Countryside Odyssey

NORTH & SOUTH ICELAND WITH WHALE WATCHING 

An incredible tour. In just 6 days explore South, North and West Iceland as well as the interior highlands. This tour provides the comfort of hotel-based travel with walking amidst some of the most stunning scenery you are ever likely to see. Highlights in the north range from Europe’s most powerful waterfall Dettifoss to the magnificent Lake Mývatn. In the south there is the famous hotspring area of Geysir and the Queen of Iceland’s waterfalls Gullfoss. We visit the geothermal area of Landmannalaugar.

Accommodation is provided in hotels with private facilities. The hotels used on this tour are often “summer hotels”, used most of the year as boarding schools or country hotels which are simple and clean.

HIGHLIGHTS AND VALUES
- We only stay in two hotels which means less packing 
- Whale watching included, weather permitting
- Visit to the Glaumbær folk museum and turf farm included
- Introduction to the Icelandic horse included
- Average of two hours walking a day
- Visit to two National Parks
- Visit to two Nature Baths

COUNTRYSIDE ODYSSEY - ITINERARY

DAY 1, MO: ÞHINGVELLIR-GULLFOSS-GEYSIR
The day starts with a visit to the historic sites of the first Icelandic Parliament at Þingvellir National Park. Then we continue to Gullfoss which is known in Iceland as the “Golden Falls” spanned in sunshine by a beautiful rainbow. Nearby is the fascinating geothermal area of Geysir. The most active geyser is Strokkur, “the Churn” which can spout up to seventy feet every five to seven minutes. From there we travel to Hella where we stay for two nights.

DAY 2, TU: LANDMANNALAUGAR
A detour into the geothermal area of Landmannalaugar, a jewel in the icelandic landscapes. The surrounding 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 relaxing bath in a pool of warm spring water.

DAY 3, WE: HELLA-SPRENGISANDUR-ÞINGEYJARSÝSLA
Today we drive north via the highland desert Sprengisandur with its views of the distant ice-caps Vatnajökull and Hofsjökull. We visit the majestic waterfalls Aldeyjarfoss and Goðafoss. We stay up north for the next three nights.

DAY 4, TH: DETTIFOSS-TJÖRNES
We visit the high sea cliffs of Tjörnes peninsula, rich in bird life. Then to Hljóðaklettar, a place with strange rock formations. We visit the canyon of Ásbyrgi before arriving at Europe’s most powerful waterfall Dettifoss. We also visit the hot springs at Námaskarð before we head for our accommodation.

DAY 5, FR: HÚSAVIK WHALE WATCHING-LAKE MÝVATN
Today we board our boat for a 3 hour Whale watching tour, weather permitting. Then a short drive to Lake Mývatn, a unique area that features strange lava formations, attractive bays, pseudo craters and thousands of birds. We stroll through the lava field of Dimmuborgir, ending with a walk up to the rim of the ash crater Hverfjall. We relax at the Nature Baths before heading to our accommodation.

DAY 6, SA: ÞINGEYJARSÝSLA-AKUREYRI-REYKJAVÍK
Today we return south through Akureyri, the capital of the north. We travel over the Öxnadalur mountain pass and on through the ever changing countryside to Skagafjörður where we will have an introduction to the Icelandic horse. We also visit Glaumbær folk museum before returning to Reykjavík.

COUNTRYSIDE ODYSSEY

North & South Iceland with Whale Watching GJ/70 G-M

Type:
Hotel & walking tour

Duration:
6 days / 5 nights

Departure and Return:
From our office at Borgartún 34 on Mondays at 10:00 returning Saturdays around 19:00

Pick up for tour:
Between 09.15-09.45 from any accommodation in Reykjavik

Language:
All tours are guided in English and German

Group size:
From 8 to 30 passengers

Accommodation:
We use only 2 accommodations during the tour. We stay in the south for 2 nights and up north for 3 nights. The hotels we use are simple and clean, some are guesthouse style or used as boarding schools in the winter. All rooms have private facilities. Most of our groups will stay at Fosshotel Mosfell in Hella, South Iceland and Fosshotel Husavik, North Iceland.

