6-Day Summer Guided Tour Package to North Iceland

Likely to sell out soon
Free cancellation
Perfect travel plan
Fully customizable

Description

Summary

Tour starts
Keflavík Airport (KEF), 235 KEFLAVÍKURFLUGVÖLLUR, Reykjanesbær,
Starting time
Flexible
Duration
6 days
Ending place
Keflavík Airport (KEF), 235 KEFLAVÍKURFLUGVÖLLUR, Reykjanesbær,
Difficulty
Easy
Available
All year
Minimum age
None

Description

Experience the beauty of North Iceland and customize your trip with a range of exciting activities by booking this 6-day guided package. This summer holiday is perfect for guests who wish to explore a lesser-traveled region of Iceland, away from the crowds of the west and south.

Don't spend weeks planning the perfect vacation and wondering whether you've missed any top attractions. Let the professionals handle everything for you at a fantastic price, so all you need to do is have a great time!

After booking, you'll receive a detailed itinerary and access to a travel agent you can contact anytime. Your vacation package is also refundable up to 24 hours before departure, in case you had a last-minute change of heart.

This North Iceland holiday will get you off the beaten track and introduce you to the Mars-like landscapes this country is renowned for. It will also allow you to explore many incredible attractions, such as Europe's most powerful waterfall, Dettifoss, and the volcanic Lake Myvatn. 

However, what makes it particularly special is that you can tailor your plans around a range of adventures. These thrilling activities include whale-watching in Husavik, a flight above the Arctic Circle, a highlands and hot springs hike, and an off-road waterfall adventure.

Another bonus of this North Iceland summer vacation is that you simply have to choose what you want to do when booking and will arrive to find hotels, domestic flights, transfers, and tours organized for you. We will take care of the details while you enjoy the full adventure of Iceland's captivating North.

Throughout most of your stay, you'll be based in the charming Capital of the North, Akureyri, although you will still get to enjoy two nights in Reykjavik. This will ensure you have ample time to catch the best sights and sounds of Reykjavik while focusing the majority of your time in the untouched North of Iceland.

Though the North appeals to all travelers, return visitors to Iceland will particularly appreciate this package for introducing them to such a fascinating new region.

Furthermore, your local guide will take care of the driving, removing all your worries concerning planning your routes and navigating some of Iceland's treacherous roads. Your guide is an expert on the country's nature, folklore, and history, providing fascinating context and sharing incredible stories for each site you visit.

Avoid the tourist crowds, get off the beaten track and customize your trip to shape an incredible summer holiday in North Iceland. Check availability by choosing a date and book your Iceland adventure.

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Included

Airport transfer on arrival/departure
5 nights of accommodation (details below)
Day tour to Myvatn from Akureyri
Return domestic flights between Reykjavik and Akureyri
Detailed itinerary
Personal travel agent
Taxes

Activities

Snorkelling
Caving
Hiking
Sightseeing
Boat Trip
Hot Spring Bathing
Cultural Activity

Daily itinerary

Day 1
The shoreline of a beach in Hafnarfjörður

Day 1 - Arrival

You will start your holiday by landing at Keflavik International Airport, where a shuttle bus will be waiting for you as soon as you pass through customs. Already, you can tailor your holiday to the desires of your group, either by going straight to Reykjavik or detouring to the Blue Lagoon.

If you take the former option, you’ll have a chance to explore the quaint, quirky streets of the world’s northernmost capital. Reykjavik is renowned for its vibrant cafes and restaurants, fascinating museums and galleries, public sculptures and artworks, and exciting nightlife.

Make sure to drop by the Harpa Concert Hall and Conference Center, the city’s leading cultural hub. The center hosts various concerts, exhibitions, and festivals throughout the year. Moreover, it has a beautiful facade featuring 714 glass panels with LED lights that add light and life to the building at night.

Another must-see attraction is the Perlan museum, about 2.4 miles (3.9 kilometers) from Harpa. It features interactive displays and exhibits about the country’s rich nature. You’ll learn how the earthquakes, glaciers, and various geothermal wonders helped shape the land of fire and ice.

In addition, check out the museum’s hemispherical rotating glass dome that doubles as a viewing deck where you can appreciate the cityscape.

Remember to stop at the Hallgrimskirkja church, about 1.6 miles (2.5 kilometers) away. The church is Iceland’s tallest, standing 245 feet (74.5 meters) tall. Hallgrimskirkja is also one of Reykjavik’s most famous historical landmarks.

If, instead, you book a ticket to the Blue Lagoon, you will be able to enjoy the healing, azure waters of the world-renowned spa. Boasting steam rooms, saunas, and a wealth of additional therapies, the lagoon offers a perfect way to rejuvenate after a long flight.

You will spend your first night in Reykjavik.
 

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Day 2
Akureyri, the unofficial capital of Iceland's North, viewd from its harbour.

Day 2 - Heading North

On day two, your North Iceland vacation will begin. You'll head to Reykjavik's Domestic Airport, then enjoy a scenic 45-minute flight to the capital of the north, Akureyri.

Upon arrival, there are five equally enticing ways to enjoy your day. If you'd like to relax and learn about Icelandic culture, you could go sightseeing around the town alone. Akureyri is a vibrant place with many attractions, such as the world's northernmost botanical gardens and the Hof Cultural Centre.

A second option is to go whale-watching. North Iceland is one of the most reliable places to see the gentle giants of the deep in summer, particularly humpback whales. You also have a chance to see dolphins, puffins, seals, and even blue whales and orcas.

Another way to get close to the animals of North Iceland is to take a horseback riding tour through the rural landscapes just outside Akureyri. This will expose you to magnificent nature and let you get personal with the diminutive but friendly Icelandic horse.

Those curious about the country's microbrewery culture could instead opt for a trip to the beer spa. Here, you can bathe in hot tubs of young beer, which is unusually relaxing and beneficial for the skin. Adults can elevate their experience by enjoying a cold one in hand.

Finally, you could take another domestic flight, soaring above the Arctic Circle and visiting the far-flung Icelandic island of Grimsey. The island features abundant birdlife, with millions of avian species nesting and residing there.

One of the reasons birds love Grimsey is because the island has plenty of fish. Birds will not have any problems finding fish to eat. Moreover, no mice, minks, or rats are on the island, making it safe for the birds to lay their eggs even in low grass.

Grimsey is a place of magical, remote beauty, and it is a unique honor to have your passport stamped with proof that you made it to this northern reach.

After an action-packed day, you'll retire in the North Iceland area, which will be your base for the next three nights.

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Day 3
An overhead image of the Lake Mývatn area.

Day 3 - Lake Myvatn

On your third day, you will take a guided tour around the spectacular Lake Myvatn area with two options.

This is North Iceland's most renowned natural attraction and a place all visitors of the region must see. En route, you will stop at Godafoss waterfall, a stunning feature with a fascinating history.

Located 21 miles (34 kilometers) from Akureyri, the Godafoss waterfall has a width of 98 feet (30 meters). Moreover, Godafoss falls from a height of 39 feet (12 meters).

Once you reach Myvatn, you'll find yourself surrounded by otherworldly sites. The Skutustadagigar pseudo-craters that line the southern shore are perfectly formed. The basalt fortress of Dimmuborgir has a commanding, ominous presence. The lakes contrast dramatically with the surrounding lava with their colorful serenity.

You will then travel to a seething geothermal area nearby named Namafjall before witnessing how this energy is harnessed at a power plant in the Krafla volcano system. From here, you'll head to the peak of Mount Leirhnjukur to see unbelievable panoramas of the area.

From this vantage point, you'll note that many of the landscapes seem almost Martian, explaining why NASA has used the area to simulate Moon missions.

If you want to relax after a full day of sightseeing, your first option is to choose a day tour that ends with a soak in the beautiful Myvatn Nature Baths. This serene site sits on the lake's edge, and its waters are heated to the perfect bathing temperature.

If you prefer to do more sightseeing and explore more renowned attractions in the north, you can choose a day tour that combines Lake Myvatn and the mighty waterfall Dettifoss. Dettifoss is world-renowned for holding the title of Europe's most powerful waterfall and thunders into a stark, ancient valley.

Dettifoss boasts an average water flow of 6,186 cubic feet (193 meters cubed) per second. It also measures 330 feet (100 meters) wide and falls 150 feet (45 meters) toward the Jokulsargljufur canyon.

Up and downriver from this ominous sight are two more similarly striking waterfalls, Selfoss and Hafragilsfoss.

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Day 4
Kerlingarfjöll mountains in the northern highlands of Iceland

Day 4 - Off the Beaten Path

On your fourth day in North Iceland, you have the opportunity to get off the beaten track and explore some of the most remote reaches of the region. You can customize your trip in one of three ways.

Your first option is to relax in the city and have a free day enjoying the lovely town of Akureyri.

Your second choice is an off-road waterfalls tour. While most guests to North Iceland only see the waterfall Godafoss, this adventure will introduce you to two more. Hrafnabjargafoss tumbles beautifully down a cliff into a serene rock bowl, while Aldeyjarfoss surges between hexagonal basalt columns, a rare phenomenon found in few places in Iceland.

Interestingly, the Hrafnabjargafoss waterfall connects to Skjalfandafljot, one of Iceland’s longest rivers. Hrafnabjargafoss may not be as famous as other waterfalls in North Iceland. However, it has a unique charm that makes it a notable stop along the way.

The waterfall only measures about 16 feet (five meters) tall but falls from a cliff shaped like a horseshoe in several chutes. Furthermore, you’ll see black sands and moss-covered lava rocks surrounding the waterfall.

Meanwhile, the beautiful Aldeyjarfoss waterfall stands taller than Hrafnabjargafoss at 65 feet (20 meters). However, it’s the impressive surroundings that make the Hrafnabjargafoss waterfall a must-see gem.

