7 Days Around Iceland Adventure

We will pick you up from your accommodation or a nearby pick-up point. The first places we will see are the sights of the famous Golden Circle. Our first stop is at Þingvellir National Park, a UNESCO-listed World Heritage Site with incredible geology and historical and cultural significance. Less than 60 years after the Vikings settled Iceland, the Icelandic Parliament, Alþingi, was established at Þingvellir (Thingvellir) in 930. You will see the flag marking the Law Rock, where the Law Speaker delivered the laws to the public. A sturdy cliff, part of the Almannagjá gorge, formed by the Eurasian and North American plates edging apart, defines the eastern boundary of Þingvellir. The Mid-Atlantic Ridge extends beneath the Þingvallavatn, the picturesque Þingvellir Lake, creating Silfra Fissure, recognized as one of the top snorkeling and diving sites in the world.

Our second Golden Circle visit will be to Geysir, the famous geothermal hot spring area in the valley of Haukadalur. We will see Strokkur, a highly active hot spring, which erupts vast jets of super-hot scalding water and steam every 5 to 10 minutes. These boiling spouts are often propelled 30 meters high. Great Geysir, the best known erupting hot spring ever, whose name bequeathed to us the word English word ‘Geyser,´ has been dormant for many years. Our final Golden Circle attraction is Gullfoss Waterfall. Here you will witness the tremendous power of the Hvítá river as the roaring torrent drops in two stages of 11 m and 21 m.

Following the Ring Road along the scenic south coast will bring us to our next stop, Seljalandsfoss Waterfall. A pathway threads its way behind the waterfall. It is good to put on your rainwear because there can be a lot of sprays - to see the very best of Seljalandsfoss, you really should walk behind the cascade. It is a beautiful and elegant waterfall from any angle!

Skógafoss Waterfall is next on the agenda. It is a stunning and powerful cascade that drops 60 m. There is a pathway from the eastern side of these falls, which higher up goes through the high pass at Fimmvörðuháls. It is where the first 2010 eruption occurred before the Eyjafjallajökull eruption. The mountain glacier scenery around Skógafoss on a clear day is mesmerizing. The single or double rainbows generated by the falls' spray on sunny days are magical. After a day of majestic sights, your final stop will be at Reynisfjara black sand beach. Make sure to visit the amazing basalt column cave and cliffs. A short distance away, you will see the Reynisdrangar formations. Indeed, they resemble the trolls of the famous Icelandic legend, who were turned into stone by the sunshine!

Your accommodation for the night will be at a country hotel in the area around Vík, the southernmost village in Iceland. From September to April, slip away from the hotel for a couple of hours to chase the Northern Lights.

After breakfast, we head through the South Coast to Skaftafell in Vatnajökull National Park, where you will enjoy an amazing glacier hike. So many of Iceland's natural wonders can be found within this national park's 13,600 km2 wilderness area. To name a few, Hvannadalshnúkur, the highest mountain peak in Iceland, Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon, now so famous many people refer to it as 'the ice lagoon,' and Vatnajökull Glacier, the largest glacier in Europe. On this tour, we will take you to all three of Iceland's national parks, Vatnajökull, Þingvellir, and Snæfellsjökull. The Icelanders take the protection of their wilderness areas very seriously! From November to March, you embark on an ice cave tour in place of the glacier hike. Explore the one-of-a-kind ice caves that form inside the glaciers each winter!

The meetup point for your glacier hike on the tongue of Vatnajökull is at Skaftafell. You will be provided with ice crampons and all the other glacier gear. Our certified glacier guide will explain everything. You will be ready to head onto a glacier tongue or outlet glacier of Vatnajökull. Various outlet glaciers reach the ocean on the South Coast. Each one is a unique, living, and moving ice world. Your expert glacier guide will show you the crevasses which trace the myriad web of pathways, creating stunning ridges and ice features. You will learn how the glacier changes and moves and how meltwater drains through to the glacier's base.

From October to April, we will replace the glacier hike to visit a naturally formed ice cave in the glacier's heart! Ice caves are natural phenomena that form in winter and collapse in spring, so anyone visiting an ice cave is extremely lucky! 

Our warm minibus will be waiting for you at the end of your glacier hike. And there is more glacial magic to come! Next up is visiting the incredible floating icebergs at Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon. You will see these mystical ice giants gliding serenely before entering the car park. You might even experience a touch of deja vu! The lagoon has been a star location for James Bond action footage, documentaries, and other movies.

The lagoon began to form at the edge of the receding Breiðamerkurjökull glacier around 1934. Large and unbelievably shaped icebergs break free of the glacier. You will see amazing blue ice and sometimes threads of gray volcanic ash running through them. At times, these natural ice forms roll over or even split apart. Watching it is mesmerizing, and it's a great video opportunity. You cannot plan it - but if it happens, film it! The vistas at Jökulsárlón are incredibly spellbinding.

The icebergs are heading towards the Atlantic Ocean close to the Glacier Lagoon. The tide fetches up quite a few onto the black sands of the Diamond Beach, where their opalescent forms shimmer like diamond jewels or pure quartz crystals, shot through with blue.

