Iceland and its Magical Northern Lights

Welcome to Iceland! Upon arrival at Keflavik Airport, your private guide/driver will be there to greet you and provide a transfer to your hotel on the country’s south coast. Along the way, you’ll get to explore the wild landscapes on the Reykjanes Peninsula in the southwest. A UNESCO-listed region as a Global Geopark due to its significant geological sites with 55 that can be visited, including vast mossy lava fields, volcanos, lakes, and mud pools. Afterward, continue to your hotel which sits in a remote location on the south coast with the lack of light pollution making it a fantastic spot for viewing the aurora borealis.

Today you’ll get to witness numerous jaw-dropping sights on the south coast with your expert guide. That includes famous waterfalls like Seljalandsfoss, which cascades nearly 200 feet into a pool below. A path leads behind the veil of the water, providing a unique perspective from behind the falls too. Just a short drive further down the road, you’ll see Skogafoss, a grand waterfall that’s over 80 feet wide and drops almost 60 feet with rainbows frequently appearing in the mist. Visit the black sands of Reynisfjara Beach and put on crampons for a small-group tour that includes walking on a glacier.

The popular Golden Circle route is on the agenda today. It includes numerous tourist attractions, including Thingvellir National Park where you can stand between two continents at the tectonic divide. Travel to the Geysir area which features boiling mud pits and erupting geysers like Strokkur which skyrockets 100 feet into the air every 5 to 10 minutes. Feel the chilly spray and marvel at the partially frozen Gullfoss Falls, Iceland’s own version of Niagara Falls, and then explore some of the lesser-known spots thanks to the knowledge of your local guide before checking into your hotel in the central part of Reykjavik.

Meet your local guide this morning for a tour of Reykjavik’s highlights, a relaxed clean city with many street murals, art galleries, street murals, and impressive architectural designs. Marvel at everything from iconic Hallgrimskirkja Church, the tallest in the country with a 244-foot tower visible from many vantage points throughout the city, to Harpa, a concert hall with glass walls providing views of the waterfront and mountains beyond. Afterward, join a Superjeep tour that will take you into the countryside far off the beaten path from light pollution to find the best spots for viewing northern lights while enjoying the scenery along the way.

A special cooking experience this morning provides the perfect souvenir: Icelandic cooking skills. A husband and wife team will provide instruction on cooking traditional Icelandic dishes while explaining how each one relates to the Icelandic sagas. The sagas are prose narratives primarily based on historical events that mostly occurred in Iceland during the ninth through early 11th centuries. After your class, you’ll have the rest of the day to enjoy the city at your leisure. It’s fun just to wander but we suggest stopping for a famous hot dog at Bæjarins Beztu, asking for an “ein með öllu,” a lamb-based hot dog and locals’ favorite.

While today is departure day, you’ll get to enjoy one more Iceland highlight: the Blue Lagoon. Arguably its most famous attraction, it’s what attracted many to the country when the tourism boom began here. Your private driver will meet you at your Reykjavik hotel for a transfer back to Keflavik Airport, but first, you’ll stop to enjoy the milky turquoise waters known for their healing properties thanks to the high concentration of minerals. The package we’ve purchased for you includes a drink at the lagoon bar in the middle of the soothing warm water and a silica mud mask that takes advantage of the geothermal bioactive wonders.