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. Breakfast included.
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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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Exhibition and 4K movie at Lava Centre in Hvolsvöllur
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Visit to Icelandic horse stables & geothermal greenhouse
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2x guided Northern Lights searches, subject to weather (Oct April)
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Complementaries:
Entrance fees
Free Wi-Fi on the bus
Use of snow & ice grippers spike (for winter departures)
Use of flashlight (for winter departures)

Lunch and dinner. All meals not listed under "included"
Any private expenses
Any additional services

Day 1. Arrival

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!

(50 km/31 mls)

Day 2. Volcano Crater, Seals, Fjords and Mountains

At 09:00 you will meet your guide at Icelandair Hotel Natura and head out of the city. Travel west along the scenic Hvalfjörður fjord and the town of Borgarnes. Easy hike on Grábrók volcano crater in the middle of a greenish lava field. 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 and over several mountain passes until we reach Akureyri, the capital of North Iceland. The overnight location at Akureyri allows you to walk around the town.

(425 km/264 mls)

Day 3. The Capital of North Iceland, Lake Mývatn and Geothermal Baths

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 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.

(120 km/75 mls)

Day 4. Lava Labyrinth, Hot Springs and Travel East

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. 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.

(250 km/155 mls)

Day 5. East Fjords

It’s a day to admire the dramatic fjord landscape and its tiny fishing villages at the end of twisty roads in the East Fjords, and en route we visit Petra’s fascinating rock collection. A naturalist and a collector are two terms that have been used to describe Petra since she was a little girl. From the day she opened her eyes for the first time she perceived her surrounding differently from most of her compatriots, and it is almost as her parents knew when they named her. The word “Petra” simply means “stone” in Greek. Petra collected for nearly 80 years this unique treasure of rocks, crystals, zeolites, quartz and more, all from the nearby area in the Vatnajökull national park, glacial tongue. The rocks and stones are beautifully laid out in her home and garden. Her descendants proudly take good care of this unique exhibition. In the afternoon we see Vatnajökull, Europe’s biggest glacier that is visible all over Southeast Iceland. We overnight in the town of Höfn or Klaustur.

There is a possibility of seeing the Northern Lights during the evening from October to mid-April.

(260 km/161 mls)

Day 6. Vatnajökull Glacier, Glacier Lagoon, Diamond Beach & South Coast

We travel along the southern part of the glacier Vatnajökull and spend some time at Europe’s second largest national park, which has Iceland’s highest mountain, an alpine environment, and Europe’s largest glacier. We stop at Jökulsárlón, a glacial lagoon filled with floating icebergs, and we explore the extraordinary site. If you look closely you might spot some seals swimming in the arctic waters. Depending on the season, optional boat trips are available. You can walk on the black sandy beach, where large icebergs often get stranded; called the Diamond beach.
A beautiful drive with many natural wonders awaits us in the afternoon as we head 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 the Skógafoss waterfall which is 62 meters high and is one of the most impressive waterfalls in the country. Further west we stop at 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!

There is a possibility of seeing the Northern Lights during the evening from October to mid-April.

(380 km/236 mls)

Day 7. Icelandic Horses and Golden Circle

We start the day at the Lava Information Center and learn about active volcanoes before exploring classics today as we travel the route of the Golden Circle sights. We stop at Friðheimar, where you learn about the Icelandic horse, its unique qualities and history, and visit a geothermal greenhouse. Next stop 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 Þingvellir 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.

(160 km/99 mls)

Northern Lights: From September to mid-April optional Northern Lights evening tours can be booked at the lobby of your hotel, should weather conditions be favourable.

Day 8. Departure

Individual transfer by Flybus airport shuttle to Keflavík Airport.

