Activity-filled Family Holiday in Iceland

Welcome to your epic holiday in Iceland!

Once you arrive at Keflavik International Airport and clear customs, your vehicle is ready for pick up at the Enterprise Car rental service desk. The car rental shuttle bus is just outside the arrival hall. They will take you to the service desk on the other premises. Shuttle departures every 10-15 minutes.

Included in your rental are: CDW Insurance, GPS navigation system, theft protection (TP), Personal Accident Insurance (PAI), Collision Damage Waiver (CDW)

Explore Reykjavík

The first night will be spent in the heart of Reykjavik, the world's northernmost capital. Get settled into your hotel and start exploring. Reykjavik's city center offers many great sights, and the city is unique.

You will not find the towering skyscrapers of America or the age-old narrow streets, seemingly unchanged since Roman times, as in many European capitals. Reykjavik is somewhere in between and yet miles away. With its small, colorful, and quirky houses, and exciting street art, it’s modern, charming, and somehow old all the same time. So, don’t forget to bring your camera along, and get ready for photo ops at every turn.

Today you will head to the Golden Circle, a popular route for viewing some of the best-known natural sites in south Iceland.

Thingvellir National Park

Besides being a natural wonder, it is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site where the world’s longest continuously run parliament was founded and still running some good 1.000 years later, but now in Reykjavik. The parliament first met here in 930 AD, half a century after the country was first settled. Meetings occurred during the warmer summer months, with Icelandic people coming from around the country. Thingvellir was specifically chosen as the location for the Althing (parliament) because it was fairly convenient to access different parts of Iceland. Parliament continued to sit at Thingvellir up to the late 1790s.

Thingvellir isn’t just a special historical and cultural place; it also has many fascinating geological aspects and nature. The island of Iceland sits on the boundaries of two continental plates: the North American Plate and the Eurasian Plate. As the two plates gradually move away from each other, a gaping rift is created on the Earth’s surface. Thingvellir is the rift valley, and visitors can see the huge cracks and walk in the unusual fissures.

Don’t miss visiting Öxararfoss waterfall in the national park; it is easily found along the marked trail. The pretty cascade is around a 10-minute walk from the car park.

You may recognize some spots as you explore, especially if you’re a Game of Thrones fan. Several scenes were filmed around the national park. See the Bloody Gate from Season 4, marking the path to the Eyrie.

Gullfoss Waterfall

Your next stop is at Gullfoss Waterfall (golden falls), the beautiful falls after which the Golden Circle is named. One of the most spectacular cascades in the country. The falls are split into two levels. The first tier is around 11 meters (36 ft) high, while the second level is almost twice as high, at around 21 meters (68 ft). The two stages are broken by wide steps that ultimately cross the river’s width.

The falls are genuinely amazing when viewed from any vantage point. You can see the cascades from two main areas, with higher and lower observation points. Follow the steps that link the two main areas for different views. With more time to enjoy the mighty falls, you can also follow the river at the top of the waterfall for yet another perspective.

Gullfoss is spectacular at all times of the year. The falls are surrounded by verdant foliage in the summer, and you may catch rainbows sparkling in the spray. Over the winter, snow-covered landscapes engulf the falls for as far as the eye can see.

Geysir Geothermal Area

The next stop is the epic Geysir Geothermal Area. The word "Geysir" is an Icelandic verb; it means "to gush", and it’s where the English word geyser originates from. Indeed, the first written record of a geyser is the one at Icelandic Geysir.

It’s no surprise, therefore, that you’ll find plenty of geothermal magic at Geysir Geothermal Area. There are hot springs, bubbling pools of heated water, warm mud pots, fissures that belch steam and gases (fumaroles), and of course, geysers. You’ll find two of the most famous geysers in Iceland here, the namesake Geysir and the frequently erupting Strokkur.

Thought to have been erupting for some 10,000 years, Geysir is fairly inactive these days. If you are lucky enough to catch the famous geyser in action, you’re in for a real treat—boiling water shoots more than 120 meters into the air, surrounded by a cloud of steam.

