Iceland Summer | 12-Day Grand Tour of Iceland from Reykjavík: Golden Circle, Snæfellsnes Peninsula and Vatnajökull National Park | Small Group of Maximum 20 Pax

What you'll experience

Highlights

12 days

Day-by-day itinerary

1. 1

   Day 1 — Arrival Day (Reykjavik)

   Individual transfer by Flybus shuttle bus from Keflavik airport to your accommodation in Reykjavik. You may explore Iceland's capital city on your own if time allows.

   Meals: B: Excluded, L: Excluded, D: ExcludedStay: Fosshotel Reykjavik
2. 2

   Day 2 — Þingvellir & Snæfellsnes Peninsula

   We begin the day with a visit to Þingvellir National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  This is where Iceland’s parliament was established in 930 AD, making it the oldest in the world. The Þingvellir plain is situated on a tectonic plate boundary where North America and Europe are slowly tearing away from each other. As a result, the plain is scarred by dramatic fissures, ponds, and rivers, including the great rift Almannagjá.

   After taking in the historical site, we head to Snæfellsnes Peninsula, which juts out from Iceland’s West Coast. A rugged mountain chain runs its length, capped by the 1,446-meter Snæfellsjökull glacier, a mystical cone-shaped stratovolcano. We travel around the Snæfellsnes Peninsula, through lava fields, and along the ocean with many excellent Icelandic photo opportunities. We see the most popular sites at the Snæfellsnes National Park where volcanic craters, lava flows, an ice cap, glaciated peaks, fjords, sandy beaches, and high cliffs shape its landscapes. We follow the adventure of Jules Verne’s classic science-fiction novel about “The Journey to the Center of the Earth”. Do not miss your chance to go on a trip to the interior of the earth under the glacier Snæfellsjökull! This lava cave tour takes you 35 meters underground and about 200 meters into the lava tube called Vatnshellir.

   

   Strokkur

   

   Geysir Geothermal Area

   

   Thingvellir National Park

   Meals: B: Included, L: Excluded, D: IncludedStay: Fosshotel Sykkishólmur, Stykkishólmur
3. 3

   Day 3 — Ferry trip to West Fjords & Dynjandi Waterfall

   Today starts with a ferry ride from Stykkishólmur to Brjánslækur, crossing Breiðafjörður Bay. On the 2,5 hour journey we will pass the island of Flatey, which is inhabited only during the summertime. If the weather is beautiful, you will enjoy a magnificent view of the bay’s countless isles as well as the glacier Snæfellsjökull.

   After arriving in the remote Westfjords, we travel over mountains and along the shore of scenic fjords until we reach the majestic fjord Arnarfjörður, surrounded by high mountains. At the bottom of the fjord, we come across the unique waterfall Dynjandi with its seven levels of plunging water, declared the country’s most beautiful waterfall by the people of Iceland.

   

   Snæfellsnes

   Meals: B: Included, L: Excluded, D: IncludedStay: Hotel Flókalundur, Patreksfjörður
4. 4

   Day 4 — Iceland's Westernmost Point

   We follow the coastline and stop at the folk and transport museum in Hnjótur. We continue through a very remote and sparsely populated region to the bird cliffs of Látrabjarg, the most abundant seabird cliff and the westernmost point of Iceland and Europe where you can see puffins from mid-May till mid-August. We take a walk in the wilderness to the top of the highest bird cliff in Iceland. Látrabjarg is known in the world for its density of Nordic birds. Puffins, razorbills, guillemots, fulmars, cormorants, kittiwakes, and other cliff birds flock either in hundreds, thousands and even in millions. Látrabjarg is a place where you can get very close to the seabirds, and even if you're not into bird watching, you are entertained by the comic puffins and mesmerized by the sheer number of birds. If weather and road conditions allow, we travel to Rauðisandur beach with endless red sand. Well, not endless but 10 km is a lot. The magnificent hues of the sand differ with daylight, tides, and weather. This pure sand beach is home to countless seabirds and seals and is an oasis of unique tranquillity. Forget everything, except maybe getting the perfect shot of the ever-changing hues of yellow, orange and red.

   Meals: B: Included, L: Excluded, D: IncludedStay: Hotel Flókalundur, Patreksfjörður
5. 5

   Day 5 — Westfjords to Northwest Iceland

   We leave the Westfjords and begin todays journey east across Breiðarfjörður’s inland edge, passing through wide valleys and low mountain passes. The route offers changing landscapes as we move from the remote fjords toward open spaces of Northwest Iceland.

   On the way, we stop at Erpsstaðir, a family run dairy farm best known for their ice cream and various other dairy products. Take a look at the milk production world and taste their unique ice cream directly from the farm, with local seasonal flavours.

   Meals: B: Included, L: Excluded, D: IncludedStay: Hotel Laugarbakki, Hvammstangi
6. 6

   Day 6 — Heading North

   Today's journey is a little bit of the beaten track, around the Vatnsnes peninsula. We pass the fishing village of Hvammstangi, also called the seal capital of Iceland. A gravel road takes us around the peninsula to Hvítserkur, a highlight on the east coast of the region; a mass of igneous rock, about 15 meters high, situated on the seashore where fulmars and gulls live. An old story has it that Hvítserkur is a petrified troll that intended to stone a nearby cloister, but dawn arrived before he could succeed. We continue to Kolugljúfur canyon, where waterfalls cascade into the deep, rugged gorge. It is a breath taking sight to walk on the viewing platform and watch the calm waters of the river suddenly leap and tumble onwards over so many impressive falls – a sight which will leave no one unmoved. Further north we stop at Víðimýri to visit one of the few preserved turf churches in Iceland. The church was built in 1834 and has turf walls, but timber gables both back and front. We continue along a high mountain road to Akureyri, also called the capital of North Iceland, where we stay for two nights.

