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

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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