Experience Iceland's most striking natural wonders and look for the mesmerizing Northern Lights – the Aurora Borealis – on this 4-day winter tour with a knowledgeable guide. Travel by minivan from Reykjavik to the Blue Mountains to explore a lava tube, snorkel in the Silfra fissure – an underground pool in the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Þingvellir National Park – and hike over Sólheimajökull Glacier to try your hand at ice climbing, knowing you’ll soon relax in the geothermal pools of Blue Lagoon!
Highlights
- 4-day winter tour from Reykjavik by minivan
- Explore Iceland’s lava caves beneath the Blue Mountains
- Watch an amazing display of the Aurora Borealis, or Northern Lights
- Feast on Icelandic lobster at Rauda Husid restaurant in Eyrarbakki
- Snorkel in the clear pools of the Silfra Rift at Þingvellir National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
- Hike and ice-climb on Sólheimajökull Glacier with an expert guide
- Soak in a geothermal spa at the Blue Lagoon (optional)
What You Can Expect
Northern Lights Adventure
With 3 overnight stays in ION Luxury Adventure Hotels including minivan transportation between all locations, this small-group tour is an ideal way to explore Iceland's wonders!
Itinerary
Day 1: Reykjavík – Eyrarbakki - Thingvellir National Park (D)
After pickup from the Keflavík airport or your hotel by your guide, transfer by bus to the tour office in Reykjavík and prepare to search for the Aurora Borealis, or Northern Lights (depending on conditions).
Start your adventure by exploring the hidden underworld beneath a lava field located in the Blue Mountains, just 25 minutes from Reykjavik by minivan. As you walk down into the lava cave with your guide, learn about volcanic activity that produced the stunning subterranean world and marvel at the amazing rock formations left behind. Discover glistening icicles of all shapes and sizes –a magical sight that fills the cave!
After emerging aboveground, head to Rauda Husid, one of Iceland’s most renowned seafood restaurants, to enjoy a 2-course dinner, including a lobster feast plus dessert. Dining in Eyrarbakki village, 37 miles (60 km) from Reykjavi on the south coast, you’ll be surrounded by the pitch-black Icelandic winter night.
From here, travel a bit further until the mountains provide the dark shade needed to view the bright and vivid Auroras; the extraordinary and elusive natural phenomenon can only be seen far away from city lights. If the evening is clear and cloudless, keep an eye out for the dancing lights in the Arctic skies – a sight to remember! Afterward, your guide drops you off at your hotel.
Overnight: ION Luxury Adventure Hotel in Thingvellir National Park
Day 2: Thingvellir National Park - Gulfoss Waterfall- Thingvellir National Park (B, L)
After breakfast, head further into Thingvellir (Þingvellir) National Park, Iceland’s sole UNESCO World Heritage-listed site, and view one of the world’s only two tectonic rift valleys. Learn from your informative guide how they develop as the Mid-Atlantic continental plates of North America and Europe slowly drift apart. See where Vikings once held their parliament and passed out judgments, and then walk down through Almannagjá canyon.
From the Silfra Rift, a fissure in the heart of the park, look down into some of the clearest blue water in the world, providing 330-foot (100-meter) visibility! Don your wetsuit and snorkeling gear for a chance to dive into the cold, pristine pool – just 36-39 degrees Fahrenheit (2-4 degrees Celsius) – and swim safely with your guide along the underwater currents.
When you’ve dried off, dine on a packed lunch before driving to the Geysir Hot Springs, where you’ll see a variety of geothermal pools including Strokkur, an erupting hot spring. Next, stop at Gullfoss, the most amazing of Icelandic’s waterfalls, and view the spectacular 104-foot (32-m) cascade.
Overnight: ION Luxury Adventure Hotel in Thingvellir National Park
Day 3: Thingvellir National Park – Sólheimajökull Glacier - Thingvellir National Park (B, L)
After enjoying breakfast, head to Sólheimajökull Glacier, a rugged and ever-changing hub of ancient frozen water. Your experienced guide will give you a brief safety introduction before leading you on a hike onto the glacier to explore the crevasse-riddled mass with its fascinating ice formations, sinkholes and jagged ridges.
The ice tongue, termed because the glacier crawls toward the ocean and forms a long outlet of ice, will amaze you with unique, breathtaking views.When you reach an ice wall, try your hand at ice climbing! Having all the safety tools you need, such as ice axes, crampons and safety lines, brave the heights and be rewarded throughout the whole climb with stunning natural sights, making this trip an experience you won’t forget.
Enjoy a packed lunch, served on the glacier, and stop at the beautiful Skógafoss waterfall, one of the biggest waterfalls in the country. Enjoy the beautiful views and rainbows, this waterfall produces on sunny days, before heading back to the hotel.
Overnight: ION Luxury Adventure Hotel in Thingvellir National Park
Day 4: Reykjavik – Keflavík (B)
After breakfast, stop for a luxurious dip at the Blue Lagoon, a gorgeous ice-blue geothermal spa before drop-off at your hotel or the Keflavík airport before your flight.
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