5 Day Winter Minibus Tour: Blue Ice Cave, Snæfellsnes, Golden Circle, South Coast & Northern Lights Multi-day tour

Description

We start with a two day tour in west Iceland. Prepare to explore amazing things like, lava fields, dreamy waterfalls, dark caves, black and white beaches, historical locations and the mighty Snæfellsjökull glacier of the west.

You will be picked up in the morning by a guide and a driver and you will be heading straight towards the mountain Esja, which overlooks Reykjavík. Driving along side it you will reach Hvalfjörður fjords, the name of it translates to “whale fjord”. You will enjoy the features of the area, towering snow capped mountains and open fields. You will be able to see an old abandoned naval base, which was occupied by the British during WWII.

After Hvalfjörður you will head on to Borgarfjörður, a region filled with historical heritage, Viking sailors reached land and settled there after leaving their homeland.

Reykholtsdalur valley is your next location, there you can learn all about the forces of Deildartunguhver, Europe’s most powerful hot spring. From there you will journey to the village of Reykholt, where Snorri Sturluson, the poet, lawmaker and historian used to live during the Middle ages. Snorri wrote many codices that are invaluable records of mythology and the Old Norse language.

Not far from there are you will find two very different but equally beautiful waterfalls, Hraunsfossar and Barnafoss. Hraunfossar are a series of streams rushing through dark lava fields and Barnafoss, a bright blue stream speeding through a narrow ravine.

You will then head to your accommodation for a restful sleep. Keep an eye out for the magical Aurora at night, especially if the sky is starry and clear. 

Day 2 - The glacier of the west, Snæfellsjökull towers over the Peninsula in all its glory. The glacier played an important role in the novel Journey to the Centre of the Earth, by Jules Verne, where it was the opening point to a great underground journey. You will have a nice breakfast and then head out for a adventure where you will be exploring the underground.

Once you have reached the Snæfellsnes Peninsula you will visit Gerðuberg Cliff, a large basalt column wall. Next you will be able to explore a white sand beach at Ytri-Tunga, which is unusual for Icelandic beaches, most of them have black sand. The sand in Ytri-Tunga is golden and the location is great for spotting seals.

The village of Arnarstapi is your next destination, a small fishing village surrounded by basalt ravines and lava pillars. You can see old fisherman landing spots and you can follow a path leading you along the coast with the Atlantic Ocean waves crushing against Gatklettur arch rock.

You will head to Djúpalónssandur, a black pebble beach, to get there you will trek through a unique field of lava pillars and rocks, a very special location, unlike anything else. When you reach the beach you can walk on the pebble shore and take in all the incredible features of the location.

As the Professor Otto Lidenbrok along with his uncle Axel from Verne’s novel, you will venture into the volcanic tube towards earths core, you wont reach the centre of the earth but Vatnshellir lava cave is an exhilarating experience. In the cave you will follow a path of lava that was created over 8,000 years ago.

After you resurface from the lava cave you will continue to explore Snæfellsnes and head to the northern part of the Peninsula. The iconic Kirkjufell mountain will welcome you with all of its unique features. As you may know, the mountain was featured in the popular series, Game of Thrones and has become one of Icelands most popular sites.

On your way back to the capital, you will past Hraunsfjörður, a beautiful fjords surrounded by mountains covered in snow you will be able to see the dark lava field of Berserkjahraun, and your guide will give you some knowledge about the road’s construction.

Remember to keep a look out for the magical sight in the sky when it gets dark, the Northern Lights with their unbelievable colours cant wait to put on a show for you. You then will reach your accommodation in Reykjavík in the evening where you can relax, that concludes your journey to West Iceland. 

Day 3 - The Golden Circle an unforgettable expedition with a small group on the ultimate Golden Circle tour. You will visit the famous Thingvellir National Park, Gullfoss waterfall, Geysir and the surrounding geothermal area. The day also includes a visit to Kerið volcanic crater, and a stop at a traditional Icelandic farm to see and pet some horses and get a taste of home made Icelandic ice cream.

