Touris - Tour details

Day 1. Arrival and transfer to Reykjavík
At your arrival at Keflavik airport a meet and greet by a TOURIS representative and a transfer to your hotel in Reykjavik. After checking into the hotel, we recommend a stroll around the old Reykjavik centre and perhaps visit one of Reykjavík’s excellent restaurants for dinner.

Day 2. The South Coast of Iceland
Pick up the rental car in the morning and head for the eastern outskirts of the city. Take road 1, the main circular highway to the south and east, and follow road directions to Selfoss. Cross the plateau Hellisheiði, with a lot of geothermal activity and plumes of steam rising from the ground. Numerous boreholes have been drilled on Hellisheiði in the last years for hot water and steam, some of the cleanest energy available, the steam pressure is harnessed for generating electricity and in the future the hot water will also be used for heating in the capital area. After crossing the plateau, come to the small town Hveragerði, where hot spring water is used for heating greenhouses for cultivation of decorative flowers and vegetables. Hveragerði suffered a lot of property damage in late May, the year 2008, when a major earthquake shook Iceland. It measured 6,3 on the Richter scale and the center of it was close to the town. Drive further east on 1, to the scenic South shore. See the Saga Centre at Hvolsvöllur. Continiue across the lowland plains towards Eyjafjöll district. Stop at the waterfall Seljalandsfoss where in summer it is possible to walk behind the falls. This is an interesting experience. A little further east stop at Skógafoss, another pretty waterfall and don’t miss the folk museum at Skógar, close to the waterfall. The glaciers Eyjafjallajökull and Mýrdalsjökull are towering above the area.
On March 20th 2010, a volcanic eruption started on Fimmvörðuháls, a mountain ridge between the glaciers, Eyjafjallajökull and Mýrdalsjökull. The eruption on Fimmvörðuháls is over now but a new eruption started a couple of weeks later underneath the nearby icecap of Eyjafjallajökull. A cloud of ash has been carried far with wind has disturbed air traffic. Due to melting ice, rivers in the area grew tremendously especially at the beginning of the eruption and caused some road damage. These floodings are now over and the roads have (late April) been fixed temporaily and are considered safe to drive. This eruption came to an end on 23. May and there is currently no activity.
Make a short detour on road 221 to the tip of the Sólheimajökull glacier tongue. Proceed further east and take 218 to the headland Dyrhólaey, a natural reserve and a nesting colony of numerous seabirds. Go to Reynishverfi, road 215 with spectacular coast and beautiful rock formations and thousands of nesting seabirds in summer. Then continue to Vik the southernmost town in Iceland. Make Vik a turnaround point and return to Selfoss for an overnight stay in the area.

Day 3. The Golden Circle
Head inland from Selfoss on 35 and a little later take 36 towards Lake Þingvallavatn, the largest natural lake in the country and to the Þingvellir National Park, situated at the lakeshore. Þingvellir is a unique place from a geological point of view, rich in history and a place of exceptional beauty. Research has shown that Thingvellir is a natural wonder and the faults and fissures of the area show evidence of the rifting of the earth's crust. After exploring the numerous places of interest in the area, drive 365 across the Gjábakki Pass to Laugarvatn and further on 37 and later 35 to the Great Geysir area with numerous hot springs and erupting geysers. The most active one, Strokkur erupts every 5 - 10 minutes. From here drive to Gullfoss, one of Icelands largest waterfalls in the glacial river Hvítá that takes its source in the Langjökull Icefield in the center of the country, the second largest one in Iceland. Make Gullfoss a turnaround point. Head back on the same road as before, a bit further than Geysir. Take road 35 towards Selfoss and stop to see the waterfall Faxi on the left hand side of the road. Faxi can not be seen from the road, so look for the small Faxi sign by the side of the road. A little further, stop to take a look at the volcanic crater Kerið. Continue to the village Hveragerði. From here across the plateu Hellisheiöi to Reykjavik for an overnight stay.

Day 4. Reykjavik - Blue Lagoon - Depart
Leave Reykjavík and drive to the Blue Lagoon. After driving through the neighbouring towns, Kópavogur, Garðabær and Hafnarfjörður, take road 41 and later 43 to the Blue Lagoon. Enjoy a relaxing bath at the Blue Lagoon in an otherworldly setting. In this unique area, lava and thermal water complement each other to prepare you for your journey home. Filled with mineral-rich waters, the Blue Lagoon has become well known world wide for providing relief for those who suffer from skin disorders, as well as for others simply looking for a sensational bathing experience. Stop to soak in the refreshing waters of the Blue Lagoon, and have a wonderful last unforgettable taste of Iceland, that ensures that you are fully relaxed when you leave Iceland. Back to Reykjavík and drop off the car. Overnight stay.

Day 5. Departure
Transfer from your hotel to Keflavik airport with FlyBus.

- Meet and Greet at Keflavík international airport by a TOURIS representative followed by a transfer (about 45 minutes drive) to your hotel in Reykjavík.
- 4 nights accommodation, farmhouses, guesthouses or hotels according to your choice, cat. 1, 2 or 3.
- Breakfast daily.
- 3 days rental car.
- Unlimited mileage, CDW, VAT and one authorized driver.
- Iceland Road Atlas in English or German, a complete road and reference guide including the highlands and all mountain roads. Iceland´s Saga and scenery with 400 colour photographs.
- Detailed itinerary and road map of Iceland with marked accommodations and information about interesting sights along the route.
- 24 hour Emergency telephone service.
- Transfer from your hotel in Reykjavík to Keflavík international airport by Flybus.
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Not Included:
- Fuel expenses.
- Personal insurance.

Please Note:
Pick up of rental car is the morning of day 2.
Drop off is in Reykjavík the day prior to your departure – day 4.
An extra day will be charged if the car is delivered later.
Due to road conditions routes may have to be altered without prior notice.
The highland tracks of Iceland are usually not expected to be open until the middle of June and due to road conditions some routes may temporarily not be passable without prior notice.
Types of car recommended: Any. During winter, usually October through May, snow and ice can be expected. Although the route of this tour is usually passable by any car type all year round, we recommend 4x4 during winter.

 
Accommodation is a combination of farmhouses, guesthouses and hotels, with breakfast.
A credit card imprint will be taken at the start of all rentals for security reasons, even when a voucher covers the cost of the rental. Cash and debit card deposits will not be accepted. This credit card imprint may be used to pay all extra charges, including extra driven kilometres if applicable, extra insurance, parking fines, damages or any costs due to the car rental company as a result of the hirer's use of the car.
Self Drive tours can often be modified according to the client’s wishes. If you want to change or extend the tour, add days etc, please contact our office.
Please note that some activities described may only be available during summer.
Map displayed is only for quick reference and is not to scale.

Optional extras:
GPS navigation system: Available and payable directly to car rental. Cost: 15,- Euros per day.
Additional driver´s registration: 28,- Euros pr. rental, - payable directly to car rental.
Baby / infant seat: Available and payable directly to car rental. Cost: 8,- Euros per day. Max 50,- Euros