Iceland Circle & Northern Lights

Welcome to the land of fire and ice! Upon arrival to the airport, your transfer is by FlyBus to take you to your hotel. As we make our suggestions, the rest of the day is yours to explore the vibrant capital.

We meet our guide at 09:00 and depart from the hotel to travel west, passing the town of Borgarnes and then climb the Grábrók volcano crater. Later in the afternoon we visit a natural history & seal museum in a small fishing village in Northwest Iceland and stroll around the local harbor. Further north we stop at the turf church of Vidimyri, considered one of the purest and most beautiful examples of traditional Icelandic architecture. We continue along scenic fjord landscape and through mountain passes until we reach the capital of North Iceland, Akureyri, a charming town of 17000 inhabitants. Welcome Dinner in the evening.

In the morning, we explore Akureyri, visit the botanical garden and enjoy the panoramic view over the breath-taking fjords. In the afternoon, we explore an important site in Iceland’s history, Godafoss, the waterfalls of the Gods. We arrive at Lake Myvatn for the rest of the day, known for its geological wonders and active bird life in summer. We see the bizarre lava formations and take a walk around the many pseudo craters, and end the day with a relaxing soak. Myvatn Nature Baths contain a unique blend of minerals, silicates and geothermal micro-organisms that benefit both skin and spirit alike.

We kick the morning off hiking in a lava labyrinth at Dimmuborgir “the dark castles”, said to host trolls, keep your eyes open! After an optional lunch, we visit the hot spring area of Námaskard with bubbling mud pools and steaming solfataras. We drive through the uninhabited vast highlands to East Iceland, Egilsstadir. If you are lucky you might even see an Arctic fox or see reindeer on the way.

Today you will admire the dramatic fjord landscape with tiny fishing villages at the end of twisty roads of fjords. Past the town of Höfn, we stop at a glacial lagoon filled with floating icebergs to explore the magical region, and perhaps even see seals, or walk on the black sandy beach where large icebergs get stranded. We travel along the southern part of the glacier and spend time at Europe’s largest national park, which has Iceland’s highest mountains, an alpine environment, and Europe’s largest glacier, Vatnajökull. We spend the night at Icelandair Hotel Kirkjubæjarklaustur.

Get ready for many incredible natural wonders as we head across the Eldhraun lava field, cross the sandy desert of the south coast, overlooked by mountainous cliffs, glaciers and waterfalls. We stroll along the black lava beach of Reynisfjara near Vík. In the small village of Skógar there is the impressive 60-metre-high Skógafoss waterfall. Further west we stop at the Eyjafjallajökull Information Centre to learn about living among glaciers and active volcanoes. Next, we visit the high and narrow Seljalandsfoss waterfall, and bring along your raincoat!

Today we visit a must-see of Iceland, the Golden Circle. Firstly, at Fridheimar, you learn about the Icelandic horse, its special qualities and history and visit a geothermal greenhouse. Later, we see steam from the Geyser geothermal fields, a variety of hot springs and bubbling pools. The geyser is now dormant but has been replaced by Strokkur “the Churn” erupting every 5-10 minutes. Our next stop is Gullfoss, “the golden falls”, an amazing 34-metre-high double waterfall. We travel inland to Thingvellir National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site, before we make our way back to Reykjavík and an optional Northern Lights evening cruise. As we arrive, we do a short city tour to show you the highlights of the world’s northernmost capital.

Our trip will end after we say goodbye to our new friends over breakfast, and check-out of the hotel in Reykjavík. The FlyBus shuttle will take you back to the airport from your hotel.