Hidden Powers and Northern Lights Hunt

Winter escorted tour


Auroras in Iceland
© ITR

Explore the Icelandic South Shore; Waterfalls, volcanoes, glacial lagoon and black sand beaches.

Duration: 6 days
Starts: Reykjavik, Iceland
Ends: Reykjavik, Iceland
Language: English, Spanish, Italian, French, Dutch

Transport: Bus


Included

Itinerary

© ITR
© ITR
© ITR

Day 1: Arrival in Iceland: Arrival

Good to Know: Generally, on Day 2 – 5 there will be no more than 45 minutes to one-hour driving between each tour stop. You’ll arrive at each night’s accommodation in the late afternoon.

Arrival at Keflavik International airport. Transfers to Reykjavik are not included in the tour. We would be happy to arrange shared or private transfers for you, so let us know at booking time.

If you arrive earlier in the day, you might consider adding a day tour. We’d be happy to make suggestions based on your interests. Dinner this evening is at your leisure. Reykjavik offers a multitude of restaurants and/or coffee-houses, making dinner a wonderful way to get better acquainted with Iceland’s capital.

Important: If you have added extra nights in Reykjavík before your tour, the guide will meet your group for the start of the tour on Day 2 according to the standard “Hidden Powers and Northern Lights” itinerary.

Please note that hotels in Iceland start check-in around 14:00 (2:00pm), and early check-in is not guaranteed. Most hotels will be happy to store your luggage if you are not able to check in early.

Day 2: Golden Circle: Thingvellir - Geysir - Gullfoss

Approximate Driving Distance: 185 km (115 miles)
Northern Lights Centre - National Park with Geological Wonders (UNESCO) - Exploding Geysers - The Famous Golden Falls

Breakfast at your hotel. Your guide will meet you in the lobby of the hotel. Start your adventure by visiting the fascinating Aurora Reykjavik Northern Lights Centre. You’ll get a great introduction to northern lights, how they are formed and the folklore surrounding them. You’ll also get tips about how to capture northern lights on film.

Depart Reykjavik and head onwards to Thingvellir National Park (UNESCO World Heritage site) where the world’s oldest parliament met for centuries on the shores of Iceland’s largest lake. This place makes us Icelanders enormously proud of our heritage. You might even have a rare chance to walk between two continents!

Continue to the geothermal fields of Geysir with bubbling mud pools and the high-spouting Strokkur hot spring. Finally, you’ll visit the dramatic two-tiered Gullfoss waterfall, a spectacular sight in winter when frozen mid-cascade.

During the day, you will also visit the town of Laugarvatn. The town is built around three hot springs, and the residents have cleverly harnessed the hot springs for power and hot water. You’ll visit a unique outdoor geothermal bakery where sweet Icelandic rye bread is baked in hot sands. You can taste some of the freshly baked bread, hot from the ground. It’s especially delicious eaten with Icelandic butter and smoked trout.

Dinner and overnight in South Iceland.

If weather conditions are right, your guide will take you on a northern lights hunt on foot in the area outside your hotel tonight, or on the evening of Day 3 or 4.

Day 3: Iceland South Shore - Eyjafjallajokull Volcano

Approximate Distance: 200 km / 124 miles
Waterfalls – The LAVA Centre – Glacial Views – Black Sand Beaches

Breakfast at your hotel. Drive along the South Shore, an area of Iceland that is especially beautiful to view in the winter. This part of Iceland is home to the wonderful LAVA Centre, an interactive, high-tech educational exhibition depicting volcanic activity, earthquakes, and the creation of Iceland. Enjoy the exhibit and an interesting film about Icelandic volcanoes. Continue onwards. If the skies are clear, you might see the area’s two most famous volcanoes in the distance: Mount Hekla (last eruption 2000) and Eyjafjallajokull (last eruption 2010).

Stop at the spectacular waterfalls Seljalandsfoss and Skogafoss. If trail conditions are right, you might be able to walk behind the ribbon-like Seljalandsfoss falls. Skogafoss is a beautifully shaped waterfall that makes a perfect backdrop for a selfie.

