The Best of the South and West 7 days

• Flybus Transfer upon arrival to your accommodation in Reykjavík
• Accommodation
• Breakfast
• Rental car including VAT, unlimited milage and CDW
• Two authorized drivers
• WiFi included with the rental car
• Detailed Itinerary
• Road map with the route and accommodation marked in
• 24/7 Emergency Services
• Flybus transfer to Keflavik international airport
• How to drive in Iceland Booklet
• Taxes, Service fee and VAT

• Optional Activities
• Fuel

Day 1. Arrival - Reykjavik City

Following your arrival at the airport, you will take a comfortable bus ride, with Wi-Fi Internet connection on board, to your accommodation in Reykjavik or to a nearby drop off point.

You have the option of upgrading to a private door-to-door airport transfer. You can also receive and return the rental car at the airport if you prefer that.

Enjoy the rest of the day in Reykjavik, which offers a great variety of things to do. Included is a visit to the Northern Lights Center in Reykjavik where you can learn about the Northern lights and how to take good photographs of them, which might come in handy if you get to see them on your tour. See iconic buildings including the Perlan (the Pearl), the Alþingishúsið (where the Icelandic parliament is housed), and Hallgrímskirkja Church. If you don't have time to shop on Laugarvegur Street, don't worry; you can do that when you return from your adventure.

Highlights:
Gamla Höfnin (The Old Harbour)
Harpa Concert Hall
Perlan
Hallgrímskirkja Church
Laugavegur Shoppping Streat

Overnight:
Reykjavik city

Optional Extras:
Private Airport Transfers
Reykjavik City Card

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Day 2. The South Coast

Pick up the rental car in the morning and head for the eastern outskirts of the city. Cross the plateau Hellisheiði, with a lot of geothermal activity and plumes of steam rising from the ground. Numerous boreholes have been drilled on Hellisheiði in the last years for hot water and steam, some of the cleanest energy available. After crossing the plateau, come to the small town Hveragerði, where hot spring water is used for heating greenhouses for cultivation of decorative flowers and vegetables. Drive further east, to the scenic South shore. See the interesting Saga Centre at Hvolsvöllur. Continue across the lowland plains towards Eyjafjöll district. Stop at the waterfall Seljalandsfoss where in summer it is possible to walk behind the falls. This is a quite an interesting experience. A little further east, stop at Skógafoss, another beautiful waterfall and don’t miss the interesting folk museum at Skógar, close to the waterfall. The glaciers Eyjafjallajökull and Mýrdalsjökull are towering above the area.
On March 20th 2010, a volcanic eruption started on Fimmvörðuháls, a mountain ridge between the glaciers, Eyjafjallajökull and Mýrdalsjökull. The eruption on Fimmvörðuháls lasted a couple of weeks. After this eruption came to an end a new and bigger eruption started underneath the nearby icecap of Eyjafjallajökull Glacier. This eruption came to an end on 23. May 2010.
Make a short detour to the tip of the Sólheimajökull glacier tongue. Proceed further east to the headland Dyrhólaey, a nature reserve and a nesting colony of numerous seabirds in summer. Go to Reynishverfi, with spectacular coast and beautiful rock formations and thousands of nesting seabirds in summer. Then continue to Vík, the southernmost town in Iceland. Make Vík a turnaround point and return to Hella area.


Highlights:
Seljalandsfoss Waterfall
Skógafoss Waterfall
Eyjafjallajökull Glacier
Vík Town
Reynisfjara Beach

Optional Extra
Glacier Walk
Snowmobiling on Mýrdalsjökull Glacier
LAVA Centre

Driving distance:
220 km

Overnight:
Hella area

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Day 3. The Golden Circle

Head inland and take a look at the volcanic crater Kerið. Drive further to the Great Geysir area with numerous hot springs and erupting geysers. The most active one, Strokkur erupts every few minutes. From here, drive to Gullfoss, one of Icelands most majestic and largest waterfalls. Make Gullfoss a turnaround point.


Highlights:
Kerið Crater
Faxi Waterfall
Geysir Geothermal Area
Gullfoss Waterfall

Driving distance:
190 kilometers

Overnight:
Golden Circle area

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Day 4. Scenery & Sagas

Today, continue to Þingvellir National Park, which is an UNESCO world heritage site and is full of history and natural beauty. This is the place where the Icelandic Parliament was established in 930. The Mid-Atlantic ridge runs through the national park and forms an impressive rift valley. After exploring the numerous places of interest in the area, drive across the plateau Mosfellsheiði and head to Borgarnes town via Hvalfjörður fjord where you will find the Icelandic Settlement Centre, whose main objective is to present the fascinating sagas from the settlement times as well as a special exhibition of the famous Viking poet, Egill Skallagrímsson. Continue traveling through Borgarfjörður district to see the beautiful Hraunfossar waterfalls, the hot spring area of Deildartunguhver and The historic Reykholt the former home of Snorri Sturluson a great writer, poet and chieftain in Iceland who was assassinated by the order of the Norwegian king in 1241


