8-Day Private Guided Tour of Iceland | Northern Lights above South Iceland, Golden Circle & Snæfellsnes Peninsula

Overview

Explore the highlights of Iceland in comfort on this 8-day privately guided tour. Discover the diverse wonders on the Snæfellsnes Peninsula and the Golden Circle Trail, and traverse South Iceland all the way to Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon and the Diamond Beach. 

This tour is perfect for families and other small groups looking to have a great time together in the land of ice and fire during the Northern Lights season. 

All accommodation and transportation are taken care of before you arrive, and you’ll receive a personal itinerary upon booking. Furthermore, this tour is customisable should you wish to add exciting excursions to your holiday. These include whale watching, horseback riding, glacier hiking, and stepping inside a volcano and an authentic ice cave.

Discover the beauty of Iceland in the wintertime with this 8-day privately guided tour.

Included

Not included

Itinerary

 

Sun Voyager Sculpture on the coastline of Reykjavik

You will land at Keflavík International Airport. Once you’ve collected your bags and checked out the duty-free shop, you will find a driver waiting for you in the arrival hall.    

On your way to Reykjavík city, you’ll travel through the Reykjanes Peninsula where, in the middle of a dark lava field, you’ll find the luxurious Blue Lagoon Spa. If you elected to do so during the booking process, you’ll make a stop at the spa to unwind after your flight.    

Once in the capital, check into your hotel and make yourself comfortable. Your private guide will meet you there in the evening to go over the itinerary and answer any questions you might have.    

You will then have free time where you can either rest up for the days ahead or explore Iceland’s wonderful capital. We highly recommend taking a walk to Harpa Concert Hall to view the spectacular light display which is on every night.   

Highlights Today:

  • Reykjavík City — Iceland’s dynamic capital.

  Optional Activities:

  • Blue Lagoon Spa — The perfect place to unwind after a long flight.

 

Kirkjufell-under-the-snow-on-Sneafellsnes-itinerary

Now your adventure on the road begins. Your private guide will pick you up in the morning and whisk you out of the city towards the beautiful Snæfellsnes Peninsula. 

The area is believed by many to have a strange, mystical energy and it was the inspiration for Jules Verne’s sci-fi novel, Journey to the Centre of the Earth.   

If you are visiting in September and October, you can start the day with your very own journey into the depths of the Earth. Inside the Volcano tour offers you the chance to visit inside the now empty magma chamber of a depleted volcano. Let us know during the booking process, and we’ll reserve a spot for you.   

After driving through the farmlands of West Iceland, you’ll reach Snæfellnes Peninsula, an area known for its diverse attractions, from jet black churches and charming towns to dramatic cliffs and silvery waterfalls. In the evening, you’ll spend the night at accommodation in the area. Don’t forget to check the skies for signs of the elusive Northern Lights before you go to bed.    

Highlights Today:

  • Gerðuberg Cliffs — A large, natural wall comprised of geometric columns.
  • Búðakirkja Church — A jet-black church often photographed with the mighty Snæfellsjökull Glacier in the background.
  • Djúpalónssandur Black Pebble Beach — A secluded bay of dark cliffs and black sand. 
  • Kirkjufell Mountain — A stunning mountain used in HBO’s Game of Thrones.

  Optional Activities:

  • Inside the Volcano — Descend into the empty magma chamber of a volcano

 

Erupting Strokkur geyser at sunset

After breakfast, you’ll hop aboard the SUV and head towards Iceland’s famous Golden Circle where you’ll visit the birthplace of Iceland’s democracy at Þingvellir National Park, see geysers erupt at Geysir Geothermal Area, and feel the power of the mighty Gullfoss Waterfall.    

Before you get there, however, you will have the chance to explore inside Víðgelmir, the largest lava cave in Iceland if you elected so during the booking process. It is here where dangerous Viking outlaws used to hide, tucked away between the stagliamites.   

