Grand tour of Iceland
| country: | Iceland |
| departures: | 2010: 6 Jun, 20 Jun, 18 Jul, 1 Aug |
| price: | From £2599 (15 days) including flights from the UK, from £2299 excluding flights. Single supplement £300. |
| vouchers: | Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday |
the amazing things you'll be doing
Iceland is a country like no other, with exceptional landscapes and geographical phenomena. We circumnavigate the whole country to experience the natural wonders of its incredible geology. The huge natural forces at work here have left the land dotted with fissures and volcanoes, geysers and lava flows that make Iceland a truly unique destination. The scenery is an enthralling mix of towering peaks, rolling grassland, black volcanic desert, huge icecaps and tumbling glaciers - all of which we explore thoroughly on our 'full-circle' route. Sightseeing is generally done on foot and there are some optional walks to stretch the legs.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Fly to Reykjavik. |
| Day 2: | Visit Thingvellir volcanic rift, Laugarvatn natural steam bath, Geysir waterspouts and Gullfoss waterfall; to Hella. |
| Day 3: | Across southern Iceland visiting Seljarlandsfoss and Skogafoss waterfalls plus Dyrholaey sea-cliffs, famous for puffins and other seabirds. |
| Day 4: | Into Skaftafell N.P. where glaciers tumble down from Vatnajokul Icecap; to Jokulsarlon glacial lagoon for walk along shore and optional boat trip among icebergs. |
| Day 5: | Drive through stunning Eastern Fjords to Eidar. |
| Day 6: | Inland through remote volcanic landscapes to Dettifoss waterfall, the most powerful in Europe; to Asbrygri Canyon. |
| Day 7: | To Husavik for optional whale watching trip, then to Lake Myvatn, a fascinating area of pseudo craters, lava flows and hot springs. |
| Day 8: | More time in Myvatn including Krafla Volcano; to Akureyri, the capital of the north. |
| Day 9: | Free day to explore Akureyri. |
| Day 10: | Long drive west to mountainous Snaefellsnes Peninsula, with stop at a reconstructed 'turf house'. |
| Day 11: | Day to explore Snaefellsnes N.P., home to Snaefellsjokul Icecap, fishing villages, old lava flows and abundant bird life. |
| Day 12: | To Reykjavik, stopping for walk at Eldborg Crater. |
| Day 13: | Day exploring Reykjanes Peninsula: Blue Lagoon, cliffs at Reykjanes and Krisuvik Hot Springs. |
| Day 14: | Free day in Reykjavik; optional horse riding, sea kayaking or lava-tube caving. |
| Day 15: | Fly to London. |
small group adventure holiday
Typically you will be sharing your experiences with between 4-20 like minded travellers (depending on the trip, operator and how many others are booked on the trip) and you'll have a group leader with you. Whether you are travelling alone or with friends its good value, and a great way to meet new people! While itineraries are pre-planned there is some flexibility and you'll have plenty of privacy. This trip will appeal to travellers of all ages who enjoy meeting new people as well as seeing new places. award winner
This tourism business won an award in our 2004 Responsible Tourism Awards - organised by responsibletravel.com in association with The Times, World Travel Market and Geographical, Magazine of the Royal Geographical Societyhow this holiday makes a difference
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This tour has been designed to both operate in a way that minimises our impact on the environment that we visit and to maximise the benefit that our clients can have on the host community.
We use a locally based operator and have established a long-term partnership, assisting with local staff training in all aspects of their jobs, thereby investing in the people to help improve their knowledge and future prospects. All our Icelandic leaders are committed to Responsible Tourism and have received training and get additional refresher training on a regular basis. The leaders will give a briefing on Responsible Tourism issues to help you understand how you can help reduce you impact and maximise the benefits to the local communities from your visit. We use predominantly locally owned and run accommodation on this trip. This contributes directly to the local communities as local staff are employed and locally produced and sourced goods are bought for the accommodation benefiting the wider community. During the trip we visit a number of national parks and see traditional crafts made at source ensuring that any money for purchases goes straight to the local community. At our offices we have worked to reduce our carbon footprint through a reduction of energy use and energy conservation measures. We also actively try to reduce the waste produced by having active reduction and recycling policies in place. We run annual staff workshops on Responsible Tourism. Global warming is a reality and to help you make a difference by reducing the carbon dioxide that is produced when you travel we offer a chance to carbon balance your flights. We encourage all our clients to do this and do so for all our staff travel. Go on do your bit! |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |