Itinerary
Day 1 Reykjavik
Upon arrival transfer from the airport to the hotel in Reykjavik in a private car with an English-speaking driver. Your driver will have a sign with your name on it in the arrival hall.
Overnight stay in Reykjavik at Exeter Hotel.
Day 2 Reykjavik
Breakfast at the hotel.
Enjoy a 3-hour Reykjavík Food Walking Tour with food tastings, led by a fun, local English-speaking guide. This walking tour takes you through the heart of Reykjavík, offering insights into the city’s history, the evolution of Iceland, and local culture. Discover stories about elves, Vikings, food, nightlife, music, politics, and economics. The tour is both informative and humorous, with room for personal questions. You’ll sample light bites, including pastries, fish pan, a famous hot dog, lamb soup, lobster soup, and lamb/char tapas.
Afternoon at leisure.
In the evening, join a Northern Lights Cruise, departing at 9:00 p.m. from Reykjavík Old Harbour. This 2.5-hour tour offers a unique view of the city, including sights like Harpa Concert Hall and the Sun Voyager sculpture. If the weather permits, you’ll witness the Northern Lights, with the crew monitoring the best route for optimal viewing.
Overnight stay in Reykjavik at Exeter Hotel.
Day 3 Reykjavik West Iceland Búðir
Breakfast at the hotel. In the morning pick up your rental car at HERTZ office in the city center, that you will have from this day throughout your stay in Iceland (Toyota Land Cruiser, SUV, 4x4, automatic or similar) Incl. free millage, 2 drivers, GPS, CDW and Windshield Protection.
Drive to West Iceland to your countryside hotel with stops on the way.
Today you explore the West of Iceland, with Reykholt, a small village with fascinating history, once home to Snorri Sturluson, a historian, writer, poet, chieftain. Take firsts stops at two spectacular waterfalls: Hraunfossar (Lava waterfall), with its wide series of trickling waterfalls, flowing from a plateau of lava rock and narrow rapids of Barnafossar (Children's waterfall), best known for its dark history in folklore. Seeing the drama of one, followed by the peace of the other, is an excellent example of how Iceland’s scenery is ever-changing, and completely different spectacles can exist within mere metres of each other. Close by visit Deildartunguhver considered Europe's most powerful hot spring due to widely known rapid flow and constant temperature of 97 degrees Celsius.
You will pass Borgarnes, a charming town packed into a picturesque promontory overlooking the broad waters of Borgarfjörður, the “City Fjord”. It's one of the busiest towns in West Iceland, a focal point for fishing, culture, and commerce for a thousand years. But you can still feel its Viking roots wherever you look! We recommend lunch stop at The Settpelemnr Center, main museum in town, with very nice restaurant.
Overnight stay in Búðir at Hotel Búðir.
Day 4 Búðir
After breakfast at the hotel, head into Snæfellsjökull National Park and enjoy the striking views of unusual lava formations.
Head west to the westernmost part of the peninsula. There you have a phenomenal view of Snaefellsjokull which is considered by many to be the most beautiful glacier in Iceland as it’s situated on a mountain on the edge of the peninsula and the nature reserve around it offers some great hiking paths that allow you to explore the area. It is ideal to enjoy a walk from Hellnar to Arnarstapi, along the coastline, stopping at Gatklettur cliff along the way. It‘s also interesting to take a look at the Budir timber church. Travelling along the south coast of the peninsula, you stop at ölkelda where clean carbonized water flows from the ground and you can have a taste.
Visit the Walter Mitty movie film sites on North Coastline, charming fishing villages of Stykkishólmur, the capital city on the famous Peninsula and Grundarfjörður, located near beautiful and among photographers very popular mountain of Kirkjufell.
After a fantastic day, return to your charming hotel in the countryside.
Overnight stay in Búðir at Hotel Búðir.
Day 5 Búðir Rangá
Breakfast at the hotel.
Begin your Icelandic Odyssey with a drive to Langjökull, Iceland's second-largest glacier, offering an extraordinary experience amidst barren landscapes. Your first stop is Þingvellir National Park, the site of Iceland’s first parliament (established in 930 AD) and the meeting point of the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates. After exploring the area, continue to the Geysir geothermal area, home to Strokkur, which erupts boiling water 25-30 metres high every 5 minutes. The third stop is Gullfoss waterfall, a stunning two-tiered cascade.
