Iceland Explorer

We start in Reykjavik, the most northerly city in the world and gateway to the wider wonders of Iceland. Depending on when you land, you may have time to visit the Blue Lagoon. Alternatively, there’s plenty to explore in town, including the striking modern architecture of the Harpa concert hall and Hallgrímskirkja church. We gather in the evening at the hotel for a welcome briefing, which is normally at 6.30pm. After, our groups typically go out for dinner together.

Today we drive inland to Thingvellir, where the world’s first democratic parliament took place – the area became the first Icelandic national park in 1928 and a Unesco World Heritage site in 2004. Sitting right on top of a major fault line, it is the best place in Iceland to see the continental drift – the movement of the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates. Here they are pulling the earth apart as they inch away from each other, causing the land between to subside. Not surprisingly, the area abounds with waterfalls, immense fissures and the largest lake in the country. We then carry on to see the world-renowned geysers. The most reliable eruption comes every five to 10 minutes from the 98ft (30m) Strokkur geyser. To round off the day, we drive a short distance to Gullfoss, a huge waterfall in a 230ft (70m) deep canyon forged by the Hvita River (White River).

We head east to the foot of the infamous Eyjafjallajökull Ice Cap; this area was heavily affected by ash-fall during the 2010 eruption and a great deal of ice was melted by the boiling lava. The glacier feeds many beautiful waterfalls and we visit two of them: Skógafoss and Kvernufoss. Both have rushing water dropping 197ft (60m), and in the case of Skógafoss, a wall of water rushing down in a 82ft (25m) wide sheet. Continuing east, we cross the black flood plain of Solheimasandur before reaching the green valley of Myrdalur and continuing to Dyrhólaey. This 394ft (120m) high promontory is the southernmost point in Iceland. It is rich in bird life and a nesting site for puffins and Arctic terns in spring. If we are lucky, we might see whales and seals on calm days from the promontory. We continue further east to Vik, the southernmost town in Iceland and a great place to see the Reynisdrangar sea stacks. If time and conditions allow, we will see the Reynisdrangar sea stacks at closer proximity from Reynisfjara black beach. Then we travel further across the Mýrdalssandur and Skeiðarársandur flood plains. Both were formed by countless floods created by volcanic eruptions. We head for Vatnajökull National Park, home to the largest ice cap in Europe (also called Vatnajökull) and then on to Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon, where thousands of icebergs are separating from the largest glacier in the country and floating in the pale green sea-level lagoon. We take a walk beside the waters for excellent views. If conditions allow, we can head to the black-sand beach where chunks of ice are washed onto the shore by the sea, creating some wonderful shapes and formations. We then continue further east, with the steep mountains of Vatnajökull on one side and the exposed south coast on the other, to our accommodation.

Today is a day of scenic driving with several stops as we travel through fjord country. This stunning mountain region has been sculpted as much by glaciers as volcanic activity. The road winds from one fjord to another, passing a few farms in each fjord where there is enough flat land for hay fields. The birdlife is rich and in late summer, thousands of moulting whooper swans feed in the sheltered lagoon of Alftafjordur (Swan Fjord). We continue to the town of Egilsstadir.

Heading inland and west, we pass through the starkly contrasting desert scenery of the northeast highlands and follow the track that takes us to Jokuldalur valley and to Studlagil Canyon, one of the most beautiful canyons of columnar basalt in Iceland. Then it's on to Möðrudalur farmstead, the highest inhabited farm in Iceland at 469m (1,539ft) above sea level. The views from Möðrudalur are special, stretching far and wide across the rugged landscape. From Möðrudalur, we drive to the enormous Dettifoss waterfall* and walk 0.6mi (1km) to a great vantage point. This is the most powerful waterfall in Europe, bizarrely set in an arid area of sand and rock formations. After, we visit the Námafjall goethermal area before driving a short distance to Myvatn and the pseudocraters at Skútustaðir. Finally, we head to our hotel at Lake Myvatn. *The road to Detifoss may not be passable on some winter departures. Your tour leader will assess the local conditions and adapt the itinerary if required.

We spend the morning around Lake Myvatn and go for a short walk in Dimmuborgir, a vast area of lava towers and natural arches. Only a short distance from Dimmuborgir is Mount Hverfjall, a huge circular crater that's 460ft (140m) deep and 3,280ft (1,000m) wide. It is one of the most beautiful craters in Iceland, one which erupted some 2,500 years ago and covered the Myvatn area in tephra (fragments of volcanic rock). It is also thought to be one of the largest on the planet. A little further north is the hot-spring cave known as Grjótagjá, made famous by Game of Thrones. After Myvatn, we head to the Godafoss waterfall en route to Akureyri, where the afternoon is free to spend at leisure. Akureyri is a town of 17,000 inhabitants and is the biggest town outside the capital. It is the cultural, commercial and educational centre for northern Iceland and 37mi (60km) south of the Arctic Circle. Akureyri is remarkably green and has the northernmost botanical garden in the world. The Lutheran church in Akureyri is an interesting visit, featuring a stained-glass window thought to have come from a church in London, UK. As with most towns in Iceland there are also thermal baths, enjoyed as much by the locals as by visitors. And if you just fancy a wander, there are plenty of interesting shops, coffee shops and even ice cream parlours. If you would like to book a whale watching tour for this afternoon (March-October only), please speak to your tour leader at the welcome briefing.

We leave Akureyri and drive around the Troll Peninsula via traditional fishing villages. We stop at the magnificent outdoor swimming pool at the village of Hofsos, with time for an optional quick dip (not included). This remote geothermal swimming pool has some of the best views over Skagafjördur bay. A little further south, we arrive in the Víðidalur valley and make a short stop at beautiful waterfalls in Kolugljúfur canyon, named after a giantess said to have once lived in the area. From Kolugljúfur, we head to our nearby hotel.

Today we drive west to the Snæfellsnes Peninsula. Along the way, we visit a reconstructed Viking house once home to Erik the Red and his son Leif Erikson – the two most famous travelling Vikings. The Eiríksstaðir gives an interesting insight into the life of early settlers and an introduction to the historic tradition of the Icelandic Sagas. From Eiríksstaðir, we head to the village of Stykkishólmur. Snæfellsnes is best known for the stratovolcano Snæfellsjökull. Jules Verne, in his classic Journey to the Centre of the Earth, describes this as the start point for the characters' descent. New Age followers consider this area to be one of the Earth's seven major energy centres. We pass through fishing villages on the peninsula and head to one of the most photographed mountains in Iceland, Kirkjufell. We then head to the southern side of the peninsula to our accommodation on the beach with great views over Snæfellsjökull.

The exposed coast of the of Snæfellsnes Peninsula is the goal for today, and this area has recently been designated a national park. We visit the old church at Budir, one of the most picturesque in the country; the sea cliffs at Arnarstapi, swarming with birds; the rocks of Djúpalónssandur; and old shipwrecks in black basaltic sand. Our guide will tell us about the old cod-fishing methods, while towering above us is the Snæfellsjökull volcano. Some of the best fisheries are on the peninsula and whales can often be seen from shore on calm days. Finally, we return to our hotel in Reykjavik.

Our trip ends in Reykjavik after breakfast. You can catch a Flybus transfer to the airport to catch your return flight. Alternatively, if you’d like a bit longer to explore this invigorating city, speak to your sales representative about extending your stay.