Iceland Panorama Small Group Journey

Welcome to Iceland! Upon arrival, you will be met and transferred to your hotel. Tonight, there will be an information meeting at your hotel. You’ll meet your guide, and travel companions, and learn more about the tour. Dinner this evening is at your leisure. Overnight in Reykjavik.

Breakfast at your hotel. Your guide will meet you in the lobby of the hotel. Start your adventure by visiting the fascinating Aurora Reykjavik Northern Lights Centre. You’ll get a great introduction to northern lights, how they are formed and the folklore surrounding them. You’ll also get tips about how to capture northern lights on film. Continue to the Golden Circle natural wonders. Explore Gullfoss waterfall, a spectacular sight in winter when frozen mid-cascade. Continue to the geothermal fields of Geysir with bubbling mud pools and the high-spouting Strokkur hot spring (and other geysers). Continue along the south shore and stop to admire the waterfalls Seljalandsfoss and Skogafoss before continuing to Dyrholaey and the black sand beaches of Iceland’s South Shore. Continue to the village of Vik. Dinner and overnight in Vik Area (B, D) Please Note: If weather conditions are right, your guide will take you on northern lights hunt on foot in the area outside your hotel tonight, or on one of the other evenings that you are staying in the countryside.

Breakfast at your hotel. Today, you’ll visit the southern area of Vatnajokull National Park, named after Europe’s largest glacier. The park area covers almost 14% of Iceland, making it the largest national park in Western Europe! Visit the national park’s famous Skaftafell area, a site of outstanding natural beauty dominated by several magnificent glaciers. Visit Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon where you can enjoy the breathtaking sight of icebergs floating in the great 180m (591 ft.) deep glacial lagoon (make sure your camera is loaded and ready!) Nearby is the dramatic beauty of Diamond Beach, where shrinking icebergs settle on the black sands before they drift out to sea. Dinner and overnight in Southeast Iceland or in the Hofn area. (B, D)

Breakfast at your hotel. Get ready to enjoy some amazing views today! Drive through Almannaskard pass, stopping to admire the majestic coastline. Continue to an area of towering mountains plunging vertically into the sea that forms the magnificent East Fjords. Keep your hand on your camera and watch for wild reindeer, which can sometimes be seen in the area during the winter months. You will also pass villages, each with its own unique history and charm. One of these is the tiny village of Breiddalsvik. Here, you’ll visit the local Beljandi microbrewery and sample some beer. You’ll meet one of the townsfolk and get a feel for life in a small town. Drive to Egilsstadir town, located near Iceland’s largest forest and a lake said to be home to a legendary (friendly) monster. Egilsstadir is also getting a name for itself for its excellent locally sourced cuisine, and you will surely enjoy some of it at dinner. Dinner and overnight in the Eastfjords area. (B, D)

Breakfast at your hotel. Explore the empty vastness of the highland desert plateau Modrudalsoraefi, desolate and yet hauntingly beautiful in its winter snows, as you head towards the Lake Myvatn area. On the way, stop at Dettifoss, Europe’s largest and most powerful waterfall. Continue onwards to Namaskard pass with its boiling mud pools and vibrant colours. We often feel like we are visiting another planet when we come here, and you may feel the same way. It’s such a surreal experience! Explore the natural beauty of the Lake Myvatn area, including the pseudo craters at Skutustadir and the Laxa Salmon River. You will probably see why this area has been so popular for movie makers, especially during the wintertime. Dinner and overnight stay in the Myvatn area. (B, D) Please note: The visit to Dettifoss waterfall depends on weather and road conditions and cannot be guaranteed.

Breakfast at your hotel. Start the day by exploring the peculiar lava formations at Dimmuborgir. The name means “Dark Citadels” in Icelandic, and they certainly look as though they were built by fantasy creatures. There are local legends that elves live here. Visit the magnificent Godafoss waterfall, one of the most important symbols of North Iceland. Afterwards, drive to Akureyri, Iceland's colourful northern “capital”. The town has charming buildings and a beautiful view of the Eyjafjordur fjord.After spending some time in Akureyri, continue along the coastal roads of Eyjafjordur and the Troll Peninsula. This is a beautiful drive along steep mountains with fantastic views over the Arctic Sea and the black sand coastline. Enjoy a stop in Siglufjordur, a town set in a beautiful fjord of the same name. This town has some of the finest timber buildings in the country, beautifully restored to their original glory. Visit Siglufjordur’s award-winning Herring-Era Maritime Museum. The museum recreates the atmosphere of the early 20th century when Siglufjordur was transformed into a frontier-like boom town, thanks to a large migration of herring. The museum will transport you back to that exciting time. Afterwards, head along majestic mountains and narrow passes to Skagafjordur, considered to be one of the finest places in Iceland for horse breeding. Dinner and overnight in Northwest Iceland. (B, D)

Breakfast at your hotel. Today you will enjoy an introduction to the unique Icelandic horse breed with its particular fifth gait, the tolt. Icelandic horses are essential to the country’s history. These gentle horses are known as the Icelandic people’s most faithful servants. Continue towards the village of Blonduos, built on both sides of the Blanda river. This is a part of Iceland known from the Icelandic literary work Vatnsdaela Saga. Cross the Holtavorduheidi plateau taking you into West Iceland. Drive through Borgarfjordur, a region that has been getting international recognition for its diverse landscapes and its Viking history. Dinner and overnight stay in the Borgarnes area. (B, D)

Breakfast at your hotel. Visit some of West Iceland’s beautiful natural wonders. Drive to Deildartunguhver, the most powerful hot spring in Europe. Stop to admire the beautiful Hraunfossar waterfalls, where brightly blue water rushes through black lava formations. Nearby is Barnafoss, a waterfall with a brilliant blue colour. Drive through the scenic and mountain-lined Hvalfjordur fjord to Lake Thingvallavatn, Iceland’s largest lake, and Thingvellir National Park. This UNESCO heritage site is where the world’s oldest continuing parliamentary government was founded in the 10th century. It is also the place where the North American and European tectonic plates meet. You will have the unusual experience of walking between two continents! Afterwards, head to Reykjavik for a last night in the colourful capital city. Your guide will bid you farewell at your hotel. Overnight stay in Reykjavik. (B)

Farewell to the Land of Fire and Ice! After breakfast at the hotel, you will be transferred to the Airport for your onward flight. (B)