Iceland Circle including Landmannalaugar and Snæfellsnes 10 days
A circle trip around the country including Landmannalaugar and Snæfellsnes Peninsula. A 4x4 is needed for this tour.
BP30 Map
Upon arrival at Keflavik airport, - a meet and greet service is provided by a TOURIS representative who will take you to your Reykjavik hotel.
Highlights of the day:
Reykjavík
Overnight:
Reykjavík
Optional activity:
Reykjavik City Card
Pick up the car in the morning and leave Reykjavik. 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. Drive to the village Hveragerði, at the foot of the mountain, east of the plateau where geothermal water is used to heat up greenhouses. Continue along the South Shore and see the Saga Centre at Hvolsvöllur. Stop at the waterfall Seljalandsfoss where it is possible to walk behind the waterfall in summer, a quite a unique experience. The impressive waterfall Skógafoss is a little further east and don’t miss the Folk Museum at Skógar, close to the waterfall.
The glaciers Eyjafjallajökull and Mýrdalsjökull are towering above. On March 20th 2010, a volcanic eruption started on Fimmvörðuháls, a mountain ridge between the glaciers, Eyjafjallajökull and Mýrdalsjökull. The eruption on Fimmvörðuháls lasted a couple of weeks. After this eruption came to an end a new and bigger eruption started underneath the nearby icecap of Eyjafjallajökull Glacier. This eruption came to an end on 23. May 2010.
Underneath the icecap of Mýrdalsjökull is Katla, one of Icelands most dangerous volcano. Make a short detour to the glacier Sólheimajökull (passable only during summer) before continuing to Dyrhólaey, a natural reserve and a nesting colony of numerous seabirds. Drive to Reynisdrangar with spectacular coast and beautiful rock formations. The promontory at Dyrhólaey is a massive natural arch carved by the relentless pounding of the winds and surf with rich birdlife in summer. Continue to Vík. A small village on the black beach. Make Vík a turnaround point and return to Hvolsvöllur for overnight.
Driving distance
280 kilometers
Highlights of the day:
Hveragerði Town
Seljalandsfoss Waterfall
Skógafoss Waterfall
Dyrhólaey Nature Reserve
Vík Town
Reynisfjara beach
Overnight:
Hvolsvöllur area
Recommended optional activity:
Glacier Walk
Snowmobiling on Solheimajokull Glacier
LAVA Centre
Head inland to visit the Landmannalaugar area. The track passes through a wide variety of canyons, valleys, over rock ridges and black lava, weird plain of lava rocks surrounded by captivating mountains. The mountain track over Landmannaleið offers some of the finest scenic views available throughout this fascinating region. Off the track there are various trails leading to the volcano Hekla, which is in view on and off to the south of the trail. Visit Landmannahellir, a cave that runs some distance into a hillside. The scenic interest in the area is tremendous. The surrounding mountains are perhaps the most varied and colourful in Iceland. This area is highly recommended for nature lovers and those interested in geology. It offers numerous hiking trails for long and short hikes. Lake Frostastaðavatn surrounded by colourful mountains and craters. From a side road near the western end of the lake, a short drive up to the rim of Ljótipollur a lake-filled crater. The trail proceeds cutting across some relatively recent lava streams and through the Dómadalur valley.
At Landmannalugar is a warden station, mountain hut and a popular camping site. Near the hut is a warm water pool created by the confluence of natural hot water and a cold water springs which issue within a short distance of one another from underneath the edge of the obsidian lavafield. Here you can take a relaxing bath in the beautiful and almost surreal surroundings. Continue on the Fjallabak route which is one of the most scenic trails in the interior highlands of Iceland, perhaps the most colourful and diversified of the many interesting mountain tracks, rugged colourful landscape of unsurpassed beauty. One of the highlights of the route is Eldgjá, one of the most interesting sights in this part of the country. Here nature has created a unique spectacle splitting mountains and valleys in its course creating a gigantic 30 km long gash into the earth, in some places is up to 600m wide and up to 200m deep. The volcanic fissure is considered to be the greatest of its kind on earth. Ófærufoss, used to be one of the country´s most beautiful waterfall, framed by a natural bridge, arching over the rivers gorge that collapsed years ago. There is marvellous scenery along this route. Proceed to the Skaftárdalur valley.
