Day 1: Reykjavík | Welcome
Drink
Depart from your hotel at
2:00 PM. Your guide will take you on a city tour to discover the colorful
capital of Reykjavík. Take time to explore independently before meeting
your group again for a welcome drink.
Day 2: Bjarteyjarsandur
| War and Peace Museum | Borgarnes
Set off into Iceland's stunning countryside. Stop at Hvalfjörður
Fjord, the location of US and British Naval bases in World War II. Discover what
life is like on an Icelandic farm on a visit to Bjarteyjarsandur. Next, explore
the fascinating history of the allied occupation of Iceland during World War II
at the War and Peace Museum. Continue on to Borgarnes for free time and an
independent lunch. Head on to Deildartunguhver hot spring, Iceland's most
powerful hot spring, then visit Barnafossar (Children's Falls) and Hraunfossar
(Lava Falls). Check into your hotel in Reykholt - an area rich in history from
settlement times that often features in Icelandic sagas. (B,
D)
Day 3: Glaumbær Farm &
Museum | Akureyri | Goðafoss
Drive
through the famed Skagafjörður valley, a lush, wide valley farmed by the
earliest settlers. Visit the open-air Glaumbær Farm & Museum to see the
turf-roofed houses and discover the life of early pioneers; have lunch there.
Visit the city of Akureyri on the way to Goðafoss, a magnificent waterfall.
Spend the night in Húsavík, featured in the Will Ferrell comedy, “The Story of
Fire Saga”. (B, L, D)
Day 4: Mývatn | Húsavík
Begin touring the Diamond Circle by visiting the area around Lake
Mývatn, an otherworldly landscape dotted with pseudovolcanoes, hot pools, and
geothermal power stations. Visit Reykjahlíð church, and hear how it became
surrounded by lava in 1727. Next, discover Hverir sulfur springs before visiting
Dimmuborgir for a short hike. Stop for lunch and explore the fascinating
pseudocraters of Skútustaðagígar. Arrive back in Húsavík, Iceland's
whale-watching capital, for some free time and independent exploration. Explore
the village, book a cruise, or perhaps visit the nearby GeoSea Spa. (B,
L)
Day 5: Dettifoss | Móðrudalur
| Vök Baths | Eastfjords
Continue
your journey along the Diamond Circle, including Ásbyrgi Canyon Visitor Center
and the awe-inspiring Dettifoss waterfall, one of Europe's most powerful. Travel
through the wilderness to Móðrudalur, the highest working farm in Iceland. Have
lunch and explore some of the old turf houses. Visit Vök Baths to experience the
tradition of bathing in natural geothermal waters, floating in hot tubs on this
beautiful lake. Check in to your hotel in Fáskrúðsfjörður, a fascinating village
in the Eastfjords once frequented by French fishermen. (B, L,
D)
Day 6: Petra's Stone Museum |
Djúpivogur | Vestrahorn Viking Village | Höfn
Delight in the quirky wonders at Petra's Stone Museum, then on to
Djúpivogur, a coastal village and artists' haven. Visit the Vestrahorn Viking
Village, an abandoned film set located at the foot of a beautiful mountain. Take
some free time at Höfn, a small fishing town, before arriving at your hotel to
enjoy dinner with your group. (B, D)
Day 7: Glacier
Lagoon | Diamond Beach | Turf Church & Skaftafell
Travel to the Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon, dotted with
crystal-blue icebergs, and then to nearby Diamond Beach, where you can marvel at
glistening natural ice sculptures on the black sands. Savor lunch with a view of
the surrounding countryside at the Fosshotel Glacier Lagoon. Visit the
traditional turf church at Hof, and the Skaftafell Wilderness Area to view its
wonders: glaciers, waterfalls, a snow-capped volcano and lava fields. (B, L,
D)
Day 8: Black Sand Beach |
South Coast Drive | Eldhestar Horse Farm
Discover
Reynisfjara's black sand beach and rock formations along with the legends of its
history. Visit the nearby Skógafoss Waterfall, where on sunny days a double
rainbow is often visible. Journey to the beautiful Seljalandsfoss Waterfall
where, weather permitting, the sure-footed can walk the trail that takes you
behind the 60-meter falls. Then admire the distinctive Icelandic horse in a
demonstration at Eldhestar Horse Farm. All Icelandic horses are descendants of
those brought by the Vikings, and are known for their surefootedness and their
extra gait, the “tölt”. At your hotel in Reykjavik, celebrate at a farewell
dinner with your group. (B, D)
Day 9: Tour
Ends in Reykjavik
Your tour
ends after breakfast. (B)
Authentic Local Experiences:
-
Visit a horse farm where you will see gentle, sure-footed Icelandic horses, and discover their role in history.
-
Be surrounded by scenic beauty as you float in the geothermal waters of Vök Baths.
Trip Highlights:
- Reykjavík
- Glaumbær Farm & Museum
- Goðafoss Waterfall
- Lake Mývatn and Diamond Circle
- Dettifoss Waterfall
- Móðrudalur Farm
- Vök Baths
- Vestrahorn Viking Village
- Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon
- Eldhestar Horse Farm
Dining Experiences:
- 8 Hot Breakfasts (B), 4 Lunches (L) and 6 Dinners (D)
Hotels:
- Fosshotel Reykjavík, Reykjavík (1)
- Fosshotel Reykholt, Reykholt (1)
- Fosshotel Húsavík, Húsavík (2)
- Fosshotel Eastfjords, Fáskrúðsfjörður (1)
- Fosshotel Vatnajökull, Höfn (1)
- Fosshotel Núpar, Kálfafell (1)
- Fosshotel Reykjavík, Reykjavík (1)