Itinerary
B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner
Friday, 20 Mar 2020: Arrive Iceland; Walking Tour; Northern Lights Boat Tour (D)
Schedule your flight to arrive Iceland no later than 10:00am. Most flights to Iceland are overnight flights. Look for the "FlyBus" and use this service to transfer to Reykjavik. 50 minutes later you will be in the most northern capital city in the world. Relax a bit and grab a bite to eat before we have our Welcome Meeting in the lobby of the hotel at 1:00pm. This afternoon, we'll embark on a walking tour of compact Reykjavik. This evening we'll enjoy dinner and a Northern Lights Boat tour together. Please note that the Northern Lights are a natural phenomenon and sightings cannot be guaranteed. Overnight Reykjavik - 5 nights
Saturday, 21 Mar 2020: South Shore Adventure; Glacier Walk (B,L)
Today, we will drive through the fertile farmlands of Southern Iceland toward the majestic mountains that tower over the coast. We begin at the gorgeous Seljalandsfoss waterfall, which is fed by melting water from the famed glacier-capped Eyjafjallajokull volcano, last active in 2010. This powerful waterfall cascades into a pretty meadow but is best known for the walking path that runs behind the curtain of water where visitors can enjoy a truly unique viewpoint. We continue to Solheimajokull Glacier to walk through a frozen wonderland of different shades of glacier ice. On our return to Reykjavik, we'll stop at Reynisfjara beach, kown for striking columns of basalt.
Sunday, 22 Mar 2020: Settlement Center; Vidgelmir Cave; Hot Spings & Baths (B)
We depart this morning for Borgarnes to visit the Settlement Center, a remarkable multimedia exhibition that uses the Sagas to explore the history of Iceland’s early settlement by Nordic Vikings. Half of the center tells the story of Egill Skalla-Grímsson, a colorful figure from one of the best-loved Icelandic Sagas, Egill’s Saga. From here, we drive to Vidgelmir Cave, hailed as the mightiest of Iceland's caves. Its diversity and grandeur is unrivaled, making for an unforgettable experience. From Vidgelmir, we drive to the Hraunfossar waterfall, an exceptionally beautiful and unusual natural phenomenon where water seems to magically appear from the lava. We continue to Deildartunguhver Hot Spring to enjoy a delightful and relaxing soak in the wonderful natural geo-thermal baths. We return to Reykjavík this evening.
Monday, 23 Mar 2020: Thingvellir; Gullfoss; Farm Tour; Geysir; Lobster Dinner (B,L,D)
Today we begin with a drive over Mosfellsheidi plateau toward the UNESCO-listed Thingvellir National Park, a remarkable geological site and the most historic site on the island as the world's oldest democratic parliament was founded here in 930. The beautiful canyon running through the park is the meeting point of two of the earth’s tectonic plates. This combination of natural phenomena and historical significance make it inseparable from the fabric of Icelandic national life. We then drive to Gullfoss (Golden Waterfall), one of the most impressive waterfalls in all of Iceland, to see icy water thunder majestically into a deep gorge. We will then visit Efstidalur, a working dairy farm where we will sample their homemade ice cream. Afterward we head to the famed Geysir Hot Spring area, which has given its name to hot springs the world over. We'll enjoy a lobster dinner tonight.
Tuesday, 24 Mar 2020: Blue Lagoon; Free Time in Reykjavik; Farewell Dinner (B,D)
This morning we enjoy a dip in the famous Blue Lagoon, which is a unique wonder of nature with pleasantly warm, mineral-rich geothermal water situated in the midst of a black lava field. The high natural levels of silica and minerals give the lagoon its unique blue hue. After a wonderfully relaxing morning, we return to our hotel to enjoy additional free time in Reykjavik before regrouping for our Farewell Dinner. This evening, we'll hunt for the elusive Northern Lights one last time.
Wednesday, 25 Mar 2020: Return Home (B)
Sadly, it is time to return home. Consider an afternoon flight if you want to have a little more time in Reykjavik, remembering that your departure time from the hotel in Reykjavik needs to be 4.5 hours prior to your flight departure time.