Iceland – Land of the Midnight Sun

Welcome to Reykjavik, Iceland’s vibrant capital. Meet up with your Tour Leader Paula Benneian and fellow passengers for our Welcome Dinner this evening in your hotel, located in the downtown area of Reykjavik.

A city tour this morning to discover the world’s most northerly capital. It’s quirky, it’s colourful and it’s creative with dazzling design. First stop is Hallgrimskirkja that stands guard over Reykjavik. The church is both a parish church and a national sanctuary. Named for 17th-century clergyman Hallgrimur Petursson, Hallgrimskirkja is an Evangelical-Lutheran church.

Next stop is a striking steel sculpture by Jon Gunnar Arnason, made to resemble a Viking ship but is, in fact, an ode to the sun.

Free time for lunch before an introduction to Iceland’s extraordinary landscapes at the immersive Perlan museum. Interactive exhibits explain the landforms, geology and the wildlife. Learn about Iceland’s changing glaciers, volcanic systems and geothermal activity.

Head back to your hotel with the evening free. Take a loop walk of the harbour, with dinner downtown. Remember this is the land of the midnight sun!

Morning visit to the Botanic Garden which preserves a large collection of the Icelandic plant flora, along with a diverse selection of foreign plants. There are around 3,000 plants in the garden; arranged in eight collections (Flora of Iceland, Perennial Herbs, Roses, Heather & Heath, Forest Floor Plants, Stone Heights Plants, Tree Collection and Vegetable Garden).

Afternoon visit to Asmundarsafn Museum. The sculptor Asmundur Sveinsson (1893– 1982) designed, worked and lived in this beautiful building now serving as a part of Reykjavik Art Museum. The white dome structure is surrounded by Sveinsson’s sculptures.

We are leaving Reykjavik heading to Saefellsnes Peninsula, a long, narrow peninsula projecting into the North-Atlantic Ocean. Enroute we will cross the Hallmundarhraun lava field, that flowed from an eruption of a volcano lying under Langjokull glacier in the year 930. There are many caves under the lava.

First stop is Borgarnes to visit the Settlement Centre to see two exhibitions, one about the Age of Settlement, and the other about Viking poet Egil Skallagrimsson. Learn about the discovery of Iceland, who was first to arrive and when. Learn how sailors braved the North Atlantic to get to Iceland, and why they were fleeing Norway to make their home on a far-flung, deserted island. Lunch stop in Grundarfjordur, a small town on the north coast of the Snaefellsnes Peninsula.

Afternoon travel on to Stykkisholmur, sometimes called the town of a thousand islands, in the north of the Snaefellsnes Peninsula, with a population of approximately 1,100. Once a trading post was developed within the natural harbour in 1550.

Visit the Bjarnarhofn Shark Museum, where this family has been involved with sharks for the past four centuries. Learn about the curing process and taste test the shark meat.

Afternoon cruise on an Icelandic fishing boat on Breidafjordur Bay to see puffins! This cruise offers an immersive way to experience Iceland’s rich birdlife, wildlife and coastal landscapes. Traditionally designed for navigating Iceland’s waters, these boats can get close to seabird colonies that thrive along the rugged coastlines and isolated islands.

Check in to your hotel in Stykkisholmur, with time to relax before dinner in the hotel. Take an evening stroll around the town with its colourful houses and picturesque harbour and enjoy the longest day of the year.

We are travelling to Budardalar this morning to learn about Vikings at the Eiriksstadir Viking longhouse, the mythology and history of Norse travellers in an interactive way. Hear stories from Viking sagas about famous Vikings like Erik the Red and his son Leif the Lucky. The longhouse opened in the year 2000 to display ruins along with an accurate replica of a traditional Viking house.

Travel on to Reykholtsdalur to see Deildartunguhver Hot Spring, considered Europe’s most powerful hot spring, due to its high flow rate and very hot water. Due to the sheer energy bubbling under Deildartunguhver, much of the water is used for heating Icelandic homes. One pipe travels 34 kilometres (21 miles) to Borgarnes, whilst another travels 64 kilometres (40 miles) to Akranes. All Icelandic hot water comes from hot springs such as this. This is a fantastic example of how Icelanders efficiently use the geothermal energy provided and is one of the major reasons why Iceland has such an excellent reputation for green energy.

Two amazing waterfalls this afternoon. Barnafoss is a magical site in and of itself, twisting, turning, foaming and churning as it races down a narrow valley, from which you can view it from a viewing platform.
The waterfalls of Hraunfossar are best described as a collection of creeks and cascades, small and big, streaming out of the lava over a distance of about 900 metres.

Travel on to Hella, check in to your hotel for the next three nights.

Iceland’s first National Park is UNESCO World Heritage listed because of its great historical and geological significance. Icelanders consider it the nation’s birthplace.

Next stop is the Geysir Geothermal Area to see Strokkur (The Churn) which erupts every 10 minutes. This geothermal park sits on top of a vast boiling cauldron, belching sulfurous mud, hissing steam vents, and hot and cold springs.

Gullfoss is next, not only Iceland’s best-known waterfall but also one of the most striking and impressive thanks to its double-tiered waterfall plunging 31 metres.

Travel to Fridheimar Greenhouse, where tomatoes are grown all year, using state-of the-art technology in an environmentally friendly way. Green energy, pure water and biological pest controls make their tomatoes tasty and healthy. Each greenhouse individually controls heat, humidity, carbon dioxide and lighting.

We are travelling to Jokulsarlon for an amphibian boat tour on Jokulsarlon glacier lagoon, known for its towering icebergs and dramatic landscapes. Sail among the icebergs, learn the fascinating geology and history of this glacial lagoon.

Nearby is ‘The Diamond Beach’, a black sand beach named after the icebergs that wash ashore after breaking off from the glacier and floating in the lagoon. These icebergs sparkle like diamonds in the sunlight against the dark sand, creating a stunning landscape.

Travel back to Hella with a stop at Fjadrargljufur, a magnificent and massive canyon, 100m deep and 2kms long.

We are heading back to Reykjavik this morning for an immersive experience at Blue Lagoon. Named one of 25 wonders of the world by National Geographic, the Blue Lagoon was honoured for its unique geothermal seawater.

It is rich in silica, algae and various minerals, that give the lagoon its skin-nourishing powers. Travel onto Reykjavik with our Farewell dinner this evening.

Tour ends this morning after breakfast.