The Highlights of the West and the South 11 days
The tour includes many of the most important sights in West, South and the Westfjords.
BP21 Map
Upon your arrival at Keflavik airport a meet and greet service is provided by a TOURIS representative who will take you to your hotel.
Highlights of the day:
Reykjavík
Overnight:
Reykjavík
Optional activity:
Reykjavik City Card
Pick up a car in the morning and leave Reykjavik at the eastern outskirts. Drive towards the charming Hvalfjörður fjord and Borgarnes. Continue to Borgarnes, a small town at the Borgarfjörður fjord where we recommend a visit to the Settlement Centre. The prime objective of the Icelandic Settlement Centre is to dramatically recreate the fascinating sagas surrounding the birth of this island nation where multi-media and theatrical techniques are employed to help the visitor experience firsthand the trepidation and excitement of setting off over the open ocean for lands unknown. From Borgarnes, continue to the Snæfellsnes peninsula. Enroute, pass the magnificent Eldborg crater as well as a number of other cone shapes craters, before exploring the numerous natural wonders the peninsula has to offer. Head along the south shore of the peninsula towards Arnarstapi, a small fishing hamlet with spectacular coast and sea cliffs with rich birdlife in the summer. Continue a short distance to Hellnar with more sea cliffs and varied birdlife. Drive around the tip of the peninsula at the foot of the magnificent Snæfellsjökull icecap and stop at the rocky beaches of Djúpalónssandur and Dritvík. This is a popular hiking area. Continue to the north side of the peninsula, passing the fishing towns Rif and Hellissandur and to Ólafsvík. Popular whale watching tours are available at Ólafsvík during summer. From Ólafsvík, continue to the scenic Stykkishólmur fishing town.
Driving distance
280 kilometers
Highlights of the day:
Borgarnes town
Arnarstapi
Hellnar hamlet
Lóndrangar rock formation
Snæfellsjökull Glacier
Djúpalónssandur
Stykkishólmur Town
Overnight:
Stykkishólmur area
Recommended optional activity:
The Settlement Exhibition and The Egil Saga Exhibition
In the morning (at 11:00) we recommend a very interesting boat trip for a little more than 2 hours among the numerous islands on the bay with rich birdlife. 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. Sail in the afternoon with the ferry Baldur from Stykkishólmur across the beautiful Breiðafjörður bay with its countless islands and rich bird life to Brjánslækur. Enroute to Brjánslækur, the ferry will be making a short service stop at the Flatey Island. Drive from Brjánslækur to 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. Enroute, stop at the interesting folk museum at Hnjótur.
Driving distance
100 kilometers
Highlights of the day:
Látrabjarg Cliff
Overnight:
Látrabjarg area
Recommended optional activity:
Unique Adventure Cruise on Breiðafjörður bay
Drive to the north towards Ísafjörður town. Drive across the Dynjandisheiði pass and stop at the impressive waterfall Dynjandi after crossing the pass. Drive along the shore of the Arnarfjörður Fjord and across the Hrafnseyrarheiði Pass to the fishing village Þingeyri. From Þingeyri across Gemlufallsheiði Pass to Flateyri and then take the tunnel to Ísafjörður, the largest town in the Westfjords. Explore the town of Ísafjörður and its surroundings, the neighbouring towns of 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:
Dynjandi Waterfall
Ísafjörður Town
Overnight:
Ísafjörður town
Explore the town of Ísafjörður and its surroundings such as 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 experience. Drive along the shores of the numerous uninhabited fjords of Ísafjarðardjúp with beautiful coastlines teeming with seals and bird life and towards Hólmavík. Enroute there is an interesting detour to Reykjanes where there is a possibility to take a swim in a geothermal pool. Cross the plateau Steingrímsfjarðarheiði and as you come down to the Steingrímsfjörður Fjord, drive to the village Hólmavík where the Witchcraft museum is worth taking a look at.
Driving distance
240 kilometers
Highlights of the day:
Hólmavík town
Overnight:
Strandir area
Continue to the Hrútafjörður Fjord and cross the plateau Holtavörðuheiði to Borgarfjörður district. drive to Deildartunguhver hot spring, the largest hot spring in Europe. Continue a short distance further to the historic site Reykholt. Visit the interesting historical museum at Reykholt and see the hot pool Snorralaug. After Reykholt, drive further inland to Barnafossar and Hraunfossar waterfalls. Make the waterfalls a turnaround point and head back towards Borgarnes town.
(In summer it is possible to take the Kaldidalur highland road to Thingvellir from Borgarfjörður, a little further inland than Hraunfossar, if you are driving a 4x4, but this road is impassable due to snow and closed for all traffic during the winter).
