ICELAND: GRAND TOUR OF ICELAND - COMPLETE CIRCLE & WEST FJORDS TOUR 12 DAYS
Reykjavik - Borgarfjordur - Patreksfjordur - Budardalur - Akureyri - Lake Myvatn - Borgarfjordur Eystri - Skaftafell - Reykjavik

Explore areas which are left unexplored by most visitors!

itinerary & prices

Day 1 Arrive Reykjavik
Please note: If you have added extra nights in Reykjavik before your tour, the guide will meet your group for the start of the tour on the morning of Day 2 according to the standard “Grand Tour of Iceland” itinerary. Please check the “Services“ section in your travel documents to see how to meet your guide at the start of the tour.

Arrival at the Keflavik airport. The FlyBus airport transfer bus is waiting outside the Arrivals hall. Let the driver or attendant on board know where you are staying in Reykjavik. Unguided transfer to Reykjavik. The rest of the day is open for your own activities.

If you are arriving earlier in the day, you might consider adding a day tour. We’d be happy to make suggestions based on your interests. One of our favorite activities after a long flight is to visit one of the neighborhood geothermal pools. It is so refreshing to relax in the warm water, breathing in the fresh Icelandic air. It’s a great way to get to see Icelandic daily life and maybe meet a few locals. It’s also nice to take a stroll in the old city center, perhaps visiting one of the museums or relaxing with a cup of coffee in a cozy cafe.

Dinner this evening is at your leisure. Reykjavik offers a multitude of restaurants and/or coffee-houses, making dinner a great way to get better acquainted with Iceland's capital.
Overnight at Hotel Klettur.

Please note that hotels in Iceland start check-in around 14:00 (2:00pm), and early check-in is not guaranteed. Most hotels will be happy to store your luggage if you are not able to check in early.

Day 2: The Golden Circle
Approximate Driving Distance: 290 km /180 miles

Breakfast at your hotel. Meet your guide in the hotel lobby, head out to the coach and start your adventure! You will see classic highlights today: the Golden Circle. Start with a visit to a geothermal greenhouse and watch how Icelanders grow tomatoes. Next door, you can take a selfie with an Icelandic horse and learn about its unique qualities and history. Next explore Gullfoss, the beautiful double “Golden Falls,” and walk through the active geothermal area of Geysir, where Strokkur “the churn” spouts up to 25 meters (70 feet) every five to ten minutes. The next stop is the ancient Viking Parliament area and UNESCO world heritage site of Thingvellir National Park. The Thingvellir plain is situated on a tectonic plate boundary where North America and Europe are slowly tearing away from each other. As a result, you can explore a landscape of dramatic fissures, ponds, and rivers, including the great rift Almannagja. Your group continues the journey along the scenic Hvalfjordur fjord and on to Borgarfjordur.

Dinner and overnight stay in the Borgarfjordur area.
Overnight at Icelandair Hotel Hamar

Day 3: Snaefellsnes Peninsula & Ferry Trip to the Westfjords
Approximate Driving Distance: 290 km /180 miles

Breakfast at your hotel. Today, we explore the Snaefellsnes Peninsula, which juts out from Iceland’s West Coast. A rugged mountain chain runs its length, capped by the 1,446-meter Snaefellsjokull glacier, a mystical cone-shaped stratovolcano. We travel around the Snaefellsnes Peninsula, through lava fields, and along the ocean with many excellent Icelandic photo opportunities. We see the most popular sites at the Snaefellsjokull 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 Snaefellsjokull! This lava cave tour takes you 35 meters underground and about 200 meters into the lava tube called Vatnshellir. In the afternoon, we catch the car ferry Baldur from Stykkisholmur to Brjanslaekur in the West Fjords. On the 2,5-hour journey over Breidafjordur Bay, we pass the island of Flatey, which is inhabited only during the summertime. If the weather is beautiful, you enjoy a magnificent view of the bay’s countless isles as well as the glacier Snaefellsjokull.

