Compare 5 Day Winter Package by Arctic Adventures vs Iceland In-Depth featuring the Northern Lights by Tours of Distinction
Compare details and see what other travelers are saying.
| Trip |
5 | Excellent
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5 | Excellent
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| Duration | 5 days | 8 days |
| Price From | $ 919 | $ 3,699 |
| Price Per Day | $ 184 | $ 462 |
| Highlights |
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| Trip Style | Group tour | Small group tour |
| Lodging Level | Standard | Luxury |
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| Countries Visited | ||
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| Flights & Transport | Ground transport included | Ground transport included |
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| Meals Included | N/A |
6 Breakfasts | 3 Lunches | 5 Dinners |
| Description |
This is the king of package tours for those who want to experience all of the spectacular adventures that Iceland can deliver in winter: snorkeling in Silfra, lava caving, an amazing ice climb, glacier hiking, horseback riding and more. This is the ultimate winter trip, an amazing opportunity to truly know this land of fire and ice. An adventurer by day, each night you return to Reykjavík with its exciting restaurants and nightlife. |
Iceland is one of the world’s ultimate islands of contrasts… fire and ice; long nights with colorful northern lights and daylight for 20 hours; glaciers and steaming hot geysers, waterfalls galore, pretty puffins, and magical elves. It is a fierce landscape of volcanoes, plains of mossy, craggy cliffs, and black sand beaches. It is an island still being formed by water, ice, and fire and closer than you believe. |
Day 1: ATV and Horses
Pick up at 9:00 from your accommodation or a nearby location in Reykjavík. Please note: the pick up process can take up to 30 minutes but you do need to be ready and waiting at 09:00.
We drive out of the city to Íshestar, a horse farm set in spectacular surroundings close to the Bláfjöll Mountains. We will saddle up ready for our Icelandic horseback adventure which will take us through the lava fields close to, Helgafell, a fabulous mountain volcano. This is a classic horse riding tour through stunning and dramatic scenery, the lunar vistas of the lava field will leave you in no doubt at all that you are in Iceland!
You will ride through vast lava fields and across beautiful hillsides to Hvaleyrarvatn, a stunning and charming lake just south of Hafnarfjörður. This area around this beautiful and picturesque lake is much-prized as a recreation area by local people. Icelandic horses are well-behaved and the riding paths here are safe giving you the chance to really appreciate the superb scenery, with the beautiful Bláfjöll Mountains (the Blue Mountains) framing the horizon.
You are then brought back to Reykjavík where you get a short break before being picked up for your ATV ride. At the ATV base near Mossfellsbær a powerful and rugged 650 cc CanAm Outlander Max Quad Bike will be waiting for you. Some simple instructions and you are ready to ride! Your adventure starts with a journey to Hafravatn, a stunning lake beneath steep mountains, with some lovely wooded areas. This is a very popular fishing and picnicking spot with Icelanders, a few of whom are lucky enough to have summer houses with views of the lake.
Now to get the adrenaline really flowing! Roaring off to the top of Mount Hafrafell will certainly do that! From the top the views, on a clear day, are mind-blowing, Mount Úlfarsfell, the valleys behind Mosfellsbær, the whole of the bay around Reykjavík and the Reykjanes peninsula will stretch out before you. This really is the most magical way to explore the mountains on the outskirts of the city!
Remember to bring: Warm outdoor clothing, sturdy shoes, headwear and gloves.
Day Highlights:
- Icelandic Horses
- Lake Hvaleyrarvatn
- ATV ride
- Lake Hafravatn
- Mountain, country and lava views
Included:
- Pick up from Reykjavik
- Horseback riding tour with experienced guide
- All necessary horse riding equipment
- ATV ride with all necessary equipment
Day 2: Snorkeling in Silfra
Pick up at 9:00 from your accommodation or a nearby pick up location in Reykjavík. Please note: the pick up process can take up to 30 minutes but you do need to be ready and waiting at 09:00.
The Silfra Fissure is one of Iceland’s glittering jewels and one of the most desirable snorkeling locations in the world. From the surface, this narrow channel of blue water meanders through a chasm in the lava field very close to the site of the oldest still existing parliament in the world, Iceland´s Alþingi. Silfra actually sits within the rift valley between the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates at Þingvellir where the plates have been slowly edging apart. Exploring the fissure from beneath the surface, a magical world, with amazing scene after amazing scene opening out before your eyes will unfold.
