Itinerary
- Day 1
Arrival in Reykjavik
You'll land in Reykjavik and take the airport bus directly to your hotel. After checking in, you'll have the rest of the evening to settle in and get oriented. It's a good night to rest up before exploring Iceland.
Landmarks Keflavik International Airport - Day 2
Vik - Kirkjubæjarklaustur
Head south along Iceland's coast and you'll encounter two major waterfalls right away. Seljalandsfoss and Skogafoss both drop over 60 meters, and the sheer power of the water is something you'll feel even from a distance. After checking out the Skogar local history museum, you can walk through turf houses that show what rural Icelandic life looked like centuries ago. Later, the black sand beach at Vik comes into view with its towering cliffs creating this dramatic backdrop. Reynisfjara Beach is where the Atlantic really shows its strength, waves crashing hard against the basalt rock formations. You'll drive through volcanic terrain to reach Kirkjubaejarklaustur for your two-night stay. If the sky cooperates, an evening walk might reward you with Northern Lights activity, though that's never guaranteed.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
- Accommodation
- Hotel
Included Activities
- Visit Seljalandsfoss waterfall
- Visit Skogafoss waterfall
- Skogar local history museum entrance
- Explore turf houses and historic Icelandic architecture at Skogar museum open-air area
- Visit black beach of Vik
- Visit Reynisfjara Beach
Optional Activities
- Evening walk to search for Northern Lights with tour guide
Landmarks Seljalandsfoss Skogafoss Skogar Museum Vik Black Beach Reynisfjara Beach 
- Day 3
Skaftafell National Park - Jökulsarlon Glacier Lagoon
This day takes you across the Skeidararsandur outwash plain and through the Eldhraun lava field toward Skaftafell National Park, which is part of Vatnajokull National Park covering more than 14,000 square kilometers. You'll see massive glacier tongues flowing down from Iceland's highest peak, which creates this surreal landscape of ice and rock. The real centerpiece is Jokulsarlon glacier lagoon where bright blue ice blocks float around in the water and seals hang out on ice floes. Right across from the lagoon, Diamond Beach has ice chunks scattered across black sand that catch the light in an interesting way. It's worth spending time here just taking in how different each section of the landscape feels.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Visit Skaftafell National Park
- Walk near Jökulsarlon glacier lagoon
- Visit Diamond Beach
Landmarks Skaftafell National Park Vatnajökull National Park Jökulsarlon Glacier Lagoon Diamond Beach - Day 4
Lava Center - Golden Circle
Start your morning at the Lava Center, a museum that opened in 2017 at the base of Eyjafjallajokull volcano. The interactive exhibits here explain how Iceland's volcanic and tectonic activity actually works, which helps you understand what you're seeing throughout the country. From there, head to Fridheimar greenhouse farm where you'll learn how geothermal energy has allowed Icelanders to grow vegetables since 1924, and you can taste what they produce. Later in the day, you'll reach the Golden Circle geothermal area to watch Strokkur geyser shoot water up to 30 meters high every 5 to 10 minutes. After that comes Gullfoss waterfall, where the Hvita glacier river plunges over two massive cascades into a gorge that drops 70 meters. You'll stay one night in the Selfoss area.
- Meals
- Breakfast
- Accommodation
- Hotel
Included Activities
- Lava Center entrance
- Visit Fridheimar greenhouse farm with vegetable tasting
- Visit Strokkur geyser
- Visit Gullfoss waterfall
Landmarks Lava Center Eyjafjallajökull Fridheimar Strokkur Geyser Gullfoss Waterfall 
- Day 5
Thingvellir National Park - Hraunfossar
Begin at Thingvellir National Park where you can actually see the boundary between the Eurasian and North American continental plates, marked by impressive faults in the ground. The Almanna Gorge and Silfra Fissure show how these plates are drifting apart, and Iceland grows by about 2 centimeters each year because of it. This park also has significant history, as the Althing parliament convened here starting in 930 AD, which is when the Icelandic state was founded. After that, you'll travel to Hraunfossar and Barnafoss waterfalls where something unusual happens: river water seeps down into porous lava and comes back up as clear turquoise water downstream. You'll pass through Reykholt, the home of poet Snorri Sturluson, and then continue to Borgarnes for your one-night stay in the Borgarfjordur area.
- Meals
- Breakfast
- Accommodation
- Hotel, Hotel
Included Activities
- Visit Thingvellir National Park
- Explore Almanna Gorge
- Visit Silfra Fissure
- Visit Hraunfossar waterfalls
- Visit Barnafoss waterfall
- Stop in Reykholt
Landmarks Thingvellir National Park Almanna Gorge Silfra Fissure Hraunfossar Barnafoss Reykholt - Day 6
Snaefellsnes Peninsula - Reykjavik
The Snaefellsnes Peninsula is sometimes called Iceland in miniature because it packs so many different landscape types into one area: fjords, volcanic hills, dramatic cliffs, black beaches, and lava fields all together. The cone volcano Snaefellsjokull dominates the peninsula and inspired Jules Verne's novel about a journey to the Earth's center. You'll drive past small fishing villages and stop at Arnarstapi near the glacier system. Walking around here, you'll find basalt column formations constantly being shaped by the North Atlantic, including the Gatklettur rock formation with its large archway and Songhellir cave that has interesting acoustics. From there it's back to Reykjavik for a two-night stay.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Explore Snaefellsnes Peninsula
- Visit Arnarstapi
- Walk to basalt column formations
- Visit Gatklettur (Hole Rock)
- Visit Sönghellir (Singing Cave)
Landmarks Snaefellsnes Peninsula Snaefellsjökull Arnarstapi Gatklettur Sönghellir - Day 7
Reykjavik
You have a free day to explore Reykjavik however you want. If you prefer structured activity, a Hop On-Hop Off bus tour starts from Harpa Concert Hall and takes you to places like Perlan water reservoir, Hallgrims Church, and the sculpture called Solfar. Alternatively, you could book the Blue Lagoon and Northern Lights Adventure excursion, which means bathing in geothermal water that stays between 37 to 42 degrees Celsius around midday, then heading out in the evening to search for Northern Lights. The choice depends on what interests you more.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Optional Activities
- City tour on Hop On-Hop Off bus departing from Harpa Concert Hall
- Blue Lagoon and Northern Lights Adventure excursion
Landmarks Harpa Concert Hall Perlan Hallgrims Church Sólfar (Sun Ride sculpture) Blue Lagoon - Day 8
Reykjavik to Keflavik Airport
An airport bus picks you up early in the morning for the drive to Keflavik Airport, where you'll handle your individual departure.
- Meals
- Breakfast
