Accommodation

The style of accommodation indicated in the day-to-day itinerary is a guideline only and may change. On some occasions, alternative arrangements may need to be made due to the lack of availability of rooms in our preferred accommodation. In these cases, we will use a similar standard of accommodation. Throughout the trip, we request that our properties prepare rooms in time for our arrival, especially if we’re arriving prior to normal check-in time. However, this isn’t always possible which means we won’t be able to check-in immediately on arrival at some hotels. Instead, we can store our luggage and explore our new destination or on some trips, have use of shared day rooms until all rooms are available. OCCASIONAL ALTERNATIVE ACCOMMODATION: The style of accommodation indicated in the day-to-day itinerary is a guideline. On rare occasions, alternative arrangements may need to be made due to the lack of availability of rooms in our usual accommodation. A similar standard of accommodation will be used in these instances. TWIN SHARE BASIS: Accommodation on this trip is on a twin/multishare basis. We pair up solo travellers with another traveller of the same gender as per the gender marker on each of their passports. Please note there may be times where facilities will be shared rather than ensuite and rare occasions when you share a room with passengers travelling on different Intrepid trips than your own. CHECK-IN TIME: Throughout the trip we request that our hotels prepare rooms in time for our arrival, especially if we’re arriving prior to normal check-in time. However this isn’t always possible which means we won’t be able to check-in immediately on arrival at some hotels. Instead, we can store our luggage and explore our new destination. PRE/POST TRIP ACCOMMODATION: If you’ve purchased pre-trip or post-trip accommodation (if available), you may be required to change rooms from your trip accommodation for these extra nights. FACILITIES: Your accommodation may not always have private en suite facilities or air-conditioning. European hotels generally don’t provide kettles or fridges. Comfortable Hotel (7 nights), Feature Stay (1 night)

Meals

8 breakfasts, 5 dinners

Transport

On this trip we are travelling in our own private minibus as this allows us to reach some more off the beaten path destinations and gives us flexibility which would not be possible by public transport. Please note that there are some long travel days and some rough stretches on gravelly and windy roads. On some days we depart early in the morning to ensure we optimise our time. All our vehicles in Iceland have complimentary Wi-Fi. Private Vehicle (Ford Transit van or similar)

Others

Reykjavik - Welcome Dinner Complimentary Arrival Transfer Borgarfjordur - Deildartunguhver Hot Spring Golden Circle - Thingvellir National Park (Parliament Plains) Borgarfjordur - Hraunfossar & Barnafoss Waterfalls Snaefellsnes Peninsula - Snaefellsjokull, Arnarstapi & Stykkisholmur Snaefellsnes Peninsula - Liston’s Stone Carving Workshop Glaumbaer - Turf Houses visit and guided tour Trollaskagi Peninsula - Siglufjordur Trollaskagi Peninsula - Icelandic Specialties Tasting Myvatn - Godafoss Waterfall Hauganes - Whale Watching Excursion Myvatn - Lake Myvatn Myvatn - Namaskard Boiling Mud Pools, Dimmuborgir & Skutustadir Crater Group Jokulsarlon - Glacier Lagoon Boat Ride (seasonal) East Fjords - Scenic Drive South Coast - Laki Lava Fields South Coast - Seljalandsfoss & Skogafoss Waterfalls Reykjavik - Leader-led walking tour Golden Circle - Strokkur Geyser & Gullfoss Waterfalll Reykjavik - Sky Lagoon

Hygieneprotocol

All Intrepid travellers 18 years and older and Intrepid leaders will be required to be fully vaccinated. Travellers must provide proof of vaccination to the leader at the group meeting on day 1 of the trip. All children 5 and above must provide proof of vaccination, proof of recovery or a negative COVID-19 test. Any high-risk customer who is unable to be vaccinated for medical reasons can apply for an exemption. Exemptions will be assessed on a case by case basis. Customers must provide a medical certificate from a medical professional.

