Iceland's Northern Lights 11 Days
Welcome to the land of Fire and Ice - a land whose DNA is composed of the mighty mix of Celtic slaves, Dane and Norse Vikings! Human habitation and culture go back over 1,000 years, before which the island of active volcanoes, geysers, and lava fields was completely void by settlers. In recent years, Iceland has become famous for many reasons - the Northern Lights or Aurora Borealis which are most likely to be seen between September and March, The Mountain from Game of Thrones (World's Strongest Man competitor), Black Beaches, the Eruptions of Volcanoes, fermented shark, excellent seafood and the world's best lamb, resourseful people, immigration from the EU and, of course, The Blue Lagoon.
The capital Reykjavik, which means "smoky bay" is one of the smallest capitals in Europe and whilst the region is outside the EU, it freely trades within the European Economic area. The soccer team beat England, the sport's fans invented the "Viking Thunder Clap", two tectonic plates meet here, the salmon fishing is amongst the best in the world and there's no end to the great photos you can take of black sandy beaches with pieces of ice served up by the waves, waterfalls such as Gullfoss, amazing mountains, beautiful Icelandic horses and natural phenomena you are unlikely to see anywhere else. Iceland is truly unique.
This trip starts and finishes in Reykjavik. We will do the whole of Route 1 in a counter-clockwise manner and see many of the very best highlights of the Island. Not only that, we want to take you off the beaten track and away from the big tour buses. This is not that kind of trip. It's full immersion with the natives, being eco-responsible, eating Icelandic food (perfect for all diets), seeing places only the locals know about, taking a boat out onto the bay to see the Northern Lights and much, much more.
Getting excited to see the Aurora Borealis dance across the midnight sky on the frontier of the Arctic Circle? We are too. How about the best lobster soup and bread you've ever had? Or the best cod? How about Skyr and their liquorice chocolates. Iceland does everything differently, including producing all its energy from geothermal. You will learn a lot about a very resourceful people on this journey and experience one of the most beloved natural spectacles known to humankind. Get ready to see the world's most beautiful places and explore the land of Fire and Ice, the land of Vikings.
Itinerary and Specifics
Highlights:
- Adventure out each evening to enjoy the natural light show of Aurora Borealis
- See Glaciers, Black Beaches, Ice on the Waves, impressive Geothermal facilities, Lava Fields, Jagged Mountains, a Wild Coast, jaw-dropping waterfalls and experience why Nature is King this for North.
- Learn about the Icelandic people - see their first parliament, uncover UNESCO GeoParks and understand how they survived 1,000 years in this environment.
- Get away from the crowds in the capital and explore the real Iceland. Don't be a number, be a person who wants to respect the environment and focus on quality tourism.
- Your guide will be Icelandic and therefore deeply immersed in a sometimes difficult culture and language to understand.
- Learn about the rich seas and the importance of the bounty of fish to the country.
- Learn what happened when Iceland burned the bond holders and how the people protested at the Parliament with Pots and Pans.
- Understand daily life in Iceland - what do they eat, drink, work at, how is the education system, what about the role of the state in health care and much more.
- See where President Reagan met Gorbachev
- Try some of the local foods here - Skyr, salmon, lamb and and some bizarre ingredients that you won't find anywhere else.
Included:
- 4 Star Accommodation on a Bed and Breakfast Basis
- Meet and Greet at Airport
- Transfers to and from hotel
- Expert driver/guide
- Comfortable touring vehicle
- Local knowledge, recommendations and help with any bookings you want to make
- Porterage - 1 piece per person in and out of hotels
Not included
- Flights - purchase your own flights in and out of destination
- Gratuities - minimum recommended $10 per person per day
- Lunches and Dinners - we like our guests to be able to choose their own dining options
- Any entrances to museums, attractions and concerts - most of what you're looking for will be free entrance anyway.
Day 1
Arrive in Keflavik Airport, Meet and Greet with your driver/guide and head into the centre where' you'll stay in a great hotel in the heart of the city. Check-in, freshen up and take a walking tour with a local specialist guide who'll give you the entire history and importance of the capital. They'll talk about the imporant buildings, best cafes and restaurants, cultural highlights and visitor attracitons, as well as answer any questions you may have about daily life here.
