Day 1 - Welcome to Iceland (50 km/31 mls)

Individual transfer by Flybus shuttle bus from Keflavik Airport to your accommodation in Reykjavík where you‘ll spend the night. We‘ll provide some ideas to help you explore Iceland's capital on your own.

Accommodation: Hotel Klettur. Breakfast included.

Day 2 - Reykjavik City Tour & Borgarfjörður Saga Valley (245 km/152 mls)

At 09:00 meet your tour guide who shows the group the highlights of Iceland's exciting capital. Then we head west. Borgarfjörður is known as the Saga valley because of its many important historical events. We get a chance to climb the Grábrók volcano crater and get warmed at Deildartunguhver, Europe's most powerful hot spring which produces 180 liters per second of water that is nearly boiling at 97° Celsius. Hraunfossar is a series of waterfalls pouring from beneath a wide lava field. Barnafoss – the Children’s falls, is nearby with its own tragic tale. We spend two nights in Borgarnes, West Iceland. The afternoon includes a lecture about the Northern Lights. After dinner, we step into the hotel garden in search of the Northern Lights followed by a hot cup of chocolate or tea.

Accommodation: Hotel Hamar. Breakfast included.

Day 3 - Snæfellsnes Peninsula & Fjord Cruise (250 km/155 mls)

The Snæfellsnes Peninsula “the peninsula of the snowy mountain“ juts out from Iceland’s west coast, like a long arm with a clenched fist at its tip, and is in many ways a microcosm of the whole island. A rugged mountain chain runs its length. We travel to the charming fishing town of Grundarfjörður. Depending on road and weather conditions, we visit the fishing village of Grundarfjörður, a place with an impressive coastline and mountains, lakes and waterfalls behind the village. Jutting out into the bay rises one of the most photographed mountain in Iceland, Mt. Kirkjufell. On the way back to Borgarnes the guide gives you some practical tips of how to photograph the Auroras as part of the Northern Lights Academy program. Naturally, once darkness falls, we are out in the hotel garden to chase the Northern Lights and to soak in the hotel’s outdoor hot tubs.

Accommodation: Hotel Hamar. Breakfast & light lunch included.

Day 4 - Golden Circle, Geothermal Taste & Icelandic Horses (260 km/162 mls)

Today we travel along the Hvalfjörður fjord. The first stop is at an Icelandic wool outlet store to see what they do with all those sheep! We continue inland to Þingvellir National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site. We travel the Golden Circle route, see steam rising from the Geysir geothermal fields. The chef of the Restaurant Geysir invites you to taste freshly baked hot spring bread served with Icelandic butter, boiled eggs and herring. On we travel to the double waterfall of Gullfoss. In the afternoon, you learn about the Icelandic horse, its unique qualities and history and visit a geothermal greenhouse, before we reach the accommodation in South Iceland. Tonight, step into the darkness and search for the elusive Northern Lights in the peace and stillness of rural Iceland.

Accommodation: Landhotel near Hella or similar. Breakfast included

Day 5 - South Iceland and Eyjafjallajökull Volcano (197km/123 mls)

Today we travel along the South coast. At the Lava & Volcano Exhibition Center, we learn about geology and active volcanoes. Further east we visit one of Iceland’s finest folk museums. This museum contains an outstanding collection of farm and domestic artefacts from Iceland’s past and several turf-built houses. Nearby is Skógafoss waterfall which is 60 meters high and one of the most impressive waterfalls in the country. In the afternoon we take a stroll on the black lava beach and along bird cliffs at Reynisfjara in South Iceland. We spend 2 nights near Kirkjubæjarklaustur in the Vatnajökull National Park region, located in darkness and ideal for a Northern Lights search.

Accommodation: Fosshótel Núpar near Kirkjubæjarklaustur. Breakfast included.

Day 6 - Vatnajökull National Park and Glaciers (255km/159mls)

Today’s program is all about glaciers, ice and icebergs. We travel to Jökulsárlón, a glacial lagoon filled with floating icebergs, and we explore the extraordinary site and might see seals swimming in arctic waters. You can walk on the black sandy beach, the so-called Diamond beach, where large icebergs get stranded. In the afternoon we visit the tiny turf church at Hof and spend time at Europe’s largest national park, which has Iceland’s highest mountains, an alpine environment, and Europe’s largest glacier. In the evening enjoy a film presentation about the Northern Lights as part of the Northern Lights Academy program. Be careful not to go to bed too soon in this remote and quiet location, or you may miss out one more chance of seeing the Northern Lights shimmering and dancing across the night sky.

