Compare Iceland Discovery by Intrepid Travel vs 3 Day South Coast - Golden Circle, Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon & Ice Cave by Arctic Adventures

Day 1 Reykjavik

Hallo! Welcome to Reykjavik, which lies just below the Arctic Circle. The city sees around four hours of sunlight a day in winter and 22 hours or more in summer. Surrounded by volcanic peaks and crystalline ocean and boasting a vibrant arts and nightlife scene, Reykjavik's contrasts are utterly beguiling. Your adventure kicks off with a welcome meeting at 6 pm at your accommodation. If you arrive early, why not head to the National Museum, which depicts the history of Iceland from the ninth century – when the first Vikings from mainland Scandinavia arrived and settled – to the present day. Or perhaps join locals who gossip and chatter in the Laugardalslaug Geothermal Pool.

Day 2 Golden Circle / Hvolsvollur Valley

Make an early start to beat the crowds on the Golden Circle route. Head to Thingvellir National Park, home to the Parliament Plains and location of Iceland’s first parliament. Thingvellir also contains the Silfra fissure, where the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates are slowly pulling apart. The resulting gap is partly filled with fresh water and is clearly visible. From here head to the Geysir geothermal area, checking out Strokkur and watching as the geyser swells with blue water before erupting and shooting some 20-30 metres in the air. Be spellbound by the immense beauty and sheer power of the Gullfoss (Golden) double waterfall on the Hvita River, before proceeding to a remote farm in the Hvolsvollur region, our overnight stop for the night.

Day 3 South Coast / Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon

Begin the day with a visit to breathtaking Seljalandsfoss waterfall, followed by Skogafoss waterfall. At 25-metres wide with a 60-metre drop, this waterfall roars. You can feel its power up close with a strenuous walk up a windy set of stairs up to a stunning viewpoint. The black sands and bizarre, rectangular rock formations of Reynisfjara are up next. The last stop of the day is the famous Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon. Make sure you head down to Diamond Beach, where some of the icebergs are washed onto the black sand. Your leader can help you book an optional walk on the mottled blue, grey and black face of one of the tongues of Europe's largest glaciers, the epic ice cap of Vatnajokull. From Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon it is not far to our overnight stay, located on another lagoon that is sheltered by a black sandbar.

Day 4 East Fjords / Modrudalur Valley

Start the day by returning to the Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon. Cruise between jagged icebergs in an included boat tour. Then take a scenic drive along the rugged coast of the East Fjords. Enjoy spectacular views of high mountains, deep fjords, spectacular waterfalls, glaciers and quaint fishing villages. Make stops along the way at small but notable towns like Djupivogur, which became a member of the cittaslow movement in 2013 and is aiming to be the Happiest Town in Iceland, and drop by Egilsstadir, home to the mythic Lagarfljot Wyrm. Continue along mountain roads into the highland to the farm village of Modrudalur. At 469 metres (1539 feet) above sea level, Modrudalur is the highest inhabited place in Iceland, and snow can be seen almost year-round. Stretch your legs with a walk to the farm's church, built in 1949 by farmer Jon Adalsteinn Stefansson in memory of his wife. Spend the evening on this unique farm, which is small but rich in history.

Day 5 Lake Myvatn / Akureyri

Set off for magnificent Dettifoss, Europe's mightiest waterfall at 100-metres wide and with a 45-metre drop into the craggy shores of Jokulsargljufur canyon below. It’s so powerful that it’s vibrations can be felt underfoot. Continue to volcanic Lake Myvatn. Next is Namaskard, where steam rises from the sulphuric terrain and it’s hard to believe you’re on Earth and not Mars. Take a walk around the lava stacks and caves of Dimmuborgir and then observe the massive pseudo craters of Skutustadir. Continue to the crescent shaped Godafoss waterfall, where legend says a lawmaker priest threw the idols of the Norse gods when Christianity became Iceland’s official religion in AD1000. Travel on to Akureyri and settle into your accommodation for the evening.

