5th September: Depart Malta
Meet at Malta International Airport for our flight* to Iceland. According to the current flight schedule we are expected to arrive in Reykjavik at 23.30hrs. Upon arrival we will transfer to our hotel for our first night in the Land of Fire & Ice. *(Non-direct flights will be purchased separately). We will overnight in Reykjavik for the next 2 nights. Accommodation: Hotel Klettur or similar.
6th September: The Wonders of Snaefellsnes Peninsula (B)
This day will be spent exploring the natural wonders of the Snæfellsnes peninsula, known for the stunning Snaefellsnesjökull National Park and the Snaefell Glacier that towers above the region. From Reykjavik we will drive around the Snæfellsnes peninsula, which is almost like a miniature sample of the whole country. There are white and black sand beaches, bird cliffs, spectacular mountains and volcanic craters, incredibly rich trout lakes and salmon rivers, lush valleys, unique harbours in charming fishing villages and a world renowned glacier. The stunning landscapes of the peninsula have captured the imagination of people all over the world ever since Jules Verne wrote the famous science fiction novel “Journey to the Centre of the Earth.” The amazing Snæfellsjökull glacier is where the journey begins and the Stromboli volcano in Italy is where it ends. Our journey includes stops at Búðir; a former port of commerce where today you can see a beautiful small wooden church surrounded by a lava field, Arnarstapi; a small fishing village where you can take a walk along the coast where seabirds breed in fascinating rock formations by the old pier and basalt columns of all sizes and shapes, Djúpalónssandur black beach and a stop by the picturesque Mt. Kirkjufell.
7th September: Reykjavik – Borgarfjordur – Skagafjordur – Akureyri (B)
After breakfast we will start our round trip of Iceland. We will start by exploring Borgarfjörður, which is rich with cultural and historical heritage. We visit Reykholt where the 13th century author Snorri Sturluson lived and the splendid waterfalls Barnafoss and Hraunfossar where the water flows out from beneath a lava field into the river below. We also stop at Deildartunguhver, Icelands largest hot spring (in terms of water production per second). Continuing our drive from Borgarnes to the north of Iceland, we pass through the Skagafjörður valley which is known for horse breeding and many of the Icelandic horses can be seen grazing the fields. And next is Grábrók crater. Formed 3400 years ago, it is the largest of three rising about 170m above the ground. Then we continue until we reach Akureyri, located inside the beautiful Eyjafjörður Fjord. For the next 2 nights we will overnight in Akureyri. Accommodation: Kea Hotel or similar.
8th September: The Wonders of Lake Myvatn (B)
This day will be spent exploring the wonders around Lake Mývatn which is one of Iceland’s most interesting regions with fantastic volcanic formations and geothermal activity. The lake itself is
teeming with bird life, particularly ducks. We will first start by walking to Godafoss waterfall located in the fourth largest river in Iceland. Godafoss is one of Iceland’s true pearls and one of the most spectacular waterfalls in the country, falling from a height of 12m over a width of 30m. A great way to make the most of this gem is to spend a day relaxing in the Myvatn Nature Baths, with lagoon temperature of 36 – 40°C. The lagoon itself is a man-made construction; its bottom is covered by sand and gravel. The characteristics of the water are unique in many ways. It contains a large amount of minerals and is well suited for bathing. Due to its chemical composition, undesired bacteria and vegetation do not thrive in the lagoon making chloride or any other disinfectant redundant. (Towels
will be provided) Later in the afternoon we will take a walk at the Dimmuborgir lava formations and a look at the Skutustadir pseudocraters. We visit the amazing boiling mud pools and steam vents of Námaskard and the Krafla area, where a series of volcanic eruptions took place from 1975-1984. And after a full day out we will head back to our hotel in Akureyri.
9th September: Husavik – Asbyrgi – Dettifoss – Egilsstadir (B)
In the morning we drive to the charming fishing village of Husavik. Husavik is an ideal starting point for a whale watching cruise. We will take advantage of our stopover in the capital of the North to go on an exciting search for minke whales, humpback whales and other species such as white-beaked dolphins that arrive close to Iceland’s shore from spring to autumn. From there we continue round the attractive stretch of coastline of Tjörnes peninsula until we arrive at Ásbyrgi canyon, a beautiful horse-shoe-shaped gorge, reputed to be the hoof print of Odin’s eight-legged horse Sleipnir. We stop at the mighty Dettifoss, Iceland’s and Europe’s most powerful waterfall, which thunders 44 meters into a deep gorge. You will literally feel the earth tremble beneath your feet so be careful around the edges as they may be slippery. Late in the afternoon we continue our trip through the desert highlands of Möðrudalur, and to the village of Egilsstaðir on the banks of Lake Logurinn, in the centre of Eastern Iceland. If you are lucky you might catch a glimpse of the Lagarfljótsormurinn, a large creature that lives in Lake Lögurinn…. Our journey ends in Egilsstadir, where we will stay for one night. Accommodation: Hotel Valaskjalf or similar.
