Compare Highlights of Iceland by Travcoa vs Northern Lights Exploration by Great Value Vacations
Compare details and see what other travelers are saying.
| Trip |
0 | Poor
|
4 | Great
|
| Duration | 7 days | 8 days |
| Price From | $ 5,785 | $ 2,962 |
| Price Per Day | $ 826 | $ 370 |
| Highlights |
|
|
| Trip Style | Group tour | Group tour |
| Lodging Level | Premium | Standard |
| Physical Level |
|
|
| Travel Themes |
|
|
| Countries Visited | ||
| Cities and Attractions |
|
|
| Flights & Transport | Ground transport included | Airfare included |
| Activities |
|
|
| Meals Included | 6 Breakfast and 1 Dinner | N/A |
| Description |
Explore the pastures of Akureyri to learn about local history and culture at a farm and artists workshops, followed by a herring boat adventure along the scenic North Atlantic coastline. Travel the volcanic terrain of the south shore, through small villages and fertile farmland surrounded by ice-capped volcanoes. View spectacular waterfalls and walk the ice field of the Sólheimajökull Glacier. Tour the thermal wonderland of the Golden Circle route by 4X4 beside hot springs, waterfalls, and spouting geysers; and aboard an exhilarating snowmobile ride on Langjökull Glacier. Finally, visit modern Iceland and tour cosmopolitan Reykjavík, the world's northernmost capital. |
This is an escorted tour. It’s perfect if you prefer not to do your own driving and want to see as many sights as you can during your vacation.
You will climb a volcano crater, then visit hot springs to soak your cares away. Soon thereafter, you'll see the Golden Circle, taste food cooked geothermally, and meet friendly Icelandic horses. Information about glaciers, ice, and icebergs will be presented as you adventure through the blue surroundings of Skaftafell National Park, then you'll get to unwind in the waters of the world-famous Blue Lagoon, whose waters are rumored to have healing powers. |
Day 1: Reykjavík, Iceland
Accommodation: Hotel Borg
Upon arrival you will be escorted to your hotel in Reykjavík, the world's northernmost capital city, which is filled with modern restaurants, museums, galleries and theaters.
Day 2 & 3: Akureyri
Meals: 2 Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel Kea
On Day 2, fly to Akureyri, just south of the Arctic Circle. Visit local farms, greenhouses and an old turf church. Take a walking tour along the Akureyri Art Trail and visit an artist's workshop, handicrafts shop, and a Christmas house. Enjoy a traditional High Tea, and sample beers at a local micro-brewery. On Day 3 you will experience a full-day Icelandic adventure; cruising along Iceland's most beautiful North Atlantic coastline you will learn how herring fishing has shaped Iceland since the 1900s.
Day 4: Reykjavík
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Accommodation: Hotel Borg
Fly back to Reykjavík and enjoy an afternoon city tour. See the official residence of Iceland's President, Bessastair, and Höfìi, the former French consulate which was the site of the Reykjavk Summit between President Ronald Reagan and Secretary General Mikhail Gorbachev in 1986. View Hallgrímskirkja, an iconic Lutheran church, the lively University District, and the quaint Old Town Center, home to the Parliament Building and the New City Hall. This evening, enjoy a tasting menu dinner at the Grillmarkaurinn restaurant.
Day 5: South Shore
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel Borg
Drive south, through small villages and fertile farmlands. Take in magnificent views of the snow-shrouded Hekla and Eyjafjallajökull volcanoes, and the spectacular Seljalandsfoss and Skógarfoss waterfalls. At the Sólheimajókull Glacier, take an easy, guided walk onto the ice field and discover a wonderland of ice sculptures, ridges and deep crevasses. Your tour also includes stops to view the sheer rocky headland cliffs of the Dyrhólaey promontory, the legendary Reynisdrangar basalt sea stacks, and the beautiful village of Vík.
Day 6: The Golden Circle
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel Borg
A full-day adventure along the 'Golden Circle' includes scenic views and striking natural phenomena. Travel by 4X4 to Þingvellir National Park to see geology at work; an open fissure marks the division between the tectonic plates of North America and Europe. Stop by the The Great Geysir, the second largest geyser in the world, and Strokkur, one of the most active geysers. View Gullfoss waterfall, which cascades down into the Hvítá River. Next, drive up to Skalpanes for the snowmobile ride of a lifetime on the Langjökull Glacier.
