Guided Iceland Circle 2018 - 2019

AVAILABLE:
All year

DURATION:
8 days, 7 nights

TOUR ID:
GG04

BESTSELLER
 

Arrival & departure airport transfer by FLYBUS Plus shuttle (no guide)
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Fully escorted 6-day bus tour with an English speaking guide or driver guide
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7 nights accommodation in rooms with shower/wc
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Visit to natural history & seal museum in Hvammstangi
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Visit to Viðimýri turf church
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Entrance with towel at Mývatn Nature Baths
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Admission to Petra’s Stone and Mineral Collection in the East Fjords
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Movie at Lava Center in Hvolsvöllur
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Visit to Icelandic horse stables & geothermal greenhouse
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Use of snow & ice gripper spikes and a flash light for winter departures

Lunch and dinner
Nature fees: There is a possibility that some of the nature attractions around Iceland might charge an entrance fee during the trip. These entrance fees are not included in the tour price and need to be paid by all tour members additionally on the spot, when entering any of these nature sites. Locations, amount of entrance fee, form of payment and other details are not known at the present time and are subject to change.

Day 1. Arrival (50 km/31 mls)

Individual Flybus transfer from Keflavík airport to Icelandair Hotel Natura (or similar hotel) in Reykjavík, where you will spend the night. We provide you with ideas how to explore Iceland's capital on your own. Dinner suggestions as well!

Day 2. Volcano Crater, Seals, Fjords and Mountains (425 km/264 mls)

At 09:00 you will meet your guide at Icelandair Hotel Natura and head out of the city. Travel west, passing the town of Borgarnes and climb Grábrók volcano crater. In the afternoon visit a natural history & seal museum in a small fishing village in north-west Iceland. Further north a stop is made at the turf church Víðimýri – which is definitely a very beautiful example of traditional Icelandic architecture. Then the tour continues along the scenic fjord landscape to Akureyri for an overnight stay at Icelandair Hotel Akureyri or similar.

Day 3. The Capital of North Iceland, Lake Mývatn and Geothermal Baths (120 km/75 mls)

In the morning you will explore Akureyri, which is the capital of the North and visit the botanical garden and enjoy the panoramic view over Eyjafjörður fjord. In the afternoon the tour continues to an important spot in Iceland's history, Goðafoss, the waterfalls of the Gods. Next is Lake Mývatn which is known for its geological wonders and active bird life during summer. A stop will be made at the bizarre lava formations at Kálfaströnd followed by a walk around the many pseudo craters and end an exciting day with a relaxing soak at Mývatn Nature Baths that contains a unique blend of minerals, silicates and geothermal micro-organisms. The warm soothing waters benefit both skin and spirit alike. Overnight stay at Sel Hotel Mývatn or a hotel in Húsavík area.

Day 4. Lava Labyrinth, Hot Springs and Travel East (250 km/155 mls)

The first visit of the day will be Dimmuborgir – “the dark castles”, lava labyrinth with various, bizarre lava formations. Next the tour continues to Námaskarð pass with bubbling mud pools and steaming solfataras. We continue through uninhabited highland to east Iceland. If we are lucky, we might sport an Arctic fox or reindeer. From June to August, the tour also includes a visit to Dettifoss – Europe´s most powerful waterfall. Overnight stay at Icelandair Hotel Hérað or Álfheimar Guesthouse in Borgarfjörður-Eystri.

Day 5. Fjords, Glaciers and Ice (470 km/292 mls)

A day to admire east Iceland's stunning landscape, tiny fishing villages and twisty roads. Visit an interesting stone and mineral collection. Then we will pass Höfn town and arrive at Jökulsárlón – a glacial lagoon filled with floating icebergs, and we explore the extraordinary site and might see seals swimming in arctic waters. You can walk on the black sandy beach where large icebergs get stranded. Depending on the season optional boat trips are available. We travel along the southern part of the glacier Vatnajökull and spend time at Europe's largest national park, which has Iceland's highest mountains, an alpine environment, and Europe's largest glacier. Overnight location is at Icelandair Hotel Kirkjubæjarklaustur or Hotel Höfn.

