Classic Iceland - 10 days / 9 nights

Classic Iceland - 10 days / 9 nights Price from 867 EUR

Larger view

Departures: May 01 - September 30
Duration: 10 days/ 9 nights

Included

• Rental car of your choice with unlimited mileage, CDW and VAT for 9 days
• Accommodation (budget/comfort) for 9 nights with Continental breakfast
• Map of Iceland and detailed itinerary
• 24-hour emergency service
• Taxes and service fee
• Two authorized drivers free of charge
• FREE GPS if booked by April 30

Not included

• Flights to Iceland
• Meals and drinks at restaurants (unless otherwise stated)
• Personal travel insurance

You can reserve this package with only 20% deposit. See terms & conditions for further information.

Do you have any questions about this tour? Send us an email or call us toll free from the following countries:

USA and Canada: 1-888-504-0935
UK: 0-800-520-0510

Itinerary

Free Whale Watching trip from Reykjavik if you book this vacation package to Iceland with arrival between 01 May and 31 August!.
For a limited time only! 


A complete vacation package around Iceland. Travel to Iceland and take in the exceptional beauty of Iceland’s unique and breathtaking scenery and natural wonders and visit unique places such as Snaefellsnes Peninsula, Myvatn, Egilsstadir, Jokulsarlon glacial lagoon, Skaftafell National Park, Thingvellir National Park and many more. This vacation package to Iceland includes an amazing variety of places to visit, travelling through lava fields and grassland, with views of volcanos, including the famous Eyjafjallajökull and visits to glaciers, waterfalls and hot springs.


Day 1: Arrival in Keflavik - drive to Reykjavik (Driving distance approx. 50 km)
Arrival at Keflavik Airport. Pick-up of rented vehicle and drive to Reykjavik for your first night’s stay in Iceland.

Depending on arrival time, we recommend that you make a stop at the Blue Lagoon on the way and have a swim in the geothermal warm water.



Day 2:  Reykjavik - Golden Circle - Skógar/Vík (Driving distance approx. 320 km)
Today you will be visiting some of the most interesting and famous sights of Iceland. Your first stop should be at Thingvellir National Park, a UNESCO world heritage site, and one of the geological wonders of the world. Continue to the famous geothermal area of Geysir where Strokkur is the most active of the geysers, and further on to the “golden” waterfall Gullfoss. 

On your way along the south coast you will pass two spectacular waterfalls: Seljalandsfoss and Skógarfoss, two stops you must not miss. You can walk behind Seljalandsfoss and at Skógar you will find a folk museum showing how people lived in the past in Iceland. Your destination for the night Vík/Skógar area.

If you have time in the afternoon, you can go to the Dyrhólaey bird cliff where you can usually see puffins.

*Please note that Dyrholaey is closed during nesting season from May 15 til June 23 and from mid- August the puffins will have gone to sea!

Highlights of this day: Thingvellir National Park, Geysir, Gullfoss, waterfall Seljalandsfoss, waterfall Skógarfoss, Dyrhólaey.


Day 3: Skógar Vík - Höfn (Driving distance approx. 260 km)
You will drive across the impressive black sand plain Mýrdalssandur, the beautiful Eldhraun lava field and the immense and remarkable Skeidarársandur outwash plains with lovely views of the outlet glaciers of the great Vatnajökull, the largest glacier in Europe. 

Make a stop to enjoy the breathtaking sights of the Skaftafell National Park, an oasis surrounded by glaciers and black sand with many hiking possibilities and at the spectacular Jokulsarlon glacial lagoon. Enormous icebergs drift on the the lagoon and you can take a 30-40 min. boat trip around them. Overnight stay in the Höfn area.

Highlights of this day: Eldhraun Lava, Skaftafell National Park, Jokulsarlon glacial lagoon, Vatnajokull.



Day 4: Höfn - Egilsstadir (Driving distance approx. 270 km)
Today's journey takes you south through the sheltered East Fjords and their small fishing villages and high mountains. You drive through Almannaskarð tunnel to reach the villages Djúpivogur and Breiðdalsvík. In Stöðvarfjörður you can visit Petra’s Stone Collection, one of the most complete collections of Icelandic minerals. Overnight in the Egilsstadir area.

Highlights of this day: Petra´s Stone Collection, The East Fjords, Egilsstadir.


Day 5: Egilsstadir - Myvatn (Driving distance approx. 320 km)
In the morning you drive through the lunar landscape of Möðrudalur highlands to the mighty Dettifoss, Iceland’s most powerful waterfall which thunders 44 m down into a deep gorge, at Dettifoss you will feel the earth tremble beneath the force of the glacial water.
Continue your drive, and explore Ásbyrgi, this horse shoe shaped gorge with its impressive rock walls and abundant vegetation is the ideal place to take a walk or have a picnic.

Drive along the picturesque stretch of coast line of Tjörnes peninsula until you arrive in the charming fishing village of Husavik. Overnight in or near the Myvatn area.

Highlights of this day:  Waterfall Dettifoss, Ásbyrgi,  Tjörnes peninsula, Husavik.


Day 6: Myvatn - Akureyri (Driving distance approx. 140 km) 
Today you will have time to explore the marvels of Lake Myvatn Nature Reserve. Myvatn is undoubtedly one of Iceland’s most renowned areas, due to its volcanic activity and its amazing bird life.On the way to Myvatn, you will have the opportunity to take a look at the picturesque Godafoss waterfall. At Myvatn there are various exciting places of interest that you can visit at your leisure. One of its main attractions is the Námaskarð geothermal area where you will find bubbling mud pools and hissing steam vents. 

