Compare 3 Day South Coast - Golden Circle, Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon & Ice Cave by Arctic Adventures vs Iceland: See & Experience it ALL in 9 Days, 1st Class Custom Tours by Charlie The Traveler

Day 1: The Famous Golden Circle Route

Your tour begins with the three famous Golden Circle attractions:  Þingvellir (Thingvellir), Geysir and Gullfoss.  Pingvellir National Park, a UNESCO listed World Heritage Site, is the place where the Icelanders founded their historic Parliament, Alþingi, in the year 930. This is the oldest continuously operating Parliament in the world, it is certainly situated in one of the most geologically amazing places on the planet. The boundary between the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates is here, they have been slowly edging apart creating a rift valley, and a great cliff right behind where the Law Speaker would stand in the olden days. Þingvallavatn is a very beautiful lake set within this incredible landscape.

You will visit the geothermally active area of Geysir, this is the erupting hot spring from which the English word, Geyser, has been taken. Great Geysir is not active now, so we will visit Strokkur, a nearby spouting hot spring. You will not have to wait more than a few minutes to see Strokkur erupt scalding water up to 25 m skywards. Next, is Gullfoss (the Golden Falls), the most often visited waterfall in Iceland. See the golden spray around the waterfall, and feel the water droplets in the air as the amazing powerful Hvíta (the White River), roars through the rugged canyon, dropping 32 m.

On a clear day, we will get great views of Mount Hekla on the way to Seljalandsfoss, one of the most unusual waterfalls in the world. You can walk behind the powerful but graceful falls to enjoy the view from both sides. Next up, is Skógafoss, a really impressive waterfall which drops 60 m into the tranquil pool below. There are 527 steps leading to the top giving another vantage point. The famous volcano, Eyjafjallajökull, lurks high above the waterfall, if visibility is good you will get a view of this magnificent mountain glacier.

Your country hotel will be close to the small coastal town of Vík, a really great place to catch the mesmerizing northern lights if the conditions are right. A little northern lights luck is very useful!

Day Highlights;

• Þingvellir National Park (Thingvellir)
• Geysir hot spring area
• Gullfoss Waterfall
• Seljalandsfoss Waterfall
• Skógafoss Waterfall
• The small coast town Vík

Included:

• Guided Minibus Tour
• The Golden Circle (Þingvellir, Gullfoss and Þingvellir)
• Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss Waterfalls
• Northern Lights Hunting (in good conditions)
• One night at a hotel near Vík

Day 2: Black Sand Beach & Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon

After a nourishing breakfast we head off to the dramatic black sand beach at Reynisfjara. The powerful, rolling waves of the Atlantic Ocean really show their force here. Watch as these roaring white-tipped beauties crash onto the black beach – a word of warning – follow the advice of your tour guide and stand well back. These fierce waves can be very unpredictable! You should visit the amazing black basalt column cave before you leave the beach. You will see incredible black basalt pillars rising from the sea just off the shore at Reynisdrangar, these will give you a good idea of where some Icelandic toll folklore sprang from!

Your tour will then take you through enchanting lava fields and incredible desert sands, formed by enormous glacial floods, knows as Jökulhlaups, as we head east. We continue to Breiðamerkurjökull, a glorious outlet glacier which reaches down, like an icy finger, from Vatnajökull, the second largest glacier in Europe. The magnificent Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon and the nearby Diamond Beach are our next stop. The lagoon is filled with icebergs of all shapes and sizes, as they glide in a dreamlike procession towards the salty waves of the Atlantic. They are often washed ashore at the Diamond Beach, where they shimmer like diamonds on the back sand. You will be amazed at the bright blue tones which glitter within many icebergs, these colors are caused by a combination of factors including ice compression. Ocean birds are abundant and seals can sometimes be seen. Your hotel will be in the Skaftafell area, a great place to test your northern lights luck! If the forecast is good you need to keep an eye on things, will shimmering colors dance across the sky? We can never say for sure, but you don´t want to miss them!

Day Highlights

• Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach
• Balsalt pillars of Reynisdrangar
• Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon
• The Diamond Beach

Included:

• Breakfast at hotel near Vík
• Guided Minibus Tour
• Reynisfjara Black Beach
• Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon
• Northern Lights Hunting (in good conditions)
• One night in a hotel near Skaftafell

Day 3: Glacier Hike and Ice Caving

Today you will explore two of Vatnajökull National Park´s stunning natural jewels:

Accompanied by a certified glacier guide you will explore the mesmerizing world inside an ice cave. Usually, we visit the Crystal Cave in Breiðamerkurjökull, a glacial tongue of Vatnajökull. Other times a different ice cave will be chosen, your guide will choose the cave with the best conditions at the time. Ice caves change a lot, both from year to year and within each winter. Your guide will explain how these caves and the incredible formations in them are formed. Photographers will get a rare opportunity to capture the shimmering blue light which passes through the glacial ice. Surprisingly, deep shades of jewel blue will surround you, these tones are caused by ice compression, the way we perceive light and color, and the blueness can sometimes be intensified by algae.The temperature inside the ice cave is well below the freezing point so please dress accordingly.

Now for glacier hiking! Your guide will give you ice crampons and everything you need to explore Svínajökull glacier. The glacier is dynamic, it is always moving and changing, incredible ice features are constantly being formed. Your guide will explain all about sink holes, crevasses, ice falls and ridges, and how climate change is impacting upon the glaciers in Iceland. Your 45 minutes on the ice will be filled with wonder and fascinating facts. Stand still and you will hear the ice groaning at it moves – on the glacier there is peacefulness but, in a true sense, never complete stillness!