Day 4- The first stop is at Seljalandsfoss waterfall where you can walk behind the tumbling water flow and feel the vibrations of the water hitting the ground. Thirsty? Just open your mouth. Right next to it is the waterfall Gljúfrabúi which snugly tucked in a gorge hidden from most. Gljúfrabúi actually means Canyon Dweller in English. To reach the waterfall, you must first test your balance by bouncing on rocks lying in the river bed. A failure means instant foot wetness and a good laugh by your co-travellers. Skógafoss Prepare to meet the pearl of the South Coast, Skógafoss waterfall. Majestically tucked in a wide gorge, the waterfall tumbles down 60 metres from up above a cliff into a small river, producing a cloud of mist and spray that rainbows like to dance in during sunshine. Try to warm up for the glacier by running up the 527 steps to the top... Your guide will be timing you! Reynisfjara - Black Sand Beach Heading further east, we visit the black sand beach of Reynisfjara where the Atlantic coastline presents massive waves hitting the unique basalt columns in the cliffs above the sand. Rock pillars in the water and the cliffs of Dýrhólaey are seen in the distance.  Glacier Hike complete our perfect adventure we will hike an outlet glacier spawning from the one of the largest glaciers in the country. After meeting our highly trained glacier guides and strapping on our safety and glacier equipment, including helmets, harnesses, crampons and ice axes we hike on the ice for an hour and a half. A spectacular experience and opportunity to learn more about this breathtaking and increasingly rare natural phenomena.  

Day 5 - Jökulsárlón - The Glacier Lagoon, a 200m deep glacial lake fed by Breiðamerkurjökull, an outlet glacier of Europe’s largest glacier. Fed enormous icebergs all year round the lagoon is usually filled with ice that floats south. Tröll Expeditions will give you the opportunity to book a boat ride between the icebergs during summer time and get a closer look of the millenary ice. If boating is not your thing, then we walk alongside the glacier lagoon enjoying the magnificent views and dead silence of Icelandic nature. Diamond Beach On the other side of the road the icebergs from Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon float into the Atlantic Ocean where they are quickly thrown back to shore by the tide and winds. This black sand beach is full of smaller ice rocks in all shapes and sizes, sparkling like diamonds in the daylight. The ice itself comes in all shades of white and blue forming beautiful contrasts, guaranteed to make your Instagram account pop!  

And to make the experience even better we end with an Ice cave tour from Jökulsárlón, where you'll meet our guides, hop into our super jeep and take on an amazing journey up the glacier where the blue ice caves are. There you'll enter the unique phenomena which is the blue ice cave. What are you waiting for? Come and join us to check all the fun stuff we can do in the southern region, including glacier hiking! This is the ultimate Icelandic experience with a small group and experienced guide guaranteed. Start your adventure now by booking a date.  

What´s Included

• Driver guide, pick-up and drop-off from in Reykjavik capital area
• Small group experience
• Wi-Fi and Icelandic music on board
• Accommodation:
  4 nights accommodation with a private bathroom
• Meals:
  4 Breakfasts
• Included activities and equipment:
  Víðgelmir Lava Cave
  Ice cave tour
  3 hours glacier Hike with a certified guide
  Glacier equipment: Helmet, Harness, Crampons, and Ice Axe
  Northern lights sightseeing, if the weather allows
• Taxes

What to bring

• Outdoor clothes according to weather (waterproof out layers are available for rent)
• Hiking boots (Available for rent)

Additional information

Age limit for Glacier Hike is 8 years old.

Age limit for ice cave is 6 years old.

Toilet stops: You will have plenty of chances for bathroom breaks and to buy snacks on the way.

Food: We stop at locations like gas stations and small shops where you will be able to buy snacks/sandwiches and drinks.

At lunch time we will also stop at locations where you will find warm lunch options.

For dinner, all hotels have restaurants, so you can choose if you’d like to have dinner there.

Vegan or vegetarian options are offered almost everywhere