Optional Excursion: Ice Cave Tour (October - April, Weather permitted)

The tour takes about 2,5 hours in total – nearly 30-minute drive by 4×4 vehicle from the Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon and 5-15 minutes hike (one-way). You spend about one hour inside the ice cave. You need good hiking boots, warm clothing that keeps you dry from the dripping water in the ice cave. Minimum age is 10 years old. The ice cave tour can only be booked on day 2 of Northern Lights Exploration tour. You will have to fill in and sign an order form, once done a cancellation is not possible. Ice cave bookings have to be finalised with the guide by dinner time on day 2 of the tour. Bookings afterwards cannot be accommodated due to limited space. The price is ISK 23.000 (about EUR 210) per person; subject to change. Payment is due with the ice cave tour operator on day 6 in Icelandic Krona – cash only! The ice cave explorers meet their local guide at the glacier lagoon at 14:00 and will be brought back to the hotel after the ice cave tour, while the rest of the group continues the official tour program. The ice cave explorers will miss out on some of the official tour programs, as there is not time for everything, but the stop and visit at the Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon are included for all group members.

Accommodation: Fosshótel Núpar near Kirkjubæjarklaustur. Breakfast included.

Day 7 - South Shore, Reykjavik and the Blue Lagoon (350 km/218 mls)

From Kirkjubæjarklaustur we head across the Eldhraun lava field to the village of Vík, where we make a photo stop. The black lava beach with high bird cliffs and pounding waves is very impressive. Further west we reach the high but narrow Seljalandsfoss waterfall which plunges from the mountain. In the afternoon we return to Reykjavik and have about 2 hours leisure time to explore Iceland’s capital on our own, visit museums, do some shopping or simply rest after all this touring. In the evening, we get to soak in the famous Blue Lagoon from 16.00 - 18.00. We will arrive in the City around 19.00.

Accommodation: Hotel Klettur. Breakfast included.

Day 8 - Departure Home (50 km/31 mls)

Individual transfer by Flybus airport shuttle from your accommodation in Reykjavík to Keflavík Airport.

Daily driving: Total mileage without airport transfer is about 1.585 km (983 miles) which is an average of 265 km (164 miles) per day. You spend about 3,5 hours per day on the bus, depending on road conditions, traffic and daily distances. On some days the driving might be longer than on some other days.

NOTE: Itineraries may be subject to change at short notice during severe weather conditions and certain outdoor activities/day trips may be cancelled during the winter season in Iceland. In these rare cases, where situations of force majeure apply, excursions/activities cannot be refunded but the local guides will try their best to find reasonable alternatives where and whenever possible. Accommodations are subject to change.

Tour details

Departures: Tuesdays (small group departures), Fridays (standard group size), September - April
Group size: small and large (16 / 45 people max)

The price is from £2,295* per person depending on your preferred group size, based on 2 people sharing a double/twin room or 3 in a triple room
*Price is subject to availability

This tour includes:

• Return flights from the UK including 23kg luggage allowance, taxes and fees
• Bus transfer to and from Keflavik airport
• Fully escorted 6 day coach tour with English speaking guide/driver-guide
• 7 nights’ accommodation in 3 star hotels and guesthouses as per itinerary in rooms with private facilities including daily breakfast
• Hot spring Tasting with geothermal cooked bread & eggs
• Visit Icelandic horse stable & geothermal greenhouse
• Visit the Settlement Center in Borgarnes
• Guided tour into Vatnshellir cave
• Entrance to Skógar folk museum & turf houses
• Entrance with towel to Blue Lagoon
• Northern Lights program
• Use of winter & Northern Lights Explorer equipment: simple non-slip snow & ice grippers spikes for shoes and a flashlight that is helpful when walking in the dark and operating your photo camera at night
• Free Wi-Fi on the bus
• Financial Protection (ATOL)