Mountains Lowlands and Fjords 4x4 15 days
An ideal package for those who wish to experience the most extensive unspoiled wilderness in Europe. A great Iceland vacation package.
BP15 Map
Upon your 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
Pick up your car in the morning and head towards the Hvalfjörður fjord and Borgarnes town. The main road is in a tunnel shortcut under the fjord but the drive around the fjord is scenic and is recommended instead of the tunnel. Continue to Borgarnes, a small town at the north coast of the Borgarfjörður fjord. From Borgarnes continue to the Snæfellsnes peninsula. Enroute, pass the magnificent Eldborg crater and a number of other cone shapes craters before exploring the numerous natural wonders the peninsula has to offer. Head to the west along the south shore of the peninsula towards Arnarstapi, a small fishing hamlet with a spectacular coast and sea cliffs, teeming with birdlife in summer. Continue a short distance to Hellnar, another small settlement with more spectacular sea cliffs and varied birdlife. There is an interesting hiking trail along the coast between Arnarstapi and Hellnar, about 30 - 40 minutes walk. Continue around the tip of the peninsula at the foot of the magnificent Snæfellsjökull, a cone shaped and ice-capped volcano and stop at the rocky beaches of Djúpalónssandur and Dritvík, popular hiking areas. Continue towards the north side of the peninsula, passing the fishing towns Rif and Hellissandur on the way to Ólafsvík.
Driving distance
280 kilometers
Highlights of the day:
Borgarnes town
Hellnar hamlet
Arnarstapi
Lóndrangar rock formation
Snæfellsjökull Glacier
Stykkishólmur Town
Overnight:
Snæfellsnes area
Recommended optional activity:
The Settlement Exhibition and The Egil Saga Exhibition
In the morning we suggest a very special cruise from Stykkishólmur, among the islands of Breiðafjörður Bay with its unique birdlife, puffins guillemots, kittiwakes, eiders and many other species nest here in great numbers and the white tailed eagles nest here too and are frequently seen. This is an unforgettable experience and takes a little more than 2 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 sail with a ferry across the Breiðafjörður bay with its countless islands and rich bird life to Brjánslækur. Enroute to Brjánslækur there will be made a short stop at Flatey Island.
Driving distance
100 kilometers
Highlights of the day:
Stykkishólmur Town
Breiðaförður Bay
Overnight:
Örlygshöfn area
Recommended optional activity:
Unique Adventure Cruise on Breiðafjörður bay
Visit Látrabjarg, one of the most crowded bird cliffs in the world. In summer the 444 m high sea cliffs are occupied by millions of Puffins, Gannets, Guillemots and Razorbills. Head to Ísafjörður town, enrout stop at the impressive Waterfall Dynjandi. Drive along the shores of the Arnarfjörður Fjord and across the Hrafnseyrarheiði Pass to the fishing village Þingeyri. Proceed From Þingeyri across Gemlufallsheiði Pass to Flateyri, a small town and take the tunnel to Ísafjörður, the largest town in the Westfjords. Explore the town of Ísafjörður and its surroundings and the neighbouring towns, Bolungarvík and Suðureyri. In summer, Kayak tours are available on Ísafjörður Fjord and the Natural History Museum of Bolungarvík is an interesting place to visit.
Driving distance
220 kilometers
Highlights of the day:
Látrabjarg Cliff
Dynjandi Waterfall
Ísafjörður Town
Overnight:
Ísafjörður area
Explore the town of Ísafjörður, its surroundings and the neighbouring towns of Bolungarvík and Suðureyri. In summer, an interesting boat tour to the picturesque Vigur Island is available from Ísafjörður, this is a great adventure for nature. The Natural History Museum of Bolungarvík is well worth a visit. Drive along the shores of the numerous and mostly uninhabited fjords of Ísafjarðardjúp with beautiful coastlines teeming with seals and bird life and to Hólmavík. Enroute there is an interesting detour to Reykjanes where there is a possibility to take a swim in a geothermal pool. We suggest that you visit the Witchcraft museum at Hólmavík.
