Compare Summer Photo Tour - West Fjords and Highlands by Nordika Travel vs Iceland: See & Experience it ALL in 9 Days, 1st Class Custom Tours by Charlie The Traveler

Day 1: Snæfellsnes Peninsula

You will be picked up from your hotel in Reykjavík at 8:00 am. You will head for the Snæfellsnes Peninsula and Snæfellsnes National Park, stopping at Arnarstapi Cliffs and Þúfnabjarg Cliffs in order to explore the Kittiwakes and Fulmar bird colonies among other spots such as the small, black wooden church at Búðir.

Accommodation: Hotel Hellnar

Day 2: Látrabjarg Cliffs

You will drive to the north side of the Snæfellsnes Peninsula and head toward the village of Stykkishólmur in order to catch the ferry across Breiðafjördur Bay to Brjánslækur. The ferry trip takes about three hours, so you will arrive in time to check in at Hotel Breiðavík, have dinner and go to the magnificent Látrabjarg Cliffs for an evening photography session of puffins, razorbills and guillemots. Látrabjarg Cliffs are extraordinary for photographing the puffins in late evening light.

Accommodation: Hotel Breiðavík

Day 3: Látrabjarg Cliffs

You only photograph puffins in the evening, and therefore, you will spend the whole day visiting Arnarfjörður Fjord and the 100 meter high Dynjandi Waterfall, one of Iceland´s most picturesque waterfalls with its many smaller waterfalls. You will head back to Hotel Breðavík for dinner and a rest in preparation for a whole evening of photographing the seabirds again at the Látrabjarg Cliffs.

Accommodation: Hotel Breiðavík

Day 4: North Iceland

You leave the remote and peaceful west fjords and have a long drive ahead through the southern fjords towards northern Iceland. You will photograph waterfalls and country side in the fjords along the way. Hope for good light to do evening photography at the Hvítserkur sea stack in the Vatnsnes peninsula.

Accommodation: Guesthouse in Vatnsnes Peninsula

Day 5: Kjölur Highland Route, Hveravellir and Kerlingafjöll Mountains

Kjölur is a well-known route between north and south since the Viking era. On this route you will find Hveravellir geothermal area and the hot spring area in the colorful Kerlingarfjöll mountains where steam rises from bubbling hot spring vents.

Accommodation: Kerlingarfjöll mountains

Day 6: Þjórsárdalur and the Highlands

You will drive towards south Iceland making stops at the famous (and touristic) Gullfoss waterfall and Geyser hot spring area. From there you go to Þjórsárdalur Valley where you will photograph beautiful streams and waterfalls in Gjáin canyon as you go deeper into the highlands again.

Accommodation: Hrauneyjar Highland Center

Day 7: Landmannalaugar and the Highland Route North, to Hrífunes

Today you will head to Landmannalaugar highlands where you will photograph colorful rhyolite mountains, the Laugahraun Lava Field and the multicolor Brennisteinsalda Mountain. Be prepared for some hiking (4-You then take the Highland route north towards our next accommodation in Hrífunes. On the route, you will see various landscapes including barren fields of lava and volcanic sand, mossy green mountains, open rivers and wide fields of the highlands surrounded by rhyolite and the majestic hyaloclastite mountains.

Accommodation: Hrífunes Guesthouse

Day 8: Vatnajökull National Park and Glacier Lagoon

You will drive through the Öræfasveit region (the desert county) where you will find the glorious Vatnajökull Glacier National Park on the right-hand side and black sand beaches on the left. You will spend most of the day photographing icebergs and glaciers at the Glacier- and Fjallsárlón Lagoons and Svínafellsjökull Glacier in Skaftafell.

Accommodation: Hrífunes Guesthouse

Day 9: Langisjór Lake and Sveinstindur Mountain

Langisjór Lake lies southwest of Vatnajökull Glacier in a beautiful and picturesque landscape. It is 20 km long and up to 2 km wide. The lake is one of the most beautiful mountain lakes in Iceland with many islands, cliffs and spectacular landscape surrounding it. To the east of Langisjór Lake are the hyaloclastite mountains, Fögrufjöll. Toward the west, you will see Mount Breiðbakur, famous for its moonscape, and on the south of the lake is the Sveinstindur Mountain and the glacial river, Skaftá.

Accommodation: Hrífunes Guesthouse

Day 10: Final Day; Fjallabak South Route Towards Reykjavík

You stay away from mass tourism on the south coast and head back into the interior and photograph volcanic landscape with its luminous green moss in amazing patterns. You drive behind Mýrdalsjökull glacier and cross few rivers with great vistas on all sides.

Arrival time in Reykjavík late afternoon or early evening.