Sitting close to Geysir is Strokkur, the area’s main star for most visitors today. Eruptions occur every five to ten minutes, making reliable and frequent jets a marvelous sight. Water and steam typically reach 15 and 20 meters (49-65 ft) high, though they can sometimes be as high as 40 meters (131 ft).

Taste meals made of locally grown tomato in Friðheimar Restaurant & Tomato Farm

For lunch, we recommend visiting the unique Friðheimar Tomato Farm. A unique food experience in a restaurant in the middle of a greenhouse, with tomatoes growing all around you! Three varieties of tomatoes are cultivated in the greenhouses, and food is served among the tomato plants.  Tomato soup, freshly baked bread, and other goodies, are in this charming environment among the tomato plants.

Call them in advance to book a table and a guided tour (optional). Visitors gain an insight into the processes of greenhouse horticulture with a short and informative talk on the subject – and in fact, it is quite remarkable that it should be possible to grow vegetables in this cold climate by creating warm Mediterranean conditions, all year round, through the long dark winter. The Atrium also includes an exhibition about the use of geothermal heating in Icelandic horticulture. And visitors can take away delicious food souvenirs such as Tomato Jam, Cucumber Salsa, and Tomato Drink.

Bathe in the Secret Lagoon

You'll end this memorable day with a relaxing warm bath at the Secret Lagoon, a hot spring pool in the small village of Fludir.  It is the oldest man-made swimming pool in Iceland, built in 1891, and Icelanders call it simply 'the old pool' or 'Gamla laugin'.

What makes this place special are the natural resources of warm water from three hot springs that provide 100% of the water supply in the lagoon. The pool water flows continuously, and it takes only 24 hours for its complete replacement. Therefore the pool doesn't require any additional filtration or purification. It is naturally warm, clean, and rich in sulfur; it stays at 38-40 Celsius (100-104°F) all year round. 

The area around the hot spring consists of mossy lava fields and geothermal hot spots, including a small geyser that erupts every 5 minutes or so, which can be seen from the pool. A path by the pool allows you to explore this area with ease. The steam that rises from the surrounding terrain gives the place its distinct and magical atmosphere.

The Secret Lagoon is only 2 – 3 feet deep (0.6 – 0.9 meters), making it more of a wading pool. This shallow depth makes it an excellent choice for families or poor swimmers, as one can easily stand up should circumstances become uncomfortable.

After the relaxing bath, you'll head to your hotel in the Geysir area.

Snowmobile ride on Langjökull glacier

Your next day begins with a rich and delicious breakfast at your hotel.

Next is a memorable snowmobile adventure on Langjökull, Iceland's second-largest glacier.  Your tour starts at the Gullfoss Café car parking, located by the Gullfoss waterfall, where you will be picked up by one of our driver guides in a SuperJeep and head into the wild. Riding in our modified SuperJeep with giant tires across a glacier is a fun and exciting experience already!

Once you reach our base camp, we will register you for your snowmobile tour, and your guides will provide you with all the equipment you need for an exciting 1-hour snowmobile ride.

Most of our guests are first-time snowmobiles, so you will receive a comprehensive safety briefing and instruction on how to drive your snowmobile safely and confidently. Snowmobiles are easy to drive – you will learn all you need to know in a few minutes. The kids are, of course, not allowed to drive, but they can sit behind an adult as passengers. The minimum age limit for this tour is six years.

After practice driving at our base area, your guide will lead you up a snowmobile trail through the ice cap for a fantastic adventure.
Midway through the ride, we will stop to take in the view. If you are lucky enough to have clear weather, you will have a spectacular view of the glacier and the surrounding mountains.

After taking photos and enjoying the view, you’ll hop back onto your snowmobile and shoot back down the glacier to the base camp. We will drop you off at the same location or Gullfoss café.

