Winter Guided Tour Around Iceland (9 Nights)

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Winter Guided Tour Around Iceland (9 Nights)

Embark on an 8-day escorted minibus tour around Iceland, exploring its diverse natural wonders
See iconic sites and landscapes, from waterfalls and glaciers to volcanic terrain and hot springs
Option to book additional tours and activities to enhance your adventure
Experience Iceland year-round, with long summer days, the midnight sun, or Northern Lights in winter
Travel with a small group for a personal and immersive experience
Learn about Iceland’s geology, culture, and history from your knowledgeable guide

BOOK THIS TRIP

From £2732 per person (excluding flights)

This is based on 9 nights’ accommodation with breakfast, a 8-day escorted bus tour with an English-speaking guide/driver-guide, listed excursions, and return airport transfers.

This roughly converts to 3,251 EUR | 3,524 USD

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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Departure days: Daily from November to March. In September, October and April, this tour departs on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays.

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ITINERARY

Day 1: Arrival Day

Arriving in Iceland, your adventure begins the moment you land at Keflavik Airport. Hop on your shared transfer to the city centre, where you’ll check into your Reykjavik hotel. Want to start in style? Upgrade to a private transfer or a higher-category hotel for an extra touch of comfort.

Spend the afternoon and evening discovering Reykjavik—wander its colourful streets, visit iconic landmarks, or settle into a cosy café and soak up the city's unique atmosphere.

Skuggi Hotel

Skuggi Hotel is a stylish and centrally located three-star property situated just off Reykjavík’s main shopping street, Laugavegur. With a sleek, minimalist design inspired by Iceland’s dramatic landscapes, the hotel offers a calming and modern retreat in the heart of the city. The interior decor features monochrome tones and striking black-and-white photography, creating a contemporary and cozy atmosphere throughout. Guest rooms are well-appointed with en-suite bathrooms, parquet flooring, flat-screen TVs, work desks, and tea and coffee-making facilities. A generous breakfast buffet is served daily, and the on-site bar and lounge offer a relaxed space to unwind.

Day 2: The Golden Circle

The tour starts in Reykjavik, where you will be met and will begin the journey on The Golden Circle Route. The first stop is the UNESCO designated World Heritage site of Thingvellir National Park, with its cultural heritage and one of Iceland’s most beautiful locations - its geological features with the exposed North American and Eurasian tectonic plates on the surface are an amazing site and are constantly drifting apart. Thingvellir is also home to some of the world’s most active geysers and hot springs resulting from the heat generated by the moving plates. The national park also has some important sites in Viking history, making it a popular destination to visit.

The next stop on the route is Haukadalur Geothermal area with its hot springs. This is where you’ll find the famous and original Geysir, the one that all other geysers in the world are named after. There is also Hot Spring Strokkur, which erupts every five to ten minutes, giving fantastic photo opportunities.

The route continues, visiting Gullfoss waterfall, one of the most beautiful and iconic waterfalls in Iceland, where water from the glacial river Hvita cascades down two tiers of a 32 metres fall.

Each night on the tour, and if the conditions allow, you may be able to see the northern lights. Many of the hotels are located away from light pollution, which increases the chances of seeing them, so enjoy your evening and keep watch for the magical aurora.

Three Star Hotel with Private En Suite Facilities

You’ll stay in an unspecified three star (equivalent) hotel. All rooms have private en suite facilities and you will be notified of the hotel name in your final trip documents/app.

Day 3: The South Coast

Today you will head to the South Coast, the first stop being the magnificent Seljalandsfoss waterfall with a 65 metres drop. Seljalandsfoss is unique in that it is possible to walk behind the falls, creating a magical experience. But remember to take your waterproof clothing! You’ll then travel further east and visit another waterfall, Skogafoss, one of the largest and most visited in Iceland. The area around the waterfall is very pretty, with lush green fields and stunning views of the mountains. This also has a rich history, having been inhabited since the 9th century and considered a sacred site for the Vikings.

The drive continues towards the glaciers, which are an important part of Iceland’s landscape, covering 11% of the country. The largest being Vatnajokull, which is the largest in Europe and home to many of Iceland’s popular attractions, such as the Jokulsarlon glacier lagoon and Svinafellsjokull glacier.

Get ready to experience one of the most unique and exciting activities possible - a Glacier Hike. You will put on crampons and other essential equipment (provided on tour) and follow the experienced glacier guide across the largest glacier in Europe, exploring crevasses, moulins and other natural phenomena. The weather can be unpredictable, so it’s important to be prepared for the conditions. Please note that the glacier hike may happen on day 3 instead, subject to conditions and availability of the expert guide.

The journey continues to Reynisfjarna, the famous Black Sand Beach surrounded by black basalt columns, one of the most popular attractions to visit, and has appeared in several films. You can see the rock formations Reynisdranger and the Dyrholaey Peninsula rising gracefully from the ocean. This beautiful place is also home to a wide variety of wildlife, including seabirds, seals and even the occasional whale.

The final stop of the day will be Vik i Myrdal - a small village on the south coast and renowned for its black sand beaches and dramatic coastal cliffs. It is also located in one of the most volcanic areas, and only 26 km away from Katla Volcano.

Day 4: Jokulsarlon and Diamond Beach

After an early start today, you’ll head east with a first stop for a photo opportunity of the largest glacier in Europe - Vatnajokull. Then the next part of the tour takes you to the astonishing Jokulsarlon glacier lagoon where you can see large icebergs drift calmly to the ocean. The lagoon is the deepest lake in Iceland and one of the largest in Europe - it was formed in 1933 when a glacier began to retreat, creating the lagoon and its surrounding wetlands.