Another adventurous options you have today is to snorkel in the Silfra Fissure at Þingvellir National Park. The fissure is neither located on the Eurasian nor the N-American tectonic plate but in a rift valley between. This means that you’ll be, quite literally, swimming between continents. The water in Silfra is also very clear and provides snorkelers with unmatched visibility to the blue underworld found in the fissure.   

You’ll end the day at accommodations in the area. Your guide will let you know if conditions are good to hunt for the green, pink and white lights known as Aurora Borealis.   

Highlights Today:

  • Þingvellir National Park — Where Viking settlers would gather to lay the laws of the land. Located in a rift valley between the N-American and Eurasian tectonic plates.
  • Þingvallavatn Lake — Iceland’s largest natural lake and home of Silfra fissure. 
  • Geysir Geothermal Area — A region filled with steam vents, bubbling mud pools and erupting geysers.
  • Strokkur Geyser — Erupts every 5-10 minutes to heights of around 15-20 metres (49-66 ft). 
  • Gullfoss Waterfall — A stunning cascade which falls down in two steps into an ancient canyon.

  Optional Activities:

  • Víðgelmir Lava Cave — Iceland’s largest lava cave at around 1,600 meters (5250 ft).
  • Snorkelling in Silfra Fissure — One of the world’s top snorkelling sites.

 

Skogafoss at the golden hour in the winter

Now it is time to explore the wonders found along Iceland’s southern coast. As you travel between glittering waterfalls and hauntingly beautiful black sand beaches, you’ll be in the shadow of two mighty glaciers, Mýrdalsjökull and Eyjafjallajökull.    

If you’d like to explore glaciers, there are two icy adventures available to add on to this day. The first one is snowmobiling on top of Langjökull, the glacier which feeds Gullfoss waterfall. The second option is glacier hiking on Sólheimajökull, an outlet glacier of the larger Mýrdalsjökull ice cap. Both options provide you with a unique insight into the world of glaciers as well as spectacular views.   

You’ll end the day in or near the village of Vík on the south coast of Iceland. As always, your guide will let you know if there are signs in the sky of the beautiful Auroras.   

Highlights Today:

  • Seljalandsfoss Waterfall — A high and narrow cascade which falls over a concave cliff.
  • Skógafoss Waterfall — A wider and much more powerful cousin of Seljalandsfoss. 
  • Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach — Dark and beautiful beach surrounded by geometric cliffs. 
  • Vík Village — A charming and picturesque village with great ocean views.

  Optional Activities:

  • Snowmobiling on Langjökull Glacier — Adrenaline surging adventure on top of a glacier
  • Glacier Hiking on Sólheimajökull — Learn about the formation and dangers of Iceland’s ice caps

 

Diamond beach with glacier ice blocks on black sand close to Jökulsárlon in Iceland.

You’ll head further East on this day, towards Europe’s largest glacier, Vatnajökull. En-route, you’ll drive through the dark wasteland of Mýrdalssandur outwash plain and Skaftafell, the country’s favourite wilderness area. Your destination today is the stunning Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon and nearby Diamond Beach.    

You can find a myriad of hiking paths and trails at Skaftafell, and one of the most popular treks is a glacier hike on an outlet glacier of Vatnajökull. You can reserve your spot on this excursion during the booking process and get a fantastic view of the snowy landscape with its frozen rivers and ice-capped mountains.   

After exploring Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon and the nearby beach — which has earned the nickname ‘Diamond Beach’ due to the sparkling icebergs which are spread across the black sand —, you’ll make your way to your accommodations in the area.    

Highlights Today:

  • Skaftafell Nature Reserve — Encompasses a beautiful scenery of mountain peaks, birchwood forests, thundering waterfalls, and sandy plains.
  • Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon — A calm lake where enormous blue and white icebergs drift slowly towards the ocean.
  • Diamond Beach — A black sand beach where icebergs wash up on shore and glisten in the low sunlight.

  Optional Activities:

  • Glacier Hike in Skaftafell — Provides you with amazing view of Iceland’s highest peaks, glaciers and winding rivers.

