Best of Iceland - Summer

Itinerary:

Day 1. Arrive Keflavik Airport. Hotel in Reykjavik.

Day 2. The Golden Circle & Kerid Volcanic Crater.
(Overnight stay in Reykjavik at Klettur Hótel or similar)
First stop is at Thingvellir National Park – a unique place where nature meets with the history. While walking between the American and Eurasian tectonic plates, it is hard not to think about the history of this place. Thingvellir (“the field of parliament”) became home to the Icelandic general assembly from around the year 930 and continued until 1798. At the end of the path between cliffs you will notice Oxararfoss waterfall. It is rather small one — around 13 meters high, but well worth seeing. B/-/-

The next stop in our program is Gullfoss – the Golden waterfall. The waters of the mighty Hvíta (white) river are swept into a 70 meters deep canyon giving visitors one of the most spectacular views in Iceland. Powerful and beautiful waterfall rushes down from two tiers into an ancient valley.
We continue to Haukadalur Geothermal Area, better known as Geysir – home to many bubbling hot springs and geysers — one of them is the very active Strokkur that throws up boiling water up to a height of 40 meters every 5-10 minutes. B/-/-

These three famous sights are the classic ones that form the Golden Circle but to add even more to this experience, your last stop of the day is at unique Kerid Volcanic Crater. The crater made of a characteristic red volcanic rock is 270 m wide and more than 55 m deep. There is a lake in the bottom of the crater which is a little bit of magic. Transfer back to Reykjavik. B/-/-

Day 3. South Coast Waterfalls, Black Beach and Glacier Hike
(Overnight stay on South coast at Hótel Katla near Vík or similar)
The day begins with two great waterfalls of the south coast, Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss, as well as visiting lesser known, more secret waterfall Glufrabui.
Seljalandsfoss is single cascade fall from 60 meters tall cliff located beneath the Eyjafjallajökull volcano. It is one of the most intriguing waterfalls in Iceland and definitely one of the most famous ones, as it can be fully encircled by foot. Just remember to put your waterproof clothing and hiking shoes on before starting hike! B/-/-

As we continue, we will drive under the great Eyjafjallajökull glacier volcano and the Mýrdalsjökull glacier cap, where we take a Glacier Hike for about 1,5 hours and have a closer look at the Solheimajokull glacier.

Before we reach our hotel, we will stop at the “must see” Black Beach of Reynisfjara, where the sea crashes upon black sands and hexagonal basalt columns and rock stacks tower over the surroundings. Last stop on the second day will be at lovely village of Vik.

Day 4. Glacier Lagoon & Fjadrargljufur Canyon
(Overnight stay in Reykjavik at Klettur Hótel or similar)
This day starts with visit at the amazing Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon where you will enjoy a boat tour. The lagoon is full of huge chunks of ice which crack off Breiðamerkurjökull glacier and float slowly out to sea. Some icebergs wash on shore, lying on the vivid black sand like diamonds on satin, giving the Diamond Beach its name. There is a good possibility of seeing seals swimming around the huge icebergs. B/-/-

After this visual feast we will make a short stop at Hofskirkja, which was the last church of this type to be built in Iceland, dating back to the 19th century. Deep layers of turf make up the roof of the church here, which is also surrounded by moss-covered burial mounds.

Next on the program is a visit to the river canyon at Fjadrargljufur. It is an astonishing place, a winding green gorge about a hundred meters deep and nearly two kilometers long. It’s an extraordinary natural environment, deeply carpeted with fragile mosses. The canyon was formed a few thousand years ago during a glacial period, leaving a snaking river behind when the ice sheet retreated. We will stay at this marvelous place for an hour. Drive back to Reykjavik late in the afternoon.

Day 5. Silver Circle with Lava Caving
(Overnight stay in Borgarnes village at B59 Hotel or similar)
Today we’ll take you to Borgarfjordur, thought to be the location for many of the famous Icelandic Sagas. Deep in the heart of the wild landscapes here, you’ll see Deildartunguhver – the most powerful hot springs in Europe, which pumps out more than 180 liters of boiling water every second.
Awe-inspiring waterfalls at Hraunfossar are next on the itinerary. Magnificent stretch of waterfalls that runs for nearly a kilometer over a rugged lava field. There is another waterfall nearby, known as Barnafoss, or the “childrens waterfall”. Then you’ll explore an astonishing lava cave system at Vidgelmir that was created over a thousand years ago, filled with stalactites, stalagmites and fascinating ice formations. The Vidgelmir Lava Cave is an incredibly colorful underworld, measuring 1585 meters long, nearly 16 meters high, and 16 meters wide. That means it’s easily the largest lava tunnel in the country. B/-/-

Last stop will be at Reykholt, which is an historic site in Iceland’s folklore, featured in the writings of Snorri Sturluson, a famous poet and local chieftain. Snorralaug (Snorri’s Pool) is an old-time hot spring, where locals have bathed for hundreds of years. 
We’ll stay overnight in Borgarnes, which was one of the original settlement sites for the first Icelanders a thousand years ago. This is also an ideal place to look out for the Northern Lights when they are active.

Day 6. Snæfellsnes National Park
The day begins with a scenic drive towards the Snæfellsnes Peninsula – by many called “Iceland in miniature”. There are not some many places here in Iceland where you can see so many kinds of geology packed into such a small area. B/-/-

There are very good reasons why Snaefellsnes was on the Lonely Planet TOP 10 Regions in World 2015 list. While driving along shores of the peninsula you will pass by lovely and charming fishing villages, biggest strato-volcano in Iceland called Snaefellsjokull, walk on top of the cliffs and have an opportunity to spot wild seals resting at the Ytri-Tunga Beach. Djúpalónssandur is another gorgeous black sand beach, where the air is filled with the sounds of birds circling the cliffs and the ocean waves hitting the sand. The most recognizable spot on the peninsula is Kirkjufell (Church) mountain accompanied by a small, but iconic falls.
On the way to Reykjavík you will pass by the Whale Fiord (Hvalfjordur) and the tunnel laying 165 meters below it. Drive back to Reykjavik.