Golden Circle, Ring road
Western Fjords, Sneafellsnes
The Iceland Ring Road is a circular tourist route that starts and ends in Reykjavik and mainly runs along the coast as travelers travel around the entire circumference of the island. This is the best way to see Iceland's most famous monuments and attractions. The bypass is officially known as "Route 1". The route (with multiple detours possible, of course) follows the contour of the Icelandic National Highway. It is the main road that connects the capital with the country's main settlements, heading east to Hofn, then north to Akureyri and back to Reykjavik. Despite being a major traffic route, outside Reykjavik the Iceland Ring Road is a standard two-lane highway. At some river crossings, only one car can cross the river at a time. The Iceland Ring Road takes in the country's best sights, including black sand beaches, volcanic peaks, glacial lagoons and dramatic fjords. There are opportunities for hiking, mountain climbing, caving (and ice caving), whale watching, and more. Visit at the right time of year and you will see the Northern Lights. While Route 1 mostly follows the coast, a trip along the Iceland Ring Road can be combined with detours inland to the iconic Golden Circle or far west to the Snaefellsnes Peninsula.
Day 1
Reykjavik - Golden Circles, Vik
The Golden Circle is a 300-kilometer route to three of Iceland's most popular natural attractions: the Geysir geothermal area, Gullfoss waterfall and Thingvellir National Park. The three sites of the Golden Circle contain some of the most striking examples of Iceland's fascinating geological forces, stunning landscapes and rich culture. Thingvellir National Park is located in a rift valley between the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates.
1.Parliament of Iceland (930 - 1798) the original site of the longest-running parliament in the world.
2.Almannagja Gorge
3. Lake Tingvallavatn, the largest lake in Iceland.
4.Geysir and Strokkur geothermal area (Haukadalur Valley)
5.Gullfoss Waterfall "Golden Waterfall" (32m) by Sigríðury Tómasdóttir, the woman thanks to whom all waterfalls in Iceland are protected from foreign investors.
Day 2
Höfn
Hornafjörður is a thriving community near Europe's largest glacier, Vatnajökull, in the southeast of Iceland. The most populated area of the district is Höfn. In this region you are at the foot of Vatnajökull and the scenery is breathtaking. The commune is home to Vatnajökull National Park, the largest national park in Europe. Over the past few decades, tourism has grown tremendously and has, in fact, become a major economic sector in the community. A variety of services are available, including hotels, campsites, restaurants, shops, swimming pools, golf courses, marked hiking trails and various museums such as the maritime museum, two national park visitor centers and the great writer's center Þórbergur Þórðarson.
On the way to Höfn we will see:
- Waterfalls - Seljalandsfoss, Skógafoss, Gljufrabui
- Reynisfjara Beach (Black Beach)
- Vik
- Katla volcano
- Diamond Beach
- Vatnajokull glacier
Optional trips
- Blue Ice Experience (crossing the Skaftafell glacier)
- Entrance to the ice cave and its exploration
- Explore the crystal ice cave
- Climbing the glacier
- Super jeep tour on the glacier
- Snowmobile trip on the glacier
- Amphibious tour on Lake Jökulsárlón
- Trip on motor pontoons on Lake Jökulsárlón
Day 3
Borgarfjordur Eystri
Borgarfjordur Eystri is a fjord with a population of approximately 130 people, located in eastern Iceland. Its main settlement is Bakkagerdi. The area is famous for its natural beauty and the puffins that live there. A series of boardwalks and viewing platforms have been built at this nesting site. You can literally get up close to the puffins here without destroying their burrows. This is free of charge, although donations are gladly accepted. In fact, Iceland is home to more Atlantic puffins than any other country. The colorful reddish-orange beak appears only during the mating season (late April to August) and then disappears as winter approaches. This brightly colored beak has earned puffins the nicknames "sea parrot" and "sea clown."
Day 4
Akureyri
Capital of the North. In the mid-16th century, the only buildings in Akureyri were shops and warehouses owned by Danish merchants. At that time, Iceland was the official territory of the Danish monarchy, and Icelanders were subject to its crown. While this has led to much harm, it has also undeniably contributed to the development of trade, communications and technology in many regions of Iceland. Akureyri was entered into the books as an official trading post in 1602. However, unlike the local community, merchants did not stay in the Akureyri area all year round, but returned to their native Denmark each winter. This, of course, was an obstacle to the development of the city, which may be one of the main reasons why Akureyri developed so slowly. For the next 200 years, Akureyri was used mainly as a base for Danish traders, thanks in large part to its large natural harbor. Nevertheless, we still had to wait a little longer for a sustainable life in Akureyri. The first real house was built in Akureyri in 1778 after Danish merchants were allowed to live in the settlement for the winter.
Currently, 19,000 people live in Akureyri.
Along the way we will see:
- Studlagil Canyon
- Dettifoss Waterfall 193m/s - the largest waterfall in Iceland and the most powerful in Europe
- Asbbyrgi Canyon.
- Husavik - the first area in Iceland to be settled.
- Laufas turf houses, in Grenjaðarstaður and Glaumbær.
- Hverir sulfur fields and Námafjall mountain.
- Lake Myvatn.
- Hverfjall and Krafla volcanoes
- Dimmuborgir lava park.
