Northern Lights Explorer

Overview:

Holiday price is from £ 2,295 per person based on availability and two people sharing a standard double/twin room. Single supplement is £ 260 per person.

Group size is maximum 40 persons.

* Small groups with maximum 16 persons per group. Supplement for small group tours is £ 700 per person

2024 - 2025 Departure Dates:

Standard Group Size - maximum 40 persons

Small Group Size - maximum 16 persons

Tour Itinerary:

Day 1: Welcome to Iceland

Individual transfer by Flybus shuttle bus from Keflavik Airport to your accommodation in Reykjavík where you spend the night. We provide you with ideas how to explore Iceland's capital on your own.

Overnight at the Hotel Klettur or similar***

Day 2: Reykjavik City Tour & Borgarfjordur Saga Valley

At 09:00 meet your tour guide who shows the group the highlights of Iceland’s exciting capital. Then we head west. We stop in Borgarnes and learn about Iceland’s earliest days at the Settlement Center. Next we head to Borgarfjörður, known as the Saga Valley because of its many important historical events. Get a chance to climb the Grábrók volcano crater and visit Deildartunguhver, Europe’s most powerful hot spring. Hraunfossar is a series of waterfalls pouring from beneath a wide lava field. Barnafoss – the Children’s falls, is nearby with its own tragic tale. The afternoon includes a lecture about Northern Lights. After dinner, step into the hotel garden in search of the Northern Lights followed by a hot cup of chocolate or tea.

Accommodation at Icelandair Hotel Hamar, Borgarnes incl. breakfast. Lunch & dinner is on your own. (245km / 152mls)

Day 3: Sneasfellenes Peninsula & Lava Cave

The Snæfellsnes Peninsula, “the peninsula of the snowy mountain“, juts out from Iceland’s west coast, like a long arm with a clenched fist at its tip, and is in many ways a microcosm of the whole island. A rugged mountain chain runs its length. Visit the fishing village of Grundarfjörður, a place with an impressive coastline and mountains, lakes and waterfalls behind the village. One of the most photographed and famous mountain in Iceland, Kirkjufell, can be seen jutting out into the bay. Visit Arnarstapi and Hellnar before experiencing the area from below, inside Vatnshellir cave. We take you 35 meters underground and about 200 meters into the lava tube under the glacier Snæfellsjökull! On the way back to Borgarnes the guide gives you some practical tips on how to photograph the Auroras as part of the Northern Lights Academy program. Naturally, once darkness falls, we are out in the hotel garden to chase the Northern Lights and to soak in the hotel’s outdoor hot tubs.

Accommodation at Icelandair Hotel Hamar, Borgarnes incl. lunch & breakfast. Dinner on your own. (300km / 186mls)

Day 4: Golden Circle, Geothermal Taste & Icelandic Horse

Travel along the Hvalfjörður fjord. The first stop is at an Icelandic wool outlet store, to see what they do with all those sheep! Continue inland to Þingvellir National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Travel the Golden Circle route, see steam rising from the Geysir geothermal fields. The chef of the Restaurant Geysir invites you to taste freshly baked hot spring bread served with Icelandic butter, boiled eggs and herring. On we travel to double waterfall of Gullfoss. In the afternoon, learn about the Icelandic horse, its unique qualities and history and visit a geothermal greenhouse, before reaching the accommodation in South Iceland. Tonight, step into the darkness and search for the elusive Northern Lights in the peace and stillness of rural Iceland.

Accommodation at Landhotel in Hella, South Iceland incl. breakfast. Lunch & dinner is on your own. (260km / 162mls)

Day 5: Natural Wonders of South Iceland & Eyjafjallajokull Volcano

Today we travel along the South coast. At the Lava & Volcano Exhibition Center, learn about geology and active volcanoes. Further east we visit one of Iceland’s finest folk museums. This museum contains an outstanding collection of farm and domestic artefacts from Iceland’s past and several turf-built houses. Nearby is Skógafoss waterfall which is 60 meters high and one of the most impressive waterfalls in the country. In the afternoon take a stroll on the black lava beach and along bird cliffs at Reynisfjara in South Iceland. We spend two nights near Kirkjubæjarklaustur in the Vatnajökull National Park region, located in darkness and ideal for Northern Lights search.

Accommodation at Fosshótel Núpar, Kirkjubæjarklaustur incl. breakfast. Lunch & dinner is on your own. (225km / 140mls)

Day 6: Vatnajökull National Park & Glacier including Glacial Lagoon and Diamond Beach

Today’s program is all about glaciers, ice and icebergs. We travel to Jökulsárlón, a glacial lagoon filled with floating icebergs, and we explore the amazing site and might see seals swimming in arctic waters. You can walk on the black sandy beach, the so-called Diamond beach, where large icebergs get stranded. In the afternoon we visit the tiny turf church at Hof and spend time at Europe’s largest national park, which has Iceland’s highest mountains, an alpine environment, and Europe’s largest glacier. In the evening enjoy a film presentation about the Northern Lights as part of the Northern Lights Academy program. Be careful not to go to bed too soon in this remote and quiet location, or you may miss out one more chance of seeing the Northern Lights shimmering and dancing across the night sky.