Highlights:
Þingvellir National Park
Borgarnes-Town
Reykholt Town
Hraunfossar Waterfalls

Optional Extra
Krauma Baths
The Settlement Center
Ice caves and tunnels on Langjökull glacier

Driving distance:
300 kilometers

Overnight:
Borgarnes area

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Day 5. The West Coast and Snæfellsnes

Continue to Snæfellsnes Peninsula where you will come upon numerous natural wonders. Cross the plains of Mýrar and head to the South Coast of the peninsula. In the northern part of Mýrar, you will pass a number of spectacular craters. Continue to the charming hamlets of Arnarstapi and Hellnar Continue around the tip of the peninsula at the foot Snæfellsjökull, a graceful glaciated volcano that is a popular destination for glacier hikers, snowmobilers, and skiers. For those not familiar with the glacier, a guide is recommended. Continue to the north side of the peninsula and visit the small fishing villages before visiting a local shark catcher and try the local fermented shark if you have the guts for it (not included).

Highlights:
Arnarstapi Village
Lóndrangar Rock Formations
Snæfellsjökull Glacier

Driving distance:
230 kilometers

Overnight:
Snæfellsnes area

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Day 6. Reykjanes Peninsula and the Blue Lagoon

Drive back towards Reykjavik and continue on your journey to the lunar-like landscapes of Reykjanes Peninsula. Visit Lake Kleifarvatn and the Krísuvík geothermal area for a feel of the power of the Earth. Continue to Grindavík, a quaint fishing town before continuing a short distance to the amazing Blue Lagoon. Here you can enjoy a relaxing bath in the mineral rich waters and apply some of the silica mud to rejuvenate and your soften skin. At the Blue Lagoon, you can enjoy a stroll, dine at the Lava Restaurant, get a massage, and visit the Blue Lagoon Café . It's a great place to collect your thoughts after your days exploring Iceland (Blue Lagoon entrance not included). Head back to Reykjavík and drop off the car.

Highlights:
Lake Kleifarvatn
Krýsuvík Geothermal Area
Grindavík Town
The Blue Lagoon

Driving distance:
300 km

Overnight:
Reykjavík City

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Day 7. Departure

It's your last day in Iceland. Transfer in a comfortable Wi-Fi connected bus to the airport from your accommodation in Reykjavik.

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This tour can be customized to your specifications and needs, so if you have any special requests, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We will be more than happy to help you arrange the perfect Icelandic vacation.

*FAQ*

We are arriving very early. What is the check in time?
Check in time is usually between 14:00 - 16:00 for accommodation in Iceland. The only way to secure an early check in is to book the night before as well. However if a room is ready you should be able to check in early.

Where to eat during the tour?
In the small towns around Iceland you will find restaurants, bakeries and cafes where you can get something to eat. If you are going to the highlands we recommend purchasing something to take with you as there are very limited options for meals in the remote highland areas.

Are there any hidden charges?
There are no hidden charges or fees you should be aware of. Note that fuel and meals other than breakfast are not included.

What type of car is recommended?
During summer (May - September) any type of vehicle is sufficient for this tour. In winter between mid September – mid April we recommend a 4x4 vehicle as there is a chance of some snow or ice on the road. The cars are equipped with good winter tires during winter.

Do I need an international driver’s license?
No you do not need an international drivers license but you need a valid driver’s licence, which you will have held for at least two years. Travellers from overseas will need a licence issued in their country of residence along with an English translation (where appropriate). Some form of picture Identity is required, e.g. Passport, ID card etc. A valid credit card is also required.

How far is it between gas stations?
Gas stations can be found in almost all towns around Iceland so running out of gas is not a likely scenario. However before going to the highland areas we recommend filling up the tank as there are no gas stations in the highlands.

Do hotels and guesthouses offer Wi-Fi internet connection?
Most hotels and guesthouses in Iceland do provide free access to Wi-Fi internet. Some hotels and guesthouses do charge a small fee for access to the internet.

How do I book and what is the process?
There are several factors that determine the tour price:
• Time of the year you plan on visiting
• Number of people travelling together
• Type of car Car Info (Only applicable with self drive trips)
• Accommodation type (we offer 2 categories of accommodation or you can choose mixture of both)
• Optional Activities (Various optional activities are available with each trip)

There is a special Price Calculator button with every self-drive tours and private guided tours where you can enter your choice of type of accommodation, car, number of people and your arrival date. The Price Calculator will calculate and display the price according to your specifications. This way you can see how different choices in car and accommodation types affect the price of the package.

Once you are confident about your trip selection proceed to press the book now tab. Here you will fill in the required information and proceed through the booking process.

We require a 15% deposit at the time of booking. Full payment is due 5 weeks prior to arrival.

Once a booking is made an automatic e-mail is sent informing you that the order has been placed and is currently being processed by the IcelandRoadtrip.com team. You will then be contacted with by one of our trusted travel agents with further details.

For more practical information please visit our Travel Guide