Driving distance
230 kilometers
Highlights of the day:
Landmannalaugar
Eldgjá Canyon
Lake Frostastaðavatn
Overnight:
Kirkjubæjarklaustur area
At Kirkjubæjarklaustur see Kirkjugólfið (the Church Floor), a protected natural monument just east of Klaustur. Kirkjugólfið is columnar basalt, eroded and shaped by wind and water. Drive across Skeiðarársandur, vast tracts of black sandy desert washed down by torrential glacial rivers and to Skaftafell National Park. Its natural beauty is a result of favourable weather conditions and the interaction of fire and ice in the past and the present. Beneath the Vatnajökull ice cap, towering above Skaftafell is Grímsvötn, one of Iceland’s most active volcano. In the afternoon of 21. May 2011, a sub-glacial eruption started in the Grímsvötn volcanic system underneath Vatnajökull Glacier. Later the same day, the eruption broke the ice cover of the glacier and started spewing volcanic ash into the air. The amount of ash fall was the greatest close to the village Kirkjubæjarklaustur. The eruption went on for about a week. It ceased on 28. May 2011. Stop at the Skaftafell National Park to see the interesting Visitors Center and for a walk. In the area are many interesting hiking trails. An interesting hiking trail takes you to the unique Svartifoss, one of Icelands most picturesque waterfall, famous for basalt columns, which surround it. A video of a volcanic eruption in the area in 1996 can also be viewed. Continue to Jökulsárlón, the Glacial Lagoon where huge icebergs float and grind together in the deep waters of the lagoon and seals are frequently seen. A cruise among the icebergs on the Lagoon is available in summer. From here, continue east towards Höfn for an overnight stay. The Glacier Exhibition at Höfn is a very interesting place to visit, not to be missed and snowmobiling tours are available on the Vatnajökull glacier in summer.
Driving distance
210 kilometers
Highlights of the day:
Kirkjubæjarklaustur town
Skaftafell National Park
Svartifoss waterfall
Jökulsárlón Glacial Lagoon
Höfn
Overnight:
Höfn area
Recommended optional activity:
Amphibian boat Tour on Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon
From Höfn, continue to Lónsöræfi, a mountainous wilderness ringed by extinct volcanoes and traversed by glacial rivers. Drive past towering mountains with bare rock faces that plunge almost vertically into the sea. Proceed to the magnificent East Fjords, some are now deserted and each a world of its own. Continue to Egilsstaðir and then across the highland desert plateau towards Lake Mývatn. Make a detour to Dettifoss, the largest waterfall in Europe. Stop at Námaskarð Pass where boiling mud pools and flashing colors of the pass merge with lava and ash from the Krafla volcanic system. The Lake Mývatn area is known worldwide for the abundance of birdlife and it’s exceptionally many breeding duck species. The lake's surroundings show great variety in stunning landscapes and amazing geological formations. Stop at Dimmuborgir, the "Dark Castles" and see the pseudo craters near Skútustaðir and many other scenic spots in the area surrounding the lake. The Nature Baths at Mývatn are a great attraction where one can take a bath in geothermal water in the open air.