Head onwards to visit Reynisfjara beach. Take a walk on the black sand, admiring the extraordinary rock formations and thundering waves of the Atlantic Ocean. Cross Eldhraun, a vast lava field created from a very destructive 18th-century eruption as you head to your overnight.

Dinner and overnight stay in the Kirkjubaejarklaustur area.

Day 4: Vatnajökull National Park - Jokulsarlon Glacial Lagoon
Western Europe's Largest National Park - Glacial Lagoon with Icebergs - Europe's Largest Glacier

Approximate Distance: 260 km / 162 miles
Glacial Lagoon with Icebergs – Europe’s Largest Glacier

Breakfast at your hotel. Today you’ll be visiting the southern area of Vatnajokull National Park, named after Europe’s largest glacier. The total park area covers almost 14% of Iceland, making it the largest national park in Western Europe! Visit Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon where you can enjoy the breath-taking sight of icebergs floating in the fantastic 180m (591 ft.) deep glacial lagoon. Nearby is the dramatic beauty of the Diamond Beach, where shrinking icebergs settle on the black sands before they drift out to sea.

Visit the national park’s famous Skaftafell area, a site of outstanding natural beauty dominated by several magnificent glaciers.

Dinner and overnight in the Kirkjubaejarklaustur area.

Day 5: Volcanic Areas - Hveragerdi - Blue Lagoon - Reykjavik

Approximate Distance: 365 km / 227 miles
Greenhouse Village – Icelandic Horses – Thundering Waves – Geothermal Lagoon

Breakfast at your hotel. Head back along the beautiful South Coast, enjoying a different view of the winter landscapes. Visit the village of Hveragerdi, which is one of the few sites in the world located directly in the middle of a geothermal area. Hveragerdi is often called “The Flower Village” because of its geothermal greenhouses.

Next, you’ll visit a horse farm to meet some locals: Icelandic horses. This Viking horse breed played a pivotal role in Icelandic history. Enjoy petting these friendly horses and snapping a few selfies with them. You’ll also taste some sweet refreshments that are traditionally served on Icelandic farms.

Turn onto a southern coastal road and follow alongside the shoreline with its breathtaking sea waves. The road takes you through the surreal landscapes of the Reykjanes peninsula, where you can enjoy a dip in the famous Blue Lagoon, a unique wonder of nature with pleasantly warm, mineral-rich water in the middle of a black lava field. Return to Reykjavik, where your guide bids you farewell at the hotel. The evening is open for you to enjoy your own activities. Dinner is on your own.

Overnight in Reykjavik.

Day 6: Farewell to the Land of Fire and Ice! Departure

Breakfast at your hotel.
Please note that this might be a light breakfast if you are taking an early morning departure flight.

Transfer on your own to the international airport for your departure flight. The airport transfer is not included, but we are happy to help you arrange shared or private transfers.

We recommend you depart your hotel no later than three hours before your departure flight. We wish you a pleasant trip back to your homeland and hope to see you in Iceland again!

Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival in Iceland: Arrival

Good to Know: Generally, on Day 2 – 5 there will be no more than 45 minutes to one-hour driving between each tour stop. You’ll arrive at each night’s accommodation in the late afternoon.

Arrival at Keflavik International airport. Transfers to Reykjavik are not included in the tour. We would be happy to arrange shared or private transfers for you, so let us know at booking time.

If you arrive earlier in the day, you might consider adding a day tour. We’d be happy to make suggestions based on your interests. Dinner this evening is at your leisure. Reykjavik offers a multitude of restaurants and/or coffee-houses, making dinner a wonderful way to get better acquainted with Iceland’s capital.

Important: If you have added extra nights in Reykjavík before your tour, the guide will meet your group for the start of the tour on Day 2 according to the standard “Hidden Powers and Northern Lights” itinerary.

Please note that hotels in Iceland start check-in around 14:00 (2:00pm), and early check-in is not guaranteed. Most hotels will be happy to store your luggage if you are not able to check in early.

