Compare Iceland by Under30Experiences vs Iceland In-Depth featuring the Northern Lights by Tours of Distinction
Compare details and see what other travelers are saying.
| Trip |
5 | Excellent
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5 | Excellent
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| Duration | 5 days | 8 days |
| Price From | $ 1,595 | $ 3,699 |
| Price Per Day | $ 319 | $ 462 |
| Highlights |
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| Trip Style | Small group tour | Small group tour |
| Lodging Level | Premium | Luxury |
| Physical Level |
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| Travel Themes |
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| Countries Visited | ||
| Cities and Attractions |
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| Flights & Transport | Ground transport included | Ground transport included |
| Activities |
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| Meals Included |
5 Breakfasts and 4 Dinners |
6 Breakfasts | 3 Lunches | 5 Dinners |
| Description |
Explore an island in the middle of the North Atlantic known for 24 hours of daylight all summer, spectacular Northern Lights in the fall, and amazing landscapes all year long. Home to more horses than people, and the country where Game of Thrones was filmed, Iceland is packed with waterfalls, glaciers, rainbows - and sometimes looks like the surface of the moon. You'll travel with experienced local guides, explore volcanos and glaciers, while staying in a cozy guesthouse. |
Iceland is one of the world’s ultimate islands of contrasts… fire and ice; long nights with colorful northern lights and daylight for 20 hours; glaciers and steaming hot geysers, waterfalls galore, pretty puffins, and magical elves. It is a fierce landscape of volcanoes, plains of mossy, craggy cliffs, and black sand beaches. It is an island still being formed by water, ice, and fire and closer than you believe. |
Day 1: Arrive & Explore Reykjavik
We recommend booking pre-trip accommodations if you'd like to fully immerse yourself in Reykjavik's vibrant atmosphere.
Morning
Arrive at Reykjavik-Keflavik International Airport (KEF) before 7:00 am
Your Trip Leader will pick you up from Reykjavik-Keflavik International Airport and we'll head to downtown Reykjavik in included transportation (45 minute drive).
Arrive in Reykjavik, enjoy a delicious breakfast, and spend the morning exploring the capital of Iceland
Suggestions: Hallgrímskirkja Church, National Museum of Iceland, the Settlement Exhibition.
Afternoon
Arrive at your guesthouse in South Iceland and get settled into your new home for the next 5 days (~2 hour drive).
Go for a walk around the beautiful property as you begin to take in the magic of Iceland.
Evening
Enjoy a delicious Icelandic meal at our opening dinner.
Get to know your other like-minded travelers and begin to settle into Iceland together.
Day 2: Thingvellir National Park & Lake Laugarvatn
Morning
A traditional Icelandic breakfast will be served at your guesthouse.
Hike Thingvellir National Park where the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates meet.
Learn about the history of Thingvellir and how it became the place where the first democratic parliament of the world was created.
Then, head to the hamlet of Laugarvatn to experience the Icelandic way of baking rye bread in hot springs.
Afternoon
Relax in geothermal pools and enjoy a beautiful view of Lake Laugarvatn from the steam baths.
Later in the afternoon, stop at Gullfoss Waterfall, and marvel at the beauty of this iconic waterfall.
Evening
Enjoy another delicious dinner at your guesthouse with your group.
Day 3: Vestmannaeyjar Islands or Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach
Vestmannaeyjar Islands -- Midnight sun trips (May-August)
Morning
Wake up in the Icelandic countryside and enjoy your freshly made breakfast.
Start the day by visiting Seljalandfoss Waterfall.
Your Trip Leader will also show you the “hidden” waterfall right around the corner.
Afternoon
Take a ferry off the coast of Iceland and spend the afternoon exploring the Vestmannaeyjar Islands.
Hike Eldfell, a volcano that erupted in 1973, and enjoy breathtaking views of the island and the North Atlantic Ocean.
Don't want to hike? We suggest visiting the Volcano Museum of Eldheimar!
Evening
Have a delicious homemade dinner at your guesthouse.
Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach -- Northern Lights trips (September-November)
Morning
Wake up in the Icelandic countryside and enjoy your freshly made breakfast.
Visit the Lava Centre: a state of the art, interactive exhibition on volcanoes and earthquakes in Iceland.
Check out Seljalandsfoss waterfall, and a “hidden” waterfall nearby.
Afternoon
Have lunch at a local Icelandic farm.
You will have the option to ride Icelandic horses to a secluded waterfall beneath what used to be sea cliffs. Not your thing? Hike the surreal landscapes instead.
Watch the sunset from the famous Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach while you and your new friends check out the basalt columns and lava caves.
Evening
Return to the hotel for another home cooked dinner.
Cross your fingers for a clear night and hope to catch a glimpse the magical Northern Lights with your new friends.
Day 4: Skógafoss & Glacier Walk
Morning
A homemade breakfast will be served at your guesthouse.
Visit Skógafoss, a beautiful waterfall connected to the famous Eyjafjallajökull glacier.
Climb the steps that will take you to the top of the waterfall and go for an optional hike.