(50 km/31 mls)

January 08, 2019	English
January 25, 2019	English
February 01, 2019	English
February 19, 2019	English	Guaranteed
February 26, 2019	English	Guaranteed
March 08, 2019	English	Guaranteed
March 15, 2019	English	Guaranteed
March 22, 2019	English	Guaranteed
March 29, 2019	English	Guaranteed
April 02, 2019	English	Guaranteed
April 05, 2019	English	Guaranteed
April 12, 2019	English	Guaranteed
April 19, 2019	English	Guaranteed
April 26, 2019	English	Guaranteed
May 03, 2019	English	Guaranteed
May 10, 2019	English	Guaranteed
May 14, 2019	English	Guaranteed
May 17, 2019	English	Guaranteed
May 21, 2019	English	Guaranteed
May 24, 2019	English	Guaranteed
May 28, 2019	English
May 31, 2019	English	Guaranteed
June 04, 2019	English	Guaranteed
June 07, 2019	English	Guaranteed
June 11, 2019	English	Guaranteed
June 14, 2019	English	Guaranteed
June 18, 2019	English		Sold out
June 21, 2019	English	Guaranteed
June 25, 2019	English	Guaranteed
June 28, 2019	English	Guaranteed
July 02, 2019	English	Guaranteed
July 05, 2019	English	Guaranteed
July 09, 2019	English	Guaranteed
July 12, 2019	English	Guaranteed
July 16, 2019	English	Guaranteed
July 19, 2019	English	Guaranteed
July 23, 2019	English	Guaranteed
July 26, 2019	English	Guaranteed
July 30, 2019	English	Guaranteed
August 02, 2019	English	Guaranteed
August 06, 2019	English	Guaranteed
August 09, 2019	English	Guaranteed
August 13, 2019	English	Guaranteed
August 16, 2019	English	Guaranteed
August 20, 2019	English	Guaranteed
August 23, 2019	English	Guaranteed
August 27, 2019	English	Guaranteed
August 30, 2019	English	Guaranteed
September 03, 2019	English	Guaranteed
September 06, 2019	English	Guaranteed
September 10, 2019	English	Guaranteed
September 13, 2019	English	Guaranteed
September 17, 2019	English	Guaranteed
September 20, 2019	English	Guaranteed
September 24, 2019	English	Guaranteed
September 27, 2019	English	Guaranteed
October 01, 2019	English	Guaranteed
October 04, 2019	English	Guaranteed
October 08, 2019	English	Guaranteed
October 11, 2019	English	Guaranteed
October 15, 2019	English	Guaranteed
October 18, 2019	English	Guaranteed
October 22, 2019	English	Guaranteed
October 25, 2019	English	Guaranteed
October 29, 2019	English	Guaranteed
November 01, 2019	English	Guaranteed
November 05, 2019	English	Guaranteed
November 08, 2019	English	Guaranteed
November 12, 2019	English	Guaranteed
November 15, 2019	English	Guaranteed
November 19, 2019	English	Guaranteed
November 22, 2019	English	Guaranteed
November 26, 2019	English	Guaranteed
November 29, 2019	English	Guaranteed
December 03, 2019	English	Guaranteed
December 06, 2019	English	Guaranteed
December 10, 2019	English	Guaranteed
December 13, 2019	English	Guaranteed

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.

Duration: 8 Days

GROUP SIZE:30 persons.

Min Age: 8+

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.

Start & End Location: Keflavik International Airport (Flybus shuttle)

DEPARTURES Time: 09:00 on day 2 from Icelandair Hotel Natura (subject to change)

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.

ACCOMMODATION - Tourist-class accommodation, in rooms with shower/wc
Icelandair Hotel Natura or similar in Reykjavík for first and last night
Icelandair Hotel Akureyri or similar (1 night)
Sel Hotel Mývatn or similar (1 night)
Icelandair Hotel Hérað in Egilstaðir or Álfheimar Guesthouse in Borgarfjörður-Eystri (1 night)
Hotel Höfn or Icelandair Hotel Kirkjubæjarklaustur (1 night)
Hotel Eyjafjallajökull or Icelandair Hotel Flúðir (1 night).
Note that hotel list is subject to change.

NOTE - Most double rooms in Iceland are actually twin bedded rooms.

NOTE: Itineraries may be subject to change at short notice during severe weather conditions and certain outdoor activities/day trips may be cancelled during the winter season in Iceland. In these rare cases, where situations of force majeure apply, excursions/activities cannot be refunded but the local guides will try their best to find reasonable alternatives where and whenever possible.

CHILDREN DISCOUNT: 20% discount for children 8-11 years of age if sharing room with parents. Tour is not recommended for children younger than eight years of age. Triple rooms are double rooms with extra bed and ideal for two adults and one child.

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.