Guide

All group trips are accompanied by one of our group leaders. The aim of the group leader is to take the hassle out of your travels and to help you have the best trip possible. Premium leaders are Intrepid’s most experienced, with in-depth knowledge and extensive local networks to make it a trip of a lifetime. Your leader will provide information on the places you are travelling through, offer suggestions for things to do and see, recommend great local eating venues and introduce you to our local friends. While not being guides in the traditional sense, you can expect them to have a broad general knowledge of the places visited on the trip, including historical, cultural, religious, and social aspects. At Intrepid we aim to support local guides who have specialised knowledge of the regions we visit. When not already included in your trip, your leader will be able to recommend a local guide service who can share more detailed or specialised information at specific sites should you be interested in delving deeper. All Intrepid group trips in Iceland are accompanied by one of our group leaders, who will also be the driver.

Not included:

Others

Other activities and services are not included.

Optional

Other activities and services are not included.

Insurance

Insurance is not included.

Flights

Flights are not included.

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Day 1 Day 1: Reykjavik
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 1: Reykjavik

Velkominn! Welcome to Iceland. Your adventure begins in Reykjavik, where you’ll be picked up from the airport by a local representative and transferred to your hotel. You’ll then have a welcome meeting at 6 pm tonight. If you arrive early, why not stroll around the world’s northernmost capital and visit the National Museum to see the permanent exhibition on the history of Iceland. After your meeting, head out with your leader and small group to get to know Reykjavik’s food scene. Have dinner at one of the city’s fantastic local restaurants and learn about Icelandic produce and cuisine.
Day 2 Day 2: Thingvellir National Park / Borgarfjordur / Snaefellsnes Peninsula
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 2: Thingvellir National Park / Borgarfjordur / Snaefellsnes Peninsula

Today, you’ll board a private vehicle and drive to Thingvellir National Park (Parliament Plains) – your leader will explain how this spot is both the original location of Iceland’s first parliament from AD 930 and a geological phenomenon. From here, enter the Borgarfjordur area and visit the spectacular waterfalls of Hraunfossar (Lava waterfalls) and Barnafossar (Children’s waterfalls). Continue to Deildartunguhver – Europe’s hottest water spring. In the afternoon, head to your overnight stay in the southern part of the Snaefellsnes Peninsula. When you’re settled, meet up with your group for dinner.
Day 3 Day 3: Snaefellsnes Peninsula / Skagafjordur
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 3: Snaefellsnes Peninsula / Skagafjordur

Today you’ll continue around the Snaefellsnes Peninsula and its glacier Snaefellsjokull – an icecap covering a dormant volcano. Visit the small town of Budir, followed by a stop at the basaltic pebble beaches framed by lava. Then, visit Arnarstapi, where a short stroll along the coastal cliffs gives you access to the rich birdlife of the area. Continue to Grundarfjordur, where you’ll stop and meet a local artist named Liston, who will show you his workshop. Admire his stone carvings and find out about the life of a local artisan. You’ll also have a guided tour of the Glaumbaer Farm and Museum. The farmhouse is built of turf, stones and timber and dates back to the Age of the Settlements (AD 900). After, drive to Saudarkrokur in Iceland’s north, located on Skagafjordur Fjord. Your home for the night is the family-run Hotel Tindastoll, Iceland’s oldest hotel. Experience a part of Iceland’s history as soon as you step through the door – the hotel’s past is everywhere, from the antique furniture to the original architecture. The hotel also features a courtyard with a thermal hot tub and some pretty incredible surroundings.
Day 4 Day 4: Trollaskagi Peninsula / Akureyri / Husavik
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 4: Trollaskagi Peninsula / Akureyri / Husavik

