Southern Iceland Aurora Six Day Tour Trip Highlights: Northern Lights Amazing Waterfalls Search for signs of active volanoes Stranded icebergs Ice cave exploration The wild Eastfjords!
Arrive in Iceland Typically, flights into Iceland arrive early in the morning. We will arrange transportation for you to get from the airport to the hotel in Reykjavik after you land. You will be able to leave your bags at the desk while you explore Reykjavik until check-in time. Our first meet-up of the Big Chill Adventure team will be in the hotel lobby, and then we head out for dinner at our favorite restaurant in Reykjavik. After dinner everyone is free to explore the town on your own or rest up in your room before we meet first thing in the morning for breakfast! If you are interested in arriving a day early and being on your own, resting up or exploring, we can help you find accommodations and transport into town.
Day One Our first stop will be at an operating geothermal plant, the Hellsheidi. See how the energy below the surface of the planet is harnessed to provide power and heat to many homes and businesses in Iceland! Our journey east will take us through geyser fields and to one of the most impressive waterfalls in Iceland, Gullfoss, translates as the Golden Falls, since on a sunny day the water plunging down the three step staircase and then tumbling in two steps down into a deep crevice truly looks golden. We will continue on to Thingvellir National Park. In addition to being a site rich in cultural history, research has made it clear that Thingvellir is a natural wonder on an international scale, with the geologic history and the biosystem of Lake Thingvallavatn forming a unique entity, a magnificent showcase!
Day Two After breakfast we will spend the morning looking for waterfalls and folk art. Our afternoon drive will bring us to the 120 meter high promontory Dyrholaey, which is the southernmost tip of the mainland of Iceland. It offers a breathtaking view and features spectacular outcrops and rock formations. The name Dyrholaey literally means "the hill island with the door hole", and boats and even a daredevil pilot have made their way through the massive arch. The top has an old lighthouse and spectacular views. And if you take the lower road you can enjoy the black sand beach, where the waves and rock formations provide an impressive sight. We will spend the night nearby. After dinner we will watch for the Northern Lights!
Day Three Our destination on this day Skaftafell National Park. The park is home to the black waterfall,svartifoss, which tumbles over columnar basalt. After the short hike to the waterfall, about an hour round trip, we will meet up with the Iceland Mountain Guides for a unique glacier walk. The 3-4 hour excursion onto the glacier will provide opportunities to explore some small glacier caves. For those who want a lower-activity level but still want to see inside a glacier, we can make alternate arrangements with one of our local vendors.
Day Four Our destination on this day is the Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon. But, before we head there, we will stop at one of the bluest glaciers in Iceland, the Svinafellsjokull. This locale is also special because of some very unique rocks, part of an ophialite sequence, that have been exposed by the glacier retreat. Jökulsárlón is one of Iceland's natural crown jewels. The ice lagoon is right next to Vatnajökull glacier, Europe's largest glacier. Vatnajökull and its surrounding area is Iceland's largest national park, and the second biggest national park in Europe. The lagoon is formed naturally, from melted glacial water coming from the glacier and is getting bigger each year, as big blocks of ice crumble from the ever decreasing glacier into the lagoon. We will make sure to rest up so we can look for the northern lights at night!
Day Five Today we move away from the typical tourist routes and into the wilder parts of Iceland. We will wind our way to Hofn, stopping at the Hoffell hotpots, taking a soak at an iconic location overlooking the eastern-most glaciers in Iceland. Then a lobster feast for lunch in Hofn! After lunch we will continue to the lighthouse and nature area of Djupivugar. In the late seventeenth century the islands east of Úlfseyjarsund were all surrounded by sea. Since then they have become part of the mainland, surrounded by sand brought in by the tide and local rivers. Over the last two decades Kalkur and Togl also have met their destiny in the same way. Fýluvogur is probably the first commercial harbour on Búlandsnes. German merchants received a certificate for trading in Fýluvogur in the year 1589.
Day Six We leave Djúpivogur in the morning and head towards the Eggs! Eggin í Gleðivík is a large sculpture showing the all the egg shapes and sizes from birds native to Iceland. Once we ve taken some pictures of this truly Icelandic installation, we ll head to a natural wonder, the Hengifoss waterfall, renowned for its red stripes. We will end the day in Egilsstadir, staying at one of our favorite hotels. And this ends our Icelandic adventure together, the flight from Egilsstadir to Reykjavik leaves in the morning so you can make a flight back home later in the day or spend a few extra days in Reykjavik. For this who want to join us for a 2nd week and finish the Ring Road, we will travel on to Akureyri to spend the night before picking up the group the next morning.