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Majestic Highlands and Natural WondersReady for adventure and exploration? Take the less traveled roads and discover the wild heart and natural beauty of Icelandâs highlands. Experience multi-colored mountains and steaming geothermal areas of the highlands contrasting with the brilliant green of the coastal lowlands. Visit the best-known natural wonders of the Ring Road, as well as the secrets of the interior wilderness places like Kjölur and Landmannalaugar. ItineraryDay 1 ReykjavikArrival at KeflavĂk International airport. Transfers to ReykjavĂk are not included in the tour. We would be happy to arrange shared or private transfers for you, so let us know at booking time. If you arrive earlier in the day, you might consider adding a day tour. Weâd be happy to make suggestions based on your interests. One of our favorite activities after a long flight is to visit one of the neighbourhood geothermal pools. If you want a uniquely Icelandic hot spring pool experience, we recommend the seaside Sky Lagoon and its relaxing Seven-Step spa ritual. We can help you with booking a visit! Itâs also very nice to take a stroll in the old city centre, perhaps visiting one of the museums or relaxing with a cup of coffee in a cosy cafĂ©. Dinner this evening is at your leisure. ReykjavĂk offers a multitude of restaurants, making dinner a wonderful way to get better acquainted with Iceland's capital. Please note that hotels in Iceland start check-in around 14:00 (2:00pm), and early check-in is not guaranteed. Most hotels will be happy to store your luggage if you are not able to check in early. Day 2 Reykjavik - ThingvellirMeals: Breakfast / DinnerLava Landscapes â Geothermal Field â Famous National Park Breakfast at your hotel. Meet your guide at the hotel and start your adventure! Your first day begins with a quick orientation tour of ReykjavĂk before heading to the moon-like landscapes of the Reykjanes Peninsula. Thanks to its geothermal and volcanic features, Reykjanes is a designated UNESCO GeoPark. Youâll see unusual and stunning features around the peninsula, including craters, lava cliffs, and fissures. One of these is the mysterious Kleifarvatn, famous for its mention in Arnaldur IndrĂĂ°asonâs suspense novel, The Draining Lake. Visit the KrĂœsuvĂk geothermal area with its multi-colored bubbling mud pools and hissing steam vents. Drive along the seacoast with amazing views of powerful waves, stopping to visit historical Strandarkirkja. Over the years, Icelanders have prayed in this lovely church for the safety and fortune of loved ones working on the sea. Itâs very special to spend some moments outside the church and take in the views of the mighty ocean and rocky coastline. Head to Ăingvellir National Park, the ancient site of the world's first parliament. Here you can see the dramatic continental drift between the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates. Your guide will share interesting facts about some of the interesting historical events that have happened at Ăingvellir. Dinner and overnight stay in the Golden Circle area. Approximate Driving Distance: 205 km /127miles Day 3 Thingvellir - Kjolur - AkureyriMeals: BreakfastBreakfast at your hotel. Start your dayâs adventure with the popular Geysir geothermal area. The most active geyser, Strokkur, shoots water high into the air every few minutes. You'll also see several other boiling pools and hot springs. Head onwards to Iceland's most popular waterfall, the impressive two-stage Gullfoss (âGolden Fallsâ). A series of easy footpaths lead around the waterfall and give you excellent views from different angles. Now itâs time to enter the wilderness on the historical highland track Kjölur. As you follow this mountain road leading between two glaciers, youâll be seeing the same landscapes that Vikings saw in the old days as they rode across Icelandâs interior to Ăingvellir for the annual Parliament. Enjoy the vast views and the serene peace in one of Europeâs last wilderness areas. Midway