7-Day Complete Iceland Tour

• The Ring Road
• Vatnajökull Glacier
• South Coast (Seljalandsfoss, Reynisfjara)
• Skaftafell National Park
• Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon
• The Diamond Beach
• Mývatn (Lake Myvatn)
• Dettifoss and Goðafoss Waterfalls
• Siglufjörður (Siglufjordur)
• Deildartunguhver
• Hot Spring
• Barnafoss and Hraunfossar Waterfalls
• Reykholt Historical siteSnæfellsnes Peninsula sights
• Bathing at Mývatn Nature Baths (*optional)

The very best of sensational Iceland in just seven days. Sounds good, right? During this tour, we will show you the most stunning and legendary places, from incredible waterfalls and erupting geysers, from the Golden Circle to Snæfellsnes Peninsula. There are numerous awaiting you, including whale watching, glacier hiking, visiting ice caves, hot springs, steaming geothermal areas, and hunting for Northern Lights.

This tour will show you the most majestic sights and scenery around the famous Ring Road and the delights of the Snæfellsnes peninsula. We will take you to steep fjords with ragged-toothed mountains reaching into the sky, black sand beaches, lava fields, and charming fishing villages, whose histories are deeply woven into Icelandic life’s fabric and beyond.

Day 1 –Þingvellir-Gullfoss-Geysir-Strokkur-Seljalandsfoss-Vik-Reynisfjara black sand beach

The day starts with pick-up from your accommodation or a nearby pick-up point in Reykjavík. The three attractions of the famous Golden Circle are first up on the agenda. Þingvellir National Park is an important place in the heart of every Icelander. In the year 930 CE/AD, the Icelandic people established their parliament here, the oldest continually operating parliament in the world. There is more to Þingvellir than great history. It’s listed as UNESCO as a World Heritage Site for its historical, geological, and cultural importance. You will see Þingvallavatn, home to the Silfra fissure, which delves down between the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates. The cliff of the rift valley runs right through the National Park.

The geothermally active hot spring area at Geysir is another Golden Circle attraction. Great Geysir, which gave us the English word geyser to describe this sort of hot spring, is no longer active. Strokkur, a nearby hot spring, spouts spectacular torrents of superheated water every 5 to 10 minutes. A visit to Gullfoss waterfall will complete our Golden Circle. Feel the force as the falls thunder through the high rugged canyon, dropping 32 m in two stages.

Next, we take a scenic drive along the beautiful South Coast, stopping at Seljalandsfoss Waterfall. Here you have a unique opportunity to experience the power and wonder of nature. Don’t just view these falls from a distance – walk the pathway which takes you right behind the elegantly falling cascade. We head onwards to the scenic Skógafoss waterfall. Here, the water crashes over the former sea cliffs, and those cliffs extend for many kilometers, marking the coastline long ago. Watch out for rainbows – the incredible spray makes Skógafoss an ideal spot to catch single or double rainbows!

The day’s final stop is at Reynisfjara black sand beach, home of the legendary Reynisdrangar peaks, said to be the figures of two trolls who were turned into stone when they faced the morning sun! You will also see the incredible basalt column cave as you wander along the beach.

After a full day of sightseeing, we make our way to a country hotel in the area around Kirkjubaerklaustur, a charming South Coast village. From September to April, your guide will give you special tips to find the Northern Lights in the area.

Day 2-Vik – Skaftafell-Jökulsárlón-Hofn

We enjoy breakfast and check out from our hotel. Today, we continue our journey along the south coast in the direction of Skaftafell and Vatnajökull National Park. Vatnajökull glacier, Hvannadalsnúkur, the highest peak in Iceland, Skaftafell and Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon, and many other natural treasures can be found within this 13,600 km2 protected wilderness area. Iceland has three national parks: Þingvellir, Vatnajökull, and Snæfellsjökull – on this tour, you will see them all.