   Meals: B: Included, L: Excluded, D: IncludedStay: Sæluhús Studio Apartments, Akureyri
7. 7

   Day 7 — Iceland's Northernmost Town, Whale Watching & Sea Angling

   Enjoy breakfast in the beautiful surrounding of the botanical garden in Akureyri. Afterwards enjoy a whale watching tour for 2-3 hours in Eyjafjörður – Iceland's longest fjord right below the Arctic Circle. For additional bonus and fun, try your luck at sea angling towards the end of the tour. In the afternoon see the spectacular fjord landscapes while travelling to Siglufjörður, Iceland's northernmost town, known as the herring capital of the North Atlantic. Siglufjörður is located on the mountainous Tröllaskagi Peninsula. On the way, we pass small fishing villages and stop at a deserted valley that even most Icelanders have not seen. Included is a visit to the Herring Era Museum in Siglufjörður, Iceland's largest maritime museum and the only one in Iceland that won the European Museum Awards. We won't miss the opportunity to taste the herring along with Brennivín, Icelandic schnapps.

   Meals: B: Included, L: Excluded, D: IncludedStay: Sæluhús Studio Apartments, Akureyri
8. 8

   Day 8 — Volcanic Lava Wonders and Geothermal bathing

   We explore Goðafoss, the waterfall of the Gods, and continue to Lake Mývatn, known for its abundant bird life and amazing volcanic lava landscapes. We see pseudo craters, walk in the mysterious lava field Dimmuborgir, see the tephra cone Hverfjall, explore the hot springs, fumaroles, and bubbling mud pools of Námaskarð. We travel to Dettifoss, Europe's most powerful waterfall, in the northern part of Vatnajökull National Park. The round-trip walk takes about 40-60 minutes. We continue east through the bare and sometimes deserted landscape with mountains all around and head through the uninhabited highlands to East Iceland. We end the day at Vök baths, a geothermal floating pool in Lake Urriðavatn where guests can soak in hot water within and surrounded by the lake.

   

   Myvatn Lake

   Meals: B: Included, L: Excluded, D: IncludedStay: Hotel Eskifjörður
9. 9

   Day 9 — East Fjords

   It's a day to admire the dramatic fjord landscape and its tiny fishing villages at the end of twisty roads in the East Fjords. First stop of the day is Petra's fascinating rock collection. A naturalist and a collector are two terms that have been used to describe Petra since she was a little girl. Petra collected for nearly 80 years this unique treasure of rocks, crystals, zeolites, quartz and more, all from the nearby area in the East Fjords. Finally, in the afternoon, we see Vatnajökull, Europe's biggest glacier visible all-over Southeast Iceland.

   Meals: B: Included, L: Excluded, D: IncludedStay: Hotel Höfn, Höfn in Hornafjörður
10. 10

    Day 10 — Vatnajökull National Park, Glacier Lagoon & Black Sand Beach

    Today we visit Vatnajökull National Park which covers about 14% of Iceland, making it Europe’s 2nd largest national park in terms of area. We stop for a boat ride amongst the floating icebergs on the magnificent Jökulsárlón glacial lagoon, considered one of the highlights on tour around Iceland. Next, we walk along the black sands of the so-called Diamond beach. We explore the region of Skaftafell that is nestled below Iceland’s highest mountain and the second biggest stratovolcano in Europe, the 2.110-meter high Hvannadalshnúkur. We walk close to one of the many glacial tongues in the area – a true photo moment. We cross a sandy desert before reaching our last stop of the day Reynisfjara Black Sand beach, known for its basalt columns and sea stack.

    

    Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon

    Meals: B: Included, L: Excluded, D: IncludedStay: Hotel Vík, Vík in Mýrdalur
11. 11

    Day 11 — The South Coast

    Today we travel along the South Coast of Iceland, between the sea, rugged mountains, glaciers, and waterfalls. We explore the black lava beach, Reynisfjara, and bird cliffs before stopping at the Skógafoss waterfall, another must-see location in South Iceland. The crashing water creates a mist that results in frequent and magical rainbows, just adding some more memorable experiences to the sheer beauty of this stunning scenery and place. Afterwards we visit Skógar folk museum with its turf houses assemblage of traditions of territorial relics on display. Later reach Seljalandsfoss waterfall where you can follow a slick and wet trail and walk right behind it. Come prepared and bring a raincoat and good boots as you will get wet. Then we visit the Lava & Volcano Exhibition Centre focused on geology and active volcanoes and watch a documentary film about volcanic eruptions in the past years in Iceland. Farewell dinner at a local restaurant in Reykjavík, Iceland's capital.

    Meals: B: Included, L: Excluded, D: IncludedStay: Fosshotel Reykjavik
12. 12

    Day 12 — Departure Day

    Individual transfer by Flybus shuttle from your accommodation in Reykjavik to Keflavik airport.
    NOTE: Itineraries may be subject to change at short notice during severe weather conditions, and certain outdoor activities/day trips may be cancelled during the winter season in Iceland. In these rare cases, where situations of force majeure apply, excursions/activities cannot be refunded. Still, the local guides will try their best to find reasonable alternatives where and whenever possible.

    Meals: B: Included, L: Excluded, D: Excluded

What's included

Cancellation policy

Important info

Tour operator