Taste delicious home-made food at Efsti Dalur II; farm-to-table restaurant

Your recommended restaurent for today is Efstidalur, where you will get a unique and different experience. Right in the heart of the Golden Circle, you get a glance at farm life in Iceland. This family farm has opened up for tourists and offers a variety of products straight from the farm, such as the famous ice cream, skyr, and feta cheese. The restaurant also offers beef from the farm and other local food.

Four siblings and their families run Efstidalur II. They recently took over the business from their parents, who started and developed the concept with them today. The siblings are the 7th generation living on the property, but their family has been living on Efstidalur II since around 1750. They are dairy farmers first and foremost, but since 2002 the business has developed with increased tourism in the area. In 2013 they opened the restaurant and café and began to make their own products from their milk that they offer our guests to taste and enjoy.

Kayaking adventure

The next day, you'll head back towards Reykjavík but will make some stops for some adventures. 

First, you'll stop at Stokkseyri, pick up kayaks, and explore the swamp's calm, shallow waters and labyrinth-like ways. The tour is unguided, but the area is absolutely safe and great for beginners and children aged six years and up. There's no previous kayaking experience needed at all.

Hveragerði, the flower town

Next, you'll pay a visit to the unique little town of Hveragerði. The town is positioned in an active volcanic zone that traverses Iceland from southwest to northeast. Small earthquakes are frequent here, thanks to the tectonic movements that rumble below. The biggest recent earthquake occurred on May 29th, 2008, which was 6.3 on the Richter scale.

For the same reason, there is a strong geothermal activity in the ground under and around Hveragerði, and the town's name already implies its geothermal history (hver = hot spring, gerði = town). Locals have harnessed the earth's hot-water power to grow fruits, flowers, and vegetables in greenhouses all year round.  The town is famous for its many greenhouses that use the geothermal heat from the ground to grow vegetables and flowers all year; this is why locals often refer to it as the flower town.

Inside the town is a geothermal park we recommend you visit. Several highly active hot springs spew colorful mud and hot geothermal water into the air creating quite a spectacle. As a result, steam pillars rise up from the ground year-round. This little park even has two regularly erupting geysers, called Eilífur and Ruslahver.

A natural clay foot bath can be enjoyed in the park, and afterward, you can soak your feet in one of the hot springs. In one of the hot spring holes, the locals bake the famous black rye bread using the geothermal ground as an oven. Visitors can also boil an egg in the geothermal water and eat it with warm hot spring bread. Don't forget to take a look inside the greenhouse!

Lava tunnel exploration

As you resume your travel toward Reykjavík, there will be one more stop: the destination of your next adventure that takes you down under the ground. The Lava Tunnel, or as it's known to Icelanders: Raufarholshellir, is a cave formed during a volcanic eruption about 5.200 years ago. You'll take a tour to explore this extraordinary natural phenomenon under the guidance of an experienced caving guide. 

Raufarhólshellir is one of Iceland's longest lava tubes.  A journey into it is a unique experience and a great opportunity to witness the inner workings of a volcanic eruption as you walk in the path of lava that flowed along here thousands of years ago. Every winter, spectacular ice sculptures are formed inside the cave entrance, making the experience of visiting the lava tunnel more breathtaking.

The total length of the tunnel is an impressive 1360 m (4500 ft), the main tunnel being 900 m (3000 ft) long. The tunnel is up to 30 m wide with headroom up to 10 m high, making it one of the most expansive lava tunnels in Iceland. The ceiling has caved in near the tunnel entrance, creating three beautiful columns of light inside the tunnel. At the end of Raufarhólshellir, the tunnel branches into three smaller tunnels where magnificent lava falls and formations are visible.

This trip through Raufarhólshellir is a unique opportunity to get a close look at the impressive forces of nature that emerge from the center of the earth and a guided tour of the wondrous world that can be found just under the surface.

You'll arrive at your hotel in Reykjavík, where you'll spend the next two nights. Have some good rest after the adventurous day! 

Whale Watching from Reykjavík

After a good breakfast at your hotel, you'll head to downtown Reykjavík, to the Old harbor. The original purpose of this harbor was for fisheries and trade, but today you'll find the puffin and whale watching boats here. 

