Iceland...Land
of Fire and Ice, Naturally!
June 19 - 25, & June 19 - July 1, 2004
(Min.
of 10, Max. of 16 Guests)
Day
1 - June 19 - Early morning arrival
in Iceland! Our scenic transfer takes us directly
to the countryside. Rest and relax until our first
beautiful hike inside a canyon with wonderful rhyolite
formations. After the hike take a horse ride on the
soft meadows along the river banks or a swim in the
local geothermal swimming pool. (B,D)
Day
2 - June 20 - Natural Treasures and Cultural Pleasures.
Our stop is Þingvellir national park, the birthplace
of democracy in Iceland, a place of great history
and natural wonders. This is the site of the earliest
parliament established in the year 930 and this is
where you can experience the hidden powers of nature
as it marks the boundary of the tectonic plates of
North America and Euroasia. Spend the entire morning
in the area hiking and learning about the history.
Enjoy wild trout for lunch, continue on to the Golden
Waterfalls & hot spouting spring area of Geysir.
Tonight we host a welcome feast Viking style in an
authentic replica of a Viking longhouse. (B,L,D)
Day
3 - June 21 - Realm of the Thunder God!
This day is dedicated to the beautiful nature area
of Thórsmörk, named after Thor, the god of thunder.
In the shelter of two glaciers a most beautiful oasis
has been formed. We'll stop at the beautiful Seljalandsfoss
waterfall and hike around the most famous spots of
Thórsmörk. We'll explore the awsome Stakkholtsgjá
canyon and finish our day by walking the beautiful
sea eroded cliffs and thundering Skógar waterfall.
(B,L,D)
Day
4 – June 22 - From the Mountain to the Seashore.
We spend a whole day in this wonderful countryside
between the high mountains and icecaps forming a spectacular
backdrop and the glimmering Atlantic Ocean. The islands
and headlands along the coast are homes to thousands
of sea birds such as the picturesque puffins. An adventurous
boat trip amidst the skerries and islands gets us
closer to the sea birds. We continue heading inland
where we hike along a clear spring river with numerous
waterfalls up to the edge of the icecap and then back
to the lowland.
(B,L,D)
Day
5 – June 23 - In the Realm of Ice and Fire!
Our morning takes us across the black sand desert
of the south until we arrive at the vast lava field,
the largest in the world - called Firelava. From there
we drive to a large river canyon for a walk before
continuing to the charming town of Kirkjubæjarklaustur
for a brief stop. From there it is onwards to Skaftafell
national park where we spend the entire afternoon
hiking. (B,D)
Day
6 - June 24 - By the Mightly Glaciers.
Spend the morning hiking in the area of the national
park where we hike up to the sliding glaciers to study
the icecaps. Or spend the morning in the nature center
in the park. Here there is ample time to explore and
lunch at your leisure. There is a wonderful series
of waterfalls running in two canyons. In the afternoon
we'll drive to the justly famous glacier lagoon for
a boat ride among the glaciers swimming on the water.
(B,D)
Day
7 – June 25 - Eastern Fiords.
Today we drive to the Eastern Fiords of Iceland.
The
Southern Island -
We bid farewell to those on the Southern Island trip
as they board their flight back to Reykjavik for an
optional extension or Kaflavik Airport for their flight
home. (B,L)
The
Perimeter Tour -
We will spend the night at in the lush green fiords
of Eastern Iceland. Our walk will look to the glaciers
of the west and to the Atlantic Ocean to the east.
(B,L,D)
Day
8 – June 26 - The Living Lake!
In northern Iceland, spend a whole day studying Lake
Mývatn and its environment. We start by visiting the
nature center in the town Reykjahlíð and then venture
into the volcanic area to see some recent lava formations,
explosive craters, boiling mud pots and solfataras
and fissures filled with natural hot water. After
lunch we will be focusing on the lake area and the
rich life in the lake supporting the thousands of
birds and trout in the lake. We spend the afternoon
strolling along the shore of the lake in the lookout
for bird species like the colourful Slovenian Grebe
and others. Dimmuborgir - the black castles await
us in all their splendour and make a perfect ending
to an exciting day. This is a wonderland for hikers
as we walk to a huge ash wall crater Hverfjall and
from there into Dimmuborgir.
(B,L,D)
Day
9 – June 27 - Corridors of Power!
Today we head for the largest river canyon in Iceland
- Jökulsárgljúfur, a national park. We will study
the effects of the powerful river Jökulsá á Fjöllum
that has eroded the rockbed to create fascinating
sculptures and caves. The drive from Mývatn takes
us across the striking wilderness where endless sand
deserts and lava fields meet the eye with the backdrop
of powerful volcanoes. Dettifoss waterfall is the
largest in Europe in quantity of water. We'll hike
down to the falls and then visit another part of the
canyon - Hljóðaklettar or the rocks of echo. Bizarre
formations or caves and hectagonal columnar basalt
appear around the horizon as we park the bus and take
a closer look. Walking paths bring us into the caves
where the columns look like organ pipes and the echo
is amazing. (B,L,D)
Day
10 – June 28 - The Arctic Circle!
After a one hour drive from Mývatn we arrive in the
colourful capital of the north Akureyri where we enjoy
some leisure time. Visit the botanical gardens, enjoy
this lovely town for shopping, a casual stroll and
lunch at your leisure. Today is an optional tour to
Grimsey island to cross the arctic circle. The tour
includes a flight to the island. After lunch we continue
to the town of Saudárkrókur where we spend the next
night. The route is beautiful, high mountains and
deep fjords. Enjoy a gentle hike this afternoon before
checking into our hotel. (B,D)
Day
11 – June 29 - SNÆFELLSNES - Center or Mystic Powers!
We head to the west coast towards the peninsula of
Snæfellsnes, Iceland's newest national park. A favorite
of our local guide, it is off the beaten track, and
wonderfully pristine and special. Some say it holds
mystic powers and many have been expecting extra terrestial
phenomena to appear in the area. The major center
of energy is the glacier Snæfellsjökull made universally
known by Jules Vernes in the story the Voyage to the
Center of the Earth. (B,L,D)
Day
12 – June 30 - Powerful Encounters
We spend the whole day in the area. We start with
a tour to the glacier in special vehicles that bring
us to the top. Maybe we will sense the power so many
talk about. A short walk may be possible depending
upon the ice. We continue on to the town of Stykkisholmur
for a wonderful boat trip to the islands in the fjord
of Breidafjordur. These are true eco gems with wonderful
bird life and scenery.Taste fresh sea shells - the
catch of the day. This evening spend time walking
the beach or horseback riding. (B,L,D)
Day
13 – July 1 - Reykjavikík - The Smoky Bay!
Today
we head back to Keflavik Airport for our transatlantic
flight home or on to Reykjavík for a short extension
of our stay in Iceland.
Options
include accommodations at world famous Borg Hotel,
a visit to the Blue Lagoon and a walking tour orientation
walk through the city with free time to wander and
explore. We'll host a Farewell Dinner at a local restaurant.
(B,L)
