Gems of South Iceland

Day 1: Arrive in Iceland

Fly to Keflavik airport

Individual transfer by Flybus shuttle bus from Keflavik airport to your accommodation in Reykjavik. You may explore Iceland’s capital city on your own if time allows.

Overnight location:
3-star Fosshotel Baron or similar in Reykjavík OR 4-star Fosshotel Reykjavik or similar in Reykjavík
(50km / 31mi)

Day 2: Explore Reykjavik

Enjoy free rein of Reykjavik

Overnight location:
3-star Fosshotel Baron or similar in Reykjavík OR 4-star Fosshotel Reykjavik or similar in Reykjavík

Day 3: Reykjavik Sightseeing, Whale Watching & Sky Lagoon

At 09:00, meet your tour guide, who will show the group the highlights of Iceland’s exciting capital. Learn about life in the city from the very beginning of settlement in Iceland to the present day. We stop by the church of Hallgrímskirkja and drive through the university district, past the Nordic house and the National Museum. In the city centre, we stop by the City hall, which juts into the small lake of Tjörnin. Nearby are the Lutheran Cathedral and the House of Parliament. We also drive by the harbour to observe fishing vessels of different sizes, whale hunters and whale watchers. In Reykjavík are many public works of art, mainly sculptures. The latest addition to Reykjavík is the concert/conference hall of Harpan (the Harp), built on the town centre’s northern waterfront, whose dramatic design captures and reflects the city’s light, ocean and sky with a thrilling effect.

In the afternoon, enjoy the spirit of whale watching, getting as close as possible without disturbing the animals. You might see dolphins, humpback, orca, blue, and minke whales during this 3-hour cruise. Let a guide direct your attention as we travel across Faxaflói Bay, where a blend of warm and cold ocean currents creates spectacular whale-watching opportunities. Afterwards, visit the Whales of Iceland exhibition with life-sized whale models and a virtual reality experience.

The Sky Lagoon is Iceland’s latest geothermal lagoon spa experience, where the ocean meets the sky. Immerse yourself in the warm and rejuvenating waters of an oasis near the city centre of Reykjavík. Enjoy this authentic and remarkable place through an unforgettable and inspiring spa experience.

Overnight location:
3-star Fosshotel Baron or similar in Reykjavík
4-star Fosshotel Reykjavik or similar in Reykjavík
Breakfast included
(50km / 31mi)

Day 4: Westman Islands

Ahoy! We take a short ferry ride to the Westman Islands. There is a bus and walking tour of the village of Heimaey and this extraordinary island. The volcanic eruption in 1973 is, without doubt, considered the largest natural disaster in Iceland in recent history. The eruption began on January 23rd on the island of Heimaey, the only populated island of the Vestmannaeyjar archipelago. After the evacuation of the inhabitants and during the 5 months while the eruption lasted, there was much uncertainty as to whether or not the island could ever be repopulated. We explore bird cliffs during our tour to the Westman Islands, walk up the volcano crater, and visit  „Pompei of the North“ (Eldheimar museum), a volcanic excavation project. You have the afternoon free to wander around the town of Heimaey, with its birds and sign of recent volcanic eruptions. Finally, we return to the mainland and stay for 2 nights in South Iceland.

Overnight location:
Stracta Hotel, Hella or similar, South Iceland. Breakfast included (210km / 130mi)

Day 5: South Iceland

Our first stop of the day will be at the high but narrow Seljalandsfoss waterfall, which plunges over the mountains and where you can follow a slick and wet trail right behind the falls. We pass the glaciers Mýrdalsjökull and the infamous volcano Eyjafjallajökull on the way to the village of Vík, where we attend the stunning Iceland lava show, the only exhibition in the world where you can experience actual flowing lava! By melting lava and pouring it on ice in a room full of people, you will be able to see the lava flowing, hear it sizzling, and feel the heat that radiates from it. We walk along the black lava beach and bird cliffs at Reynisfjara and see exciting basalt columns and rock formations. In the afternoon we visit Skogar, the folk museum with its turf houses and the thundering Skógafoss waterfall, which is 60 meters high and belongs to the most impressive waterfalls in the country or join an optional glacier hike at Sólheimajökull glacier tongue. It‘s an informative and easy glacier walk through a frozen wonderland of different shades of glacier ice.

Overnight location:
Stracta Hotel, Hella or similar, South Iceland. Breakfast included (220km / 137mi)

Day 6: Landmannalaugar

Today we drive the rough unpaved road to Landmannalaugar, an oasis in the barren highlands surrounded by vivid rhyolite mountains. The highlight is a 90-minute round-trip hike up toward Brenninsteinsalda, the rainbow mountain of Iceland, which is still “hot” and where you can see sizzling sulfur springs and vapor at its sides. It could very well be the most colourful and spectacular volcanic mountain of Iceland, and so its picture is often found in books and calendars. After a picnic lunch, you have free time to enjoy a relaxing bath in the natural geothermal stream. Next, we take a short stop at the beautiful waterfall Hjálparfoss, surrounded by unusual basalt rock formations. 

3-star Fosshotel Baron or similar in Reykjavík
4-star Fosshotel Reykjavik or similar in Reykjavík
Breakfast included
(50km / 31mi)

Day 7: Fly Home

Individual transfer by Flybus shuttle from your accommodation in Reykjavik to Keflavik airport.

Fly back to UK

To see some of the incredible sights on this route, check out our blog post here.