Summer: Iceland's Fantastic Interior

Iceland's Fantastic Interior 7 nights

7 nights, late June - late August

ICELAND'S FANTASTIC INTERIOR, 7 NIGHTS, 8 DAYS
7 NIGHTS, FROM LATE JUNE TO LATE AUGUST

Attention:
The roads in the highlands are not paved and are often very bumpy. There are numerous, large potholes and sometimes very sharp rocks strewn on the road so it is important to drive carefully here. Along the way, there are no bridges so you have to drive your vehicle through the water in order to cross the rivers. Sometimes these are glacial rivers where the water is cloudy, so it’s not possible to see the bottom. The riverbed can be sandy, muddy, or very gritty so it is wise to take high boots along so that you can explore the crossing on foot before driving through it. It is a good idea to wait for another car to drive through first. This enables you to see the best path to take and how deep the water actually is. It is always best to cross when someone else is around just in case you need help. A highland tour is not suitable for everyone.
This is a short but interesting tour, where you get to experience the main highland routes around Iceland as well as visit the popular highlights. You will have plenty of time to see and enjoy a large part of the country. For those who want an adventurous journey, but have a limited number of days, this trip is ideal.

Highlights

The Kjölur highland route, which brings you to the hot spring area Hveravellir
Akureyri, the small but charming "Capital of the North"
Lake Mývatn with all its natural wonders, such as Dimmuborgir lava labyrinth and solfataras of Námaskarð
Dettifoss, Europe's most powerful waterfall
The Sprengisandur highland route, where you have to drive through un-bridged rivers
The incredible and colorful area of Landmannalaugar
Eldgjá, a huge volcanic fissure
The glacier lake Jökulsárlón with its colossal icebergs
Skaftafell National Park and waterfall Svartifoss
Skógar, a hamlet with a beautiful waterfall (Skógafoss) and an interesting folk museum
A look at Hekla, Iceland's notorious volcano
Iceland's most famous attractions: Geysir, Gullfoss and Þingvellir
The capital Reykjavík
The Blue Lagoon, a warm, blue lake where you can relax and soak
And much more....

Practical information

This trip is only available from late June to late August.
It takes eight days and seven nights to complete.
The tour must be driven in a proper 4x4 vehicle, like a Nissan Qashqai or bigger, or a Dacia Duster. We do not recommend the Suzuki Jimny for highland trips.
You will drive up to 200 to 400 km per day, with a total of ca. 2000 km during the week.
Most nights will be spent in a different hotel although once during the trip it is possible that you stay for two nights in the same hotel.
To find prices, you can use our simple trip calculator where it is possible to calculate the cost for the package you desire without having to book the trip.

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ITINERARY

DAY 1

Day 1: KEFLAVÍK–BLUE LAGOON-REYKJAVÍK
After you arrive at Keflavík airport, you will pick up your rental car. If you arrive during the day, you can visit the famous Blue Lagoon, filled with natural, mineral-rich hot water. After a refreshing swim surrounded by the lunar landscape of lava fields and a geothermal plant, you drive to Reykjavík, where you will stay overnight. If your flight arrives late in the evening you will drive straight to your accommodation, but they you will visit the Blue Lagoon on your last day instead.

DAY 2

Day 2: ÞINGVELLIR-GEYSIR-GULLFOSS-KJÖLUR-SKAGAFJÖRÐUR
Drive to Þingvellir National Park, where the ancient outdoor parliament was founded in 930. This area is also very interesting from a geological point of view, since it’s situated on top of the mid-Atlantic ridge where two of earth’s tectonic plates slowly drift apart. Because of this, you can hike down into a fissure (named Almannagjá) created between the two plates. After exploring this magnificent spot, you drive to Laugarvatn and then the tour continues to the Geysir hot spring area with its famous spouting spring Strokkur and a great number of bubbling, steaming, boiling springs. After this, you will visit one of the most beautiful, and certainly the most famous waterfall in Iceland, Gullfoss. Now your highland adventure begins as you drive on the unpaved road called the Kjölur track and cross the highlands. Between the glaciers Langjökull and Hofsjökull, you will pass by Hveravellir, a site with numerous hot springs. Further north, you pass the artificial lake created by the Blönduvirkjun Hydro-Power Plant. Finally, you return to civilisation and you check into your hotel in Skagafjörður.

DAY 3

Day 3: AKUREYRI-MÝVATN
Continue over the impressive Öxnadalsheiði pass (1800 ft) to Akureyri, the most important town of the north. It is often called the "Capital of the North" and here you can enjoy some shopping and sightseeing. There’s a very lovely botanical garden in the town we recommend you visit. When you are done, you continue to visit Goðafoss waterfall and then you drive to the Mývatn area, where you spend the rest of the day (and even the evening!) sightseeing. We recommend visits to the pseudo-craters of Skútustaðir and to Dimmuborgir, a beautiful lava labyrinth where very strange rock formations provide shelter for the abundant vegetation. A walk is definitely a good idea! You can take a 10 minute stroll or hike for 2 - 3 hours, it is up to you! Another interesting place to visit is Námaskarð solfataras, with its boiling, grey mud pools, yellowish sulfur deposits and the unforgettable smell. Finally, you should not forget to visit the Mývatn Nature Baths, where you can relax in natural hot water.