We will stop at Skaftafell for a glacier hike led by one of our certified glacier guides. Equipped with crampons and all the necessary glacier equipment, you will be led onto a Vatnajökull outlet glacier. These glacier tongues/outlet glaciers are unique places, with crevasses, moulins that can drill down to the glacier’s base, and many incredible vistas for you to explore. Our guides love to be asked questions, so don’t be too shy to ask!

From October to April, we replace the glacier hike with an exhilarating journey through Vatnajökull’s crystal ice cave. Each winter, the glacier meltwater freezes into new ice caves that wind their way through the glacier’s heart. See Iceland’s mighty ice caps from the inside!

Some with glittering blue ice, those icebergs make their way to the sea at Diamond Beach, a black sand beach just a few minutes walking from the Glacier Lagoon. The icebergs which been brought ashore by the tide come to rest here. Usually, you will see quite a few sitting like fine diamond jewels or giant shining clear quartz crystals on the coal-black sand. Some people call it Crystal Beach!

In the evening, we will lay our heads in comfortable accommodation in Höfn, a charming seaside town and the lobster capital of Iceland. In winter, search for the Northern Lights near the hotel.

Day 3-East Fjords- Djupivogur-Egilsstaoir

We leave the Vatnajökull National Park area behind, but the sensational scenery continues! We follow the twisting and turning roads, flanked by the coast on one side and majestic mountain peaks on the other, through the East Fjords to Egilsstaðir. This picturesque town on the banks of the Lagarfljót River is home to the legend of Largarfljótasormurinn, the Largarfljót worm. Tales of the giant Largarfljót worm, which is said to reside in the lake and show itself from time to time, are firmly established within Icelandic folklore tales.

We stop off at Djúpivogur, a small and remote fishing village. The North Atlantic waves wash over the black sandy beach, and a rich birdlife thrives. Most Icelandic birds live and nest around the area during the summer months. Locals lie to joke that there are probably more birds here than people. Djúpivogur is home to just over 1100 people. As a community, they have a reputation for being welcoming and strongly committed to eco issues.

We also do a 3-hour easy hike to Hengifoss, one of the highest waterfalls in Iceland. The falls drop into a striking gorge. Look out for the layers of red strata threading through the cliff walls around the waterfall. This cliff was forged in the fire of many mighty volcanic eruptions. Those layers of volcanic ash and basaltic lava developed over thousands of years. On our hike today, we have not one but two scintillating waterfalls for you to enjoy! Giant hexagonal basalt columns frame the towering cascade of the Litlanesfoss waterfall, creating a truly impressive and photogenic sight.

We will finish the day by soaking in geothermal Vök Baths surrounded by the amazing scenery of Lake Urriðavatn, they are distinguished by their modern design and the only floating infinity pools in Iceland (please note: Vök Baths available from the 1st of March).

Our accommodation for the night is located in the picturesque area of Egilsstaðir. Scout out the Northern Lights in winter.

Day 4-Stuðlagil Canyon-Detrifoss-Lake Mývatn-Gooafoss-Akureyri

Today is filled with stunning North Iceland highlights. The drive up from Egilssaðir will take us through wild and remote landscapes, we will start from Stuðlagil Canyon (please note: this attraction is included from the 1st of March), one of the world’s most enchanting basalt rock formations. On our way to visit the magnificent Dettifoss waterfall, we will show you Möðrudalur, at 469 m, the highest farm in Iceland. Dettifoss is the most powerful waterfall in Europe, with a tremendous flow rate of 193 m3/s (6,816 cu ft/s). The thundering Jökulsá á Fjöllum River drops 44 m (144 ft) through the rugged canyon. There’s vastness and rawness to the nature around Dettifoss, where this great river and the glacial floods of the past have carved out imposing ravines.

