Around Iceland
along the ring road
All Year
This itinerary is a suggestion for private groups who want to see as much of Iceland as possible by driving once around the island along the ring road.
We have a range of charming guesthouses and hotels (3 to 5 Star hotels) in the countryside that can accommodate small and larger private groups. All of our hotels have excellent restaurants and bar facilities. During the Northern Lights season (September/October to March/April) a countryside location is always preferrable since it will give you better darkness to see the lights. Please note that this itinerary is just an example and days can be exchanged, the program can be shortened or altered to your wishes! |
Type: Multi - day bus tour with private guide
Duration: 11 days / 10 nights Difficulties: Easy Area: Reykjavik, Around Iceland Accommodation: Your choice Meals: Your choice Language / Guide: Your choice Please contact us for an individual offer for your family or group! This program can be run all through the year with a few limitations regarding some of the activities. We are happy to make you an offer with accommodation ranging from simple guesthouses to Luxury Hotels! |
Itinerary Suggestion
Day 1 Arrival – Reykjanes - Blue Lagoon – Short City sightseeing for orientation – Free time Meet and Greet with your private designated guide in the arrival hall at Keflavík Airport. We take a tour along the volcanic Reykjanes Peninsula with its fissures, craters and rough coastline, home to thousands of seabirds. We visit the Blue Lagoon for a refreshing bath after the flight before going either directly to your hotel in the capital area or take you for a short orientation city sightseeing tour where our guide will point out the places of interes such as best shopping areas, The Old Harbor area, various museums and exhibitions. Evening spend individually. Good to know:
Day 2 Golden Circle with waterfalls, hot spring, Greenhouse restaurant and some easy hikes Today we leave after breakfast for an extended sightseeing tour along the Golden Circle route with your private knowledgeable professional guide. You will explore Thingvellir National Park which sits right upon the Mid Atlantic ridge where the continents drift apart. With your guide you will walk about the historical parliament grounds and learn about the fascinating Icelandic medieval history. We recommend to stop for lunch at a lovely Greenhouse restaurant Friðheimar where you can choose from a number of very tasty home made dishes. It is a wonderful place everybody loves! Of course we will also visit Geyser Hot spring and Gullfoss Waterfall and if you are interested in a small and easy hike we know of a lovely area close by that offers both beautiful nature, views and a highly interesting historical background. Good to know:
Day 3 Exploring the Wonders of the South Shore with waterfalls, glaciers and black lava beaches Today your group will spend the whole day exploring magnificent South Coast to see the magnificent waterfalls Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss. You can even walk behind Seljalandsfoss! We will drive to the glacier lagoon of Sólheimajökull and visit the Black Lava Beach Reynisfjara with its beautiful basalt columns. Good to know:
Day 4 Glacier Lagoon and National Park Skaftafell Today we explore the magnificient glacier lagoons Jökulsárlón and Fjallsárlón with its floating icebergs. We also visit the Fjaðrágljúfur canyon and the Diamond Beach with its sparkling melting icebergs. Here is another possibility to go for an ice cave tour. In Skaftafell National Park we have the opportunity to pick from a selection of easy to challenging walks while visiting Svartifoss waterfall and hike through the beautiful Arctic birch forest of Skaftafell framed by a glacier tongue. Good to know:
Day 5 Eastfjords of Iceland We explore the charming Eastfjords, one of the least populated areas in Iceland with breathtaking mountain and ocean views. Depending on your wishes we can either take the scenic route along the shoreline or take a more direct route to have time for visiting the Wilderness Center with its fantastic Wilderness Expedition. Good to know:
Day 6 Lake Mývatn Today we head for North East Iceland to spend some time in the beautiful Lake Mývatn area. You will be hiking within peculiar lava formations at Dimmuborgir and between pseudocraters at Skútustaðir. The geothermal field of Námaskarð greets you with numerous boiling mudfields and an uncanny smell of sulphur! Good to know:
Day 7 The Diamond Circle - Dettifoss Waterfall – Ásbyrgi Canyon The South has the Golden but the North has its Diamond Circle and today you will be sightseeing Europe´s most powerful waterfall Dettifoss and the beautiful horse shoe shaped canyon Ásbyrgi. We will also visit Húsavík – one of the best Whale Watching harbors in Iceland! Good to know:
Day 8 Akureyri – The capital of the North As we have been doing a lot of driving we will today only take a short drive to Akureyri, a beautiful town set in the Eyjafjörður region. On the way we will visit Goðafoss, a large and impressive waterfall with a fascinating history dating back to the time of settlement. In Akureyri we will go on a short city orientation tour before you get plenty of time to explore this beautiful town on your own with its numerous museums, a charming Botanic Garden, a lovely harbor site and a lovely shopping area with book shops and Icelandic art and wool products. Good to know:
Day 9 North West Iceland We leave Akureyri in the morning and drive along the remote North West part of Iceland where few farms are settled along the ring road, many of the families in this area are living still as traditional sheep and horse farmers. We could stop for an easy hike up Grábrók crater or stop at a Seal Museum at Hvammstangi Town. Good to know:
Day 10 Snæfellsnes Peninsula Today we drive off to explore the natural wonders of West Iceland as we drive around the charming Snæfellsnes Peninsula – often called Iceland in a nutshell as all the Icelandic landscapes can be found here in one place: Glaciers and volcanoes, black and golden beaches, bird cliffs and seal colonies, high mountains and green meadows. Return to Reykjavík in the evening. Good to know:
Day 11 West Iceland – Reykjavík In the morning we explore the natural wonders of West Iceland by visiting the wonderful Hvítárfossar waterfalls often also called Lava falls. We can visit the huge lava cave Viðgelmir and/or explore a man-made icetunnel. We learn about medieval literature at Reykholt, the historical home of one of Iceland´s most famous historian and statesman Snorri Sturluson before returning to Reykjavík in the evening. Good to know:
Day 12 Private transfer to airport and departure Enjoy a private transfer to Keflavík International Airport. Maps of the tour |