Day 6 Akureyri / Snaefellsnes Peninsula

Situated at the head of Iceland's longest fjord, Akureyri is the nation's second-largest city. Embark on a short walking tour of the town, taking in the striking church and other local sights. Later, continue to Snaefellsnes Peninsula, home to the magnificent Snaefellsjokull Glacier, which played a starring role in Jules Verne's 1864 novel Journey to the Centre of the Earth. Next up is Lysuholslaug, where you can bathe in thermal pools (depending on the season) or check out the Icelandic horses grazing in the fields. Look forward to an included home-cooked dinner this evening.

Day 7 Snaefellsnes Peninsula / Reykjavik

Continue exploring the Snaefellsnes Peninsula, beginning with the white beach at Budir, then go on to Arnarstapi, where a short stroll along the coastal cliffs exposes you to rich bird life and other wonders of nature. Continue on to the basaltic pebble beach Djupalonssandur. In the afternoon head back to Reykjavik to complete your circuit of Iceland. You may wish to book an optional whale watching tour for late afternoon if you are here between May and December. The rest of the evening is yours for the taking. Perhaps head out for dinner with your fellow travellers and toast with a glass of Brennivin, a savoury schnapps.

Day 8 Reykjavik

Today is departure day and time to say sjaumst (see you soon)! Check out time is at midday. If you are departing later, you can arrange with reception to store your luggage at the hotel. If you wish to spend more time in Reykjavik, we'll be happy to book additional accommodation for you (subject to availability). Please speak to your booking agent at the time of booking. Perhaps browse some of the city's great art galleries. If you feel like something more active, book yourself on a Silfra Fissure snorkelling adventure, where you’ll discover this underwater ridge with water visibility of up to 120 metres. Alternatively, while away the hours with a soak in the geothermal waters of the famous Blue Lagoon.

Day 1: The Famous Golden Circle Route

Your tour begins with the three famous Golden Circle attractions:  Þingvellir (Thingvellir), Geysir and Gullfoss.  Pingvellir National Park, a UNESCO listed World Heritage Site, is the place where the Icelanders founded their historic Parliament, Alþingi, in the year 930. This is the oldest continuously operating Parliament in the world, it is certainly situated in one of the most geologically amazing places on the planet. The boundary between the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates is here, they have been slowly edging apart creating a rift valley, and a great cliff right behind where the Law Speaker would stand in the olden days. Þingvallavatn is a very beautiful lake set within this incredible landscape.

You will visit the geothermally active area of Geysir, this is the erupting hot spring from which the English word, Geyser, has been taken. Great Geysir is not active now, so we will visit Strokkur, a nearby spouting hot spring. You will not have to wait more than a few minutes to see Strokkur erupt scalding water up to 25 m skywards. Next, is Gullfoss (the Golden Falls), the most often visited waterfall in Iceland. See the golden spray around the waterfall, and feel the water droplets in the air as the amazing powerful Hvíta (the White River), roars through the rugged canyon, dropping 32 m.

On a clear day, we will get great views of Mount Hekla on the way to Seljalandsfoss, one of the most unusual waterfalls in the world. You can walk behind the powerful but graceful falls to enjoy the view from both sides. Next up, is Skógafoss, a really impressive waterfall which drops 60 m into the tranquil pool below. There are 527 steps leading to the top giving another vantage point. The famous volcano, Eyjafjallajökull, lurks high above the waterfall, if visibility is good you will get a view of this magnificent mountain glacier.

Your country hotel will be close to the small coastal town of Vík, a really great place to catch the mesmerizing northern lights if the conditions are right. A little northern lights luck is very useful!

Day Highlights;

• Þingvellir National Park (Thingvellir)
• Geysir hot spring area
• Gullfoss Waterfall
• Seljalandsfoss Waterfall
• Skógafoss Waterfall
• The small coast town Vík

Included:

• Guided Minibus Tour
• The Golden Circle (Þingvellir, Gullfoss and Þingvellir)
• Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss Waterfalls
• Northern Lights Hunting (in good conditions)
• One night at a hotel near Vík

Day 2: Black Sand Beach & Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon

After a nourishing breakfast we head off to the dramatic black sand beach at Reynisfjara. The powerful, rolling waves of the Atlantic Ocean really show their force here. Watch as these roaring white-tipped beauties crash onto the black beach – a word of warning – follow the advice of your tour guide and stand well back. These fierce waves can be very unpredictable! You should visit the amazing black basalt column cave before you leave the beach. You will see incredible black basalt pillars rising from the sea just off the shore at Reynisdrangar, these will give you a good idea of where some Icelandic toll folklore sprang from!

