Fabulous Island
Iceland
Surreal horizons consisting of huge glaciers, mountains, waterfalls, huge gorges and green fields, and all this fantastic nature, almost untouched by human hand. Due to the peculiarities of the landscape, almost 80% of the country’s territory is uninhabited, the population density is one of the lowest, and the standard of living is one of the highest in the world. It was in this land of eternal snows and northern lights, where fairies, trolls, elves and other magical brethren still live and live, that the once brave Vikings arrived. These tough guys couldn’t resist the charm of the harsh land, so they stayed here forever, founding their new kingdom. Why? You will answer this question yourself after our trip, because anyone who once entered this magical land will no longer be able to resist the desire to visit here again and again.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Type of expedition
- Autotour
- Adventure
- Getting to know authentic cultures
- Communication with pristine nature
Route
- Reykjavik-Tingvellir-Landmannalaugar-Seljalandfoss-Eyjaflatjokull-Skaftafetl-Dupivogur-Egilstandir-Dettifoss-Husavik-Vatnes-Hraunfossar-Reykjavik
Difficulty level
- 3 out of 10
- Hiking routes of 2 - 6 km per day
- Driving for 1-3 hours a day
Duration
- The trip will last 11 days
Participants
- Group of up to 10 people
Habitation
- hotels 3***
- two people each
Required requirements
- Regular physical training
Travel experts
- Evgeny Shilenkoff
- Nail Khanbekov
How much is it?
The cost of participation is 5200 USD
The price includes
- services of W-Expeditions travel experts
- transfers to/from the airport (if you arrive and depart in accordance with our program)
- accommodation in comfortable hotels of level 3*** along the route
- breakfast in hotels
- car rental, car insurance and fuel
- entrance tickets and permits
- all activities specified in the program
- assistance and advice during the preparation for the trip
- assistance in the selection of air tickets
- group equipment and first aid kit
Paid separately
- tickets from your city to Reykjavik
- surcharge for single occupancy (optional)
- meals not specified in the program, drinks
- travel insurance
- transfers not included in the program
- excursions not included in the program
- the rest of your expenses
travel dates
Four steps to travel!
Application
Write your name, a convenient way of communication and your wishes
Contract
Download, review, add personal data and send it to us
Prepayment
Make an advance payment of 10%, the remaining amount two weeks before departure
Let's fly!
We will arrange all the necessary documents for you: tickets, accommodation reservations, permits, etc.
Expedition route
The first day of the trip
Welcome to Iceland! After passing all customs formalities, you will be met by W-expeditions staff and will be provided with a transfer to the hotel. The desired arrival time is before six in the evening, in this case you will have time to relax after the flight and walk around the city.
By itself, the capital of Iceland is not very big, it is quite possible to get around it in half a day. We will see some of the main attractions of Reykjavik: the amazing Hatgrimskirkja Church, the building of the world’s oldest parliament, the Althing, the city hall, the famous hot dog trailer where Bill Clinton snacked on sausages with lamb, the Harp concert hall with windows in the form of basalt cells and other places without which it is impossible to imagine getting to know the city. We will also take a walk along the central street of Lloigavegur – you will see the pretty facades of houses, restaurants, shops and coffee shops and learn how the history of the street is connected with the geothermal springs that the island is famous for.
The evening Reykjavik is very beautiful, in addition to walking, you can go to the bar and have a cup of excellent craft beer «Lava, Smoked Imperial Stout». After the arrival of all participants, you will be able to go to one wonderful place – Laugardalslaug. There is a 50-meter swimming pool with thermal water, two water slides, numerous hot tubs, a steam bath, saunas and a mini golf course in the open air. In a relaxed atmosphere, we will get to know each other better and talk about plans for the upcoming trip.
Included: group transfer from the airport, city tour, overnight at the hotel
The second day of the trip
We’ll start the morning with pleasant chores, drivers have a quick breakfast and go to get our cars, short formalities, and then we stop by for the rest of the participants. We promptly load things and leave for the route, on the way we will look into the store for food and drinks. Our way lies to Thingvelir National Park and to Lake Thingvadlavatn – the largest lake in Iceland with volcanic islands by area. Today we have a busy, but tireless day ahead of us.
