Winter: Relaxing in Iceland, Northern Lights

Relaxing in Iceland 7 nights

7 nights or more, October-April

This is a trip for those who wish to enjoy Iceland when it's not so busy. You can choose between two possible areas of travel - a trip that focuses especially on the south coast or one that explores the southwest corner of Iceland. During winter, the southwest is more suitable due to the possibly difficult driving conditions. Conversely, the south of Iceland offers many opportunities especially in the fall. If you choose the South you can stay either 3 or 4 nights in Kirkjubæjarklaustur. For those who wish to spend some extra time in the capital city of Reykjavík, it is best to begin your journey on a Thursday and stay only 3 nights in Kirkjubæjarklaustur. If you prefer the outdoors and enjoy hiking, it would be best to begin your trip on a Sunday and stay 4 nights in Kirkjubæjarklaustur. You will stay in two different summer houses for a total of 7 nights. It is possible to extend your trip with one or more nights in a Reykjavík hotel either at the beginning or at the end of your trip. It is also possible to extend your stay in a summer house by 3 or 4 nights. The highlights, of course, will vary depending on which area you choose to travel. Staying in a summer cottage provides many advantages if you prefer to stay settled longer. You will still have ample opportunity to see the sights without having to pack up and move every day. Staying in a summer house can also be more economical since you can cook for yourself in the fully equipped kitchens. This journey is especially suitable for people with children who may need plenty of room to unwind at the end of the day! Finally, if you want to see the Northern Lights during the winter months, chances increase when you stay in a summer house outside the city.

Highlights

Borgarfjörður with Hraunfossar waterfalls and Iceland's largest hot spring
Snæfellsnes peninsula with Arnarstapi’s bird cliffs and basalt formations and Snæfellsjökull glacier
Jökulsárlón Glacial Lagoon, with its floating icebergs
The Skaftafell National Park and waterfall Svartifoss
Skógar, where the waterfall Skógafoss and interesting Skógar Folk Museum is
Iceland's most famous highlights: the hot springs area of Geysir and Gullfoss waterfall
Þingvellir National Park, the site of Iceland’s ancient parliament
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 during the low season (Ending no later than June 12th and beginning no earlier than August 25th).
The trip takes eight days and seven nights but can be extended in various ways.
Any type of car can be used.
Driving distance is approximately 200 to 400 km per day.
IMPORTANT: The changeover days of summer cottages are ONLY on Thursdays and Sundays, so you can only stay in each cottage from Sunday to Thursday or from Thursday to Sunday. If you wish to arrive or depart on other weekdays it is always possible to extend the trip by adding one or more nights at a hotel. You also have the option to extend your cottage stay by 3 or 4 nights in the area of your choice.
Note: We reserve the right to reverse the order of the booking dependent upon availability. If you prefer, you can also ask to reverse your itinerary and we will do our best to accommodate you.
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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South-West variation:

7 nights: 3 (or 4) nights Borgarfjörður, 4 (or 3) nights South-West.

In detail:

DAY 1

Day 1 (Thursday or Sunday): KEFLAVÍK - BORGARFJÖRÐURAfter you arrive at Keflavík airport, you will pick up your rental car. After that, you drive to Reykjavík, where you can do some shopping, if you like. Next, continue on to your house located in the Borgarfjörður area.

DAY 2

Day 2 (Friday or Monday): HÚSAFELL-HRAUNFOSSAR-REYKHOLT-DEILDARTUNGUHVERToday, you drive through the province of Borgarfjörður, where you can visit some amazing sights! First, make a stop at the summer resort of Húsafell, where you can have a swim in a lovely, geothermal heated swimming pool. Next, visit the fantastic and mysterious waterfalls Hraunfossar where a whole row of small waterfalls tumble out of the lava, into a passing river. Then you should take some time to explore the village Reykholt, where you can see the 13th century "hot pot" built by historian Snorri Sturluson. Finally, visit Deildartunguhver which is Iceland’s largest hot spring, producing 180 l of near boiling water per minute. When you have finished exploring this area, you return to your overnight accommodation.

