Iceland Self Drive Travel, Self Drive
Touring, Driving Tour Iceland, Iceland Self Drive Itinerary, Rental Cars Iceland
GJ-043 FAMILY HOLIDAY
West Iceland, North Iceland & Reykjavik in 15 days / 14 nights
Day 1: WELCOME TO ICELAND (49 km/30 miles)
Arrival and overnight in Reykjavik/Keflavik, hotel including breakfast.
Day 2: BORGARFJÖRÐUR (170 km/105 miles)
Spend a day at the saga valley of Borgarfjördur. Here you find Deildartunguhver, Europe's most powerful hot spring. Continue to Hraunfossar and Barnafoss waterfalls. For outdoor activities such as golf, minigolf, geothermal swimming pool, children play ground and hiking we recommend Húsafell. There are several museums in the area such as the Icelandic settlement museum in Borgarnes, Snorrastofa culture and history exhibition and Hvanneyri Farm Machinery Museum. 3 nights in West Iceland – accommodation in a hotel including breakfast.
Day 3: BIFRÖST (110 km/69 miles)
Explore Bifröst area that we consider as the hidden nature reserve of West Iceland. Climb Grábrók volcano crater that offers a stunning view all over the Norðurárdalur valley and the encircling mountains. There are several easy walking trails at Lake Hreðavatn and the surrounding forest and this is simply a lovely place for a picnic. Nearby you can take a short walk down to an overlook on the cliffs, from where there is a fine view of Glanni, a spectacular waterfall on the Norðurá river. Continue to Paradísarlaut (Paradise Hollow), a small pond with beautiful, clear water. Trout fishing is offered at Lake Hreðavatn and in Borgarnes you find a children friendly outdoor geothermal swimming pool.
Day 4: SNÆFELLSNES PENINSULA (280 km/174 miles)
Snæfellesnes Peninsula juts out from Iceland's west coast, like a long arm and in many ways it is a microcosm of the whole island. We highly recommend the fascinating bird watching cruise from Stykkisholmur to the innumerable islands of Breiðafjörður fjord. Stykkisholmur is a lovely small town with colourful wooden houses and a wonderful outdoor swimming pool. The whole family will love to explore the small harbour and climb up on top of the small island with a beautiful lighthouse and plenty of seabirds. On the southshore of the Snæfellsnes peninsula there is a seal colony and the hiking option to Eldborg volcano crater.
Day 5: GOING NORTH (360 km/224 miles)
Travel north and start with an easy hike on Hrútey island in Blönduós where there is a lot of vegetation and bird life. In Hvammstangi you find the small but interesting Seal Centre & Museum. Continue to Skagafjördur, valley of the horses and sagas. Here you find the Glaumbær turf farm & folk museum and the Viðimýri church, one of the most beautiful examples of traditional turf church architecture. Stay 3 nights at Eyjafjördur area. Accommodation in a hotel including breakfast.
Day 6: AKUREYRI (30 km/19 miles)
Spend a relaxing day in Akureyri, the capital of North Iceland. We suggest a visit to the old town, the modern church and botanical garden. There are plenty of activities and sites for the whole family. Not far from Akureyri you find the Christmas Garden; a fire-engine red building that resembles a gingerbread house and once inside you discover Christmas decorations from all over the world. There is also a fairytale tower, a beautiful garden and the world's biggest Christmas calender.
Day 7: EYJAFJÖRÐUR (100 km/62 miles)
We recommend travelling to the fishing village of Dalvik where there are nice hiking possibilities. In Dalvik you find the Hvoll Folk Museum with a selection of stuffed animals, fish and birds and the most popular is the exhibition of a huge polar bear. One room in the museum gives special attention to Johann the Giant, who was with 2,34 meters the tallest Icelander who ever lived. The island of Hrisey is just a short ferry ride from the main land and considered one of the best bird watching places in Iceland. Hrisey has a population of about 200 people. The picturesque village with colorful houses and the new outdoor swimming pool with panoramic views are worth a visit.
Day 8: GODAFOSS, MÝVATN & HUSAVIK (160 km/99 miles)
Start the day with a visit at Godafoss, the waterfall of the Gods. Lake Myvatn offers a wide spectrum of volcanic and geological features, abundant bird life and a wealth of walking trails. Popular sites to visit are the pseudocraters at Skútustaðir, the Höfði gardens and peninsula, Dimmuborgir lava labyrinth and the new Myvatn bird museum. Stay 4 nights at Husavik/Lake Myvatn area. Accommodation in a hotel including breakfast.
Day 9: HUSAVIK (10 km/6 miles)
Húsavik is called Europe's whale watching capital where you have the option to visit the whale museum and go on a whale watching cruise. Húsavík is a beautiful, small and charming fishing town and a good location to relax, have a nice meal at the rustic harbour restaurant and stroll around the art & flower garden. There are playgrounds, several museums, outdoor swimming pool, golf course, horse rental, walking trails and many more activities for the whole family.
Day 10: LAKE MYVATN (140 km/87 miles)
Explore hot spring area of Námaskarð and you might want to hike up the pastel-shaded mountain Námafjall. Continue to volcanic area of Krafla and Víti maar. Mt. Leirhnjúkur is a fascinating hike through a hot spring area, into craters formed in the Krafla fires and to the summit. An excellent hiking trail leads to Hverfell that is a circular tehra ring from an explosive eruption and the crater diameter is 1.000 meters and it resembles a moon crater. We recommend also a soak in the unique Mývatn Nature Baths, Iceland's newest geothermal spa - called "the Blue Lagoon of the North".
Day 11: TJÖRNES PENINSULA (220 km/136 miles)
Drive around the mountainous peninsula Tjörnes and visit Jökulsárgljúfur National Park with spectacular sites like Ásbyrgi canyon, Dettifoss waterfall and Hljóðaklettar with fascinating river landscape and volcanic formations. Here you find many short and long hiking options. Ásbyrgi is an ideal location for an outdoor BBQ / Picnic and the nearby beaches are wonderful for collecting beautiful stones and shells. Several bird cliffs en route.
Day 12: TRAVEL TO REYKJAVIK (500 km/310 miles)
Long drive south to Reykjavik, with recommended stops and visit at one of many nice swimming pools in the area. Stay 3 nights in Reykjavik, hotel including breakfast.
Day 13: REYKJAVIK
The capital Reykjavik has plenty of recreational areas, sightseeing attractions and activities for the whole family. Option for whale watching tours from the capital.
Day 14: REYKJANES & BLUE LAGOON (150 km/93 miles)
The Reykjanes peninsula offers diverse geological features, several light houses, hot springs, mountains, bird cliffs and the famous Blue Lagoon. There is also a Viking ship museum and the popular salt fish museum.
Day 15: DEPARTURE (49 km/30 miles)
Our family tours are designed for families with smaller children. Driving distances are limited leaving more time for exploring, touching, playing and having fun. Many children-friendly activities are recommended in our detailed travel itineraries. Multiple night stay at each hotel is ideal for a more relaxing travel style and easier for children to adopt to their new environments. For these tours we use family rooms in hotels including breakfast.