You will be stunned by supernaturally brilliant shades of blue, as the exceptional visibility reveals incredible rock formations within this amazing sub-aquatic chasm. Silfra offers up to 100 meters of underwater visibility, which is simply unrivaled. Comfortably warm in an insulated drysuit you will be free to enjoy feelings of weightlessness and supreme serenity as you drift along with the lazy current, simply awe-stricken at the spectacular sights in the depths beneath you! There are four sections, each with a different character: the deep Silfra Crack, the majestic Silfra Hall, the expansive and rich blue world of Silfra Cathedral and Silfra Lagoon which has the most incredible visibility. Silfra has frequently been rated as one of the world’s top ten dives. There is nowhere else in the world where you can dive in a fissure between two tectonic plates! Are you up for a really special and totally unique experience?
Please note: You will not be able to wear glasses whilst snorkeling, so unless you bring prescription goggles you will need to wear contact lenses. It is also important that you are able to clearly understand instructions given in English. There are some health and fitness requirements for snorkeling, together with size restrictions (drysuit sizes available), please ask about these when you book your tour.
Day Highlights:
- Thingvellir National Park
- Snorkeling in Silfra Fissure
Included:
- Pick up from Reykjavik
- Certified Snorkeling Guide
- All snorkeling equipment
Day 3: Golden Circle and Lava Caving
Pick up at 9:00 from your accommodation or a nearby pick up location in Reykjavík. Please note: the pick up process can take up to 30 minutes but you do need to be ready and waiting at 09:00. We start with a visit to a fascinating lava tube cave beneath the lava field at Bláfjöll (the Blue Mountains), not far from Reykjavík. Your qualified and experienced caving guide will get you kitted out with a helmet and headlamp before escorting you into the lava cave tube. You will learn how the incredible lava formations were created in this stunning and surprisingly colorful world. Sometimes the cave is amazingly spacious and high, in other parts you will need to travel on all fours.
You then travel to the Golden Circle: Gullfoss (the Golden Waterfall), Geysir, to see Strokkur erupting huge volumes of superheated water every 8 to 10 minutes and then Þingvellir National Park. Here you will see the amazing site of Iceland´s first parliament, Alþingi, which was founded in 930 AD. This amazing place is the site of the oldest continuous parliament in the world and one of the greatest geological wonders. It can clearly be seen here how the tectonic plates have moved apart creating the magnificent and rugged rift valley.
This day tour has it all: stunning natural beauty, interesting history, amazing geological wonders and a great caving adventure!
Day Highlights:
- Lava fields in Blue Mountains
- Lava Caving
- Gullfoss Waterfall
- Geysir Geothermal area
- Thingvellir national Park
Included:
- Guided Lava Cave tour
- Experienced Caving guide
- All necessary Caving equipment
- Minibus Golden Circle tour
Day 4: Glacier Hiking and Ice Climbing
Pick up at 8:00 from your accommodation or a nearby location in Reykjavík. Please note: the pick up process can take up to 30 minutes but you do need to be ready and waiting at 08:00.
Here is your chance to hike and climb on an immeasurably majestic Glacier! This tour will take you onto the amazing frozen world of Sólheimajökull glacier, a rugged, raw and constantly changing glacier tongue of Vatnajökull, the largest glacier in Europe. With a professional glacier guide, who will provide you with all of the necessary glacier equipment, you will explore Sólheimajökull. Your guide will explain the extraordinary ice formations of this crevasse riddled outlet glacier, you will see sink holes and jagged toothed ice ridges. Those who want to can then test our ice climbing skills on the glacier using ice axes, crampons and safety lines. This glacier experience of a lifetime will leave you with unforgettable memories.
On the way back to Reykjavík we even stop at Skógafoss, a beautiful waterfall!
Day Highlights:
- Sólheimajökull (Solheimajokull Glacier)
- Glacier Hike
- Optional Ice Climbing
- Skogafoss Waterfall
Included:
- Pick up form Reykjavik
- Glacier hike with certified guide
- Opportunity to try Ice climbing
- All necessary Glacier & Ice Climbing equipment
Day 5: Reykjavik & Blue lagoon
Pick up: Today you can sleep in a little if you want or take more time to explore Reykjavík on your own! There are several departures each day to the Blue Lagoon so you just need to book the option which suits you best according to availability.