on the route, stop to visit Hveravellir, an active geothermal field. Easy hiking paths lead through multicolored landscapes and steam vents. In the old days, Hveravellir was a hideout for outlaws. The Kjölur trail leads northwards, emerging into the valley of SkagafjörĂ°ur fjord with its flat-topped mountains and glacial rivers. Drive through dramatic mountainous valleys to Akureyri, the âcapital of the north,â for an overnight in this beautiful and culturally rich town. Dinner is on your own. Akureyri has a wonderful variety of restaurants to suit all kinds of palates. Overnight in the Akureyri area. Approximate Driving Distance: 375 km / 233 miles Day 4 Akureyri - Lake MyvatnMeals: BreakfastWaterfall âOf the Godsâ â Volcanic Wonderland â Forest Lagoon Breakfast at your hotel. Todayâs adventure takes you to the intriguing Lake MĂœvatn nature reserve. On the way, youâll stop at scenic GoĂ°afoss waterfall, famous for its Viking history. The MĂœvatn nature reserve is fascinating for its diverse bird life and its geological wonders. Some of the volcanic features include the pseudo craters at SkĂștustaĂ°ir, the Dark Lava Citadels of Dimmuborgir, the Krafla Volcano area, and the multi-coloured steaming slopes of NĂĄmaskarĂ°. At the end of the day, your group will return to Akureyri and visit the SkĂłgarböð (Forest Lagoon) near town. Enjoy lounging in peaceful earth-warmed pools in a beautiful setting of woodlands and the EyjafjörĂ°ur Fjord. Overnight in the Akureyri area. Dinner is on your own. Approximate Driving Distance: 320 km /199 miles Day 5 Husavik - DettifossMeals: Breakfast / DinnerHĂșsavĂk â Ăsbyrgi â Dettifoss Whale Watching Village â Glacial Gorge â Europeâs Most Powerful Waterfall Breakfast at your hotel. Today you will be visiting the northern part of Vatnajökull National Park, the largest of its kind in Western Europe. The vast park covers 14% of Icelandâs surface. This section of the park is characterised by vast glacier river canyons, curious lava formations, andglacial waterfalls. From Akureyri, drive to the charming fishing village of HĂșsavĂk. Known as the whale-watching capital of Iceland, HĂșsavĂk offers whale-watching in traditional oak fishing boats. Take part in one of these excursions, where youâll sail in beautiful SkjĂĄlfandi Bay in search of whales, dolphins, and seabirds. Travel around the ancient, fossil rich Tjörnes peninsula on the edge of the Arctic Circle to the northern gateway of Vatnajökull National Park. Visit the impressive horseshoe shaped Ăsbyrgi canyon, which has a variety of beautiful walking trails that suit different hiking levels. Continue on to visit the echoing rocks and troll-like formations of Hljóðaklettar. The crowning highlight is mighty Dettifoss, the largest waterfall in Europe. Dinner and overnight in the Lake MĂœvatn area. Approximate Driving Distance: 250 km / 155 miles Day 6 East FjordsMeals: BreakfastMöðrudalur Valley and Icelandâs Eastfjords Highland desert plateau â Narrow Fjords â Picturesque Coastline Breakfast at your hotel. Today you will be visiting East Iceland and the gorgeous Eastfjords. Explore the vast wilderness of the desert plateau MöðrudalsörĂŠfi, desolate and yet hauntingly beautiful, as you head towards the Eastfjords region. Visit fantastical StuĂ°lagil, an impressive canyon made of basalt columns that seem to resemble organ pipes. A viewing platform near the canyon lets you enjoy the canyonâs unique features. You can see how basalt columns like these influenced the design of ReykjavĂkâs HallgrĂmskirkja church. Continue to the village of EgilsstaĂ°ir, the âcapitalâ of East Iceland. EgilsstaĂ°ir is known for its scenic forested area of HallormsstaĂ°ir and for legends of a friendly lake monster. Dinner and overnight in the Eastfjords area. Approximate Driving Distance: 215 km / 134 miles Day 7 Djupivogur - Vatnajokull Glacier - KirkjubaejarklausturMeals: Breakfast / DinnerEuropeâs Largest Glacier â Iceberg Lagoon â Glacier-Ringed Green Oasis Breakfast at your hotel. Continue travelling through the scenic Eastfjords, taking