Tuesday 2nd September – Reykjavik – Vik

• Meet your YPT guide in Reykjavik at 9am and start our adventure, we will be travelling by a private minivan.
• Our first stop will be the Seljalandsfoss waterfall that comes from the famous Eyjafjallajökull. It’s possible to walk behind the fall. We’ll also see the Gljufrabui fall nearby, hidden inside a cave.
• If the weather is good, we will stop at Seljavallalaug, an outdoor swimming pool built in 1928 in the middle of an impressive valley. Even if you don’t want to swim in its naturally hot water, it’s worth going just for the view!
• We’ll then drive to Skogafoss, one of the most impressive waterfalls in the country. We’ll walk to the top for incredible views of the coastline. We’ll also visit the local eco-museum, with reconstructions of traditional turf houses, and walk to Kvernufoss, a beautiful fall at the end of a canyon. It’s still relatively unknown, so we’ll be away from the tourists!
• Lunch in Skogar

Afternoon

• The next stop is the Sólheimajökull glacier, between the volcanoes Katla and Eyjafjallajökull. We can walk to it and take photos, but not climb it as it necessitates special equipment.
• We’ll arrive in Vik, the biggest town on the south coast (don’t worry, there are only 790 inhabitants). It is famous for its pitch-black basalt sand beach, considered to be one of the most beautiful in the world. We’ll enjoy this outwardly landscape and wall to the cliffs, home to numerous seabirds, especially puffins.
• Dinner at Vik’s microbrewery.
• Overnight in Vik, hopefully with northern lights!

Wednesday 3rd September – 

• After breakfast, we’ll continue exploring the south coast. We’ll first drive to the Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon, a stunning natural wonder known for its dramatic, narrow gorge and cascading waterfalls.
• Nearby is the lovely village of Kirkjubæjarklaustur, which has a rich history dating back to the 10th century. It is famous for its Kirkjugólf (“Church’s Floor”), which consists of hexagonal basalt columns that resemble man-made tiles or cobblestones.
• Our next stop will be the Skaftafell national park. It’s renowned for its stunning glacial landscapes, created by the Vatnajökull Glacier, the largest ice cap in Europe. We’ll spend a few hours exploring the park, walking to Svartifoss, a beautiful waterfall surrounded by black basalt columns, and to the glacier!

Afternoon

• In the afternoon, we’ll continue driving to Jökulsárlón, a glacial lake formed by the melting of the Breiðamerkurjökull glacier. The lagoon is filled with a variety of icebergs, ranging from small chunks to massive formations.
• Depending on the weather and how motivated we are, we can also do a moderate  hike (1.5-hour) in the Mulagljufur Canyon: it leads to Hangandifoss, one of the highest waterfalls in the country (123-metres).
• The black sand beach at the mouth of the lagoon is known as Diamond Beach, where icebergs wash ashore and sparkle in the sunlight. This is a photographer’s paradise!
• We’ll then drive back to Vik.

Thursday 4th September – Vik – Reykjavik

• After breakfast, we’ll drive to the Kerið crater, where we’ll stop for some photos. Its striking-blue lake lies in the middle of an intact caldera made of red volcanic rock.
• Time for a swim! We’ll stop at the Secret Lagoon, a thermal pool located in Flúðir. You’ll enjoy its natural hot springs and serene atmosphere, away from the crowds that gather to the other famous lagoon. It is also one of the oldest swimming pools in Iceland, dating back to 1891.

Afternoon

• Lunch in Flúðir
• We’ll then do a short drive to Gullfoss, one of the most iconic and photogenic waterfalls in Iceland. We’ll walk along several pathways, offering the best views of the two-tiered waterfall, which is the largest in volume in Europe. Its average flow is 1400m3/second in the summertime!
• Our tour will bring us to Geysir, the place that gave its name to all the geysers in the world. If we are lucky, we may see the eruption of the Great Geysir, one of the highest known geysers in the world. If not, we’ll still have many opportunities to see the nearby geyser Strokkur erupts: it happens every few minutes up to 30 metres.
• Our next stop will be a hidden gem, the Brúarárfoss waterfall, one of the most beautiful sights in Iceland.
• On the way back to Reykjavik, we’ll drive though the Thingvellir National Park. Which lies in a rift valley that marks the boundary between the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates and was the place where the Althing – the Icelandic parliament – was founded in 930, making it the oldest parliament in the world.
• Back to Reykjavik and end of tour.
• If you are joining us on our Eastern Greenland Arctic Cruise, you’ll be right on time to meet the other travellers

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