Hidden Powers of the South and Northern Lights - 6 days - WINTER 2023 - 2024

AVAILABLE:
October 5 to April 4

DURATION:
6 days / 5 nights

TOUR ID:
IT17

Guided Coach Tour from day 2 to day 5
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Expert professional English-speaking guide from day 2 to day 5
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Accommodation 2 nights in a standard room with facilities in Reykjavik
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Accommodation 3 nights in a standard room with facilities in the countryside
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Icelandic breakfast (except arrival day)
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3 Two-course local-cuisine dinners in the countryside (main course and dessert, with coffee/tea Day 2, 3, 4)
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Souvenir Icelandic Search and Rescue keyring
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Entrance fee to the Aurora Reykjavik Northern Lights Centre (day 2)
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Visit to outdoor geothermal bakery and taste of steam-baked rye bread (day 2)
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Entrance fee to the LAVA Centre and LAVA Centre Cinema (day 3)
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Visit to a local horse farm to meet Icelandic horses, plus Icelandic refreshments
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Blue Lagoon admission, including towel rental, silica mud mask and one drink (day 5)
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Use of crampons/cleats (if needed) for walking on snow/ice covered surfaces
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Great photo stops
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Free Wi-Fi on board motor coach
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Seat rotation during the tour
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Northern lights guided hunt on foot one selected evening, including use of crampons and headlight
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Customer care service during office hours
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24-hour emergency line assistance while you are in Iceland
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Northern lights “wake-up call” option during the night on days 2 – 4 (please note: available at most countryside hotels)
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Breakfast on arrival day
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International airfare
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Baggage porterage at airport/hotel
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Personal travel insurance (highly recommended)
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Swimsuit at the Blue Lagoon (rentals available)
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Round-trip transfers between airports and hotels
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Beverages, snacks, lunches, dinners unless otherwise noted in itinerary
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Guaranteed early check-in (check-in time for most hotels in Iceland starts between 14:00 and 16:00 (2:00pm and 4:00pm)
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Guaranteed late check-out
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Any service not specifically listed under “included”
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Day 1. Arrival

Arrival at Keflavik International airport. Transfers to Reykjavik are not included in the tour. We would be happy to arrange shared or private transfers for you, so let us know at booking time.

If you are arriving earlier in the day, you might consider adding a day tour. We would be happy to make suggestions based on your interests. Dinner this evening is at your leisure. Reykjavik offers a multitude of restaurants and/or coffee-houses, making dinner a wonderful way to get better acquainted with Iceland’s capital.

Highlights: Reykjavik - Hallgrimskirkja Church - Tjornin Pond - National Gallery of Iceland - The Sun Voyager Perlan - Parliament House

Dinner is on your own.
Overnight stay in Reykjavik.

Please note that check-in at most hotels starts at 14:00 (2:00pm).
Most hotels will be happy to store your luggage if you are not able to check in early.

Day 2. Þingvellir National Park - Geysir - Gullfoss waterfall

Northern Lights Centre – National Park with Geological Wonders – Lively Geysers – The Famous Golden Falls

Breakfast at your hotel. Start the adventure by visiting the fascinating Aurora Reykjavik Northern Lights Centre. You will get a great introduction to northern lights, how they are formed and the folklore surrounding them. You will also get tips about how to capture northern lights on film. It is also possible to get assistance from the staff in adjusting your camera’s settings for northern lights photos.

Then head onwards to Thingvellir National Park (UNESCO World Heritage site) where the world’s oldest parliament met for centuries on the shores of Iceland’s largest lake. This is a place that makes us Icelanders very proud of our heritage, and your guide will show you some of the amazing sites here. You might even have the rare chance to walk between two continents!

Continue on to the geothermal fields of Geysir with bubbling mud pools and the high-spouting Strokkur hot spring. Last but not least, visit the dramatic two-tiered Gullfoss waterfall, a spectacular sight in winter when frozen mid-cascade. Stop at Skalholt, Iceland’s capital “city” during the Middle Ages and now a culture center with a beautiful church.

During the day you will visit a unique outdoor geothermal bakery where sweet Icelandic rye bread is baked in the hot sands. You will have the chance to taste some of the freshly baked bread, hot from the ground. It is especially delicious slathered in sweet Icelandic butter.

