International Tours - Iceland II
Situated on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, just below the Arctic Circle, Iceland is a hot spot of geothermal activity. Shaped by ongoing volcanic eruptions and shifting icecaps, the country is unrivalled as a place of extreme contrasts and astonishing natural beauty.
Join us on a Lighthouse tour in the Land of Fire and Ice!
Dates
Depart July 13, 2006, return August 26, 2006
Itinerary
Thursday, July 27 and Friday, July 28
Travel to Iceland and recover from jet lag.
Saturday, July 29
Guide will meet travelers at the airport and pick up the early arrivals from Hotel Keflavik. We meet for breakfast in Duus, Keflavik. We travel to the Gardskagi Lighthouse, the Reykjanesviti Lighthouse, and then to swim at Blue Lagoon (entrance and towel rental included). Proceed to Hveragerdi for check in at hotel, stopping at the Sandskeid Lighthouse en route. Our afternoon sightseeing will include Baugstadir Lighthouse, Stokkseyri, with visit of the Lighthouse Map of Iceland and a lecture on Icelandic Lighthouses. Dinner and overnight at Hotel Örk, Hveragerdi.
Sunday, July 30
We begin a golden circle tour, visiting Thingvellir National Park, Geysir hot springs and the Gullfoss Waterfall. We proceed to Skalholt for cucumber schnapps, then travel to the old Bishopric Skalholt for an organ concert at Skalholt Church. Have dinner in Stokkseyri. Overnight at Hotel Örk, Hveragerdi.
Monday, July 31
Drive along the south coast, stopping at Seljalandsfoss and Skogarfoss. View the Dyrhólaey Lighthouse and the Medallandsfjara Lighthouse. Visit the Village of Vík to stroll on the black beach. Continue to the village of Kirkjubæjarklaustur for check-in and have dinner at the Hotel Klaustur.
Tuesday, August 1
Drive along the vast, sandy plains of Skeidararsandur to the national park Skaftafell. Board a hay wagon for an adventurous tour to Ingólfshöfdi Lighthouse. Travel east past the Vatnajokull glacier to the Jökulsárlón glacial lagoon for an afternoon float trip among the icebergs. Travel to Hotel Skaftafell for check-in and dinner in Oraefi.
Wednesday, August 2
Travel east for a morning visit to the Hornafjödur Lighthouse, continue with a visit to Stokksnes Lighthouse and Hvalsnes Lighthouse. Travel to Djupivogurfor check-in at hotel and have dinner.
Thursday, August 3
Sightseeing and viewing of the eastern fjords including Streitishvarf Lighthouse, Dalatangi Lighthouse, and Vattarnes Lighthouse. Continue to Egilsstadir for check in at hotel and have dinner.
Friday, August 4
Day of visiting Vopnafjordur Lighthouse and a drive around Lake Lögurinn. Dinner at a restaurant in Egilsstadir. Overnight in Egilsstadir.
Saturday, August 5
Travel west. Visit Lake Myvatn, a bird sanctuary, explore the lava formations at Dimmuborgir, the geothermal area east of Námaskard, Volcano Krafla, and Mt. Hverfjall, a gigantic tephra crater. En route to Akureyri we make a visit to Godafoss waterfall. Dinner at restaurant in Akureyri. Overnight in in Akureyri
Sunday, August 6
Travel to Husavik for whale watching by boat at Nordursigling. After our boat ride, drive north to Tjörnes peninsula and visit to Tjörnestá Lighthouse. Continue on to National Park Jokulsargljufurd, the Ásbyrgi gorge and the majestic Dettifoss waterfall. Travel back to Akureyri for dinner in a nearby restaurant. Overnight in Akureyri.
Monday, August 7
Drive north to Ólafsfjördur to visit the Saudanes Peninsula Lighthouse and Hegranes Lighthouse before heading southwest towards Borgarnes. Arrive at Hotel Bifröst for check-in and dinner.
Tuesday, August 8
Excursion around Snæfellsnes peninsula with views of the with the magical glacier Snæfellsjokull. Visit the Öndverdarnes Lighthouse. Continue on to Stykkishólmur for a boat trip to some of the islands on the Breidafjordur Bay - many of which have Lighthouses. Dinner aboard ship. Overnight at Hotel Bifröst.
Wednesday, August 9
Exploration of Borgarfjordur Valley and Hvalfjördur Bay with a visit to Sandeyri Lighthouse. Travel to Reykjavik for a panoramic tour of the city and a visit to the Grótta Lighthouse. Transfer to hotel for check-in. Dinner at a restaurant in Reykjavik. Overnight at Hotel Lind, Reykjavik.
Thursday, August 10
Free time in the morning for shopping. 09:45 Complimentary shuttle to shopping Malls, Kringla and Smaralind. (Stores open at 10:00) 2:00 PM pick up at the hotel for transfer to the airport.
Trip Details
Trip Costs Include: Thirteen days, and twelve nights, $7,300 double and $4,400 single, without airfare. Full Scandinavian breakfast each morning, and dinner each evening. Including also almost 24 hours of summer daylight to enjoy geothermal swimming at the world-famous Blue Lagoon, a float trip among the icebergs of Jökulsárlón Lagoon, a whale-watching trip at Húsavík, and visits to over 20 Lighthouses along the Ring Road.
Airfare was about $750 per person in 2005. You can estimate a double with air at $8,800 and a single at $5,150, and then calculate the increase based on last year's fuel prices. Iceland Air has gateways from San Francisco, Minneapolis, Orlando, Baltimore, New York and Boston.