Compare Iceland Adventure by Globus vs Iceland: See & Experience it ALL in 9 Days, 1st Class Custom Tours by Charlie The Traveler
Compare details and see what other travelers are saying.
| Trip |
5 | Excellent
|
5 | Excellent
|
| Duration | 8 days | 9 days |
| Price From | $ 4,319 | $ 3,675 |
| Price Per Day | $ 540 | $ 408 |
| Highlights |
|
|
| Trip Style | Small group tour | Private guided tour |
| Lodging Level | Premium | Luxury |
| Physical Level |
|
|
| Travel Themes |
|
|
| Countries Visited | ||
| Cities and Attractions |
|
|
| Flights & Transport | No | Ground transport included |
| Activities |
|
|
| Meals Included | N/A |
Breakfast is included on Day 6. We do our best to ensure you are being offered healthy and tasty local cuisine. |
| Description | Icelandic folklore maintains there are clans of elves and trolls living in the country’s extraordinary hills, rocky outcrops, and lava fields. Will you meet these “Huldufólk” or “Hidden People” said to dislike churches, daylight, and electricity? Hard to say. But here’s what you will see on this breathtaking tour of Iceland—active volcanoes, roaring waterfalls, jagged glaciers, floating icebergs, black-sand beaches, and brilliant-blue geothermal springs. Unique, local experiences await in the “Land of Fire and Ice,” including tasting piping hot bread baked by the heat from the hot springs, sipping Geysir schnapps served at freezing point, and standing in awe before the spectacular Lake Jökulsárlón, home to Europe’s largest glacier and the site of some of the most dramatic scenes from the James Bond movie Die Another Day. The gargantuan sights in the land of the elves will surely leave you stirred, not shaken. |
You absolutely will not find another tour out there as packed with activities and attractions as this one, provided by CharlieTheTraveler. You will also not find another tour out there that offers it all ""FIRST CLASS,"" yet for a relatively low price. We have thousands of travelers taking this specific tour every year-and that's because no competitor can beat us on quality, price and substance. Below are just some examples of what you will see and do on this tour:
|
Day 1: ARRIVE IN REYKJAVIK, ICELAND
Welcome to Reykjavik! At 6 pm, meet your Tour Director and travel companions for a welcome dinner at your hotel. (Dinner)
REYKJAVIK-CITY.jpg
Day 2: REYKJAVIK–HELLISHEIÐARVIRKJUN–GEYSIR–GULLFOSS–THINGVELLIR–BORGARNES
Incredible Iceland REYKJAVIK Orientation drive.HELLISHEIÐARVIRKJUN Visit the geothermal heat and electric power station.GEYSIR Stop at the hot springs and [LF] taste local specialties with a glass of Geysir Schnapps.GULLFOSS Take pictures at the Gullfoss waterfalls.THINGVELLIR [LF] Walk through the rift valley en route to Borgarnes.(Breakfast,Dinner) 180 mi / 290 km
LOCAL FAVORITE NATURAL WONDERS Iceland is the only place in the world where separation between the North American and European geological rift (tectonic plates) are above sea level, and nowhere in the world are the edges of both plates as clearly visible than the rift valley in Thingvellir National Park. Here, you can stand on two continents at the same time!
GULLFOSS-WATERFALL.jpg
Day 3: BORGARNES–HAUGANES–AKUREYRI
Giant Love HAUGANES Take a [LF] whale-watching cruise before continuing to Akureyri. (Breakfast)217 mi / 350 km
LOCAL FAVORITE WILD & WONDERFUL Take a whale-watching cruise from Hauganes for the chance to spot humpback and minke whales and dolphins surfacing on the glassy waters of Eyjafjordur bay.
HAUGANES-WHALE-WATCHING.jpg
Day 4: AKUREYRI–GOĐAFOSS–LAKE MÝVATN–DETTIFOSS–EGILSSTADIR
Heavenly Sights AKUREYRI Take an orientation walk that includes the botanical gardens.GOĐAFOSS Take pictures of the “Waterfall of the Gods.” Scenic drive to the lovely blue Lake Mývatn.LAKE MÝVATN Stop at lake Mývatn.DETTIFOSS Take photos of the most powerful waterfall in Europe (road conditions permitting) before continuing to Egilsstadir. (Breakfast,Dinner) 190 mi / 305 km
TOUR HIGHLIGHTPICTURE PERFECT Take the photographs of a lifetime with a stop at North Iceland’s historic and magnificent Goðafoss waterfall, stretching 90 feet across dramatic rock formations to deliver its spectacular cascades along the glacial-fed Skjálfandafljót River.
GODAFOSS-WATERFALL.jpg
Day 5: EGILSSTADIR–HÖFN AREA
Warm Friends on an Icelandic Fjord EGILSSTADIR Scenic drive en route to Höfn. (Breakfast,Dinner)159 mi / 256 km
TOUR HIGHLIGHT CULTURE & TRADITION Hear about the Lagarfljótwurm, a snake-like animal that is supposed to guard a pot of gold located by Lake Lögurinn and take in the natural beauty of this fjord town where sheep farming, fishing, and music festivals are all part of the culture.
HOFN.jpg
Day 6: HÖFN AREA–LAKE JÖKULSÁRLÓN–SKAFTAFELL NATIONAL PARK–VIK AREA
Icy Beauty LAKE JÖKULSÁRLÓN [LF] Take photos of the Vatnajökull Glacier (weather permitting). Scenic drive through Skaftafell National Park en route to Vik. (Breakfast,Dinner) 169 mi / 272 km
LOCAL FAVORITE PICTURE PERFECT Drive through the national park at Skaftafell and stop at Lake Jökulsárlón. Snap photos to capture the astonishingly beautiful glacier Vatnajökull (the Water Glacier) which flows into the lake for a spectacular sight to see at Iceland's largest ice cap.