This park is the most important historical place for Icelanders, over which the national flag proudly flies. On its territory in 930 the first meeting of the All-Ireland Parliament was held, and in 1000 Christianity was adopted as a single religion. Here, in 1944, independent Iceland was proclaimed. In addition to its historical significance, the park is famous for the amazing beauty of the natural landscapes formed by the Peningagia Canyon. Also, it is considered one of the geological wonders of the world. At this point, you can see how North America is separating from Europe as a result of the movement of tectonic plates.
The next natural wonder on our way is the valley of Heikadalyur geysers. The Great Geyser or “Father of Geysers» sleeps here. Recently, his activity has noticeably decreased, but his “son” – the Strokkur geyser, shoots 30-40 meters high every 5-7 minutes. That’s what we’re going to admire. There is a little trick to avoid getting wet from head to toe, you need to choose the right side, that is, the windward side, and then the pleasure and photos will be wonderful.
After the valley of geysers, we will visit the majestic Gullfoss waterfall – the «Golden Waterfall», if we are lucky with the weather, we will be able to observe two rainbows above it at once. The source for it is the second largest glacier in Iceland, called Langjekull and the longest glacial river Hvitau, which, translated from Icelandic, means White River. Although it should be noted that you do not know in advance what color you will see the water – it is always a surprise, it can be milky white, cloudy gray, and greenish.
Not far from the waterfall there is a good cafe with a good selection of dishes and pastries, we will have a snack, relax and go to the place of the overnight stay. Upon arrival, we will check into our hotel with a very pleasant authentic atmosphere and original Scandinavian style. Let’s get ourselves in order, and then we’ll go to dinner together, the good thing is that the cuisine here is excellent. We will spend the evening having a pleasant conversation about the discovery of Iceland and the brave Vikings.
Included: breakfast, overnight at the hotel
The third day of the trip
We get up early, have breakfast, rent rooms and go further to the north of Iceland. Today we will go to a place that is considered one of the most beautiful on our planet. This unique place is located almost in the center of the island and is a mountain range located between two glaciers. The surface of the earth and the mountains there are unusual colors — from yellow to red, interspersed with other shades on the slopes of the mountains. In the mountain valley there is a geothermal zone with sulfur rivers, boiling mud and haze from the ground. And the mountains, covered with snow caps and descending snow tongues, frame all this beauty.
Arriving at the place, we dress according to the weather, check cameras, phones, take a thermos of tea, trekking poles and hit the road. We will have a ring track along mountain ranges, slopes and valleys with a total length of about 3.7 km. In addition to the main route, there are also a large number of radial paths to one or another group of geysers.
After walking enough, we will go to a local cafe for refreshment, after lunch, those who wish will still be able to go to the nearest thermal pool. About 1.5 km in one direction to soak in hot water. After the rest, we go to the place of our overnight stay in the town of Selfoss. We’ll get to our hotel by evening. We’ll stop by the store on the way to stock up on snacks for the next couple of days. After settling in, we will have dinner, relax and poison ourselves to upload new photos to social networks, since our photo material is simply stunning, and for the curious there will be a continuation of stories about brave Vikings, freys, trolls and other inhabitants of these places.
Included: breakfast, overnight at the hotel
The fourth day of the trip
We get up early, have a hearty breakfast, stock up on hot tea, rent rooms, stop at the gas station on the way and hit the road. Today is again an extremely busy and incredibly beautiful day. We are going north to the central areas of the island. This wonderful day is dedicated to another amazing place in Iceland.
Most people fall in love with this place from the first minutes of their stay here. After all, this valley and mountains are one of the most incredible places, not only in Iceland, but all over the world. This place is located at an altitude of 600 meters above sea level, in the middle of the central highlands of Iceland – Highlands. Locals call this place – Landmannalaugar, which literally translates from Icelandic as “the bathhouse of the men of this land”, but here this place is better known as “Colored Mountains».
The road to Landmannalaugar is classified as category F, it can only be driven on all-wheel drive. The travel time will depend very much on how full the rivers will be (we will have to force some of them), road conditions and weather. Upon arrival, we put the cars in the parking lot, dress according to the weather and go to the track for 3-4 hours. The track itself is circular, with a length of approximately 4.5 km and is laid around the Brennisteinsalda mountain – which translates as “gray wave». The second most popular is Blanjukur (blue peak). The famous mountains are formed from volcanic rock – rhyolite, similar in composition to granite. They contain inclusions of various minerals, which, interacting with water and oxygen from the air, are oxidized and therefore these and the surrounding mountains have a great variety of colors and their shades. And in combination with the colors of the sky, water, snow and ice – the whole spectrum of colors of the rainbow will open before us.
