Icelandic Adventure

Day 1 London - Reykjavik Titan’s VIP door-to-door travel service collects you from home, for your journey to London Heathrow or Gatwick Airport and a direct, scheduled Icelandair flight to Reykjavik. On arrival, what better way to start your adventure in Iceland than a wonderful visit to the Blue Lagoon to immerse yourself in the mineral rich geothermal waters. Complimentary towels, lockers, shower products and hairdryers are provided at the Blue Lagoon. Feeling refreshed, we transfer to Reykjavik and the well-located Radisson Blu Saga Hotel (4T). Day 2 Reykjavik - Akureyri We head to Borgarfjordur this morning, renowned for some of the best salmon fishing rivers in the world. We cross the Holtavorduheidi Plateau and travel through the village of Blonduos, situated at the estuary of the glacial River Blanda, to Skagafjordur. At Vidimyri, we visit a church built in 1836 from turf and stones which is one of the six so-called ‘turf churches’ still standing in Iceland. We continue to Akureyri, gateway to the rich natural splendour of northeast Iceland, for a two-night stay at the Hotel Kea (4T) or Hotel Akureyri (4T). Day 3 Akureyri - Lake Mývatn - Namaskard - Akureyri Just a stone’s throw from the Arctic Circle is Akureyri, Iceland’s second largest city. Overlooked by snow-capped mountains and surrounded by rich fertile soil, its tree-lined streets and well-tended gardens delight. We take a short sightseeing tour of the city before we make our way to the Lake Mývatn area, famed for its lava fields, volcanoes and underground caves running with geothermal water. We continue to Namaskard to view its dramatic steam jets and boiling sulphur pits, returning to Akureyri later today. Day 4 Akureyri - Tjörnes - Dettifoss - Egilsstaðir Highlights of today’s tour include the mountainous Tjornes Peninsula, indented with short valleys and gorges, and Asbyrgi, home to a spectacular horseshoe-shaped canyon. We then head to Dettifoss to marvel at one of the mightiest waterfalls in Europe before travelling through part of the interior highland plateau to the beautiful town of Egilsstaðir. Located on the eastern bank of the Lagarfljot River, Egilsstaðir is perfect for meandering through the fjords and visiting the small communities that are dotted about. Our accommodation is at the Hotel Herad (4T). Day 5 Egilsstaðir - Hofn We head southwards by coach this morning along the rugged and spectacular coastline of the eastern fjords to reach Almannaskard. The star attraction here is the remarkable Vatnajokull Glacier, the world’s third largest icecap. It covers an area of approximately 8100km² and is approximately 1km thick. Our hotel is the Hotel Hofn (3T). Day 6 Hofn - Kirkjubaejarklaustur Our glacier trail adventure continues along the coast to Jokulsarlon, home to Iceland’s largest lagoons. In Skaftafell National Park, set beneath the towering Oraefajokull, Iceland’s highest peak at 2,109m, the timeless landscape defines magnificence. The scenery here is theatrical, from glistening glaciers and shining lakes to woodlands ringing to the song of numerous birds and carpeted with more than 200 species of flowering plants. We stay at the Icelandair Hotel Klaustur (3T), located in a most tranquil setting. Day 7 Kirkjubaejarklaustur - Hveragerdi Today our journey takes us to many fascinating areas. We take in stunning views of the Eyjafjallajokull and Myrdalsjokull glaciers. A visit is included to the fascinating Folk Museum before heading to Reynishverfi or Dyrholaey headland (closed to the public from 1st May to 25th June, during the nesting season), a birdwatcher’s haven. We journey across vast stretches of sand formed by glacial rivers and over the vast Eldhraun lava fields to Skogar, which means ‘woodland’. Continuing eastwards, we pass the Skogarfoss and Seljalandsfoss waterfalls and arrive later at Hveragerdi and our accommodation, the Hotel Ork (4T). Day 8 Hveragerdi - Gullfoss - Reykjavik The thermal area of Great Geysir dazzles, especially its spouting hot spring, the Strokkur, also known as ‘The Churn’, which erupts every 10 minutes or so, sending up a column of boiling water to a height of 30m. The rest of the area features smaller hot springs, steam vents and mud pools, all of which fascinate the visitor. At Gullfoss, we visit Iceland’s best known and most beautiful waterfall, the two-tiered Golden Falls. This natural wonder, which takes its name from the rainbow that glimmers at the falls when the sun shines, is simply breathtaking. Another highlight is Thingvellir, home of the world’s first parliament and now a national park. In the afternoon we return to Reykjavik and the Radisson Blu Saga Hotel (4T). Day 9 Reykjavik Explore this intriguing city at leisure or take an optional excursion to go whale watching or to explore Greenland (subject to airline schedules). We are transferred to a local restaurant for our dinner this evening. Day 10 Reykjavik - London Today we transfer to Reykjavik International Airport for a direct, scheduled Icelandair flight to London Heathrow or Gatwick Airport. On arrival you will be met and guided to your Titan vehicle, for the journey home.