Day 1: WELCOME TO ICELAND (170km/105 miles)
Arrival and 4 nights stay in West Iceland.
Day 2: BORGARFJÖRÐUR (130 km/81 miles, round trip)
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 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.
Day 3: BIFRÖST (70 km/44 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.
Day 4: SNÆFELLSNES (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.
Day 5: THINGVELLIR & NESJAVELLIR (230km/143 miles)
Start the day with a visit to Thingvellir National Park and UNESCO World Heritage Site. It offers numerous hiking trails; many are ideal for short and leisurely walks. Thingvellir is the cradle of the nation's history and independence of its people. Thingvellir is also a site of exceptional geological interest and the ravine edge is the perfect spot for an overview of the tectonic forces that have shaped the landscape. Continue along a scenic road to Nesjavellir that is the largest geothermal power area in Iceland and a fascinating place to explore. Stay 3 nights in South Iceland.
Day 6: THJÓRSÁRDALUR (170 km/105 miles)
Thjórsárdalur valley is well-known for its numerous excavations of old viking farms, which were buried by the ash of an eruption of Hekla volcano in the year 1104. The farm at Stöng is especially worth seeing. In this area are two beautiful waterfalls, Hjálparfoss that is easy to reach and Háifoss waterfall that is a bit off the beaten track. A short walk leads to the ravine Gjáin that offers a surrounding with waterfalls, lava formations and wonderful vegetation. This is an enchanting spot and not to be missed.
Day 7: HIKING & COASTAL VILLAGES (120 km/75 miles)
Today we schedule a relaxing day. We recommend a visit to the Troll, Elves and Northern light museum in Stokkseyri. This area is ideal for bird watching and walking along the sandy beaches and the wonderful sea coast. Optional kayak tours are available. Continue to Eyrarbakki, a small village with old wooden houses, a folk & maritime museum. In Hveragerdi are optional horseback riding tours available. If you like hiking, we recommend the 3 hours roundtrip hike to Reykjadalur with a wonderful waterfall, a hot stream in the wilderness where you take a hot bath and plenty of hot springs. For first time visitor to Iceland, you might want to consider a visit at Gullfoss/Geysir.
Day 8: SOUTH SHORE (240 km/150 miles)
Visit the waterfalls Skógafoss and Seljalandsfoss. Nearby is the lovely Skogar folk museum with turf houses. The bird cliffs of Dyrhólaey and Reynisfjara are simply amazing. We recommend also a stroll on the black lava beaches of Vík. In South Iceland you find also the two glaciers Eyjafjallajökull and Myrdalsjökull. 3 nights stay in Kirkjubaejarklaustur/Skaftafell area.
Day 9: SKAFTAFELL NATIONAL PARK (40 km/25 miles)
Vatnajökull is Europe's largest glacier and National Park that includes numerous huge glacier tongues that descend to the sandy outwash plains which stretch south to the coast. Spend a full day exploring Skaftafell National Park. There is a lot to do here if you like hiking, which varies from rather easy to very hard. We recommend a walk to Svartifoss waterfall and a picnic in the national park, near the glacier. In this area is offered a bird watching tour by tractor to Ingolfshöfdi promotory which is one of Iceland's best outdoor adventures.
Day 10: GLACIAL LAGOON (150 km/93 miles)
Jökulsárlón, the lagoon at the mouth of Vatnajökull glacier, is several kilometeres long and wide and covered with icebergs that break off the glacier. If you are lucky, you will spot seals in the lagoon. We recommend a boat tour on the glacier lagoon and also a stroll along the black lava sand beach that is covered with stranded icebergs. Here you can experience the rough North Atlantic surf. There are many wonderful walking trails at Vatnajökull national park and we suggest a visit to the lovely turf church at Hof.
Day 11: SOUTH COAST (330 km/205 miles)
There are plenty of natural wonders along the south coast back to Reykjavik. We recommend a visit at the small turf church at Núpsstaður, a walk around the Dwarf Cliffs and a walk up to Systrafoss waterfall in Kirkjubæjarklaustur. Nearby is the fabulous 100m-deep gorge called Fjaðrárglújfur which sides are full of spikes, arches and scary ledges. Return to Reykjavik and stay two nights in the capital.
Day 12: REYKJAVIK & BLUE LAGOON (150 km/93 miles)
The capital Reykjavik has plenty of recreational areas, sightseeing attractions and activities, for example option for whale watching tours from the capital. 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 13: DEPARTURE (49 km/30 km)