SUMMER: SELF DRIVE HOLIDAY
Best of Iceland self drive holiday - route #1
Iceland's rich natural treasures, beautiful waterfalls, striking glaciers, magnificent volcanoes and hot springs.
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Take your family on the road in Iceland
Travelling around Iceland with your family is fun and easy. The route 1 ring road takes you all around the country, from black sand beaches to magnificent glaciers. You can rent vehicles of all sizes to suit your family. This self drive holiday favourite explores Iceland's rich natural treasures, including all of the well-known sites in the South, East and North of Iceland. These include Reykjavik city, Gullfoss waterfall, Geysir, Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon, and Thingvellir and Vatnajokull National parks. You will have ample time to cover all the hot spots that Iceland has to offer on the Ring Road. Season: May-October 2018. Duration: 10 days/9 nights #Self drive Around Iceland - incl. 9 nights accommodation with private facilities, breakfast, 9 days car rental automatic car incl. CDW, unlimited milage, VAT and car pick up and drop off at Keflavik airport. For those that want to explore Iceland in more depth an optional tour to this one is 15 days / 14 nights. 
ITINERARY:
Day 1: Arrival in Iceland Geothermal Lagoon – Flower Village – Geothermal Greenhouses Pick up the car at the airport and start your Iceland experience. From Keflavik International Airport we recommend driving the southern coast of the Reykjanes peninsula towards your first overnight stay in the charming village of Hveragerdi. This village is one of the few sites in the world located directly on top of a geothermal area and, because of its many greenhouses heated by hot water from nearby springs it is often called the “flower village.“ If your flight arrives early in the day, you might stop at the Blue Lagoon (a short distance from the airport) for a chance to relax in the soothing geothermal mineral waters. Important: Please note that admission to the Blue Lagoon must be booked in advance.
Day 2: Hveragerdi - Geysir - Thingvellir - Borgarfjordur Greenhouses - Exploding Geysers - National Park with Geological Wonders (UNESCO) - Massive Waterfall Drive to the legendary waterfall Gullfoss and the hot springs at Geysir. Visit Thingvellir National Park, site of the ancient Icelandic parliament, before driving through Hvalfjordur fjord to the historic and scenic Borgarfjordur region. If you have a 4WD vehicle, you can also take the scenic highland wilderness Kaldidalur track alongside Langjokull glacier to Borgarfjordur. The road generally is open between mid-June and mid-September.
Day 3: Borgarfjordur - Blonduos - Varmahlid - Akureyri
Fertile Farmlands - Glacial Rivers - Iceland's Second Largest Community - Viking Horses Drive north through Borgarfjordur to the shores of Hunafloi Bay and the towering mountains and horse breeding valley of Skagafjordur. Continue to Akureyri, the capital of the north.
Day 4: Akureyri - Lake Myvatn Botanical Gardens – Quality Museums - Waterfall of the Gods Spend the morning exploring the town of Akureyri. Continue your journey to the unique Lake Myvatn area. Stop en route to Myvatn to view the beautiful Godafoss waterfalls, which have a unique connection to Iceland‘s Viking Age.
Day 5: Lake Myvatn Area Bizarre Lava Formations - Geothermal Activity - Rich Birdlife Explore the natural wonders of Lake Myvatn and the surrounding area. Stroll along the mystical lava formations at Dimmuborgir. Visit the volcanic area of Krafla along with the colourful sulfurous slopes of Namaskard pass. Enjoy the views of the pseudo craters at Skutustadir.
Day 6: Husavik - Tjornes - Dettifoss - Egilsstadir
Whale Watching – Glacier - Carved Gorge - Europe's Most Powerful Waterfall Drive north to the fishing port of Husavik, where you might stop to enjoy a whale watching boat tour. Head around Tjornes peninsula on the edge of the Arctic Circle. Visit Asbyrgi, a magnificent horseshoe-shaped canyon, and Jokulsargljufur National Park. Proceed to the mighty Dettifoss waterfall, the most powerful waterfall in Europe. Then head across the vast highland plateau to Egilsstadir in the east.
Day 7: Reydarfjordur - Stodvarfjordur - Djupivogur - Hofn Narrow Fjords - Steep Mountains - Picturesque Coastline – Unique Mineral Collection Drive south through the spectacular east Fjords, where towering mountains plunge vertically into the ocean. Leave yourself plenty time to savour the amazing views of the coast and Vatnajokull glacier. The journey continues to the town of Hofn in Hornafjordur, also known as the lobster capital of northern Europe.
Day 8: Hofn - Skaftafell - Kirkjubaejarklaustur
Europe's Largest Glacier - Glacial Lagoon with Icebergs – Glacier Ringed Oasis Today you will be in the vicinity of Vatnajokull National Park, named after Europe‘s largest glacier. Visit the shimmering icebergs and the still, milky waters of Jokulsarlon Glacial Lagoon before continuing to the Skaftafell area of the park, a beautiful green oasis surrounded by glaciers. There are many great hiking trails here. Head towards the picturesque village of Kirkjubaejarklaustur.
Day 9: Vik - Skogar - Reykjavik Lava Fields - Black Sand Beaches - Seabird Colony - Thundering Waterfalls Drive along the spectacular south coast, a sweeping landscape of sandy deserts, rocky shores and rolling farmlands sandwiched between snow-capped glaciers, mountains and the ocean. Stop to admire the black sand beaches and cliffs at Dyrholaey. There are also vast bird colonies here, including puffins (generally seen mid May to early August). Also visit the beautiful waterfalls of Skogar and Seljalands, each with its own character. You will also see the mighty Eyjafjallajokull volcano, famous for its 2010 eruption. An interesting volcano center at the base of the mountain tells the story of this event. Return to Reykjavík in the late afternoon.
Day 10: Departure Drive back to Keflavik International Airport and even stop at Blue Lagoon as it is on your way to the airport, if you did not have time to do it on your arrival day.* *Please note that the package price is based on 9 x 24-hour rental days starting at the time of rental. If your flight arrives early on day 1 and departs late on day 10 an additional supplement will be necessary unless you choose to return the car in Reykjavik when the 9 day rental is up and use our.
Included in package
Rooms with private facilities
Prices may change without prior notice. If an incorrect price has been listed, we reserve the right to refuse, cancel or limit any order placed at the incorrect price. *Subject to availability - price is confirmed when payment has been made. Book in advance to get the best price!
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PACKAGE DETAILS
HIGHLIGHTS
Included in package
Photos from Google: labeled for reuse
Car Rental
Our self drive packages include basic insurance (CDW), unlimited mileage, VAT, a GPS system and two authorised drivers. Accommodation Quality is important to us. When organising our tours we choose accommodation with regards to quality, value for money, location and service provided. |
