Discover spectacular hiking trails and scenic coastline in Iceland, a land where the primeval forces of volcanoes and glaciers rule.

Iceland is a land of contrasts more extreme than any place we’ve visited. Vast, desolate lava fields are interrupted by lush moss-carpeted valleys. Giant cascading waterfalls give way to vibrantly colored rhyolite mountains. From the other-wordly landscapes of the south coast, to the mystical power of Snaefellsnes Peninsula in the west, our overland expedition takes in the most beautiful and inspiring areas of Iceland.

Hiking on the south coast leads us through fairytale landscapes and past dramatic waterfalls, under the powerful presence of Europe’s largest glaciers, while an amphibious boat trip brings us up close to icebergs. A visit to the site of the ancient Viking parliament, a glacier exploration, and an optional ride on the famed Icelandic horse round out our adventure. In between, we spend a day crossing the interior highlands of Landmannalaugar, soaking in hot streams and hiking colorful mountains…an experience not to be missed. Testaments to the constantly evolving earth are everywhere – lava fields, hot rivers, craters, and glaciers dominate our views daily. In the evenings, we return to comfortable accommodations and enjoy relaxing in “hot pots” or taking nighttime strolls under the midnight sun.

Days 1-4: Meet in Reykjavik, Iceland. Hike past steaming fissures and tremendous waterfalls. Soak in a natural hot river. Board an amphibious boat to explore the bird cliffs of Dyrholaey. Visit picturesque Vik. Hike above endless lava fields. View Vatnajokull, Europe's largest glacier from one of our favorite trails. Explore an iceberg-filled lagoon by boat.

Day 5:  Transfer to Thingvellir via the fjallabak, or "route behind the mountains," taking time to soak in the views of Landmannalauger from the comfort of a hot river.

Days 6-7: Explore Thingvellir, both the historic setting of the world's first parliament and the best place to view the rift between the Eurasian and North America plates. Ride Icelandic horses on the beach at low tide, or hike to a beautifully shaped crater. Enjoy the inspiring presence of the mystical Snaefellsjokull from our luxurious hotel.

Day 8: Depart from Reykjavik

To feel that you have discovered a new place, and have enjoyed experiences that others rarely have, is one of the great joys of adventure travel. This feeling accompanies us daily as we explore Iceland. Iceland is one of the great undiscovered destinations in Europe, with accommodations that are a charming blend of wilderness, rusticity, and European sophistication. It won't be like this forever, as its reputation for stunning, unusual scenery, fascinating geology, and cosmopolitan Reykjavik grow. Now is the time to experience an Iceland hiking adventure!

Most Convenient Airport:
Keflavik International Airport, Keflavik, Iceland (airport code KEF)

Meeting Time and Place:
Your guide(s) will meet you on the first day of your trip at 8:30 a.m. in the lobby of Hotel Borg in downtown Reykjavik.

Departure Time and Place:
Your guide(s) will provide drop-offs at your choice of downtown Rekjavik locations by noon or the Keflavik International Airport by 2:00 p.m. on the last day of the trip.

Overview:  Comfortable, modern small hotels, all with private baths. Accommodations in Iceland’s countryside are scarce, and ours are chosen for charm and location, rather than extensive amenities.

Nights 1 & 2:  Hotel Skógar
Hvolsvöllur, Iceland

A small, charming hotel near the base of one of Iceland’s most impressive waterfalls; great outdoor hot tub and sauna.

Nights 3 & 4:  Hotel Laki
Kirkjubaejarklaustur, Iceland

Nestled between the mountains and the sea at the base of the Kaldbakur range, Hotel Laki offers both modern-style hotel rooms and traditional cottages.

Night 5:  Hotel Valhöll
Selfoss, Iceland

A small historic hotel ideally located in Thingvellir National Park, whose dining room has a reputation for fine food and service to match.

Nights 6 & 7:  Hotel Hellissandur
Hellissandur, Iceland

Well-located on the Snaefellsnes Peninsula, Hotel Hellissandur commands magnificent views of Snaefellsjökull glacier.

DAY 1  
Hengill Volcano

Hiking – moderate, 4-5 hours on hiking trails and rocky terrain. There will be stream crossings.

Upon meeting our guide in Reykjavík we head for Hengill Volcano. This active volcanic ridge is filled with the hot springs, striking colors, and bizarre lava formations that define the “land of fire and ice.” We begin our first hike in a geothermal field,where sulfurous vapors rise from the ground. After some time, we come to a viewpoint overlooking a lush green valley and the amazing sight of a steaming-hot river. From here, we hike downhill and enjoy a picnic lunch and perhaps a dip in the naturally warm water. After lunch, we continue down the trail past bubbling steam vents, taking in views across the southern plains to the northern Atlantic.

