Arrive in Reykjavík, Iceland’s capital on the edge of Faxaflói Bay. The city runs on geothermal heat and hot water, and its skyline mixes low-rise streets with landmark buildings such as Hallgrímskirkja and Harpa Concert Hall. This evening, you’ll meet your Travel Director and your small group for small bites. If time allows beforehand, you could take a short walk along Laugavegur for cafes and design shops, or follow the waterfront paths by the Old Harbor.
Start with a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience at a local tomato farm, where geothermal heat supports year-round greenhouse growing. See how tomatoes are cultivated under artificial light through Iceland’s long winter darkness, then taste the crop on site. Continue to the Geysir geothermal area to witness erupting hot springs, followed by Gullfoss, where glacial water plunges in two stages into a rugged canyon. The afternoon opens out across South Iceland, a region linked to Njál’s Saga and marked by wide plains, farms and volcanic ridgelines. In clear weather, Hekla and Eyjafjallajökull rise on the horizon, and at times the Westman Islands appear offshore. Later, visit the Lava Center in Hvolsvöllur to explore interactive exhibits on Iceland’s tectonic forces before joining your small group for dinner at your hotel.
Spend the day along Iceland’s south coast, pausing at Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss, two waterfalls where rivers plunge from the highlands towards the Atlantic. Continue to Vík for a visit to Víkurfjara Black Sand Beach that highlights the island’s volcanic origins, then travel into the Skaftafell area of Vatnajökull National Park, with views towards Vatnajökull, Europe’s largest ice cap. Later, stop at Diamond Beach, where ice from the glacier lagoon washes up on the black sand, before arriving at Jökulsárlón to watch icebergs drift from the glacier towards the sea. Here, you may choose to join an Optional Experience: an amphibian boat tour on the lagoon. Your day concludes at your Fosshotel, with dinner shared with your small group.
Arrive in Höfn, a small harbor town known for its fishing heritage and views back towards Vatnajökull. Enjoy some free time to walk the harbourfront, look in on the quayside or pause in a cafe. Continue through the Eastfjords, where steep mountains and narrow inlets frame small fishing villages. In clear weather, you may spot low-lying Papey Island offshore. In Breiðdalsvík, you may choose to join an Optional Experience at Beljandi Brewery, a microbrewery set in a former fish plant, before traveling on to Fáskrúðsfjörður. The village served as a base for French fishing fleets in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and former French hospital buildings, a small cemetery and bilingual street signs still reflect that history. This evening, join your small group for dinner at your hotel.
Cross the interior via Möðrudalur, one of Iceland’s highest settled farms, and pause at the Herðubreið viewpoint to see this flat-topped volcano rising from old lava fields. Continue to Lake Mývatn, with time to explore features such as the lava formations at Dimmuborgir or the sulfur fields and steaming vents around Námaskarð. Travel on to Húsavík to relax at GeoSea Baths, where warm geothermal seawater pools look across Skjálfandi Bay in the afternoon light. Later, stop at Goðafoss waterfall before reaching Akureyri. This evening, explore at your own pace — perhaps walk the Eyjafjörður waterfront, visit Akureyri Church above the harbor or try restaurants serving North Iceland dishes such as fish soup, grilled cod or lamb.
Start the day with an orientation of Akureyri, Iceland’s second-largest urban area and main town in the north. See the harbor, Akureyri Church and central streets, and gain a sense of daily life along Eyjafjörður before heading into the countryside. Call at Holabak dairy and equine farm to see how milk production sits alongside Icelandic horse breeding, a protected native breed that has remained pure for over a thousand years. Afterwards, continue to Hvammstangi to visit the Kidka wool factory, where Icelandic wool is turned into knitwear using modern machinery and local patterns. Travel onwards to Borgarfjörður, where you’ll join your small group for dinner.
Head along the Snæfellsnes Peninsula to Snæfellsjökull National Park, where a glacier-capped volcano marks the peninsula’s outer tip. See coastal lava fields and views towards Snæfellsjökull before stopping at Búðir, known for its black church set on a lava field near the shore. Continue to Arnarstapi to walk the sea cliffs, with basalt formations, rock arches and nesting birdlife, then visit the black-pebble bay at Djúpalónssandur. Return to Borgarfjörður for an evening at leisure: follow local walking paths, look in on nearby viewpoints or choose a restaurant serving regional dishes such as lamb, Arctic char or freshwater trout from local farms and rivers.
Begin on Langjökull glacier, boarding modified glacier vehicles to reach the ice cap. With a Local Expert, learn how the glacier formed and is monitored, then walk through man-made ice tunnels to see layers of snow and ash at close range. Continue to Húsafell, where free time allows for short woodland walks or a visit to the small church. Later, call at Sturlureykir, a family-run horse-breeding farm, to meet Icelandic horses, hear about their five gaits and see the hot spring used to bake rye bread, which you’ll taste on site. In the evening, arrive in Reykjavík and join your small group for a final dinner, toasting your journey through Iceland.
Your journey ends in Reykjavík after breakfast. Transfer to the airport, say goodbye to your Travel Director and small group, and bring your journey through Iceland’s glaciers, coasts and villages to a close.
