Highlights of Iceland Tour: Trek Through Iceland in 10 Days

Horses in the mountains of Iceland

What to expect on this itinerary

Designed for the traveler who wants to experience as much of Iceland as possible in a week and a half, this adventurous 10-day journey is an expedition into a country that can make you forget about your life back home.Snowmobile across glaciers, discover colorful gems beneath the surface, and indulge in a whale-watching expedition. Iceland’s landscapes are stark and miraculous. Uncover the splendor of Iceland by booking your trip today.

Countries Visited

Iceland

Places Visited

Reykjavik, Isafjordur, Akureyri, Kopasker, Egilsstadir, Vik

Suggested Duration

10 Days

Customizable Itinerary

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Day 1

Reykjavik – The Oldest Brewery in Iceland

After landing in Reykjavik, you will be greeted by the land of fire and ice. When your baggage arrives, your private transfer will escort you to Sandvik beach. This beach possesses black sand, which is very unusual in most parts of the world. From here, your guide will lead you to the Viking World Museum, which houses a ship that sailed from Iceland to New York. It celebrates Iceland’s central role in discovering North America over 1,000 years ago. When you have had your fill of history, your guide will lead you to the oldest beer-producing factory in Iceland, which was established in 1913.

What's Included:

Transfer
Accommodation
Tour
Day 2

Reykjavik – The Black Sand Beach

Day 3

Isafjordur – The Cliffs of Latrabjarg

Day 4

Akureyri – Follow Age-Old Footsteps

Day 5

Akureyri – Bask in Hot Springs

Day 6

Kopasker – The Ancient Power of the Arctic Henge

Day 7

Egilsstadir – The Rhyolite Mountains

Day 8

Vik – A Beach of Diamonds

Day 9

Reykjavik – Venture to Hidden Waterfalls

Day 10

Reykjavik – Departure

Trip Highlights

  • Revel in the history of the Vikings like when they set sail for North America over 1,000 years ago
  • Snowmobile through the remarkable sights of the Golden Circle and feel the shifting tectonic plates in the Silfra Fissure
  • Unearth the unexplored areas of the Westfjords before traversing across the jewel of a waterfall in the region
  • Recline in a high-speed vessel as you indulge in a whale-watching expedition
  • Stroll across the rootless craters that resemble the Athabascan Valles of another planet
  • Journey on horseback through moss-covered lava fields before chasing the northern lights
  • Indulge in a hike to the top of Ljosatungur mountain in the breathtaking Borgarfjordur
  • Marvel at Iceland’s most elegant waterfall: Svartifoss
  • Descend into the 1,000 and 2,000-year-old colorful lava tubes that formed from eruptions
  • Witness the tallest church in the entire country that was inspired by the waterfall Svartifoss

Detailed Description

Iceland is a country that possesses majestic waterfalls, massive glaciers, mystical canyons that appear as if out of nowhere, and many other natural wonders that are waiting for you to explore. During your stay, you will be impressed by the country’s charm while discovering unique landscapes, such as lava caves that conceal remarkable hot springs. From the oldest beer company in Iceland to walking on black sand beaches, you will experience many of the highlights that Iceland has to offer during this luxurious, 10-day adventure.

The Westfjords are a wonder to behold, but many visitors tend to miss them on their vacation to Iceland. The westernmost point holds a cluster of vibrant birdlife, and nearby, lies the magical, bridal veil waterfall of Dynjandi. The following day, you will indulge in a whale-watching expedition in Akureyri before learning about the Skutustadir pseudocraters that resemble Mars. You will enter a crack in the ground to access the Grjotagja lava cave, which holds a geothermal secret. Here, you will be enchanted by the folklore that surrounds this mystical cave. Afterward, you will venture toward the Arctic Henge, where you will ride sturdy, Icelandic steeds across lava fields before flying high above the Asbyrgi Canyon.

The following day, you will be amazed at the volcanic rock as you hike to the top of Ljosatungur mountain near Borgarfjordur. Then, you will traipse across a glittering Beach that will make you feel like you are walking on diamonds. You will then make your way across the gigantic Langjokull glacier, and as you drive back toward Reykjavik, you will traverse the popular Seljalandsfoss to locate a hidden gem of Gljufrabui. You will also be provided with the opportunity to submerge yourself in the healing depths of the Blue Lagoon, which has the ability to refresh your soul. The exciting and elemental nature of Iceland will empower you with its fierce charm one last time as your private transfer escorts you to Keflavik Airport for your flight home.

