SNAEFELLSNES PENINSULA
Season: All year round, daily. Duration: 11 hours
Tour description
This beautiful part of our island sits on the other side of the Faxaflói bay, to the North West of the city of Reykjavik and is a location that any die hard fan of Iceland should be adding to their list of things to see. Not only does this location have black sand beaches to rival the southern coast, a national park that could give Þingvellir a run for its money and of course it’s very own glacier but it also has a lot of charm that will be sure to win your heart. It’s difficult not to recommend a trip around this part of Iceland to anyone visiting the country as, no matter what your tastes are as a traveller, it is almost guaranteed to have something you will enjoy and literary fans will recognise many locations from the Jules Verne novel “Journey to the centre of the earth” that was based here. alongside the film, it inspired in 2008 also called “Journey to the Center of the Earth” starring Brendan Fraser which actually used the real Snæfellsjökull volcano in the film. Highlights
Before we can get to the adventuring part of our day we first need to get you out of the city. This is where our fast and efficient pick up service comes in.
Just tell us where you are staying or the location of the nearest pick up point to your accommodation and our busses will come and get you. When everyone is aboard we will immediately begin our northward journey, passing by the famous Esja mountain and around the Faxaflói Bay. We will mostly be following the ring road up towards our first destination which will be the Kirkjufell mountain on the peninsula’s northern edge. It would be an understatement to say that Kirkjufell is one of the most popular mountains in Iceland to take a photo of, as the image of this tall mountain reflected in the nearby water has become an image almost synonymous with the country itself. It stands at a height of approximately 463 meters and also has had its 15 minutes of fame on the silver screen playing the part of the ‘Arrowhead Mountain’ in the hit show ‘Game of Thrones’ but thankfully you won’t have to go north of the wall to see it here. Following on from the mountain we will then head to our second stop which will be at the black sand beaches of Djúpalónssandur. This area was once home to anywhere up to 60 fishing boats and also housed one of the most profitable fishing villages in the area but all of that has now gone leaving behind a beautiful and serene bay. As a reminder of the history of the area, the bay is still home to four lifting stones that were once used by fishermen to test their strength. The minimum a man would have to lift was a 54 kg stone to hip height otherwise he would not be considered fit for service. There is also though a stone weighing 23 kg called Amlóði (Useless), 100 kg called Hálfsterkur (half strength) and 154 kg called Fullsterkur (full strength).
Once everyone has lifted a stone and proven themselves worthy we will be able to move on to our third stop at Lóndrangar. Lóndrangar is a very beautiful rock formation, they are 75 and 61 meters tall and are therefore an amazing landmark. A beautiful photo stop that will make you feel the land of the elves and trolls. After that we will continue to Arnarstapi. Arnarstapi is a fishing village that sits on the southern edge of the peninsula that stands a monument to rich history Iceland has with the fishing industry as well as its rich history with stories and sagas. With its incredibly accessible location, Arnarstapi quickly became an ideal location to serve as a hub for the fishing activities in the area. Very quickly the small town grew into a large shipping port which supplied much of the west coast of Iceland and brought in a tremendous amount of trade to the whole island.
Today the town sees much less use as a fishing port but the docks here have been very well maintained and now see a lot of use from tourists and during the summer months the docks come alive with boats! When it comes to breathtaking nature though, Arnarstapi may just win the day as you look over the cliffs that this area has in abundance. Striking basalt columns and curiously cubic rock formations are interlaced with thin walkways caused by years of erosion as the land fights against a sea that wants to reclaim it. Bring some extra memory cards for your camera and thank us later. We will from here begin our journey back home towards Reykjavik but not before making a few more rest stops in towns such as Borgarnes. Included:
Please bring warm, water- and windproof clothing are always useful in Iceland. Important information Make sure to note down your pickup times and Departure Times. Pick up can take up to 30 minutes starting from the time on your ticket. Please wait at your hotel / guest house in this time span. We collect our guests with several mini buses, so please be aware that you may need to change busses at a meeting point before the tour begins! 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
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Additional information
Voucher: You will receive a secure voucher to either print out or present on your mobile phone. Cancellation Policy: Full refund if cancelled due to weather. Cancellation fee can be witheld if you cancel with short notice. 1 day notice: 100% charge |