Itineraries
Day 1
Reykjavk
Arrive in time to meet your fellow travelers for a welcome gathering this evening. Your arrival transfer is included.
Day 2
Reykjavk
Start the morning at the Perlan museum, which showcases Icelands geological forces through exhibits on volcanic eruptions, explosive geysers, and more. After a classic Icelandic hot dog lunch, hop aboard a ship for a whale-watching expedition on Faxafli Bay. Search for minke whales, humpback whales, dolphins, and porpoises diving through the waves, and learn about the incredible diversity of sea life in Icelands waters. The rest of the day is free for relaxing at your hotel or exploring Reykjavk.
Day 3
Hverageri
Set off on a hike through an area dotted with hot springs, stopping to soak your feet in steaming pools along the way. Then head to a traditional Icelandic horse farm to meet the friendly equine residents and learn about this special breed. Icelandic horses are small, hardy, and have a unique ambling gait called the tlt. Opt to saddle up and ride through the surrounding hills with a guide before gathering at the farm for a homemade lunch. This afternoon, travel to a vast lava field and enter one of the longest lava tunnels in Iceland, where well explore the amazing inner workings of a volcanic eruption. Continue to our hotel in Hverageri, a town built around its own bubbling hot spring.
Day 4
Golden Circle
Discover the celebrated Golden Circle, a circuit that will take us to some of Icelands most amazing natural treasures. Hear the roar of the mighty Gullfoss waterfall and visit the Geysir hot spring, the namesake of all the worlds geysers. Continue to Thingvellir National Park, where the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates collide. Then visit a geothermal bakery to watch bakers digging pots of fresh bread out of hot black sand. Taste a slice still warm from the ground, and get the recipe for a loaf of rye. In the evening, opt to stop by the Secret Lagoon for a soothing soak in geothermal waters.
Day 5
South Coast
Today, explore Icelands amazing history, from the Viking era to the industrial revolution. Visit a traditional turf-walled dwelling, and step inside a 20th-century schoolhouse while learning about Icelands architectural heritage, folk crafts, and modern technology. Then take a short walk to the Skgafoss waterfall, one of the biggest falls in Iceland at more than 80 feet across. Enjoy a picnic lunch near the base of the waterfall and watch for rainbows sparkling in the spray. This afternoon ramble on one of Icelands legendary black-sand beaches.
Day 6
Westman IslandsVk
Leave the mainland behind and voyage to the Westman Islands, a volcanic archipelago off Icelands southern coast. Go ashore on Heimaey, the only inhabited isle in the archipelago, and wander among the white wooden buildings of the single tiny town. Learn about the islands recent volcanic history, view parts of the town buried by lava flows, and hike up the slopes of the Eldfell crater, where the ground is still warm from geothermal activity! Search for adorable puffins and other seabirds nesting on the islands steep cliffs, then sail back to Vkthe southernmost village in Iceland, known for its black-sand beach and strange rock formations.
Day 7
Reykjavk
Return to Reykjavk this morning, stopping along the way to visit Seljalandsfoss, one of Icelands most spectacular waterfalls. Step behind the curtain of the falls into a hidden cave filled with mist, and enjoy one of the best photographic opportunities in Iceland. Continue to the famed Blue Lagoon to soak in the hot springs iridescent blue waters. Spend the afternoon exploring Reykjavk on your own before gathering for a farewell dinner.
Day 8
Reykjavk
Depart at any time.
