8 Day - Ultimate Iceland Highlight Hitter

The first day is all about contrasts as you will do the Golden Circle tour along with the first part of the South Coast, a route which takes you to the historical Thingvellir National Park to get to know a little about the Viking history and the geothermal element here in Iceland, second the hot spring paradise in Haukadalur home to the active Strokkur and the world-renowned Geysir, the namegiver to all the geysers in the world. Next there is the stunning Gullfoss or the Golden Waterfall which is truly an amazing sight and has a lot of history and different viewing angles that you simply must try!The day will also include stops at the famous Seljalandsfoss waterfall “the one you can walk behind” and its brother, the endless power source of Skógafoss waterfall. From there the trip continues along the South Coast, past glaciers and volcanoes before reaching the alluring Reynisfjara black sand beach, this mystical basalt wonderland is one of these places that you will remember a lifetime. The Reynisdrangar basalt stacks in the ocean, the strong waves, the lava cave carved into a tuff mountain and the volcanic ash sand beach is sure to capture any heart! The night will be spent in the town of Vík, a charming coastal village with a towering and picturesque white and red church. You spot it from anywhere in the village!

After joining the group for breakfast it is time to check out of this hotel and get a going because the next adventure is waiting for you.Today we keep following the Ring Road One but this time heading further East into Skaftafell and Vatnajökull National Parks. Iceland has three national parks: Þingvellir, Vatnajökull and Snæfellsjökull – on this tour you will see them all. In Skaftafell and Vatnajökull National Parks you will find amazing sights such as Iceland’s highest peak Hvannadalshnúkur, the alluring Svínafellsjökull and Falljökull outlet glaciers and the extraordinary Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon.Today you will hike on one of the two outlets from Vatnajökull, Europe’s largest glacier and the tour will be led by a certified glacier guide that will be with you every step of the way in the exciting experience. Equipped with all the necessary glacier equipment the journey starts. These glacier tongues are amazing places, with crevasses, moulins which can drill down to the base of the glacier and a plethora of amazing vistas for you to explore. Our guides love to be asked questions and talk about this natural playfield they like to spend their days at, so don’t be too shy to ask!After this exciting adventure, it’s time to cool down a bit and what betting way of doing exactly that than to enjoy the vista of a glacier lagoon. The multi-colored icebergs and blocks float quietly in the enormous lagoon right of Ring Road 1 and you can easily walk around its beach to enjoy it from different points of view. The icebergs break off from the Breiðamerkurjökull Glacier and drop into the lagoon where they then melt and end up at the pitch black volcanic sand beach called Breiðarmerkursandur. When the icebergs then sit there, bathing in the sun the look of them is like glistening diamond and that is why the beach is often called the Diamond Beach. A must visit with the Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon stop!In the evening we will lay down our heads at the comfortable accommodation near Höfn, a very pleasant seaside town and the lobster capital of Iceland.

Today we take on the Eastfjords in Iceland as we continue our tour. Vatnajökull will still continue to follow us the beginning of the route providing truly spectacular scenery. The roads starts to twist and turn and the mountains get closer and steeper as the travel takes you into the Eastfjords. Our point of interest is Egilsstaðir where the mystical Lagarfljót River flows, home to the “Icelandic Loch Ness Monster”. Tales of the giant Largarfljót worm, which is said to show itself from time to time, are firmly established within Icelandic folklore tales and the guide will tell you all about it. Egilsstaðir is often called the capital of the East but many find the smaller villages to host the strongest charm and so the along the way the way we stop off at Djúpivogur, a small and really remote fishing village. The North Atlantic waves wash over the black sandy beach and a rich birdlife thrives in the area. Djúpivogur is home to just over 1100 people greatly outnumbered by the wildlife around. As a community Djúpivogur is known for its reputation as welcoming and being strongly committed to eco issues.The adventure today will be the 3 hour but easy hike the group will take on the waterfall trail of Hengifoss and Litlanesfoss. Then hanging waterfall or Hengifoss is one of the highest waterfalls in Iceland and the falls drop into a striking gorge. Look out for the layers of red strata threading their way in the cliff’s wall behind the waterfall. This cliff was forged in the fire of many mighty volcanic eruptions, those layers of volcanic ash and basaltic lava developed over thousands of years and are a good evidence to the active volcanic systems in Iceland. On the hike you will also find the Litlanesfoss a completely different but equally as wondrous, a smaller waterfall dropping down hexagonal shaped basalt columns, the vista is truly eye-catching. After our hike, we make our way to our accommodation for the night in the picturesque area around Egilsstaðir.This area is known to be a home to wild reindeer so be in the lookout. They can truly make ones trip!