Essential Iceland
8 Days/7 Nights Escorted Tour

1. day

REYKJAVIK

Arrival at Keflavík International Airport. Transfer by Flybus shuttle without assistance from KeflavikAirport to your hotel in Reykjavik, the northernmost capital in the world. Along the way, you'll passthrough lunar landscapes heavily marked by volcanic activity. Day spent at leisure. Meals on your own (not included). Overnight at hotel in Reykjavík.
Important: There is no Meet & Greet at the airport and your guide will NOT be present on that day. Transfer to Reykjavíkand check-in at the hotel is without assistance. Day and evening spent at leisure in Reykjavík.

2. day

Reykjavík – Borgarfjörður – Skagafjörður – Eyjafjörður

Pick-up by your guide at the hotel in the morning around 9 a.m.
Departure towards the Borgarfjörður region. The road passes through a tunnel under the mouth of theHvalfjörður fjord and then turns towards the beautiful Hvítá valley, the "white river." Geothermal activityis intense in some places, as can be seen at the Deildartunguhver site, where a series of micro-geysersspout 180 liters of boiling water per second! Further on, the Hraunfossar waterfalls present an idyllicscene where the clear waters of multiple small cascades merge into the milky flows of the Hvítá river.Slightly upstream, around the Barnafoss waterfall, the riverbed narrows, and we feel the vibrations of itstumultuous rapids.
We then head north through the Höltavörðuheiði moorlands. The road winds between the waters of theArctic Ocean and landscapes shaped during the last ice age. Marshy moorlands, rounded mountains,and farmland succeed each other until we reach the Skagafjörður fjord region. Here, we make a stop atthe Glaumbær folk museum, a charming traditional turf farm with roofs covered in lush grass! The visitwill help you become more acquainted with the harsh life of past Icelandic countryside (included).
At the end of the day, we cross the Öxnadalsheiði pass, an immense trench carved by glaciers of thelast ice age in the Tröllaskagi mountains, the "Trolls Peninsula." The road opens up to the majesticEyjafjörður fjord, where we will stay for the next couple of nights.
Stop en route for lunch (lunch not included).
Dinner (included) and overnight at hotel in Eyjafjörður and Akureyri area.

3. day

Akureyri – Goðafoss – Mývatn – Eyjafjörður

We leave the area of Akureyri and the shores of Eyjafjörður for those of Lake Mývatn. On the way,we stop at the Goðafoss waterfall, a beautiful site where the Skjálfandi River has created astunning arrangement of cascades. Once we reach the Mývatn region, we will make multiple stopsat sites that are both surprising and magnificent. The area encompasses a wide variety of volcaniclandscapes and natural sites, as well as a rich birdlife.
We'll take a walk amidst the pseudo-craters of Skútustaðir, then navigate through the labyrinthinelava formations of Dimmuborgir, the "dark citadel." Next, we'll visit the geothermal area ofNámaskarð, where numerous solfataras, fumaroles, and bubbling mud pots emit strong sulfuricodours. Finally, we'll explore the volcanic zone of the Krafla volcano, where we'll discover theexplosive crater of Víti and the extraordinary geothermal area of Leirhnjúkur. It was here thatbetween 1975 and 1984, a series of volcanic eruptions left behind a series of small craters and avast expanse of black lava.
At the end of the day, before returning to the Akureyri region for the night, we'll visit the Mývatngeothermal baths (included) for a delightful experience in warm, milky waters, in a pool overlookingLake Mývatn and its surroundings.
Stop en route for lunch (lunch not included).
Dinner (included) and overnight at hotel in Eyjafjörður and Akureyri area.

4. day

Húsavík – Ásbyrgi – Dettifoss – Egilsstaðir

Departure towards the Skjálfandi Bay and the charming fishing harbour of Húsavík, where you'll havethe opportunity to embark on a whale-watching cruise to spot humpback whales, blue whales, and otherwhite-beaked dolphins that inhabit the bay (optional with supplement). Alternatively, for those notenticed by a whale-watching cruise, there's the option to visit the GeoSea geothermal baths (optionalwith supplement).
We then circumnavigate the Tjörnes Peninsula along a road that overlooks the waters of the ArcticOcean before descending towards the Öxarfjörður Bay. There, we go for a stroll in Ásbyrgi, animpressive horseshoe-shaped gorge and former bed of the great glacial river Jökulsá á Fjöllum. It's thesame turbulent river that we will later discover in its present course, specifically at Dettifoss, Europe'smost powerful waterfall, which marks the beginning of the stunning Jökulsárgljúfur canyons.
Next, we cross the desert regions of Möðrudalsöræfi to reach to the more fertile region of Hérað andLake Lagarfljót. It is said that an aquatic monster lives in the waters of this lake... Perhaps a distantcousin of the Loch Ness Monster?
Stop en route for lunch (lunch not included).
Dinner (included) and overnight at hotel in Egilsstaðir area.

