Compare Summer Photo Tour - West Fjords and Highlands by Nordika Travel

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.