Itinerary
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| Day 1: |
fly UK to Keflavik, collect rental vehicle and drive to Hotel Ork for an overnight stay, perhaps stopping off at the Blue Lagoon on the way (optional swim £15). Take a detour driving around the dramatic Reykjanes Peninsula, on the look out for wetland birds along the coast and in the nature reserve. |
| Day 2: |
visit Gullfoss, the Geysir geothermal area and Thingvellir National Park - no holiday to Iceland would be complete without a trip around the ‘ Golden Circle’ route. Take a stroll along the lake and continue through Hvalfjordur to the Borgarnes area and overnight at Hotel Hamar. |
| Day 3: |
a day to explore Snaefellsnes, with whale and bird watching as well as hiking. Spend three nights at Hotel Hellnar or Hotel Framnes. |
| Day 4: |
explore Snaefellsnes National Park. Visit the bird cliffs of Thufubjarg, where guillemots and fulmars nest in view of some spectacular rock stacks. Drive through rugged lava flows and walk along the coast to Dritvik, a deserted bay - orcas can often be spotted by the coast at the tip of the peninsula. See Iceland’s largest Arctic tern colony at Rif and shore birds on a small lake by the village. |
| Day 5: |
drive to Stykkisholmur for a bird watching trip out into the bay, for a chance to see white-tailed sea eagles and other sea birds. |
| Day 6: |
drive to Akureyri, Iceland’s second largest town and overnight at Hotel Harpa or Nordurland. |
| Day 7: |
continue the drive to Lake Myvatn, enjoying beautiful scenery including the ‘waterfall of the Gods’ – Godafoss, en route to Hotel Reynihlid – spend three nights here. |
| Day 8: |
exploring Lake Myvatn and its abundant bird life, or go whale watching in nearby Husavik. |
| Day 9: |
perhaps take a morning whale watch from Husavik and/or explore the lakes’ fantastic array of volcanic features such as Krafla and Namaskard, and perhaps the Nature Baths where you can have a swim in naturally heated water whilst soaking up the views. |
| Day 10: |
London passengers drive to Akureyri, drop off your rental vehicle and fly to Reykjavik. Transfer to Keflavik for the return flight to the UK |
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Please note due to differences in flight schedules, Glasgow and Manchester passengers will require at least one additional night to this itinerary. |
INCLUDED EXCURSION -
STYKKISHOLMUR BOAT TRIP
Nature and bird watching tour amongst the islands and skerries of Breidafjordur bay. There is a good chance to see white-tailed sea eagles, puffins, cormorants, black guillemots and kittiwakes. You can also sample the shellfish delicacies, no doubt the ‘catch of the day’. Departures 15–31 May and 01–15 Sept at 11:00 / 01 Jun to 31 Aug at 11:00 and 14:30
Species list - great northern diver; tufted duck; redshank; redthroated diver; Barrow’s goldeneye; turnstone; Slavonian grebe; Harlequin duck; red-necked phalarope; fulmar; common scoter; grey phalarope; Manx shearwater; long-tailed duck; great skua; Leach’s petrel; eider; Arctic skua; storm petrel; goosander; great black-backed gull; gannet; red-breasted merganser; lesser black-backed gull; cormorant; white-tailed sea eagle; Glaucous gull; shag; gyr falcon; herring gull; whooper swan; Merlin; common gull; greylag goose; ptarmigan; black-headed gull; pink-footed goose; oystercatcher; kittiwake; white-fronted goose; ringed plover; Arctic tern; barnacle goose; golden plover; guillemot; Brent goose; dunlin; Brunnich’s guillemot; mallard; purple sandpiper; razorbill; Eurasian wigeon; knot; puffin; Eurasian teal; sanderling; black guillemot; pintail snipe; shorteared owl; gadwall; black-tailed godwit; white wagtail; shoveler; bartailed godwit; meadow pipit; scaup whimbrel; wren; redwing; raven house sparrow; wheatear; starling; redpoll; snow bunting.
OPTIONAL EXCURSIONS (INLCUDING WHALE WATCHING)
For other excursions that are optional please click here. |
Iceland
