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  4. Iceland by Land and Sea
Days
16
Price from
$11,285NZD
Map of Iceland by Land and Sea including Iceland

Discover the dramatic peaks and valleys of Iceland. Walk among the glaciers, mountains and volcanoes that inspired ancient Norse mythology.

Iceland is a land of physical extremes, from towering rocky cliffs and glacier-tipped volcanoes to sweeping tundras and Viking haunts. On this cruise you will see it all, from the popular Westman Islands to the remote and relatively untouched Westfjords. Wonder at thundering waterfalls of Reykholt, climb the dizzyingly steep Latrabjarg cliffs and encounter history both ancient and contemporary. Afterwards, explore the beautifully rugged landscapes of Iceland’s western peninsulas. Enjoy a boat cruise between icebergs at Glacier Lagoon and trek around vast waterside craters. Visit charming fishing villages and walk the colourful streets of Reykjavik.

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Terms & Conditions
Start
Reykjavik, Iceland
Finish
Reykjavik, Iceland
Destination
Iceland
Style
Peregrine
Theme
Adventure Cruising
Code
PEHIC
Physical rating
Ages
Min 15
Group size
Min 1, Max 46

Why you'll love this trip

  • Only a fraction of visitors to Iceland make it across to the far-flung west, and the lack of tourists make its landscapes and villages a dream to explore

  • Learn about the devastating effects of a volcano eruption which rocked the Westman Islands in 1973, leaving large swaths of town buried beneath ash and lava and earning the moniker “Pompeii of the North”

  • Visit the home of influential Icelandic scholar Snorri Sturluson and see the landscapes that inspired his epic poetry

  • Witness the breadth of Iceland's incredible natural phenomena – bubbling volcanic solfataras, rootless craters, glacial lakes and geothermal lagoons

  • Stunning no matter when you see it, Gullfoss is more than simply Iceland's largest waterfall. In the sun it’s graced by a dazzling rainbow

  • On your journey from Skaftafell, you'll drive through fields of lava created by Laki's famous volcanic eruption of 1783

  • Enjoy a balance of guided excursions and free time. Do some whale watching, go cycling or bathe in hot springs

  • In the Modrudalur Valley a local baker will ‘treat’ you to a pastry making demonstration. Astarpungur – translated into English this means “love-ball” – is a round donut-like pastry typical to the region

  • In the Hvolsvollur Valley our local friends will give you an insight into how the eruption of Eyafjallajokull volcano in 2010 has affected the lives of the residents in the area

Is this trip right for you?

  • This is a small ship adventure cruise, which means you’ll be sailing on a yacht with 30–50 other people. The boat is spacious and comfortable, but it focuses more on the destination than on-board activities. Instead of a pool, we have the sea itself. Instead of a casino, we’ve got board games and a good book. There’s also no formal dress code to worry about. Wi-Fi is available for a small charge.

  • Our ship moves under engine power, rather than sailing, so all cabins will experience light engine noise when the ship is moving (and occasionally when we drop anchor). It’s probably worth packing earplugs if you’re a light sleeper. During an Icelandic summer, the nights are bright and short so an eye mask may also assist with sleeping.

  • Onshore activities and excursions will involve a bit of walking. You’ll be visiting places with mixed conditions underfoot and uneven ground. If you have any concerns, please speak to your group leader before taking part.

  • There are no lifts (elevators) on-board our ships, so you’ll have to navigate a few steep flights of stairs. Handrails are always available.

  • Even in summer, Iceland can experience some pretty wild weather. Be prepared for potentially rough seas at times. If you are concerned about sea sickness, please come prepared with appropriate medications. There is no doctor on board this voyage.

  • Iceland can be very cold at any time of year, so it's important to bring appropriate clothing. On the rare occasion that your leader has to alter the itinerary due to adverse weather, alternative activities will be offered.

  • Many locations on this itinerary are remote, which means a few long drives of around 5 hours. This is a great opportunity to enjoy the scenery and spend some time getting to know your fellow travellers. Of course you will stop frequently for photo opportunities.

