Exciting Two-Week Northern Lights Winter Vacation in Iceland

On day three of your two-week winter vacation in Iceland, you'll begin your eight-day guided tour of the Ring Road by visiting the sights of the Golden Circle tourist route.

An expert local guide will pick you up in the morning. You'll meet the other members of your group and start your journey out of the capital into the spectacular nature of Southwest Iceland.

Your first stop on the Golden Circle is Thingvellir National Park. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is one of three national parks in Iceland — you'll visit all three during your two-week trip. 

Thingvellir is home to lakes, waterfalls, rivers, mountains, mossy lava fields, forests, and canyons. It's probably best known, though, for its location between two tectonic plates that are drifting apart. It's one of the best places in the world to witness this tectonic activity, which usually occurs below the earth's surface or under the sea. 

Your guide will tell you about the area's geology and history. The site was the setting for the country's first National Assembly, the Althingi, over 1,000 years ago. You'll have plenty of time to explore the incredible sights and attractions before moving on to the next attraction, the Geysir geothermal area.

Situated within the Haukadalur Valley, the Geysir geothermal area is home to erupting geysers, including Geysir itself (which gave its name to all others). Geysir doesn't erupt these days, but the nearby Strokkur geyser erupts every few minutes, giving you an excellent opportunity to take a few photos.

You'll now continue your journey to the Gullfoss waterfall, which the Golden Circle route is named for ("Gullfoss" means "Golden Falls"). Gushing down two tiers into an ancient canyon, Gullfoss is a stunning sight that you can view from various viewing platforms. 

After a fantastic introduction to Iceland's nature, you will retire for the night in the area. As you'll be in a countryside hotel, there will be little light pollution, maximizing your chances of seeing the northern lights.

Discover the wonders of the South Coast on day four of your two-week winter vacation package.

After breakfast at your country accommodation, you'll rejoin the group and board the minibus to continue your journey along the Ring Road. Today, you'll follow the South Coast, stopping at waterfalls, glaciers, black-sand beaches, and picturesque fishing villages.

Your first stop of the day will be the gentle Seljalandsfoss waterfall. It's almost 200 feet (about 60 meters) tall but very narrow and pretty. It falls in front of a vast cavern that creates a spectacular view — in the summer, you can climb up to the cavern to see the waterfall from behind, but it's too icy in the winter.

As you travel further along the road, you'll catch glimpses of the magnificent glaciers of Myrdalsjokull, the third-largest in the country, and Eyjafjallajokull, which notoriously erupted in 2010 to cause massive disruption to European air travel. You'll detour to one of the tongues of Myrdalsjokull for a thrilling glacier hiking tour.

The Solheimajokull outlet glacier is a stunning place for a glacier hike. An experienced guide will give you all the equipment to scale it safely. Witnessing the crevasses and formations of an ice cap up close is a fantastic experience, and the views from its heights are simply breathtaking.

After your hike, you'll continue to another waterfall, Skogafoss. Just as tall as the Seljalandsfoss waterfall but far broader and more powerful, Skogafoss thunders to the ground in a dramatic display of force. 

You'll continue along the Ring Road to the Reynisfjara black-sand beach, probably Iceland's most notorious beach. It has a haunting appearance, with otherworldly volcanic sands contrasting with the bright white ice and snow around you. 

Visitors can see enormous waves crashing in from the Atlantic — stand well back from the coastal edge, as the waves can be highly dangerous. You'll also enjoy a view of the towering Reynisdrangar sea stacks and the vast rock arch of Dyrholaey. 

Your accommodation for the evening will be in South Iceland, close to the quaint fishing village of Vik, which sits adjacent to Reynisfjara.

On day five of your epic trip around Iceland, explore the highlights of Vatnajokull National Park, including the Jokulsarlon glacier lagoon and a sapphire ice cave.

You'll start by traveling further along the South Coast to enter the Skaftafell Nature Reserve, located within Vatnajokull National Park. The nature reserve was once a national park in its own right because of its diverse beauty. It's framed by gleaming glacier tongues and has lagoons, forests, lava fields, and rivers.

Many hiking trails run through the area. The most popular trail leads to the Svartifoss waterfall, where water tumbles through black columns of hexagonal basalt.

The Jokulsarlon glacier lagoon also sits within the nature reserve. Locals often call it "the crown jewel of Iceland," and you'll quickly see why. It's one of the country's most beautiful sights. 

The lagoon waters are filled with icebergs that tower above the water, with beautiful shades of shimmering blue and white. Marvel at the icebergs as they rotate and break apart on their way to the ocean. When they finally reach the sea, they wash up on the nearby shoreline, nicknamed the Diamond Beach, for the mesmerizing way the ice contrasts with the black sands.

When you've finished enjoying your stunning surroundings, it'll be time for even more excitement — it's time to embark on an adventure into a crystal-blue ice cave. You'll meet an expert glacier guide at the Jokulsarlon car park and drive to a remote corner of the Vatnajokull glacier (one of the largest in Europe). After dressing in the appropriate gear, you'll head out onto the ice.

As you enter the ice cave, you'll be amazed by the magnificent view. The vivid colors, the light refracting through the ice, and the otherworldly textures make the glacier caves the most inviting winter attraction Iceland offers. Keep your camera in hand, but be sure to appreciate the moment, as no photograph can genuinely reflect this spectacular experience.