Optional Ice Cave Tour offered between: October - April

The tour takes about 2,5 hours in total – a 30-minute drive by 4×4 vehicle from the Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon and 5-15 minutes hike (one-way). You spend about one hour inside the ice cave. You need good hiking boots, warm clothing that keeps you dry from the dripping water in the ice cave. Minimum age is 10 years old. The ice cave tour can be booked on day 2 of Northern Lights Exploration tour. The ice cave explorers meet their local guide at the glacier lagoon and will be brought back to the hotel after the ice cave tour, while the rest of the group continues the official tour program. The ice cave explorers will miss out on some of the official tour programs, as there is no time for everything, but the stop and visit at the Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon are included for all group members.

Accommodation at Fosshótel Núpar, Kirkjubæjarklaustur incl. breakfast. Lunch & dinner is on your own. (200km / 125mls)

Day 7:  South Shore & Blue lagoon

From Kirkjubæjarklaustur we head across the Eldhraun lava field to the village of Vík, where we make a photo stop. The black lava beach with high bird cliffs and pounding waves is awe-inspiring. Further west we reach the high but narrow Seljalandsfoss waterfall which plunges from the mountain. In the afternoon we get to soak in the famous Blue Lagoon. We reach Reykjavík around dinner time for one last night.

Accommodation at Hotel Klettur, Reykjavík incl. breakfast. Lunch & dinner is on your own. (365km / 225mls)

The Blue Lagoon visit is in the afternoon. Tour ends around 7pm.

Day 8: Farewell Iceland (50 km/31 mls)

Individual transfer by Flybus airport shuttle from your accommodation in Reykjavík to Keflavík Airport.

Accommodation: Comfort tourist-class hotels (subject to change)

•     Reykjavik: Hotel Klettur or similar
•     West Iceland: Icelandair Hotel Hamar (2 nights)
•     South Iceland: Landhotel in Hella (1 night)
•     Vatnajökull Region: Fosshotel Nupar (2 nights)

Daily driving: Total mileage without airport transfer is about 1.610 km (1.000 miles) which is an average of 201 km (125 miles) per day. You spend about 3,5 hours per day on the bus, depending on road conditions, traffic and daily distances. On some days the driving might be longer than on some other days.

Extra costs for dinners to be paid at the hotels: Fixed 2-course dinners with fish, meat or vegetarian main courses are available at the hotels starting at ISK 6.000 (about EUR 45) per person per night. Note, that the country hotels do not offer a la carte meals and there are no other restaurants nearby. Paying for a 2-course dinner directly at the hotel is less expensive than to have it included in the tour package

NOTE: Itineraries may be subject to change at short notice during severe weather conditions and certain outdoor activities/day trips may be cancelled during the winter season in Iceland. In these rare cases, where situations of force majeure apply, excursions/activities cannot be refunded but the local guides will try their best to find reasonable alternatives where and whenever possible.

NATURE FEES: There is a possibility that some of the nature attractions around Iceland might charge an entrance fee during the trip. These entrance fees are not included in the tour price and need to be paid by all tour members additionally on the spot, when entering any of these nature sites. Locations, amount of entrance fee, form of payment and other details are not known at the present time and are subject to change.

NORTHERN LIGHTS: This program includes a special six night Northern Lights Academy – which means that during 6 evenings there is a combination of presentations, lectures, a film and guided searches for the Aurora Borealis – the Northern Lights. All countryside hotels in this program offer a Northern Lights wake up call for guests that register for that special service at the hotel reception. The Northern Lights Exploration series are designed to spend 6 evenings in the countryside to maximize the chances of seeing the elusive Northern Lights, still the tour is dependent on weather and therefore sightings are not guaranteed. The Northern Lights are in the northern hemisphere from September through April but are only visible when the sky is clear and free of clouds. Like many of natural wonders, the Northern Lights are ephemeral – they may be visible, they may appear for a bit and then be gone (it is not a TV show that you can just turn on and off). But it is worth the patience which is much required. Because they are a winter event, you need to be prepared to wait outside while looking for them. It is best to dress very warmly, in layers, with good footwear, gloves, hats and whatever else makes you comfortable while you await patiently this truly outstanding event. For the best photos we recommend using a tripod.

Package Includes:

• Direct flights from London Heathrow, Gatwick, Luton, Manchester, Bristol, Edinburgh or Glasgow
• 1 piece of check-in luggage per traveler (up to 20 kg)
• Arrival & departure airport transfer by FLYBUS Plus shuttle (no guide)
• 7 nights accommodation at comfort tourist-class hotels
• 7x breakfast
• 6 days escorted bus tour with English-speaking guide/driver-guide
• Visit the Settlement Center in Borgarnes
• Guided tour into Vatnshellir cave
• Hot spring Tasting with geothermal cooked bread & eggs
• Visit Icelandic horse stable & geothermal greenhouse
• Visit Lava Exhibition Center
• Skógar folk museum & turf houses
• Entrance with towel to Blue Lagoon
• Northern Lights program
• 24-hour emergency service
• ATOL protection
• All taxes

You'll see...

• Geysers & hot springs in Iceland
• Northern Lights in Iceland
• Reykjavik City
• The Blue Lagoon Iceland
• Photographing the Northern Lights
• Hot Springs Iceland
• Golden Circle Tour Iceland
• Gullfoss Waterfall
• Ice Cave Iceland
• Northern Lights