7 Day - Iceland Ring Road & Snæfellsnes Peninsula Small-Group Tour

Traveler Reviews

• KS

  KATHLEEN2.0•July 2026
  Our 6-15 to 6-21 Ring Road guide and driver, HBO, did not know that our tour was organized by TourRadar. He had never...
  Our 6-15 to 6-21 Ring Road guide and driver, HBO, did not know that our tour was organized by TourRadar. He had never heard of it. He also didn’t know that we had signed up for a senior tour, which was supposed to be slower-paced and have more cultural sites and less strenuous hiking. He didn’t know and made no effort to find out. He was neither friendly nor very knowledgeable. Kathleen asked him if he was going to talk about the Icelandic sagas, which is part of the description. He snapped at me, “ I’ll talk about many things.” In other words, he told me to shut up. He never talked about Icelandic Sagas. HBO has a heavy accent and he only likes to say things once. On our first day, he said “You can get your lunch here but there will be many more places you can get lunch.” It was only 11 am and we weren’t hungry, so we thought it was just a place to get snacks and coffee, even though they served a nice lunch. We thought he would stop for lunch around noon so we only got coffee. The next several places only had snacks. By the time we go to the hotel late in the evening, we were extremely hungry. We asked him why he never stopped for lunch. He replied angrily he had stopped at several places where we could have got lunch. He was very upset with us. He was not part of the group. He talked only on the bus and didn’t guide a walking tour and explain things as we walked. The one exception was on a path that we would have got lost without guidance. At every stop, he got so far ahead of us, we missed everything he was saying. Instead of waiting until the whole group was there, he spoke and then just kept walking. He didn’t care if we heard him or not. There were several times we couldn’t see which way the group went. HBO only prided himself on his driving, not his guiding. We hired TourRadar for both driving and guiding. Solutions: 1. Know who the tour members signed up with. 2. if the Tour Guide doesn’t have an answer, tell the tour member they’ll get the answer and then give them the answer 3. Answer questions politely and patiently. No question is a stupid question. People ask questions because they want to know the answer. 4. Be a part of the group. Eat meals and go on the walks with tour members. If you have to take care of tour-related business, explain to the tour-members that you can’t join them for a meal or a walk. 5. Repeat things more than one time. If a place is the best lunch stop, tell the tour members. Let them know they won’t stop for lunch as a group. Don’t assume they know 6. Make sure the whole group is with you before you start talking. If they are walking toward you, they probably want to hear what you’re saying 7. Don’t wait for them to catch up and then start walking again. Get them a chance to rest. The other tour members have had a chance to rest, but the slower ones need to rest, too. 8. Make sure tour members know which way the group is going 9. Take as much pride in your guiding as you do in your driving. Things travelers have to deal with that tour guides don’t seem to realize or care about. This list deals primarily with Iceland but many of thes suggestions apply to all TourRadar tours. Tour guides should be more aware of and tell tour members more: • give your guests a few days to acclimate • Disorientation • Culture shock • Need to have a “buddy system”- someone who’s not a friend, relative, roommate or someone you’re traveling with who you do a “buddy check” with • Need to have nametags & ice-breaker activities • Sight, touch & hearing loss • Speakers should talk a little slower and louder to make sure the other person understands. You may be speaking the guest’s language but have an accent that makes it difficult to understand. Be patient with people who ask you to repeat something, even more than once • Sleepiness because of time zone change, hours of sunrise and sunset and eating just before a talk • 24 hours of daylight • Insect bites- whether stinging, itchy or infectious or not • Too many carbs and sweets offered at meals and not enough protein or vegetables • Vegetarian menu too bland • 24 hour vs 12 hour clock • Iceland doesn’t observe Daylight savings time like Seattle does • “Tourists go home” signs • Tourism is Iceland’s #1 economy but Icelanders really don’t want tourists there. They should make more of an effort to talk to people from other countries. Travelers come to Iceland because they’re interested in their history, culture, birds, animals, beauty, environment, etc. • Icelanders don’t make eye contact or talk to strangers. This is very odd since there’s such a low-crime rate. Strangers won’t hurt you. • Charges for using toilet • Changing hotels, toilets, light switches, bedding, personnel, every 1 or 2 days • Beds split into twins instead of full, queen, king, etc. When two twins are pushed together to make a double or queen, then covered with a sheet, there is still a dangerous gap between the two twin beds. A guest can get hurt falling into the crack. • Beds too hard or soft • Few or no pillows • Few or no hangers in hotel closets • Few or no elevators • Few or no public toilets • Few or no facecloths or washcloths • Few or no bathroom towel bars, hooks or racks • Businesses closing at 5 pm • Signs in national languages but not in your language. The main thing travelers need are the bathrooms, the restaurants, a clean, decent, and safe place to sleep, menus, toilets, toilet paper, how to find an address, streets, food stores, laundromats, transportation; many things are confusing • Climate • Weather • No right-of-way for pedestrians who face death or injury crossing the street; • Bicycles and motorcycle lanes aren’t well marked • Drivers don’t slow down for pedestrians who aren’t locals • Impossible to navigate windy, twisty streets in older sections of town • Distances given all in metric: meters, kilometers, centimeters without making an effort to change it to what guests use • Hard to find switches for lights, lamps, different plugs or too many but not working or unusable • Switches were hard to locate • No rhyme or reason to outlets and switches which are all over the place • Not having the right adapters or plug strips; tour guides should request that hotels provide what guests use • Stamps sold a non-post office, and only sell them only on certain days, or don’t have any or not the correct postage • Poor postal delivery • Paying excessive charges to mail a postcardShow more
  Traveled in June 2026
• BJ