Drive around the Trollaskagi Peninsula and visit the small fishing town of Siglufjordur. Explore the town centre, dwarfed by towering mountains on three sides with the fjord on its north. Further along the coast you’ll have the opportunity to dip your toes in the Arctic Ocean before an Icelandic schnapps tasting, accompanied by some local delicacies – think shark, lamb’s head, liver sausage and dried fish. Continue to Hauganes, where you’ll get to know the gentle giants of Iceland’s waters on board a carbon neutral whale watching tour. Minke and humpback whales are commonly spotted in these parts, and the boat keeps a respectful distance from the whales, allowing you to observe them in their natural environment without disturbing or distressing them. You’ll be joined on board by an expert whale watching guide who will help to spot these beautiful creatures while providing insight on their lives and habitats in Arctic waters. Continue to the town of Akureyri and head out for a leader-led orientation walk when you arrive. Next, drive to the mighty waterfall of Godafoss, also known as The Waterfall of the Gods, before continuing to your hotel in Husavik.
Day 5 Day 5: Husavik / Lake Myvatn / Egilsstadir
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 5: Husavik / Lake Myvatn / Egilsstadir

Start the day with a journey to Lake Myvatn – one of the most interesting geological areas of the northern hemisphere. Visit several geological anomalies lining the lake’s shoreline, including the lava labyrinth of Dimmuborgir, the pseudo-crater group at Skutustadir and the boiling mud pots and sulphuric vents of Namaskard. Your leader will be on hand to explain how these natural wonders came to be. Drive via the highlands to your overnight stop at Egilsstadir.
Day 6 Day 6: East Fjords / Jokulsarlon
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 6: East Fjords / Jokulsarlon

This morning after breakfast, continue along the beautiful coastal region of Iceland’s East Fjords, taking in the views of varied landscapes as mountains give way to deep fjords. If you’re lucky, you may even spot a seal or two! Drive to the famous Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon for a boat tour on the milky blue waters. Get up close and personal with huge floating icebergs, originating from Vatnajokull – Europe’s largest ice cap. Make stops along the way at small towns like Djupivogur, which became a member of the cittaslow movement in 2013 and is aiming to be the Happiest Town in Iceland. Later, discover the Fosshotel Glacier Lagoon – your Feature Stay for this evening. This modern and contemporary hotel carefully considers its surroundings as spacious rooms with huge windows show off views of the mountains and sea, while the interiors reflect the colours of the world outside.
Day 7 Day 7: Skaftafell National Park / South Coast / Hella
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 7: Skaftafell National Park / South Coast / Hella

Visit Skaftafell National Park today and walk to the tongue of the glacier of the same name. Drive over the black sands and lava formations caused by the Laki eruption of 1782 to 1783 – an event that has shaped Iceland’s history and culture. Visit the waterfalls of Seljarlandsfoss and Skogafoss, then continue to your base for the evening near Hella.
Day 8 Day 8: Golden Circle / Reykjavik
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 8: Golden Circle / Reykjavik

From Hella, drive to the geyser geothermal area for the spouting hot springs of Geysir (after which all other geysers were named) and Strokkur – the most reliable of the geysers, erupting every ten minutes on average. Then, it’s on to Gullfoss (the Golden Waterfall) where on a sunny day, you can see rainbows shimmer in the spray above the waterfall. Visit the Sky Lagoon – a geothermal spa overlooking the ocean. Sit back and relax in the warming waters as you breathe in the ocean air and soak in the views. Drive back to Reykjavik for a short tour with your leader to get to know the main sights of this eclectic city. The evening is free for you to explore the streets of Iceland’s capital – you may like to join your group for a final dinner together to round off your adventure.
Day 9 Day 9: Reykjavik
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 9: Reykjavik

With no activities planned, your adventure comes to an end after breakfast today. If you’d like to extend your stay in Reykjavik, just get in touch with your booking agent ahead of time.

9 days tour

Premium Iceland

This tour includes:

Not included:

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Itinerary of your trip Premium Iceland

Day 1: Reykjavik

Day 2: Thingvellir National Park / Borgarfjordur / Snaefellsnes Peninsula

Day 3: Snaefellsnes Peninsula / Skagafjordur

Day 4: Trollaskagi Peninsula / Akureyri / Husavik

Day 5: Husavik / Lake Myvatn / Egilsstadir

Day 6: East Fjords / Jokulsarlon

Day 7: Skaftafell National Park / South Coast / Hella

Day 8: Golden Circle / Reykjavik

Day 9: Reykjavik

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