Day 1 – Sunday, July 24
Arrived early am, picked up our car (bus!) rental, and left for the hotel. Drove the southern route (by Blue Lagoon) to see that area/landscape as we wouldn’t be back that way during the trip. We found the hotel once we realized that just because an address indicates a town that doesn’t mean the hotel is actually in that town itself. Our first hotel was not in Selfoss but out in the farm fields surrounded by fields, horses and sheet. The hotel from the outside looks very plain but on the inside it’s clean, bright and efficient.
We made a quick stop at a crater, then headed out on our drive to our first activity- Snorkeling Silfra Daytour. We used DIVE.IS
Tel. (+354) 578-6200 dive@dive.is www.dive.is Meeting point by Silfrá at Þingvellir.
After donning our dry suits (quite a process) we headed across the street from our parking lot meet up point and wandered into the verrrry chilly (thus dry suits needed) waters of Silfrawhere we floated between two continental plates. Our lips got chilly and they give ways to help keep our hands warm in our gloves. It’s super clear and was a fun experience and great way to kick off the trip.
We then drove on to visit Gulfoss Waterfall and the Geysir, had pizza dinner in Selfoss.
HOTEL: Álftröð Guesthouse. ROOM TYPE: Single Room. – ADDRESS: , Álftröð, 801, Selfoss, PHONE: +354 566 6246.
Day 2 – Monday, July 25
Day was taken up with an all day Superjeep tour that was terrific. Checked out of hotel, drove to SuperJeep tour office where we hopped in the two very large 4WD vehicles and headed out. We drove into the Thorsmork valley to explore the glacier and learn about the most recent volcano eruptions and then further on where we had lunch and went on a couple hour hike up over the mountain and down to Porsmortk and back to the car. The valley and the hike were great – a wonderful day with our two great guides. Then on to Hotel Flojotshlio which is also in the middle of a farm area. We stayed in the ‘chalet’s which were like micro houses, and had dinner at the hotel.
TOUR TIME: 10:00am
MEETING LOCATION: Midgard Office in Hvolsvöllur
MEETING TIME: Please be at the Midgard booking office at 9:30am!
Þórsmörk, the valley of the Thunder God Thor, will provide you with an experience of a lifetime, surrounded by volcanic glaciers, rough terrain, unbridged glacial rivers and mind-blowing wilderness. Þórsmörk is located in between the three glaciers Mýrdalsjökull, Tindfjallajökull and Eyjafjallajökull (the one that erupted in 2010). Among other sights and stops along the way, you will visit Gígjökull from where the powerful glacial floods escaped during the eruption in Eyjafjallajökull explosively. Our local staff will guide you through the Eyjafjallajökull eruption scenarios, giving you a full and very vivid account of the action that roared through the area in April 2010 (and with many stories that didn’t hit the global media).
HOTEL: Hótel Fljótshlíð. ROOM TYPE: Cottage. – ADDRESS: Smáratún, Fljótshlíð ,Iceland, PHONE: +354 487 1416.
Day 3 – Tuesday, July 26
Long travel day through gorgeous countryside as we traveled along the coastline up to the Glacier Lagoon. It was about a 3 hour drive but we stopped at the two waterfalls en route, Seljalandsfoss (and the one to it’s left when you go inside a cave to see the interior waterfall) and Skogafoss (huge, rainbow, hike up above the waterfall) getting out to explore and hike around each and then had lunch at the Sudur-Vik in Vik. Unfortunately we didn’t have time to do the awesome 10 hour hike from Skogafoss back between glaciers into the Porsmork valley where we had been the day before – next time! Once at the Glacier Lagoon in Jokulsarlon we went to the beach to see where the icebergs settle on the beach and then viewed the icebergs on the lagoon, which in beautiful. There was space on the boat into the lagoon which we decided to do at the last minute on last boat of the day and were so lucky to have beautiful weather/views and to see a huge iceberg tip over while we were out on the boat (both very rare). Then backtracked a bit to the brand (3 weeks old) new Fosshotel , a more upscale place that our other nights, and nice dinner (but verrrrrry slow service) and evening.
HOTEL: Fosshotel Glacier Lagoon. ROOM TYPE: Family Room. – ADDRESS: Hnappavellir, 785 Öræfi, PHONE: Tel.+354 562 4000.
Day 4 – Wednesday, July 27
Another early departure for our next adventure. We drove on to our Glacier tour. After getting our crampons, boots, ice axes etc we went to the glacier and our guides started hiking. We had two great guides and they took us on the Svínafellsjökul glacier for a couple hours of hiking and exploring an awesome ice cave that had recently been uncovered.
