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This is a new escorted tour program taking you to the Icelandic countryside to celebrate New Years in a casual and Icelandic way. We recommend booking early, as this program is only available for maximum of 40 persons.

Itinerary

The Flybus shuttle brings travelers from Keflavík International Airport to the guesthouse accommodation in Reykjavík where you spend one night. We provide you with ideas how to explore Iceland's capital on your own. Free shuttle bus from the guesthouse to downtown Reykjavík at 19:00 and back at 22:00.

At 09:00 you meet your tour guide who shows the group some of the highlights of Iceland's capital. Then we head out to the Reykjanes peninsula with its hot springs, mountains, bird cliffs, light houses and fishing villages. At the end of the day, we get to soak off our travels in the warm blue waters of the famous Blue Lagoon. We stay for two nights in simple cottages in South Iceland.

In the evening we celebrate New Years the Icelandic way. Your 4-course festive dinner starts early and is served at Árhús Restaurant on the river banks in Hella, which is a small village in South Iceland. After the main course we join a guided bus tour, search for the Northern Lights and visit the bonfires in the villages of Hvolsvöllur and Hella. The traditional Brenna bonfires of New Year's Eve have their origins in the Middle Ages when people built bonfires to burn the old things they no longer needed. In Iceland there are bonfires all around the country where inhabitants gather, shoot off fireworks, sing and dance as they wait for the New Year to come in. Back at the cottages we continue with dessert and coffee. Around 23:30 one of the local rescue team members will join our group and light our own small fireworks. Afterwards we walk through the village and celebrate New Years with a bang when at midnight the sky opens with thousands of fireworks set off across the village by the local inhabitants. This is an experience of a life time, you will never forget. Drink a toast of sparkling wine as you enjoy a real special Icelandic New Year's celebration. Before you go to sleep, step out in the garden and check if the Northern Lights are visible. Also, known as the Aurora Borealis, these spectacular sky-light shows can frequently be seen in Iceland from September through April on clear and crisp nights. White and green are usually the dominant colors of northern lights but sometimes there are considerable color variations. They are ephemeral, however, sightings are not guaranteed.

After a nice brunch style breakfast we head along the South coast and get out near the active volcano that is beneath the Eyjafjallajökull glacier. We stop at the high but narrow Seljalandsfoss waterfall, which plunges over the mountain. There's a trail that goes behind the falling water and offers interesting views, if you are prepared to get wet! Further east we visit one of Iceland's finest folk museums. This museum contains an outstanding collection of farm and domestic artifacts typical of Iceland's past, as well as turf-built houses. Nearby is Skógafoss waterfall which is 60 meters high and one of the most impressive waterfalls in the country. After a light lunch that is included in the tour package we continue to the seaside and stroll on the black lava beach to see the amazing bird cliffs at Reynisfjara near Vík. Back at our accommodation you have another presentation about the Northern Lights. Tonight, at Árhús Restaurant you are invited to a nice 4-course dinner, followed by a New Year's Party with live music. During the evening locals from the village will join the New Year´s Party as everybody enjoys the holiday spirit and might be singing into the first day of the year! If the night is clear, you might be lucky enough to see the Northern Lights swirling in a wild and carefree dance across the heavens in dramatic shapes, colors, patterns and sizes.

In the morning, you learn about the Icelandic horse and its history and special qualities, and also visit a geothermal greenhouse. You see steam from the Geysir geothermal fields as you arrive. There are a variety of hot springs and bubbling pools. The original geyser is now dormant but has been replaced by Strokkur "the Churn" which erupts at 5-10 minute intervals. You continue to Gullfoss "the golden falls", a double waterfall that tumbles 34 meters into the Hvítá river, and attracts tourists and travelers in summer and winter. We travel inland to Thingvellir National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site before returning to Reykjavík for one night. An optional Northern Lights evening cruise can be booked on the spot, if the weather conditions are ideal. Free shuttle bus from the guesthouse to downtown Reykjavík at 19:00 and back at 22:00.

Individual transfer by Flybus airport shuttle from your guesthouse accommodation in Reykjavík to Keflavík Airport.

Notes