Day 1: Whale Watching & Colorful Skies

From mid-May to mid-October, our tour starts in Iceland's second most visited city, Akureyri. Get ready to go on a whale watching tour. From late October to early May, whale watching is done instead in the capital that is Reykjavík. From September to early March, also included is a night tour to an area where we see the northern lights.

Day 2: A Lake Created by Lava & Geothermal Eruptions

As a land daytrip from Akureyri (mid-May to mid-October) or a flight daytrip from Reykjavík (late October to early May), we are taken on a tour to Goðafoss Waterfall, Lake Mývatn, a geothermal area called Hverir and Dettifoss Waterfall. Goðafoss waterfall has a height of 12 meters over a width of 30 meters. Lake Mývatn was created by a large basaltic lava which erupted 2,300 years ago. The surrounding landscape is dominated by volcanic landforms, including lava pillars. Dettifoss is reputed to be the second most powerful waterfall in Europe.

Day 3: Approaching a Caldera & Bathing in a Crater or Iceland’s Best Bar Lagoon Accompanied with a City Tour

Today’s destinations and activities depend on the season. From mid-May to mid-October, as a daytrip from Akureyri, we first hike Askja Caldera and then visit a crater called Viti, the latter of which offers a pond where we go bathing. From late October to early May, we go bathing at a ‘fashionable’ geothermal spa called Sky Lagoon, located near to the capital. We are also provided with a tour of the capital.

Day 4: Why They Call This Area the ‘Golden Circle’

From mid-May to mid-October, we relocate from Akureyri to Reykjavík. From late October to early May, we are not based in Akureyri. Instead, we are still based in Reykjavík. Either way, today we are doing the so-called ‘Golden Circle’ as a daytrip from Reykjavík. Destinations include Gullfoss Waterfall, Geysir/Strokkur geyser and Þingvellir National Park (a.k.a. Thingvellir National Park). Gullfoss is 32 meters tall and features not 1 but 2 drops. Geysir’s eruptions can hurl boiling water up to 70 meters in the air. Þingvellir is notable for its unusual tectonic and volcanic environment in a rift valley.

Day 5: One of the Ten Most Beautiful Beaches on Earth & Thundering Waterfalls

We leave Reykjavík and start the journey along the southeast coast. Highlights for today include Seljalandsfoss Waterfall, Skógafoss Waterfall and the Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach. We end up lodging in the Skaftafell area. The Seljalandsfoss Waterfall drops 60 meters. Visitors can walk behind the falls into a fascinating cave. Skógafoss is one of the biggest waterfalls in the country, with a width of 25 meters and a drop of 60 meters. Reynisfjara was ranked by National Geographic as one of the ten most beautiful non-tropical beaches on Earth.

Day 6: Huge Icebergs, Exploring an Ice Cave & a Surreal Shoreline

Although today we head to Thorsmork Valley, many destinations are visited en route. They include Skaftafell Nature Reserve, Jökulsárlón Glacial Lake, the natural ice cave at Vatnajökull National Park and Diamond Beach. Skaftafell’s landscape is similar to some of the Alps. The difference is Skaftafell has been formed over thousands of years by different influences of fire and water. Jökulsárlón Lake provides outstanding views of icebergs which rise to a height of 910 meters. Jökulsárlón has been a setting for four Hollywood movies: (1) A View to a Kill, (2) Die Another Day, (3) Lara Croft: Tomb Raider and (4) Batman Begins. Vatnajökull’s ice cave contains canals for water which run through or at the bottom of the glacier. Diamond Beach features icebergs which float onto the shore from Jökulsárlón.

*Note that the surreal looking Svartifoss Waterfall is sometimes-but not always-included on today’s tour. It depends on many factors, including the weather. Also, note that the ice cave is not open June through September. It is open only during the winter season.

Day 7: A Hiker's Paradise

Before returning to Reykjavík, we hike around Thorsmork Valley. The highlights are Seljalandsfoss Waterfall, Stakkholtsgjá Canyon, Nauthúsagil Canyon and Gígjökull Glacier. This is arguably the best area in the country from where to go hiking.

Day 8: Mud Pools, Hot Springs & Blue Waters

From Reykjavík, we make a daytrip to the Reykjanes Peninsula: Lake Kleifarvatn, a geothermal area called Krýsuvík, Gunnuhver’s mud pools and hot springs and the Blue Lagoon. Krýsuvík consists of several geothermal fields. Here solfataras, fumaroles, mud pots and hot springs have formed. The soil is colored bright yellow, red and green. Nearby are several craters which were created by the explosions of overheated groundwater. The Blue Lagoon, one of the most visited attractions in Iceland, is a geothermal spa. There we enjoy bathing inside the warm water.

Day 9: Our Tour Ends Today

Transportation will be arranged for you to reach the airport in Reykjavík.