If weather conditions are right, your guide will take you on a northern lights hunt on foot in the area outside your hotel tonight, or on the evening of Day 3 or 4.

Highlights: Gullfoss Waterfall - Geysir Hot Spring - Thingvellir National Park

Approximate distance: 185 km / 115 miles

Dinner and overnight in South Iceland.

Day 3. The South Shore of Iceland

Waterfalls – The LAVA Centre – Glacial Views – Black Sand Beaches

Breakfast at your hotel. Drive along the South Shore, an area of Iceland that is beautiful to view in the winter. This is one of the main farm regions of the country, and the road will pass by typical Icelandic farms, often with Icelandic horses in the fields.

This part of Iceland is home to the wonderful LAVA Centre, an interactive, high-tech educational exhibition depicting volcanic activity, earthquakes, and the creation of Iceland over millions of years. Enjoy both the exhibit and viewing an interesting film about Icelandic volcanoes at the Centre’s cinema.

Stop at the spectacular waterfalls Seljalandsfoss and Skogafoss. If trail conditions are right, you might be able to walk behind the ribbon-like Seljalandsfoss falls. Skogafoss is a beautifully shaped waterfall that makes a perfect backdrop for a selfie. It has an interesting history geologically, and it might also be hiding some buried treasure from the Middle Ages.

Head onwards, passing Myrdalsjokull Glacier, to visit Reynisfjara beach. Take a walk on the black sand, admiring the extraordinary rock formations and thundering waves of the Atlantic Ocean. Cross Eldhraun, a vast lava field created from a very destructive 18th-century eruption as you head into Southeast Iceland. The snows of winter make this landscape into something very mysterious.

Highlights: Eyjafjallajokull Glacier - Seljalandsfoss Waterfall - Skogafoss Waterfall - Vik i Myrdal - Reynisdrangar Cliffs

Approximate distance: 200 km / 124 miles

Dinner and overnight stay in Kirkjubaejarklaustur area

Day 4. Vatnajokull National Park – Jokulsarlon Glacial Lagoon

Western Europe’s Largest National Park – Glacial Lagoon with Icebergs – Europe’s Largest Glacier

Breakfast at your hotel. Today you will be in a world of glaciers! You will be visiting the southern area of Vatnajokull National Park, named after Europe’s largest glacier. The total park area covers almost 14% of Iceland, making it the largest national park in Western Europe! Drive through vast sand plains created by glacial outwashes as you head east. Visit Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon where you can enjoy the breath-taking sight of icebergs floating in the fantastic 180m (591 ft.) deep glacial lagoon (make sure that camera is loaded and ready!) Nearby is the dramatic beauty of the Diamond Beach, where shrinking icebergs settle on the black sands before they drift out to sea.

Then view Svinafellsjokull, one of the most beautiful glacial “tongues” that are slowly creeping down from Vatnajokull. Visit the national park’s famous Skaftafell area, a site of outstanding natural beauty dominated by several magnificent glaciers.

After your amazing day, your group will return to your hotel.

Highlights: Skaftafell National Park - Jokulsarlon Glacial Lagoon - Vatnajokull National Park

Approximate distance: 260 km / 162 miles

Dinner and overnight in the Kirkjubaejarklaustur area.

Day 5. Hveragerdi - Blue Lagoon - Reykjavik

Greenhouse Village – Icelandic Horses – Thundering Waves – Geothermal Lagoon

Breakfast at your hotel. Head back along the beautiful South Coast, enjoying a different view of the winter landscapes. Visit the village of Hveragerdi, which is one of the few sites in the world located directly in the middle of a geothermal area. Hveragerdi is often called “The Flower Village” because of its many flower greenhouses heated by hot water from nearby springs.

Today you will visit a horse farm to meet some locals: Icelandic horses. Enjoy petting these friendly horses and snapping a few selfies with them. You will also taste some sweet refreshments that are traditionally served on Icelandic farms.

The trip then takes you through the surreal landscapes of the Reykjanes peninsula, where you can enjoy a dip in the famous Blue Lagoon, a unique wonder of nature with pleasantly warm, mineral-rich water in the middle of a black lava field. Return to Reykjavik, where your guide bids you farewell at the hotel. The evening is open for you to enjoy your own activities.

