Itinerary Details
Upon your arrival at Keflavik Airport, you will be welcomed by a Rahhalah representative and, once the whole group assembles, you will be transferred to your hotel in Reykjavik.
In the evening transfer to Blue Lagoon. You will enjoy bathing and relaxing in geothermal mineralized water; known for its positive effects on the skin. A visit to the Blue Lagoon promotes harmony between body, mind and spirit, and enables you to soak away the stresses of modern life.
Note: There will be only one airport transfer for the group. Timing will be advised in due course. Additional airport transfers can be arranged at an extra cost.
Accommodation: Courtyard Marriott Hotel Keflavik 4* or similar
After enjoying a genuine Icelandic breakfast at your hotel, you will check out and embark on the best known route in the country: the Golden Circle Route.
Your adventure will start at Þingvellir National Park: a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its breathtaking landscape, unique geological formations and colorful history. Þingvellir is a site of historical, cultural, and geological significance, and is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Iceland. The park lies in a rift valley that marks the crest of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and the boundary between the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates, so, for a while you will be walking between two continents. To its south lies Thingvallavatn (“Þingvallavatn” in Icelandic): a rift valley lake (the largest natural lake in Iceland), where the volcanic origins of the island are clearly visible. One of the noted features of the lake is the presence of four morphs of the Arctic charr.
Your next stop will be the town of Geysir, where you may also choose to have lunch.
After lunch, you will visit Geysir—the original “geyser”—and its more active neighbor, Strokkur, which erupts every few minutes. The geysers are a rare type of hot spring, existing nowhere else in Europe but Iceland. When Geysir was most active, its eruptions spouted scalding geothermal water streams some 60-80 m (even 100 meters at its best) into the air. Strokkur, the other famous geyser, gives a performance every few minutes, shooting a tower of water and steam 30 meters into the air. There are also numerous smaller springs that boil and bubble nearby.
Next stop: the magnificent Gullfoss Waterfall (the Golden Falls), one of Iceland’s – and the world’s – most beautiful waterfalls. Its golden-hued cascade originates at Langjokull Glacier and flows down the Hvítá River all the way to Gullfoss.
After visiting Gullfoss, you will be transferred to your hotel in Hella. Rest time. In the evening we will enjoy a traditional dinner at Ingólfsskáli Viking Restaurant. (3 course dinner)
By evening, If weather permits, Northern light hunting with your guide.
Please note that the viewing of the Aurora Lights is unpredictable and always depends on weather conditions.
Overnight in Hella.
Accommodation: Stracta Hotel Hella 3* or similar
Today, you will continue your exploration of the Seljalandsfoss south coast.
Your first stop will be the Seljalandsfoss Waterfall, famed for its breathtaking cylindrical cascade and the hidden cave behind the water that allows you to enjoy the view from a totally different angle.
You will then continue at the spectacular Skogafoss Waterfall( (around 30 minutes away from Seljalandsfoss): a 60-meter-high waterfall, larger than Seljalandsfoss. Legend has it that, behind it, you can find a chest filled with gold hid at around 900, by Þrasi Þórólfsson, the Viking Settler at Skógar (Eystriskógar). The first man who goes there will find the treasure. You may be the lucky one!
Some kilometers far away from Skógar and taking a narrow road you will arrive at Reynisfjara Black Beach (one of the top ten most beautiful non-tropical beaches in the world) and the rock formations of Reynisdrangar (basalt sea stacks situated under the mountain Reynisfjall, framed by the beach). Legend has it that the stacks originated when two trolls tried to drag a 3-masted ship to the land but, when daylight broke, they turned into needles of rock.
Later drive back to hotel & Overnight in Hella.
By evening, If weather permits, Northern light hunting with your guide.
Please note that the viewing of the Aurora Lights is unpredictable and always depends on weather conditions.
Accommodation: Stracta Hotel Hella 3* or similar
Today, you will explore further the outlandish landscapes of Iceland.
After breakfast drive towards Vik (approx 1.5hour drive) when at 10:00 starts our adventure. Prepare for movie-like landscapes and jaw-dropping sights like nothing you've ever done before. We'll hike across the Myrdalsjokull glacier, then visit the amazing blue and black ice cave of the Kötlujökull glacier on Mt. Katla. We will come to a stop near the roots of the Kötlujökull glacier, and the view that greets us is otherworldly. We will take on our crampons and helmets and take a short walk to the ice cave's opening. We might need to climb a few steps on ladders to the cave entrance. As the natural ice cave constantly changes, conditions can differ on each tour. However, the climb is not challenging at all, and anyone in an average physical condition should be able to climb these steps. It might look adventurous at first, but it is not demanding at all!
Beautiful layers of different colored ice and volcanic ash unfold from the ice as we come closer to the cave, painting impressive stripes in the glacier. Your guide will tell you all about the glacier's history, the ice cave, and the area around it, making the tour educational and exciting all at once.
Afterwards, you will head back to Reykjavik (approx. a 2-3hour drive), ready for the New Year Eve celebrations.
Upon arrival Reykjavik, Time to relax, rest or program a walking tour with our guide to explore Reykjavik city center.
New Year’s Eve in Reykjavík is celebrated with fireworks and bonfires and the locals gather around the several bonfires dispersed all over the city, celebrating and singing. A spectacular sight not to be missed when in Iceland! Your guide will take you to the places where bonfires are set up, and there you can enjoy a time near the fire.
After the tour your private driver guide takes you around the city to make sure to be awake around midnight as that's when Icelanders go out to the streets with their fireworks. You might experience a great display of lights and sparkles high up in the sky.
After enjoying New-year celebrations, transfer to your hotel.
Accommodation: 201 Hotel Kopavogur 3* hotel or similar
First morning of the New year, you go to explore The westernmost point of southwest Iceland includes one of the most spectacular volcanic landscapes in all Iceland. Here you will find the margin where the continental plates of America and Eurasia are slowly spreading apart, producing strong volcanic features and intense geothermal activity.
You will start visiting the Lava Cave (guided visit 1 hour), after that we will move to the "Bridge between two continents" when we will walk along the canyon that separates the two tectonic plates (Eurasia and America).
A short drive will take us to Reykjanesviti lighthouse and the spectacular cliffs and rock spires growing from the sea surface. 2 km from here we will arrive at Gunnuhver where we can observe some geysers and fumaroles. The hot spring got its name from a ghost of a woman called Guðrún, who haunted the place. Moving some kilometers to the east we will find Krysuvik. Geothermal field southwest of Kleifarvatn, where blowing steam holes and bubbling mud pools can be inspected at close range. Short hike in the area.
Finishing our Reykjanes circuit we will move to Reykjavik to spend some time relaxing in Sky Lagoon, a new thermal spa inspired by nature and culture - getting a bath and enjoying relaxing time to leave all your fatigue from the last few days.
Overnight in Reykjavik.
Accommodation: Midgardur by Centerhotels Reykjavik 4* or similar
Today you enjoy a free day in Reykjavik for rest, or some shopping time or going for some optional activities available nearby.
Optional activities - Snorkeling in Silfra , Northern lights cruise, Horseback riding , Whale watching etc…
Overnight in Reykjavik.
Accommodation: Midgardur by Centerhotels Reykjavik 4* or similar
After breakfast, you will be transferred to the Keflavik Airport for your flight back home.
Note: There will be only one private transfer arranged for the group. Timing will be advised in due course.