Grand Tour of Iceland

14 days, 13 nights: All Year

Our Grand Tour of Iceland features all of the best the country has to offer, as we circle the island counter-clockwise from Reykjavik. Each day includes a combination of light hiking and other activities such as sailing, kayaking, or horseback riding. Highlights include Breidafjordur bay, Lake Myvatn, Dettifoss waterfalls, the fjords of the East coast, Jokulsarlon glacier lagoon, Vatnajokull glacier, as well as the beaches, headlands, and waterfalls of the South. Overnight in quality 3 and 4-star hotels.

Day 1, Welcome to Iceland!

Flights to Iceland from N-America arrive in the early morning; from Europe in the late afternoon. We will pick you up at the airport and drive you to Reykjavik, where you check into your downtown hotel. Spend the day at leisure. Guests arriving from Europe may consider a visit to the Blue Lagoon spa on their way from the airport. Guests from N-America may opt for Laugar spa in Reykjavik.

Day 2, Thingvellir, Geysir, Gullfoss

We start the day with a drive to Thingvellir National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Thingvellir (Þingvellir) is located in the dramatic rift valley where the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates pull apart, clearly visible at the great Almannagjá or Everyman’s Gorge. Spend the morning snorkeling in the crystal clear waters of Silfra Gorge. After lunch, proceed to Geysir, the place that gave its name to the phenomenon worldwide. From here, a 10-minute drive takes you to Gullfoss, or Golden Falls, Iceland’s most famous (and some say most beautiful) waterfall. In the afternoon, a scenic drive through classic Icelandic farmland delivers you to your 4-star hotel in time for dinner.

Day 3, Iceland´s South Coast

Today, we drive along the south coast of Iceland, taking in some of its most dramatic scenery, exploring waterfalls and black-sand beaches along the way. After visits to the breathtaking Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss waterfalls, we proceed to Mýrdalsjökull glacier, where you´ll go on a guided 2-hour snowmobile tour. After stops at Dyrhólaey premonitory and the town of Vik, we´ll traverse the Laki lava field, one of the world´s largest, before settling in near the town of Klaustur.

Day 4, Skaftafell National Park

Start the day with a 2-3 hour hike in Skaftafell, Europe´s largest national park, which encompasses a breathtaking collection of peaks and glaciers and varied flora and fauna. Our path will take us past scenic waterfalls, with commanding views of glacier tongues and black desert sands stretching out to sea. We´ll picnic overlooking Skaftafellsjökull glacier and, if we´re lucky, we´ll observe Iceland´s highest peak, Hvannadalshnúkur. Later in the day, we´ll go on a 45-minute boat ride on Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon. Two James Bond movies were filmed in this fantastic location and floating among the ice you may spot seals, eider ducks, and, even witness the glacier calving into the crystal turquoise waters.

Day 5, Glacier Walk and the East Fjords of Iceland

In the morning don crampons and other glacier gear and go for a guided walk on run-off glacier Fláajökull. After a langoustine lunch in the town of Höfn, we´ll explore the fjords and mountain passes of the East Coast, before ending the day in Seyðisfjörður, one of Iceland’s most picturesque coastal towns. Nestled in a long, calm, fjord, lined with snow-capped mountains and tumbling waterfalls, the town is known for its colorful 19th century houses. We will stay here for two nights.

Day 6, Seyðisfjörður

Today, we´ll visit Skálanes Nature Reserve, home to over 40 different species of birds and other wildlife. Located at the mouth of the fjord, we´ll visit with resident researchers: naturalists, archeologists and whomever else may be working there at the time. We´ll use the late afternoon and evening to explore the village of Seyðisfjörður, including the Skaftfell Cultural Center, which hosts visiting artists from all over the world. After dinner, consider going on a kayaking tour on the fjord.

Day 7, Highland Heaths and Dettifoss

Heading out from Seyðisfjörður, we traverse the highland desert known as Möðrudalsöræfi. By late morning, we should be at Dettifoss, Europe´s largest and most powerful waterfall. We then make our way along Jökulsárgljúfur canyon to Ásbyrgi, and from there to Lake Mývatn, where we will spend the next two nights. After dinner, consider basking in the geothermal waters of the Mývatn Nature Baths, the north´s version of the Blue Lagoon.

