Adventurous Iceland - The Ultimate Trip 12D/11N, Luxury Holiday

Day 1

Fly to Reykjavik.
Upon arrival to Reykjavík–Keflavík Airport, your private guide will pick you up at the arrival hall and will lead you to your hotel.

Transfer will take about 40 minutes per way.

You will be accommodated at Sandhotel (Small Luxury Hotels of the World)

Sandhotel is a new boutique hotel in the heart of Reykjavík, on the high-street, Laugavegur. The location gives its guests the opportunity to enjoy the vibrant cultural life of Reykjavík. Some of Iceland's natural marvels are within a short distance from your home at Sandhotel. During your stay breakfast is included.

Lunch and dinner reservations can be done for you with an advance notice.

ACCOMMODATION: Sandhotel

Day 2

Today, after breakfast at the hotel, you will enjoy Reykjavik sightseeing and helicopter tours.

During the private Reykjavik tour, you will get familiar with the interesting landmarks of the capital of Iceland. Your guide will take you to see Hafnarfjordur Fish Market, the Presidential Residence at Bessastadir, Hallgrimskirkja
Church and Harpa Concert Hall. Reykjavik is a very compact city, and after this tour you will know the city
well. By the end of the city sightseeing, your guide will take you for a lunch in a local restaurant (meal
not included).

After lunch, you will be driven to a helipad for exploring the south part of the island by helicopter. Experience the aftermath of the volcano eruption of Eyjafjallajökull, the glacier whose name cannot be pronounced. The now dormant volcano is exciting to visit, you'll fly along the famous black sand beaches and make a stop on Fimmvörðuháls, where you can still physically feel the warmth from the newly formed lava. Enjoy a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Landing on a glacier is always pending on weather. For your safety, our local partners in Iceland reserve the right to alter routes, flight plans and itineraries if needed, depending on weather and other factors that can occur
on such an unpredictable surface as a glacier.

Please note that there might be other passengers on the helicopter tour.

ACCOMMODATION: Sandhotel
MEALS: Breakfast

Day 3

Today, after breakfast, you will have PADI course and dive in Silfra.

A small ravine situated beneath the iconic Thingvellir National Park, the Silfra Fissure is consistently rated as one of the best diving sites in the world. It is famous for the crystalline glacial waters, which allows divers to see more than 100 meters in each direction and the beautiful emerald plants that populate the fascinating rocks below. It is part of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, which cuts through Iceland and marks the spot where Europe ends and America begins. This means that in the Silfra Fissure you will literally swim between the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates. The glacial water of Silfra is so clean and pure that you can take a small drink of it before you dive down into its gorgeous blue depths.

The dive begins via a small steel ladder: when you enter you will be fully insulated in your dry-suit, although it may take a second for your face to get used to the temperature. Then as you explore this majestic turquoise world, you will get a profound sense of the beauty that nature creates. The dive itself is divided into four parts: The Silfra Deep Crack, the Silfra Hall, the Silfra Cathedral and the Silfra Lagoon. The most famous of these is the lagoon, where the water stretches into the distance and divers can see more than 100 meters in each direction.

Silfra is a diving site that inspires awe and wonder in equal measure, the ideal place to have an unforgettable experience, which will whet your appetite for the sport and leave you wanting more.

The first day of the tour is all about learning, as expert diving instructors teach you how to safely dive in a PADI Dry Suit. In the morning you will be in the classroom, where you will learn about diving theory, how to communicate underwater and how to manage your equipment. The afternoon will be spent in a local Reykjavik swimming pool, where you can practice being underwater and test all the new knowledge that you have gained followed by two open water training dives. These two dives take place in a lake or protected ocean site in the Reykjavik area depending on the weather conditions. You will probably go to the ocean, Lake Kleifarvatn or Lake Thingvallavatn, all amazing places to test your diving skills.

ACCOMMODATION: Sandhotel
MEALS: Breakfast

Day 4

After breakfast at Sandhotel, you will continue with "polishing" your diving skills.

It is the second day of diving activities, and it is when all the action happens, as you make the scenic journey to Thingvellir National Park, to go on two guided dives on the magical turquoise world of the Silfra Fissure. There is no better way to put your newly gained diving skills to the test than in this spectacular underwater world, renowned for being one of the top 10 dive sites in the world.

The acitivity will take about 6 to 8 hours, and after that you will be transfered to your new hotel - Grimsborgir, - which is located in Selfoss.

Hotel Grimsborgir was built in 2009, consisting of six houses with a total of ten apartments and the main building with the reception and Grimsborgir Restaurant. In 2013 and 2014 new buildings with 28 beautiful and spacious superior double rooms was added to the hotel.

Hotel Grimsborgir has an ideal location in the heart of the Golden Circle, being very close to some of Iceland’s most amazing attractions such as Gullfoss, Geysir and Thingvellir National Park.

The hotel prides itself on its friendly, first class service, and always provides guests with everything they need to make their stay in Iceland more enjoyable

ACCOMMODATION: Grimsborgir Hotel
MEALS: Breakfast

Day 5

Today, after breakfast at the Hotel Grimsborgir, you will have a day at leisure.

Some of the recommended activities include:
- Walking around the hotel in the surrounding nature (ask the hotel for recommendations);
- Quad biking tour;
- Glacier hiking.

ACCOMMODATION: Hotel Grimsborgir
MEALS: Breakfast

Day 6

Today, after breakfast, you will enjoy getting into the glacier by Superjeep.