In the evening, we will rest in comfortable accommodation in the South East area. You'll be in a great location to hunt the Northern Lights on winter nights.

The majestic scenery of the East Fjords stretches out ahead of us today. The Ring Road threads a winding and meandering pathway between jagged mountains and impossibly steep and beautiful Fjords in these parts. Each Fjord offers sensational but very different scenery as hairpin bends unfold to reveal landscape after landscape. Nature and history meet at the Iceland Wilderness Center or Óbyggðasetrið. Located at the edge of Northern Europe's biggest wilderness area, the center museum tells the story of the inhabitants who settled here long ago. When you arrive at your hotel at night, head into nature to hunt the Northern Lights from September to April.

Djúpivogur is a tiny and charming fishing village of 1130 people. The salty Atlantic Ocean lapping at the black sand beaches bring a beautiful reminder that wild and raw nature is all around you. This area has important bird habitats, making it very attractive to bird watchers and hikers who love unspoiled nature and spectacular mountain scenery. Visit on a calm day and feel the peace. Come on a day when the wild wind is blowing, and you will appreciate the wildness of Djúpivogur.

Our journey through the East Fjords will bring us to Egilsstaðir, beside the Lagarfljót river and lake, home to the legend of the giant Largarfljót Worm, Largarfljótasormurinn. This squirming water creature is said to reside in the lake's depths and show itself from time to time!

Up next, we are headed to the Wilderness Center, an adventure center, and a museum in Northern Europe's vast wilderness area. You will be transported back in time as you explore the area. With complimentary access to the museum during your stay, immerse yourself in the spirit of Iceland's history.

Cross the old wooden bridge to rustic accommodations, where you'll savor delicious meals made from local ingredients. After your adventures, relax in the warm pool at the bathing house, surrounded by peaceful nature.

Your accommodation for the night will be in a lovely area around Egilsstaðir. Ask your guide for tips for finding the Northern Lights in the area!

The fabulous highlights of North Iceland await us today as we head from Egilsstaðir to Akureyri. Of course, we will stop by to show you some beautiful places along the way! After leaving Egilsstaðir behind, we will drive through a Highlands area, where the landscape is barren and extraterrestrial. First, we will visit Stuðlagil Canyon, one of the world’s most enchanting basalt rock formations.

Driving around scenic Lake Mývatn en route to Akureyri, we'll stop at the impressive Goðafoss Waterfall, known as the "Waterfall of the Gods." Shaped like a horseshoe and about 30 m (98 ft) wide, it holds a special story dating back to 1000 AD. Along the way, you'll also witness stunning natural wonders like bubbling mud pots and unique lava formations.

Don't miss the Mývatn Nature Baths (optional extra), a popular destination for a rejuvenating soak in the hot springs, also known as the "Blue Lagoon of the North." These warm geothermal waters, drawn from depths of about 2500 m (8200 ft), are rich in minerals and offer a refreshing experience amidst Iceland's natural beauty.

We journey from tumultuous glacial torrents to the mystical, steam-clouded horizons of the geothermal area at Námaskarð with its boiling mud pools, many of them sporting vivid colors. Gentle clouds of sulfur-scented steam pouring from multiple fumaroles drift over the land.

Next on our agenda is to see the atmospheric and troll-like lava formations at Dimmuborgir - this area is often referred to as the 'dark cities.' The roof of a massive lava tube collapsed, leaving behind them, at times towering, Dimmuborgir lava 'statues,' all completely natural and fashioned single-handedly by nature. Some will, very likely, remind you of figures or various things.

We will enjoy more Lake Mývatn scenery on our way to Goðafoss Waterfall. You will see this hypnotically beautiful waterfall looming before you from the Ring Road. Don't worry, we will give you time to explore and enjoy Godafoss before continuing our journey! We will head along Eyjafjörður Fjord towards Akureyri, known as the Capital of the North.

Your hotel will be in the Akureyri area.

You have an exciting whale-watching boat trip from Dalvík to look forward to today! These tours have an excellent success rate. Animals are spotted on 98% of our tours! Humpback whales and dolphins, porpoises, and other ocean wildlife are quite often seen.

The journey to Dalvík will take you through Akureyri. With around 19,000 people, this city has the largest population away from the Reykjavík area. Your journey along Eyjafjörður, the longest fjord in Iceland, will take you through little hamlets clinging like limpets to the hillside. We will head straight for the whale watching boats when we get to Dalvík, a truly charming and still traditional fishing village. You have seen Eyjafjörður from the land. Now, you will see it from the water! The boat will take you in whichever direction is good to spot whales and extraordinary ocean wildlife.

