Essential Iceland

Your Iceland self-drive vacation is about to begin. Once you arrive at Keflavik International Airport and clear customs, you’ll pick up your car at the rental service area. You only need a short ride with a shuttle bus located outside the arrival hall to get to your preferred rental vehicle. The shuttle bus departs every 10-15 minutes, so you won't be wasting your time waiting for the transfer. The first night will be spent in the heart of Reykjavik, the world's northernmost capital.

Reykjavik city center offers many great sights, and the city is unique in so many ways. You will not find the towering skyscrapers of America or the age-old narrow streets, which time has seemingly forgotten and seemingly unchanged since Roman times, as in Europe. Reykjavik is somewhere in between and yet miles away. With its small quirky houses and both tiny and open spaces, it’s colorful, modern, charming, and old all the same time. So, don’t forget to bring your camera along, and get ready for photo ops at every turn.

After a good breakfast, it's time to explore some of the most beautiful wonders of West Iceland. Hvalfjörður gives an excellent opportunity to enjoy the unique beauty of Icelandic fjords, with its sloops, shores, canyons, and waterfalls and its somewhat controversial history of whaling. The area is especially quiet and tranquil. Don’t miss Glymur, Iceland’s second-tallest waterfall, and the tallest that is easily accessible by foot. It is close to the settlements of Borgarnes, which is a commerce center of the region and a perfect place to refresh at. Not far from these sites, you find Deildartunghver, the most powerful hot spring in Iceland, which sits near the historical settlement of Reykholt. Hraunfossar and Barnafoss waterfalls are also very much worth visiting. The nearby Krauma natural geothermal spa is a great place for relaxation.

Today you will have a full day to explore the wonders of the Snæfellsnes peninsula. Snaefellsnes is truly a magical place, with its volcanoes, glacier, basalt columns, and waterfalls. The peninsula is rich in wildlife, including dozens of species of birds and bays teeming with whales. Snaefellsjokull glacier is a 1446 m high dormant strata-volcano in the middle of Snaefellsnes National Park. It is the main tourist attraction towering over the national park at the far end of the 90 km long stretch of land. There are plenty of things to do in the National Park. One of the most exciting activities to do is exploring the Vatnshellir lava cave, which is included in this package. The lava tube was naturally created nearly 8000 years ago in a volcanic eruption from a nearby crater.

During your holiday in Iceland, you cannot miss the famous Golden Circle. You have the whole day to enjoy the sights of this area. The main highlights are Thingvellir National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site, the great Geysir geothermal area with bubbling mud pools and spouting geyser, and the milky waterfall Gullfoss. Friðheimar geothermal greenhouse is a wonderful add-on to the day along with green and lush farmlands before you reach your hotel for the night. There are a couple of geothermal areas in the Golden Circle. We highly recommend the Secret Lagoon in Flúðir, the oldest geothermal pool in Iceland, and the Fontana Spa in Laugarvatn.

Start your day early and travel along the stunning South Coast of Iceland. You surely have an eventful day ahead starting with exploring Seljalandsfoss waterfall, where you can walk behind the misty cascade, the picture-perfect Skogafoss, the stunning black beach of Reynisfjara, and the charming village of Vík. At Hvolsvollur, the Lava Center offers you a superb interactive exhibition where you will learn about the birth and growth of Iceland as one of the world’s largest volcanic islands.

Start your day early and continue your journey along the stunning coastline. You head out in the direction to Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon. On your way there, make a stop at Skaftafell Nature Reserve, a part of the Vatnajökull National Park. You can spend time marveling at the area’s great beauty by trekking the many well-maintained hiking trails, including a short walk to the beautiful Svartifoss waterfall, which features pitch-black hexagonal basalt columns and a rugged canyon.

Today you will be driving back towards Reykjavík, but you still have plenty to see along the South Coast. Make sure not to miss the rugged and moss-covered Eldhraun lava field and Dyrholaey, a naturally formed arch right before the black sand beach of Reynisfjara. In summer, hundreds of thousands of birds make their nests in the grassy hills of Dyrholaey, so don’t forget to bring your camera. We recommend you add the Reykjanes peninsula to the day where you could see Iceland’s newest volcano near Fagradalsfjall.

Sadly, your Iceland vacation has come to an end. Return your rental car in good time to check in for your flight at the same location as you picked it up from. It is recommended that passengers check-in for their flights 2,5 hours prior to departure time.