The Circle Clockwise 11 days
This circle tour around Iceland offers many of the most interesting sights in the country.
BP25 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
Optional activity:
Reykjavik City Card
Pick up a car in the morning and leave Reykjavík to head to the West. Exit Reykjavik at the eastern outskirts and drive in the direction to Borgarnes. After leaving the city, drive through the Mosfellsbær town and head towards the Hvalfjörður fjord, the Whale Fjord. There is a tunnel under Hvalfjörður, (toll) but the drive around the fjord is very scenic and we recommend this instead of taking the tunnel. Continue to Borgarnes, a small service center for the surrounding farming community. Visit the Settlement Centre at Borgarnes. The prime objective of the Icelandic Settlement Centre at Borgarnes is to dramatically recreate the fascinating sagas surrounding the birth of this island nation. It is not a museum but rather an instalation. 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. Continue inland and stop at Deildartunguhver, Icelands largest hot spring. A bit further inland visit the historic Reykholt, home of 13th century chieftain, writer, poet and a scholar Snorri Sturluson. Continue to Hraunfossar and Barnafossar, some of Icelands most scenic waterfalls.
Driving distance
200 kilometers
Highlights of the day:
Borgarnes town
Deildartunguhver
Reykholt town
Hraunfossar
Overnight:
Borgarfjörður area
Recommended optional activity:
The Settlement Exhibition and The Egil Saga Exhibition
Krauma Baths
Continue to Hrútafjörður and Miðfjörður Fjords and along Víðidalur Valley, - accross the the agricultural district of Húnavatnssýsla County towards the fertile valley of Skagafjörður, renowned for horse breeding. The Icelandic Seal Center at Hvammstangi town is an interesting place to visit. It is a research and exhibition center investigating the lives of seals found in and around Iceland. Around Vatnsnes peninsula you have a unique opportunity to watch both harbour seals and grey seals in their natural habitat. The main watching locations are Svalbarð and at Illugastaðir on the west coast and and at Ósar on the east coast. The Icelandic Seal Center at Hvammstangi gives more information about these locations and how to approach the seals with care. It is usually best to see the selas at low tide since seals usually rest ashore during low tide but feed during high tide. Continue and cross the Vatnsskað pass to the Skagafjörður district. Popular horse riding tours for beginners and experienced riders are available in Skagafjörður. Some of the best White Water Rafting in Iceland is available too. See the Glaumbær folk museum open during the summer and the old church at Víðimýri. Hólar is an interesting historical place to visit and the town Hofsós with its old buildings and the Emigration Center.
Driving distance
230 kilometers
Highlights:
Hvítserkur Cliff
Vatnsdalshólar mounds
Glaumbær Folk Museum
Overnight:
North West Iceland
Recommended optional activity:
Horseback Riding
Take road 1 to Akureyri, the largest town in the North. Explore the fascinating town on the shores of the Eyjafjörður Fjord. One of the most extraordinary aspects of the town is its mild climate. Although Akureyri is situated only about 60 miles 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.
Driving distance
130 kilometers
Highlights of the day:
Akureyri
Overnight:
Eyjafjörður area
Recommended optional activity:
Different options:
Explore Tröllaskagi Peninsula. Take the road along the eastern shore of Skagafjörður Fjord to Hofsós and further to the north to Fljót District. Continue to Siglufjörður, 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. Take the Lágheiði Pass to Ólafsfjörður, a fishing town on the shores of Eyjafjörður Fjord. A short (15 min.) ferry ride is available several times daily (every 1-2 hours) during summer from Árskógssandur to the small Island Hrísey. Hrísey has earned a reputation as a bird watching destination. There are no natural predators on the island, making it an ideal bird sanctuary.