Starting Price

$3,000 per person (excluding international flights)

Your Zicasso trip is fully customizable, and this sample itinerary is a starting place for your travel plans. Actual costs are dynamic, and your selection of accommodations and activities, your season of travel, and other such variables will bring this budget guideline up or down. Throughout your planning experience with your Zicasso specialist, your itinerary is designed around your budget. You can book your trip when you are satisfied with every detail. Planning your trip with a Zicasso travel specialist is a free service.

What's Included

The starting price is based on travel during the low season for a minimum of two travelers staying in shared 3-star accommodations. Please inquire for a custom trip quote based on your travel preferences and travel dates.

4.9

Verified Traveler Reviews

Based on 302 reviews

Iceland Vacation Review: Reykjavík, Akureyri, Nature, Waterfalls, Glaciers, Whale Watching

First of all, Iceland is strikingly beautiful. We went from Reykjavík along the southern coast, then north along eastern Iceland, all the way north to Akureyri. We snorkeled in two-degree water, hiked with an ice pick in hand on a glacier, and saw countless whales and waterfalls. It was magnificent! The trip was well planned and fabulously executed. Thanks to our Zicasso travel team, it was stress-free.

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Iceland Vacation Review: Reykjavik, Akureyri, Húsavík, Waterfalls, ATV Tour, Whale Watching, 8-Night Trip
Our trip to Iceland was wonderful. We had never been to Iceland. Our travel agency developed a great 7 day itinerary - starting and ending in Reykjavik. We traveled around the island counter clockwise, stopping at many beautiful spots along the way. On day 6 we arrived in Akureyri on the Northern tip of Iceland. From there we flew back to Reykjavik to spend another nice afternoon/evening there.The itinerary was established by Arnar (our travel agency's owner). Arnar was very responsive in the months & weeks leading up to our trip as we decided on various activities and stops. As mentioned, the itinerary was great. The hotels that we stayed at along the way were really top notch! All very clean, good American style breakfasts each morning, & the dinners were very good. We ate dinner at 3 of the 6 different hotels where we stayed. Other nights, we had great dinners away from the hotels at spots recommended by Arnar or our guide.Our guide is a great guy - professional, courteous & knowledgeable. We really enjoyed spending time with him for the week. He really goes out of his way to make the trip special.We could have attempted to do Iceland on our own, but I don't believe our trip would have been nearly as special. Bottom line, we never would have had the experience we had if not for Arnar & our guide. The itinerary was fantastic and our guide's service was superb.

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Iceland Travel Review: 7-Days in Reykjavik, Golden Circle, Glaciers, Waterfalls
I chose our travel specialist based on reviews I read on Trip Advisor. Arnar worked with me to design a 7-day trip for my husband and I. He was flexible and thoughtful with his planning and our tour guide was so full of knowledge. You would never know that English was not his first language. It was a great way to learn about the country without being lectured to. He also turned out to be a fabulous photographer who took great photos of my husband and I.We visited the Blue Lagoon first thing which was an awesome experience especially in winter. We had a nice balance of "tours" and alone time to explore Reykjavik. 4 days of private tours:Golden Circle Adventure which we stopped at a tomato farm for an AMAZING lunch! Also did the Lava Tube Cave.Thorsmork & Eyafjallakull Adventure where we did a snowmobiling trip on Eyjafjallokull Glacier. Such a blast!Jokulsarlon Glacier Adventure. We had planned to go on a glacier hike, but after speaking with people on our snowmobiling trip we decided to go hike to an ice cave. Arnar was able to make this happen with the help of our guide. It was such a site!WaterFalls & Volcanoes Adventure. The weather was so bad that the activity we had planned, which was an ATV Tour, was cancelled. Our guide quickly came up with a new plan. We went to an Interactive Volcano and Earthquake Exhibition.  It was fascinating to learn all about the different types of volcanoes and to better understand the explosive history of this extraordinary country. Then to a local restaurant that he knew.The accommodation in Reykjavik that he chose was in a great location. Really modern and chic hotel with lovely hotel rooms. Located in the center of the town well placed for restaurants and bars.The accommodation in Vik was a very basic accommodation. Breakfast was good, they had nice home baked bread and waffles. Because of the distance from other places our guide was able to take us to see the Northern Lights which were spectacular!Overall it was an AWESOME vacation and would definitely recommend our travel specialist. 