Meals:
5x breakfast and 5x dinner (3-course or buffet) from dinner on first day to breakfast on the last day. Picnic lunch on day 3.

Included on tour:
Whale watching tour from Húsavík (day 5), entrance fee to the Nature Baths at Lake Mývatn (day 5), a visit to Glaumbær folk museum (day 6) and horse-show in Skagafjörður (day 6).

On tour:
There is an average of 2 hours walking each day. Good walking boots are needed on all our tours, as well as waterproof clothing.

Note:
We sometimes have two groups departing on the same date. In this case, small changes on itinerary might be expected, like other hotels.

Other highlights:
Visit to two national parks and travel through the interior highland desert. This is truly a unique guided coach tour in Iceland with a beautiful flavor of adventure, off the beaten track explorations, some outdoor activities and still provides the comfort of a hotel-based tour.

New service:
Supplement for guaranteed window seat on our escorted coach tours which includes a window seat and next seat remaining empty (passenger gets actually two seats) as well as a pillow and blanket for upgraded comfort. Seats will be reserved in the front area of the bus.

Pre & post nights in Reykjavik:
Are not included in tour price and must be added subject to your arrival and departure flights. GJ-Travel offers a wide selection of accommodations & hotels in Reykjavik. Contact us for further information and prices.

Airport Transfers:
Are not included in tour price and can be bought through us if required. 

See further information:
under General Information about Escorted Grand Tours

YEAR 2011
COUNTRYSIDE ODYSSEY DEPARTURES

All tours depart at 10:00
70/G Monday 04 July - 09 July
70/I Monday 18 July - 23 July (cancelled)
70/K Monday 01 August - 06 August (cancelled)
70/M Monday 15 August - 20 August  (cancelled)

DURATION: 6 days / 5 nights
LANGUAGES: This tour is guided in English and German
ACCOMMODATION: Hotels/Country Guest Houses
MEALS: 5x breakfast and 5x dinner, from dinner on the first day to breakfast on the last day. Picnic lunch on day 3.
GROUP SIZE: From 8 to 30 passengers
ALSO INCLUDED: Whale watching tour (weather permitting), visit to the Glaumbær folk museum and turf farm, introduction to the Icelandic horse, average of two hours walking a day, visit to two National Parks and visit to two Nature Baths. 

Price in EUR:
per person in Twin room: EUR 1.590.-
Single room supplement: EUR 295.-
VIP-seating supplement: EUR 120.- 

COUNTRYSIDE ODYSSEY

Excellent tour, excellent guide, excellent driver. Good hotels and good meals
Taber Holidays, UK
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Nice balance between bus and walking tour. Well chosen activities. Guide was excellent and had good sense of humour. Hotels were peaceful and quiet. Food excellent. Very careful driver
Taber Holidays, UK
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Very knowledgable guide. Good hotels, very good meals, excellent driver.
Iceland Adventure, USA
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Lovely tour. We loved Aldeyjarfoss waterfall. Jens, our guide was top quality. He know all from linguistics, botany, history, etc. He was helpful from morning to night. Could not have been better. Great breakfasts.
Iceland Adventure, USA
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Everything just perfect.
Greenland Travel, Denmark
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It could not have been better
Tabe Holidays, UK
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Fantastic tour. Our guide Jens has a lot of useful knowledge and stories. It was a pleasure to have Jens as our guide. Hotels, Meals, driver and bus just perfect.
Greenland Travel, Denmark
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The guide was excellent and provided us with interesting information about everything. It could not have been better. The driver was excellent and bus really comfortable and safe.
Sei Viaggi, Italy
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Excellent program and organisation. Accommodation were really good. We liked Fosshotel in Hella and Laugar a lot. Brilliant driver and guide.
Sei Viaggi, Italy
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What an amazing tour!
Inghams Travel, UK
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