ICELANDIC MOUNTAIN GUIDES Tel. (+354) 587-9999 info@mountainguides.is www.mountainguides.is
TOUR TIME: 13:00 / 1:00pm
MEETING LOCATION: Icelandic Mountain Guides Sales lodge located next to the National Part Visitor Center MEETING TIME: Please arrive at the sales lodge 15 min. prior to departure
Duration: 4hours in total, 3.5 hours on the Ice
We provide: Guiding, glacier gear and safety equipment
You bring: Warm clothing, rain gear, hiking boots and energy bars Note: Boots and rain gear can be rented (1.000 ISK) 4-hour Glacier Hike on Crampons on Svínafellsjökull, part of the great Vatnajökull Glacier in Skaftafell National Park.
This is a moderate glacier tour in the majestic surroundings of Svínafellsjökull. The glacier is hemmed in by some of Iceland’s most spectacular peaks. We climb the Svínafellsjökull glacier tongue up to the deep glacier valley between the summits of Hvannadalshnúkur and Hrútsfjall. We will traverse zones of different glacial formations where huge water cauldrons, deep crevasses and strangely shaped ridges and other ice formations await our discovery.
From there we drove on to Vik for dinner at the same restaurant we had enjoyed for lunch previously. Given the light nights we then stopped at the overlook on the beach to see the arches , just past Vix, and enjoyed the late evening light from the top of Dyrholaey where the puffins live in the cliffs. Beautiful at 10pm! Then drove on back to the hotel we stayed out the first night.
SERVICE: Glacier Adventure @1:00pm. HOTEL: Álftröð Guesthouse. ROOM TYPE: Double Room. – ADDRESS: , Álftröð, 801, Selfoss, PHONE: +354 566 6246.
Day 5 – Thursday, July 28
We headed to the highlands, expecting to spend the day exploring and then sleeping there but had a change of plans part way through. We drove to the highlands area but couldn’t check into out hotel (and it was cold and super windy and the hotel was really remote) so we decided not to stay there. As our car wasn’t a 4WD we couldn’t do the exploring we wanted to so we drove to an idyllic location instead! A highlight of the trip as we followed the dirt roads to get to Gjain where amongst the lava field was a secret eden that has waterfalls and streams and rocks to climb and it’s magical.
From there headed to Fludir for lunch at Cafe Grund, to the local hot springs/pool the ‘secret lagoon’, and then half went to play Soccer Golf and half went horseback riding.
Changed from the Hotel Highlands to the Selfoss Hotel, which is the only hotel we stayed at which was actually in a town, where we had dinner and spent the night. In the hotel building, but not part of the hotel, there is an awesome ice cream shop!
Day 6 – Friday, July 29
Another great day. We drove just outside Selfoss to meet our awesome guides for a day of exploring lava caves and eating Icelandic ‘delicacies’ in the darkness of the cave and then on a hike through gorgeous countryside to a geothermal area where we dammed up the hot river to create pools to bathe in. Can’t recommend this trip or our guides more – awesome people to spend the day with.
ICELAND ACTIVITIES Tel. (+354) 777-6263 Mánamörk 3-5
810 Hveragerði info@icelandactivities.is www.icelandactivities.is
MEETING TIME: 11:00am
MEETING LOCATION: Iceland Activities Booking office (see address above)
In this tour we will explore with you one of many caves that the south part has to offer. We will share with you and explore the geological history of the caves as we travel into the darkness with our lights shining the way. You will witness spectacular lava formations as we work our way into the cave. In the end of the cave we will stop for lunch and offer you a chance to taste some of the Icelandic old traditional food as well as telling you few stories about the trolls that are believed to use the caves as their habitats.
The main purpose of this tour is to take a bath in a geothermal river and enjoy the magnificent nature. You will witness huge geothermal springs while hiking through Reykjadalur, which is known for beautiful and rough nature.
Then on to Hotel Ion – which is set in a beautiful area and has an awesome bar and hot tub looking out over the valley below.
HOTEL: ION Hotel. ROOM TYPE: Double Room. – ADDRESS: Nesjavellir , 801 , reservations@ioniceland.is , www.ioniceland.is/, PHONE: +354 482 3415.
Day 7 – Saturday, July 30
Final day! Left the Ion and headed to the Blue Lagoon for some relaxing in the hot springs, then on to Rejekevikwhere we said goodbye to the Grays, did laundry at the laundry café, explored town, went to the awful ‘how to become an icelander in 60 minutes ‘comedy’ show (don’t recommend), and had great relaxing dinner in the outside garden at Dillon Whiskey Bar.