National Parks and Natural Wonders
National Parks and Natural Wonders
from £1,330 excluding flights
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Highlights
Discover pseudo-craters of Lake Myvatn and other highlights of the Diamond Circle
Discover Vatnajokull National Park, home to Iceland's largest ice cap
Tick off a long list of famous Icelandic waterfalls
Witness the Strokkur geyser erupt 20-30m high every few minutes
Straddle two continents at Thingvellir National Park
Drive the spectacular coast road in the East Fjords
Why this trip...
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
Explore at leisure
With the route, transport and accommodation sorted, each day offers the freedom to explore
Well-researched route
We've put our years of experience into creating this well-paced itinerary that includes the places we know you'll enjoy
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.
This holiday includes a domestic flight between Reykjavik and Akureyri. It’s up to you whether you want to start your self-drive in Reykjavik and fly back to the capital from Akureyri, or fly to Akureyri first and do the itinerary in reverse. Alternatively, you can extend your trip and drive between the two.
Itinerary
The itinerary shown is an example of this self-drive holiday. We have many other hotels and route recommendations which can be tailored to your requirements. Please discuss with our Travel Specialists who can put together a bespoke itinerary for you.
Day 1 Keflavik - Blue Lagoon - Reykjavik
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 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.
Day 2 Reykjavik - Akureyri - Myvatn
Transfer on your own (5-10 mins taxi ride, payable locally) to Reykjavik City Airport for midday flight to Akureyri, then collect rental vehicle at the airport. 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.
Transfer on your own (5-10 mins taxi ride, payable locally) to Reykjavik City Airport for midday flight to Akureyri, then collect rental vehicle at the airport. 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.
Day 3 Lake Myvatn
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).
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).
Day 4 Lake Myvatn - Vopnafjordur
Visit the Jokulsa Canyon National Park and explore its gorges and waterfalls, including a possible visit to the immense waterfall Dettifoss. Continue to Vopnafjordur for an overnight stay. Overnight at Hotel Tangi.
Visit the Jokulsa Canyon National Park and explore its gorges and waterfalls, including a possible visit to the immense waterfall Dettifoss. Continue to Vopnafjordur for an overnight stay. Overnight at Hotel Tangi.
Day 5 Vopnafjordur - Egilsstadir
Drive the 4x4 track to view the monumental basalt columns and sea birds on Langanes, a lonely windswept peninsula or visit the remote village of Raufarhofn. Return through Vopnafjordur and travel to Egilsstadir for an overnight stay. Overnight at Hotel Eyvindará.
Drive the 4x4 track to view the monumental basalt columns and sea birds on Langanes, a lonely windswept peninsula or visit the remote village of Raufarhofn. Return through Vopnafjordur and travel to Egilsstadir for an overnight stay. Overnight at Hotel Eyvindará.
Excursions
Enhance your holiday by pre-booking a selection of excursions and activities. View or download the pdf and then talk to our Travel Specialists about how best to fit these into your holiday.
Open Excursions PDFPrices and Departures
Price from £1,330 excluding flights
Airfares are quoted separately to the holiday price and start from around £250 per person with Icelandair (with higher fares during peak times). When enquiring, our Travel Specialists will provide the best fare possible from your preferred airline / airport.
What's Included
- Accommodation in rooms with private bathroom
- Daily breakfast
- Car rental throughout with unlimited mileage
- No charge for additional driver
- Exclusive use of iDiscover App
- 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 | £1,330 |
| Jun - Aug | 10 nights | B - VW Golf | £1,629 |
| Sep | 10 nights | B - VW Golf | £1,355 |
* Choice of Vehicles
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.- 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.
- Our long-standing relationship with the local Europcar franchise means that our clients enjoy many exclusive benefits, including priority on the newest and best appointed vehicles available.
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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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