Land of the Northern Lights
WINTER TOUR: Our best-selling Iceland tour! This 5-day whirlwind adventure of Southern Iceland takes you from cool city streets to rugged mountains. From the inviting Blue Lagoon to erupting geysers. From thundering falls to the elusive Northern Lights. See the best Iceland has to offer in five days.
For a detailed itinerary and information about visas, money, weather and more download our Trip Notes
Tour overview
Itinerary
Day 1 Reykjavik
Day 1 Reykjavik
Welcome to Iceland! Your adventure begins. Once you're transferred from the airport to your hotel via Flybus transfer, the rest of the day is yours to explore!
Day 2 Heading to Hella & the Blue Lagoon
Day 2 Heading to Hella & the Blue Lagoon
Reykjavik - Reykjanes Peninsula - Blue Lagoon - Hella. Our morning starts with a tour of Reykjavik, Iceland's charming capital. From there, we'll head out of the city to the breath-taking Reykjanes Peninsula. Think quaint fishing villages, hot springs, and striking mountains. Now, we're headed for Hella, but not without a rejuvenating stop at the Blue Lagoon.
Don't worry, we'll reach our accommodation before darkness falls. And once it does, we'll head out to the garden and wait for the Northern Lights to appear.
Day 3 Grumbling glaciers and roaring falls
Day 3 Grumbling glaciers and roaring falls
Hella - Eyjafjallajokull - Skogafoss - Hella. Today is about the sheer force of nature's power - what makes Iceland, Iceland. The rumbling volcano of the Eyjafjallajökull glacier. The plunging Seljalandsfoss and thundering Skógafoss waterfalls. Later, there's an optional hike on the shimmering Solheimajokull glacier where you can take in the enchanting icy scenery. Please note: this optional hike must be booked in advance. Contact us to book.
If you didn’t book the glacier hike, the tour continues further south where we can stroll on the black lava beach and see the amazing bird cliffs at Reynisfjara near Vík.
We'll be back in Hella before it gets dark. It's our second chance to catch a glimpse of the Northern Lights - keep your eyes peeled!
Day 4 Geysers and Gullfoss on the Golden Circle
Day 4 Geysers and Gullfoss on the Golden Circle
Hella - Golden Circle - Reykjavik. This morning, we'll start the journey back to Reykjavik via the breath-taking Golden Circle. Along the way, you'll see bubbling hot springs and geysers at the Geysir geothermal greenhouse. Its famous Strokkur geyser erupts every 10 minutes - don't miss it!
Further inland, we'll pass the mighty Gullfoss waterfall and through the rugged Thingvellir National Park.
This once-in-a-lifetime drive ends in Reykjavik. Once you're checked in, your final evening is free for you to explore or join an optional evening cruise to spot the Northern Lights one final time.
Day 5 Reykjavik to home
Day 5 Reykjavik to home
And just like that, our tour comes to an end. Enjoy your final morning in Iceland however you wish, before your Flybus transfer to the airport. We're sure you'll be back soon.
Tour Highlights
Included
Not Included
Prices & Dates
Hotels
Set near the beautiful waterfront, Hotel Cabin offers simple but comfortable accommodation in Iceland's vibrant capital. Standard rooms are 18m², modern and cosy, with free Wi-Fi, en suite facilities and views of the city or the bay. A buffet breakfast is served each morning and there's a lobby bar serving drinks and snacks. Five minutes' walk from the hotel is Borg29 - a modern foodhall with nine restaurants on site, and the wonderful geothermal Laugardalslaug swimming pool. To reach the city centre it's a scenic 15 - 20 minute walk.
Hotel Stracta in the sleepy village of Hella, offers a serene getaway in South Iceland. This contemporary hotel provides a range of en suite accommodations, from cosy 18m² standard rooms, to spacious 24m² studio rooms, which are equipped with a small kitchenette and a sofa bed. All of the guest rooms are designed in Nordic style and well-equipped, with modern amenities. A delicious and hearty buffet breakfast is served each day at the buffet restaurant Gardur. You can unwind in the sauna or outdoor hot tubs while soaking in views of the Northern Lights and enjoy delectable à la carte meals at Stracta Bistro restaurant, which serves a whole host of Icelandic and international culinary delights. In the winter, Hotel Stracta's dark gardens are perfect for Northern Lights hunting!
Tour Reviews
Tour and guide were great! Martina the tour guide was very knowledgeable and made the effort to ensure we had a great experience. And the added bonus was that we didn't have the lagoon experience cancelled as arrangements were made for us to go to the Sky Lagoon.
The hotel in Reykjavík was not good. The rooms were far too small and the food was cheap. However, the rooms were clean and the staff there were very friendly. The second hotel was really great, rooms, staff and food were very good. After we had this hotel, it was not nice to have to go to the hotel in Reykjavík again
Amazing, could not fault our Guide at all and it was truly a wonderful experience. The Cabin Hotel was not the best choice for this tour. It felt like staying at a backpackers however, our second accommodation was very ideal.
The guide seemed not sure of herself in several realms; like she had not done the specific tour in awhile and didn't know where we should eat (so let's go to the grocery store and get some sandwiches to eat on the bus) and other things. She knew the area but didn't seem flexible at all. Would not use this tour again. There's too much of a disconnect between you folks booking the tour and what's happening when we got there. We had no idea what the agenda was for the day and timing of things; no idea how long we would be spending in one place. The pre-information sent by On the Go Tours was not helpful; it was too general in terms of where we would be, how long we would be there. For example, had we known the large church would be part of the tour, then we would not have hiked up to see it on our own in Reklavek. And, the weather conditions were so bad for Blue Lagoon that another lagoon should have been scheduled. Not a fan anymore.
Really good guide very enthusiastic
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