You'll join a classic whale-watching tour on one of the largest whale-watching boats in Iceland. One of the best advantages of a big boat is the large space which provides plenty of exciting corners to explore with the kids while waiting for the gentle giants to appear. The other great advantage is stability: you are less exposed to the waves on a big boat than on a smaller one, reducing the chance of seasickness by a ton. This big and sturdy whale-watching boat provides extra comfort, nice interior and seating areas, large outside viewing decks, a safe, family-friendly environment, and a café & souvenir shop.

On this tour, you'll be able to experience some of Iceland’s rich and thriving bird life, as well as visit our large variety of sea life, including minke whales, humpback whales, harbor porpoises, and white-beaked dolphins, among other whale species. The expert guides and friendly crew will welcome you aboard, share interesting information about different kinds of whales and seabirds you may expect on your tour, and teach you how to spot whales out in the bay. With an onboard display of whale teeth, bones, baleen, plankton nets, and a microscope, this tour truly is a hands-on floating Whale Watching classroom with an educational & interactive focus!

Blue Lagoon Visit

After the adventurous boat trip, you'll have some time to eat and rest before heading to your last and probably most wanted Iceland holiday destination: the world-famous Blue Lagoon.

The Blue Lagoon is a geothermal spa located in an 800-year-old lava field in the Reykjanes UNESCO Global Geopark. The lagoon is filled with mineral-rich, milky-blue water and has a large bathing area with warm water that stays at around 37–39°C (98–102°F) all year.

The Blue Lagoon is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Iceland – almost everybody who visits the country goes there. It is known worldwide for its beauty, stunning location in the vast, black, and mossy lava field, and the healing powers of its mineral-rich water.

Geologically, the Blue Lagoon is unique. Reykjanes Peninsula, where the Blue Lagoon is located, sits on top of an active volcanic system, home to many volcanoes, calderas, and craters. Icelanders built a geothermal power plant to harness the incredible power hidden under the ground and create renewable energy. This power plant has provided the surrounding villages with electricity, warm water, and heat.

During the drilling process, strangely colored water began to appear. It was so rich in minerals that it coated the power plant’s engines and kept them from running. The workers wanted to get rid of this runoff water, so they pumped it out, disposing of it in the lava field. As this was naturally occurring water, which came from under the ground, it offered no threat to the environment.

For many years, people believed that this water was poisonous. One day, a worker started bathing in this strange water and realized it wasn’t poisonous. He suffered from a rare skin condition called psoriasis, and after a while, he noticed that his symptoms started to improve. He was the first person to call the geothermal pool the Blue Lagoon. The locals began to venture to this newly discovered bathing location.

In the 1980s, the source of this water and its minerals was finally identified. Studies found that the water was safe and could be used for medicinal and recreational purposes. After hearing this news, including the possible health benefits of bathing in this special water, the locals visited the lagoon more frequently.

In 1992, the Blue Lagoon company was founded, and luxurious bathing and changing facilities were built. Since then, it’s only continued to increase in size and popularity.

The water at the Blue Lagoon is 55% seawater and 35% freshwater, which originates about 2000 m (6500 ft.) below the surface. Here, the seawater and freshwater combine under extreme heat and pressure, forming a mixture called geothermal seawater. After traveling to the surface through different layers, the water emerges enriched with all bioactive elements that have proven healing and nourishing abilities.

The Blue Lagoon facilities include a souvenir shop, a buffet, an up-scale restaurant, changing areas, massage rooms, a relaxation area, an in-water buffet, and bathing areas with steam baths.

Bathing in the Blue Lagoon is an epic experience and the perfect closure to an adventure-filled family holiday.

Your adventure has come to an end. We hope that you are filled with fantastic memories!

After breakfast at your hotel, it's time to leave Reykjavík and drive to the international airport. Passengers must check in for their flights at least 2,5 hours before departure time.  You can return your rental car to the same location you picked it up. 

You can catch the shuttle bus from your drop-off.