Highlights: Hveragerdi - The Blue Lagoon

Approximate distance: 365 km / 227 miles

Dinner is on your own.
Overnight in Reykjavik.

Day 6. Farewell to the Land of Fire and Ice

Breakfast at your hotel. Please note that this might be a light breakfast if you are taking an early morning departure flight. Transfer to the international airport for your departure flight. Airport transfer is not included, but we are happy to help you arrange shared or private transfers.

We recommend you depart your hotel no later than three hours before your departure flight.

January 11, 2024	English			QUALITY ACCOMMODATION - Larger Group
January 18, 2024	English			QUALITY ACCOMMODATION - Larger Group
February 01, 2024	English			COMFORT ACCOMMODATION - Larger Group
February 08, 2024	English			QUALITY ACCOMMODATION - Larger Group
February 13, 2024	English			QUALITY ACCOMMODATION - Larger Group
February 22, 2024	English			QUALITY ACCOMMODATION - Smaller Group
February 29, 2024	English			QUALITY ACCOMMODATION - Larger Group
March 07, 2024	English			QUALITY ACCOMMODATION - Larger Group
March 19, 2024	English			QUALITY ACCOMMODATION - Larger Group
March 26, 2024	English			COMFORT ACCOMMODATION - Larger Group
April 04, 2024	English			QUALITY ACCOMMODATION - Larger Group

PLEASE NOTE: Please check carefully which accommodation category is offered for the departure date you would like to book and book the tour with the appropriate price accordingly.
10% Deposit
Cancellation Policy
Time of cancellation for individual traveller(s):
More than 8 weeks (56+ days) prior to arrival: deposit (10%) charged
10 days and more than 72 hours: 75% charged
72 hours' notice and less: 100% charged

Max group size: 16 or 36 passengers
Minimum size: Guaranteed with 3 participants.
Languages: English
Minimum age: 8 years
Duration: 6 days/5 nights

Important Information:
• Northern lights are dependent on weather conditions and sightings are not guaranteed
• We reserve the right to alter routes without prior notice, due to road conditions
• Please advise us at booking time if you have food allergies or dietary preferences
• A minimum of 3 passengers is required to guarantee each departure

Accommodation is available in Quality or Comfort categories, depending on departures.

Quality category: These are quality hotels, guesthouses and farmhouse accommodation, all with private facilities and breakfast included.
In Reykjavik: 4-star hotel. In the Countryside: The most comfortable accommodation available in each area. Most of the groups stay at the following hotels. Please note this is an advised hotel list and subject to change.

Day 1 – Center Hotel Laugavegur

Day 2 – Stracta Hotel

Day 3 – Fosshotel Nupar/Fosshotel Glacier Lagoon/Hotel Klaustur

Day 4 – Fosshotel Nupar/Fosshotel Glacier Lagoon/Hotel Klaustur

Day 5 – Center Hotel Laugavegur

Comfort category: These are pleasant and economical standard hotels, guesthouses and farmhouse accommodation, all with private facilities and breakfast included. Generally, 3 star or equivalent both in Reykjavik and countryside. Most of the groups stay at the following hotels. Please note this is an advised hotel list and subject to change.

Day 1 – Hotel Klettur

Day 2 – Hotel Ork

Day 3 – Fosshotel Nupar/Geirland

Day 4 – Fosshotel Nupar/Geirland

Day 5 – Hotel Klettur

PAYMENT:

A non refundable deposit of 10%, of the total package price should reach TOURIS within 3 days of confirmation of booking and full payment not later than 8 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.

Children 8-11 years old travelling with 2 adults and sharing 1 DBL room: 25% discount (valid only per 1 child)
Children 12 years and older pay full price as adults.
It is not recommended that children 0-7 years old travel on scheduled tours.

*Solo travel option on the following dates, 15% discount on single room price: Nov 16, Feb 8, Mar 26. Please contact us for booking the tour with this solo travel option.

Prices may change without prior notice. If an incorrect price has been listed, we reserve the right to refuse, cancel or limit any order placed at the incorrect price.

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.