Essential Iceland Tour

Off the eastern shore of Vatnsnes Peninsula stands the Hvitserkrur, a nearly 50-foot tall basalt stack. Holes at the base of the rock make the edifice seem to resemble a dragon that drinks from the sea. Gulls and fulmars live on the rock and add to the white sheen that glistens in the sunlight. The natural contours of Iceland have inspired more than 1,000 years of tales passed down by storytellers around the country. After breakfast, you will make your way to the town of Blonduos at the mouth of the Bianda River, which divides the town in half.

At Vidimyrarkirkja, you will find one of the few preserved turf churches in the country. The edifice was erected in the 19th-century and retains its turf walls that connect the timber gables at both the front and back of the structure. Numerous antique objects fill the church, some older than the church itself, including a 16th-century altarpiece. The art depicts the Last Supper, along with an inscription from the Bible, 1st Corinthians 11:26. The historical farm of Glaumbaer was founded during Icelandic settlement.

The current row of wood and turf houses date back to the 18th-century. The Skagafjordur Folk Museum includes a collection of rustic instruments once used on the farm, from spinning wheels to colorful clothes and painted chests. The farm is the home of Snorri Thorfinnsson, who was the first child of European descent born in the Americas. A statue on the grounds depicts a legendary Norse woman carrying Snorri on her shoulder. Pass next through Oxnadalur, a deep and narrow valley that stretches for almost 22 miles. The Hraundrangi Ridge contains rocky peaks that pierce the sky at 3,280 feet above sea level.

In the morning, you and your group will venture out along the Ring Road once more, eager to find the stunning image of Godafoss as it thunders into the Skjalfandafljot River. The name “Godafoss,” means “Waterfall of the Gods.” In the 11th-century, as Iceland decreed itself a Christian country, the law-speaker threw all his pagan idols into the river. You will follow the walking path along moss and birch as the herbaceous aroma rises from the greenery. You can see the mist as it rises above the plateau. The cliff arches in a semi-horseshoe and the water thunders down nearly 40 feet to create white, forceful ripples in the river below.

The icy water glows blue once the whitewaters calm. The shallow lake of Myvatn shows signs of geothermal heat from the volcanic activity in the region. In the summer, ducks nest on the lakeshores and traverse the waters in search of trout. Moss covers the cooled lava and the mud bubbles with heat. Locals tell stories about trolls and elves that linger in the Dimmuborgir Lava formations. A large collapsed lava tube formed by a lava lake created the area; as the hot lava pooled in the small lakes, the marsh boiled and caused vapor to rise to form the unique pillars in the tens of feet in diameter. The tallest pillars and bases could house humans, lending the name “castles,” to the natural chambers.

After breakfast, you will make your way to the small town of Husavik, a former fishing town coveted for its natural harbor. Red, yellow, and white facades face the port as a historical ship weighs anchor along the pier. A verdant plateau rises from the edge of town as colorful fishing boats return from their daily search for a perfect catch. The farm settlement of Modrudalur is located at nearly 1,540 feet above sea level and is the highest altitude farm in the country. The view along the ridge of Modrudalsfjallgardur creates a great exhibition of the beauty of Iceland’s mountains.

Once at Lagarfljot, a long, narrow lake in the midst of Lagarfljot River, you will find towering trees on the eastern shore. The scent of birch will reach you from across the water as legend tells of the tail of a monster, similar to Scotland’s Loch Ness, that calls the body of water home. The lake shines gray from the glacial melt, and the water has a depth of up to 364 feet and stretches nearly 15 miles long. Outside of the town of Reydarfjordur is a mountain pass reaching 2,066 feet above sea level. Your drive will take the group to the top for an unadulterated view of the fjords and the ocean.

