What a wonderful trip! Guide to Iceland is far and away the best travel company we have ever used. The pre-trip information we received was second to none and the many questions I asked before we left were answered promptly and informatively. The itinerary was extremely detailed, with lots of accurate information about each place we could choose to visit en route to each hotel. On our first evening in Reykjavik we popped into City Hall, as suggested, and met Francisco. We couldn’t have wished for a more helpful representative. Prior to leaving the UK we received an email informing us that our whale watching tour on day 2 on the Snæfellsnes peninsula was cancelled due to high winds. Francisco re-booked us on an early-morning whale-watching tour in Reykjavik so that we didn’t miss out and could continue with the rest of our itinerary, as planned. (This was actually an upgrade, but he did it at no extra cost – what great service!)
Our hire car (Toyota Auris) from My Car was almost brand new. Unfortunately, insufficient time was allowed by them for us to land, clear passport control and get to the information desk for our pick up, so we had to wait an hour for the next one. Driving was very straightforward (although the gravel roads took a bit of getting used to!) and we were so glad we had chosen this slow-paced tour, allowing us plenty of time to enjoy the well-selected sights on our itinerary. We also found a few other unexpected gems along our route. The comfort hotels were all good and easy to find.
Although this tour doesn’t cover the whole of Iceland, it gives you a very comprehensive experience of what Iceland has to offer. We saw so many natural wonders – volcanoes, glaciers, geysers, hot springs and bubbling mud pools, lava fields, black beaches, waterfalls … We agreed that it was impossible to choose just one highlight, but my husband was particularly struck by his first sight of a lava field and the amazing alien yet beautiful volcanic landscape. For me, the wet black sand covered in glistening “diamonds” and the sound of the crashing waves was truly magical and made a lasting impression. We descended 120m into a dormant volcano and had the unexpected and very moving experience of our guide, Hilmir, singing a beautiful Icelandic lament; we explored the longest lava tube in Iceland and chatted with the most passionate geologist who was happy to share his specialist knowledge and time with us; we experienced four seasons in one day; we bathed in a beautiful hot spring in the middle of nowhere – it was raining with a biting wind when we arrived, but sunny and sheltered when we got in; we walked along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and clearly saw the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates; we marvelled at the geyser gushing 30m into the air every 5-10 minutes and walked/climbed behind a mighty waterfall; we got close to giant icebergs from the great glacier on a thrilling rib ride; we saw seals and their pups basking on the rocks, and minke whales and dolphins in the sea, and it was amazing to see the gannets folding back their wings to plummet into the water like torpedoes …
Thank you, Guide to Iceland, for organising our trip for us – we will always remember my husband’s 50th birthday celebration – it was very special.