 

Crystal blue ice cave under a glacier

Now it is time to head back to the capital, Reykjavík. Along the way, you can ask your guide to stop at some of the sites you visited in the days before if you wish to explore them in a new light. Your guide will also suggest a few stops, perhaps showing you some hidden gems only the locals know about.    

Before you head back West, however, you will have the once-in-a-lifetime chance to visit an authentic ice cave in Vantajökull glacier. From Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon, you’ll board a large car known as a super jeep that will take you up the ice cap so you can enter the icy blue world inside a glacier.   You will be dropped off in Reykjavík in the evening where you’ll bid farewell to your private guide before retiring to your accommodations.    

Highlights Today:

  • Kirkjubæjarklaustur Village — A quaint settlement of just under 200 people.
  • Eldhraun Lava Field — Created in one of the biggest eruptions in recorded history.
  • Eyjafallajökull Glacier — A volcano covered by a glacier.

  Optional Activities:

  • Ice Caving in Vatnajökull Glacier — A unique chance to explore a natural ice cave in Europe’s largest glacier.

 

Whale feeding with birds flying around

You have a free day to explore Reykjavík city today. There is a wealth of things to do in Iceland’s vibrant capital, from visiting museums and art galleries to shopping or taking a dip in a geothermal swimming pool. Your travel agent will be more than happy to provide you with suggestions should you need some.   

There is also the possibility of having an adventure today. You could go on a riding tour where you’ll be introduced to the friendly and gentle Icelandic horse. Alternatively, you can hop aboard a boat at Reykjavík’s old harbour and go search for the enormous whales which make the oceans outside of the city their home.   

Another option is the Reykjavík Summit Helicopter tour where you’ll fly over the city before landing on top of a nearby mountain. There, you’ll get a unique view of the capital and the surrounding countryside.    

Highlights Today:

  • Hallgrímskirkja Church — Iceland’s largest church and a landmark building for Reykjavík
  • Harpa Concert Hall — A beautiful building which is illuminated in a spectacular light display in the evening.

  Optional Activities:

  • Reykjavík Summit Helicopter Tour — Explore the cityscape and surrounding mountains in a helicopter.
  • Whale Watching Tour — See the gentle whales in their natural habitat.
  • Horse Riding Tour — Meet the Icelandic horse and ride around the countryside outside of Reykjavík.

 

Women in the silky blue waters of the blue lagoon in Iceland with smoke in the background

Now it is time to bid farewell to Iceland and head back home with a heart full of memories and a social media account full of photos.    

If your flight leaves in the afternoon or evening, you can spend some time shopping for souvenirs or simply exploring the city.  You could, for example, feed the ducks at Tjörnin Lake, visit the National Museum of Iceland or hang out at the cat café.    

When it is time to leave for the airport, a private driver will pick you up and take you across the lava fields of Reykjanes Peninsula. If you didn’t have time on your arrival day, you can have one last adventure in Iceland and make a stop at the Blue Lagoon Spa.    

We hope to see you again soon!   

Highlights Today:

  • Tjörnin Lake — A small, scenic lake in the middle of downtown Reykjavík.
  • Laugavegur Shopping Street — A short stretch of road where you’ll find shops, cafés, bars and restaurants.

  Optional Activities:

  • Blue Lagoon Spa — Arrive at the airport feeling relaxed and renewed

Accommodation

You’ll have a choice of two accommodations levels. See details about each one in the boxes below. All accommodations for this tour have been hand-picked by our local travel experts.

Single rooms will be allocated to bookings for one person.  Shared twin/double or triple room(s) will be arranged for two or more people. Groups with an odd number of participants will be allotted a single room in quality-level. Children and teenagers will be arranged in the same room as their parents. Additional cost may occur if additional room(s) is needed.

Please keep in mind that hotel quality in Iceland varies between regions and that not all locations offer quality-level accommodations. At those particular locations, comfort level accommodations will be arranged, which has already been calculated in the upgraded price. We do our best to accommodate special requests, but additional costs may incur. 