Next, enjoy a culinary experience at Friðheimar Tomato Farm. Here, indulge in a lunch of tomato soup with freshly baked bread, while learning about the farm’s hydroponic, geothermal-powered operation. This farm-to-table restaurant is a favourite of celebrities like Bill Clinton and Kim Kardashian.
After a day of adventure, head to your country hotel for the evening.
Overnight stay in Rangá at Hotel Rangá.
Day 6 Rangá Öræfi
Breakfast at the hotel.
Drive towards the South Shore, stopping first at Seljalandsfoss, one of Iceland's tallest waterfalls. A short path leads behind the waterfall, where you can feel the spray and view it from a unique perspective. A short drive east brings you to Skógafoss, one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Iceland, offering spectacular views as you stand on the grassy fields and gaze at the waterfall and surrounding mountains. Take a short walk behind the falls to feel the refreshing spray.
Next, visit the Katla Ice Cave. Meet at Austurvegur 16, Vík 870 IS, 15 minutes before the 3-hour tour begins. Experience an exciting super jeep ride to a glacier area, followed by a walk to explore the ice cave, where you’ll have 45-60 minutes for photos and exploration. A local guide provides insight into the cave’s formation.
After this adventure, drive to your hotel near the Glacier Lagoon (approx. 2 hours).
Overnight stay in Öræfi at FossHotel Glacier Lagoon.
Day 7 Öræfi
Breakfast at the hotel.
Visit two glacier lagoons, Fjallsarlon and the famous Jokulsarlon with its icy beach. You will get the chance to sail on the glacier lagoon in a zodiac. See glaciers, black sand beaches and see the icebergs up close. You may also visit Diamond Beach if you wish.
In the morning - Zodiac Boat Tour on Fjallsarlon (included – Part of small group)
Starting point: Fjallsárlón Iceland, 785 Öræfi, Iceland. Please be there at least 15 minutes prior. Duration: 90 min total; 45 min on the lagoon.
In the afternoon perhaps walk up to Svartifoss ("Black Waterfall") in Skaftafell, a small but beautiful waterfall surrounded by black hexagone basalt columns. Stop at Svinafellsjokull glacier where Game of Thrones and parts of a Batman movie were filmed.
After an adventurous day, return to hotel.
Overnight stay in Öræfi at FossHotel Glacier Lagoon.
Day 8 Öræfi Blue Lagoon
Breakfast at the hotel.
Drive south and revisit the highlights missed on the way up.
We recommend a stop at Fjaðrárgljúfur, a magnificent canyon around 100 metres deep and 2 kilometres long. The canyon's sheer walls are serpentine and narrow, with palagonite bedrock thought to be about two million years old. The river Fjaðrá flows through the canyon, creating stunning waterfalls, and the area is often low in water, making it safe for hikers to walk inside, though some wading is required.
Enjoy a lunch break in Vík, Iceland's southernmost point, where you can admire the Reynisdrangar basalt sea stacks (a Game of Thrones filming location) and the Dyrhólaey peninsula.
In the afternoon, drive towards Reykjanes Peninsula. After a 3-hour drive, you’ll reach SILICA Hotel at the Blue Lagoon.
Dinner is reserved for 8:00 p.m. at Lava Restaurant (pay directly).
Overnight stay in Grindavík at SILICA Hotel.
Silica Hotel, set in the heart of a stunning lava landscape, is just a ten-minute walk from the Blue Lagoon (600m). The hotel offers its own private lagoon which is available for our guests every day.
Day 9 Blue Lagoon Keflavik Airport
Breakfast the hotel.
Embrace the exciting moments of your Icelandic journey and indulge in the deluxe experience of the Blue Lagoon.
The warm waters are rich in minerals such as silica and sulphur, with temperatures in the bathing area averaging 37–39°C (99–102°F). The lagoon is man-made, fed by water from the nearby Svartsengi geothermal power plant, renewed every two days. Superheated water is used to generate electricity, then passes through a heat exchanger before being fed into the lagoon for recreational and medicinal use.
Enjoy the Blue Lagoon Ritual, an invigorating wellbeing experience featuring mineral salt, silica, and algae. These elements nourish, exfoliate, and revitalise your skin, leaving you with a youthful glow and rejuvenated body and mind.
After your relaxing time at the lagoon, take a 30-minute drive to Keflavík Airport to drop off your rental car before your flight home.
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