5. day

East Fjords – Höfn

Discovery of the stunning East Fjords region. Chains of mountains with steep slopes and sharp peaks separate sparkling fjords that harbor numerous small fishing communities.
The road winds between the sea and the mountains towards the south and the small port of Djúpivogur. Between the Hvalnes and Stokknes capes, we pass through the beautiful Lónsvík bay.
Occasionally, along our journey and depending on the season, we might catch a glimpse of a herd of reindeer or observe the graceful flight of swans. As we approach our destination in the Höfn region, we enter the realm of Vatnajökull. With an area comparable to that of the islands of Corsica or Puerto Rico, not only is it Iceland's largest glacier but also the largest in Europe!
Stop en route for lunch (lunch not included).
Dinner (included) and overnight at hotel in Höfn area.

6. day

Jökulsárlón – Skaftafell – Vík

Exploration of Vatnajökull Glacier area, observing numerous glacial tongues along our route. At Jökulsárlón glacial lagoon, the glacier breaks into stunning icebergs that drift peacefully towards the ocean (“Diamond Beach”). The lagoon is situated within a magnificent amphitheatre of glaciers, dominated by the majestic peak of Hvannadalshnúkur, Iceland's highest point (2110m). There, you can embark on an amphibious boat for 30 to 40 minutes, allowing you to cruise through the lagoon amidst
the icebergs (optional with supplement).
Further to the west, before crossing the Skeiðarársandur sand plains and reaching the towering cliffs of Lómagnúpur, Iceland's highest at 670m, we discover Skaftafell National Park. Under the gaze of Hvannadalshnúkur, this area is a true oasis bordered by the glacial tongues of Vatnajökull on one side and vast volcanic sand plains on the other.
Later on, we cross the beautiful region of Kirkjubæjarklaustur. Here, we come across the vast Eldhraun lava field, a result of the major Laki eruption that occurred in 1783 and was arguably one of the greatest disasters in Iceland's history.
As we approach the Mýrdalsjökull glacier and the village of Vík, the southernmost in Iceland, we traverse new expanses of black sands.
Stop en route for lunch (lunch not included).
Dinner (included) and overnight at hotel in Vík or Kirkjubæjarklaustur area.

7. day

South Coast – Gullfoss – Geysir – Thingvellir – Reykjavik

Exploration of the Vík region and its enchanting landscapes, featuring majestic peaks crowned by enormous glaciers, endless shores covered in volcanic black sand, bird-clad cliffs rising like
basaltic organs, and lush farmland.
We stop at the shores of Reynisfjara, where ocean waves crash against stunning basalt column cliffs. At Skógar, we discover the powerful Skógarfoss waterfall. Under the watchful eyes of fulmar petrels nesting nearby, we'll feel the powerful mist of the waterfall. We also make a visit to Seljalandsfoss waterfall, as beautiful as it is unique, as it is possible to walk behind it.
Before returning to Reykjavík, we make a final detour to explore the sites of the Golden Circle, some of the most famous in Iceland. We visit Gullfoss waterfall, where the Hvítá River plunges into a beautiful canyon in two stages.
Nearby, we wander through the Geysir geothermal area, where the geyser Strokkur shoots water and steam up to nearly 20 meters in the air every 5 to 8 minutes. Finally, we take a walk in Þingvellir National Park, amidst a vast rift plain marked by fissures resulting from the separation of tectonic plates. It's here, specifically at the widest and most beautiful of these fissures, Almannagjá, that Viking chieftains gathered starting in the early 10th century to establish the laws of the land.
Stop en route for lunch (lunch not included).
Dinner on your own (not included).
Overnight at hotel in Reykjavík.
Important: Your guide will drop you off at the hotel upon arrival in Reykjavík but will not be present in the evening or the following day. Evening in Reykjavík spent at leisure.

8. day

REYKJAVIK

Transfer without assistance with Flybus shuttle from your hotel to Keflavík International Airport for your return flight.
Important: Your guide will not be present on this day. Transfer to the airport is without assistance.