  Barbara2.0•July 2026
  My Tourradar experience was unacceptable. the BusTravel experience was excellent. the issue was that I could NOT...
  My Tourradar experience was unacceptable. the BusTravel experience was excellent. the issue was that I could NOT access my messages in the TourRadar app. because the app continually gave me a message that user ID and password was not correct. when attempting to reset my password, i NEVER got the coded needed. Just now I signed in to leave a review for Bustravel Iceland and decided to try signing in using Google. It showed that that Google decided to link my email with another account which is DEFINATELY not me. This lack of communication meant that I didn't have access to my hotel for the night of July 4. We returned from a full day of travel and were dropped at a self checkin hotel at 9:30 PM. Fortunately there were 2 other couples in our group at the same hotel. One of the 3 of us was able to enter the building and their room And I was lucky that the person that covers the chat in the Bustravel app was working late and was able to provide the info needed. I seriously thought I would need to find another hotel for the night - or sleep in the breakfast area because the number to call at the hotel desk was not answered and Tourradar kept telling me to check my junk mail - which I had done EVERY time . I am DONE with TourRadar.Show more
  Traveled in July 2026
• 

  Tracey5.0•July 2026
  Kolbeinn was our tour guide for six days and he was amazing! He knew so much of Iceland's history and geography. He...
  Kolbeinn was our tour guide for six days and he was amazing! He knew so much of Iceland's history and geography. He also had a great sense of humor! He was always patient and kind. He always made sure our needs were met. I must say, I have traveled a lot and he has been the best!! I would highly recommend him. The tour had so much of Iceland's exceptional beauty. I would highly recommend this specific tour.Show more
  Traveled in July 2026
• 

  Dave4.0•July 2026
  Overall the tour was excellent in timing, planning and execution with great credit going to our highly knowledgeable...
  Overall the tour was excellent in timing, planning and execution with great credit going to our highly knowledgeable and driving ability of our tour guide...Kolli. Not only did we hit all the itinerary locations but if any extra time he allowed us to explore. The one hiccup was the first night in the hotel Cabin where due to noise we had difficulty sleeping and the room was too small for couples.Show more
  Traveled in July 2026
• 

  Tanya5.0•July 2026
  Great tour. It exeded my expectations. both guides Simon Adolf and Ottar were very knowledgeable and added their...
  Great tour. It exeded my expectations. both guides Simon Adolf and Ottar were very knowledgeable and added their unique flavors to the tour atmosphere.Show more
  Traveled in June 2026
  

  Reply from: BusTravel Iceland

  Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We’re thrilled to hear that the tour exceeded your expectations. It’s fantastic to know that both Simon Adolf and Ottar made such a positive impression with their knowledge and unique personalities, helping to create a memorable experience. We’ll be sure to pass along your kind words to them. We hope to welcome you back to Iceland again soon! Kind regards, BusTravel Iceland