Day 5-Whale Watching from Dalvík-Siglufjörður-Tröllaskagi peninsula-Laugarbakki

Day 6-Borgarfjörður-Reykholt-Hraunfossar-Borgarnes

Today we focus our attention on the area around Borgarfjörður in West Iceland. This area was voted one of the best travel destinations by Lonely planet in 2016. Our first stop is at Grábrók, a volcano crater. Where we take a short hike to the top, in good visibility, there are spectacular views over the lava fields and the landscapes stretching way into the distance.

Your next stop will be very different! We’ll visit Deildartunguhver hot spring. This Borgarfjörður jewel is the most powerful hot spring in Europe, supplying most of the hot water utilized in the area. We will also see the Hraunfossar waterfall, where the ice-cold water pours out of the lava in thousands of creeks, forming the vast and picturesque falls. Onwards to a very different nearby waterfall, Barnafoss. The name of this beautiful waterfall means ‘Children’s Falls,’ and your guide will tell you all about the legend behind it!

Our final stop of the day is at Reykholt, an important place in the history of Iceland, particularly in medieval times. We will show you Snorralaug, the hot spring pool which bears the name of Snorri Sturluson, the 12th/early-13th-century scholar, lawyer, historian, and saga writer. Stand by the pool where Snorri is reputed to have bathed and contemplate the threads of Icelandic history woven together.

After a day filled with wonders, you are driven through the charming Borgarfjörður countryside. You will be dropped off at your hotel in Borgarnes. Spend the night chasing the Northern Lights in the winter months!

Day 7-Borgarnes-Snæfellsnes Peninsula-Reykjavík

Today, our expert Snæfellsnes guide will pick you up around 8 a.m. You’ll spend a whole day exploring the magical Snæfellsnes Peninsula, its craggy cliffs, black pebble beaches, seabirds, and glacier mountains.

We will drive you through the spectacular countryside with breathtaking mountains and coastal views. Stop at the charming seaside village of Arnarstapi, where you’ll have the chance to visit the natural Miðgjá rock arch, then the 19th-century Búðakirkja church.

For lunch, we’ll stop at the village of Hellnar (food and drink not included).

Next, we head into Snæfellsnes National Park, where we will have the chance to stroll around the moss-covered lava landscapes and admire views of Snæfellsjökull Glacier. This glacier was featured in the work of the famous novelist Jules Verne. He chose this glacier for the entry point into the underworld when he wrote Journey to the Center of the Earth.

Onwards to the magnificent black pebble beach at Djúpalónssandur, framed by crazily shaped cliffs. You get time to explore the beach and even try your hand at the ‘lifting stones’ the fisherman used to lift these boulders to proclaim their strength. This coastline is magnificent, but it can also be treacherous. The remains of the British Trawler, Epine, which was shipwrecked here, are evidence of that.

On the way back to Reykjavík, you will be driven through legendary scenery. Your next stop will be at Kirkjufell. Many people say this is the most photographed Icelandic mountain, and you can also be a judge of that. In the evening, after a week of sensational sights and exciting adventures, we will drop you off in Reykjavík. We return to the city at around 8:00 p.m. We will drop you off at your original pick-up location.

Included

• Guided Minibus Tour
• Glacier Hike on Vatnajökull Glacier
• Hotel room with Private Bathroom
• Breakfast each at your hotel
• Hike at Egilsstaðir
• Whale watching at Dalvík
• Bathing at Mývatn Nature Baths
• Crystal Ice Cave Tour (October-April)
• Pick up

Excluded

• Meals:  Lunch / Dinner
• Beverages

Pick up: Pick up is at 08:00 from your hotel or the nearby Reykjavík meeting point you have chosen. Picking everyone up can take up to 30 minutes but you do need to be ready at 08:00

Duration: 7 days

Rated:EASY

Minimum age:10 years old

What to bring: Warm layers, waterproof top layer, headwear, gloves, scarves and hiking shoes, camera, swimsuit and a towel. Strong hiking boots are essential for glacier hiking, we provide ice crampons for this activity, it is not possible to fit these to any other kind of footwear.