After this unforgettable exploration, you'll retire for the night in a comfortable country hotel in Southeast Iceland.

Today, you'll continue your Ring Road tour by traveling into the remote East Fjords region.

Due to its distance from Reykjavik, very few travelers to Iceland visit the Eastern Region. While this is unfortunate for them, as they miss such beauty, it's excellent news for you — you'll be able to marvel over the sights without any disturbance from crowds.

The first significant attractions you'll visit are the dramatic mountains of Vestrahorn and Eystrahorn, composed of dark gabbro rock and boasting jagged peaks. You'll have time for a photo stop before you continue your journey through the winding East Fjords.

Deep, winding bays define this region. You'll see towering mountains, tiny fishing villages, and abundant wildlife as you enjoy sweeping views of the Vatnajokull glacier. 

The cliffs have an abundance of birds, even in the winter. The waters are home to seals, and the east is the only part of the country where you can find roaming herds of wild reindeer.

You'll make plenty of stops throughout the day, visiting sites steeped in folklore and pausing at viewpoints to enjoy your surroundings. As you pass through the villages, you'll better understand Iceland's old way of life because the culture persists in these remote settlements.

Travelers on this package can also participate in a couple of optional excursions today. Go horseback riding through the picturesque countryside of East Iceland — this is a fantastic tour for animal lovers. Icelandic horses are known for being friendly and have a unique gait called a tolt.

Alternatively, you can book a trip to the Vok Baths, floating geothermal infinity pools. The baths are an interesting counterpoint to the Blue Lagoon and a fantastic way to relax after a busy few days.

As the day draws to a close, your group will head to Egilsstadir, East Iceland’s largest town. You'll check in to your accommodation in this region. 

Don't forget to watch out for the northern lights before you sleep!

Enjoy a fantastic whale-watching excursion and discover more of North Iceland's best bits on day eight of your two-week trip.

If you get up early today, you may be able to explore more of Akureyri. You might have time to visit the botanical gardens or the Akureyrarkirkja church. Grab breakfast at your accommodation or find a local cafe to see more of the capital of the north.

After departing Akureyri, you'll travel along the Eyjafjordur fjord's coastline to see some of the tiny villages in this area. You'll stop at the village of Hauganes, home to some of the country's best whale-watching opportunities.

You'll now enjoy a fantastic whale-watching boat tour. Head out into the Icelandic waters and see if you can spot gentle giants swimming or basking here. 

Some whale species migrate away from Iceland in the depths of winter, but you have a good chance of seeing dolphins, porpoises, and even orcas. You might also spot a minke or humpback whale if you're lucky.

Following this memorable experience, you'll return to the minibus to continue your Ring Road adventure. You'll travel out of North Iceland, journeying west until you reach the historic settlement of Borgarnes. Your driver will stop at picturesque points along the way, and as the sun goes down, you'll have a good chance of spotting the northern lights in the skies above.

Borgarnes is on a peninsula at the shore of the Borgarfjordur fjord, with stunning coastal views. You should have some time in the evening to explore the settlement and learn more about its history.

You'll now spend two nights in a hotel in West Iceland. Take this opportunity to unpack and get settled. You can also wait outside for the northern lights if the skies are clear and the aurora forecast looks promising.

Spend your penultimate day of your eight-day guided tour of Iceland visiting the diverse Snaefellsnes Peninsula, an area so packed with attractions that locals often call it "Iceland in miniature."

Leaving Borgarnes in the morning, your group will drive westward to the Gerduberg cliffs. You'll see striking hexagonal columns that seem to have been chiseled by hand but are entirely natural. Your guide will explain how volcanic activity causes geometric shapes to form.

Next, you'll drive along the peninsula's southern shore until you reach the Ytri-Tunga beach, a golden-sand beach that's one of the country's most reliable places for seal-watching. Just offshore, you might spot a few relaxing on the rocks or frolicking in the surrounding waters.

Continuing along the road, you'll pass through the windswept abandoned village of Budir before coming to the dramatic mountainside cleft of Raudfeldsgja. After these sites, you'll enter Snaefellsjokull National Park, which covers the peninsula's western tip.

This park has a wealth of attractions, but they all sit in the shadow of its most prominent feature and namesake, the Snaefellsjokull subglacial volcano. Renowned for its twin peaks and its role in literature, such as Jules Verne's novel Journey to the Centre of the Earth, this is one of the country's most defining and spectacular phenomena.

The road encircling Snaefellsnes winds right around this glacier, allowing you to witness it from many angles. You'll also visit the coastal villages of Arnarstapi and Hellnar and the Londrangar cliffs.

You'll start your journey back eastward along the peninsula's northern side. You'll enjoy incredible views of the islands of the Breidafjordur Bay and, if the weather is clear, the spectacular Westfjords. You'll pass through more beautiful fishing villages before reaching the iconic Kirkjufell mountain.

Shaped like a pyramid and standing alone on the coast by a quaint waterfall, this feature is often called the most photographed mountain in Iceland. Due to its dramatic beauty, it appeared in the seventh season of Game of Thrones as a pivotal location North of the Wall.

Your final stop on the Snaefellsnes Peninsula is the Berserkjahraun lava field, a haunting stretch with a dramatic and dark history. From here, you'll return to the hotel in Borgarnes for another good night's sleep.