Day 6. South Coast (240 km/149 mls)

A beautiful drive with many natural wonders awaits today as the tour heads across the Eldhraun lava field, cross the sandy desert of the south coast, overlooked by rugged cliffs, glaciers and waterfalls. The world-famous Reynisfjara shore, near the village Vík, is widely regarded as the most impressive black sand and pebble beach in Iceland and features an amazing cliff of regular basalt columns resembling a rocky step pyramid. Out in the sea are the spectacularly shaped basalt sea stacks Reynisdrangar. In the small village of Skógar, there is Skógafoss waterfall which is 62 meters high and is one of the most impressive waterfalls in the country. Further west a stop will be made at Lava Exhibition in Hvolsvöllur. Next up is the 65-meter high but narrow Seljalandsfoss waterfall which plunges over the mountain. There is an interesting trail that goes behind the fall – if you are prepared to get wet! The overnight location is either at Icelandair Hotel Flúðir, Hotel Eyjafjallajökull or Hotel Fljótshlíð.

Day 7. Icelandic Horses and Golden Circle (160 km/99 mls)

Today starts by visiting Friðheimar farm, where you will meet the Icelandic horse and learn more about its history and unique qualities. NExt up is Geysir geothermal fields where there is a variety of hot springs and bubbling pools. The original geyser is now dormant but has been replaced by Strokkur, "the Churn", which erupts at 5-10 minute intervals. A short drive from Geysir is Gullfoss, "the golden falls", which is a double waterfall that tumbles 34 meters into the Hvítá river and attracts travelers in summer and winter. Then you will venture inland to Thingvellir National Park, a UNESCO world heritage site, and an area of exceptional geological and historical interest. The Þingvellir area is part of a fissure zone running through Iceland, situated on the tectonic plate boundaries of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. The faults and fissures make evident the rifting of the earth's crust. When returning to Reykjavík, the tour ends with a short city tour to show highlights of the world's northernmost capital. Overnight is at Icelandair Hotel Natura or a similar hotel.

Day 8. Departure (50 km/31 mls)

Individual transfer by Flybus airport shuttle to Keflavík Airport.

August 21, 2018	English	Guaranteed
August 24, 2018	English	Guaranteed
August 28, 2018	English	Guaranteed
August 31, 2018	English	Guaranteed
September 04, 2018	English	Guaranteed
September 07, 2018	English	Guaranteed
September 11, 2018	English	Guaranteed
September 14, 2018	English	Guaranteed
September 18, 2018	English	Guaranteed
September 21, 2018	English	Guaranteed
September 28, 2018	English	Guaranteed
October 02, 2018	English	Guaranteed
October 05, 2018	English	Guaranteed
October 09, 2018	English	Guaranteed
October 12, 2018	English	Guaranteed
October 23, 2018	English	Guaranteed
November 02, 2018	English	Guaranteed
November 09, 2018	English	Guaranteed
November 23, 2018	English	Guaranteed
December 07, 2018	English	Guaranteed
December 14, 2018	English	Guaranteed
January 11, 2019	English
January 25, 2019	English
February 01, 2019	English
February 15, 2019	English
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June 07, 2019	English
June 11, 2019	English
June 14, 2019	English
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June 28, 2019	English
July 02, 2019	English
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August 30, 2019	English
September 03, 2019	English
September 06, 2019	English
September 10, 2019	English
September 13, 2019	English
September 17, 2019	English
September 20, 2019	English
September 24, 2019	English
September 27, 2019	English
October 01, 2019	English
October 04, 2019	English
October 08, 2019	English
October 11, 2019	English
October 15, 2019	English
October 18, 2019	English
October 22, 2019	English
October 25, 2019	English
October 29, 2019	English
November 01, 2019	English
November 05, 2019	English
November 08, 2019	English
November 12, 2019	English
November 15, 2019	English
November 19, 2019	English
November 22, 2019	English
November 26, 2019	English
November 29, 2019	English
December 03, 2019	English
December 06, 2019	English
December 10, 2019	English
December 13, 2019	English

