Iceland | Journey Through the Icelandic Countryside

Depart today from your home city for your overnight flight(s) to Reykjavík

Upon arrival, after clearing customs and immigration, meet your driver, who will take your group to your hotel in Reykjavik for breakfast. After some time to rest, meet your guide for a program orientation. Then, head into Reykjavík, where you'll see the sites of the city and stop for lunch (paid on own). You'll have the rest of the afternoon at leisure to explore the city. Dinner will be on your own tonight. One group pick up is included in the program price around 7 am. Individual transfers are available either via Flybus or a private transfer. If you cannot find a flight that arrives before 7:00 a.m. it is recommended that you arrive a day early in order to participate in the activities. We can assist with additional hotel and transfer arrangements needed. Check in starts at 3:00 pm.

After breakfast, head north from Iceland's capital to West Iceland, where you'll be introduced to the Icelandic Sagas in the settlement center in Borgarnes. The afternoon is filled with impressive natural spots: Deildartunguhver, one of the most voluminous hot springs in Europe, and Hraunfossar, the unique waterfall that drains from under vast lava fields into the river Hvítá. End the day learning about Icelandic history at the cultural site at Reykholt.

Today, drive over mountain passes, lava fields, green pastures, fertile farmlands, and along fjord landscape to North Iceland. This afternoon, you'll go whale watching and sea angling for 2-3 hours in Eyjafjörður - Iceland's longest fjord, right below the Arctic Circle. Look for humpback and minke whales, harbor porpoises, and dolphins. Finish the afternoon at Akureyri, Iceland's second-largest city, before reaching the picturesque village of Húsavík.

Start the day with a stop at Goðafoss, a beautiful waterfall but also a prominent spot in Iceland's history. Tour the Lake Mývatn area with its abundant bird life and amazing volcanic landscapes. The lake's unique features are shaped by nature, including strange lava formations, volcanic craters, and attractive bays filled with thousands of ducks and other birds. Stroll through the mysterious lava labyrinth of Dimmuborgir, look at pseudo-craters at Skútustaðir, and see the tephra cone of Hverfjall. Your last stop is the geothermal Mývatn Nature Baths. The alkaline, mineral-rich waters are well-suited for a relaxing and rejuvenating soak.

In the morning, explore more volcanic and geothermal landscapes. Visit the hot springs, fumaroles, and bubbling mud pools of Námaskarð. At Krafla, see the impacts of volcanic activity and smell the sulfur. Víti is a circular explosion crater filled with blue water, surrounded by colorful mountains and hissing steam vents. Continue the journey to the 144-foot-high Dettifoss, Europe's most powerful waterfall, then on through the uninhabited highlands, stopping at Möðrudalur to visit the church on the farm. Enjoy the view of the mountain Herðubreið. In the afternoon, arrive in the fertile region of Fljótsdalshérað in East Iceland.

It's a day to admire the dramatic fjord landscape and its tiny fishing villages at the end of twisty roads in the East Fjords. Vatnajökull, Europe's biggest glacier, is visible all over Southeast Iceland. Past the town of Höfn, stop for a boat ride among the floating icebergs on the glacial lagoon at Jökulsárlón. Walk along the black sands of the so-called Diamond Beach. The night is spent near Skaftafell on the southern part of Vatnajökull National Park.

In the morning, continue exploring Vatnajökull National Park. See the stratovolcano and highest peak in Iceland: Hvannadalshnjúkur. Walk close to a glacial tongue, cross a sandy desert, and embrace the beautiful lava field of Eldhraun covered with blue-green moss. Stop at the black lava beach of Reynisfjara. In the little village of Skógar, learn about Iceland's history at the open-air Skógar folk museum with its turf houses. Admire the waterfall Skógafoss. Travel along the famous Eyjafjallajökull glacier and volcano and stop at Seljalandsfoss waterfall

After breakfast at the hotel, drive to Hellisheiði Power Station, located on an active volcanic ridge Hengill. Here we will understand how geothermal energy is processed from hot water. Iceland is the only Western country that produces all its electricity from sustainable natural resources in the form of geothermal and hydro-electric power. Take a guided tour through the plant then gather in the conference room for an in-depth discussion on Carbfix. It is not only trees and vegetation that bind carbon from the atmosphere. Huge quantities of carbon are naturally stored in rocks. The process was developed to help nature re-balance the carbon cycle by imitating and accelerating natural storage of CO2 in favorable rock formations. Next, you will explore Iceland's famous Golden Circle. Drive through Hveragerdi, where you can see the town that was hit by an earthquake in 2008 - 6.3 on Richter Scale. In the middle of the town there is a geothermal area that changed its function after the earthquake took place. From Hveragerdi stop for at Friðheimar Greenhouses for an out-of-the-ordinary "stem to table" experience. After an introduction to the greenhouse, enjoy a special tasting of their tomato soup and tomato inspired dessert served among the plants. Afterward, head outside the greenhouse to learn about the proud history of the Icelandic horse and see a demonstration of their gait. Next, visit Iceland's famous Gullfoss, or "Golden Falls," and the nearby Geysir hot spring area to see numerous spouting hot springs and boiling mud pools. Have lunch at Geysir Glíma then visit to the ancient Viking Parliament area of Þingvellir National Park tops it off before your return to Reykjavík. Tonight, enjoy a beer tasting with your group. Dinner on own this evening to sample the local cuisine.

After breakfast, you will be picked up at your hotel and taken to Keflavik airport. Check out is at 12 pm. One group transfer to the airport is included in the program price. All other pax will be transferred via Flybus (included in program cost).