Map

Optional Activities

 

Women in the silky blue waters of the blue lagoon in Iceland with smoke in the background

Blue Lagoon Comfort Entrance
Includes entrance to the Blue Lagoon, silica mud mask, use of towel and 1st drink of your choice.
 
Blue Lagoon Premium Entrance
Includes entrance to the Blue Lagoon, silica mud mask, use of towel, 1st drink of your choice, second mask of choice, slippers, use of bathrobe, table reservation at Lava Restaurant, and sparkling wine if dining.
View from inside the crater of a volcano in iceland
Inside the Volcano
Descend into the magma chamber of a 4,000 year old volcano. To get to the volcano, you have to be able to hike for 45-50 on uneven surface. All safety gear is provided as well as Icelandic meat soup to warm you up after the trip (vegetarian options available). Minimum age is 12 years. NOTE: Only available in September & October.

 

2 snorkelers holding hands in Silfra

Snorkeling in Silfra
Snorkeling between continents in crystal-clear water. Includes a tour with a certified PADI divemaster, all necessary snorkelling gear, Silfra admission fee, and hot chocolate to warm up after the dive. Minimum age 12 years. 
 
Viðgelmir Lava Cave
One of the largest caves in Iceland. Tour includes an English speaking guide and use of caving equipment such as a helmet and headlamp. No age limit.
 
 

snowmobiles under the sun on Langjokull glacier in Iceland

Snowmobiling on Langjökull
An exhilarating tour on top of a glacier, no previous riding experience needed. Included is a one-hour snowmobile ride with a guide and use of overalls. Two people share a snowmobile and the driver needs to bring their driving licence. Age limit for passenger is 8 years.
 
 
 
Glacier Hike on Solheimajökull
A fun and easy glacier hike. No previous experience needed. Tour includes an English speaking glacier guide, use of helmet, crampons, ice axe and other necessary safety equipment. Minimum age is 8 years.
 
 

Glacier hiking in Skaftafell national park is a must do when visiting the area

Glacier Hike in Skaftafell
Easy glacier hike, suitable for most people. No previous experience needed. Tour includes an English speaking glacier guide, use of helmet, crampons, ice axe and other necessary safety equipment. Minimum age is 8 years. 
 

Crystal blue ice cave under a glacier

Ice Caving in Vatnajökull
Explore a cave in Europe’s largest glacier. Includes a tour with a certified glacier guide and all necessary glacier gear such as crampons and helmets. Minimum age is 8 years.
 

two people holding hands at the top of one of the mountains surrounding Reykjavik next to the helicopter that brought them there

Reykjavik Summit Helicopter Tour
Get a birds-eye view of the city. Included is a helicopter ride over the city of Reykjavík and a landing on a nearby mountain. Minimum age is 12 years.
 
 
 
Whale Watching Tour
See the whales in their natural habitat. Includes professionally guided tour and warm, floatable overalls for your safety and comfort. Also included is a second try in case of no sightings. No age limit.
 
 
 
2 Hour Horse Riding Tour
Meet the friendly Icelandic Horse. Includes 1-1.5 hour guided horseback ride with a specially trained guide. Use of riding helmets, boots & rain wear. Minimum age is 8 years. 

Good to know

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Terms of Service

For further information, please see our Terms and Conditions.

  • More than 24 hours before scheduled tour departure time: 100% refund. Some day tours might have a different cancellation policy, in which case it will be clearly mentioned in the “Good to know” section of the tour.
  • Less than 24 hours before scheduled tour departure time: 100% cancellation fee. Some day tours might have a different cancellation policy, in which case it will be clearly mentioned in the “Good to know” section of the tour.
  • More than 7 days before scheduled tour arrival date: 15% cancellation fee
  • Less than 7 days before scheduled tour departure date: 75% cancellation fee
  • Less than 72 hours before scheduled tour departure date: 100% cancellation fee
  • 45-30 days before scheduled tour arrival date: 50% cancellation fee
  • 29-15 days before scheduled tour arrival date: 75% cancellation fee
  • 14 days before scheduled tour arrival date: 100% cancellation fee

Scheduled international and domestic flights are non-refundable, be they a part of a package, multi-day tour, or any other service purchasable on the Traveo website, unless the Cancellation insurance is purchased. If a cancellation insurance is purchased, a full refund is given.