  Show more
• MB

  Michael5.0•July 2026
  The tour was well organised and the itinerary was appropriate. The tour guide-"Sparky", was informative & very...
  The tour was well organised and the itinerary was appropriate. The tour guide-"Sparky", was informative & very knowledgeable , helpful and very passionate about Iceland. The accommodation was excellent, except for Hotel Cabin which was substandard--we paid extra to upgrade from the 10m2 room which did not even have a jug! Overall---a very worthwhile and enjoyable tour.Show more
  Traveled in June 2026
  

  Reply from: BusTravel Iceland

  Thank you for your wonderful 5-star review! We're delighted to hear you enjoyed the itinerary and found the tour well organized. It's especially great to know that Sparky's knowledge, enthusiasm, and passion for Iceland made your experience even more memorable. We also appreciate your feedback regarding Hotel Cabin. We're sorry it didn't meet your expectations and will take your comments into consideration as we continue to review our accommodation options. Thank you again for traveling with us. We hope to welcome you back to Iceland for another memorable adventure! Kind regards, BusTravel Iceland

  Show more
• 

  David5.0•June 2026
  Truly Excellent. Our Driver Dagur was knowledgeable, and took us to the great spots. Also, a more subtle point, he...
  Truly Excellent. Our Driver Dagur was knowledgeable, and took us to the great spots. Also, a more subtle point, he was good at setting the tone, for example calm music in the morning. The waterfalls, volcanoes, wildlife, and of course Diamond Beach were all unique. I highly recommend the optional ice cave tour, the drive there on a moon rover like vehicle was itself a “wild” experience.Show more
  Traveled in June 2026
  

  Reply from: BusTravel Iceland

  Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We’re delighted to hear you had such an excellent experience. Dagur will be thrilled to know you appreciated not only his knowledge and guiding but also the thoughtful atmosphere he created throughout the journey. It’s fantastic that you enjoyed Iceland’s incredible waterfalls, volcanoes, wildlife, and Diamond Beach. We’re also glad the optional ice cave tour was a highlight for you—the glacier ride is certainly an adventure in itself! Thank you for your recommendation, and we hope to welcome you back to Iceland again soon. Kind regards, BusTravel Iceland

  Show more
• 

  Rose5.0•June 2026
  great trip, saw a lot, well organized. highly recommen
  Traveled in June 2026
  

  Reply from: BusTravel Iceland

  Thank you for your wonderful review! We're delighted to hear you had a great trip, enjoyed seeing so much of Iceland, and found everything well organized. Thank you for your recommendation—we truly appreciate it! Kind regards, BusTravel Iceland

  Show more
• 

  r5.0•June 2026
  I absolutely loved it! Bus Travel Iceland was a great company to work with. Always answered my questions and easy to...
  I absolutely loved it! Bus Travel Iceland was a great company to work with. Always answered my questions and easy to communicate with. I am glad I found them on Tourradar. Our guide Sindri was the best, he truely made the trip wonderful with his information and history of Iceland! Our guide Addi for the 7th day was also great. Would recommend this company %100 and would use their services again in the future!Show more
  • 
  • 
  • 
  • 
  • 
  • 
  Traveled in May 2026
  

  Reply from: BusTravel Iceland

  Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We’re thrilled to hear that you loved your experience with us and found our team easy to communicate with throughout the booking process. It’s especially great to know that Sindri’s knowledge and passion for Iceland helped make your trip truly memorable, and we’re delighted that Addi made your final day just as enjoyable. Thank you for your 100% recommendation and for choosing BusTravel Iceland. We would love to welcome you back for another Icelandic adventure in the future! Kind regards, BusTravel Iceland

  Show more
• 

  Antoinette5.0•June 2026
  The first 6 days were fantastic! We could have skipped the peninsula. Should have done that first, but did it on the...
  The first 6 days were fantastic! We could have skipped the peninsula. Should have done that first, but did it on the 7 th day. Anticlimactic. Overall it was a great trip!Show more
  Traveled in May 2026
  

  Reply from: BusTravel Iceland

  Thank you for your 5-star review! We’re delighted to hear that you had a fantastic time on the tour and enjoyed your overall experience in Iceland. We appreciate your feedback regarding the order of the itinerary. It’s always helpful to hear how different parts of the journey resonate with our guests, and we’ll certainly take your comments into consideration. Thank you for traveling with us, and we’re glad to know the trip was a great one overall! Kind regards, BusTravel Iceland

  Show more