Driving distance
430 kilometers
Highlights of the day:
Egilsstaðir town
Hallormsstaðaskógur Forest
Lake Mývatn
Dimmuborgir
Seyðisfjörður town
Overnight:
Mývatn – Húsavík area
Recommended optional activity:
Nature Baths
Drive to Húsavík, sometimes called “The Whale Spotting Capital of The World”. Húsavík was the first place in Iceland to offer Whale Watching cruises. The Whale Museum in Húsavík is an educational information centre on marine wildlife. In the morning we suggest a Whale watching tour and a visit to the Whale Centre at Húsavík. In the afternoon head towards Akureyri, the capital of the North and stop at the beautiful waterfall Goðafoss. Akureyri town, situated at the Eyjafjörður Fjord is the northern centre of education, culture, trade and industry. One of the most extraordinary aspects of Akureyri is its warm climate. Although its sits only 60 miles from the Arctic Circle, it has some of the best weather in the country. See the Botanical Gardens and some of the many museums and art galleries. If time allows we suggest a circle trip through the Eyjafjörður valleys. During summer, popular sightseeing flights are available from Akureyri to Grímsey Island, situated on the Arctic Circle. Drive through the majestic mountains and narrow passes of Öxnadalur Valley and Öxnadalsheiði Pass, which leads to the district of Skagafjordur, renowned for horse breeding. Popular horse riding tours for beginners and experienced riders are available here. In the upper reaches of Skagafjordur, you will also be able to join some of the best white water rafting in Iceland. We strongly recommend that you see the Glaumbær Folk Museum where you can learn how Icelanders used to live in the past. The museum is open during the summer and the tiny old church at Víðimýri, is also worth a visit. Hólar is an interesting historical place to visit. At Hofsós town, see the interesting Emigration Center and museum.
Driving distance
270 kilometers
Highlights of the day:
Húsavík Town
Goðafoss waterfall
Akureyri
Glaumbær Folk Museum
Overnight:
Skagafjörður area
Recommended optional activity:
Whale Watching From Húsavík
Different options for the route Akureyri - Skagafjörður:
Explore Tröllaskagi Peninsula. Take road 82 to the north along the western shore of Eyjafjörður Fjord to Dalvík town. Drive further to the north to Ólafsfjörður town. Take a narrow tunnel to Ólafsfjörður.
An approximately 11 km new tunnel has recently been opened that cuts driving distance between Siglufjörður and Ólafsfjörður by about 47 km. It enables easy access to the isolated and pretty Héðinsfjörður valley that in the past used to be the most remote settlement in North Iceland. Due to the remoteness, the valley was abandoned in the middle of the 20th century. This is a great hiking area. The tunnel is in two sections: Siglufjörður to Héðinsfjörður: 3.7 km and from Héðinfjörður to Ólafsfjörður 6.9 km
Siglufjörður fishing town, a remotely located fishing town that during the herring boom in early 20th century used to be the most prosperous fishing town in Iceland. Visit the award-winning Siglufjörður Herring Era Museum. It charts the rise and decline of the former "Herring Capital of the World" and the great Herring Adventure that lasted until 1968. Continue on 76 to the south along the shores of Skagafjörður Fjord to Hofsós town and further to Sauðárkrókur.
Start the day by driving to the charming village of Stykkishólmur. Spend the day to explore the countless natural wonders of the Snæfellsnes peninsula that divides the west coast of Iceland into two large bays. Head to the west towards the tip of the peninsula, passing the small fishing towns Grundarfjörður, Ólafsvík, Rif and Hellissandur. Much of interesting geological phenomena and historic sites can be found in the Snæfellsjökull National Park, the most recent one in Iceland. Among many places of interest are Dritvík, Djúpalónssandur and Öndverðarnes a former fishing station. Make a short detour to Djúpalónssandur and take a short walk along a marked path to the beach. Drive around the tip of the peninsula at the foot of Snæfellsjökull, a glaciated volcano, the backdrop for the famous novel “The Journey to the Centre of the Earth” written by the famous French author, Jules Verne. Þúfubjarg is a spectacular cliff and a nesting colony of numerous seabirds, only a few minutes’ walk from the road, shortly after passing Lóndrangar. Continue to Arnarstapi and Hellnar to view beautiful and spectacular coast and interesting birdlife. There is an interesting museum at Hellnar. Visit Búðir, a pretty site located on a natural inlet. From Búðir continue east along the south coast of the peninsula. Seals can often be seen on land or in the water at the farm Ytri Tunga, only a few hundred meters drive from the main road.