If flights are a part of a tour listed as a Day-Tour, standard terms of cancellations of day tours apply to a full refund. For cancelling and refunding of private flights (flights specifically arranged and scheduled for you personally or your group in specific), please contact your service agent.

If your tour is cancelled by the tour provider due to weather conditions or any other environmental circumstances you will always receive a full refund. Exempt from this are any rescheduled second tries of tours which already have been serviced as a first departure. In the case of a volcanic eruption taking place on Icelandic soil stopping you from getting to Iceland, you will also receive a full refund on all products booked on Traveo.

All booking change requests must be made via email by the person who submitted the original booking request.

Changing the number of people in a booking to a smaller number is considered cancellation for the change in number of participants.

  • Packages: 

For multi-day tours and packages, all requests for changes must be made minimum 7 days in advance. Please note that we might not be able to fulfil your changed requirements due to lack of availability, though we will always do our best, and do offer alternative options.

Depending on how far in advance a tour package has been booked and when changes to a booking are requested, an administrative fee of 5000 ISK may be charged each day/night of the itinerary that is modified. Additional supplier costs may still apply depending on the changes requested.

For bookings made within 60 days of arrival, changes can be made without incurring the administrative fee until services have been confirmed and the travel documents have been issued. However, for bookings made 30 days or less before arrival, the administrative fee and any applicable supplier fees may be charged due to the short processing time.

  • Day tours and activities: 

Day tours and activities booked on the Traveo.is that are serviced by independent operators can be changed up to 24 hours before departure.

  • Transfer of bookings: 

A booking may be transferred from one party to another, provided that the new party upholds the terms and conditions of the booking. An administrative fee of 5000 ISK will be charged for the transfer, and both parties must assume joint liability for this fee and any other costs that may be incurred by changes to the booking.

  • Parties travelling together: 

Should two parties wish to book separately but travel together, they should inform travel agents of this prior to booking. If a co-travel request is sent after the booking process has been finished, the change to a package is counted as a tailoring and is subject to a 5000 isk service fee.

  • Significant changes to packages: 

If a package is significantly changed from the original package setup/route as offered on the site, the product will be considered to be a tailored tour and might be subject to a 15% service fee of the total price of the package. This does not apply to added nights at the end or at the beginning of a package as this does not change the original package setup/route.

For budget-level, single rooms will be allocated to bookings for one person.  Shared twin/double or triple room(s) will be arranged for two or more people. Groups with an odd number of participants will be allotted a single room in quality-level. Children and teenagers will be arranged in the same room as their parents. Additional cost may occur if additional room(s) is needed.

During the booking process you will be able to choose a pickup location and starting time. If you do not show up for the scheduled pickup time and location stated on your booking, your reservation is non-refundable.

If you do not know your pickup location at the time of booking, you can choose to update your pickup location later, up to 24 hours before tour departure. Please call the number listed on your voucher if you do not receive a confirmation of your pickup location.

Traveo cannot be liable to any loss, damage, accidents, injuries, death or sickness during your tour. The same applies for any changes in tour schedule due to weather, strikes or any other force majeure. Tour operators reserve the right to change routes, schedules and itineraries if needed because of weather, road conditions or should the necessity arise because of unforeseen reasons or circumstances.

We advise all travellers to purchase a comprehensive travel insurance to minimize possible losses due to unforeseeable situations during your travel. Traveo does not offer any travel insurance, so please contact your preferred private travel insurance company.

If you have a complaint about any of our partners please contact us at [email protected] and we will protect your rights.