Icelandic Adventure

Day 1 - Reykjavik

Join your tour group at the hotel.

Fosshotel Reykjavik (4-star)

Day 2 - Akureyri

We head to Borgarfjordur this morning, renowned for some of the best salmon fishing rivers in the world. We cross the Holtavorduheidi Plateau and travel through the village of Blonduos, situated at the estuary of a glacial river, to Skagafjordur. We’ll visit the beautifully preserved Glaumbær Old Turf Farm, the farmhouse of which is built of turf, stones and timber, and is said to have stood since the Age of the Settlements (900 AD). The farm is a protected site owned by the National Museum of Iceland – we’ll have a look inside to get a glimpse of what life was like here back in the 18th and 19th centuries. We continue to Akureyri, gateway to the rich natural splendour of northeast Iceland.

Hotel Kea, Akureyri (4-star)

Day 3 - Akureyri - Húsavík - Tjörnes - Ásbyrgi

Just a stone’s throw from the Arctic Circle is Akureyri, Iceland’s second largest city. Overlooked by snow-capped mountains and surrounded by rich fertile soil, its tree-lined streets and well-tended gardens are a delight. We take a short sightseeing tour of the city before we make our way to pretty Húsavík. We’ll continue to the mountainous Tjornes Peninsula, indented with short valleys and gorges, and then Asbyrgi, home to a spectacular horseshoe-shaped canyon.

Hotel Kea, Akureyri (4-star)

Day 4 - Lake Mývatn - Dettifoss - Egilsstaðir

Our first stop today is the impressive Goðafoss waterfall; then we’ll continue to the Lake Mývatn area - famed for its lava fields, volcanoes and underground caves running with geothermal water. Stop at Namaskard to view its dramatic steam jets and boiling sulphur pits and then Dettifoss, to marvel at one of the mightiest waterfalls in Europe. We then travel through part of the interior highland plateau to the beautiful town of Egilsstaðir. Located on the eastern bank of the Lagarfljot River, it’s perfect for meandering through the fjords and visiting the small communities that are dotted about.

Hótel Hallormsstaður, Egilsstaðir (4*)

Day 5 - Egilsstaðir - Hofn

We head southwards this morning along the rugged and spectacular coastline of the eastern fjords to reach Almannaskard. The star attraction here is the remarkable Vatnajokull Glacier, the world’s third largest icecap. It covers an area of approximately 8,100 square kilometres and is approximately a kilometre thick.

Hotel Hofn (3-star)

Day 6 - Kirkjubaejarklaustur

Our glacier trail adventure continues along the coast to Jokulsarlon, home to Iceland’s largest lagoons. In Vatnajokull National Park, set beneath the towering Oraefajokull, Iceland’s highest peak at 2,109m, the timeless landscape defines magnificence. The scenery here is theatrical, from glistening glaciers and shining lakes to woodlands ringing to the song of numerous birds and carpeted with more than 200 species of flowering plants.

Hotel Vik, Vík í Mýrdal (3-star)

Day 7 - Hveragerdi

Today our journey takes us to many fascinating areas. We take in stunning views of the Eyjafjallajokull and Myrdalsjokull glaciers. We head to Reynishverfi or Dyrholaey headland, a birdwatcher’s haven (closed to the public during the nesting season, from 1 May to 25 June). We journey across vast stretches of sand formed by glacial rivers and over the vast Eldhraun lava fields to Skogar, which means ‘woodland’. We’ll visit the fascinating Folk Museum before continuing eastwards, we pass the Skogarfoss and Seljalandsfoss waterfalls and arrive later at Hveragerdi.

Hotel Ork, Hveragerdi (4-star)

Day 8 - Gullfoss - Reykjavik

The thermal area of Great Geysir dazzles, especially its hot spring, the Strokkur, also known as ‘The Churn’, which erupts every 10 minutes or so, sending up a column of boiling water to a height of 30m. The rest of the fascinating area features smaller hot springs, steam vents and mud pools. At Gullfoss, we visit Iceland’s best known and most beautiful waterfall, the two-tiered Golden Falls. This natural wonder, which takes its name from the rainbow that glimmers at the falls when the sun shines, is simply breathtaking. Another highlight is Thingvellir, home of the world’s first parliament and now a national park. In the afternoon we return to Reykjavik.

Fosshotel Reykjavik (4-star)

Day 9 - Reykjavik

Today is free to explore this intriguing city at leisure. Or you may have pre-booked a whale watching tour.

Fosshotel Reykjavik (4-star)

Day 10 - Reykjavik

Say goodbye to your tour group for your onward travel.

Reykjavik