Iceland - Land of the Midnight Sun

Today the adventure begins with a transfer from Keflavik Airport (KEF) to our hotel on the public FlyBus shuttle bus service. On arrival at Keflavik Airport please proceed to the FlyBus desk which is located in the arrivals hall, a FlyBus representative will give you a voucher and direct you to the bus. Buses leave every 35-40 minutes and the drive to the hotel will take approximately 45 minutes. On the drive from the airport to the hotel you'll get your first glimpse of the blackened and rocky volcanic scenery found on this part of the island.

There are no activities planned today so you are free to arrive at a time that suits you. After checking-in to the hotel, you may have time to explore a little of the world's most northerly capital. Bustling with cosmopolitan energy and surrounded by pure, unpolluted nature, Reykjavik is a city of striking contrasts. Small colourful corrugated iron houses nestle next to futuristic glass buildings; state-of-the-art facilities lie beside rugged volcanic terrain and international influences mingle with Icelandic national traditions. All this creates a unique culture where old embraces new.

On this holiday you'll be accompanied by an Explore Leader from days 2 to 7, so this evening you are free to settle in and enjoy this charming city.

This morning we'll meet our Explore leader at 8:30am for a welcome meeting and to get excited about the plans for the week. We'll begin by exploring Iceland's major highlights in the Golden Circle, starting with Thingvellir National Park.

Thingvellir translates to 'the fields of parliament' and was once the meeting place of more than 30 clan leaders who came together to reconcile differences and create a united nation after years of turbulent fighting. For this reason Thingvellir plays a very important role in Iceland's heritage but its geology is equally fascinating. The west half of Iceland sits on the North American tectonic plate and the east half sits on the Eurasian tectonic plate and here at Thingvellir is the only place in the world where the Mid-Atlantic Rift can be seen above sea level and we can take a walk between two continents.

We move on to the 'Beauty' of Iceland, Gullfoss Waterfall. Arguably Iceland's most beautiful waterfall, here the water plunges into a deep ravine with tremendous force whilst its mists form colourful rainbows in the sun.

Close by is the Great Geysir. With the claim-to-fame of being the first spouting spring known to Europeans, Geysir has given all such springs their name. However, it is the Strokkur, meaning 'The Butter Churn', which is the main attraction these days, due to its impressive 30 metre eruptions every few minutes.

After some lunch we'll see one of Iceland's tallest waterfalls, Skogafoss. Standing at 62 metres tall it's an impressive sight, and if we are lucky with the light we should spot rainbows in the spray. We'll also stop at the Skogar Folk Museum. This quaint museum is home to 12,000 artefacts as well as life-size examples of traditional Icelandic houses with turf roofs, a church and school.

Seljalandsfoss waterfall is almost as tall as Skogafoss and here, weather permitting, we'll have the chance to walk behind the curtain of water! The pathway shows off the falls from the front, then circles around the back and emerges on the other side. Because of the constant spray the path is always slippy and can be closed in winter when the path freezes over.

Our base for the night is on the outskirts of Vik and we'll arrive here in time for dinner.

Hotel Katla

Located just a 5-minute drive from Vik's black sand beach, Hotel Katla is a countryside hotel that offers stunning views of the Mýrdalsjökull Glacier. Rooms are spacious & clasically decorated, all including a TV & an ensuite. The hotel offers free Wi-Fi in the lobby, as well as free access to the outdoor geothermal hot tubs & fitness centre. The hotel also has an in-house restuarant that serves a buffet breakfast & local specialities for dinner.

We'll spend time at Vik I Myrdal this morning, a rocky beach with incredible basalt cliffs that are said to have inspired Reykjavik's impressive cathedral. The beach is often incredibly windy and there are great photo opportunities of the waves crashing against the cliffs. From the shore we will see the oddly shaped Reynisdrangar stacks out in the ocean and if we're lucky we'll spot the resident puffins, fulmars and guillemots.

Leaving the beach we'll visit Skaftafell, an area of wilderness inside the larger Vatnajokull National Park. Another day, another waterfall and todays will not disappoint. Svartifoss translates to Black Fall and it's easy to see why this waterfall adopted its name being framed perfectly by downwards facing black basalt columns. We will enjoy a half an hour walk along gravel paths to reach this gem that's hidden away from any main roads.

Our final visit of the day will be to Jokulsarlon Glacial Lagoon known as Iceland's Crown Jewels. Here the lagoon waters are speckled with icebergs and the surrounding black sand beach is littered with large, crystal-like chunks of ice. We'll take an exciting 30 minute boat ride to see the blue-hued icebergs up close and search for seals lounging on the floating ice.