Day 2: Golden Circle: Thingvellir - Geysir - Gullfoss

Approximate Driving Distance: 185 km (115 miles)
Northern Lights Centre - National Park with Geological Wonders (UNESCO) - Exploding Geysers - The Famous Golden Falls

Breakfast at your hotel. Your guide will meet you in the lobby of the hotel. Start your adventure by visiting the fascinating Aurora Reykjavik Northern Lights Centre. You’ll get a great introduction to northern lights, how they are formed and the folklore surrounding them. You’ll also get tips about how to capture northern lights on film.

Depart Reykjavik and head onwards to Thingvellir National Park (UNESCO World Heritage site) where the world’s oldest parliament met for centuries on the shores of Iceland’s largest lake. This place makes us Icelanders enormously proud of our heritage. You might even have a rare chance to walk between two continents!

Continue to the geothermal fields of Geysir with bubbling mud pools and the high-spouting Strokkur hot spring. Finally, you’ll visit the dramatic two-tiered Gullfoss waterfall, a spectacular sight in winter when frozen mid-cascade.

During the day, you will also visit the town of Laugarvatn. The town is built around three hot springs, and the residents have cleverly harnessed the hot springs for power and hot water. You’ll visit a unique outdoor geothermal bakery where sweet Icelandic rye bread is baked in hot sands. You can taste some of the freshly baked bread, hot from the ground. It’s especially delicious eaten with Icelandic butter and smoked trout.

Dinner and overnight in South Iceland.

If weather conditions are right, your guide will take you on a northern lights hunt on foot in the area outside your hotel tonight, or on the evening of Day 3 or 4.

Day 3: Iceland South Shore - Eyjafjallajokull Volcano

Approximate Distance: 200 km / 124 miles
Waterfalls – The LAVA Centre – Glacial Views – Black Sand Beaches

Breakfast at your hotel. Drive along the South Shore, an area of Iceland that is especially beautiful to view in the winter. This part of Iceland is home to the wonderful LAVA Centre, an interactive, high-tech educational exhibition depicting volcanic activity, earthquakes, and the creation of Iceland. Enjoy the exhibit and an interesting film about Icelandic volcanoes. Continue onwards. If the skies are clear, you might see the area’s two most famous volcanoes in the distance: Mount Hekla (last eruption 2000) and Eyjafjallajokull (last eruption 2010).

Stop at the spectacular waterfalls Seljalandsfoss and Skogafoss. If trail conditions are right, you might be able to walk behind the ribbon-like Seljalandsfoss falls. Skogafoss is a beautifully shaped waterfall that makes a perfect backdrop for a selfie.

Head onwards to visit Reynisfjara beach. Take a walk on the black sand, admiring the extraordinary rock formations and thundering waves of the Atlantic Ocean. Cross Eldhraun, a vast lava field created from a very destructive 18th-century eruption as you head to your overnight.

Dinner and overnight stay in the Kirkjubaejarklaustur area.

Day 4: Vatnajökull National Park - Jokulsarlon Glacial Lagoon
Western Europe's Largest National Park - Glacial Lagoon with Icebergs - Europe's Largest Glacier

Approximate Distance: 260 km / 162 miles
Glacial Lagoon with Icebergs – Europe’s Largest Glacier

Breakfast at your hotel. Today you’ll be visiting the southern area of Vatnajokull National Park, named after Europe’s largest glacier. The total park area covers almost 14% of Iceland, making it the largest national park in Western Europe! Visit Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon where you can enjoy the breath-taking sight of icebergs floating in the fantastic 180m (591 ft.) deep glacial lagoon. Nearby is the dramatic beauty of the Diamond Beach, where shrinking icebergs settle on the black sands before they drift out to sea.

Visit the national park’s famous Skaftafell area, a site of outstanding natural beauty dominated by several magnificent glaciers.

Dinner and overnight in the Kirkjubaejarklaustur area.

