Your Itinerary
Welcome to Reykjavík, the capital city of Iceland! Despite being one of the smallest ‘big’ cities in the world, the dazzling city Reykjavik sure does pack quite the punch. It’s situated on the country’s southwest coast on the Seltjarnar Peninsula and is bordered on the other side by spectacularly imposing mountain ranges. Reykjavik is a city of alluring contrasts, perfectly blending aspects of the surrounding nature with a sophisticated cosmopolitan, yet small-town, vibe.
We don’t want you to miss out on any aspect of your small group tour. To ensure that you don’t, we recommend you arrive at your starting destination by 4:00pm.
We’ll meet our fellow travellers and our tour director for a wonderful welcome dinner tonight at a local restaurant in Reykjavik’s gorgeous harbour area.
Boasting a rich history rooted in Viking heritage, Reykjavík is a totally unique city. Established as a trading post by Norse settlers in around 870 AD, the settlement evolved gradually until it became an official trading town in 1786. Reykjavík’s true transformation into a modern city happened in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, whereby the city has seen constant development to this day. Despite this, it still retains much of its ancient roots and charm.
We begin our day with a city tour of Reykjavík, including a visit to the iconic Perlan Wonders of Iceland Museum. A museum celebrating nature like no other, we’ll get the chance to explore several exhibits such as the Northern Lights Show in the Planetarium, the Volcano Show, the Ice Cave and visit to the Observation Deck.
In the early afternoon, we will make our way to the beautiful Sky Lagoon, a geothermal spa situation on the coast of the Kopavogur peninsula. Take your time here to relax in the lagoon and breathe in the refreshing ocean air. Embrace the natural warmth of the water and immerse yourself in the calming energy while you soak in the stunning views.
Tonight we’ll watch a show called ‘How to become Icelandic in 60 minutes’. This unique show blends education with comedy, and will teach us about the Icelandic people, their attitudes and about their everyday life. Get ready to learn and laugh at the very same time!
Day 3 - Reykjavík – Snæfellsnes – Arnarstapi
This morning we bid Reykjavík farewell, with our eyes set on reaching Arnarstapi via Snæfellsnes Peninsula. A small fishing village at the foot of Mt. Stapafell, Arnarstapi is home to some incredible vistas. We’re in for a scenic journey today, so make sure you have your cameras recharged!
En route to Snæfellsnes, we’ll travel through Reykholt, a tiny village that was once considered the intellectual centre of Iceland as it was home to one of the most important schools in the country. We’ll also visit Barnafoss and the nearby Hraunfossar, two beautiful waterfalls that pour into the river Hvítá. Their bright blue streams are truly mesmerising!
We continue on to Ytri Tunga Beach, standing out as one of the only beaches in Iceland to have golden sand instead of black sand! Here we’ll get the chance to view the charismatic resident Harbour and Grey Seals in their natural habitats.
A photo stop at the iconic Black Church of Budir is our next location, before arriving at Arnarstapi Beach and taking in the beautiful coastal views from the cliff viewpoint. We’ll then continue onto our accommodation for the night.
Day 4 - Arnarstapi – Stykkishólmur – Sauðárkrókur
After breakfast, we’ll leave Arnarstapi and head towards Sauðárkrókur, making our first stop at the fascinating Ólafsvíkurkirkja Church, the first ‘modern’ Church in Iceland. We’ll also see Kirkjufell Mountain, a beautiful and distinct shaped peak that featured in the popular fantasy TV series, Game of Thrones.
We then embark on a ‘Viking sushi tour’, where we’ll get a taste for Iceland’s beautiful fjord scenery as we sail around the Breiðafjörður's Islands.
We continue on to Sauðárkrókur, our home for the night, taking a photo stop outside of Glaumbær Farm & Museum on the way. Here we’ll be able to marvel at the traditional ‘turf houses’ built by Icelanders for hundreds of years into the 20th century.
Day 5 - Sauðárkrókur – Goðafoss Waterfall – Myvatn
Special Experience
Uncover Langhus Horse Farm, an Icelandic family-owned farm where we’ll learn about traditional practices while enjoying local snacks.
Following our morning marvelling at the beautiful horses and learning from some friendly Icelandic locals, we’ll continue on to Akureyri via the stunning Siglufjordur. Considered to be the capital of the north with a population of just under 20,000 residents, Akureyri is situated at the base of Eyjafjörður Fjord and boasts quaint streets, cosy cafes and brightly painted houses. Renowned for its vibrant culture and thriving arts scene, in the centre of the city you’ll find the Akureyri Church with beautiful stained-glass windows portraying scenes from Icelandic Christian history – totally worth the visit!