DAY 3

Day 3 (Saturday or Tuesday): SNÆFELLSNES-STYKKISHOLMUR-BORGARNESThis day is dedicated entirely to the Snæfellsnes peninsula. First, the trip goes west along the south shore of the peninsula until you arrive at Arnarstapi bird cliffs. A walk here is strongly recommended, because of the lovely basalt formations, as well as the numerous nesting birds, such as kittiwakes and arctic terns. At the tip of the peninsula, there are many picturesque places to stop, such as Þúfubjarg bird cliff (this involves a short walk away from the main road) and Djúpalónssandur beach where a rocky path brings you down to an impressive black beach. On a clear day, you might get a nice view of Snæfellsjökull glacier, an old volcano surrounded by lava fields. Afterwards, you drive along the north side of the peninsula through various fishing villages, such as Ólafsvík, Grundarfjörður and Stykkishólmur. In Stykkishólmur, it is possible to take an optional boat trip on Breiðafjörður Fjord, enjoying the rich bird-life, lovely basalt formations, and scallops that are caught fresh during the trip. At the end of the day, dive back to your house near Borgarnes.

DAY 4

Day 4 (Sunday or Wednesday): REYKJAVÍKThis is the day to sample the delights of Reykjavík. 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. Don’t forget to visit Hallgrímskirkja Church and Perlan, where a revolving restaurant sits on top of the city’s hot water tanks offering a fantastic view over the city. 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. It is also possible to book a whale-watching tour out of Reykjavík or even go fishing. Finally, you either drive back to your house in Borgarfjörður, or you continue to the next house in the south, depending on the weekday.

DAY 5

Day 5 (Monday or Thursday): REYKJANESToday, you should make an excursion to Reykjanes. It starts with a visit to the boiling mud pools of Krísuvík. Then, visit the fishing village Grindavík where you can stop at a quaint fishing museum. The highlight of this day is a visit to the famous Blue Lagoon, a lake filled with natural, mineral-rich hot water. Enjoy a refreshing swim surrounded by the lunar landscape of lava fields and even a massage floating in the geothermal waters. After you are nice and relaxed, continue your drive to the tip of the peninsula, where you can look out over the ocean. A little further, you can visit the "bridge between the continents”, a symbolic bridge that indicates where about the European and American tectonic plates come together. Finally, it is worth your time to visit the church of Bessastaðir before returning to your accommodation for the night.

DAY 6

Day 6 (Tuesday or Friday): ÞINGVELLIR-GULLFOSS-GEYSIR-ÞJÓRSÁRDALURToday, you will start by driving 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 on to the Geysir hot spring area with its famous spouting 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. From Gullfoss, continue via the charming gorge of Brúarhlöð to Flúðir. If you like, you can continue through Þjórsárdalur valley, where you can visit the twin waterfall Hjálp, and the lovely small canyon Gjáin. If you have a 4x4 vehicle you can also drive to the waterfall Háifoss, Iceland's third highest waterfall. Then drive back to your accommodation.

DAY 7

Day 7 (Wednesday or Saturday): VÍK-DYRHÓLAEY-SKÓGAR-SELJALANDSFOSS-HVERAGERÐI/GEYSIRToday, you will drive over the sand plains of Mýrdalsjökull to the village of Vík, famous for its incredible black beach. Close by Vík, it is possible to drive up to Dyrhólaey cliff to see the puffins. There are puffins everywhere up until the middle of August and, if the weather is nice, there can be a lovely view of Mýrdalsjökull glacier. Next you can drive to the glacier tongue Sólheimajökull to get an up close view of the ice. Next, you should visit Skógar folk museum, a fantastic exhibit of old artifacts and other handicraft. Also, you will see Skógafoss, a beautiful 60m high waterfall! Continue on to Seljalandsfoss, a lovely waterfall which is very special: you can walk behind it – if you don’t mind getting wet! From here, continue on the ring road until you arrive at your next overnight accommodation.

DAY 8

Day 8 (Thursday or Sunday): KEFLAVÍK AIRPORTToday you drive back to Keflavik airport for your flight back home. If you have an afternoon flight, you still have some time to spend for shopping or visiting the city or the Blue Lagoon.

South variation:

In brief:

7 nights: 3 (or 4) nights Kirkjubæjarklaustur, 4 (or 3) nights South-West.

In detail:

DAY 1

Day 1 (Thursday or Sunday): KEFLAVÍK-KIRKJUBÆJARKLAUSTURAfter you arrive at Keflavík airport, you will pick up your rental car. Then you drive to Reykjavík, where you can do some shopping, if you like. Next, start off on your long drive along the south coast towards the east, through the villages of Hveragerði, Selfoss, Hella and Hvolsvöllur. From there you continue to the village of Vík and then you continue over Mýrdalssandur sand plains to your first cottage in the neighborhood of Kirkjubæjarklaustur. This is a long day, but you will also drive back along this road so you also have time later on to visit all the things there are to see along this route.

