National Geographic’s Explore Iceland

Your itinerary begins in Reykjavik, the vibrant Icelandic capital, where after arriving independently you will make your way to the hotel for your first overnight stay. Today will be at your leisure, and there are countless things to do in Reykjavik to give you a taste of what Iceland has in store. You could choose to explore around the beautiful public gardens and parks, visit the Harpa concert hall and old harbour, see the famous Hallgrímskirkja Church or take an excursion to the nearby Blue Lagoon. Depending on the time of year you’re travelling, you may also be able to book a Northern Lights tour. Our team of destination experts will be more than happy to offer you some tips for your time here.

In the evening you will have the chance to meet up with your CEO and fellow travellers at the welcome meeting.

1 night’s accommodation at Hotel Klettur (or similar) with breakfast included the following morning.

After breakfast this morning you will set off with your fellow travellers and expert guide in your private minibus to start your Icelandic adventure. This morning you will head towards Skaftafell on Iceland’s beautiful south coast, passing by the infamous Eyjafjallajökull volcano (whose 2010 eruption sent massive clouds of ash into the atmosphere of the North Atlantic) along the way. You will visit the Seljalandsfoss waterfall and enjoy a walk along the path that allows visitors to peek behind the curtain of water cascading over the rocks above, before taking a hidden path through a canyon to the secluded falls of Gljúfrabúi.

Next up is a visit to the geothermal garden of Hveragerði, a hot spring village, where you have the opportunity to taste black bread and eggs baked directly in a hot spring and learn all about how the locals use the geothermal elements in daily life. There will also be chance today to visit the Lava Center where a stunning interactive exhibition will allow you to learn all about Iceland’s unique geology and geography.

After a good night’s rest in your hotel, the following morning you will continue your exploration of the Skaftafell area, through sandy plains and moss-covered lava fields, with stops along the way at historical and geological sites. A visit to Diamond Beach, with its iconic black sands scattered with icebergs will offer fantastic photo opportunities, before you make your way to the Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon for tremendous views of the ice cap and the towering icebergs which have calved off the Breiðamerkurjökull glacier. The lake here is the lowest point in Iceland and the imposing icebergs in striking shades of white and bright blue, often with seals lounging on top, make for dramatic scenery that is sure to fill your cameras. Optional activities are available here including a wonderful glacier lagoon boat ride, either by amphibian boat or Zodiac boat. (Costs apply)

The afternoon in Vatnajökull National Park will offer an optional hike to the Svartifoss waterfall before enjoying a visit to a historic farmstead in Öræfi which is home to one of Iceland’s best preserved turf churches.

2 nights’ accommodation in Hali Country Hotel (or similar) with breakfasts included.

This morning you will strap on a pair of crampons and set off into the Skaftafell National Park to take a guided walk atop a glacier for close-up views of intriguing ice formations, deep sinkholes, and rugged crevasses. After this unforgettable experience, you will make your way to Reynisfjara Beach to see its famous black sand with foaming white waves crashing along it, ominous rock formations and shallow caves that make for impressive photo opportunities. Today may also bring a visit to Dyrhólaey Cape to look for sightings of puffins (season dependent).

1 night’s accommodation in Hotel Dyrholaey (or similar) with breakfast included.

Your first stop today will take you to the Skógar Folk Museum to learn all about Iceland’s unique culture and heritage, before enjoying a visit to Skógafoss, one of the largest and most recognizable waterfalls in Iceland. You will then complete the “Golden Circle” element of your tour as you visit Gullfoss, another hugely impressive waterfall, and the famous Geysir Hot Springs. Here there are a variety of geothermal pools as well as the erupting hot spring Strokkur. Although Geysir is one of the best-known and oldest geysers recorded in the world, it is dormant more often than not, but Strokkur erupts a spray of boiling hot water straight into the air about every ten minutes! We will wait around to try and catch this memorable sight.

1 night’s accommodation in Hotel Ork Selfoss (or similar) with breakfast and lunch included.

Day 6 will bring you to the UNESCO world heritage site of Thingvellir National Park, where you can see the tectonic faults created by North American and Eurasian tectonic plates shifting apart, and the Oxarafoss waterfall. This area is one of the most-visited sights in Iceland.

You will then have an enjoyable afternoon in the narrow fjord of Hvalfjörður as you visit a traditional Icelandic farm to learn all about local farming practices and daily life and enjoy a traditional farm-to-table lunch made from the farmers‘ own produce, including Icelandic lamb.

The following day will see you discover more of the Snæfellsnes Peninsula, including Snæfellsjökull National Park and its mystical glacier-topped volcano. Enchanting places you will visit today include the Lóndrangar sea stacks, Djúpalónssandur pebble beach, Mt Kirkjufell which has featured in Game of Thrones, Búðir Church, Hellnar village and Arnarstapi village. You can also enjoy a walk around the peninsula’s largest town Stykkishólmur, as well as a trip to the impressive Eldfjallasafn Volcano Museum.

2 nights’ accommodation in Fosshotel Stykkisholmur with breakfast included. Lunch at the farm on day 6 is included, as well as dinner on the night of day 7.

Your final full day of adventure will see you exploring around the beautiful Borgarfjörður region, which is also known as Sagaland, thanks to it being the setting for most of the Icelandic sagas. Highlights today will include a visit to the Deildartunguhver hot spring, the most powerful hot spring in Iceland whose water heats most buildings in the West of Iceland, as well as visits to the Hraunfossar and Barnafoss waterfalls. You may also enjoy a visit to Reykholt, the homestead of the 12th-century writer Snorri Sturluson. An optional visit to Krauma Spa, which offers five natural geothermal baths for a relaxing soak, will also be offered today and should be booked in advance (costs apply).

In the early evening you will set off back to Reykjavik to enjoy the final night of your thrilling itinerary. The following morning, your itinerary will sadly come to an end. Should you wish to spend more time here to see more of this fascinating city, our team will be more than happy to help arrange this for you.

1 night’s accommodation at Hotel Klettur (or similar) with breakfast included.