Approximately 11 km tunnel has been under construction in the last years that will cut driving distance between Siglufjörður and Ólafsfjörður by about 47 km. It will also enable 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
Leave the Eyjafjörður area and head for Lake Mývatn. Stop at the pretty waterfall Goðafoss, the waterfall of the gods, named after pagan gods. Spend the day exploring the numerous natural wonders of the Lake Mývatn area and it's surroundings. The lake area is known worldwide for abundance of birdlife and unusually many duck species breeding in one place. The lake's surroundings show amazing formations of geological interest and great variety in landscapes. Visit the numerous highlights of the area; Dimmuborgir lava formations, Námaskarð geothermal area, Skútustaðagígar craters, the Nature Baths, the volcano Krafla, and numerous other interesting and scenic spots.
Proceed to Húsavík, sometimes called “The Whale Watching Capital of The World”. Húsavík was the first place in the country to offer very successful Whale Watching cruises. The Whale Museum in Húsavík is an educational centre on marine wildlife. Visit the Húsavík Natural and Maritime Museum, one of the best museums of its kind 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:
Whale Watching From Húsavík
Nature Baths
Leave Húsavík and drive towards the Öxarfjörður Bay. If you are driving a 4x4, make a detour to Vesturdalur and Hljóðaklettar, the 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 the Jökulsárgljúfur National Park. Ásbyrgi canyon is a strange and spectacular horseshoe shaped canyon not to be missed. Continue to the south along a rather rough but scenic route to the powerfull Dettifoss waterfall, the largest waterfall in Europe. From Dettifoss proceed further to the south as far as the junction of the main highway, road number 1. Take road 1 and drive to the east across the highland plateau and across the Möðrudalsöræfi highlands renowned for their stark beauty to the Hérað District. Egilsstaðir is the largest town in the area. Near Egilsstaðir is Hallormsstaðarskógur, the largest forest in the country and the legendary Lagarfljót River. A short and scenic drive across the Fjarðarheiði Pass is Seyðisfjörður, a small nad picturesque fishing town and a ferry port.
Driving distance
260 kilometers
Highlights of the day:
Hljóðaklettar rock formations
Ásbyrgi Canyon
Dettifoss Waterfall
Egilsstaðir town
Hallormsstaðaskógur Forest
Overnight:
Egilsstaðir / Seyðirsfjörður area
Drive to the amazing East Fjords, some of the fjords are now deserted, - each of them a world of its own. A short cut is possible here, - instead of driving along the coast it is now possible to take the Öxi Pass, a steep and spectacular route. The stone collection of Petra at Stöðvarfjörður is interesting to visit to see beautiful stones collected in this area. 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 Hornafjördur, a blooming fishing community in the realm of the greatest glacier in Europe, Vatnajokull. The village Höfn, famous for its lobster is located at the base of Vatnajökull, and the scenery is breathtaking. Don´t miss the interesting Glacier Exhibition at Höfn.
Driving distance
260 kilometers
Highlights of the day:
Höfn
Overnight:
Djúpivogur/Höfn area
Continue to the west and head for Jökulsárlón, the Glacial Lagoon, one of the most popular tourist attractions in the country. Huge icebergs, true sculptures of nature are floating and some stranded 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 icebergs in the lagoon. Continue along the south coast and head for the Skaftafell National Park, nestling at the foot of the glacier with many hiking possibilities. The natural beauty of Skaftafell is a result of very favourable weather conditions and the interaction of fire and ice. 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. An interesting hiking trail takes you to Svartifoss, one of Icelands most picturesque waterfall, famous for the pretty basalt columns which surround it and the hiking trail to Skaftafellsjökull Glacier is an easy walk, it is accessible even to wheelchair. A video of a volcanic eruption in the area in 1996 can also be viewed at the Visitors Center. From Skaftafell, drive across the Skeiðarársandur floodplains and to Kirkjubæjarklaustur, often abbreviated as "Klaustur", see Kirkjugólfið (the Church Floor), a protected natural monument just east of Klaustur. Kirkjugólfið is columnar basalt, eroded and shaped by wind and water, only a few minutes walk from the road. Fjaðrárgljúfur is a narrow and beautiful canyon a few km to the west from Kirkjubæjarklaustur. Then across the black sandy floodplains of Mýrdalssandur to the village Vík.
