Iceland Circle, glaciers, fjords and wild landscapes

DAY 1 : REYKJAVĺK

Arrival in Keflavík, Iceland. Pick up rental car at the airport and drive to Reykjavík for an overnight. If time allows, explore the Reykjanes peninsula along the way. Highlights include Reykjanestá bird cliff, Gunnuhver hot spring, Brimketill rock pool and Krýsuvík hot spring area.

Optional activity: The Blue Lagoon.

DAY 2 : THE GOLDEN CIRCLE

Leave the city in the morning for the UNESCO World Heritage Site and National Park Þingvellir. Take a walk through the Almannagjá gorge to the former parliament site, and continue to the picturesque waterfall Öxaráfoss. From here your journey takes you farming area to the geysers at Haukadalur. While the old Geysir is rather quiet, the most active hot spring Strokkur (the butterchurn) is erupting every five to seven minutes. The impressive waterfall Gullfoss is only a short drive away. Continue to your accommodation at the South Coast.

Optional activity: Standard Lava Tunnel Tour. (Recommended as first stop before Þingvellir.)

DAY 3 : THE SOUTH COAST

Today is the day to see waterfalls! Start the day with an unforgettable walk behind the waterfall Seljalandsfoss. Keep on walking along the rock face where in gorge the waterfall Gjlufrabúi, the gorge dweller, hides. Next stop is Skógar and the impressive waterfall Skógafoss. A visit to the local folk- and transport museum Skógasafn is reccommended. Head on to the south coast and the bird cliffs of Dyrhólaey and Reynisfjara with its basalt columns and black sand beach.

Your journey takes you through the village of Vík, the desert-like black sands of Mýrdalssandur, the lava landscapes of Eldhraun and onwards to the village of Kirkjubæjarklaustur. Stay overnight in the Kirkjubæjarklaustur area.

Optional activity: Sólheimajökull Glacier Discovery AG101.

DAY 4 – SKAFTAFELL & GLACIER LAGOON

Start the day by visiting the information centre Skaftafell in the National Park Vatnajökulsþjóðgarður. We recommend the easy hike to the Svartifoss waterfall in Skaftafell, which is surrounded by monumental basalt columns. A drive along the foot of the massive Vatnajökull ice cap, past Iceland’s highest peak, Hvannadalshnjúkur (2114 m/6923 ft), brings you to Jöklulsárlón glacial lagoon. Take a walk along the shore of the lagoon and to the beach, where often smaller icebergs are washed ashore.

Get even closer on a boat trip amidst the drifting icebergs. You have a good chance of spotting seals in the lagoon and near the coast. Continue to Höfn area where you will spend the night.

Optional activity: Amphibian Boat Tour – Jökulsárlón.

DAY 5 – THE EASTFJORDS

Perhaps visit the Hoffellslón glacier lagoon near Höfn, before heading on to the fjord landscapes of East Iceland characterized by dramatic precipices and narrow coastlines that is rich in birdlife. Visit the sculptures The Eggs of Merry Bay, or be impressed by the large mineral collection at Petra´s Stone museum, displayed in her former home. At the Wilderness Centre, a fascinating exhibition showcasing nature and the life of the early settlers of the area of Lake Lagarfljót.

The popular and easy hike to Hengifoss waterfall rounds up the day. Overnight in Egilsstaðir area.

Optional activity: Vök Baths – Admission.

DAY 6 – DETTIFOSS &MÝVATN

Follow the ring road from Egilsstaðir over the highland heath to Lake Mývatn, with a detour to Europe‘s largest waterfall Dettifoss. Have a stop by the foul-smelling, sulphur mud hot springs at Námaskarð near the volcano Krafla. A short drive away from the highland scene is the fertile land around Lake Mývatn, one of the largest breeding areas for ducks, waders, and other birdspecies.

Take a walk in the lava labyrinth of Dimmuborgir and around the pseudo craters in Skútustaðir, or hike the crater Hverfjall for an impressive view over the surroundings of Lake Mývatn. Stay overnight in the Mývatn area.

Optional activity: Mývatn Nature Baths – Admission.

DAY 7 – HÚSAVÍK & ÁSBYRGI

Drive to Húsavík traditional fishing village and now Iceland’s whale watching capital. Whale watching tours are offered from the harbour and within the village a whale museum is to be found. From Húsavík continue along the Tjörnes peninsula to Ásbyrgi national park. Ásbyrgi is a canyon in the shape of a horse shoe with a little pond in the bottom. If you are interested you can also visit Hljóðaklettar, a distinctive cluster of columnar rock formations standing at the entrance to Vesturdalur, down by the Jökulsá á Fjöllum river.

Return to the Mývatn area for a second overnight.

Optional activity: Whale Watching NS-1 (Húsavík).

DAY 8 – TRÖLLASKAGI

Picturesque Goðafoss waterfall is located on the way to Akureyri, the so-called capital of North. The charming city centre has kept its danish style while Akureyri was long a danish trading centre. The women of the danish merchants did miss trees from their homeland, and started to plant them at the hill next to the harbour, this became one of the most northernly located botanical gardens.

From Akureyri you have the option of driving along the coast of Tröllaskagi peninsula or throught the mountains. Both ways will take you to the Skagafjörður area where you will spend the night.

Optional activity: 100% Whale watching from Hauganes.

DAY 9 – SEALS ON VATNSNES PENINSULA, BORGARFJÖRÐUR & REYKJAVÍK

The Icelandic Seal Centre in the fishing village of Hvammstangi, emphasis on the Seals of the North Atlantic and Arctic, showing the Seals in Icelandic culture and tradition, a documentary and the research, as well as wildlife and marine life of northern Iceland. Along the Vatnsnes peninsula, seals can be spotted at the coast, and on the way south, don´t miss to hike up the crater Grábrók. You have the option of exploring the Borgarfjörður region, before driving through the Hvalfjörður tunnel and onwar  ds to Reykjavík.

The highlights of Borgarfjörður include Deildartunguhver hot spring, Reykholt medieval site and Hraunfossar waterfalls. Your final overnight is in the capital.

Optional activity: Krauma – Admission.

DAY 10 – REYKJAVĺK

Breakfast at the hotel.

Drive to Keflavík International Airport and return your rental car before departure.