Your guide will pick you up at your hotel with a super jeep and take you first west to Borgarffjordur for sightseeing where the nature is especially dramatic. You will then continue to a hot spring in Deildartunguhver and the delicate-looking waterfall, Hraunfossar, which comes straight out of the 1000-year old lava, Hallmundarhraun.

In Hüsafell, you have a lunch break before driving up to Langjökull Glacier, the second biggest glacier in Europe. Almost at the top of the glacier you enter inside the glacier and explore the ancient blue ice and the crevasses within.

ACCOMMODATION: Hotel Grimsborgir
MEALS: Breakfast

Day 7

Today, after breakfast at Grimsborgir Hotel, you will enjoy an excursion into the volcano by Superjeep.

You will have a once in a life time change to have a private tour into a real volcano. The dormant Thrihnukagigur Colcano is a unique natural phenomenon. By setting up the necessary gear and equipment, the tour has been created that opens the door to a new world. It really isn’t that complicated to experience it. All you need is the willingness to do a moderate 45–50 minutes hike (to get to the crater) and the guts to descend 120 meters/400 feet to the bottom of the crater in an open cable lift. The hike from the parking lot meeting point at Blue Mountains Country Park (Bláfjöll) to Thrihnukagigur volcano is an integral part of the tour, not only because of the breathtaking scenery, but also because it’s one of only two options in order to get to the base of the volcano. The other option is to use a helicopter to get there (not included). Helicopter tours are available, subject to availability.

The distance walked is approximately 3 km/2 miles each way and it usually takes about 45-50 minutes for participants to complete the hike (depending on the group). After the descent into the volcano, guests walk back the same way.

Note that the transfer with super jeep is private and going into the volcano is shared.

After the excursion you will be transferred back to Sandhotel in Reykjavik.

ACCOMMODATION: Sandhotel
MEALS: Breakfast

Day 8

After breakfast today you will enjoy a beach riding tour with Icelandic horses (shared).

There is nothing better than riding the Icelandic horse along the soft sandy beaches. After getting ready at Sólhestar base (pick up from Grimsborgir hotel), you will start this 25 km tour on the beach, near the small village Þorlákshöfn. From here you ride along the beach for about 3 km, by the small village Eyrarbakki, and through the meadows, Ölfusengjar, to the home base.

This is a perfect opportunity to test the famous TÖLT over a long distance and enjoy the scenic landscape and ocean view. At the end of the tour, you will enjoy a homemade soup and bread at Sólhestar base, before a drop off at your hotel. The ride is in small groups

Total tour duration is 7 hours with pickup, riding skills for this tour: medium and experienced riders.

ACCOMMODATION: Sandhotel
MEALS: Breakfast

Day 9

Today you will enjoy a Golden Circle tour by a super jeep that takes you through some of the most amazing sights in South Iceland. The scenery ranges from natural sites to historic buildings and offers diversity you would not want to miss, all in a relatively short trip!

This is the most popular tour in Iceland, including a visit to see a geothermal area where the Strokkur geyser shoots a column of water up to 30 meters (98 ft.) into the air every 4-8 minutes!

First stop Thingvellir National Park, which is listed on the World Heritage list since 2004 and has played a major part in Iceland's history. There you will find lakes, waterfalls, natural formations and the Silfra fissure.

Your next stop is at Geysir Geothermal Area to see The Great Geysir that lies dormant and the Strokkur Geyser. Your third and last stop is by the magnificent Gullfoss Waterfall with water plummeting down 32 meters in two stages into a 70 m high canyon. You continue up the mountain road Kjölur towards western part of the Langjökull Glacier where you will hop on a snowmobile and head off on the vast snowfield.

ACCOMMODATION: Sandhotel
MEALS: Breakfast

Day 10

Today after breakfast you will check out from the Sandhotel.
You will meet your driver at Sandhotel reception, who will lead you to Hotel The Retreat in Silica.

Set in the heart of a stunning lava landscape, The Retreat is a just ten-minute walk from the Blue Lagoon. The hotel offers its own private bathing lagoon which is available for hotel guests every day. Modern, exclusive suites use clean lines and natural, local textures to create unique, warm, minimalist spaces.

Your stay includes complimentary breakfast, complimentary entrance to Silica Lagoon, Wi-Fi, access to
gym facilities and every guest receives one complimentary Premium admission to the Blue Lagoon, valid during their stay.

The Retreat Spa experience at Blue Lagoon
4 hour exclusive entry to the Retreat Spa and the Blue Lagoon.
WHAT'S INCLUDED
- Retreat Spa
- Retreat Lagoon
- Private Changing Rooms
- The Blue Lagoon Ritual
- The Blue Lagoon
- Skin Care Amenities

ACCOMMODATION: The Retreat Hotel
MEALS: Breakfast

Day 11

Today, after breakfast at The Retreat Hotel, enjoy a day at leisure and your own pace.

It is recommended to enjoy the water treatments at the Retreat or yoga lessons.

ACCOMMODATION: The Retreat Hotel
MEALS: Breakfast

Day 12

Today, enjoy your breakfast, and after that it will be time to say Goodbye to Iceland.
Transfer from The Retreat Hotel to Keflavik airport.

Your private driver will take you to Keflavik airport and makes sure you arrive good in time before yourflight. The approximate transfer time is 20 minutes.

End of the trip!

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Adventurous Iceland - The Ultimate Trip 12D/11N

| Iceland | Reykjavík |

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