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National Parks and Natural Wonders

from £1542 excluding flights

  • 10 nights
  • May-Sep
Home Destinations Nordic Europe Iceland National Parks and Natural Wonders
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Highlights

Aerial view over Lake Myvatn

Discover pseudo-craters of Lake Myvatn and other highlights of the Diamond Circle

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Discover Vatnajokull National Park, home to Iceland's largest ice cap

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Tick off a long list of famous Icelandic waterfalls

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Witness the Strokkur geyser erupt 20-30m high every few minutes

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Straddle two continents at Thingvellir National Park

Drive the spectacular coast road in the East Fjords

Why this trip...

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Nordic Heritage

With over 38 years of experience in creating trips to Nordics we know this region inside out

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Explore at leisure

With the route, transport and accommodation sorted, each day offers the freedom to explore

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Tailor made

This itinerary can be tailor made to suit you and is intended to give you a guideline of what is possible in a given timeframe

Overview

Take two points in Iceland – Reykjavik in the southwest and Akureyri in the north. Start at either one and join the dots in-between. The result: a stunning 10-night self-drive through a succession of scenic wonders. Thingvellir and Vatnajokull national parks are the stars of this free-spirited odyssey, but you’ll also visit natural beauties like the East Fjords and Lake Myvatn.

Iceland’s all-action national parks

Vatnajokull covers no less than 13% of Iceland. Much of it is frozen wilderness. Scaling the Vatnajokull icecap by superjeep or cruising through the icebergs at Jokulsarlon glacial lagoon are two of the optional activities available on this trip. You can also go glacier walking or snowmobiling. Thingvellir National Park, meanwhile, is not only a superb hiking spot, but you can also snorkel or dive in the flooded Silfra fissure at the margin between the Eurasian and North American plates.

Non-stop natural wonders

They come thick and fast on this trip. You’ll lose count of the waterfalls (Gullfoss, Seljalandsfoss, Skogafoss, Svartifoss, Hengifoss and Dettifoss are just the famous ones). There’s wildlife too: seabirds on the Vopnafjordur coast; reindeer in the East Fjords and whales in the north. You’ll see volcanic wonders at Lake Myvatn: steaming lava flows, seething mud pits and explosion craters. And you’ll even see trees (a rarity in Iceland) when you delve into the birch forest of Hallormsstadur. Geysers, fjords, canyons, glaciers, volcanoes, black-sand beaches… Iceland is, in fact, just one big natural wonder.

 

Itinerary

Fly to Keflavik, transfer to the city and overnight in Reykjavik. If you have time why not visit the Blue lagoon enroute though pre-booking is essential. Overnight at Hotel Cabin.

Fly from Reykjavik to Akureyri, collecting your rental vehicle on arrival. Explore this quaint northern town located almost at the head of Eyjafjordur then drive to Myvatn, making a detour at picturesque Godafoss for a photo stop. Spend two nights at Lake Myvatn. Spend two nights at Guesthouse Dimmuborgir.

Spend the day exploring the area and its volcanic wonders. Visit the relaxing Nature Baths (the north’s answer to the Blue Lagoon), grab a snack at milking time at the Cowshed Cafe, take a hike at Dimmuborgir or venture up to the pretty village at Husavik and experience a thrilling whale watching trip on an old fishing boat (pre-bookable – contact us for details).

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Visit the Jokulsa Canyon National Park and explore its gorges and waterfalls, including a possible visit to the immense waterfall Dettifoss. Continue to remote village of Raufarhofn for an overnight stay.

Drive the 4×4 track to view the monumental basalt columns and sea birds on Langanes, a lonely windswept peninsula. Return through Vopnafjordur and travel to Egilsstadir for an overnight stay. Overnight at Hotel Eyvindará.

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Spend the day enjoying the sweeping fjords of the east coast until you reach Breiddalsvik, where you will spend the night in the area. Overnight at Hotel Breiddalsvik.

