Natural Wonders of Iceland 8 Day tour from $2591

an Insight Vacations luxury tour

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Tour Highlights

Excursions & Sights

• Visit Hveragerdi
• Visit the former archbishops residence at Skalholt
• Visit Geysir, spectacular area of hot springs
• See the Gullfoss, the 'Icelandic Niagara'
• Visit the National Park at Skaftafell to see the largest glacier in Europe, Vatnajakull
• See Lake Jokulsarlon, setting for scenes in the James Bond film, 'Die Another Day'
• Drive through the scenic mountain pass of Almannaskard
• Visit lakeside Egilsstadir
• Drive through the sand desert of Modrudal
• Visit the renowned bird watching site of Lake Myvatn
• View the Godafoss, known as 'The Waterfall of the Gods'
• See Akureyri, capital of Northern Iceland
• See Thingvellir where the first meeting of the Icelandic parliament  was held in 903
• Scenic Drives - black beaches of the south shore, east coast fjords & mountains

Insight's Services

• Fully escorted and all sightseeing conducted by a professional Icelandic Tour Director
• Air-conditioned coach with onboard toilet
• Best available hotels with all service charges and taxes
• Complimentary airport arrival and departure transfers

Quality Dining

7 buffet breakfasts and 5 three course table d'hote dinners, or buffets, plus tea or coffee.

Tour Itinerary

This is a scenic tour with beautiful travelling days, frequent stops for viewing and fantastic photo opportunities. The average temperature in Iceland is 15C during the summer. All visits are weather  permitting.

Due to the Icelandic weather conditions, it is important to bring warm clothing  & good walking shoes. Due to the Icelandic road conditions the coaches in Iceland  are considerably more robust than the rest of Europe.

The standard of accommodation available outside Reykjavik is not First Class - it is similar to Tourist Class accommodation, but the rooms are clean and basic  and always with private facilities. Porterage is not provided at the hotels but your Tour Director and Driver will be ready to help if you cannot manage to carry your own suitcases. Please however keep your luggage to a minimum for this reason.

 DAY 1 SUN - REYKJAVIK

On arrival at Reykjavik's Keflavik Airport, there are complimentary transfers  to the hotel. The balance of the day is at leisure. Hotel: Nordica Esja.

DAY 2 MON - REYKJAVIK - VIK

This morning we have an orientation tour of Reykjavik before heading southwards to Hveragerdi, the market gardening centre of the island. We then continue inland to visit the former archbishops residence at Skalholt, followed by Geysir, the spectacular area of hot springs where the hot sulphurous water shoots into the air. Later we see the Gullfoss, the Icelandic equivalent of Niagara, before continuing to our hotel in Vik, where we enjoy a Welcome Drink with our fellow passengers before dinner. Hotel: Dyrholaey. (BB,D)

DAY 3 TUE - VIK - HoFN

This morning we continue along the south shore of Iceland driving beside the black basalt-sand beaches. The highlight of the day is the National Park at Skaftafell where we will see the largest glacier in Europe, Vatnajakull. We travel on to Lake Jokulsarlon, which provided the dramatic setting for scenes in the latest James Bond film, 'Die Another Day'.

Hotel: Hofn/Fosshotel Vatnajakull. (BB,D)

DAY 4 WED - HoFN - REYDARFJoRDUR

Today we explore the beautiful eastern coastal region, where Irish missionary monks lived 1100 years ago. We drive through the mountain pass of Almannaskard and admire the extraordinary green, red and yellow mountains. Then we follow the magnificent fjords until we reach Reydarfjordur where we stay tonight. Hotel: Reydafjordur. (BB,D)

DAY 5 THU - REYDARFJoRDUR - AKUREYRI

We begin today by visiting Egilsstadir, situated beside a lake inhabited by a  monster known as 'Laggi'. We drive through the sand desert of Modrudal to the  lake Myvatn, the internationally renowned bird watching site! This area offers a  wide spectrum of geological formations and the intense geothermal activity produces mud pools and spectacular coloured deposits. Our final stop today is to view the Godafoss, known as 'The Waterfall of the Gods', before continuing to our hotel in  Akureyri. Hotel: Edda Akureyri/Narfastadir Hotel. (BB,D)

DAY 6 FRI - AKUREYRI - BOGARNES

We begin with an orientation tour of Akureyri, the capital of Northern Iceland,  which was first established as a trading centre in 1602. Our journey today takes  us past mountains, waterfalls and into green coastal regions where the distinctive  Icelandic horses are bred.We return to the south west coast later this afternoon  where we stay in Bogarnes tonight. Hotel: Borgarnes. (BB,D)

DAY 7 SAT - BOGARNES - REYKJAVIK

Today we travel southwards to Thingvellir where the first meeting of the Icelandic parliament was held in 903. This is also a remarkable natural site because it lies  on the Great Atlantic Rift line where the American and European tectonic plates meet! Later we return to Reykjavik with time perhaps to visit the Blue Lagoon and  bathe in its hot mineral waters as a relaxing end to a remarkable trip! Hotel: Nordica  Esja. (BB)

DAY 8 SUN - REYKJAVIK

Our tour ends today after breakfast when there are complimentary transfers to  Keflavik airport. (BB)