolsvöllur
• Financial Protection (ATOL)

Not included:

• Optional excursions
• Travel insurance
• Anything else not specifically listed under "this includes"