After a walk, we will stop at a local cafe to refresh ourselves with traditional hot Icelandic soup. Those who are not impressed enough will be able to swim in hot springs once again. After resting, we will go on our way, we will have a dirt road and wading through several rivers. In the evening we will arrive in the small town of Hella, check into the hotel, have dinner and go to rest.
Included: breakfast, park tour, overnight at the hotel.
The fifth day of the trip
Immediately after breakfast, we set off on our way. Today we will have many different amazing beauties and attractions that will take your breath away, and the camera will heat up from frequent use.
We will devote the beginning of the day to waterfalls, and the first handsome man on our way is the famous Seljalandfoss. Under it you can walk and watch the incredibly beautiful sight of falling water, which is refracted in the rays of the sun. It’s really an incredible sight. We will arrange a short photo shoot at all three waterfalls. let’s take a walk around the neighborhood and go further. To an equally beautiful, and maybe even more beautiful waterfall – Skogorfoss, if there is a sun, then we will see an aura of several rainbows over the waterfall – it’s incredibly beautiful. After taking hundreds of photos and exploring all the nearby surroundings, we will go for lunch at a local restaurant with a view of the waterfall.
After lunch and rest, we go to the southernmost point of Iceland on the Dirholey rock. It offers an impressive view of the ocean and a giant arch. If the weather is favorable, then at the foot we will see in large numbers the famous northern puffin bird.
If not, then just enjoy the stunning views of the harsh ocean. From here you can see the next point of our journey, a short transfer — and we are on a black beach surrounded by basalt columns. The place is very epic and beautiful. Let’s not miss a great opportunity and find interesting angles for the next photo series, and those who want to be alone in the nearest cafe will be able to get a cup of coffee, a blanket and just admire the surrounding views.
Having walked enough, we go further. On the way, we will stop in the small town of Vic to stock up on a snack and refuel our iron horses. Our hotel is still about 70 kilometers away along the scenic road, along the ocean. In the evening sunlight we will stop to admire the extraterrestrial landscapes of the lava fields of Mirdalssandur. In the evening, at dinner, this will be one of the topics of our conversation, because before us are the remains of an eruption that once changed the history of the whole of Europe. After check-in, dinner, rest.
Included: breakfast, overnight at the hotel
The sixth day of the trip
Today we will go to Skaftafetl National Park, where the amazing black waterfall Svartifoss is located. Then we will visit the amazing glacier lagoon of Jokusarlon, on the way we will look into the small village of Hof, and after that we will visit the coast and the ancient village of Danish merchants Dupivogur.
Skaftafetl National Park was founded in 1967, it is the second largest national park in Iceland, equal to approximately 4807 km2. On its territory there are the Morsaurdalur Valley, the Kristinartindar Mountain, the Skaftafedlsjekull glacier (a spur of the large Vatnajekull glacier) and the Lucky volcano. There is a birch forest in the park, there are many birds and there is a arctic fox. And the park is also famous for its climate, there are often sunny days here.
If desired, you can eat at a local restaurant. Then we will go towards the Ice Lagoon, but on the way we will look briefly at a very beautiful village of Hof, where we will see a sample of old Icelandic houses with a roof covered with live grass.
This magical lagoon appeared only a few decades ago as a result of the retreat of the Vatnajökull glacier and is now rapidly increasing in size. The places here are so beautiful that they are very often visited by various filming groups, it was here that the filming of one of the James Bond blockbusters took place.
We are simple people, so we will just enjoy the incredible views of icebergs, mountains and glaciers. And in order to get a better look at everything and take the best pictures, we will go on a boat trip and there are two possible options — either by kayak, motor boat or amphibious.
*the walk must be booked in advance, the approximate cost per person is 80-100 USD
Then we’ll take a little walk along Diamond Beach. The beach is so named for a reason, the combination of ice, sunny color and black sand leads to unexpected results. When you look at these thousands of ice cubes, it seems that huge diamonds are scattered in front of you, sparkling in the sun with their bizarre facets.
After a water walk and admiring the beauties, we will go to the small village of Hoffell. We’ll check into the hotel, put ourselves in order and go to dinner, and to make the evening more comfortable, we’ll have a glass of warming grog. Then we will go to rest, everyone needs a good night’s sleep before the upcoming adventures.