10th September: East Fjords (B)
Today’s journey takes us north-east through the sheltered East Fjords and their small fishing villages. But first we will head to Fardagafoss waterfall on foot. The walk is short but splendid. We will not only enjoy great views over the surrounding area, but on our way we will witness even another waterfall in a beautiful gorge. There used to be a cave behind the waterfall, and legend said that if you entered the cave and made a wish, it would be come true. Now that the cave has collapsed, it is well worth the try to just make a wish by the waterfall 😉 We continue towards the charming villages of Reydarfjördur and Fáskrúdsfjördur, where we make a short stop to enjoy the scenery. Then we continue to Stöðvarfjörður and we also pass through the village of Breiddalsvík and make a stop at Djúpivogur. Tonight we will overnight in Höfn, Iceland’s Southeast region, also known as the lobster capital. We will overnight in Höfn for 1 night. Accommodation: Fosshotel Vatnajokull or similar.
11th September: Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon – Skaftatell National Park – Vik (B)
This is a day with views of some of the country’s most spectacular landscapes. We will start with a drive along the southern side of Vatnajökull, Europe’s largest ice-cap, to the glacial lagoon Jökulsárlón, where we can observe numerous icebergs that fill the lagoon drift away to the sea. Here we will sail out on an amphibian boat between the numerous icebergs that fill the lagoon. We will also take time to walk around in the beautiful surroundings. Next we explore Skaftafell National Park, a breathtaking area right under Vatnajökull Glacier and known for its unique natural features. Many wild flower species thrive in the shelter of the birch forest found on the lower slopes of the mountains. This afternoon we will go on an exciting but easy hiking trail through the park and visit beautiful Svartifoss waterfall. Today we will also join a short exploration of a stunning outlet glacier. This icy giant is a breathtaking outlet glacier that extends from the mighty Vatnajökull, the largest glacier in Europe.
Our adventure starts off with with an introduction on how to use the basic and required glacier equipment provided, like crampons and an ice axe. Once we step onto the ice field it will feel as if we have been transported to an icy, foreign planet. As we walk through a wonderland of glacial ice sculptures, ice ridges and deep crevasses on the glacier, we will witness stunning scenery as far as the eye can see. From Skaftafell we continue over the Skeidarársandur black sand plains to Kirkjubæjarklaustur village and then on towards the village of Vík. We will overnight in Vík village, located in an
idyllic setting famous for the Reynisdrangar pillars that rise from the sea just off the shore. Accommodation: Hotel Katla or similar.
12th September: Golden Circle (B, D)
After breakfast we will start with a refreshing stroll on the Reynisfjara beach, a magnificent black sand beach with basalt columns of all sizes and shapes. The black sand beaches of the south
coast are famous and will take a walk on them in the little village of Vík. Then we will experience the Golden Circle route. We will make various stops along the way first of which is a visit to the picturesque Skógafoss Waterfall, one of the highest in Iceland. Seljalandsfoss Waterfall comes next. This is a small but a very picturesque waterfall, special not only for its beauty but also because it is actually possible to walk behind it. For the rest of the day we will visit three of the most famous sites in Iceland; Geysir area, Gullfoss waterfall and Thingvellir, and then our day ends at our hotel in the capital Reykjavik. The Geysir area where the hot spring Strokkur ejects its water column high into the air every 5–10 minutes and where numerous small springs boil and bubble. Then we continue to Gullfoss, surely one of the country’s most beautiful waterfalls. Later, we drive to Thingvellir National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site considered one of the geological wonders of the world where you will see astonishing fissures and lava fields. After visiting this remarkable site, we continue our adventure where we will finish off with a farewell dinner and transcend to the golden age of the Vikings through a cultivated yet indulgent Vikings dining experience. After our dinner and a full week of heartfelt experiences, exciting adventures and so much more, we will head to the airport for our flight back home. According to our current flight schedule we are expected to depart at 00.25hrs, arriving in Malta at 11.55am.