VATNAJOKULL-GLACIER.jpg
Day 7: VIK AREA–SELJALANDSFOSS–REYKJAVIK
Earthly Powers VIK AREA Scenic drive with views of the Eyjafjallajökull volcano. SELJALANDSFOSS Take photos of the waterfall.REYKJAVIK Enjoy a farewell dinner at a local restaurant. (Breakfast,Dinner) 118 mi / 190 km
TOUR HIGHLIGHTNATURAL WONDERS Eyjafjallajökull is one of Iceland’s few stratovolcanoes (with an ice cap covering the caldera). When the volcano erupted in 2010, the glacier topping also broke, and the plume of ash rose over five miles into the sky – interrupting European air travel for almost a month!
VIK.jpg
Day 8: REYKJAVIK
Safe travels until we meet again! Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning. (Breakfast)
REYKJAVIK-EVENING.jpg
Day 1: Whale Watching & Colorful Skies
From mid-May to mid-October, our tour starts in Iceland's second most visited city, Akureyri. Get ready to go on a whale watching tour. From late October to early May, whale watching is done instead in the capital that is Reykjavík. From September to early March, also included is a night tour to an area where we see the northern lights.
Day 2: A Lake Created by Lava & Geothermal Eruptions
As a land daytrip from Akureyri (mid-May to mid-October) or a flight daytrip from Reykjavík (late October to early May), we are taken on a tour to Goðafoss Waterfall, Lake Mývatn, a geothermal area called Hverir and Dettifoss Waterfall. Goðafoss waterfall has a height of 12 meters over a width of 30 meters. Lake Mývatn was created by a large basaltic lava which erupted 2,300 years ago. The surrounding landscape is dominated by volcanic landforms, including lava pillars. Dettifoss is reputed to be the second most powerful waterfall in Europe.
Day 3: Approaching a Caldera & Bathing in a Crater or Iceland’s Best Bar Lagoon Accompanied with a City Tour
Today’s destinations and activities depend on the season. From mid-May to mid-October, as a daytrip from Akureyri, we first hike Askja Caldera and then visit a crater called Viti, the latter of which offers a pond where we go bathing. From late October to early May, we go bathing at a ‘fashionable’ geothermal spa called Sky Lagoon, located near to the capital. We are also provided with a tour of the capital.
Day 4: Why They Call This Area the ‘Golden Circle’
From mid-May to mid-October, we relocate from Akureyri to Reykjavík. From late October to early May, we are not based in Akureyri. Instead, we are still based in Reykjavík. Either way, today we are doing the so-called ‘Golden Circle’ as a daytrip from Reykjavík. Destinations include Gullfoss Waterfall, Geysir/Strokkur geyser and Þingvellir National Park (a.k.a. Thingvellir National Park). Gullfoss is 32 meters tall and features not 1 but 2 drops. Geysir’s eruptions can hurl boiling water up to 70 meters in the air. Þingvellir is notable for its unusual tectonic and volcanic environment in a rift valley.
Day 5: One of the Ten Most Beautiful Beaches on Earth & Thundering Waterfalls
We leave Reykjavík and start the journey along the southeast coast. Highlights for today include Seljalandsfoss Waterfall, Skógafoss Waterfall and the Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach. We end up lodging in the Skaftafell area. The Seljalandsfoss Waterfall drops 60 meters. Visitors can walk behind the falls into a fascinating cave. Skógafoss is one of the biggest waterfalls in the country, with a width of 25 meters and a drop of 60 meters. Reynisfjara was ranked by National Geographic as one of the ten most beautiful non-tropical beaches on Earth.
Day 6: Huge Icebergs, Exploring an Ice Cave & a Surreal Shoreline
Although today we head to Thorsmork Valley, many destinations are visited en route. They include Skaftafell Nature Reserve, Jökulsárlón Glacial Lake, the natural ice cave at Vatnajökull National Park and Diamond Beach. Skaftafell’s landscape is similar to some of the Alps. The difference is Skaftafell has been formed over thousands of years by different influences of fire and water. Jökulsárlón Lake provides outstanding views of icebergs which rise to a height of 910 meters. Jökulsárlón has been a setting for four Hollywood movies: (1) A View to a Kill, (2) Die Another Day, (3) Lara Croft: Tomb Raider and (4) Batman Begins. Vatnajökull’s ice cave contains canals for water which run through or at the bottom of the glacier. Diamond Beach features icebergs which float onto the shore from Jökulsárlón.
*Note that the surreal looking Svartifoss Waterfall is sometimes-but not always-included on today’s tour. It depends on many factors, including the weather. Also, note that the ice cave is not open June through September. It is open only during the winter season.
Day 7: A Hiker's Paradise
Before returning to Reykjavík, we hike around Thorsmork Valley. The highlights are Seljalandsfoss Waterfall, Stakkholtsgjá Canyon, Nauthúsagil Canyon and Gígjökull Glacier. This is arguably the best area in the country from where to go hiking.
Day 8: Mud Pools, Hot Springs & Blue Waters
From Reykjavík, we make a daytrip to the Reykjanes Peninsula: Lake Kleifarvatn, a geothermal area called Krýsuvík, Gunnuhver’s mud pools and hot springs and the Blue Lagoon. Krýsuvík consists of several geothermal fields. Here solfataras, fumaroles, mud pots and hot springs have formed. The soil is colored bright yellow, red and green. Nearby are several craters which were created by the explosions of overheated groundwater. The Blue Lagoon, one of the most visited attractions in Iceland, is a geothermal spa. There we enjoy bathing inside the warm water.
Day 9: Our Tour Ends Today
Transportation will be arranged for you to reach the airport in Reykjavík.