Afternoon
Refuel at a local restaurant with your group before your next adventure.
Drive over to Sólheimajökull glacier where you'll meet your glacier guides and hike onto the face of the glacier.
Learn more about glaciers and how Icelanders care about preserving nature.
Evening
Enjoy your last night in Iceland with your new friends and a delicious final dinner at your guesthouse.
For Northern Lights trips starting on Thursday, Days 3 and 4 are switched.
Day 5: Departure
Morning
Say goodbye to your guesthouse and take included transportation to Reykjavik-Keflavik International Airport (KEF) (~2 hour drive).
If you're flying home today please be sure your flight departs after 3:00 pm.
If you wish to go to the Blue Lagoon today, please book your ticket online (after 12:00 pm) as soon as possible since pre-booking is required. Under30Experiences will drop you off at the Blue Lagoon on our way to the airport.
Under30Experiences can provide transportation back to Reykjavik for travelers extending their stay in the beautiful capital of Iceland.
Day 1 - Depart for Reykjavik, Iceland
Transfer to the airport and check-in for your overnight flight to Reykjavik.
Day 2 - Reykjavik
Arrive in Reyjakvik and head toward the famous Blue Lagoon. The lagoon is a geothermal wonder of nature, with pleasantly warm mineral rich geothermal seawater in the middle of a lava field. The high natural levels of silica, minerals and algae give the Lagoon its rich blue colour – hence the name Blue Lagoon. Later, a city tour will show us the highlights of the capital.
Welcome dinner and overnight at your Reykjavík hotel.
Day 3 - Iceland Countryside
After breakfast, we drive north out of Reykjavik and through the tunnel under Hvalfjordur, one of the country’s longest fjords. We make a visit at the Settlement Center museum in Borgarnes. We continue through the pretty lake-dotted valleys of the Borgarfjördur district where the ice-age glacier covered the area about 10,000 years ago. We will then make a brief stop at Deidartunguhver, Europe’s largest hot spring, where around 200 liters of 97C hot water flows from the earth every second. Enjoy our short stop at the beautiful waterfalls of Hraunfossar and Barnafossar in the river Hvítá before returning to Borgarnes.
Lunch and dinner and overnight in Borgarnes.
Day 4 - Iceland Countryside
The first highlight of the day is Thingvellir, the great lava arena in a rift valley, where the divide between the Eurasian and the North American tectonic plates is clearly visible. Founded by the Norse settlers in 930 AD in Thingvellir, you will see the world’s oldest still-existing national parliament. Get ready to visit Gullfoss, which is often described as Iceland´s most beautiful waterfall, and the famous Geyser area, Strokkur, the world´s most active, is likely to spout several times. We make our final stop at Friðheimar, known for using geothermal heating for cultivation of tomatoes and cucumbers – come and enjoy their famous tomato soup.
Light lunch in Frioheimar. Dinner and overnight in Selfoss.
Day 5 - Iceland Countryside
Today we will drive along the south coast and visit the magnificent waterfall of Seljalandsfoss. It is a narrow and high waterfall which plunges over the mountains of West Eyjafjöll. From there we head to Vík, a village east of Mt. Reynisfjall in Myrdal. In Vík and the neighboring coastline, there is a wealth of contrasts and landscapes renowned for their natural beauty. Mt. Reynisfjall and its cliffs have few rivals in Iceland for richness of vegetation and bird life and the black sand beach Reynisfjara is a large breeding colony for the Arctic tern. According to local folklore, three rock stacks rise up to 66m from the sea: Skessudrangar, Landdrangar and Langhamrar and are said to be trolls turned to stone at sunrise. Then we continue towards Kirkjubæjarklaustur, which in the old days was known as „Kirkjubær“ (Church Farm) and was an important farming village.
Day 6 - Iceland Countryside
From Klaustur, we travel along the south coast to Skaftafell. Skaftafell National Park was designated as one of Iceland´s three National Parks in 1967. Towering mountains, imposing glaciers, gulches with clear brooks and beautiful waterfalls, birch woods, a wealth of wild flowers and lush vegetation give credence to its status. The most majestic of its several waterfalls is Svartifoss (“Black Falls”) that cascade over a wall of symmetrical columnar basalt that resembles an organ. En-route to our stop for the evening, we visit glacier lagoon Jökulsárlón and the museum Þórbergssetur in Höfn. The museum is dedicated to one of Iceland‘s most significant twentieth century author, Þórbergur Þórðarson.
Day 7 - Iceland Countryside - Reykjavik
Today, we start by making a stop at the breathtaking waterfall Skógarfoss, which is 60m high and one of the most impressive waterfalls in the country. After, we experience the Folk Museum at Skógar before continuing to the power plant Hellisheiðarvirkjun for a Geothermal Exhibition about geothermal energy in Iceland.
Overnight at your Reykjavik hotel.
Day 8 - Depart Reykjavik
Say goodbye to Iceland this morning as we head to the airport for our flight. Upon arrival in the USA, transfer home.
