Tour members from across Canada gather in Toronto for the direct flight that will take us to the North Atlantic island of Iceland.

Arriving in Reykjavik early this morning we are met by our local guide and transferred directly to a nearby hotel where breakfast will be waiting. Bypassing the capital, we drive to Thingvellir National Park where Iceland’s first, and one of the world’s oldest, parliaments was founded in 930AD. It is set on one of the faults that create the magnificent landscapes in this unusual country. Following a break for lunch, we will drive through Borgarfjordur County to visit the waterfalls of Hraunfossar where the water tumbles through the volcanic rock. We will also visit the quaint village of Reykholt known for being the home of the 13th century author Snorri Sturluson and Iceland’s largest hot spring. En route we may enjoy views of Langjökull Glacier, before continuing on to our hotel in Borgarnes.
Hotel Bifröst (2 nights)

Our journey today will take us to the charming village of Stykkishólmur for an exhilarating cruise to explore the natural paradise of Breioafjorour Fjord. Relax as we observe a fantastic variety of bird life, including eider ducks, kittiwakes, fulmars and the white-tailed eagle as well as the island scenery and dramatic tidal flows. We will be casting-out a small net-plough and dragging the seabed for some shellfish delicacies which everyone will have an opportunity to sample. Following a break for lunch we will continue our exploration as we drive around Snaefellsnes Peninsula. Along the north coast, there are a number of remote and quaint fishing enclaves, including the village of Stykkishólmur, beautifully situated overlooking the Breioafjorour Islands. Rounding the tip of the peninsula with the icecap and volcano towering above us, we pass Arnarstapi, a region of unusual columnar basalt rock formations that have been eroded by the pounding waves. Continue through barren lava fields and past fertile farmlands and the Eldborg crater en route back to Borgarnes.

Heading north once again, we cross over the Holtavorouheioi Pass en route to Húnavatnssýsla and Skagafjörður, where we visit the beautifully restored farm museum at Glaumbaer. This county is also famous for horse breeding, so we will certainly see many of the charming Icelandic horses in the meadows. We enjoy lunch at a local horse farm, where we will have opportunity to see these tiny horses up close and to chat with the breeders and their staff. Continue along the north coast to Iceland’s second city, Akureyri, set on a beautiful fjord. Next we visit Godafoss, which means “The Waterfall of the Gods”, before arriving at the small centre of Laugar.
Hotel Narfastaðir (2 nights)

This morning, we drive to the charming fishing village of Húsavík, where we shall undertake a whale watching cruise on Icelandic oak boats, with opportunities to see humpback whales. After a break for lunch we drive along the stretch of attractive coastline of Tjörnes Peninsula to Ásbyrgi, a horseshoe-shaped gorge, reputed to be the hoof print of Odin’s eight-legged horse Sleipnir. This evening there may be an opportunity to enjoy a local hot spring.

This day we will explore the fascinating landscapes around Lake Mývatn, featuring fantastic volcanic formations, geothermal springs and the lake itself, teeming with bird life, particularly ducks. We will walk among the unique moon like lava formations at Dimmuborgir and explore the pseudo craters at Skutustadir. At Namaskard, the land is so peppered with solfataras and void of vegetation that it feels like standing on another planet. Conditions permitting, there may be an opportunity to see the mighty Dettifoss, Iceland’s most powerful waterfall which thunders 44 meters into a deep gorge. Continue through the desert highlands of Modrudalur to Egilsstadir, on the shores of Lake Lögurinn. Hotel Hallormsstadur (1 night)

Today’s journey takes us south through the sheltered eastern fjords and past small fishing villages like Reyoarfjorour and Faskruosfjorour, stopping for pictures as needed. We shall visit the village of Stoovarfjorour where we will see the famous stone collection of Petra before continuing to Breiddalsvik and Djúpivogur. Finally our scenic driving day takes us over Almannskaro Pass to our hotel in the Vatnajökull Region.
Hotel Smyrlabjörg (1 night)

Our day begins with a drive along the base of Europe’s largest icecap, Vatnajökull, to the glacial lagoon known as Jökulsárlón, to enjoy a cruise among the icebergs. Later we shall explore Skaftafell National Park, where huge valley glaciers sweep down almost to sea level. On a short walk through the park we will see unique landscapres, and hopefully a variety of wild flowers that thrive on the lower slopes of the mountains. Then we continue to our hotel for the night. Hotel Geirland (1 night)

Rising early we visit the Skógafoss Waterfall and the lovely Skógar Folk Museum to gain some insights into the harshness of life in Iceland over the past century including an excellent video on the 2010 Eyjafjallajökull volcano eruption. After a brief visit at Seljalandsfoss waterfall, we will stop at Geysir to enjoy views of one of Iceland’s most famous highlights. Known as Strokkur, the geothermal activity in Iceland comes bubbling to the surface, ejecting a stream of boiling water high into the air every five minutes. Nearby there are numerous hot springs that send steaming water cascading across the hills. We then visit Gullfoss, Iceland’s most famous and spectacular waterfall before returning to Reykjavik, Iceland’s capital.
Hotel Midgardur (2 nights)

This morning we transfer to the Blue Lagoon, one of Iceland’s best known sights. Bring your bathing suit as we will be able to relax and refresh ourselves in the hot pools, sharing the experience with local Icelanders. A nearby heat exchange plant uses geothermal heat drawn from miles under ground to produce hot water used to heat homes and offices. The excess brine, which is quite blue in colour, fills this lovely lagoon where we can bathe in the hot mineral water. The land around the lagoon is covered with hard lava, giving the sense that we are on the moon. Returning to the city, we will explore the capital driving through the old city centre, past the parliament building and the fishing harbour, with included visits to Perlan, or the Pearl, for views over the city and the landmark Hallgrímskirkja Church. There will be some free time to explore the city centre and the National Museum which are both a short distance from our hotel.