Colors of Iceland: Fire, Earth, Ice and Water

After your arrival in Keflavik International Airport you may take either a public flybus to Reykjavik or a taxi. In Reykjavik you may use the afternoon for a relaxing walk through the old town before the group meets up in the evening.
Services: Guest house

We leave Reykjavik to drive into the thermal area of ​​Neskjavellir and continue to the national park Thingvellir. Thingvellir is so special because there is hardly no other place on earth that illustrates so well the vertical and horizontal movements of the earth's crust. This national park is furthermore known for its natural beauty and also represents one of the most important moments of human history as here, in 930, the oldest democratic parliament in the world was founded. An hour's drive away is the Geysir geothermal area, famous for its colorful springs, pools and numerous water and steam vents. Whereas the Great Geyser´s centuries-long activity ended in 1915, his world famous neighbour Strokkur is still active and explosively shoots up its water masses every 10 minutes. A few minutes'drive away we arrive at the Gullfoss, one of the most impressive waterfalls in Europe. Above its two cascades rises a water vapor cloud which shimmers in all colours of the rainbow, probably giving him the name "Goldwaterfall". Afterwards we take a two-hour trip to the western highlands and the rhyolite area of ​​Kerlingarfjöll.
Services: at the guest house in Kerlingarfjöll, breakfast, Lunch, dinner

Today we have the whole day to explore the unique rhyolite area of Kerlingarfjöll as the "Woman mountain" is a high-temperature thermal area with wonderful short and longer hiking possibilities in a volcanically extraordinary landscape: colorful mountains, dark obsidian and white glaciers - altogether a bizarre landscape which is unique in the world. Kerlingarfjöll was formed by volcanic eruptions in the later ice age when its mountains were made of rhyolite rock as well as globally rare ocher and almost black hyaloclastite rocks. This explains the strong contrast in both shapes and colours between Kerlingarfjöll and the surrounding landscape.
Services: at the guest house in Kerlingarfjöll, breakfast, Lunch, dinner

In the early morning we continue to the thermal area of Hveravellir – a fascinating world of hot thermal springs, where we can take a hot bath. The northern part of the Kjölur slope is well developed as an access road to the Blöndulón reservoirs. Visualize and relive for a moment the harsh living conditions of the of the 19th and early 20th centuries at the old Glaumbær peat homestead in the Héraðsvötn River delta and visit the old peat church Víðimýri.
Continue via to small village of Hofsós and admire particularly slender basalt columns on the coast. Continue a wonderful scenic drive around the large Tröllaskagi Peninsula and through the dreamy fishing villages Siglufjördur and Olafsfjördur to Dalvik.
Services: night in a guest house in Dalvik, breakfast, lunch, dinner

After breakfast, go for whale-watching! In the large Eyafjördur near Dalvik, several humpback whales and many smaller whales and dolphins frolic in the summer. During an optional 3-hour trip, you have the chance to observe these large marine mammals from up close. This excursion costs about 75,- €.
In the afternoon, continue Akureyri to the legendary horseshoe-shaped Goðafoss waterfall, whose waters cascade dramatically over several parallel steps into the depths of a gorge.
In the late afternoon, discover the natural beauties around Mývatn lake, a place full of unique volcanic features: pseudo-craters, deep fissures, explosion craters, ancient lava lakes and much more. We take short walks in this surreal landscape.
Services: Guest house in Mývatn, breakfast, lunch, dinner

In the early morning we drive to the the huge Dettifoss waterfall to discover one of the most pristine glacial river landscapes in the world. We continue our way to the south to Askja volcano and take a hike inside the huge Askja caldera to visit Víti crater created in 1875. This explosion crater still looks as if it was an entrance to hell. Visit nearby Öskjuvatn, the deepest lake in Iceland and return to Myvatn in the late afternoon.
Services: overnight in the same guest house in Mývatn, breakfast, lunch, dinner

Drive to the great glacial gorge of Ásbyrgi via Húsavik on the north coast and on to Dettifoss, the most powerful waterfall in Europe. In the afternoon continue to Bakkagerdi, where one of the world's best observation sites for puffins is located (sightings possible until about August 5).
Services: Accomodation in Bakkagerdi, breakfast, lunch, dinner

Depending on the weather, you can use the morning to observe and take pictures of the colorful puffins again, before we continue to the East fjords with their dramatic landscape.
Services: Guesthouse in Berufjördur, brearkfast, lunch, dinner

Before we continue to the south, take a closer look at the waterfalls at the Öxi Pass when it's still quiet and few others are around.
On our further journey to the south, we reach the wide delta of the glacier river Jökulsáí Lóni in the afternoon, home to thousands of whooper swans in summer. Further south, we'll drive along the margin of the huge ice cap Vatnajökull. Depending on your mood and the weather, take an excursion to the fascinating ice world of the Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon in the evening.
Services: Guest house near Gerdi; breakfast, lunch, dinner

Today we have time to explore the wonderland created by larger and smaller glacier tongues and lagoons of the region. Depending on your mood and the weather, we can also take another tour into the Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon in the evening when light is best for photography.
Sevices: Guest house near Gerdi; brearkfast, lunch, dinner

On our way to Skaftafell national park we will pass the glacier lagoon Jökulsárlón again and be able visit it for the second time. Amazing biodiversity characterises the Skaftafell mountain ridge which is surrounded on three sides by the ice masses of the Vatnajökull. Hikes of different difficulty and length are possible. The highlight is the Svartifoss waterfall which showcases basalt columns that look like organ pipes. Afterwards we cross the expanse of the Sanderðarársandur desert and continue onwards to the southern highlands whilst passing by Eldgjá, one of the world´s largest fissure volcanos. In the evening we reach the colorful world of Landmannalaugar.
Sevices: simple mountain hut; breakfast, lunch, dinner

Already the first settlers of Iceland enjoyed the hot springs of this region as a welcome break from the stressful highland crossings. The region around Landmannalaugar offers fascinating color contrasts. At the foot of colorful rhyolite mountains lies a black obsidian lava flow which forms a natural dam at the wide valley of the glacial river Jökugilskvísl. Many delightful trails through the area are possible.
Sevices: simple mountain hut; breakfast, lunch, dinner

Drive back to the south coast for a second chance to admire and photograph the magnificent mountain landscape in a better light. Continue to Cape Dyrhólaey, the huge rock arch at the southern tip of Iceland, and stroll around the large black beach Reynisfjara in the afternoon and evening, located right near our guest house.
Services: Guest house near Vík; breakfast, lunch, dinner

If you are interested, return to the black beach in the morning light. After that we head back towards Reykjavik early, but along the way, we visit the two large, beautiful waterfalls Skogarfoss and Seljalandsfoss at the feet of infamous Eyafjallajökull volcano (the one that stopped air traffic in spring 2010).
Services: overnight in same guesthouse in Reykjavik as on the 1st day; breakfast, lunch

Own transfer to the airport in time for your flight.