We’ll enjoy some free time in this beautiful city to explore at our own pace, before continuing on to our next stop, the mythical Goðafoss Waterfall. This spectacular waterfall has to be seen to be believed. Goðafoss cascades over a curved edge spanning over 30 metres in width and falls 12 metres deep into a bright blue pool at the bottom.
An earlyish start to the day and a short walk will see us reaching the beautiful Dettifoss Waterfall found in Vatnajökull National Park. Said to be the second most powerful waterfall in Europe after the Rhine Falls in Switzerland, Dettifoss Waterfall is 100 metres wide and is 45 metres tall! It’s also referred to by some as the ‘The Beast’ in comparison to ‘The Beauty’ that is Goðafoss, due to its power rather than appearance.
Special Experience
Embark on an unforgettable whale watching cruise in Húsavík, aboard a traditional Icelandic oak ship.
En route to Húsavík, we’ll make a photo stop at Ásbyrgi Canyon, before setting off on an exciting whale watching cruise. Húsavík has built a reputation as the whale watching capital of Iceland, a total marine lover’s paradise. Here we’ll get the chance to spot minke whales, breaching humpbacks and playful dolphins – and if you’re really lucky, you might even spot a killer whale or fin whale.
Special Experience
Delight in the healing powers of Geosea Geothermal Sea Baths, taking part in a custom deeply ingrained in Iceland’s cultural fabric.
Challenging Day
Today is a particularly challenging day, where there will be extended periods of walking time, often across uneven ground and in areas of high altitude or heat and humidity.
This world-class geothermal bath is heated from the ground and is packed with minerals, revitalising the skin. The geothermal seawater promotes muscle relaxation and stimulates circulation within the body, leaving you feeling totally rejuvenated. One dip here and you’ll never want to leave!
Day 7 - Myvatn – East Fjords
Today we head towards Eastfjords, making several stops along the way to explore the stunning region.
Our first stop of the day is at Lake Mývatn, a beautiful series of connected lakes with many small islands littered throughout the water. Here we’ll also see the Skútustaðagígar pseudo-craters, before continuing on to Dimmuborgir to walk through the fascinating Lava Field, and Námaskarð to witness the mythical geothermal landscape.
In the early afternoon, we’ll reach renowned Stuðlagil Canyon, one of the world’s most enchanting basalt rock formations. Located in the Jökuldalur Valley, Stuðlagil Canyon was completely submerged under the river Jökla, until the water levels dropped several years ago, revealing the incredible canyon. From our viewpoint we’ll also be able to see the bright Stuðlafoss Waterfall, a cascading waterfall that flows down from the moss-covered basalt columns. The views here are simply otherworldly!
Day 8 - Eastfjords – Skaftafell National Park
We begin our morning with a visit to Djúpivogur, a lovely little town that is home to around 600 residents. The seaside town is surrounded by stunning mountains and has a rich cultural heritage as a critical trading post for the eastern region of Iceland. We’ll then make our way to Höfn, a charming fishing town where we’ll have some free time for lunch.
Next on our agenda is Vatnajökull glacier, which covers eight percent of Iceland’s total landmass and Vatnajokull National Park. We will stop at Jökulsárlón Glacier lagoon and the spectacular Diamond Beach along the way. In Jökulsárlón, we’ll embark on an exciting Amphibian boat trip on Glacier Lagoon, getting the chance to marvel at stunning 1,000-year-old icebergs. If we’re lucky, we may get to opportunity to spot playful marine life!
We will then enjoy a short hike to the impressive Svartifoss Waterfall, also known as Black Falls. Fed by the icy-cold meltwater from the Svinafellsjokull glacier, the water thunders down 20 metres onto a base of sharp rocks and has a unique backdrop of dark hexagonal rock columns.
Challenging Day
Today is a particularly challenging day, where there will be extended periods of walking time, often across uneven ground and in areas of high altitude or heat and humidity.
Day 9 - Skaftafell National Park – Skógafoss & Seljalandsfoss Waterfalls – Hveragerði
After breakfast this morning, we’ll set off for Fjaðrárgljúfur, roughly translating to Feather River Canyon. Here a river runs through the canyon centre, and is surrounded by high grassy hills, creating a beautiful contrast. The walk to the canyon is roughly an hour, but the views that will greet are well worth it. Along the way, we will stop at Kirkjubæjarklaustur for a short walk on the lava field.