On the way to our hotel, we stop at Seljalandsfoss, where we can hike behind the falls. This afternoon we arrive in Hvolsvöllur, and our country hotel for the next two evenings awaits.
Hotel Skógar, Hvolsvöllur, Iceland

DAY 2 
Skógafoss Waterfall and Glacier Exploration

Optional morning hiking – moderate, up to 2 hours on hiking trails, with approximate elevation gain and loss of 1,500’; afternoon glacier walking – easy to moderate, 3-4 hours.

This morning you may choose to enjoy a leisurely exploration of the grounds surrounding our hotel, including the impressive Skógafoss, a 200-foot-high cascade that often produces rainbows in its mist. For those in the mood for a more substantial hike, we climb the short, steep ascent next to the falls, and continue hiking along Skogá River. We pass many beautiful waterfalls and, on a clear day, we can see glaciers in the distance, including Eyjafjallajokull and Myrdalsjokull. This is true Icelandic wilderness on the heath, with fantastic views towards the coast.

You may also choose to visit the local country museum this morning, boasting an impressive collection of historic farming and fishing tools, as well as folk crafts spanning hundreds of years. The museum’s curator is a national treasure himself, often personally offering a grand tour of his collection. This is also one of the few places in the country to explore authentic sod houses, which were the primary form of shelter for many Icelanders until the 20th century.

After lunch, we drive a short distance to the Eyjafjallajökull massif. From the eastern face, the Sólheimajökull glacier tongue extends down from its parent glacier, Mýrdalsjökull, Iceland’s fourth largest. Here we meet our Icelandic mountain guide, who equips us with the proper tools (crampons and ice axes), for an adventure onto a living glacier. After instruction on the proper and safe use of our equipment, we traverse the glacier onto an ice field where a wonderland of ice sculptures, ridges and deep crevasses awaits our discovery.

This evening finds us back at our country hotel, perhaps enjoying the late evening sun from the outdoor “hot pots.”
Hotel Skógar, Hvolsvöllur, Iceland

DAY 3 
Fjadrárgljúfur and Systravatn

Hiking – easy to moderate, total of 3-4 hours on hiking trails.

Our drive this morning takes us through the south sand desert past icecaps and active volcanoes. Along the way, we hike along Fjadrárgljúfur canyon, a beautifully eroded canyon overlooking Eldhraun. This seemingly endless lava field was formed in 1783 during the most devastating volcanic eruption in the history of Iceland. Upon arriving to Kirkjubaejarklaustur, we hike to Sisters’ Bluff (named for two nuns – one good and one evil). We ascend a trail past a waterfall and through a small birch grove, before arriving at the top of the bluff. From here, expansive views of rolling prairie extend to the horizon beyond the shores of Systravatn (Sisters’ Lake).
After our hike we travel to our hotel, immersed in the spectacular scenery we have been enjoying throughout our journey.
Hotel Laki, Kirkjubaejarklaustur, Iceland

DAY 4 
Skaftafell National Park and Jökulsárlón Boat Trip

Hiking – easy to moderate, about 2 hours on hiking trails. 

After breakfast, we drive across Skeiðarársandur, a vast river delta formed by runoff from nearby glaciers. Catastrophic flooding occurs here regularly, as geothermal activity melts the glaciers and causes a tremendous amount of water to flood the delta. Across the delta is Skaftafell National Park, home to Europe’s largest glacier, Vatnajökull, whose presence lords over the surrounding landscape. Our hike begins from the park’s visitor’s center, and steadily climbs up through birch forest to a plateau. Here, the landscape turns to tundra, and the views are magnificent in all directions. Depending on the pace of our group, we may continue to a point overlooking Skaftafellsökull, a massive tongue of Vantnajökull glacier. Gaping crevasses attest to the constant movement of these seemingly still glaciers. Otherwise, we follow a gentle descent through the tundra to Svartifoss, a beautiful cascade framed by basalt columns.

From Skaftafell we continue to Jökulsárlón, stopping along the way for a picnic lunch at the base of a glacier. At Jökulsárlón, we board a small amphibious boat to venture into the ice-filled lagoon, where we are dwarfed by dozens of floating icebergs. 
Hotel Laki, Kirkjubaejarklaustur, Iceland

DAY 5 
Highland Expedition and Landmannalaugar

Hiking – easy to moderate, total of about 3 hours.