time to enjoy the breathtaking views. The harbour village of DjĂșpivogur marks the southernmost edge of the Eastfjords. As you drive into Southeastern Iceland youâll start seeing Europeâs largest glacier, Vatnajökull. You will soon be in the vicinity of southern Vatnajökull National Park. This part of the park is characterised by ice, glacier tongues and lava landscapes. The popular JökulsĂĄrlĂłn Glacial Lagoon rewards you with a beautiful view of the glacier, and the floating icebergs will certainly impress you. Youâll get a chance to see the icebergs close up on a boat that sails through the Glacial Lagoon. Near JökulsĂĄrlĂłn is the Diamond Beach, an area that has become a favorite spot to snap an Iceland photo. Head onwards to the parkâs Skaftafell area, a green oasis surrounded by dramatic glaciers and volcanic mountains. Make sure your camera is ready to capture the view! Dinner and overnight in the KirkjubĂŠjarklaustur area. Approximate Driving Distance: 320 km / 199 miles Day 8 Landmannalaugar - HellaMeals: Breakfast / DinnerMulti-coloured Highland Mountains â Hot Spring Bathing â Hekla Volcano Breakfast at your hotel. Today you will see a different side of the highlands, the colourful southern wilderness. Travel along the FjallabaksleiĂ° highland interior track, passing wild mountains and deeply carved green valleys. Cross several unbridged rivers to Landmannalaugar, a magnificent area surrounded by brilliantly coloured rhyolite mountains. Great hiking trails take you through a mysterious landscape of steam vents and bright colored slopes. There is also the option of bathing in a natural warm pool, so donât forget to bring a swimsuit and towel. You will also catch different views of towering Hekla, Icelandâs most frequently erupting volcano through the day. Dinner and overnight stay in the Hella area. Approximate Driving Distance: 305 km / 190 miles Day 9 Skogar - ReykjavikMeals: BreakfastLava Fields â Black Beaches â Thundering Waterfalls Breakfast at your hotel. Drive along the spectacular South Coast, a sweeping landscape of sandydeserts, rocky shores and rolling farmlands sandwiched between snow-capped glaciers, mountains, and the ocean. Visit the beautiful waterfalls of SkĂłgafoss and Seljalandsfoss. SkĂłgafoss is one of Icelandâs most photographed waterfalls and has stairs that take you to the top for an amazing view. The ribbonshaped Seljalandsfoss has trails that take you behind the waterfall. Stop to admire the black sand beaches and cliffs at Reynisfjara near VĂk village. Youâll surely feel the power of nature as you watch the enormous waves thunder towards the shore. Far out to sea are several basalt sea stacks that may (or may not) have once been trolls. Drive to ReykjavĂk in the late afternoon, where your guide bids you farewell at the hotel. The rest of your day and evening is open to enjoy Icelandâs charming capital city. Overnight in ReykjavĂk. Dinner is on your own. Approximate Driving Distance: 285 km / 177 miles Day 10 KeflavikMeals: BreakfastBreakfast at your hotel. Please note that this might be a light breakfast if you are taking an early morning departure flight. Transfer on your own to the international airport for your departure flight. The airport transfer is not included, but we are happy to help you arrange shared or private transfers. We recommend you depart from your hotel no later than three hours before your departure flight. We wish you a pleasant trip back to your homeland and hope to see you in Iceland again Price IncludesAmphibian Boat Tour on the JökulsĂĄrlĂłn Glacier Lagoon (day 3)Whale Watching Boat Tour (day 5) 1 Packed Lunch (day 8) 1 Two-Course Lunch at Hveravellir (day 3) 5 Two-Course Dinners (excluding ReykjavĂk and Akureyri) Free Wi-Fi on Board Travel Vehicle Expert Professional Local Guide from Day 2 to Day 9 Guided Coach Tour from Day 2 to Day 5 Hotel Accommodation in 4* Hotels, Daily Breakfast Price Does Not IncludeTravel InsuranceTransfer Airport - Hotel- Airport Air IT$-0924
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