We will return to Reykjavík between 20:00 and 23:00, depending on the conditions. We make some stops along the way, the weather is somewhat in charge, particularly during the winter!

Please note: If the conditions are expected to be better, this tour will sometimes visit an ice cave on day 2, your guide will make the most of the opportunities available.

Remember to bring: Warm layers, waterproof top layer, headwear, gloves, scarves with non-cotton thermal underwear if you have it. Good hiking boots are absolutely essential, it is not possible to fit ice crampons to any other kind of footwear. You can hire good boots from us in the booking process, we do not rent from the locations, so such items must be booked in advance.

Day Highlights:

• Glacier walk on Vatnajökull glacier
• Natural Ice Cave

Included:

• Breakfast at hotel near Skaftafell
• Guided Glacier Hike on Vatnajökull Glacier
• Guided Ice Cave Tour
• Certified Glacier Guide
• Guided Minibus Tour/Return to Reykjavík

Day 1: Whale Watching & Colorful Skies

From mid-May to mid-October, our tour starts in Iceland's second most visited city, Akureyri. Get ready to go on a whale watching tour. From late October to early May, whale watching is done instead in the capital that is Reykjavík. From September to early March, also included is a night tour to an area where we see the northern lights.

Day 2: A Lake Created by Lava & Geothermal Eruptions

As a land daytrip from Akureyri (mid-May to mid-October) or a flight daytrip from Reykjavík (late October to early May), we are taken on a tour to Goðafoss Waterfall, Lake Mývatn, a geothermal area called Hverir and Dettifoss Waterfall. Goðafoss waterfall has a height of 12 meters over a width of 30 meters. Lake Mývatn was created by a large basaltic lava which erupted 2,300 years ago. The surrounding landscape is dominated by volcanic landforms, including lava pillars. Dettifoss is reputed to be the second most powerful waterfall in Europe.

Day 3: Approaching a Caldera & Bathing in a Crater or Iceland’s Best Bar Lagoon Accompanied with a City Tour

Today’s destinations and activities depend on the season. From mid-May to mid-October, as a daytrip from Akureyri, we first hike Askja Caldera and then visit a crater called Viti, the latter of which offers a pond where we go bathing. From late October to early May, we go bathing at a ‘fashionable’ geothermal spa called Sky Lagoon, located near to the capital. We are also provided with a tour of the capital.

Day 4: Why They Call This Area the ‘Golden Circle’

From mid-May to mid-October, we relocate from Akureyri to Reykjavík. From late October to early May, we are not based in Akureyri. Instead, we are still based in Reykjavík. Either way, today we are doing the so-called ‘Golden Circle’ as a daytrip from Reykjavík. Destinations include Gullfoss Waterfall, Geysir/Strokkur geyser and Þingvellir National Park (a.k.a. Thingvellir National Park). Gullfoss is 32 meters tall and features not 1 but 2 drops. Geysir’s eruptions can hurl boiling water up to 70 meters in the air. Þingvellir is notable for its unusual tectonic and volcanic environment in a rift valley.

Day 5: One of the Ten Most Beautiful Beaches on Earth & Thundering Waterfalls

We leave Reykjavík and start the journey along the southeast coast. Highlights for today include Seljalandsfoss Waterfall, Skógafoss Waterfall and the Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach. We end up lodging in the Skaftafell area. The Seljalandsfoss Waterfall drops 60 meters. Visitors can walk behind the falls into a fascinating cave. Skógafoss is one of the biggest waterfalls in the country, with a width of 25 meters and a drop of 60 meters. Reynisfjara was ranked by National Geographic as one of the ten most beautiful non-tropical beaches on Earth.

Day 6: Huge Icebergs, Exploring an Ice Cave & a Surreal Shoreline

Although today we head to Thorsmork Valley, many destinations are visited en route. They include Skaftafell Nature Reserve, Jökulsárlón Glacial Lake, the natural ice cave at Vatnajökull National Park and Diamond Beach. Skaftafell’s landscape is similar to some of the Alps. The difference is Skaftafell has been formed over thousands of years by different influences of fire and water. Jökulsárlón Lake provides outstanding views of icebergs which rise to a height of 910 meters. Jökulsárlón has been a setting for four Hollywood movies: (1) A View to a Kill, (2) Die Another Day, (3) Lara Croft: Tomb Raider and (4) Batman Begins. Vatnajökull’s ice cave contains canals for water which run through or at the bottom of the glacier. Diamond Beach features icebergs which float onto the shore from Jökulsárlón.

*Note that the surreal looking Svartifoss Waterfall is sometimes-but not always-included on today’s tour. It depends on many factors, including the weather. Also, note that the ice cave is not open June through September. It is open only during the winter season.

Day 7: A Hiker's Paradise

Before returning to Reykjavík, we hike around Thorsmork Valley. The highlights are Seljalandsfoss Waterfall, Stakkholtsgjá Canyon, Nauthúsagil Canyon and Gígjökull Glacier. This is arguably the best area in the country from where to go hiking.

Day 8: Mud Pools, Hot Springs & Blue Waters

From Reykjavík, we make a daytrip to the Reykjanes Peninsula: Lake Kleifarvatn, a geothermal area called Krýsuvík, Gunnuhver’s mud pools and hot springs and the Blue Lagoon. Krýsuvík consists of several geothermal fields. Here solfataras, fumaroles, mud pots and hot springs have formed. The soil is colored bright yellow, red and green. Nearby are several craters which were created by the explosions of overheated groundwater. The Blue Lagoon, one of the most visited attractions in Iceland, is a geothermal spa. There we enjoy bathing inside the warm water.

Day 9: Our Tour Ends Today

Transportation will be arranged for you to reach the airport in Reykjavík.