This scenic circular tour has beautiful travelling days, frequent stops for viewing and fantastic photo opportunities. The average temperature in Iceland is 15ºC during the summer; all visits are weather permitting. The standard of accommodation available outside Reykjavik is not First Class – it is similar to Tourist Class, however, the rooms are always clean and with private facilities. The terrain is rugged and this destination is quite different from any other in Europe, therefore guests should come well-prepared and with an open mind.

Additional 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 Vatnajökull glacier
• See Lake Jokulsarlon, setting for the James Bond film, ‘Die Another Day’
• Drive through the scenic mountain pass of Almannaskard
• Visit lakeside Egilsstadir
• Drive through the Mödrudal desert
• Visit the Hengifoss waterfall
• 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
• Scenic Drives - black beaches of the south shore, east coast fjords and mountains

Insight's First Class Services

• Fully escorted and all sightseeing conducted by a professional Icelandic Tour Director
• Air-conditioned 40 seat coach with onboard toilet
• Best available hotels with all service charges and taxes
• Insight Traveller document wallet, map book journal and information pack
• Complimentary airport arrival and departure transfers

Quality Dining

• 7 Buffet Breakfasts (BB)
• 5 three-course table d’hôte Dinners, or Buffets, plus tea or coffee (D)

9 DAYS ~ ICELAND

DAY 1 – SAT – DEPART CANADA. Board your overnight flight.

DAY 2 – SUN – REYKJAVIK. Welcome to Iceland! With its lack of traffic, trains, pollution and people, Iceland is a strangely wonderful wilderness with icecaps, glaciers, hot pools, geysers and lava fields. On arrival at Reykjavik’s Keflavik Airport, there will be complimentary transfers to your tour hotel. The rest of the day is at leisure.
Hotel: Radisson SAS Saga.

DAY 3 – MON – REYKJAVIK – VIK. Take an orientation tour of Reykjavik before heading south to Hveragerdi, the market gardening centre of the island. Continue inland to visit the former archbishop’s residence at Skalholt, followed by Geysir, the spectacular area of hot springs where hot sulphurous water shoots into the air. See the Gullfoss, the Icelandic equivalent of Niagara, before continuing to your hotel in Vik to enjoy a Welcome Drink with your fellow passengers before dinner.
Hotel: Edda Plus. (BB,D)

DAY 4 – TUE – VIK – HÖFN. Continue along the southern coast of Iceland, driving beside the black basalt-sand beaches. The highlight of the day is the National Park at Skaftafell where you will see the largest glacier in Europe, Vatnajökull. Travel on to Lake Jokulsarlon, which provided the dramatic setting for scenes in the James Bond film, Die Another Day.
Hotel: Asgardur/Höfn. (BB,D)

DAY 5 – WED – HÖFN – EGILSSTADIR. Explore the beautiful eastern coastal region, where Irish missionary monks lived 1100 years ago. Drive through the mountain pass of Almannaskard, then follow the magnificent fjords to the beautiful area of Egilsstadir. Visit the 120 metre high waterfall Hengifoss then continue to your hotel near one of the largest forests in Iceland.
Hotel: Egilsstadir/Herad. (BB,D)

DAY 6 – THU – EGILSSTADIR – AKUREYRI. Drive through the sand desert of Mödrudal to the lake Myvatn, an 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. Afterwards, view the Godafoss, known as ‘The Waterfall of the Gods’, before continuing to your hotel in Akureyri. Hotel: Edda/Kea/Harpa . (BB,D)

DAY 7 – FRI – AKUREYRI – BORGARNES. Take an orientation tour of Akureyri, the capital of northern Iceland, which was first established as a trading centre in 1602. Travel past mountains, waterfalls and into green coastal regions where distinctive Icelandic horses are bred. Return to the south-west coast in the afternoon to stay in Borgarnes.
Hotel: Borgarnes. (BB,D)

DAY 8 – SAT – BORGARNES – REYKJAVIK. Travel southwards to Thingvellir, where the first meeting of the Icelandic parliament was held in 903. This is a remarkable natural site because it lies on the Great Atlantic Rift where the American and European tectonic plates meet. Back in Reykjavik, maybe take the option of visiting the Blue Lagoon to bathe in its hot mineral waters.
Hotel: Radisson SAS Saga. (BB)

DAY 9 – SUN – RETURN TO CANADA. Your tour ends after breakfast when there are complimentary transfers to Keflavik airport. (BB)

 PAYMENTS

Deposit: Non-refundable deposit of $200 per person per tour and $250 for tours with River Cruises.

Final Payment: 45 days prior to departure from Canada. For tours with River Cruises final Payment is required 90 days prior to departure from Canada.

AIRFARE
Your airline tickets are  not included in the price. Please call us at 1.866.907.4006 for great air options.

Note : Porterage is not provided but your Tour Director and driver will be ready to help if you cannot manage to carry your own suitcases. Please keep your luggage to a minimum for this reason. Due to the weather conditions, it is important to bring warm clothing and good walking shoes. Icelandic road conditions mean that coaches are considerably more robust than in the rest of Europe.

For more information please contact travel@meetmarketadventures.com