DAY 4

Day 4: TJÖRNES PENINSULA AND DETTIFOSS
Today, you drive north along Tjörnes peninsula. First, you make a stop at the fishing village of Húsavík where you will find a whale museum and another local museum. Be sure to spend some time at the picturesque harbor where you can book an optional whale watching trip. You can also visit a charming church here. Then, you continue north along the peninsula and drive to Ásbyrgi, a horse-shoe shaped gorge, where a small forest shelters along the 100m high rock walls. Take a short walk to see the beautiful, little pond at the back of the canyon. Next, you drive onward to Jökulsárgljúfur national park, where you first visit the wondrous rock formations Hljóðaklettar and then drive to Dettifoss waterfall, which is Europe’s most powerful. You have to take a walk to see the falls, and you can reach the edge of the fall to fully appreciate the 44m drop. When you leave there, you continue your way over a bumpy track, until you come to the main road leading back to Mývatn. The night will be spent either in Mývatn or in Akureyri.

DAY 5

Day 5: SPRENGISANDUR-HRAUNEYJAR
Today there is another highland adventure! You will drive over Sprengisandur to the south of Iceland. On the way, you visit the beautiful Aldeyjarfoss waterfall and if the weather is clear, you can have magnificent sights of Hofsjökull and Vatnajökull glaciers. In the middle of the highlands, you have to cross two large rivers, so some adventure is guaranteed. You will also see the large lakes that provide Iceland’s largest hydropower stations with water before returning to civilization. Late in the afternoon, you check into a highland guesthouse.

DAY 6

Day 6: LANDMANNALAUGAR-ELDGJÁ-KIRKJUBÆJARKLAUSTUR
Today is another adventurous day, leaving civilisation again for a while to visit Landmannalaugar, with its many hot springs surrounded by very colorful mountains. This is an ideal spot for some hiking and exploring. From there you continue over a rough track to Eldgjá gorge, where you can hike to the charming waterfall Ófærufoss. Continue further until you return to the main road, which leads you to the village of Kirkjubæjarklaustur where you will spend the night.

DAY 7

Day 7: JÖKULSÁRLÓN-SKAFTAFELL-SOUTH COAST-SELFOSS
Start the day by driving from Kirkjubæjarklaustur further east. On the way, you can make a stop at Dverghamrar with its basalt columns, but then you continue to the Skaftafell area, where you can take some time to enjoy the marvels of the Skaftafell National Park. There are many opportunities for hiking in the park and a walk to Svartifoss waterfall (1 1/2 hrs in total) is highly recommended. It is possible to actually drive all the way to the glacier tongue Svínafellsjökull! From there, you continue east along the south coast and make the most important stop of the day at Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon where large icebergs float in the water. It's possible to make an optional boat trip (amphibian boat or zodiac) on the lagoon, which lasts ca. 40 minutes and takes you closer to the icebergs. You will also be provided with great opportunities to take spectacular pictures of the icebergs. After this stop, drive back the same way you came, and follow the main road along the south shore. You have the opportunity, to visit Dyrhólaey bird cliff to see the puffins (mid May until mid August). Then you drive on to the village of Skógar, with its lovely waterfall (Skógafoss) and a charming folk museum. You will over night in Selfoss, along the south coast.

DAY 8

Day 8: REYKJAVÍK-KEFLAVÍK
Depending on the departure time of your flight, you will either drive back to Keflavík early in the morning or have some more time to enjoy the capital before catching your return flight. In the city, you can walk down the old town street full of boutiques and restaurants or visit one of the many galleries and museums. There are also two shopping malls, a botanical garden in a lovely park, a small zoo (with mostly domestic animals), wonderful outdoor, year-round swimming pools, a world class spa, bowling alleys, fitness centers, and many other things to do. In the afternoon or early evening, you might also have time to drive to the famous Blue Lagoon, for a refreshing swim before you return to Keflavík airport for the return flight.

Note: we reserve the right to reverse the itinerary.

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RECOMMENDED EXCURSIONS

Whale safari boat trip

Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon amphibian boat trip

Skógar/Sólheimajökull - Snowmobile ride on Mýrdalsjökull

Whale safari boat trip

Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon amphibian boat trip

Skógar/Sólheimajökull - Snowmobile ride on Mýrdalsjökull

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TOYOTA HILUX 4x4 HARD SIDE

Excursions

ICELAND'S FANTASTIC INTERIOR, 7 NIGHTS, 8 DAYS 7 NIGHTS, FROM LATE JUNE TO LATE AUGUST

Highlights

Practical information

ITINERARY

RECOMMENDED EXCURSIONS

ICELAND'S FANTASTIC INTERIOR, 7 NIGHTS, 8 DAYS
7 NIGHTS, FROM LATE JUNE TO LATE AUGUST