You must not miss the Krafla area situated north of the Krafla power station with the crater Víti and the Leirhnjúkur area. The walk towards Leirhnjúkur area is worth while since it leads you to a small geothermal area and then to a line of craters surrounded by chaotic black lava fields, resulting from a series of volcanic eruptions that took place in 1975 – 1984. 

Later on you can venture a walk up to the top of Hverfjall crater or dip into the geothermal water of the natural baths located east of the Lake.

On the way to Akureyri you must make a stop at the waterfall Godafoss “The fall of the gods”. In Akureyri, the capital of the north, you can walk around this charming town, have a look at the extraordinary botanical garden, go to the outdoor swimming pool, go shopping, sit down at a café or at a restaurant. Overnight stay in the Akureyri Area.

Highlights of this day:  Lake Myvatn, Dimmuborgir, Skútustaðir, waterfall Godafoss, Akureyri.
 

Day 7: Akureyri - Skagafjörður -  Borgarfjörður (Driving distance approx. 350km)
Today you drive through the Skagafjörður in the Northeast of Iceland. This county is famous for horse breeding, so you will certainly see many of the charming Icelandic horses in the meadows, and you should take time to visit the museum at Glaumbær Museum, a beautifully restored turf farmhouse ,one of the few that has been properly preserved in Iceland. Continue driving through the  Holtavörðuheiði moors to the southwest of Iceland. 

Today you will be discovering an interesting area, rich with cultural and historical heritage Borgarfjörður. Borgarfjörður county Hvalfjörður (‘whale fjord’) was an important naval station for the Allies during World War II. In Borgarfjörður you must visit the splendid waterfalls of Hraunfossar, where the water flows out from beneath a lava field into the river below, Reykholt, where the 13th century author Snorri Sturluson lived, and Deildartunguhver, Iceland’s largest hot spring (in terms of water production per second). Overnight stay in the Borgarfjörður area.

Highlights of this day:  Skagafjörður, Glaumbær Museum, waterfall Hraunfossar, Reykholt, Deildartunguhver.


Day 8: Borgarfjörður - Snaefellsnes (Driving distance approx. 120 km)
Today you will be exploring the natural wonders of the Snaefellsnes peninsula, which is known for the stunning Snaefellsjökull National Park and the Snaefell Glacier that towers above the region. Drive through the north part of the peninsula passing through Stykkishólmur, a charming fishing village beautifully situated overlooking the Breidafjörður bay.

From Stykkishólmur you will have the possibility to sightseeing among the uncountable islands, and explore the unique nature and bird life Breidafjörður has. Overnight stay in the Snaefellsnes area.

Highlights of this day:  Snaefellsnes peninsula, Snaefellsjökull National Park, Stykkishólmur, Breidafjörður bay.


Day 9: Snaefellsnes - Reykjavik (Driving distance approx. 280km)
Today’s itinerary takes you through lava fields and fertile farming land. Driving around the unique Snaefellsnes peninsula has many sights you should not miss, such as Snaefellsjökull glacier, Hellnar, Djúpalónssandur, and the crater Eldborg. Explore the charming village of Arnastapi where basalt columns have been eroded by the pounding waves. There are also bird cliffs, home of kittiwakes and arctic terns.

During the summer Snaefellsnes offers you a vast variety of activities such as horse riding tours, hiking, and many walking tours. We recommend you book in advance as many of the tours may get fully booked over the summer time.
Drive back to Reykjavik. Overnight in Reykjavik

Highlights of this day:  Snaefellsjökull glacier, Hellnar, crater Eldborg, Arnastapi.


Day 10:  Departure (Driving distance approx. 50 km)
Drive back to Keflavik airport for your flight back home.

Or book an extra night in Reykjavik, the vibrant capital of Iceland!

Reykjavik is Iceland’s largest city and often called the capital of the north because of its location. With only approximately four hours of daylight in the wintertime, the city has a mysterious yet dynamic atmosphere, while in summer it is bustling and full of energy, with almost 24 hours of daylight!
Reykjavik offers a wide range of sights to visit and lots of activities.

Among the things you can visit in Reykjavik are the old city centre where you can walk by the lake, Tjörnin , visit the Town Hall, and walk around the Austurvöllur square, where the Parliament building stands, and down to the harbour. You can stroll along the main street, Laugavegur to have a look at the shops and the art galleries and find a restaurant or a café to your liking. Do not miss the church Hallgrímskirkja or the dome Perlan, a modern building from where you have a panoramic view over the whole city. It is also possible to go to the Laugardalur valley for a swim in the outdoor thermal pool or take a walk in the botanical garden. There are several museums worth visiting in Reykjavik, for example the National Museum of Iceland near the University, the National Gallery of Iceland near lake Tjörnin and the Reykjavik Art Gallery (includes 3 different collections). 

A whale-watching tour from Reykjavik harbour is a wonderful experience: a trip out to sea to look at whales and dolphins in their natural habitat.

An interesting half-day excursion from Reykjavik could be to the Reykjanes Peninsula, taking you to the geothermal springs in Krýsuvík. If you did not stop at the Blue Lagoon on day 1, the highlight of the tour on your way back would then be a visit of the famous Blue Lagoon for a relaxing swim in the geothermal water. Approx. 120 km round trip.

Type of accommodation

We offer a choice of two types of accommodation: Budget and Comfort. Here is some basic information about each.

Budget

Rooms without private facilities. Budget accommodation may be in country hotels, farmhouses and/ or guesthouses. All rooms have made-up beds; some of these rooms have washbasins with hot and cold water. Showers and WC in shared facilities. Most of the facilities booked by Iceland Tours offer dinner during the summer time. Breakfast included.

Comfort

Rooms with private facilities. Comfort accommodation may be in country hotels, farmhouses or guesthouses. Most of the facilities booked by Iceland Tours offer dinner during the summer time.  Breakfast included.