Just by the lagoon is the stunning Diamond Beach, where chunks of icebergs get stranded

on the black sandy beach, providing a unique and beautiful backdrop for photos.

Today you participate in another activity and visit the Crystal Blue Ice Cave, one of Iceland’s largest and most popular. The location means it’s not accessible by car or foot, so you will join a 4x4 Super Jeep tour to get there. The cave is formed by the melting of a glacier and is filled with a sparkling blue ice, illuminated by the sunlight that streams in from the entrance creating a magical setting. Please note, this activity is subject to conditions and departure dates, it may be necessary to visit an alternative ice cave.

Day 5: East Fjords of Iceland

Today is spent in the East Fjords of Iceland, the home of amazing and rare wildlife - this is the only place in Iceland where you may see wild Reindeer! These fjords have high mountain ridges and the mighty Vatnajokull mountain towering in the distance. Driving in this area takes you to peaceful fishing villages, a big part of Icelandic culture in this area. You’ll travel along Lake Lagarfljot - keep a look out for the mythical worm-like creature, said to live in the lake.

There is a chance to take part in an optional extra activity, Horseback Riding. Explore the stunning landscapes on your own Icelandic horse, known for their hardiness in tough conditions, making them ideal companions to enjoy the wilderness. Please note that previous experience is not needed and this activity must be pre-booked in advance.

The tour continues further north, where you’ll find hot springs and the location for another optional extra activity to pre-book, Entrance to VOK Baths. This is a luxury spa and geothermal area where you’ll get the chance to experience the age-old Icelandic tradition of bathing in a natural hot pool. The Baths have geothermal pools with an infinity view, a sauna, cold water spray tunnel, pool bar and on-site restaurant.

Day 6: Myvatn

On this day you head north, visiting the wildest parts of Iceland. If you’re travelling in September the first stop is Stuolagil Canyon viewpoint that juts out over the canyon giving you views of the blue-green water and basalt columns on the other side. The tour then visits Dettifoss, one of the most powerful and breath-taking waterfalls in Europe. At 100 metres wide and with a drop of 44 metres into the canyon, the sheer force of the water crashing down creates a deafening roar and mist that can be seen from miles away. This is a must-see attraction for all visitors to Iceland.

Continue towards Lake Myvatn and its beautiful surroundings, exploring the geothermal region and witnessing why this area of Iceland is so unique with its lava formations, mud pools and geological features.

Other amazing sightseeing locations visited today include Namaskaro pass, a geothermal area where the earth boils and gurgles. This is a mountain pass where you will hike. The whole land is orange due to the presence of sulphur in the area. Another stop is made at Dimmuborgir, a field of peculiar shaped lava pillars that rise from the earth, their formations may remind you of trolls, elves and mythical creatures. The area is also home to a wide variety of wildlife, including arctic foxes and ptarmigans.

Now onwards to explore the phenomenal waterfall Godafoss. It is one of the most spectacular waterfalls in Iceland, and very popular with visitors. It was formed by a massive glacial flood that happened in the year 934 as a result of a volcanic eruption.

The last stop of the day is Akureyri, the Capital of the North. You will have the whole evening to explore the city, known for its natural beauty and vibrant culture.

Day 7: Whale Watching

After breakfast, a short drive takes you to the small village of Hauganes, where you’ll join a whale watching boat safari to see Humpback whales and other gentle giants found in the ocean. Afterwards, you’ll have time to take a walk around the village, with its charming harbour and a beautiful black sand beach with a picturesque setting amongst graceful tall mountains all around.

Day 8: Snaefellsnes Peninsula

Day seven takes you to the magnificent Snaefellsnes Peninsula, with its abundance of cliffs, mountains, unique wildlife and old fishing settlements. The first stop is at Gerouberg, a cluster of hexagonal basalt columns, then on to Ytri-Tunga with its white sandy beach - a rare sight in Iceland! This white beach is not only unique in Iceland because of the white sand, but also that it has a seal colony here, where you can sometimes see seals lounging on the rocks.

Next, you’ll head to Djupalonssandur beach where you’ll have to walk through a maze of free standing lava pillars to get there, a very unusual experience. Of course, no visit to the peninsula is complete without seeing the iconic mountain Kirkjufell, one of Iceland’s most popular attractions due to its appearance in Game of Thrones.

Day 9: Lava Caves, Hraunfossar, and Return to Reykjavik

Today's first location is Viogelmir lava cave, following a lava path created thousands of years ago, and the location for another optional extra activity on this 90 minute tour taking you into Iceland’s largest lava cave.

Continue to travel through West Iceland, stopping at Deildartunguhver, the most powerful hot spring in Europe, where you can see the hot steam and boiling water bubbling from the ground. The surface around the spring is a red colour from the minerals and steam from the ground.

The next stop will be Reykholt, once the home of Snorri Sturluson - a poet, law-maker, scholar and a significant character from the Middle Ages Icelandic history.

The final sightseeing stops take you to two more waterfalls. Hraunfossar is a series of streams emerging through the dark lava fields, a very beautiful sight. Lastly, Barnafoss waterfall is a brightly coloured blue stream of water that speeds through a narrow ravine. The last part of the journey takes you back to Reykjavik, arriving in the evening.

Skuggi Hotel

Day 10: Departure Day

As your Iceland adventure comes to an end, take a shared transfer from your hotel to Keflavik Airport for your flight home. If you prefer a more private and seamless journey, an upgrade to a private transfer is available.

Depending on your flight time, you may have a final chance to enjoy Reykjavik—grab a coffee, take a last stroll along the waterfront, or pick up some Icelandic souvenirs before heading to the airport.

DESTINATIONS

Winter Guided Tour Around Iceland (9 Nights)