Your tour will then take you through enchanting lava fields and incredible desert sands, formed by enormous glacial floods, knows as Jökulhlaups, as we head east. We continue to Breiðamerkurjökull, a glorious outlet glacier which reaches down, like an icy finger, from Vatnajökull, the second largest glacier in Europe. The magnificent Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon and the nearby Diamond Beach are our next stop. The lagoon is filled with icebergs of all shapes and sizes, as they glide in a dreamlike procession towards the salty waves of the Atlantic. They are often washed ashore at the Diamond Beach, where they shimmer like diamonds on the back sand. You will be amazed at the bright blue tones which glitter within many icebergs, these colors are caused by a combination of factors including ice compression. Ocean birds are abundant and seals can sometimes be seen. Your hotel will be in the Skaftafell area, a great place to test your northern lights luck! If the forecast is good you need to keep an eye on things, will shimmering colors dance across the sky? We can never say for sure, but you don´t want to miss them!

Day Highlights

• Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach
• Balsalt pillars of Reynisdrangar
• Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon
• The Diamond Beach

Included:

• Breakfast at hotel near Vík
• Guided Minibus Tour
• Reynisfjara Black Beach
• Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon
• Northern Lights Hunting (in good conditions)
• One night in a hotel near Skaftafell

Day 3: Glacier Hike and Ice Caving

Today you will explore two of Vatnajökull National Park´s stunning natural jewels:

Accompanied by a certified glacier guide you will explore the mesmerizing world inside an ice cave. Usually, we visit the Crystal Cave in Breiðamerkurjökull, a glacial tongue of Vatnajökull. Other times a different ice cave will be chosen, your guide will choose the cave with the best conditions at the time. Ice caves change a lot, both from year to year and within each winter. Your guide will explain how these caves and the incredible formations in them are formed. Photographers will get a rare opportunity to capture the shimmering blue light which passes through the glacial ice. Surprisingly, deep shades of jewel blue will surround you, these tones are caused by ice compression, the way we perceive light and color, and the blueness can sometimes be intensified by algae.The temperature inside the ice cave is well below the freezing point so please dress accordingly.

Now for glacier hiking! Your guide will give you ice crampons and everything you need to explore Svínajökull glacier. The glacier is dynamic, it is always moving and changing, incredible ice features are constantly being formed. Your guide will explain all about sink holes, crevasses, ice falls and ridges, and how climate change is impacting upon the glaciers in Iceland. Your 45 minutes on the ice will be filled with wonder and fascinating facts. Stand still and you will hear the ice groaning at it moves – on the glacier there is peacefulness but, in a true sense, never complete stillness!

We will return to Reykjavík between 20:00 and 23:00, depending on the conditions. We make some stops along the way, the weather is somewhat in charge, particularly during the winter!

Please note: If the conditions are expected to be better, this tour will sometimes visit an ice cave on day 2, your guide will make the most of the opportunities available.

Remember to bring: Warm layers, waterproof top layer, headwear, gloves, scarves with non-cotton thermal underwear if you have it. Good hiking boots are absolutely essential, it is not possible to fit ice crampons to any other kind of footwear. You can hire good boots from us in the booking process, we do not rent from the locations, so such items must be booked in advance.

Day Highlights:

• Glacier walk on Vatnajökull glacier
• Natural Ice Cave

Included:

• Breakfast at hotel near Skaftafell
• Guided Glacier Hike on Vatnajökull Glacier
• Guided Ice Cave Tour
• Certified Glacier Guide
• Guided Minibus Tour/Return to Reykjavík