Set off into Iceland’s stunning countryside. Meet the farmers at Bjarteyjarsandur and learn about daily life on their family farm. See the animals, hear stories from generations past and discover their passion for a sustainable farming future. Continue on to charming Borgarnes, a scenic town with a wealth of Viking heritage featured in Icelandic sagas. Take some free time to explore and have an independent lunch. Head on to Deildartunguhver hot spring, Iceland’s most powerful hot spring, then visit Barnafossar (Children’s Falls) and Hraunfossar (Lava Falls). Check into your hotel in Reykholt, an area rich in history from settlement times that often features in the sagas. Dine there with your group this evening.
Drive through the famed Skagafjörður valley, a lush, wide valley farmed by the earliest settlers. Visit the open-air Glaumbær Farm & Museum to see the turf-roofed houses and discover the life of early pioneers; have lunch there. Visit the city of Akureyri on the way to Goðafoss, a magnificent waterfall. Spend the night in Húsavík, featured in the Will Ferrell comedy, Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga. Dine at your hotel this evening.
Begin touring the Diamond Circle by visiting Lake Mývatn, an otherworldly landscape dotted with pseudovolcanoes, hot pools, and geothermal power stations. Visit Reykjahlíð church, and hear how it became surrounded by lava in 1727. Next, discover Hverir sulfur springs before visiting Dimmuborgir for a short hike. Stop for lunch and explore the fascinating pseudocraters of Skútustaðagígar. Arrive back in Húsavík, Iceland’s whale-watching capital, for independent exploration. Explore the village, book a cruise, or perhaps visit the nearby GeoSea Spa.
Continue your journey along the Diamond Circle, including Ásbyrgi Canyon Visitor Center and the awe-inspiring Dettifoss Waterfall, one of Europe’s most powerful. Travel through the wilderness to Móðrudalur, the highest working farm in Iceland. Learn about the self-sufficient nature of the farm before enjoying a traditional lunch. Visit Vök Baths to bathe in the natural geothermal waters, floating in hot tubs on this beautiful lake. Travel on to Fáskrúðsfjörður, a fascinating village in the Eastfjords once frequented by French fishermen, and check in to your hotel, where you’ll dine with your group.
Delight in the quirky wonders at Petra’s Stone Museum, then on to Djúpivogur, a coastal village and artists’ haven. See the spectacular beauty of Vestrahorn, where you’ll stop for photos, before moving on for free time at Höfn, a small fishing town. Enjoy dinner with your group at your hotel.
Travel to the Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon, dotted with crystal-blue icebergs, and then to nearby Diamond Beach, where you can marvel at glistening natural ice sculptures on the black sands. Take in the expansive view during lunch at the Fosshotel Glacier Lagoon. Visit the traditional turf church at Hof, and the Skaftafell Wilderness Area to view glaciers, waterfalls, a snow-capped volcano and lava fields. Dine at your hotel this evening.
Discover Reynisfjara’s black sand beach and rock formations along with the legends of its history. Visit the nearby Skógafoss Waterfall, where on sunny days a double rainbow is often visible. Journey to the beautiful Seljalandsfoss Waterfall where, weather permitting, the sure-footed can walk the trail behind the 60-meter falls. Then admire the distinctive Icelandic horse in a demonstration at Eldhestar Horse Farm. All Icelandic horses are descendants of those brought by the Vikings, and are known for their sure-footedness and their extra gait, the “tölt”. At your hotel in Reykjavik, celebrate at a farewell dinner with your group.
Take in some of Iceland’s must-sees along the famed Golden Circle. Visit the spectacular Gullfoss Waterfall, with its two separate drops, then on to Geysir to see the Strokkur geyser, erupting every few minutes. Head on to Þingvellir, a national park where the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates meet, and where the world’s oldest parliament began. Finish your day with a soak in the geothermal waters of the Blue Lagoon. Return to Reykjavík, and enjoy an evening free to explore.
Your tour ends after breakfast.