Driving distance
420 kilometers
Highlights of the day:
Vatnsdalshólar mounds
Hvítserkur Cliff
Stykkishólmur Town
Djúpalónssandur
Snæfellsjökull Glacier
Lóndrangar rock formation
Arnarstapi
Hellnar hamlet
Overnight:
Snæfellsnes area
Recommended optional activity:
Horseback Riding
In the morning we suggest a very special cruise from Stykkishólmur, among the numerous islands of the Breiðafjörður bay with its unique birdlife. Puffins Guillemots, Kittiwakes, Eiders and many other bird species nest here in great numbers during summer. The White Tailed Eagles nest here too and are frequently seen. This is an unforgettable experience and takes a little more than two hours. The cruise is available daily at 11:00 from 14. May – 15. October and at 11:00 on Tuesdays from 15. January - 03. December. Please call 433 2254 for details. In the afternoon head for Borgarnes. Enroute you will be passing a number of volcanic craters on both sides of the road, Eldborg being the largest and most beautiful shape. Shortly before reaching Borgarnes head towards Reykholt on. Stop at Deildartunguhver hot spring, the largest hot spring in Europe. Continue a short distance further to the historic site Reykholt. Visit the interesting museum at Reykholt and see the hot pool Snorralaug. Drive further inland to the beautiful Hraunfossar and Barnafossar Waterfalls. Continue to Húsafell, a small birch forest at the edge of the Highlands. Take the Kaldidalur highland road, 550 south to Þingvellir National Park, a unique place from a geological point of view and a place of great beauty. Research has shown that Þingvellir is a natural wonder on an international scale. The faults and fissures of the area are clear evidence of the rifting of the earth's crust. Þingvellir is also the most historical place in the country and a place of exceptional beauty. Drive from Þingvellir to Laugarvatn for overnight in the area.
Driving distance
350 kilometers
Highlights of the day:
Borgarnes town
Deildartunguhver
Reykholt town
Hraunfossar
Þingvellir
Overnight:
South west area
Recommended optional activity:
Unique Adventure Cruise on Breiðafjörður bay
The Settlement Exhibition and The Egil Saga Exhibition
Krauma Baths
Head further inland to explore the great Geysir hot spring area and see the famous Great Geysir and Strokkur, a hot spring that spouts every few minutes. The Geysir Service Centre consists of a restaurant, hotel, swimming pool, souvenir shop, snack bar, gas station, a geo-centre multimedia show, horse rental, quad bike tours, and a camping area. From here, drive to the waterfall Gullfoss one of Iceland’s most beautiful waterfall. Make Gullfoss a turnaround point and drive back past Geysir and stop to see the Faxi a pretty waterfall, situated a few steps from the road but not visible from the there. Look for the small Faxi sign on your left. Drive further to the volcanic crater Kerið. Continue to the main circular highway, 1 and head for Reykjavík across the plateau Hellisheiði. Before crossing Hellisheiði, stop for a drive around the small town Hveragerði where geothermal water is harnessed for heating greenhouses for cultivating decorative flowers. Hveragerði suffered considerable damage during the major earthquake that shook Iceland in late May, the year 2008. There is a lot of geothermal activity on Hellisheiði, where numerous boreholes have been drilled in the last years for hot water and steam under high pressure, currently harnessed for generating electricity. Close up the circle to Reykjavik. Drive to the Blue Lagoon before you end the tour at your hotel in Reykjavík. Enjoy a relaxing bath at the Blue Lagoon in an otherworldly setting where lava and thermal water complement each other to prepare you for your journey home. Filled with mineral-rich waters, the Blue Lagoon has become famous for providing soothing relief for sufferers of skin disorders, as well as for others simply looking for a sensational bathing experience. Soak in the refreshing waters of the lagoon and have a wonderful last unforgettable taste of Iceland that ensures you will be fully relaxed when you leave the country. If you plan to take a bath at the Blue Lagoon, we strongly recommend that you book your ticket in advance. It can be booked at www.bluelagoon.com Return to Reykjavík. Drop off the car and overnight in Reykjavík.
Driving distance
250 kilometers
Highlights:
Gullfoss Waterfall and Geysir Hot Springs
Faxi waterfall
Kerið
Hveragerði Town
The Blue Lagoon
Overnight:
Reykjavik
Private transfer from the hotel to Keflavik International Airport.
Transmission: Automatic
Seats: 5
Suitcases: 4
Doors: 5
USD
EUR
GBP
CAD
DKK
NOK
SEK
CHF
JPY
.jpg "Cat 2")
