Mountain Highlights 2010
10 days / 9 nights, Reykjavik - Gullfoss - Geysir - Skagafjörður - Fljotsdalsherad - Askja - Dettifoss - Lake Mývatn - Husavik - Vatnajökull Glacier - Landmannalaugar - Porsmörk - Reykjavik WALKING, TOURING AND WHALE WATCHING
The world at your feet, with an average of three hours walking a day in some of the most beautiful parts of Iceland. Highlights include visiting three National Parks Þingvellir, Skaftafell and Jökulsárgljúfur, the wonders of Landmannalaugar and Lake Mývatn, for its latitude the most fertile area in the world. There are waterfalls including the awesome Dettifoss, the most powerful in Europe. The tour includes, weather permitting, a 3-hour whale watching cruise sailing from Húsavík.
Lots to see but little to carry, as the tour bus will convey your luggage. Accommodation is provided in hotels with private facilities. The hotels used on tours are often "summer hotels" used most of the year as boarding schools or country hotels which are simple and clean.
Highlights: Whale watching / Icelandic Horse Riding / 3-hour Walking daily / River rafting / Nature Baths / National Parks
| Departure | Departures Mondays: June 28th July 12th, 26th August 9th |
| Price | $3,415 per person in double room $4,560 single room |
| Included | 9 nights Hotels and Coutnry guesthouses with private facilities, based on double room Scandinavian breakfast buffet daily Picnic lunch on days 5 & 8 3-course dinners daily, from day 1 Visit to three National Parks Whale watching tour (weather permitting) Average of 3 hours walking a day Visit to two Nature Baths Boat trip on the Glacial Lagoon Hotel taxes and service fees |
| Not Included | Airfare & airport taxes Gratuities Optional horse riding and river rafting Personal insurance / personal items Alcoholic beverages $25 Service fee |
| Please Note | * Accommodation is provided in Hotels and Country Guest Houses with private facilities. The hotels used on tours are often "summer hotels", used most of the year as boarding schools or country hotels which are simple and clean. All tours depart at 09:00 Easy to moderate- average 3 hours of walking per day, except on days 3, 9 and 10 where most of the day will be spent walking. The tour is not difficult, but you can always return earlier back to the base if you do not want to walk the whole day. Good walking boots are needed on all activity tours, as well as waterproof clothing. Lunch stops will be made at restaurants of coffee-shops en route. Group size: from 8 - 30 passengers |
| Tour Options | Optional Add-ons: Additional nights in Reykjavik Optional horse riding Optional river rafting on Jökulsá, day 3 Blue Lagoon excursion Blue Lagoon with transfer to Keflavik Airport Greenland Excursion |
Day 1 REYKJAVÍK - GULLFOSS - GEYSIR - SKAFTAFELL (D) The day starts with a drive to the famous Geysir and the Queen of Iceland's waterfalls, Gullfoss. We then travel through the sandy desert of the south coast which is overlooked by mountainous cliffs and magnificent waterfalls. We stay for the next two nights near Skaftafell National Park.
Day 2 WALKING IN SKAFTAFELL (B, D) The entire day is spent walking through the Skaftafell National Park.
Day 3 SKAFTAFELL - FLJOTSDALSJERAD (B, D) We drive south of Vatnajökull, Europe's largest glacier which dominates the landscape with its glacial tongues calving into a glacial lagoon. Next, amongst the icebergs, a boat trip on the Jökulsárlón lagoon we then continue through the beautiful Eastern fjords. We spend the next two nights in the neighborhood of Egilsstaðir.
Day 4 WALKING THROUGH VIKING TRAILS (B, D) A full day walking in the beautiful Eastern mountains.
Day 5 FLJOTSDALSJERAD - ASKJA- - LAKE MÝVATN AREA (B, D) Today we travel through the uninhabited highlands to the Askja caldera which was formed when a volcano collapsed inwardly. Inside the caldera is Iceland's deepest lake Öskjuvatn and beside the lake is the impressive explosion crater, Víti formed in 1875. We travel through Herðubreiðarlindir nature reserve before reaching our accommodation for the next three nights in the Mývatn area.
Day 6 WHALE WATCHING - LAKE MÝVATN AREA
(B, D) We start the day, with a 3 hour whale watching cruise, weather permitting, from the picturesque village of Húsavík. A short drive to Lake Mývatn, a unique area that features strange lava formations, attractive bays, pseudo craters and prolific bird life. We stroll through the lava field of Dimmuborgir, ending with a walk to the rim of the ash crater Hverfjall. We relax in Mývatns Nature Baths, before we head back to our accommodation.
Day 7 WALKING IN HLJÓÐAKLETTAR-DETTIFOSS- ÁSBYRGI (B, D) We visit Hljóðaklettar with its strange formations and the magnificent and puzzling canyon Ásbyrgi, said to be a hoof print of the eight legged horse of the ancient God Óðinn. We walk along the west bank of the mighty Jökulsá river, not far upstream we see Europe´s most powerful waterfall Dettifoss.
Day 8 LAKE MÝVATN AREA - HELLA (B, D) We visit Goðafoss and Aldeyjarfoss on our way south across the highland desert of Sprengisandur, with its views of the distant ice-caps Vatnajökull and Hofsjökull. We continue south through Sprengisandur to our accommodation for the next two nights in Rangárvallasýsla.
Day 9 WALKING IN LANDMANNALAUGAR (B, D) The entire day is spent walking in the geothermal area of Landmannalaugar, a jewel in the Icelandic landscapes. The surroundings rhyolite mountains have the feel of another planet, ranging in colours from beige to red and from blue to black. We will have the opportunity to enjoy a bathe in a pool of warm spring water.
Day 10 ÞINGVELLIR - REYKJAVIK (B) Today we visit the historic sites of the first Icelandic Parliament at Þingvellir National Park where we enjoy the last walks of our tour before returning to Reykjavík.