Icelandic Explorer

Depart from your hotel at 2:00 PM for a city tour to discover the colorful capital city of Reykjavík. Take time to explore independently before meeting your group again for a welcome drink.

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. Next, explore the fascinating history of the allied occupation of Iceland during World War II at the War and Peace Museum. Continue on to Borgarnes for free time and 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 Icelandic sagas. (B, D)

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, “The Story of Fire Saga”. (B, L, D)

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. (B, L)

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. Check in to your hotel in Fáskrúðsfjörður, a fascinating village in the Eastfjords once frequented by French fishermen. (B, L, D)

Delight in the quirky wonders at Petra’s Stone Museum, then on to Djúpivogur, a coastal village and artists’ haven. Take some free time at Höfn, a small fishing town, before arriving at your hotel to enjoy dinner with your group. (B, D)

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. (B, L, D)

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 surefootedness and their extra gait, the “tölt”. At your hotel in Reykjavik, celebrate at a farewell dinner with your group. (B, D)

Visit 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 Reykjavik, and enjoy an evening free to explore. (B)

Your tour ends after breakfast. (B)>