Dinner and overnight stay in the Patreksfjordur area.
Overnight at Fosshotel Westfjords

Day 4: Iceland (and Europe)’s Westernmost Point
Approximate Driving Distance: 150 km / 93 miles

Breakfast at your hotel. Today your group will follow the rugged fjord coastline and stop at museum in Hnjotur. Enjoy a peek into how people lived in the Westfjords in the last century. Continue through a very remote and sparsely populated region to the abundant bird cliffs of Latrabjarg, and the westernmost point of both Iceland and Europe.  You should be able to see puffins from mid-May till mid-August, and plenty of other seabirds. Join your guide for a nature walk to the top of the bird cliff.

Latrabjarg 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. Latrabjarg is a place where you can get very close to the seabirds, and even if you’re not into bird watching, you will certainly be entertained by the comic puffins and mesmerized by the sheer number of birds. If weather and road conditions allow you’ll travel to Raudisandur beach with endless sweeps of 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. It’s a zone of tranquility:  you’ll forget all your stress and just enjoy the chance to getting the perfect shot of the ever-changing hues of yellow, orange and red.

Dinner and overnight stay in the Patreksfjordur area.

Day 5: Beautiful Westfjords
Approximate Driving Distance: 320 km / 199 miles

Breakfast at your hotel. Continue exploring the stunning Westfjords. Travel over mountains and along the shore of scenic fjords until you reach the majestic fjord Arnarfjordur, surrounded by high mountains. At the bottom of the fjord, you will come across the unique waterfall Dynjandi with its seven levels of plunging water. This fall has been declared the country’s most beautiful waterfall by most Icelanders.

Continue over a mountain pass and along the southern shores of the West Fjords, a route less travelled. Enjoy a landscape characterized by sheer cliffs, deep cut bays and narrow stretches of coastal lowland.

You’ll overnight at the remote Vogur Country Lodge in West Iceland. This location is a truly peaceful and beautiful place close to Breidafjordur Bay, giving you the feeling of being all alone in Iceland.

Dinner and overnight stay in the Budardalur area at Vogur Country Lodge.

Day 6: West Iceland to North Iceland
Approximate Driving Distance: 350 km / 217 miles

Breakfast at your hotel. Start your morning with a beautiful off-the-beaten-path. You’ll  see abandoned farms, beautiful little country churches, and Icelandic horses. At Haukadalur, there’s a rather authentic-looking replica of the homestead of Erik the Red, the famous explorer who founded the Icelandic colony in Greenland. His son, Leif-the-Lucky, was the first European to set foot in North America. Now the excavated and reconstructed farm in Haukadalur is a living Viking museum, a fun, informative and a photogenic place. The landscape is dominated by mountains, lakes, valleys, sea and wide-open spaces.

Travel north through the fertile farmlands and fjord landscapes of Northwest Iceland. Your next stop is Glaumbaer, one of Iceland’s most beautiful turf house farms and folk museum.

In the evening your group will reach the charming town of Akureyri, Iceland’s second-largest city, where you will stay for two nights in the capital of North Iceland.

Dinner and overnight stay in Akureyr at Hotel KEA Akureyri.

Day 7: Explore Eyjafjordur and the Troll Peninsula
Approximate Driving Distance: 160 km / 99 miles

Breakfast at your hotel. During a full-day tour, you will see spectacular fjord landscapes while travelling to Siglufjordur, known as the herring capital of the North Atlantic. Siglufjordur is located on the mountainous Trollaskagi Peninsula. On the way, your group will pass small fishing villages and stop in a deserted valley that even most Icelanders have not seen.

Next, you’ll step back in time with a visit to the Herring Era Maritime Museum in Siglufjordur. It is Iceland’s largest maritime museum and the only Icelandic museum who has won the European Museum Award.