We continue on to the quaint village of Vík, a seaside town situated just south of the Katla Volcano. Here, we’ll enjoy some free time to explore and grab a bite to eat for lunch, before stopping to enjoy the renowned Icelandic Lava Show. The only live lava show in the world, this unique experience recreates a volcanic eruption by superheating real lava up to 1100°C. We’ll get the exclusive opportunity to get close to real molten lava, see it flowing, hear it sizzle and bask in the incredible heat it produces.
Perhaps the most exciting part of our day, we’ll explore the Reynisfjara Black beach, the Skógafoss and Seljalandsfoss Waterfalls. Skógafoss is one of Iceland’s biggest waterfalls, with a drop of around 60 metres, and it’s also one of the most beautiful, with its water stream cascading over a lush cliff. Seljalandsfoss Waterfall is arguably one of Iceland’s most impressive with its elegant stream of water plunging deep into a round dish at the entrance of a cave that has formed over centuries. It’s one of the few waterfalls in Iceland that you can actually walk behind!
Challenging Day
Today is a particularly challenging day, where there will be extended periods of walking time, often across uneven ground and in areas of high altitude or heat and humidity.
Today we discover some of Iceland’s famous Golden Circle, a 300-kilometre loop that covers central Iceland and includes three major sights: Gullfoss Waterfalls, UNESCO World Heritage-listed Thingvellir National Park and Strokkur.
Our first stop of the day is Thingvellir National Park, Iceland’s most important cultural landmark and where the world’s first parliament, The Althingi, was formed in 930AD. The parliament continued to meet here for more than 850 years and there are historical documents dating back to its earliest days. Assemblies lasted for two weeks a year in two areas of the park, the Lögberg (Law Rock), and the Lögrétta (Law Council). Today you can still see evidence of nearly 50 booths which were made from turf and stone. The park is also home to Iceland’s largest natural lake and marks the boundary between the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates, resulting in some mesmerising faults and canyons, as well as rifts filled with crystal-clear water.
Our next stop is to discover a local greenhouse tomato farm and learn how they successfully grow tomatoes in this cold climate. While we are here we will enjoy delicious tomato soup for lunch, made from the farm grown tomatoes.
Special Experience
Visit a family-owned tomato farm that grows crops all-year-round, enjoying a taste of the delicious produce.
We’ll also discover Strokkur, a geyser that erupts every 10 minutes and with a spout of boiling water that can be as high as 30 metres.
Our last stop of the day is the incredible Gullfoss Waterfalls or ‘Golden Falls’. If the sun is shining you might see a rainbow in the mist clouds, making for a beautiful photo. Recognised as Iceland’s most famous waterfall, Gullfoss is a double tiered waterfall plunging around 31 metres into the Hvítá River below.
Day 11 - Hveragerði – Blue Lagoon – Keflavík
This morning we say goodbye to Hveragerði and make our way to Raufarhólshellir to tour the fascinating Lava Tunnel. This spectacular cave formed as a lava tube during the Leitahraun eruption that occurred around 5,200 years ago. The tunnel has an impressive total length of 1360 metres, with the main tunnel being 900 metres long. It can reach up to 30 metres wide and 10 metres high, making it one of the most expansive lava tunnels in Iceland. Depending on local conditions, we’ll also get the chance to hike on the Lava Field.
Next we visit the Krýsuvík Geothermal Area, where a winding boardwalk takes us through steam vents in mud pools, hot springs and sulphur deposits. The colourful natural landscape gives the area an otherworldly effect.
In the early afternoon, our adventure takes us to the incredible Blue Lagoon, situated a little way out of town. This is perhaps one of Iceland’s most famous geothermal spas and is often a bucket-list item for travellers visiting the country. Named after the incredibly vibrant water colour, this geothermal spa is volcanically heated and contains minerals that encourages relaxation, nourishment and rejuvenation.
Before we reach our accommodation for the night, we’ll make a photo stop at the Bridge Between continents and the Reykjanes Lighthouse.
Tonight we’ll enjoy a delicious farewell dinner, reminiscing on all of the fun experiences we’ve shared and sights we’ve seen on tour.
Challenging Day
Today is a particularly challenging day, where there will be extended periods of walking time, often across uneven ground and in areas of high altitude or heat and humidity.
Our tour concludes after breakfast this morning. We bid farewell to our new friends and to the spectacular scenery of Iceland.