Included: breakfast, overnight at the hotel
The seventh day of the journey
We don’t stay in bed for a long time, have a hearty breakfast, pack our things and go on a further journey. Today there will be a lot of incredibly beautiful landscapes and a lot of hiking routes. Today we will go to the vicinity of the city of Eilistadir.
Here we will see the legendary lake Lagarflout, climb the Lagarfjell plateau, go trekking to waterfalls of various shapes: the popular Litlanefoss and the «striped» Hengifoss and the still little-visited, but no less amazing, Studlafoss and Facsi. And also we will see the deepest canyon of Iceland — Hafrahvammaglufur.
The Hengifossarglufur gorge narrows near Sellaekir, and widens at Litlanes, forming an amphitheater of basalt columns, through which the 30-meter waterfall Litlanes Foss passes, which is famous for its basalt columns of volcanic origin. The very name Litlanesfoss means «waterfall-younger brother», because of its proximity to the more «steep» Hengifoss, surrounded by basalt rocks, between which thin layers of red clay are located. This is the uniqueness of the waterfall, and its main feature.
Having walked enough, we return to our cars and set off on our further journey. Our goal, the eastern capital of the island is the town of Egilsstadir. Upon arrival, we will refuel with fuel, buy fresh fruits, and sweets for tea. Then we will stay at the hotel and go for a walk around the evening city, have dinner in a cozy restaurant, celebrate the conquest of the peaks and go to rest.
Included: breakfast, overnight at the hotel
The eighth day of the trip
Today we have an early rise. We will try to have a quick breakfast, pack up and hit the road. Today we have planned a visit to His Majesty of the waterfalls of Iceland-Dettifos. Then we need to get to the reserve to Lake Mivatn, take a walk through the Dimmuborgir lava maze and swim in a magnificent lagoon with hot water. Ugh, there’s plenty to do today!
Dettifoss Waterfall is the largest in Europe in terms of the amount of falling water. Its height is 45 m, width is 100 m, and the average amount of water passing through here reaches 500 m3/sec. No one will be left indifferent by this indomitable power and the force of the rapid flow.
Hushed and a little dazed by the indomitable power and the roar of falling water, we go on. Ahead of us are waiting for wonders on the shores of the protected lake Myvath, which is rightfully famous as one of the most beautiful natural regions of Iceland. Its length is about 10 km, and its width is 8 km. There are many picturesque hills and volcanic craters around the lake, and there are 34 islands of volcanic origin on the lake itself. The lake is not easy, the life of the bowels of the earth literally boils under it, from this part of the lake does not freeze even in the coldest winters.
Then we will go to the valley of Dimmuborgir (Black Castles), it was formed about 2300 years ago. And once the valley was covered with a lake, but the rising level of volcanic activity very much heated the base and, because of this, the lake boiled away, leaving behind magnificent basalt columns and sculptures. After the walk, we’ll take a break for lunch.
After the rest, we will go to the underground cave, once very popular for swimming among the locals, and then became world famous thanks to the TV series «Games of Thrones». Some scenes from the third and fifth episodes were filmed in it. After the eruption of the Krafla volcano from 1975 to 1984, the water temperature in the cave rose as much as 60 °C. Over the years, the water has been slowly cooling down and at this time the temperature is at 40 ° C, although for a long swim this is not quite a comfortable temperature. Usually there are a lot of tourists in Grutagya, so we will go to another place — the Vogagya cave, where we will have the opportunity to swim alone. The depth of the cave reservoir is about 5 meters, and the length is about 10 meters, the water temperature is very comfortable for swimming. A very beautiful place and the water is incredibly crystal clear.
After a short stop, we will drive east through the Namasard Pass to the Krafla caldera. On the way we will pass a geothermal power plant with a capacity of 60 MW, which partially supplies the city of Akureyri with electricity. We will get to the lake in the crater Viti (Hell). From here you can enjoy a beautiful view of Leirnjukura and the lava field formed after the eruption of the Krafla volcano. A decent reward for today will be a good rest. We’ll have dinner in a cozy restaurant, have a glass of invigorating / warming and go to rest.
Included: breakfast, overnight at the hotel
The ninth day of the journey
Today we can sleep longer, have a leisurely breakfast, and then hit the road. We are going to have a short trip to Husavik along a very picturesque road.