Driving distance
280 kilometers
Highlights of the day:
Jökulsárlón Glacial Lagoon
Skaftafell National Park
Svartifoss waterfall
Kirkjubæjarklaustur town
Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon
Vík town
Overnight:
Vík area
Recommended optional activity:
Amphibian boat Tour on Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon
Drive to Reynishverfi with a spectacular coast and beautiful rock formations. Thousands of seabirds nest in almost every crevice in summer. Take a rough road, 218 to the promontory Dyrhólaey. Back to road 1 and continue west. Stop at the 60 metre waterfall Skógafoss and don’t miss the Folk Museum at Skógar.
On March 20th 2010, a volcanic eruption started on Fimmvörðuháls, a mountain ridge between the glaciers, Eyjafjallajökull and Mýrdalsjökull. The eruption on Fimmvörðuháls is over now but a new eruption started a couple of weeks later underneath the nearby icecap of Eyjafjallajökull. This eruption came to an end on 23. May and there is currently no activity. Continue to the beautiful waterfall seljalandsfoss where tt is possible to walk behind the pretty waterfall in summer, an interesting experience. Continue to villages Hvolsvöllur where you will find the Icelandic Saga Centre and Hella. The surrounding area is the scene of Njáls Saga, one of the most famous Saga. Continue to the town Selfoss and from there head inland and stop at the volcanic crater Kerið on you right hand side immediately by the side of the road. Drive further inland and to the waterfall Faxi, hidden a short distance away, not visible from the road. Look for the small Faxi sign on your right. Continue to the Geyser area to see the famous Great Geysir and Strokkur, a very active geyser that spouts every few minutes, as well as numerous other hot springs. From Geysir, continue a short distance to the waterfall Gullfoss one of Icelands largest and most beautiful waterfall. Make Gullfoss a turnaround point and drive back on the same road as before, a little further than Geysir. Next you will head to the National Park Thingvellir, (Þingvellir) a unique place from a geological point of view. Research has shown that Thingvellir is a natural wonder on an international scale where evidence of continental drift and the rifting of the earth's crust can clearly be seen. Thingvellir is also the most historical place in the country and a place of exceptional beauty. From the National Park head to Reykjavík.
Driving distance
290 kilometers
Highlights of the day:
Vík Town
Reynisfjara beach
Skógafoss Waterfall
Seljalandsfoss Waterfall
Dyrhólaey Nature Reserve
Selfoss
Kerið
Faxi waterfall
Gullfoss Waterfall and Geysir Hot Springs
Þingvellir
Overnight:
Reykjavík
Recommended optional activity:
Glacier Walk
Snowmobiling on Solheimajokull Glacier
LAVA Centre
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 and drop off the car.
Driving distance
100 kilometers
Highlights of the day:
The Blue Lagoon
Reykjavík
Overnight:
Reykjavík
Private transfer from the hotel to Keflavik International Airport.
Transmission: Manual
Seats: 4
Suitcases: 1
Doors: 5
Transmission: Automatic
Seats: 4
Suitcases: 1
Doors: 5
Transmission: Manual
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Doors: 5
Transmission: Automatic
Seats: 5
Suitcases: 2
Doors: 5
Transmission: Manual
Seats: 5
Suitcases: 2
Doors: 5
Transmission: Automatic
Seats: 5
Suitcases: 2
Doors: 5
Transmission: Manual
Seats: 5
Suitcases: 4
Doors: 5
Transmission: Automatic
Seats: 5
Suitcases: 4
Doors: 5
Transmission: Manual
Seats: 5
Suitcases: 3
Doors: 5
Transmission: Automatic
Seats: 5
Suitcases: 3
Doors: 5
Transmission: Automatic
Seats: 5
Suitcases: 3
Doors: 5
Transmission: Automatic
Seats: 5
Suitcases: 4
Doors: 5
Transmission: Automatic
Seats: 5
Suitcases: 4
Doors: 5
Transmission: Automatic
Seats: 5
Suitcases: 3
Doors: 5
Transmission: Manual
Seats: 9
Suitcases: 4
Doors: 4
Transmission: Manual
Seats: 9
Suitcases: 4
Doors: 3
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