Golden Circle, the Glacier Lagoon and Crystal Caves

Tour Itinerary

Day 1 - Welcome to Iceland!

Depart from your selected airport in the UK and arrive at Keflavík, Iceland’s International Airport. You will be transported by the fast, reliable and convenient Reykjavík Excursions FlybusPlus service to Reykjavík. Enjoy exploring the City. Optional evening excursions from Reykjavík are available to try catch the Northern Lights.

Overnight stay in Reykjavík at a 3 star standard hotel (option to upgrade to 4 star).

Day 2 - The Golden Circle

After breakfast, around 08.30, you will be picked up from your hotel/pick up point. Meet your guide and tour group you will be travelling with for the next three days.

We visit Þingvellir National park, one of UNESCO’S world heritage site and Icelanders founded their parliament here in 930, making it the world’s oldest running parliament. This is also where the Eurasian and North American tectonic plate meet and you can see the drift that has formed over the years. Lake Þingvallarvatn is the largest natural lake in Iceland.

The next stop is the geothermal area home to the renown hot spring Geysir, the one all other hot springs have their name from. This is where Strokkur spouts water up to 25 meters into the air every 5-8 minutes,

Gullfoss, the golden waterfall, is the last site on the Golden Circle route. This magnificent waterfall is the most visited one in Iceland and for a good reason too. From the Golden circle, we drive through south Iceland towards ring road nr. 1. On route there are possibilities for great sights all around, Mt. Hekla being one of them on a clear day.

We also stop by Seljalandsfoss waterfall that you can walk behind and enjoy from both sides. Skógafoss is a site not to be missed while in Iceland. Running from Eyjafjallajökull glacier the water in Skógafoss has come a long way. The last stop of this magical day is the black sand beach Reynisfjara. The Atlantic Ocean really shows its force here, so be careful to follow the guidelines from your tour guide. The basalt pillars Reynisdrangar, rising from the sea just off shore, gives you a good idea where some of the Icelandic folklore springs from. Don’t miss the basalt column cave before you leave the black sand beach.

We spend the night in a country hotel near the small coastal town of Vík. If the conditions are right, we may catch a glimpse of the Northern lights tonight.

Stay 2 nights in the South of Iceland at Hotel Geirland or similar country hotel. Rooms have private facilities and include daily breakfast.

Day 3 - The Crystal Cave

Today is glacier day! Today involves visiting a crystal cave in Vatnajökull and the magnificent Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon. After a thorough safety briefing and gearing up, we go into the crystal cave.

Here you have about 45 minutes to explore the magical blue ice and take photos. Our certified glacier guides will lead you through the ice cave, ensuring your safety at all times. New ice caves are formed each winter and we have to rely on nature to keep the temperature below the freezing point to make the scenery in and around the cave the best. The blue color appears when the air is pressed out of the ice and it becomes completely dense. Fortunately, there’s a degree of flexibility in this tour.

The weather in Iceland is ever changing and we want to ensure that your traveling experience will be optimal. Your guide will, therefore, decide how it’s best to operate the tour each time so you might visit the cave on day three if the guide estimates the conditions to be better then. The temperature inside the glacier is well below the freezing point so please dress accordingly.

After the crystal cave, we make our way to the glacier lagoon, Jökulsárlón. The lagoon and a close by beach, filled with icebergs of different size and shape, are dreamlike sights in the twilight of the afternoon. Sometimes seals can be spotted in the lagoon.

After this day’s glacier adventure, we head to the hotel in Skaftafell area where we will spend the night. We will, of course, also keep an eye out for the Northern lights that night for the darkness of the countryside offers a great opportunity for Aurora spotting.

Day 4 - Glacier Walk and South Shore

After breakfast, we move out to the glacier again. Vatnajökull glacier is the biggest glacier in Europe and thus, it has many outlet glaciers that are perfect for glacier hikes – our specialized glacier guides will pick the best possible one for the group. There are no physical preconditions needed for the glacier hike, but you will have to be able to hike for an hour, at least, to fully enjoy the glacier tour.

After the hike, we will head back to Reykjavík. This day gives us a chance to visit some of the sites from day one again on our way to Reykjavik. There will also be possibilities for some additional stops – all in accordance with the weather and conditions for we know that the forces of nature are in charge of all our actions during the winter. We will be in Reykjavík between 4 and 7 PM, depending on weather and conditions.

Overnight stay in Reykjavík at a 3 star standard hotel (option to upgrade to 4 star).

Day 5 - Departure

Pick up will be around 3 hours before your flight and the FlybusPlus shuttle will take you back to Keflavík International Airport.

If flight time allows, you may have time to get some last minute souvenirs in town or take an optional excursion.

Optional Excursion: Visit to the Blue Lagoon

If flight time allows, you can take an optional trip to the world famous Blue Lagoon Geothermal Spa on your way to the airport. The lagoon is ideally located between Reykjavík and Keflavík International Airport and therefore it is convenient to use this time to visit before your flight. Enjoy the Blue Lagoon for 2-3 hours. You can book a treatment if you like, have a lunch at the Blue Lagoon or just relax in this wonderful spa.

Continue on to Keflavík International Airport about two hours before your flight.

If you have a morning flight back, you may be able to visit the lagoon on arrival instead if flight time allows or add an extra day on to your holiday.

CHANGE OF PROGRAM:

We reserve the right to change itineraries, routes, accommodation or timetables without prior notice should road, weather conditions or operational situations dictate. Some tours may also be operated in reverse. The local guides will try their best to find reasonable alternatives where and whenever possible. Views of Eyjafjallajökull glacier and Hekla Volcano are subject to weather conditions. Ice caves are an ever changing natural phenomenon and, therefore, unpredictable. We will visit one ice cave during the tour and the choice of a cave is based on conditions and safety.

Tour details

Departures: Daily, October - April
Group Size: Small group tour, maximum 18 passengers

The price is from £1,395* per person based on 2 people sharing a double/twin room
*Price is subject to availability

This tour includes:

• Return flights from the UK including hand luggage, taxes and fees
• Bus transfer to and from Keflavík airport
• 4 nights accommodation, two nights in a 3 star hotel in Reykjavík and two nights in a countryside hotel both with private facilities including breakfast
• 3 day fully guided tour in a minibus including: hotel pick up/drop off, a visit to Þingvellir, Geysir, Gullfoss, Seljalandsfoss, Skógafoss, Reynisfjara, Skaftafell, Jökulsarlón glacier lagoon, Crystal Ice Cave, a certified glacier guide
• Financial Protection (ATOL)