- Grjotagja Cave
- Siglufjörður town
WESTERN Fjords
The Westfjords is a fairly large peninsula in northwestern Iceland. It is also one of the Icelandic administrative regions - its capital is Isafjordur (Ísafjörður). The peninsula is connected to the rest of the country by a narrow isthmus (7 km). Only about 7,000 people live here. people, most of them in the capital of the region. From a geological perspective, it is the cradle and oldest part of the island. The cape's rocks are up to 16 million years old! The coastline of the Westfjords is bristling with steep hills and oceanic fjords sharply cut into the land. This gives the landscape exceptional beauty, wildness and drama, but significantly impedes road communication. Most of the roads on the cape are mountain and gravel roads, which makes land communication difficult. In winter, many of these roads are completely or temporarily closed.
PLACES WORTH SEEING
- Dynjandi Waterfall
- Latrabjarg Cliffs - the westernmost point in Iceland
- Raudisandur Beach
- Hornstrandir Reserve
- Dramgsnes Hot Springs
Day 5
Djúpavík
Djúpavík is a village located in the northwestern part of Iceland in the Westfjords. The village is approximately 70 km from Hólmavík, 280 km from Ísafjörður and 340 km from the capital, Reykjavík. Settlement began in Djúpavík in 1917, when a herring factory was built there. However, due to the economic crisis, the company went bankrupt in 1919. In September 1934, construction of a new factory began. Despite difficult conditions, the construction was completed in just a year and the factory began operating in July 1935. At the time, it was the largest concrete building in Iceland and one of the largest in Europe. Despite initial problems related to poor fishing, the factory quickly began to generate profits, increasing the standard of living and the financial status of the inhabitants of the entire region.
Herring catches began to decline after 1944. A sharp decline occurred in 1948, when there were almost no catches for two years. Despite attempts to maintain the enterprise (processing other fish apart from herring), the factory was closed in 1954. Currently, there is a small, cozy hotel there and, on the site of the former factory, a great art gallery where you can see works of Icelandic artists.
Day 6
Hornstrandir Reserve
Hornstrandir is the most inaccessible place on the Westfjords peninsula and probably the most inaccessible in all of Iceland. You can only get there by boat, and the tourist infrastructure is basically zero. It is located on the northernmost part of the peninsula. It delights with the beauty of raw tundra, picturesque cliffs and fjords, colorful flower fields and... ice. In 1975, this area was protected as a Nature Reserve.
Day 7
Dynjandi Waterfall, Latrabjarg Cliffs, Raudisandur Beach
Dynjandi is a quite high waterfall (100 m) in the western part of the cape, often called the jewel of this region. It is certainly one of the greatest attractions of the peninsula, and many travelers even consider it the most beautiful waterfall in all of Iceland. Considering the extremely tough competition, this is certainly a strong argument to see the waterfall with your own eyes. Beautiful Dynjandi is located on road 60. It is approximately 35 km and 45 minutes drive north from the Brjanslaekur ferry port. The parking lot is located approximately 500 m (15 minutes) from the foot of the waterfall.
Látrabjarg is a 400-meter-high cliff with a length of 14 km. It is the westernmost point in Iceland and the best place on the island to observe beautiful puffins. Látrabjarg is one of the largest bird communities in Iceland. Nesting in the steep cliffs are, among others, beautiful puffins, characteristic of Iceland, Arctic guillemots and fulmars.
Raudisandur (Rauðisandur, also Rauðasandur) is a beautiful beach with red and golden sand, unusual for Iceland. It is located in the southern part of the peninsula, near Látrabjarg. Raudasandur is famous not only for its golden sand, but also for its excellent conditions for observing seals. Representatives of the two most popular species can often be seen swinging in the water or basking in the sand. Whales also often appear in these areas.
Day 8
Snaefellsnes Peninsula
The Snæfellsnes Peninsula is often called "Iceland in miniature" due to the diversity of its landscapes. Magnificent cliffs regularly washed by powerful ocean waves, rugged lava fields, cascading waterfalls, black beaches, majestic mountains, quiet fishing villages and a magnificent glacier. These are just a few of the attractions available on the peninsula. Your tour starts in Reykjavik. You will then drive west along Iceland's number one road. The first city is Borgarnes. After a short stop, you'll travel to the Snaefellsnes Peninsula, which is less than three hours from the capital.
Day 9/10
Reykjavik
Reykjavík is the capital and largest city of Iceland, with an urban population of approximately 233,000 (2019), it is home to two-thirds of Iceland's population. It is the center of culture and life of Icelanders and one of the main tourist attractions in Iceland. The city is vast and has extensive suburbs. However, the city center is a very small area, characterized by eclectic and colorful houses, with good shops, restaurants and drinks. Reykjavik has the distinction of being the northernmost capital in the world, although its winters are surprisingly mild for a city of its latitude.
ATTENTION!
The expedition is carried out when the group consists of at least four people.
It is possible to personalize the expedition program.
Organizer's benefits
The organizer undertakes to organize and implement the expedition with the following benefits included in the price of the expedition.
logistics of the expedition
care in Iceland
transport within Iceland by 4x4 Toyota Land Cruiser 120 cars
optional photography workshops
optionally, a photographic reportage from the expedition
The organizer does not undertake to:
cover the cost of airline tickets
covering accommodation costs
covering food costs
covering insurance costs
coverage of fuel costs
During our trips, we provide camping equipment consisting of tents, sleeping mats, sleeping bags and cooking equipment. We help in booking hotel rooms and booking airline tickets. One fuel tank included in the price of the trip when the group of participants consists of at least five people. Along the way, we organize photography workshops for those interested, and the cost of the workshops is included in the price of the trip.