Early this afternoon it’s time for some ocean adventure with whale watching for 2-3 hours in Eyjafjordur – Iceland’s longest fjord right below the Arctic Circle. You will see humpback and minke whales, harbor porpoises and dolphins – The success rate to spot whales is 99%!  You’ll even have a chance to try some ocean fishing.

Return back to Akureyri for a relaxing evening in the charming town.

Dinner and overnight stay in the Akureyri area.

Day 8: Lake Myvatn: Geological Wonders and Nature Baths
Approximate Driving Distance: 150 km / 93 miles

Breakfast at your hotel. Start the adventure today with a visit to Godafoss, one of the most impressive waterfalls in the country. (The name means “Waterfall of the Gods”,)

Continue to Lake Myvatn, known for its abundant bird life and amazing volcanic lava landscapes. Get ready to take amazing pictures of pseudo craters, walk in the mysterious lava field Dimmuborgir, view the tephra cone Hverfjall, explore the hot springs, fumaroles and bubbling mud pools of Namaskard, and travel to the explosion crater lake Viti in the Krafla geothermal fields.

After a day of amazing volcanic vistas, it’s time to relax and soak at the Myvatn Nature Baths. Enjoy the soothing azure waters surrounded by wilderness landscapes.

Dinner and overnight stay in the Lake Myvatn area at Sel-Hotel Myvatn.

Day 9: East Iceland Secrets
Approximate Driving Distance: 290 km / 180 miles

Breakfast at your hotel. Today start with a visit to Dettifoss, Europe’s most powerful waterfall, in the northern part of Vatnajokull National Park. The round-trip walk from the parking area to the falls takes about 40-60 minutes, with interesting views along the way.

Continue east through the bare and sometimes deserted landscape with mountains all around. The scenery gives you an idea of how folktales and ghost stories were inspired by nature.

Along the way, you will stop at historical Modrudalur, a community farm that is actually the highest altitude farmstead in Iceland, 469m above sea level. In the summertime, the farmstead’s service center is a perfect place to enjoy the view of Herdubreid, the queen of the Icelandic mountains. You’ll visit the church at the farm, built by hand in 1949 by the former farmer in the memory of his late wife.

Afterwards, you’ll head through the uninhabited highlands to East Iceland. Explore the northernmost fjord on the East Fjord mountain range. Located at the end of the fjord road, the isolated village of Bakkagerdi at Borgarfjordur-Eystri has only 120 inhabitants. This charming village is built snugly next to the steep mountainside and getting there is dramatic and rewarding drive. You’ll surely enjoy the views of colorful  and unique mountains.

Dinner and overnight stay in Borgarfjordur Eystri at Guesthouse Alfheimar.

Day 10: Fjords, Glaciers and Glacier Lagoon
Approximate Driving Distance: 450 km / 280 miles

Breakfast at your hotel. We’ve reserved today to admire the dramatic fjords and their tiny fishing villages at the end of twisty roads.

Along the way you will visit a beloved local attraction: 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. From the day she opened her eyes for the first time she perceived her surroundings differently from most of her compatriots. For nearly 80 years, Petra created a unique treasure trove of rocks, crystals, zeolites, quartz and more, all from the nearby area in the Eastfjords. The rocks and stones are beautifully laid out in her home and garden. Her descendants proudly take good care of this unique exhibition.

In the afternoon you will start to see Vatnajökull, Europe’s biggest glacier, that is visible all-over Southeast Iceland. Past the town of Höfn, you’ll stop for a boat ride among the floating icebergs on the magnificent Jökulsárlón glacial lagoon, considered one of the highlights on tour around Iceland.

Next, join your guide for a walk along the glittering ice and black sands of the Diamond beach, an area made famous by bloggers and Instagram photographers

Dinner and overnight near the Skaftafell area of Vatnajökull National Park at Fosshotel Glacier Lagoon.

