The Land of the Northern Lights Exploration

This short getaway offers insight into Iceland’s nature and cultural life, with two nights in Iceland’s capital and two nights in South Iceland, an ideal location for the search for the Northern Lights. Visit Reykjavík, the Blue Lagoon, the Black lava beach, Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss waterfall, the Golden Circle, meet Icelandic horses on a farm and see the Northern Lights. Optional Glacier Hike on Sólheimajökull and optional Northern Lights cruise by boat from Reykjavík. Excellent value for money and a short winter trip to the Icelandic countryside.

Highlights:

• Budget holiday offering excellent value for money
• Must-see nature: the Golden Circle, the South Coast and the Blue Lagoon
• Visit to Skógar folk museum with turf houses
• 2-night stay in South Iceland, ideal for Northern Lights hunting
• 2 evenings with a combination of lectures, presentations, film and guided searches for Aurora Borealis
• Optional Northern Lights fjord cruise (day 1 and 4)
• Optional glacier hike (day 3)
• Two hotel class options to suit every budget

Tour Itinerary

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

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

Overnight accommodation: Hotel Cabin/Klettur or similar. Including breakfast.

Day 2 - Reykjavik City Tour, Blue Lagoon & Reykjanes Peninsula (220 km/137 mls)

At 09:00, meet your tour guide, who will show the group the highlights of Iceland’s exciting capital. Then we head out to the Reykjanes Peninsula with its hot springs, mountains, moon-like landscape, bird cliffs, lighthouses and fishing villages. In the afternoon, we bathe in the Blue Lagoon.
Drive along the south coast to arrive in the village of Hella, where we stay for two nights at Stracta Hotel.
We hear about the Northern Lights from our tour guide in the evening. So, naturally, you are outside in a suitable area for the Aurora hunt when darkness falls.

Overnight accommodation: Hotel Stracta or similar. Including breakfast.

Day 3 - South Iceland with optional Glacier Hike (200 km/124 mls)

Today we travel along the south coast and reach the area beneath the Eyjafjallajökull volcano and glacier. Our first stop is at Seljalandsfoss waterfall, and we visit the Skógar folk museum of early Modern Iceland with its turf houses. At noon, we see the Skógarfoss waterfall.

You can book and pay for an optional glacier walk on the Sólheimajökull glacier tongue when booking the tour here on site or by sending us an email. The price per person is 110 EUR (subject to availability). The duration of the tour is 3 hours, the time on the ice is 1-1,5 hours.

Suppose you book a trip without the glacier hike. In that case, the tour continues further south, where you walk on the famous Black Lava Beach at Reynisfjara and observe the Cap of Dyrhólaey and the Reynisdrangar Sea Cliffs before visiting the charming village of Vík.

In the evening there is another presentation about the Northern Lights. If the night is clear, you might see the Northern Lights swirling in a wild and carefree dance across the heavens in dramatic shapes, colours, patterns and sizes.

Overnight accommodation: Hotel Stracta or similar. Including breakfast.

Day 4 - Golden Circle & Visit Icelandic Horses (210 km/130 mls)

We learn about the Icelandic horse, its unique qualities and history, and visit a geothermal greenhouse in the morning. Then we travel the Golden Circle route, see steam rising from the Geysir geothermal fields and admire the double waterfall of Gullfoss. Finally, we end the afternoon at Þingvellir National Park, learn about the rift walleye and tectonic plates. Also, the location of the ancient Viking Parliament and UNESCO World Heritage Site.

An optional Northern Lights evening cruise can be booked for this day if the weather conditions are right.

Hotel Cabin/Klettur or similar. Including breakfast.

Day 5 - Departure Home (50 km/31 mls)

Individual transfer by Flybus airport shuttle from your guesthouse/hotel accommodation in Reykjavík to Keflavík Airport.

Daily driving: Total mileage without airport transfer is about 630 km (391 miles) which is an average of 210 km (130 miles) per day. You spend about 3 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. This tour is suitable for children that are used to bus tours.

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

Departures: every Tuesday and Thursday from September - April
Group Size: large group tour, 40 people max

The price is from £1,295* per person, depending on your preferred accommodation class, based on 2 people sharing a double/twin room (triple rooms on request).
*Prices are subject to availability

This tour includes:

• Return flights from the UK including hand luggage, taxes and fees
• Arrival & departure airport transfer by FLYBUS Plus shuttle (no guide)
• Fully escorted 3-day bus tour with an English-speaking guide (Note: also guided in Mandarin and Spanish)
• 4-nights budget/comfort accommodation, in rooms with private shower/wc
• Daily breakfast
• Entrance with towel at Blue Lagoon
• Entrance fee to Skógar folk museum and turf houses
• Visit to Icelandic horse stables & geothermal greenhouse
• Northern Lights program during 2 evenings with a combination of lectures, presentations, film and guided searches for the Northern Lights and midnight refreshments
• Use of winter & Northern Lights Explorer equipment: simple non-slip snow & ice grippers spikes for shoes and a flashlight that is helpful when walking in the dark and operating your photo camera at night
• Financial Protection (ATOL)

Not included:

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