Driving distance
240 kilometers
Highlights of the day:
Ísafjörður Town
Hólmavík town
Overnight:
Hólmavík area
Continue via Hrútafjörður and Miðfjörður fjords to Blönduós. Cross the Vatnsskað Pass to the fertile valley of Skagafjörður, renowned for horse breeding. Popular Horse riding tours for beginners and experienced riders are available in Skagafjörður. In the upper reaches of Skagafjörður you will also be able to join some of the best White Water Rafting in Iceland. See Glaumbær Folk Museum, open during the summer and the old tiny church at Víðimýri is well worth a visit. An interesting boat trip is available from Skagafjörður to the spectacular Drangey Island with its sheer cliffs, a landmark on the Skagafjörður fjord, certainly a great experience. Hólar is also an interesting historical place to visit and the town Hofsós with its old buildings and the Emigration Center.
Driving distance
300 kilometers
Highlights of the day:
Hvítserkur Cliff
Vatnsdalshólar mounds
Glaumbær Folk Museum
Overnight:
Skagafjörður area
Recommended optional activity:
Horseback Riding
Spend the morning in the Skagafjörður area for some more touring and exploring opportunities. In the afternoon drive to Akureyri, the largest town in the North of Iceland. Explore this fascinating town on the shores of the Eyjafjörður fjord. One of the most extraordinary aspects of Akureyri is its warm climate. Although it is situated only 60 miles to the south of 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.
Driving distance
130 kilometers
Highlights of the day:
Akureyri
Overnight:
Eyjafjörður area
Recommended optional activity:
Beer Spa
Leave Eyjafjörður in the morning and head for Lake Mývatn. Stop to take a look at Goðafoss, a spectacular waterfall. Continue on to Lake Mývatn. Spend the day exploring the many natural wonders of Lake Mývatn and it's surroundings. The lake area is known for its exceptionally many breeding duck species and the abundance of other birdlife. The lake's surroundings show great variety in landscapes and amazing geological formations. Visit its numerous highlights; Dimmuborgir lava formations, volcano Krafla, Námaskarð geothermal area, Skútustaðagígar Craters, the Nature Baths, and numerous other interesting and scenic spots. The geothermal power station at Krafla, Kröfluvirkjun is open to visitors during summer (free admission) where you can see how natural hot water from underground and steam under high pressure has been harnessed for generating electricity.
Drive to Húsavík, sometimes called “The Whale Watching Capital of The World”. Húsavík was the first place in Iceland to offer Whale Watching cruises and many tourists’ sole purpose for visiting the town is to participate. The Whale Museum in Húsavík is an educational information centre on marine wildlife. Visit the Húsavík Natural and Maritime Museum, one of the best in the country.
Driving distance
150 kilometers
Highlights of the day:
Goðafoss waterfall
Lake Mývatn
Dimmuborgir
Húsavík Town
Nature Baths
Overnight:
Húsavík/Mývatn area
Recommended optional activity:
Nature Baths
Whale Watching From Húsavík
Drive to the north to Hljóðaklettar, Echo rocks, an extremely beautiful canyon carved by the river Jökulsá á Fjöllum. This area offers many interesting hiking trails to explore the many wonders of Jökulsárgljúfur National Park and visit the horseshoe shaped Ásbyrgi canyon. Continue to the south along a rather rough but scenic route to Dettifoss waterfall the mightiest waterfall in Europe. From here drive to the east across the highland plateau and across the Möðrudalsöræfi highlands renowned for their stark beauty to the Egilsstaðir area. There is a short and scenic drive across Fjarðarheiði Heath to Seyðisfjörður town.
Driving distance
310 kilometers
Highlights of the day:
Hljóðaklettar rock formations
Ásbyrgi Canyon
Dettifoss Waterfall
Egilsstaðir town
Jökulsárgljúfur National Park
Hallormsstaðaskógur Forrest
Seyðisfjörður town
Overnight:
Egilsstaðir area
Drive from Egilsstaðir to to the magnificent East Fjords, some now deserted, each a world of its own. The Stone Collection of Petra at Stöðvarfjörður is well worth a visit. Stop at Djúpivogur, a small fishing town. Continue to the south and past Lónsöræfi and to top of Almannaskarð pass for a great view. Continue to Höfn in Hornafjordur, a blooming community in the realm of the greatest glacier in Europe, Vatnajokull. Snowmobiling tours on Vatnajökull is available here.