The Blue Lagoon is now a world famous spa. Make the most of the opportunity to bathe in the milky, silky smooth and skin soothing waters and to totally relax in the lunar landscape. Facilities include a shop, cafeteria, the Lava Restaurant and a bar offering an impressive cocktail menu.
Enjoy the final day of your cream of adventure tours experience!
Day Highlights:
- Explore Reykjavik on your own
- Blue Lagoon
Included:
- Pick up from Reykjavik
- Entrance to Blue Lagoon
Day 1 - Depart for Reykjavik, Iceland
Transfer to the airport and check-in for your overnight flight to Reykjavik.
Day 2 - Reykjavik
Arrive in Reyjakvik and head toward the famous Blue Lagoon. The lagoon is a geothermal wonder of nature, with pleasantly warm mineral rich geothermal seawater in the middle of a lava field. The high natural levels of silica, minerals and algae give the Lagoon its rich blue colour – hence the name Blue Lagoon. Later, a city tour will show us the highlights of the capital.
Welcome dinner and overnight at your Reykjavík hotel.
Day 3 - Iceland Countryside
After breakfast, we drive north out of Reykjavik and through the tunnel under Hvalfjordur, one of the country’s longest fjords. We make a visit at the Settlement Center museum in Borgarnes. We continue through the pretty lake-dotted valleys of the Borgarfjördur district where the ice-age glacier covered the area about 10,000 years ago. We will then make a brief stop at Deidartunguhver, Europe’s largest hot spring, where around 200 liters of 97C hot water flows from the earth every second. Enjoy our short stop at the beautiful waterfalls of Hraunfossar and Barnafossar in the river Hvítá before returning to Borgarnes.
Lunch and dinner and overnight in Borgarnes.
Day 4 - Iceland Countryside
The first highlight of the day is Thingvellir, the great lava arena in a rift valley, where the divide between the Eurasian and the North American tectonic plates is clearly visible. Founded by the Norse settlers in 930 AD in Thingvellir, you will see the world’s oldest still-existing national parliament. Get ready to visit Gullfoss, which is often described as Iceland´s most beautiful waterfall, and the famous Geyser area, Strokkur, the world´s most active, is likely to spout several times. We make our final stop at Friðheimar, known for using geothermal heating for cultivation of tomatoes and cucumbers – come and enjoy their famous tomato soup.
Light lunch in Frioheimar. Dinner and overnight in Selfoss.
Day 5 - Iceland Countryside
Today we will drive along the south coast and visit the magnificent waterfall of Seljalandsfoss. It is a narrow and high waterfall which plunges over the mountains of West Eyjafjöll. From there we head to Vík, a village east of Mt. Reynisfjall in Myrdal. In Vík and the neighboring coastline, there is a wealth of contrasts and landscapes renowned for their natural beauty. Mt. Reynisfjall and its cliffs have few rivals in Iceland for richness of vegetation and bird life and the black sand beach Reynisfjara is a large breeding colony for the Arctic tern. According to local folklore, three rock stacks rise up to 66m from the sea: Skessudrangar, Landdrangar and Langhamrar and are said to be trolls turned to stone at sunrise. Then we continue towards Kirkjubæjarklaustur, which in the old days was known as „Kirkjubær“ (Church Farm) and was an important farming village.
Day 6 - Iceland Countryside
From Klaustur, we travel along the south coast to Skaftafell. Skaftafell National Park was designated as one of Iceland´s three National Parks in 1967. Towering mountains, imposing glaciers, gulches with clear brooks and beautiful waterfalls, birch woods, a wealth of wild flowers and lush vegetation give credence to its status. The most majestic of its several waterfalls is Svartifoss (“Black Falls”) that cascade over a wall of symmetrical columnar basalt that resembles an organ. En-route to our stop for the evening, we visit glacier lagoon Jökulsárlón and the museum Þórbergssetur in Höfn. The museum is dedicated to one of Iceland‘s most significant twentieth century author, Þórbergur Þórðarson.
Day 7 - Iceland Countryside - Reykjavik
Today, we start by making a stop at the breathtaking waterfall Skógarfoss, which is 60m high and one of the most impressive waterfalls in the country. After, we experience the Folk Museum at Skógar before continuing to the power plant Hellisheiðarvirkjun for a Geothermal Exhibition about geothermal energy in Iceland.
Overnight at your Reykjavik hotel.
Day 8 - Depart Reykjavik
Say goodbye to Iceland this morning as we head to the airport for our flight. Upon arrival in the USA, transfer home.