In the morning, set off to the charming village of Djupivogur. After this begin your journey south, where one eye-catching view follows another on the drive through the fjords to Hofn, a fishing port at the foot of Europe’s largest icecap, Vatnajokull. Travel around the base of the icecap, in sight of its many breathtaking glaciers. One has receded, forming a huge lagoon, where icebergs lie adrift – this is Jokulsarlon. Take a boat trip (at additional cost) and head over to the beach to watch as they drift out to sea. Overnight at Hotel Skaftafell.

You will be spoilt for choice today as there is much to see and do in the area: walking in the stunning Skaftafell National Park; discovering the Jokulsarlon glacial lagoon with its immense icebergs (boat trips are prebookable – contact us for further details). Perhaps take an optional snowmobile trip on Europe’s largest glacier, Vatnajokull. Continue to Kirkjubaeklaustur for an overnight stay at Hotel Klaustur.

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Journey along the south coast, visit the fascinating Skogar Folk Museum and the thundering falls, Skogafoss. Don’t miss the walk behind Seljalandsfoss and look out through its curtain of cascading water. Spend two nights in Hveragerdi at Hotel Ork.

Explore the natural wonders on the famed Golden Circle route: the tectonic rift in the earth’s crust at Thingvellir, the thundering falls of Gullfoss and the bubbling Geysir geothermal area.

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Drive back to Keflavik, dropping off your rental vehicle at the airport before your flight back home

Please note this itinerary may be booked in reverse starting with the south coast and returning via a flight from Akureyri to Reykjavik. You may also prefer to extend your trip slightly and drive to or from Akureyri – call us to discuss your options and for a tailor made quote.

Accommodation Options

We have selected properties for this holiday referenced in the itinerary. However, with a wide choice of accommodation in Iceland, we can mix and match different grades and styles to suit your personal preference – from hotels, farmstays and self-catering apartments to private villas and countryside properties.

Discuss your options with our Travel Specialists
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  • guesthouse eyvindara twin room

Prices and Departures

Price from £1542 excluding flights

Airfares vary widely and are quoted separately to the holiday price, starting from around £250pp return with Icelandair and British Airways, though may be lower with Play or EasyJet. We'll provide the best fare available at the time of enquiry, which tend to be cheaper the earlier you book.

UK Airports with flights direct to Iceland are Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Luton, Bristol, Manchester, Glasgow and Edinburgh. We can also arrange flights from non-UK destinations. Discover more »

What's Included

  • Accommodation in rooms with private bathroom
  • Daily breakfast
  • Car rental throughout with unlimited mileage
  • No charge for additional driver
  • 24 hour emergency assistance from our team during your holiday
  • No surcharge guarantee
  • Full financial protection

From prices per person

Based on 2 sharing a room with private bathroom, including car hire. Prices may vary depending on departure date. Please contact us for a detailed quote based on your preferred travel dates, vehicle category and style of accommodation, or to tailor this itinerary.

Departure Duration Car category* Twin Price
May 10 nights B - VW Golf £1,542
Jun - Aug 10 nights B - VW Golf £1,956
Sep 10 nights B - VW Golf £1,580

 

* Choice of Vehicles

We can offer a wide range of rental vehicles for this holiday – our team will be happy to talk you through the options and provide a quote for the most suitable category based on your individual requirements.

  • 4WD

    We would always recommend a 4WD for winter travel, but many clients also prefer the greater security and comfort that a larger vehicle provides year round – upgrade your vehicle from as little as £10 per person, per day.

  • Go electric

    With a selection of electric cars now available including the Kia Niro and Volkswagen ID.3, you can choose to upgrade from as little as £12 per person, per day. We recommend this option for summer only, due to the colder temperatures in winter affecting battery range.

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Tailor made trips

As independent destination specialists, we are able to tailor make holidays to suit you, be that customising the itineraries shown on this website or creating something bespoke.

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Travelling sustainably

We believe travel is about finding the right balance between minimising our impact on the environment and broadening minds through new experiences and cultural interaction.