An Icelandic Odyssey: In the Footsteps of Legendary Vikings and Sagas

The morning light will wash over the towering spire of Hallgrimskirkja Church as the white concrete structure reaches a height of nearly 250 feet above the plateau and casts a shadow over the statue of Leif Eriksson, celebrated as the first European to discover America. The streets of the city fill with the scent of fresh cappuccino roasted with Fair Trade beans from Central and South America. The breeze carries the scent of the sea through Old Reykjavik as colorful old buildings look out onto the water of Tjornin, the lake at the center of the city. Ducks glide over the surface and dip their beaks below in search of breakfast.

The Parliament building was constructed in the late 19th century, but Iceland’s parliament was one of the first in the world, started in the mid-10th century. Your guide will begin your tour at the Settlement Exhibition, which was built around a traditional longhouse, the largest discovery of Viking life inside of the city. The structure has been dated back to the 10th century, and a fragment of the boundary wall at the back of the exhibit connotes the oldest human-made structure in the city. A panorama offers images of what the longhouse would have looked like while the gallery displays fish-oil lamps and iron axes that lead to a coil inscribed with ancient ruins.

In the morning, a youthful ambiance emanates from the coffee shops around town that are known for their delicious coffee selection and delicate, buttery pastries. At breakfast, you will find the aroma of oatmeal and cinnamon that fill the dining room of the hotel. Your guide will greet you after breakfast eager to lead you on a fascinating tour of the outskirts of Reykjavik, and bring you to Thingvellir National Park. The tectonic plates that divide the Americas and Europe runs through the heart of the national park, marked by the mountain ridges that resemble a gorge. You can walk along the heart of the ridge that touches the edges of both continents at once. Iceland’s largest lake, which reaches 32 square miles, overtakes a significant portion of the rift plain.

The waters of the Peningagja flicker with crystal clear hues and visitors throw coins into the fissure from the bridge. The sunlight filters into the water and reflects off of the metal as the coins sink to the bottom, giving the waterway the colloquial title, “The Money Chasm.” Your guide will lead you along the walkways to Law Rock where the original parliament convened annually. A designated person would recite existing laws from atop the rock. After the island had converted to Christianity, parliament began meeting at the base of the cliffs to utilize the surrounding stone walls to amplify the speaker’s voice across the crowds.

You will wake up in the Borgarnes, one of the original settlements of traditional Icelanders. History brims in the streets and along the scenic promontory that spreads across the western fjord. The great warrior and poet Egil Skallagrimsson was born in the village. A sculpture of Brakin, the poet’s nursemaid, adorns a stone near the edge of the water, commemorating the woman for her sacrifice in the saga of Egil’s life. After taking the time to explore the remains of legends and stories of the town, your guide will lead you to view the snow-capped volcano inside Snaefellsjokull National Park.

The sea creates the boundaries of the landscape with shimmering cobalt waters that touch the plains. Icelandic horses graze on the soft grass and lead your eyes to the staggering pristine glacier that straddles the active volcano. The peak reaches a height of nearly 4,750 feet above sea level and once inspired Jules Verne to write Journey to the Center of the Earth.

The gentle waves lap against the pale red sands that frame the wide beach with waters that glow with indigo and turquoise hues. Moss blankets the ancient lava fields that hide elaborate lava tubes. Puffins make their nests in the cliffs and glide elegantly through the air as their bright orange beaks stand out against their black and white feathers. The puffins circle over the water and dive with intent, breaking the surface water with ease while in search of fish. Continue to the farmstead at Bjarnarhofn to visit the renowned Shark Museum, which continues on the traditions of rural, coastal Iceland.

You will find the aroma of the seaside drifting across the plains in the morning, and after breakfast, your private transfer will escort you to the home of Erik the Red and the birthplace of Leif Eriksson, two of the most prominent Vikings in Nordic history. The turf house fades into the shaggy hillside with tufts of grass that shape the mounded roof. On the hillside, you will find a reconstruction of the home, along with a statue of Leif riding a sea serpent that is dedicated to the European to discover America long before Columbus. Exhibit members in period costume help recreate the atmosphere of life more than a millennium ago.

You will continue to the land of elves and sorcerers in the Dalabyggd region at Tungustapi to view the Church of the Hidden People. Sheep graze on the emerald-colored grass where the legend of the Eyrbryggja Saga helped to shape the folklore around the landscape, as well as beliefs in elves and trolls found across the island. The landscape shapes what seems like faces, and a cathedral is found along the mountain ridges as you pass through to Borgarvirki. Basalt column creates the cliff that reaches more than 550 feet above sea level and nearly 50 feet above the valley floor. The rocky pillars resemble an earthen fortress from a fantasy tale.

After breakfast, you will make your way to the Hveravellir Nature Reserve, located in the west highlands. The summits of the bordering mountains glint with white and mark the Langjokull and Hofsjokull glaciers. Fumaroles puff with steam around the boiling water of a natural thermal spring. The highlands around the pool are barren and lead to the rugged boulders and lush grasses. Vapor rises from the clear water, which is warm and refreshing on your skin. The temperature reaches a maximum of 90 degrees Fahrenheit and contrasts with the cool air of the plateau.

The mud pools near the pool huff and puff with steam while keeping the water an enticing azure that flickers with a silver sheen. You will continue towards Gullfoss, a cascade referred to as Golden Falls. The first of the falls drops around 30 feet with icy blue water that turns into rapids. The second set of falls tumbles nearly 70 feet into the ravine, and the sound erupts with a captivating thunder as the water disappears from view. A gentle mist rises out of the steep walls as a reminder of nature’s force while a thin rainbow streaks through the dissipating spray. Before reaching the town of Fludir, you will stop to view the marvelous spout of the Great Geysir, from where the word “geyser” originates.

Today you will again follow in the footsteps of the Icelandic sagas with your visit to Keldur, an ancient farm associated with the tales of Njals. The turf homes were built more than a millennium ago and acted as the manors to the powerful Oddi clan between the 12th and 13th centuries. The grass covers the rooftops and walls while bordering the small plaza that is crowned by a pristine white church. The original ruins of the farmsteads have been uncovered around Keldur, which offer insight into the life within the oldest turf houses on the island, and you can see the snow-capped peak of Mt. Hekla in the distance, with it sole summit soaring above the lava field.

Reach the Saga Center in the village of Hvolsvollur as the exhibit brings the world of medieval Iceland to life through cultural and historical encounters. Galleries offer insight to ocean travel, religion, and cosmology while the literary tradition of the island continues to tell tales shared through legend and folklore with particular attention paid to the Njals Saga, considered an Icelandic masterpiece. You can read the large text on the walls that tells tales shared between during the friendship of Gunnar and Njals, and their wives who had become sworn enemies. Wander through the Viking Hall to experience the replica of the medieval longhouse paneled with timber.

In the morning, you will find the decadent aroma of brownies drifting through the doors of a nearby café as patrons sit in the windows to sip frothy cappuccinos while watching the brightly painted colors of the city shimmer in the returning sunlight. The exhibits in the National Museum present a timeline of Iceland, from Nordic settlement to contemporary times and offer deep insight into the chieftain rule and shift into Christianity. Swords glint on the walls as drinking horns showcase the celebratory mood of warriors, kings, and commoners. As you finish your time spent in Iceland, your private transfer will greet you at your hotel after breakfast and escort you to Keflavik International Airport for your flight home.