20 % Deposit:
CANCELLATIONS:
A cancellation fee of 20% of the tour price and accommodation will be retained by us for cancellations made from 4 to 8 weeks before tour start. From 28 days until 7 days before tour start, the fee is 50%. No refund is possible for cancellations less than 7 days before tour start, or for no shows, and a tour begun, but not completed. The exchange of one arrangement for another must be agreed by us beforehand. TOURIS reserves the right to charge a non-refundable bookings fee/payment deposit of 20 % in order to secure space on the tour.

GROUP SIZE - Guaranteed departures / Maximum group size: 30 persons.

PLEASE NOTE that this tour books up quickly. An update on availability may not appear immediately at our website after the tour fills up. Kindly contact us to check for availability before making an online booking.

DEPARTURES 2018 - Every Tuesday & Friday all year-round

Note that there is limited day light, about 5-6 hours, for departures mid November to end of January. For your information the shortest day light in Iceland is on the 21st of December, about 4 hours.

TOUR START - Arrival in Iceland is on Tuesdays or Fridays. Guided bus tour starts on Wednesdays or Saturdays at 09:00

END OF TOUR - The guided tour ends on Mondays or Thursdays between 16:00-18:00 for the last overnight in Reykjavík. Departure from Iceland is on Tuesdays or Fridays. If you like to have more time to explore Reykjavik, then we suggest adding a pre- or post-night in Iceland's capital.

ACCOMMODATION - Tourist-class accommodation, in rooms with shower/wc
Reykjavik: Icelandair Hotel Natura or similar for first and last night
North Iceland: Icelandair Hotel Akureyri or Keahotel Nordurland (1 night) and Sel Hotel Mývatn or a hotel in Húsavík area(1 night)
East Iceland: Icelandair Hotel Hérað in Egilstaðir or Álfheimar Guesthouse in Borgarfjörður-Eystri (1 night)
Vatnajökull Region: Icelandair Hotel Kirkjubæjarklaustur or Hotel Höfn (1 night)
South Iceland: Icelandair Hotel Flúðir or Hotel Eyjafjallajökull (1 night).
Note that hotel list is subject to change.

NOTE - Most double rooms in Iceland are actually twin bedded rooms. Triple rooms not available for this tour

DAILY DRIVING - Total mileage without airport transfer is 1.665 km (1.032 miles) which is an average of 278 km (172 miles) per day. You spend about 4 hours per day on the bus, depending on road conditions, traffic and daily distances. On some days the driving might be longer than on some other days.

NOTE - During the off season, from September to May, in rare cases, a change of itinerary might be necessary especially for winter programs in Iceland, should snow, road and weather conditions not allow to follow the scheduled itinerary, and certain outdoor activities might be cancelled. In this case no refund will be given, but the tour operator will try to find reasonable alternatives where and whenever possible.

PAYMENT - A non refundable deposit of 20%, of the total package price should reach TOURIS within 3 days of confirmation of booking and full payment not later than 6 weeks prior to tour departure. In case of delay on payments, TOURIS will reserve the right to treat this as a cancellation and withdraw its confirmation of the services.
Every detail regarding the booking must be included, in order for TOURIS to ensure efficiency, including the passengers´ name, flight information, all accommodation, tours and other services.

TRAVEL INSURANCE - To avoid dispute in case of cancellation, we strongly recommend that our clients purchase a comprehensive travel insurance in their home country, that covers your cost should you have to cancel your tour. This kind of travel insurance is usually not expensive and it frequently covers other risks too.