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Southern Gems and Reykjavik

Tour Itinerary

Individual transfer by Flybus shuttle bus from Keflavik airport to your accommodation in Reykjavik. You may explore Iceland’s capital city on your own if time allows.

  • Fosshotel Reykjavik
  • 50km / 31mi

At 09:00, meet your tour guide, who will show the group the highlights of Iceland’s exciting capital. Learn about life in the city from the very beginning of settlement in Iceland to the present day. We stop by the church of Hallgrímskirkja and drive through the university district, past the Nordic house and the National Museum. In the city centre, we stop by the City hall, which juts into the small lake of Tjörnin. Nearby are the Lutheran Cathedral and the House of Parliament. We also drive by the harbour to observe fishing vessels of different sizes, whale hunters and whale watchers. In Reykjavík are many public works of art, mainly sculptures. The latest addition to Reykjavík is the concert/conference hall of Harpan (the Harp), built on the town centre’s northern waterfront, whose dramatic design captures and reflects the city’s light, ocean and sky with a thrilling effect.

In the afternoon, enjoy the spirit of whale watching, getting as close as possible without disturbing the animals. You might see dolphins, humpback, orca, blue, and minke whales during this 3-hour cruise. Let a guide direct your attention as we travel across Faxaflói Bay, where a blend of warm and cold ocean currents creates spectacular whale-watching opportunities. Afterwards, visit the Whales of Iceland exhibition with life-sized whale models and a virtual reality experience.

The Sky Lagoon is Iceland’s latest geothermal lagoon spa experience, where the ocean meets the sky. Immerse yourself in the warm and rejuvenating waters of an oasis near the city centre of Reykjavík. Enjoy this authentic and remarkable place through an unforgettable and inspiring spa experience.

  • Breakfast
  • Fosshotel Reykjavik
  • 50km / 31mi

Ahoy! We take a short ferry ride to the Westman Islands. There is a bus and walking tour of the village of Heimaey and this extraordinary island. The volcanic eruption in 1973 is, without doubt, considered the largest natural disaster in Iceland in recent history. The eruption began on January 23rd on the island of Heimaey, the only populated island of the Vestmannaeyjar archipelago. After the evacuation of the inhabitants and during the 5 months while the eruption lasted, there was much uncertainty as to whether or not the island could ever be repopulated. We explore bird cliffs during our tour to the Westman Islands, walk up the volcano crater, and visit  „Pompei of the North“ (Eldheimar museum), a volcanic excavation project. You have the afternoon free to wander around the town of Heimaey, with its birds and sign of recent volcanic eruptions. Finally, we return to the mainland and stay for 2 nights in South Iceland.

  • Breakfast
  • Stracta Hotel
  • 210km / 130mi

Our first stop of the day will be at the high but narrow Seljalandsfoss waterfall, which plunges over the mountains and where you can follow a slick and wet trail right behind the falls. We pass the glaciers Mýrdalsjökull and the infamous volcano Eyjafjallajökull on the way to the village of Vík, where we attend the stunning Icelandic lava show, the only exhibition in the world where you can experience actual flowing lava! By melting lava and pouring it on ice in a room full of people, you will be able to see the lava flowing, hear it sizzling, and feel the heat that radiates from it. We walk along the black lava beach and bird cliffs at Reynisfjara and see exciting basalt columns and rock formations. In the afternoon we visit Skogar, the folk museum with its turf houses and the thundering Skógafoss waterfall, which is 60 meters high and belongs to the most impressive waterfalls in the country or join an optional glacier hike at Sólheimajökull glacier tongue. It‘s an informative and easy glacier walk through a frozen wonderland of different shades of glacier ice.

  • Breakfast
  • Stracta Hotel
  • 220km / 137mi

Today we drive the rough unpaved road to Landmannalaugar, an oasis in the barren highlands surrounded by vivid rhyolite mountains. The highlight is a 90-minute round-trip hike up toward Brenninsteinsalda, the rainbow mountain of Iceland, which is still “hot” and where you can see sizzling sulfur springs and vapor at its sides. It could very well be the most colourful and spectacular volcanic mountain of Iceland, and so its picture is often found in books and calendars. After a picnic lunch, you have free time to enjoy a relaxing bath in the natural geothermal stream. Next, we take a short stop at the beautiful waterfall Hjálparfoss, surrounded by unusual basalt rock formations. 

  • Breakfast
  • Fosshotel Reykjavik
  • 300km / 186mi

Individual transfer by Flybus shuttle from your accommodation in Reykjavik to Keflavik airport.

