zAdventures Across Iceland - Summer

On arrival at the airport, your Iceland vacation begins as you are warmly greeted by our experienced Icelandic guide and escorted to your hotel for an early breakfast before touring the capital. Your sightseeing takes you along the city’s spectacular coastline and harbor district and through the vibrant university area and Old Quarter - with its traditional wooden homes. From the glass-domed Pearl, an innovative building that showcases sustainable Icelandic architecture and design, you’ll have terrific views of Reykjavik. You’ll also see the Hofdi House, the simple, turn-of-the-century clapboard house where Presidents Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev met in 1986, the historic event that effectively marked the end of the Cold War. A guided visit through the National Museum reveals the island’s wealth of history and culture, from the medieval days of Viking settlement to contemporary life. Then check in to the Alda Hotel where you’ll have time to relax before a congenial welcome dinner with wine and beer.  Meals B+D

Travel to Thingvellir National Park, a unique geological site where two tectonic plates meet – and the only place where you can see the Mid-Atlantic Rift above sea level. As you descend into the valley, the steep cliffs that you’ll see are quite literally the edge North America; as you continue to the other side of the Park, you’ll be ascending onto the Eurasian Continent! Reaching the tranquil shores of Lake Thingvallavatn, you’ll see the world’s oldest democratic Parliament, founded more than 1,000 years ago! Then thrill to one of Iceland’s most famous geological wonders – the Strokkur Geyser that regularly erupts 100 feet into the air. At the Golden Waterfall, you’ll behold a thunderous cascade of icy water that plunges into a deep gorge.

Then spend time on a family-owned village farm where you’ll see Icelandic horses, have lunch, and learn how greenhouse vegetables are able to thrive in this northerly climate. Back at our city-center hotel, the balance of your afternoon and evening are at leisure. Our in-the-know guide will be happy to make personal dining recommendations.  Meals B+L

Depart the capital after breakfast and travel northward through the countryside. In Borgarnes, you’ll visit the Settlement Center where fascinating exhibits reveal the stories and history of the intrepid Vikings who conquered the open seas to settle Iceland long ago. Then sit down to lunch in the pleasant coastal village of Hvammstangi.

Continue your journey to Glaumbaer Farm to see the 19th-century turf farmhouses that were typical in rural areas of the island until the early 1900’s. With few large tracts of forest for construction, the stone-and-turf design of these buildings required relatively little lumber. Nearby, the century-old Vidimyri Church is considered one of Iceland’s most important architectural landmarks. Built of driftwood and turf, its altarpiece was brought from Denmark and dates to the early 17th century! 
Arriving on the island’s scenic north coast, you’ll enjoy a city tour of Akureyri before checking in to the Hotel Kea here in the heart of this welcoming and culturally vibrant town.  Meals B+L

After breakfast, you’ll embark on a whale watching expedition into the northern fjords. With experienced naturalists and our vessel’s unique viewing platforms, this adventure offers a chance to see humpback and Minke whales along with dolphins, porpoises and a variety of sea birds. Blue, fin and orca whales are sometimes spotted as well.

Back on land, you’ll discover the pristine beauty and timeless traditions that endure along the fjords of the northern coast. Along the way, you’ll explore the colorful harborfront of Dalvik, a small but thriving fishing port, and walk along a pristine black sand beach. In the seaside community of Siglufjordur, set in a narrow fjord of the same name, you’ll tour the award-winning Herring Era Museum. Set in historic buildings like a 1907 fish-salting station and bunkhouse and a 1930’s-era fishmeal and oil factory, this unique museum showcases the history and gripping true-life stories of Iceland’s maritime heritage – especially the herring industry which played an enormous role in the country’s development through the 20th century. Before returning to Akureyri, you’ll also visit Iceland’s first micro-brewery where you’ll enjoy a tasting of their craft beers accompanied by food pairings of regional specialties.  Meals B

After breakfast, you’ll join our guide to travel along the beautiful Eyjafjordur coastline, with its stunning views of mountains and sea. At the spectacular Godafoss Waterfall, you’ll behold a thundering cascade that plunges 40 feet across a chasm that stretches nearly 100 feet across. In the year 1000 after Christianity was declared the official religion of Iceland, statues of Norse Gods were hurled into the Falls – earning these cascades its name as the “Waterfall of the Gods.” Next you’ll discover the unusual lava pillars and other bizarre formations of the aptly named “Dark Castles.” Then see the steaming fumaroles of Hverir and a warm, startlingly clear underground river at the Grjotagja Rift.

Your sightseeing ends at the Myvatn Natural Baths where you can unwind in steaming geothermal pools surrounded by lava fields overlooking Lake Myvatn. For lunch, you’ll enjoy traditional Icelandic specialties prepared from locally-sourced products - accompanied by bread freshly baked in the Earth using only natural geothermal heat! Back in Akureyri, your evening is free to relax, explore and dine as you wish.  Meals B+L

After breakfast, we’ll take you to the airport for your included flight back to the capital. On arrival in Reykjavik, you’ll visit one of Iceland’s most famous natural wonders. The geothermal waters of the Blue Lagoon originate more than 6,000 feet below ground and reach the Earth’s surface at temperatures that usually range from 98 º to 104º. On its way to the surface, these waters absorb silica and other minerals that five the Lagoon its distinctive and captivating blue color. Then continue to the city center and check in once again to the Alda Hotel. This evening, you’ll enjoy a farewell dinner at one of our favorite restaurants in the city.  Meals B+D

You’ll be escorted to the airport today for your homeward flight.  Meals B