Day 2
Today explore the world's most northerly capital city - see the famous Halgrimskirkja and the National Musuem of Iceland. Enjoy some time today to gather some of your energy and indulge in your cultural interests before we head out on the road tomorrow.
Day 3
Today we're off on the Golden Circle route to see the incredibly intense geysers, waterfalls and majestic landscapes. We'll stop to get up close and personal with Icelandic Horses - learn why they are unique, where they came for and what they mean to the Icelandic people. Today we'll also visit the Tingvellir, the ancient Icelandic Parliament which is located at an incredible spot on a geological fault line.
Day 4
Today we leave Reykjavik and head down to the Blue Lagoon where you'll get a chance to bathe in the natural geothermic warm waters of a Lava Field. As the most visited attraction in the country, the place has become iconic. We'll get there early in the morning and attempt to be first so you're not part of the crowds. We'll spend two hours here and those that don't want to participate can enjoy a drinks voucher, chilling out at the bar and having a look about the giftshop or through the glass at the bathers enjoying this unique experience. We'll continue on to one of our favourite scenic areas in Iceland, the Lava Park UNESCO Reykjanesfolkvangur. It's an out of this world landscape with lava formations, crater lakes, bird cliffs and bubbling geothermic fields.
We'll stop for lobster soup and bread rolls in a very interesting fishing town not visited often by tourists. We love it here. Onwards to the Black Beach and Glacier Lagoon - one of the most Instagramable places of sheer natural beauty in Iceland.
We'll overnight in Vik for two nights. Vik is the old norse for Bay - hence the word Vikings - Bay Raiders or Bay Dwellers.
Day 5
Today we've got a visit to the Lava Centre - an incredible visit with superb Audio Visual about the geographical and geological uniqueness of Iceland. Drone footage and incredible visuals capture the spirit, active volcanoes, Northern Lights and much more. This is a truly excellent educational visit. There's a very good cafe here if you want to grab a cup.
We'll visit a folk musuem and have a private tour of the facility - learning about how the Icelandic people are incredibly resourceful - what they eat, drink and how they used all the parts of an animal for surviva. We'll learn about boat building, clothes, language and the ethnicity of the Icelandic people, as well as seeing the traditional homes people used to live in. We'll see a couple more interesting natural sights today - a spectacular waterfall and an amazing beach before heading back to the hotel.
Day 6
Today we leave Vik for Hofn, an imporant fishing town and we'll stop for some incredible views along the Eastern Fjords on the way. One night here.
Day 7
Today we're up to Egilstaddir where there are some great museums on the rural life of the Interior Highlands of Iceland - a land known to few foreigners. We'll learn about traditional flora and fauna as well as try some Iceland Viking Starkur beer and fermented shark. There's a very interesting story to this and is part of the daily life of Iceland people - a land dominated by the sea and weather. Learn about the Local Icelandic "Loch Ness" Monster - Scotland isn't the only country with the legend of a giant creature occupying the deep waters. Overnight here.
Day 8
Today we'll continue on to the beautiful scenery at Lake Myvatn, one of our favourite areas in the country. The mountains and landscapes in this area are incredible. We'll overnight in Akureyri for two nights.
Day 9
Today is a day at leisure to enjoy the second city of the country - try some of the local dining options, musuems, galleries and perfectly clean air. It will be a good day to stretch the legs and explore at your own pace.
Day 10
Today we're back to Reyjavik with some important geological stops on the way and a couple of cultural visits. Stay tonight in the same central hotel as you did upon arrival. As your last night on the island why not taste the best of Iceland before we head out on the Bay for the Cruise to see the Northern Lights again.
Day 11
Transfer to the airport, bid adieu to your driver/guide and we hope you have a safe journey home or on to one of our other Travel Experiences in Continental Europe or Great Britain. Edinburgh and Glasgow are a short flight away for example. People often combine Scandinavia, Ireland and Great Britain or Eastern Europe with this trip.