  • Breakfast
  • 50km / 31mi

Customer reviews

Cck 9 July 2019
Enjoyed every day immensely. Touring was very well paced and managed to include so much without fatigue. Theme of glaciers and volcanos was carried through effectively. Loved both the official tour stops as well as some impromptu activities. Group got along well and respected others in following the schedule. Although the pace was very relaxing, in the end it felt like twice as much time had passed based on all that we had done. I also discovered I’m in love with the Westman Islands for multiple reasons. Overall, a wonderful vacation.
Doug Parrow 25 July 2018
We really enjoyed the tour that we were on. We did not have enough time at several of our stops to enjoy the full experience and the days were long, but I'm not sure what could be eliminated to free up some time--perhaps a couple of the beach visits. In any event, we are very pleased that we booked the tour and very satisfied with our experience in Iceland.
Donna Smith 14 June 2015
I just wanted to let you know how much we enjoyed our trip to Iceland last week. Oli was a very knowledgeable and personable guide, and Pieter was an excellent driver. Our accommodations were comfortable and clean, and the food was great. Even the weather cooperated! Iceland is a beautiful country with very friendly people. We hope to return some day to see the northern areas.

Thank you for all of your help in making this a wonderful family trip!
Shirley Paul 3 June 2015
Hello Dora,
I wanted to let you know that our trip to Iceland was wonderful!
The Air Travel, Volcanoes & Glaciers Itinerary, Tours, Escorts/Guide, & Lodging/Accommodations were EXCEPTIONAL on every level! :)
Icelandair flights were comfortable (Comfort is a good choice especially on the longer return flight) & flight attendants were pleasant. Keflavik airport is undergoing renovations that contributed to lengthy wait times in hallways prior to boarding but overall they moved the people efficiently (the Icelandair Lounge in Kev was outstanding. Icemandair utilizes United Lounge in Denver...adequate but no comparision to Kev Lounge)
The land tour included just the right amount of site-seeing by bus & walks/physical activity. Our Tour Guide "Steiny" was knowledgeable and attuned to the needs of the group. The group of 16 included a nice international mix of adults of all ages.
Our lodging at the Natura in Reykjavik & all the Icelandair countryside hotels surpassed my expectations. The accommodations were contemporary, simple, and clean & included WiFi & TV. Hotel staff were gracious and the meals were excellent.
Adding a visit to the Blue Lagoon ( a "must see") at the beginning of the trip was a good choice for us, but it would have been a good end-of-trip activity as well.
I only wish that we had added an extra day in Reykjavik because there was much to see. The hotel provided a free bus pass which was very useful.
Thank you for coordinating the logistics with Iceland Travel...I would definitely recommend this tour to first-timers to the country.
Dave and Bonnie Stere 23 July 2014
Thanks for all you've done that made our visit to Iceland an absolutely marvelous experience! We've traveled a number of times to Europe and this was up with the best experiences we have enjoyed. We had NO PROBLEMS of any kind. The weather cannot be changed - and, it was great! The tour itself was well planned and flawlessly executed. The tour guide was knowledgeable and the drivers careful and safe. Busses were always prompt and clean. The Fosshotel Baron is 3-star as advertised, with a breakfast that greatly surpassed expectations. The staff was very helpful; the premises and rooms, clean. We also enjoyed Reykjavik's neighborhood thermal pools. Icelandair will be our new choice when travelling to Europe. The flight is so much shorter and more enjoyable than going through the US and changing planes on the East Coast.The ability to stopover in Iceland enroute without an extra charge will bring us back (as will the hospitality and thermal pools!). Our holiday in Iceland was truly magical and one we’ll be talking about for years to come.
Again, thanks,
Dave and Bonnie Stere
Vivian Fields 23 July 2014
Hi Susie, Just wanted to let you know I had a wonderful time during my visit to Iceland. The weather was perfect, the Reykjavik tour exceptional, the group I was with was a lot of fun, and the guide was very informative and passionate about Iceland, the environment, and all of the natural treasures we had an opportunity to see. I would recommend this tour highly. We had the greatest time on our trip to Iceland thanks to you! Regards,

Vivian Fields
Ruth Goldberg 23 July 2014
Susie,
Thanks for arranging this wonderful trip of Iceland for us. The group was well organized, hotels were nice and clean, very friendly staff, good food and absolutely AMAZING nature. This was a trip we will never forget. The volcanoes were splendid and we especially enjoyed the giant icebergs in the glacial lagoon. So very Iceland and exactly what we were hoping for! Our pictures are incredible. The Gullfoss waterfall is a true sight to be seen and was just one of the many reasons our Iceland vacation was well worth every penny!
Ruth Goldberg
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