Day 8, Lake Mývatn

Theres much to see around Lake Mývatn, which is famous for its rich bird life and geological formations. We´ll spend today exploring its bubbling geothermal mudflats, picturesque volcanic craters, recent lava fields (still steaming!), and grassy shoals teeming with water birds. In the late afternoon, consider a scenic 1-2 hour chartered flight over the surrounding area -- or as far south as Vatnajökull glacier.

Day 9, Skagafjörður

Today, we leave Lake Mývatn and make our way to the Skagafjörður region in the northwest. It is a beautiful drive through mountain valleys, high up over heaths and through scenic farmlands. On the way, we´ll stop at beautiful Goðafoss waterfalls and spend a few hours in Akureyri, Iceland´s second largest town with a population of 17,000. We will stay for two nights in Skagafjordur. The region is known for the quality of its horses. After checking into our hotel, we´ll visit a local ranch and go for a 1-2 hour ride on the friendly Icelandic horse.

Day 10, River Rafting

Today you can choose to either go on a Class II rafting trip on river Vestari Jökulsá --this trip takes a total of 3 hours, of which 1 hour is spent on the water -- or you can go on a Class IV trip on one of Europe´s top rafting rivers, Austari Jökulsá. This trip takes 5-6 hours of which 3-4 hours are spent on the water. Later in the day, depending on time and conditions, we´ll either pay a visit to the small village of Hofsós, with its Icelandic Emigration Center, which tells the fascinating story of Icelandic emigrants to North America, or we´ll go on a short excursion out to Drangey Island. This 180m sheer cliff island has one place to land a boat and only one narrow and steep path that leads to the top of the island. It´s worth the climb; once there you can enjoy the varied birdlife and hear amazing tales of Grettir the Viking hero who lived on the island one-thousand years ago.

Day 11, Snæfellsnes

We´ll recover from yesterday´s activities by taking a leisurely drive to Snæfellsnes peninsula. We´ll stop for lunch in the town of Stykkishólmur, after which you can go on a nature- and bird-watching excursion on Breiðafjörður bay, where countless islands and skerries team with birdlife including puffins, eider ducks, shags, fulmar and the arctic tern. Along the way, the captain will catch fresh shellfish for everyone to sample. Check into one of Iceland´s premier hotels in time for dinner.

Day 12, Beaches and Sea Cliffs

Today, we´ll start by exploring the many varied beaches and coves of Snæfellsnes peninsula. The peninsula is also known for the striking Snæfellsjokull glacier made famous by Jules Verne´s novel Journey to the Center of the Earth. Depending on conditions on the glacier that day, we may elect to hike to the top or go for a ride on a snowcat.

Day 13, Reykjavík

Today, we make our way back to Reykjavík with one or two stops along the way. We´ll arrive in the city in early afternoon, leaving you time for shopping and sightseeing, before heading back to the US the following day.

Day 14, Blue Lagoon and Departure

Flights to Europe depart Iceland in the early morning. We'll provide private airport transfers 3-hours prior to your scheduled departure time. Guests leaving for N-America may want to consider a day at the Blue Lagoon spa, in which case we'll pick you up at your hotel at 11 AM. After spending up to two hours in the Lagoon's warm aqua-blue waters -- renowned for their healing powers -- we'll drive you to the airport in time for your afternoon flight.

Included

• Airport transfers on day 1 and 14.
• Accommodations and breakfast for 13 nights.
• Lunch on days 3, 4, 5, 6 and 10.
• Expert driver-guide and private transportation for 12 days (days 2-13).
• Snorkeling trip on day 2.
• Snowmobile ride on Mýrdalsjökull glacier on day 3.
• Hike and Jökulsárlón sailing trip on day 4.
• Glacier walk and langoustine lunch on day 5.
• Guided tour of Skálanes Nature Preserve on day 6.
• Kayak in Seyðisfjörður on day 6.
• Entrance to Mývatn Nature Baths (towel incl.) on day 7.
• Horseback ride in Skagafjörður (2 hrs.) on day 9.
• River rafting trip on day 10.
• Sailing trip on Breiðafjörður Bay on day 11.
• Snowcat ride on Snæfellsjökull glacier on day 12.
• Entrance to Blue Lagoon spa (towel incl.) on day 14.

Not included

• Airfare to Iceland.
• Personal expenses.
• Meals, except noted.
• Fees for optional activities on days 1 and 13.
• Optional scenic flight over Lake Mývatn area.
• Travel insurance highly recommended, please ask for details.

For information, availability and bookings

Please send us a note at or call us at +354 857 8804.