Heading further east to Hofn, tonight we'll have time to relax and enjoy the curious experience of night-time sun. Hofn means harbour and on arrival it will be easy to understand the name as it's surrounded by oceans on three sides sitting on a small peninsular.

Hotel Jokull

Being located so closed to the country's largest Glacier - Vatnajökull, Hotel Jokull boasts scenic views & is only a 5-minute srive from the Icelandic fishing town, Höfn. The Hotel also offers fantastic seafood buffets in the on-site restaurant. Most rooms include ensuite facilities and have basic but modern décor & furnishings.

The lesser-visited Eastern Fjords are a stark contrast to the flat, black sand beaches of the south coast and as we travel today we will see where glaciers carved deep into the mountainous green terrain over thousands of years. We'll leave the Ring Road to follow the natural bends of the fjords. Small fishing villages are dotted along the shorelines at the bottom of the white-capped mountains and herds of reindeer graze on the hillsides.

Along the way we'll visit some of the villages to experience the slow pace of life in this rural area and enjoy the natural surrounding beauty. Djupivogur is a historic trading village dating back to the 1589 and due to being nestled between two large lagoons is very rich in birdlife including the much loved puffin. In Faskrudsfjordur, also an old trading post, we'll have some free time where an optional visit to an isolated museum surprisingly dedicated to curious involvement of French fishermen in Iceland's past!

We'll continue our journey inland to the Wilderness Centre in time for lunchtime to allow us plenty of time to enjoy this wild surrounding. Here we will experience true Icelandic culture as we enjoy a traditional cooked dinner and sleep in either the 1940's originally-restored farmhouse or in what is by day a museum. The farmhouse features twin rooms which have been decorated in the fashion of times gone by and are true to the taste of the past owners, including original furnishings and objects. The museum has been created to show how families would have lived in the not so distant past. Families traditionally slept and lived in close quarters and a main dormitory room would have been the heart of any family home where the fire burned and the sagas were shared from generation to generation.

The facilities are simple at this unique accommodation, and rooms do not have en suite bathrooms, instead there are several bathrooms that will be shared by the group.

Today we'll spent time exploring Lake Myvatn, a volcanic lake formed 3,800 years ago when a lava flow blocked the valley and which is now one of the most fertile spots in the world and attracts a wide range of nesting ducks.

We'll take a short walk on lava fields and discover Dimmuborgir dark castle, created from lava the arches and columns here are said to resemble a castle and the landscape is a great spot for photography.

This afternoon we'll arrive in the 'capital of the north', Akureyri where we will stay for the next two nights. Iceland's second city has a wide array of places to enjoy a traditional Icelandic meal and a great spot to enjoy the long daylight hours as it is surrounded by mountains and sea.

Our first stop today is at Asbyrgi, an enormous rock formation said to be the hoof print of Sleipnir, God Odin's eight legged horse, whilst other legends tell tales of these towering vertical cliffs being home to Iceland's hidden people, the Huldufolk. Our local guide will tell us more!

Then we'll visit the thundering giant that is Dettifoss Waterfall, Europe's most powerful falls with an amazing 44,000 litres of water tumbling over the crest every second. Dettifoss is Iceland's 'Beast' due to sheer cliffs and clouds of mist that can be seen from several miles away, whilst Godafoss in the south is known as 'Beauty' and here we will need to wear our waterproofs to enjoy the spray and roar up close.

We'll have a chance today to experience Icelands geo thermal waters with a twist at the GeoSea baths close to Husavik village. These baths are set right at the waters edge, and are filled with naturally heated sea water which was discovered in the mid 20th century when locals were drilling in the hope of finding fresh water. With the coast on one side, and volcanic mountains on the other this is a wonderful way to relax for a few hours.

There will be time today to take an optional whale watching trip for anyone who wants to stop and spot these enormous, gentle giants.

We'll make our way back to Reykjavik today. The drive will take approximately five hours but we'll be rewarded with more of Iceland's beautiful, volcanic scenery as we go. We'll break the journey at Kolugljufur Canyon, a deep canyon carved by the Vioidalsa River. Following the path to a viewing platform we can see the water change from a calm flow to a dramatic waterfall cascading over multiple rock faces.

After checking in to out hotel for the night we'll head out to the harbour area and try out one of the cities great restaurants for our last dinner together.

Our trip ends after breakfast this morning. The transfer back to Keflavik airport (KEF) will be on the public FlyBus shuttle bus service and your leader will provide you with the details of your pick up time and with your voucher for this service.