Day 5: Volcanic Areas - Hveragerdi - Blue Lagoon - Reykjavik

Approximate Distance: 365 km / 227 miles
Greenhouse Village – Icelandic Horses – Thundering Waves – Geothermal Lagoon

Breakfast at your hotel. Head back along the beautiful South Coast, enjoying a different view of the winter landscapes. Visit the village of Hveragerdi, which is one of the few sites in the world located directly in the middle of a geothermal area. Hveragerdi is often called “The Flower Village” because of its geothermal greenhouses.

Next, you’ll visit a horse farm to meet some locals: Icelandic horses. This Viking horse breed played a pivotal role in Icelandic history. Enjoy petting these friendly horses and snapping a few selfies with them. You’ll also taste some sweet refreshments that are traditionally served on Icelandic farms.

Turn onto a southern coastal road and follow alongside the shoreline with its breathtaking sea waves. The road takes you through the surreal landscapes of the Reykjanes peninsula, where you can enjoy a dip in the famous Blue Lagoon, a unique wonder of nature with pleasantly warm, mineral-rich water in the middle of a black lava field. Return to Reykjavik, where your guide bids you farewell at the hotel. The evening is open for you to enjoy your own activities. Dinner is on your own.

Overnight in Reykjavik.

Day 6: Farewell to the Land of Fire and Ice! Departure

Breakfast at your hotel.
Please note that this might be a light breakfast if you are taking an early morning departure flight.

Transfer on your own to the international airport for your departure flight. The airport transfer is not included, but we are happy to help you arrange shared or private transfers.

We recommend you depart your hotel no later than three hours before your departure flight. We wish you a pleasant trip back to your homeland and hope to see you in Iceland again!


© ITR
© ITR
© ITR


INCLUSIONS

Guided coach tour from day 2 to day 5
Expert professional English-speaking local guide from day 2 to day 5
Free Wi-Fi on board the motor coach
Accommodation 2 nights in a standard room with facilities in Reykjavik
Accommodation 3 nights in a standard room with facilities in the countryside
Icelandic breakfast (except arrival day)
3 Two-course local-cuisine dinners in the countryside (main course and dessert) with coffee/tea (day 2, 3, 4)
Souvenir Icelandic Search and Rescue keyring
Entrance fee to the Aurora Reykjavik Northern Lights Center (day 2)
Visit to outdoor geothermal bakery and taste of steam-baked rye bread (day 2)
Entrance fee to the LAVA Centre and volcano film at the LAVA Centre Cinema (day 3)
Visit to a local horse farm to meet Icelandic horses. Visit also includes traditional Icelandic refreshments (day 5)
Blue Lagoon admission, including towel rental, silica mud mask and one drink (day 5)
Use of crampons/cleats (if needed) for walking on snow/ice covered surfaces
The Iceland Travel App, which has interesting information about the areas your tour visits
Great photo stops
Seat rotation during the tour
Northern lights guided hunt on foot one selected evening, including use of crampons and headlight
Customer care service during office hours
24-hour Iceland Travel emergency line assistance while you are in Iceland

Also (Added Value): Northern lights “wake-up call” option during the night on days 2 – 4 (please note: available at most countryside hotels)

EXCLUSIONS

Breakfast on arrival day
International airfare
Baggage porterage at airport/hotel
Personal travel insurance (highly recommended)
Swimsuit at the Blue Lagoon (rentals available)
Round-trip transfers between airports and hotels
Beverages, snacks, lunches, dinners unless otherwise noted in the itinerary
Guaranteed early check-in (check-in time for most hotels in Iceland starts between 14:00 and 16:00 (2:00pm and 4:00pm)
Guaranteed late check-out
Any service not specifically listed under “Included”


* The prices are per person in US Dollars, unless expressly specified in a different currency. In that case, payment will be in US dollars at the exchange rate of the day.
** All prices will be re-confirmed by email at the time of booking.
NOTE: Embracing the unexpected is part of the legacy—and excitement—of expedition travel. When traveling in extremely remote regions, your expedition staff must allow the sea, the ice and the weather to guide route and itinerary details. This itinerary is a tentative outline of what you’ll experience on this voyage; please be aware that no specific itinerary can be guaranteed.

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