Today we have the special experience of venturing into the Icelandic highlands for a day of hiking and soaking in a hot river, whose soothing waters are heated by gases and magma from deep beneath the earth’s crust. The highland roads are unpaved, and we join other adventurers to ford rivers in a specialized bus, taking the Fjallabak (literally, “route behind the mountains”) to Landmannalaugar, an area of multicolored rhyolite mountains and hot springs. Along the way, there may be time to hike into the volcanic rift of Eldjá, through a landscape of moss-covered boulders. At Landmannalaugar, there are additional hiking opportunities, as well as the option to soak in a natural hot river before a picnic lunch. This afternoon, we continue to Thingvellir National Park and our perfectly-located hotel.
Hotel Valhöll, Thingvellir National Park, Iceland

DAY 6 
Thingvellir National Park and transfer to Snaefellsnes Peninsula

Morning hiking – easy to moderate, 2 hours over mostly flat but occasionally rocky hiking trails. Optional afternoon hiking – easy to moderate, 2-3 hours or optional horseback riding (at additional expense).

This morning we explore Thingvellir, a national park of great historic significance to the Icelandic people. The park is home to Iceland’s first parliament, established in 930 A.D. Each summer, representatives from communities around the country would meet here to establish laws and resolve disputes. The journey could take weeks over the rugged terrain. We spend the morning traversing the parliament plains, from the doors of our hotel. We also explore a natural phenomenon that makes Thingvellir an important geological site – here we are standing on the rift between the Eurasian and North American plates – which are constantly, over the millennia, drifting apart.

After lunch, we depart for the Snaefellsnes Peninsula. Along the way, we have the option to ride Icelandic horses at a local farm on the coast (please note horseback riding is not included in the price). These friendly horses have been selectively bred for centuries to produce an animal that is even-tempered, strong, and has great endurance. They also have a very smooth gait – the tölt – that makes riding a wonderfully comfortable experience even for novice riders. Those who prefer to hike can take a trail to nearby Eldborg, and look into an immense crater created in an eruption more than 5,000 years ago.

Later this afternoon, we check into our hotel, located in a traditional fishing village along the coast.
Hotel Hellissandur, Hellissandur, Iceland

DAY 7 
Snaefellsnes Peninsula

Morning hiking – easy to moderate, about 2 hours; Optional afternoon hiking – easy to moderate, 2-4 hours.

This morning we depart our hotel for the south coast of the peninsula, for a hike from one small fishing hamlet to another – Arnarstapi to Hellnar. The coastal and glacier views are beautiful, and wildflowers dot the landscape. In early summer abundant bird colonies also populate the coast. There are, of course, numerous kittiwakes and puffins, but this is also one of the few areas of Iceland to find the white-tailed eagle, a rare bird (once nearly extinct) with an impressive wingspan of up to eight feet. We have time to enjoy lunch on our own in one of the small fishing villages, before heading for Djúpalónsandur, a black cobblestone beach strewn with the remnants of a trawler that was shipwrecked there in 1948. A short walk here reveals poignant reminders of the challenge of a life so closely tied to a sometimes violent sea.

Later this afternoon, you can choose to have a leisurely afternoon enjoying our hotel and the small town of Hellisandur, or embark on a final hike through nearby Snaefellsness National Park. Tonight we enjoy a final celebratory dinner and toast our Icelandic adventure under the midnight sun.
Hotel Hellissandur, Hellissandur, Iceland

DAY 8 
Transfer to Reykjavík & farewell

This morning we have an early breakfast before departing for Reykjavík. In Reykjavík, we are free to enjoy lunch and do some shopping in the city center before being transported to Keflavík Airport in time for flights home.

Please note that this is a typical itinerary, and actual activities may vary to take advantage of weather conditions, local events, and to allow serendipity to play a hand in your experience.  Accommodations are as outlined in the itinerary, although we reserve the right to change these should the need arise.

$5495 per person (June 14-21)
$4745 per person (July 19-26 -- SOLD OUT)
$4745 per person (August 9-16 -- save nearly $1,200 off of the original price!)

Due to the recent decline of the Icelandic Krona against the dollar, Boundless Journeys is happy to pass along a $400 per person savings for June, and nearly $1,200 per person for July and August!

• Expert leadership
• All accommodations
• All meals except two lunches
• All transportation during the tour, including amphibious boat
• Park fees
• All activities as noted in the itinerary (optional horseback riding at additional expense)