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Review: Family Trip to Iceland, Akureyri, Reykjavik, Ice Climbing, Glacier Hike, Northern Lights Viewing

The trip was full of ups and downs:

The ups:

1. Our guide in the South was phenomenal. He was attentive, knowledgeable, patient and experienced. We had a great time from ice-climbing, to glacier hiking, to Northern light viewing. 

2. The location of our hotel in Akureyri is fantastic. 

3.Our experience designer, was prompt to put together alternative plans for us when we were stuck in the storm in Aukureyri for two days. She was responsive, available, and stayed up late to figure things out for us. 

4. We love having spent some time in the North -- it's much less touristy than the South. 

The downs:

1. Lots of activities cancelled due to the storm / weather (including ice-fishing/ and caving). We did not expect this level of weather dependency and should we have known, we would have picked another time to come. 

2. There was a dinner party arranged for us -- which was appreciated but the quality of the party was so-so. The activities was not the most entertaining and the food was mediocre. Perhaps dinner at restaurants such as Dill would have been more interesting. The room at the hotel in Reykjavik was too small for us - we couldn't even open our luggages fully. 

3. There was a last-minute cancellation by the company in Aukureyri and we were not informed, which could mostly be the local company's fault rather than our travel company. 

4. The folder which our travel agency compiled, while useful, was quite bulky, maybe it would have been more practical putting together a wallet-size contact info list for us. 

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Travel Review: Iceland Tour, Reykjavik, Thorsmork, Vik, Blue Lagoon, Valley of Thor, Eyjafjallajokull Glacier, Geysir Hot Spring
Our vacation, and the guide exceeded all of our expectations! We saw so much of the southern part of Iceland in 6 days which was perfect for us. We had a private guide for the entire trip, and our guide took us everywhere in his jacked up Land Rover with giant tires capable of driving through rivers, lava fields, and on beaches! Our guide was so knowledgeable about the people, culture, and land, and we felt like we really knew the country and had made a real friend by the time we left. Having a private guide and being able to go where and when we wanted was awesome, and our guide went over and above to make sure we saw the highlights as well as less seen places, and he kept an eye on the Aurora forecast, and got us to a very dark place where we were lucky enough to see a spectacular show! Our stops included, the Blue Lagoon which was a great way to start our vacation after taking the red eye from the US. It's a tourist stop, but worth going to since it takes 20 years off of your body- so they say! We went 400 feet inside of a 4000 year old volcano which was an awesome experience. We saw multiple waterfalls- Gljufrabui, Seljalandsfoss, Hraunfossar, and the Golden, and all were worth the hike. In Thorsmork we went to Thor's Ravine, an awesome canyon and a pretty good hike. Eyjafjallajokull Glacier is the one that erupted in 2010, and it's stunning. We spent 2 nights in Vik, and traveled around from there, and 3 nights total in Reykjavik, which is a great little town with restaurants and bars and a harbor. We took a zodiac boat ride on a glacial lagoon, and got up close and personal with the glacier. We drove the Kaldidalur Mountain Pass between glaciers, and went into the Langiokull Glacier through a manmade ice cave. Finally, we went on to the Golden Circle, with it's three main attractions- Thingvellir National Park, Geysir Hot Spring, and the Golden Waterfall. I planned the entire trip with the owner of the travel company, and he tailored the trip specifically to my family. We emailed and had one 45 minute phone call, and he had the entire trip planned including hotel reservations, reservations at attractions, and he even suggested and made dinner reservations for us. Also, he and his wife gave us weather forecasts, tips for clothing, and answered any other questions and concerns, and always responded almost immediately. I would totally recommend Zicasso, who asks a bunch of questions so they can pair you with 3 highly rated travel agencies, and follows up with you, and the travel company- an awesome travel agency who planned a trip that exceeded all of our expectations! 

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Review: Anniversary Vacation in Iceland, Reykjavik, Akureyri, Whale Watching, Horseback Riding, Local Culture

Our trip to Iceland was a dream come true!  The travel company's agent planned an itinerary that was packed with amazing excursions, incredibly knowledgeable and fun tour guides and wonderful accommodations in the heart of Reykjavik and Akureyri.  We saw most of the highlights of Iceland as well as many of the less-well-travelled gems of the country and its people.  The travel agency's app was very helpful and easy to use.  No need for lots of papers and documents other than our passports!

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Customizable Itinerary

This is a sample itinerary to inspire a personalized trip designed with your travel specialist.

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