In the morning, will you pass some fishing villages located on the fjord as colorful homes line the harbor and reflect in the water. The image continues to embody the elegant and simple beauty of the towns as it creates a contrasting portrait of the landscape, from the drama of the mountains to the stoicism of the water. Several farms rise along the small Berufjordur Fjord. The pyramid shaped mountain reaches a height of 3,507 feet above sea level. The Gautavik Farm, on the northern side of the bay, was a former trading post for fishers and whalers. The ruins of the old wooden structure have been preserved to maintain the history of the region. You will leave the eastern fjords behind and then notice as the landscape shifts at the glacial river valley of Lon.

On a clear day, you can see the bright white caps of the glaciers sprawled across the mountains, including Vatnajokull, the largest glacier in Iceland. The ice stretches across 3,100 square miles of land and has an average thickness of 1,300 feet. You will venture next to Langjokull Glacier to the ice tunnel for a rare opportunity of following the ice’s formation. Normal snow forms layers over time, to create crusts that amalgamate into the glacier. The tunnels are cool and crisp, and you can put your hand on the wall and feel the smooth, rounding edges of the cavern. The sunlight bounces off the ceiling to create an ethereal turquoise glow as you enjoy a first-hand look at how the ice helps the glacier evolve over time.

The town of Hofn starts your day with a quiet morning along the natural harbor. Fishing boats will return from the sea with nets full of langoustine. The sunlight will shimmer on the turquoise water as you leave the town behind after an early breakfast and make your way to Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon. The body of water is the result of the warming climate and has become Iceland’s deepest lake, now reaching a depth of approximately 814 feet. Meltwater from the Breidamerkurjokull Glacier adds to the lake’s expanse to encompass an area of nearly seven square miles. Your skipper will lead you along an amphibian boat to sail alongside gigantic icebergs that glow bright blue against the surrounding mountains. The ice formations drift along the water until you can view the tongue of the Breidamerkurjokull Glacier.

When the ice calves away from the cliff, it will splash into the water to create another unique iceberg that drifts across the lake. You will return to land and make your way to Kirkjugolf, a basalt formation of columns referred to as the “Church Floor.” The smoothed down and cemented moss was mistaken as a church floor as opposed to a work of nature. Honeycomb slabs cover a field as the actual church of the nearby town of Kirkjubaejarklaustur was erected in the 12th-century. During the 18th-century eruption of the Laki Volcano, the local pastor called the congregation into the church and delivered a fiery sermon. The lava reached the edge of the church and stopped, sparing the people inside

In the morning, around the town of Vik, you can see the black sand beach as it reaches into the cobalt blue water. The geothermal activity creates the basalt rocks that glow across the shoreline. The pebbles are smooth on your fingers, and the sea air brings a slightly salty aroma to the greenery that borders the plains. The basalt columns form the cliffs to shape the blocks and pillars out of the ridges. In the summer, puffins settle in the cliffs and dive deep into the water in search of fish. You will continue on the Ring Road to make your way towards Reykjavik and take in the gorgeous sites along the way.

At Kerid Crater, you will find an 180-foot deep caldera formed around 3,000 years ago. A lake at the bottom emits an emerald hue due to the volcanic activity in the area. You will make it to the Golden Circle, one of the most popular routes in Iceland, to find Strokkur Geyser in the Haukadalur Valley. The geyser erupts approximately every ten minutes and shoots water up to 98 feet. As the water erupts from a singular hole in the ground, you can see the waves pour out and flood the nature-made pool. In the evening, you will arrive in Reykjavik and settle into the comforts of your hotel and the hospitality of Iceland’s largest city.

In the morning, the sea breeze drifts through the city to pass the colorful homes and buildings that decorate the streets. Locals venture to their favorite coffee shop as the aroma emanates from the first coffee shop opened in Iceland in the 1950s. Artists and students would sit at the tables and discuss their favorite books or greatest ideas. Today, the aroma of chocolate and waffles accompanies the scent of roasting coffee. At breakfast, you will look back on the stunning images of Iceland that you captured, both in photos and in memories. Your private transfer will meet you at the hotel when you are ready to escort you to the Keflavik International Airport for your flight home.