8 Days Around Iceland | Winter Minibus Tour

Customers travelling on their own will receive a single room. Reservations for 2 people will be allocated a double room. For bookings of 3 or more, triple rooms will automatically be allocated. For example, a group of 8 will receive 2 triple rooms and 1 double. If these arrangements do not meet your requirements, please contact the provider.

Customers can select either Beer Baths or Whale Watching on Day 6. It is not possible to select both.

The Northern Lights are a natural phenomenon, and therefore cannot be guaranteed, but this itinerary is designed to maximise your chances to see them if weather allows. Please be advised that there is no specific Northern Lights hunt on this tour, but your guide will notify you if the conditions are favourable and advise you on how to best spot them.

It can happen, in the case of extreme weather, that an activity is cancelled. If your chosen activity is cancelled, we will assist you with rearranging or booking other activities when possible, and any potential price difference will be refunded to you.

Note that Icelandic roads and pavements can be slippery in the wintertime. We recommend you bring shoes with slip-resistant soles or ice-grip shoe covers. The covers can be purchased in most supermarkets and gas stations around the country.

Please note that only pick up and drop-off from designated pick up locations in the greater capital area is available, not from Keflavík International Airport. Therefore, we do not recommend attempting to start this tour on your arrival day in Iceland. Arrival time back to Reykjavík at the end of your tour can vary depending on weather and traffic. 

This 8-day tour takes you to the must see Golden Circle route with all its amazing sites. You will see the unbeatable Gullfoss waterfall, Geysir geothermal area and of course the UNESCO World Heritage Site,  Thingvellir National Park. Next you will be heading to the much talked about South Coast, where you will explore the unique black sand beach, Reynisfjara and Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon. After exploring the Eastfjords, Lake Mývatn awaits with its unique surroundings, you will explore Dimmuborgir lava pillars and then carry on the journey to the capital of the North, Akureyri. From there you will head to West Iceland and Snæfellsnes Peninsula and find some hidden gems and locations to experience, such as Kirkjufell mountain, lava pillars, a white beach and waterfalls.  After that you will head south to the capital, Reykjavík.

While you enjoy this versatile tour you will be able to book extra tours and activities along the way to make your experience even more special, such as horse riding, hiking, and exploring ice caves. The nights are a perfect opportunity to search for the breathtaking aurora, in the starry night sky.

In addition to this, you get to enjoy the benefit of excellent accommodation, which will result in a restful sleep each night so that you are prepared for the adventures of the next day.

This is your opportunity, book now  to enjoy Iceland during its Northern Lights season. Check availability by choosing a date. 

Day 1 – The Golden Circle

Your journey will begin in the capital, Reykjavík where a bus will pick you up and head straight out to explore the famous Golden Circle. To make a good day even better you can add a horse riding tour and get a chance to meet the unique and friendly Icelandic horse while riding in beautiful surroundings.

Thingvellir National Park is the first stop of the tour, volcanic fields and mountains surrounded by snow will blow your mind, as it is one of the most beautiful locations in Iceland. Thingvellir has an amazing cultural heritage as Iceland’s first parliament was founded there in the year 930 AD. Only to add even more uniqueness to the location its geological features are truly amazing and exceptional because of the exposed North American and Euroasion tectonic plates on the surface. The location is a UNESCO designated World Heritage site for these reasons.

Haukadalur geothermal area will be your next stop on the Golden Circle route, where you will find hot springs Stokkur, which erupts every five to ten minutes creating amazing photo opportunities and the famous Geysir, the geyser that has named all geysers in the world.

Ending the Golden Circle part of the tour is the most famous must see waterfall, Gullfoss, where water from the glacial river Hvítá rushes down two tiers of a 32 metre fall. The Golden Circle has gotten its name from Gullfoss, which translates to the Golden waterfall.

Your minibus will next take you to your accommodation which is located perfectly for catching a glance at the Auroras in the night, far away from light pollution.

Day 2 – South Coast, Waterfalls and Glacier Hike

On the second day of the tour you will be heading to the South Coast, towards the magnificent Seljalandsfoss waterfall, a 65 metre drop of the water provides a unique sight, as one of Iceland’s highest features. Moving on to yet another waterfall, Skógafoss welcomes you, as one of the largest falls in all of Iceland, ancient stories claim that Vikings buried treasure in a cave hidden behind the waterfall. In addition to this part of the tour you can opt for a hike across the crevasses of the glacier with a trained and experienced glacier guide. The extra activity can be added upon booking.

The final stop of the day will be at the famous black sand beach Reynisfjara, surrounded by black basalt columns and is one of the most popular Icelandic places to visit. From there you can see rock formations Reynisdrangar and Dyrhólaey Peninsula rise gracefully from the ocean providing an astonishing sight.

You will then head to your accommodation near the town of Vík.

Day 3 – Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon & Ice Caving

For adventure thirsty explorers who want to add an ice cave visit, today is the day. If you are travelling between April and October the day will start of with a stop in a cave in Mýrdalsjökull glacier. For those travelling in the countryside out if these months you will visit a cave in Vatnajökull glacier in the afternoon.

The rare circumstances are formed each fall when melted water from the glaciers freezes and creates these remarkable ice caves. An experienced guide will walk you through the unique ice formations and share his knowledge of the glacier.