This journey also includes visits to the spectacular Bardardalur valley and the little-known beach of Kaldakinn.

Finally, you can take another super jeep tour into the Highlands, this time heading to the vividly colored geothermal mountains of Kerlingarfjoll. This portion of the tour lets you hike through an incredible part of the country’s interior with stunning glacial views. 

Moreover, you’ll be able to witness the wonders of the naturally occurring geothermal pools of Hveravellir. Interestingly, Hveravellir’s unique location offers majestic views of some of Iceland’s most notable glaciers, like Hofsjokull and Langjokull.

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Day 5
The colourful rocks on the inside of a lava tunnel.

Day 5 - Culture and Adventure

On your fifth day, you will say goodbye to North Iceland and take a domestic flight back to Reykjavik. If you did not get a chance on your arrival day, you could use this time to plumb the capital's culture, relax as you explore the city, and immerse yourself in the local way of life.

Otherwise, you could take one of two exciting tours.

Firstly, you could head to Thingvellir National Park, one of Iceland's most beautiful, interesting, and popular spots. 

This site is also rich in history, where the Icelanders founded their parliament in 930 AD. It’s also where they converted to Christianity in 1000 AD, and declared independence from Denmark in 1944.

For the adventurous side of Thingvellir National Park, it offers a chance to enjoy an unconventional snorkeling tour. Equipped with a drysuit, you will enter the otherworldly Silfra ravine and marvel over the 328 feet (100 meters) of visibility the site boasts and its incredible underwater sites. Snorkeling participants need to be comfortable in the water and able to swim.

To make this even more exciting, Thingvellir is located between two tectonic plates: the Eurasian and the North American plates. In turn, you will technically be swimming between the continents.

Your second choice is to embark on an adventure that can only be done in Iceland: a descent into a magma chamber. With a mining lift, you will be lowered into the Thrihnukagigur volcano, where you can marvel over its sheer size and the vividness of the colors that stain the walls.

As the mining lift slowly takes you deeper into the Thrihnukagigur volcano, you’ll see different colors on the walls, brought by intense heat and pressure from the last eruption. The descent takes about six minutes, giving you enough time to marvel at bizarre and vibrant formations draped in red, blue, orange, violet, and yellow.

You can explore its base once you reach the bottom and hear the echoes of your footsteps as you walk through a cavern that could easily fit the Statue of Liberty.

After making the most of your final full day, you'll retire for the night in Reykjavik.

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Day 6
The Harpa Concert Hall on the shore of Reykjavik.

Day 6 - Departure

Today is your last day, but as you take the shuttle back to the airport, you can at least relish the fact that you were able to explore one of Iceland’s most beautiful regions and reminisce on the adventures you dared to join.

Of course, if you have a late departure, you can fit in more time exploring Reykjavík, picking up the last of your souvenirs, or getting in a visit to one more city attraction.

If you did not go to the Blue Lagoon on your arrival day, you could opt to stop there before your flight. It is just as lovely to rejuvenate and energize yourself in its healing waters after your holiday as it is in preparation for it.

We wish you a safe journey home and we hope to see you back in Iceland again!

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What to bring

Warm and waterproof outdoor clothing
Good hiking boots
Swimsuit and a towel
Camera

Good to know

Although it is summertime, the Icelandic weather can be very unpredictable. Please bring appropriate clothing.

Those who opt to go snorkeling must be comfortable in the water and able to swim and must present medical documents before snorkeling or diving.

Please be aware that your itinerary may have to be rearranged to fit your arrival date and time better.

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Accommodation in Reykjavik

See our accommodation levels below and our preferred accommodation partners under each day in the daily itinerary.

Super budget level accommodations will be arranged in hostel dorm beds. For other levels, bookings for one person will be arranged in single rooms, and bookings for two or more people will share a twin/double or triple room(s).

If you are travelling in a group, but prefer a single room, please make separate bookings.

Teenagers and children will be arranged in the same room with parents. If additional room(s) is needed, additional costs will incur.

For multi-day guided tours, accommodation cannot be upgraded and the levels below do not apply.

Guide to Iceland will provide you with the best available accommodation at the time of your booking from our preferred partners. If our preferred partners are fully booked at the time of your booking, we will find another suitable accommodation for you of similar level.

We always do our best to accommodate special requests, which may incur additional costs. Press choose a date to find availability.

Super Budget

Dormitory beds with shared bathrooms in guesthouses or hostels, such as HI Hostels. Located in the capital region. Breakfast is not included.

Budget

Private rooms with shared bathroom in guesthouses or hostels such as Capital Inn Guesthouse. Located in the capital region. Breakfast is not included.

Comfort

Rooms with a private bathroom at three-star hotels such as Hótel Klettur, or quality guesthouses. Located in the city center or in close vicinity. Breakfast is included.

Quality

Rooms at four-star design hotels in the city center with a private bathroom at the absolute best locations downtown such as Hotel Alda. Breakfast is included.

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