Day 7: Depart for Home
Meals: Breakfast
Today you will be transferred to the airport for your flight home or on to your next destination.
Day 1 Welcome to Reykjavik!
Welcome to Iceland! Upon arrival, you'll board a transfer coach marked "Flybus" and be whisked off to your hotel in Reykjavik. The rest of the day is yours to explore the colorful city, visit a museum or two, and get to know the area!
Day 2 Reykjavik - Borgarfjörður Saga Valley
Today, you'll be introduced to your tour guide, who will take you through the capital city. Then, you'll head west to the Saga Valley to learn about the area's history and to climb the Grabrok volcano crater and visit Europe's most powerful hot spring that averages about 200 degrees Fahrenheit! The afternoon will include a lecture about the Northern Lights, which will be followed by dinner. After that, you will gather in the hotel garden to see if you can catch your first glimpse of Aurora Borealis!
Day 3 Snaefellsnes Peninsula
The Snæfellsnes Peninsula, “the peninsula of the snowy mountain“, juts out from Iceland’s west coast, like a long arm with a clenched fist at its tip, and is in many ways a microcosm of the whole island. A rugged mountain chain runs its length. Visit the fishing village of Grundarfjörður, a place with an impressive coastline and mountains, lakes, and waterfalls behind the village. One of the most photographed and famous mountains in Iceland, Kirkjufell, can be seen jutting out into the bay. Visit Arnarstapi and Hellnar before experiencing the area from below, inside Vatnshellir cave. We take you 35 meters underground and about 200 meters into the lava tube under the glacier Snæfellsjökull! On the way back to Borgarnes the guide gives you some practical tips on how to photograph the Auroras as part of the Northern Lights Academy program. Naturally, once darkness falls, we are out in the hotel garden to chase the Northern Lights and to soak in the hotel’s outdoor hot tubs.
Day 4 Golden Circle
The first stop of the day will be along the Hvalfjordur fjord. Peruse the offerings of an authentic Icelandic wool outlet store, then continue on toward Thingvellir National Park. Travel the Golden Circle route and look for the steam rising from the geothermal pools. Filled with hot springs, bubbling pools, and geysers, this stop will be a highlight of the trip! Here, you'll get to sample fresh bread, and geothermically boiled eggs and herring. After that, you'll see Gullfoss, a double waterfall which falls 100 feet into the Hvita River. That afternoon, you'll get to meet friendly Icelandic horses and visit a geothermal greenhouse. Once you reach your accommodations for the night, you will step into total darkness to search for the Northern Lights.
Day 5 South Iceland
Today we travel along the South coast. At the Lava & Volcano Exhibition Center, learn about geology and active volcanoes. Further east we visit one of Iceland’s finest folk museums. This museum contains an outstanding collection of farm and domestic artifacts from Iceland’s past and several turf-built houses. Nearby is Skógafoss waterfall which is 60 meters high and one of the most impressive waterfalls in the country. In the afternoon take a stroll on the black lava beach and along bird cliffs at Reynisfjara in South Iceland. We spend two nights near Kirkjubæjarklaustur in the Vatnajökull National Park region, located in darkness and ideal for Northern Lights search.
Day 6 Skaftafell National Park - Vatnajökull Glacier
Learn all about glaciers, icebergs, and ice on today's adventures! Travel to Jokulsarlon, a glacial lagoon filled with floating icebergs and swimming seals. Walk on the iceberg-studded black sand beach then spend time in Europe's largest national park. In the evening, you will see a film presentation on the Northern Lights before you venture back outside to watch for the lights.
Day 7 South Shore - Reykjavik
Start the day by crossing over the Eldhraun lava field to the village of Vik for photos. In the afternoon, you will soak in the famous Blue Lagoon! After a fun-filled day, you'll return to Reykjavik for one last night.
Day 8 Depart Iceland
After a week of exploring, searching, climbing, soaking, and discovering, you will be met by Flybus at the hotel, then be taken to the airport to board your flight home.