Driving distance
300 kilometers
Highlights of the day:
Deildartunguhver
Reykholt town
Hraunfossar
Overnight:
Borgarnes area
Recommended optional activity:
Krauma Baths
Drive towards Lake Þingvallavatn, the largest natural lake in the country and to the Þingvellir National Park, situated at the lakeshore. Þingvellir is a unique place from a geological point of view, rich in history and a place of exceptional beauty. Research has shown that Thingvellir is a natural wonder and the faults and fissures of the area show evidence of the rifting of the earth's crust. After exploring the numerous places of interest in the area, head back to 35 and take this road to the Great Geysir area with numerous hot springs and erupting geysers. The most active one, Strokkur erupts every 5 - 10 minutes. From here drive to the majestic Gullfoss, one of Icelands largest waterfalls in the glacial river Hvítá that takes its source in the Langjökull Ice field in the center of the country, the second largest one in Iceland. Make Gullfoss a turnaround point. Continue towards Selfoss and stop to see the waterfall Faxi on the left hand side of the road. Further down the road, stop to take a look at the volcanic crater Kerið.
Driving distance
230 kilometers
Highlights of the day:
Þingvellir
Gullfoss Waterfall and Geysir Hot Springs
Faxi waterfall
Kerið
Overnight:
Selfoss area
Drive further east to the scenic South shore. See the Saga Centre at Hvolsvöllur. Continue across the lowland plains towards the Eyjafjöll District. Stop at the waterfall Seljalandsfoss where in summer it is possible to walk behind the falls. This is a quite a unique experience. A little further east stop at Skógafoss, another pretty waterfall and don’t miss the folk museum at Skógar, close to the waterfall. The glaciers Eyjafjallajökull and Mýrdalsjökull are towering above the area. Make a short detour to the tip of the Sólheimajökull glacier tongue. Proceed further east to the headland Dyrhólaey, a natural reserve and a nesting colony of numerous seabirds. Go to Reynishverfi, with spectacular coast and beautiful rock formations and thousands of nesting seabirds in summer. Then continue to Vik the southernmost town in Iceland. Drive across the Mýrdalssandur floodplains and Eldhraun, the largest lavafield ever to flow on Earth in historical time, and to the small village Kirkjubaejarklaustur. Fjaðrárgljúfur is a narrow and beautiful canyon a few km to the west from Kirkjubæjarklaustur, worth taking a look at. At Kirkjubæjarklaustur, see Kirkjugólfið (the Church Floor), a protected natural monument just east of the village. Kirkjugólfið is columnar basalt, shaped and eroded by water and wind.
Driving distance
200 kilometers
Highlights of the day:
Seljalandsfoss Waterfall
Skógafoss Waterfall
Vík Town
Dyrhólaey Nature Reserve
Reynisfjara beach
Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon
Kirkjubæjarklaustur town
Overnight:
Kirkjubæjarklaustur area
Recommended optional activity:
Horse Riding Tour South
Snowmobiling on Solheimajokull Glacier
LAVA Centre
Continue from Kirkjubæjarlaustur over Skeidarársandur, vast tracts of black sandy desert washed down by numerous torrential glacial rivers. Stop at Skaftafell National Park, an oasis wedged between glacier and sand. Its natural beauty is a result of unusually favourable weather conditions and the interaction of ice and fire. 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. See the interesting Visitors Center where you can learn the history of fire and ice in the region and a video of the volcanic eruption and the catastrophic flood in the area in 1996 can also be viewed. An interesting hiking trail takes you to Svartifoss, one of Icelands most picturesque waterfall, framed in by beautiful basalt columns that surround it. In the Skaftafell area are many other interesting hiking trails. Continue to Jökulsarlón, the Glacial Lagoon where huge icebergs, sculptures of nature, broken off the Breiðamerkurjökull glacier float and grind together in the deep blue waters of the lagoon. An interesting cruise among the icebergs on the Lagoon is available in summer.
Driving distance
320 kilometers
Highlights of the day:
Skaftafell National Park
Svartifoss waterfall
Jökulsárlón Glacial Lagoon
Vík town
Overnight:
Vík area
Recommended optional activity:
Amphibian boat Tour on Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon
Return on road 1 to the village Hveragerði where hot spring water is used for heating greenhouses for cultivation of decorative flowers and vegetables. 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. Head to the Reykjanes peninsula and drive to the Blue Lagoon in a beautiful moon like setting. Enjoy a relaxing bath in an otherworldly setting. In this unique area, lava and thermal water complement each other to prepare you for your journey home. Soak in the refreshing 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
260 kilometers
Highlights of the day:
Hveragerði Town
The Blue Lagoon
Overnight:
Reykjavík
Recommended optional activity:
Glacier Walk
Private transfer from the hotel to Keflavik International Airport
Transmission: Manual
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Doors: 5
Transmission: Automatic
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Transmission: Automatic
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Transmission: Manual
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Transmission: Automatic
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Transmission: Manual
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Doors: 5
Transmission: Automatic
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Transmission: Automatic
Seats: 5
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Transmission: Automatic
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Transmission: Automatic
Seats: 5
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Transmission: Automatic
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Transmission: Manual
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Suitcases: 4
Doors: 4
Transmission: Manual
Seats: 9
Suitcases: 4
Doors: 3
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