Upon arrival, we go to get acquainted with the city and its sights. Husavik is a small town located on the shore of the Arctic Ocean. Its name translates as «the bay where the house stands». The main trade of the inhabitants, of course, is fishing. Thanks to this, all local restaurants offer to taste delicious dishes from freshly caught fresh fish. For lunch, we will definitely look into one of them to taste. After the walk we will go to the whale Museum. The museum is small by our standards, nevertheless it occupies two floors, and the expositions and exhibits are presented so interestingly that they excite the imagination of visitors and the desire to read each sign.
The museum opened recently, in the spring of 2015. The exhibition presents 23 species of marine mammals that are found in Icelandic waters, including beluga, humpback whale, minke whale, sperm whale and killer whale. All the exhibits are not real whales, but their models, made by hand in full size. The museum also has a special room where you can listen to whale songs; there is a special stand where you can touch shark skin (like sandpaper), tickle whalebone, «try on» fins and tusks.
After the museum, we will go to the pier to see off those who want to go on a photo hunt for whales. The walk will last about three hours, during which time everyone will have more than enough opportunities to make stunning shots of the largest creatures on earth.
* a walk to the whales is paid separately, the approximate cost is 80 euros
After the museum, we will go to the pier to see off those who want to go on a photo hunt for whales. The walk will last about three hours, during which time everyone will have more than enough opportunities to make stunning shots of the largest creatures on earth.
Included: breakfast, overnight at the hotel
Tenth day of the trip
To see more, we traditionally get up early, have breakfast promptly, stock up on tea in thermoses and hit the road. Our first stop is the impressive Godafoss Waterfall, which translates as «Waterfall of the Gods». Let’s take a walk around this beautiful place, take pictures on a magnificent background, enjoy the power of the waterfall and go further.
Our way will run through Akureira – the northern capital of Iceland. We’ll stop for a cup of coffee, buy some goodies for dinner and fill up our iron horses. We will not linger for a long time, as there is still about 300 km ahead along the picturesque roads of Iceland.
Along the way we will stop, take pictures with local horses, and in the late afternoon we will arrive at another interesting place with the remains of an ancient volcano — Hvitserkur. The pointed rock itself is relatively small — it reaches a height of 15 meters, but it is this small size that allows you to confuse it with a mammoth, elephant or dinosaur, or something similar from the shore. If the weather is good, we can wait for sunset and take wonderful pictures of this interesting natural object.
A small transfer — and we arrive at our cozy hotel. Let’s rest a little from the road and prepare a festive dinner. We will cook meat, vegetables, fish on coals, open a bottle of hot drink and celebrate the completion of our journey. We will exchange impressions, photos and dream of new adventures!
Included: breakfast, overnight at the hotel
The eleventh day of the journey
Well, it’s sad to realize, but this day has come. Today we are flying home, it makes us happy, because we are going to meet with relatives and friends and it is a little sad that we will have to fly away from this magical country without revealing all its secrets.
We have an early rise, we set off immediately after breakfast, we have to cover about 200 km and arrive at Keflavik airport before 11:00. We hand over the cars, that’s it, it’s time to say goodbye. Hugs with w-expeditions employees, mutual tears of sadness, joy and promises of speedy meetings!
Important! Departures cannot be scheduled earlier than 13:30.
Included: breakfast, airport transfer
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what else needs to be considered
The majority of expenses for organizing the trip, such as transportation tickets, accommodation, excursions, services of local guides, etc., are handled by us well in advance of the journey. The prepayment or payment made by you is non-refundable in the event of your cancellation. Unfortunately, we do not have the ability to refund it.
Transfer
- Arrival: We meet you with the W-Expeditions sign at Keflavik Airport.
- Departure: tickets can be taken on the last day.
Clothing and equipment
- a small backpack, for water, snacks and documents
- lightweight hiking trousers, shirts/t-shirts, shorts, swimsuit, towel
- protective cream, sun protection glasses, hygienic lipstick and headdress
- comfortable hiking shoes: trekking boots, sneakers
- a patch, iodine and necessarily a set of personal medicines for your specific cases
- you will receive a complete list of necessary equipment and clothing from the personal manager of w-expeditions
Covid-19
- All restrictions have been lifted
- We recommend purchasing medical insurance that covers the costs of COVID-19 treatment
Visa
- A Schengen visa is required
Vaccinations
- Mandatory vaccinations are not required
Additionally
- We reserve the right to skip any event due to insurmountable circumstances
- The start and end times of services specified in the program may vary depending on traffic and other unforeseen circumstances
- You will receive detailed instructions, recommendations on equipment and priority items immediately after connecting you to a closed chat