Iceland Circle - 8 day tour

Friday. Welcome to Reykjavik! On arrival at Keflavík International Airport, you'll be transferred by Flybus shuttle to our accommodation. The remainder of the day is at leisure.
Overnight: Reykjavik

Reykjavik - Grabrok - Akureyri. This morning we meet our tour guide and depart from the hotel. We travel west, passing the town of Borgarnes and stopping to climb the Grábrók volcano crater. Further north we stop at the turf church of Vídimýri which has been extensively restored to its original form and is widely considered one of the purest and most beautiful examples of traditional Icelandic architecture.

We continue along scenic fjord landscapes and over several mountain passes until we reach Akureyri, the capital of North Iceland.
Overnight: Akureyri  |  Breakfast

Akureyri - Lake Myvatn. This morning we explore Akureyri, a charming town of 17,000 inhabitants and enjoy the panoramic view over Eyjafjördur fjord. From April-October optional whale watching tours are available from 09:00-12:00.

In the afternoon we visit spectacular Godafoss, the waterfalls of the Gods and Lake Mývatn, which is known for its geological wonders and active bird life during summer. Next stop is the bizarre lava formations at Kálfaströnd to walk around the many pseudo craters. End an exciting day with a relaxing soak at Mývatn Nature Baths - the waters here contain a unique blend of minerals, silicates and geothermal micro-organisms. The warm soothing waters benefit both skin and spirit alike.
Overnight: Lake Myvatn  |  Breakfast

Lake Myvatn - Namaskard - Egilsstadir. In the morning we hike in a lava labyrinth at Dimmuborgir “the dark castles”, hoping to get a glimpse of the trolls who are said to live there. Afterwards we visit the hot spring area of Námaskard with bubbling mud pools and steaming solfataras. Continue through the uninhabited highlands and moonlike surrounding to East Iceland. With some luck we might spot an Arctic fox or see reindeer.

From June to August the tour includes a detour to Dettifoss, Europe's most powerful waterfall in the northern part of Vatnajökull National Park.
Overnight: Egilsstadir  |  Breakfast

Egilsstadir - Vatnajokull - Today we admire the dramatic fjord landscape, twisty roads and tiny fishing villages in the East Fjords. En route we visit an interesting stone and mineral collection. This afternoon we see Vatnajökull - Europe’s biggest glacier that is visible all over Southeast Iceland.

We travel along the southern part of the giant Vatnajökull glacier and spend time exploring the stunning scenery of Europe’s largest national park, which has Iceland’s highest mountains and a beautiful alpine environment.
Overnight: Hofn  |  Breakfast

Jokulsarlon - Skorgar - Hvolsvollur. We start the day with a stop at Jokulsarlon, a glacial lagoon filled with floating icebergs, and explore the extraordinary site where you might see seals swimming in arctic waters. From May through September, a boat tour between floating icebergs is included in the program. Just across the street, you can walk on the so-called Diamond Beach, where icebergs wash up along the shore. We then continue along to the southern part of the glacier Vatnajokull and glimpse Europe’s second-largest national park, which has Iceland’s highest mountains, an alpine environment, and Europe’s largest glacier.

In the afternoon, a beautiful drive with many natural wonders awaits us as we head across the Eldhraun lava field, cross the sandy desert of the south coast, overlooked by mountainous cliffs, glaciers and waterfalls. Stroll along the black lava beach of Reynisfjara near Vík. In the small village of Skogar, there is Skogafoss waterfall which is 60 meters high and is one of the most impressive waterfalls in the country. Iceland’s past comes alive at one of Iceland’s finest museums, the Skógar folk museum with its turf houses assemblage of traditions of territorial relics on display. Continue to the high but narrow Seljalandsfoss waterfall which plunges over the mountain.
Overnight: Hvolsvollur  |  Breakfast

Hvolsvollur - Golden Circle - Reykjavik. Today we explore Iceland's famed Golden Circle. We begin the day at Fridheimar learning about the special qualities and history of the Icelandic horse and visit a geothermal greenhouse. Later on we visit the Geysir geothermal fields to see a variety of hot springs, bubbling pools and the mighty Strokkur, "the Churn", which erupts at 5-10 minute intervals. We continue to Gullfoss, “the golden falls“, which is a double waterfall that tumbles 34 meters into the Hvítá River. Continue inland to Thingvellir National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site. As we return to Reykjavík, we take you for a short city tour of the highlights of the world's northern-most capital.
Overnight: Reykjavik  |  Breakfast