Next up is the Tröllaskagi peninsula, well known for its towering mountains and spellbinding ocean scenery. After you leave Dalvík, the mountains keep getting higher and steeper. Between Ólafsfjörður and Siglufjörður, a couple of tunnels will take you under the mountains. In between the tunnels, you will get a view of Héðinsfjörður, an uninhabited fjord. Before the tunnels were built, the road to Siglufjörður, from either side, was impassable in winter. Despite the isolation, in the early twentieth century, the promise of big money from giant shoals of herring was like a magnet. Siglufjörður became known as the Herring Capital of the Atlantic. Remote or not, people flocked there, and a klondike excitement overtook the town. As suddenly as they arrived, the vast shoals of herring went away. Those times are richly embroidered in the fabric of Siglufjörður. There are Herring Era Museums and much info around this charming town.   

We head to Laugarbakki, a small university community, passing agricultural areas and horse farms. Your accommodation for the night will be at a country hotel in this area. Far from nature, you're in a great place to chase the Northern Lights in winter!

We continue our journey west around the Ring Road, stopping at Grábrók, a volcano crater with fabulous views across the lava fields and beyond on a clear day. We will enjoy a short hike to the top to enjoy the Borgarfjörður vistas. In 2016 Borgarfjörður in West Iceland was listed by Lonely Planet as the best travel destination. On clear winter nights, your guide will help you search for the Northern Lights at the end of the day.

After our bracing walk, we continue our journey to visit Europe’s most powerful hot spring, Deildartunguhver. So much hot water is a wonderful resource, particularly in a cool climate. The people of Bjorgarfjörður use it to fill swimming pools, for domestic bathing, and to heat buildings and homes in the towns of Borgarnes and Akranes. We will stop at Hraunfossar Waterfall, where thousands of tiny ice-cold cascades tumble out of the edge of the Hallmundarhraun lava field. These unusual falls form a graceful and vast sweep. Before turning our attention to Icelandic history, we will enjoy another waterfall visit. A legend tells the tale of the tragic accident, which is said to be the reason why these falls are called Barnafoss, meaning ‘Children´s Falls.’ 

We move on to the next attraction, the historical site of Reykholt. Staying a moment longer with the theme of water, we will visit Snorralaug. This hot spring pool is the bathing place of Snorri Sturluson, a very wealthy and powerful Chieftain during the Sturlungaöld (‘the Sturlung Age’). Snorri held multiple Chieftainships as well as being a lawyer, historian, and the author of Icelandic Sagas, including “Heimskringla”, which tells the story of the Norwegian Kings.

We will drop you off at your hotel in the Borgarnes area. Search for the Northern Lights from September to April!

Our Snæfellsnes specialist guide will pick you up from your hotel in Borgarnes at around 10:00 for some Snæfellsness magic, with the glittering Snæfellsnes glacier at the end of the peninsula!

We stop at the traditional and charming fishing village of Arnarstapi. Here, we give you enough time to take a walk to appreciate the wild and fabulous coastal scenery. You'll get a chance to stop by the iconic Miðgjá stone bridge. We'll also swing by the 19th-century Búðakirkja black church.

We visit Hellnar village and get ourselves some lunch (not included). Continuing around the coast a little will bring us to the beautiful black pebble beach at Djúpalónssandur. We take a short hike down to the beach to explore and watch the white-tipped ocean waves rolling up the steep beach. These smooth black pebbles are known as Djúpalóns Perlan ('Deep Pool Pearls'). The amazingly-shaped cliffs around the beach add great drama and beauty, but also, sometimes dangerous, you will see the remains of the British trawler, Epine, which came to grieve here. You will see the 'lifting stones' the local fisherman used to prove their strength in former times. Hefting these boulders is not easy. Will you give it a try?  

Stops are made at Mount Kirkjufell. This picturesque mountain is an absolute favorite of artists and photographers, making it one of Iceland's most often reproduced images. Your final stop will be to see the geometric basalt columns at Gerðuberg. This 'belt' of columns offers yet another photo opportunity.

After seven glorious sightseeing days in Iceland, we drop you off in Reykjavík, where we picked you up, leaving you with matchless memories!

• We’ll pick you up from your hotel or a nearby meeting point in Reykjavik. Find available pickup locations here. The time of the pickup is 8 a.m. Pickup can last up to 30 minutes, so your patience is much appreciated.

• On the seventh day of the tour, we’ll drop you off in Reykjavik at your chosen location around 8 p.m.

• Iceland is famous not only for its natural wonders but also for its highly unpredictable weather. You can experience all four seasons in one day! We recommend bringing warm clothing and sturdy hiking shoes. A waterproof jacket and pants will come in handy. You can rent hiking boots, a waterproof jacket and waterproof pants upon booking.

• Depending on the season, enjoy different activities. In summer, revel in the Midnight Sun and see spectacular wildlife such as puffins, Icelandic sheep, and even reindeer. From October to April, we replace a glacier hike with a journey to Vatnajökull’s Crystal Ice Cave.

• From September to April, you have a chance to witness the Northern Lights. Your guide will show you all the best spots to see the lights.

• Accommodation is for two people per room. Solo travelers need to choose a single room supplement during the booking process if they want to upgrade to a private room.

• The itinerary of this tour is subject to change due to weather conditions.