The next stop of the journey is the astonishing Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon. Where you can see large icebergs drift calmly towards the ocean and follow their path to the Diamond Beach where the icebergs strand on the sand and resemble crystals as they lie on the black satin beach.

Your night will be spent in this charming area.

Day 4 – The Eastfjords

You’ll spend your fourth day in the East Fjords of Iceland, where you can find amazing and rare wildlife, for example this is the only place in Iceland where Reindeer might be seen. These fjords present you high mountain ridges and the mighty Vatnajökull towering in the west. Icelandic history makes its appearance in the peaceful fishing villages you pass along the way, as fishing has always been a big part of Icelandic culture.

Hallormsstaðaskógur forest is your next destination, the largest forest in Iceland that offers many walking trails that lead to locations such as waterfalls, coves and moors. You will travel along Lake Lagarfljót, and try to see with your own eyes the mythical worm-like creature said to live in the lake. The night will be spent in a beautiful town in East-Iceland.

Day 5 – Lake Myvatn, Dimmuborgir Fortress and Namskard Pass

Lake Mývatn and it’s beautiful surroundings is the designated destination for day five, you will explore the geothermal region around the Lake. The area has many of the things that make Iceland so unique, lava formations, mud pools and remarkable geological features.

A visit to Námaskarð pass, a high temperature geothermal area where the earth boils and gurgles. The orange and red landscape in the area shows how versatile Icelandic nature can be.

Dimmuborgir, your next stop is where you will explore a field of peculiar shaped lavar pillars that rise from the earth and their formations may remind you of trolls, elves and other mytchical creatures, even the Icelandic Yule Lads.

A geothermally heated spa, Mývatn Nature baths then gives you the opportunity for complete relaxation and a chance to experience the geothermal nature of Iceland up close.

Akureyri is your next overnight stop but on the way there, you will have a chance to see the phenomenal waterfall Goðafoss and its remarkable beauty.

Remember to look for the beautiful Northern Lights at night if skies are clear before you turn in to your accommodation.

Day 6 – Exploring North Iceland

A short drive from Akureyri is the village of Hauganes, where you could opt top hop on a whale watching boat to see Humpback whales and more gentle giants found in the ocean. How does a Beer spa sound? Take a dip in warm beer and beer yeast, which supposedly is good for your skin and hair. Even enjoy a cold beer while you bathe in the warm beer. The small town of Hauganes has many things to offer and we recommend you take a walk around the small town, it has a charming harbour and a beautiful black sand beach overlooking the ocean and the graceful tall mountains all around.

Day 7 – West Iceland & Snaefellsnes Peninsula

On this day you will have a chance to further explore West-Iceland. Your first stop will be Deildartunguhver, which is the most powerful hot spring in Europe and you can see the hot steam and boiling water bubbling from the ground. The surface around the hot spring has taken a red color from the minerals and steam that surrounds it.

Your next stop will be Reykholt, a location that holds a significant historical heritage as it was the home of Snorri Sturluson. Snorri made a big impact on Icelandic history as a poet, law-maker, scholar and is undeniably a significant character of the Middle-Ages.

Not had enough of waterfalls yet? Great, because next you will visit two very different but equally special waterfalls. Hraunfossar is a series of streams emerging through the dark lava fields, a very special and beautiful sight. Barnafoss on the other hand is a brightly colored blue stream that speeds through a narrow ravine.

Now you will make your way to your accommodation to get a restful sleep, you have a day of further exploring Snæfellsnes ahead of you.

Day 8 – Snaefellsnes Peninsula In-Depth

The final day of your tour, over so soon! We will make sure your trip is finished off in a wonderful way. The magnificent Snæfellsnes Peninsula is the destination of the day, it welcomes you with its world of cliffs, mountainscapes, unique wildlife and ancient fishing settlements.

The first stop is at Gerðuberg, which is a cluster of hexagonal basalt columns. Next you will journey to Ytri-Tunga where you will find a white sand beach, a pretty rare sight in Iceland as you will know by now, most beaches in Iceland are black. This white beach at Ytri-Tunga is not only interesting for its white sand, but also for the fact that it is a seal colonie, where you can often see seals lounge on the white sand beach.

Now you will be heading to the beach of Djúpalónssandur, you have to walk through a maze of remarkable free standing lava pillars to get to the beach, unlike anything you have seen before. The mighty glacier of the West, Snæfellsjökull glacier will be keeping an eye on you from a distance. The magnificent ice cave Vatnshellir will be your next location, an underground ice cave is very accessible and perfect for exploring with a guide.

Of course, you can not leave the Snæfellsnes Peninsula without seeing the iconic mountain Kirkjufell. This phenomenal mountain has proven to be one of Iceland’s most popular places to visit because of its picturesque features. Kirkjufell has been featured in Game of Thrones as the “arrowhead mountain” located beyond the wall, we have not run into any White-Walkers in Snæfellsnes though, so don’t worry.

At the end of this 90 km journey along the Peninsula you will journey to the capital, Reykjavík, arriving in the early evening. We do not recommend that you book your flight home on the same evening as weather can be unpredictable and delays could affect your itinerary. Feel free to enjoy and explore Reykjavík for the rest of your time in Iceland. Reykjavík offers all sorts of activities and adventures to embark on.