Day 11: Vatnajokull National Park and The South Coast
Approximate Driving Distance: 340 km / 211 miles

Breakfast at your hotel. Today you will visit Vatnajokull National Park which covers about 14% of Iceland, making it Europe’s 2nd largest national park. Explore the region of Skaftafell, a green oasis nestled below Iceland’s highest mountain and the second biggest stratovolcano in Europe, the 2,110-meter high Hvannadalshnjukur.

Take a walk close to one of the many glacial tongues in the area – truly an Instagram moment.

Drive over a vast sandy desert created by glaciers and volcanoes. The route then  leads you along the South Coast, threading a road between the sea, rugged mountains, glaciers, and waterfalls.

Take a stroll along the black lava beach and bird cliffs near the village of Vik. Next, stop at the Skogafoss waterfall, another “must-see“ location in South Iceland. This is actually Iceland’s most photographed waterfall! The crashing water creates a mist that results in frequent and magical rainbows –perhaps you might even glimpse the legendary hidden treasure.

 Afterwards, you will visit the amazing Seljalandsfoss waterfall where you can follow a slick and wet trail and walk right behind the falls. (Tip: Come prepared and bring a raincoat and good boots, as you will get wet.)

Then you will discover more about volcanoes and earthquakes at the LAVA Center in Hvolsvollur. Here you will watch a documentary film about volcanic eruptions in the past years in Iceland. All good things come to an end, and the day’s tour ends in Reykjavik.  Enjoy the chance to share memories at a farewell dinner at a local restaurant. This evening you should ask the front desk of the hotel to set up the FlyBus transfer hotel pick-up for tomorrow. The staff can advise you the best time for your transfer.

Dinner and overnight in Reykjavik.
Overnight at Hotel Klettur.

Day 12: Depart Reykjavik - Farewell to the Land of Fire and Ice
Breakfast at your hotel. Please note that this might be a light breakfast if you are taking an early morning flight. Transfer on your own to the international airport for your departure flight. The airport transfer is not included, but we are happy to help you arrange shared or private transfers. We recommend you depart your hotel no later than three hours before your departure flight.

Prices based on minimum of two person traveling

Available upon request.

Single room supplement is extra. Please contact us for Single travel alone and Single room supplement.

INCLUSIONS

• Guided Coach Tour from day 2 to day 11

• Return airport transfer with Flybus

• Expert professional English-speaking local guide from day 2 to day 11

• Free Wi-Fi on board tour vehicle

• Tour pick-up from Reykjavik hotel on Day 2 & drop-off at Reykjavik hotel on Day 11

• 2 nights in a standard room w/private facilities at a hotel in Reykjavik

• 9 nights in a standard room w/private facilities at a hotel in the countryside

• 11 Icelandic breakfast buffets (except arrival day)

• 10 three-course dinners

• Guide service during dinners

• Visit to a lava cave on Snaefellsnes Peninsula

• One-way ferry trip between Snaefellsnes and the Westfjords

• Entrance to Eric the Red museum

• Entrance to the Folk and Transport Museum at Hnjotur (Westfjords)

• Visit to a geothermal greenhouse and horse stable

• Entrance to the Herring Era Maritime Museum

• Whale watching and Sea Angling boat tour

• Visit to Myvatn Nature Baths, with towel rental

• Visit to Petra’s Stone Collection

• Boat tour of the Glacial Lagoon

• Entrance to the LAVA Center exhibit and cinema

• Great photo stops

• Customer care service during office hours

• 24-hour Iceland Travel emergency line assistance while you are in Iceland

EXCLUSIONS

• Breakfast on arrival day

• International airfare

• Baggage porterage at airport/hotel

• Personal travel insurance (highly recommended)

• Swimsuit at Myvatn Nature Baths (rentals available)

• Beverages, snacks, lunches, dinners unless otherwise noted in itinerary

• Guaranteed early check-in (check-in time for most hotels in Iceland starts between 14:00 and 16:00 (2:00pm and 4:00pm)

• Guaranteed late check-out

• Any service not specifically listed under "Included"