Driving distance
250 kilometers
Highlights of the day:
Höfn
Overnight:
Höfn area
Continue to the west and head for Jökulsárlón, the Glacial Lagoon, one of the most popular tourist attractions in Iceland. Huge icebergs, true sculptures of nature are floating on the blue glacial waters of the lagoon at the foot of the Breiðamerkurjökull glacier. An extremely popular boat trip is available from here during summer to sail among the floating icebergs on the lagoon. Seals are a common sight in the lagoon. Continue along the south coast and head for Skaftafell National Park, nestling between glaciers and with many hiking possibilities. Its natural beauty is a result of favourable weather conditions and the interaction of fire and ice. An interesting hiking trail takes you to Svartifoss, one of Icelands most picturesque waterfall, famous for basalt columns which surround it and the hiking trail to Skaftafellsjökull glacier is accessible even to wheelchair. A video of a volcanic eruption in the area in 1996 can also be viewed at the Visitors Center.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. From Skaftafell drive to Kirkjubæjarklaustur.
Driving distance
210 kilometers
Highlights of the day:
Jökulsárlón Glacial Lagoon
Skaftafell National Park
Svartifoss waterfall
Kirkjubæjarklaustur town
Overnight:
Kirkjubæjarklaustur area
Recommended optional activity:
Amphibian boat Tour on Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon
Skaftafell Surroundings - Flightseeing
From Kirkjubæjarklaustur drive to the Fjallabak route. The route 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. Only a small part of Eldgjá can be visited by car. 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. From Eldgjá, drive along twisting route west along and over a winding rough trail skirting the base of mountains and sometimes through narrow defiles where snow remains long into summer. There is marvellous scenery along the route.
Continue to Landmannalaugar, nesting under the high edge of an obsidian lava flow. Here is a wardens station, mountain hut and a camping site. Near the hut is a warm water pool created by the confluence of natural hot water and a coldwater springs which issue within a short distance of one another from underneath the high edge of the obsidian lava above.
The scenic interest in the area is tremendous. The mountains here are perhaps the most varied and colourful in Iceland.
A hike to nearby Bláhnjúkur, where the visitor has unobstructed view of the surrounding countryside is highly recommended, also to Jökulgil, a long rugged defile with several side canyons and tributary gullies. High up on the slopes above the lava under which the hut nestles is a colourful thermal area, springs emitting sulphurous odours. Leave Landmannalaugar and pass lake Frostastaðavatn, surrounded by colourful mountains and craters. Continue on a trail that proceeds cutting across some relatively recent lava streams and through the Dómadalur valley. Come to Landmannahellir, a cave that runs some distance into a hillside. 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. At the end of the route continue to Hella.
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.
Driving distance
220 kilometers
Highlights of the day:
Eldgjá Canyon
Landmannalaugar
Lake Frostastaðavatn
Overnight:
Hella area
Start the day by visiting the volcanic crater Kerið and then to the waterfall Faxi. Continue to the famous Great Geysir area to see the famous Great Geysir and Strokkur, an active geyser that spouts every few minutes as well as numerous other hot springs. The Geysir Service Center offers a restaurant, hotel, swimming pool, souvenir shop, snack bar, gas station, horse rental, quad bike tours, and a camping area. Continue to the majestic waterfall Gullfoss one of Icelands largest and most beautiful waterfall. From here head to the National Park Þingvellir, a unique place from a geological point of view. Research has shown that Thingvellir is a natural wonder on an international scale. The faults and fissures of the area show clear evidence of rifting of the earth's crust, - continental drift. There are few places in the world, -if any, where evidence of continental drift is as obvious as it is here. Thingvellir is also the most historical place in Iceland and a place of exceptional beauty. Continue to Reykjavík.
Driving distance
210 kilometers
Highlights of the day:
Selfoss
Kerið
Faxi waterfall
Gullfoss Waterfall and Geysir Hot Springs – Þingvellir
Overnight:
Reykjavík
Recommended optional activity:
Horse Riding Tour South
Drive to the Blue Lagoon and enjoy a relaxing bath in an otherworldly setting where lava and thermal water complement each other to prepare you for your journey home. Filled with mineral-rich waters. Soak in the refreshing and healing 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. 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 and drop off the car.
Driving distance
100 kilometers
Highlights:
The Blue Lagoon
Overnight:
Reykjavík
Private transfer from the hotel to Keflavik International Airport.
Rooms in guesthouses with shared facilities but sometimes with washbasins in the rooms. Breakfast is included.
Rooms in guesthouses or hotels with private shower or bath and WC. Breakfast is included.
Rooms in the best quality accommodation available with private shower or bath and WC. Breakfast is included.
Transmission: Automatic
Seats: 5
Suitcases: 4
Doors: 5
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