DAY 2

Day 2 (Friday or Monday): KIRKJUBÆJARKLAUSTUR-FJAÐRÁRGLJÚFURToday can relax a bit and also enjoy the surroundings of Kirkjubæjarklaustur. From the village, you can walk to Systrafoss waterfall. You can also make a short trip to the beautiful gorge Fjaðrárgljúfur where you will find another nice opportunity to take a nature walk. We also suggest taking a relaxing swim in Kirkjubæjarklaustur’s local swimming pool!

DAY 3

Day 3 (Saturday or Tuesday): SKAFTAFELL & GLACIER LAGOONToday, you have a whole day to explore Skaftafell national park. You can take a 1½ hour hike up to Svartifoss waterfall, surrounded by incredible basalt columns or walk in the direction of the glacier tongue Skaftafellsjökull. You can choose to drive to the glacier tongue Svínafellsjökull if you want an up close view of this unique site. There are also quite many other great hiking trails to be found in Skaftafell. Also, you continue a bit further east to visit the magnificent glacier lagoon Jökulsárlón where large icebergs float in the water. It's possible to make an optional boat-trip (by amphibian boat or by zodiac, whichever you prefer) on the lagoon (30-45 minutes) which brings you closer to the glacier itself and provides great opportunities to take spectacular pictures of the icebergs. After this you return to your house.

DAY 4

Day 4 (Sunday or Wednesday): EXTRA DAY SKAFTAFELL OR SOUTH SHOREIf the fourth day of your trip is a Sunday, you will drive back along the south coast today. You now will have good time to visit everything there is to see along this route: the village of Vík, the bird cliffs of Dyrhólaey (in summer!), the glacier tongue Sólheimajökull, the museum in Skógar and the waterfalls Skógafoss and Seljalandsfoss. Finally, you drive to your next house in the area of Selfoss/Hveragerði/Geysir.
If your fourth day is a Wednesday, you can spend more time in the Skaftafell National park and go for some fantastic hikes. This version is particularly suitable for people who like to hike!

DAY 5

Day 5 (Monday or Thursday): SOUTH SHORE OR REYKJANESIf the fifth day of your trip is a Monday, you should make an excursion to Reykjanes. It starts with a visit to the boiling mud pools of Krísuvík. Then, visit the fishing village Grindavík where you can stop at a quaint fishing museum. The highlight of this day is a visit to the famous Blue Lagoon, a lake filled with natural, mineral-rich hot water. Enjoy a refreshing swim surrounded by the lunar landscape of lava fields and even a massage floating in the geothermal waters. After you are nice and relaxed, continue your drive to the tip of the peninsula, where you can look out over the ocean. A little further, you can visit the "bridge between the continents”, a symbolic bridge that indicates where about the European and American tectonic plates come together. Finally, it is worth your time to visit the church of Bessastaðir before returning to your accommodation for the night.
If the fifth day is a Thursday, this is when you drive back along the south coast. You now will have good time to visit everything there is to see along this route: the village of Vík, the bird cliffs of Dyrhólaey (in summer!), the glacier tongue Sólheimajökull, the museum in Skógar and the waterfalls Skógafoss and Seljalandsfoss. Finally, you drive to your next house in the area of Selfoss/Hveragerði/Geysir.

DAY 6

Day 6 (Tuesday or Friday): REYKJAVÍK OR REYKJAVÍK & REYKJANES.On Tuesday, you can spend the whole day to visit Reykjavík and sample the delights of the capital. 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. Don’t forget to visit Hallgrímskirkja Church and Perlan, where a revolving restaurant sits on top of the city’s hot water tanks offering a fantastic view over the city. 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. It is also possible to book a whale-watching tour out of Reykjavík or even go fishing. Finally, you drive back to your accommodation for the last overnight stay.
If your 6th day falls on a Friday, you combine the visit to Reykjavík with the excursion to Reykjanes peninsula (see day 5).

DAY 7

Day 7 (Wednesday or Saturday): ÞINGVELLIR-GULLFOSS-GEYSIRToday, you will start by driving 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 on to the Geysir hot spring area with its famous spouting 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. From Gullfoss, continue via the charming gorge of Brúarhlöð to Flúðir. Next you can visit the lovely church at Skálholt, and then drive back to your accommodation.

DAY 8

Note:
We reserve the right to reverse the itinerary.

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