  • As accommodation on this trip is twin-share, single travellers will share a room with another traveller of the same gender. If you’d prefer not to share, a single-room supplement is available at an additional cost. Note that hotels in Iceland often don't have double beds, but rather two single beds that can be pushed together or apart. Also, rooms in Iceland can be small, and at times you may be accommodated a short walk away from the main building.

Iceland, Jokulsarlon, Glacier lake
Iceland, Akureyri, Northern lights
Iceland, Skaftafell National Park, Svartifoss Waterfall
Iceland, Heimaey Island, Atlantic Puffins
Iceland, Golden Circle, Famous Fish Dish, Ryan Bolton
Iceland, Lake Myvatn

Itinerary
Expand All Collapse All

Why not spend the morning getting acquainted with Iceland’s capital before boarding the Panorama in the late afternoon. Savour the view of modern skyscrapers against immense mountains as you set sail before enjoying a welcome dinner. Perhaps enjoy a post meal Brennivin (a local savoury schnapps) before bed, and get some rest during the overnight trip to your first destination.
Accommodation
  • M/S Panorama (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Welcome Dinner
Meals Included
  • Dinner

Say good-morning to rocky cliffs and alight for a bus tour of these rugged islands. Visit the Eldheimar Museum, which offers insight into the devastating volcano eruption of 1973, which left huge swaths of town buried beneath layers of lava and ash. Later, watch the locals scale treacherous cliff faces while rope swinging, a traditional method of gathering bird eggs reinvented as an exhilarating sport. If you'd like, grab a “pylsa” (Icelandic hot dog) and eat while you explore before heading back to the ship for an overnight journey.
Accommodation
  • M/S Panorama (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Rope Swinging Demonstration
  • Eldheimar Museum
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
  • Dinner

From port it’s a short journey to Reykholt, a town alive with geothermal activity and once home to eminent medieval scholar and politician Snorri Sturluson. Learn about this towering Icelandic figure and more at the Reykholt Museum. Then, visit the thundering waterfalls Hraunfossar and Barnafoss, and see why Sturluson imagined Iceland’s cascades to be the watering holes of the gods “where joyful Odin drinketh every day.” Make sure to pack a towel and bathers so you can take a dip in the Krauma thermal pools. Return to Akranes and spend the evening at sea.
Accommodation
  • M/S Panorama (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Hraunfossar and Barnafoss Waterfalls Visit
  • Reykholt Museum
  • Krauma Thermal Pools
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
  • Dinner
Special Information
You will have the opportunity to bathe in the thermal pools at the Krauma Pool today. There are changing facilities and lockers there but if you would like to bathe, please pack a bag with your swimming costume. Towels are available for ISK500 at the spa.

Travel from the small fishing town to Raudasandur Beach, where the lurid sand stretches are far as the eye can see. Explore the Latrabjarg cliffs, and perhaps spot the bold and wonderfully tame puffins that live there. Return to port and feel free to grab a kayak from the ship and explore the bay. Perhaps grab a dinner of fresh fish in Patreksfjordur with the locals, or enjoy a late night drink on deck, as the ship will be docked here overnight.
Accommodation
  • M/S Panorama (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Cliffs of Latrabjarg - Walk
  • Raudasandur Beach
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
  • Dinner
Special Information
Once we leave Patreksfjordur, there will be limited access to food for lunch. So before setting out, time will be given to visit the local Supermarket or bakery to pick up something to have for lunch. Alternatively, we can arrange for a packed lunch to be prepared by the ship to take with you (at an additional charge). Your tour leader will provide more information about the options on board.

Take a trip to nearby Pingeyri, a small town rich in Viking history that lays nestled beneath the tallest of the Westfjord Alps. Here you will find a festival site constructed in the Old Icelandic style, a traditional hearth surrounded by seating made from stones and grass, where you can imagine yourself as a celebratory Viking, before returning to the ship for an overnight journey.
Accommodation
  • M/S Panorama (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Þingeyri Visit
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
  • Dinner

Arrive early in Grundafjordur and spend the day wandering glacier topped volcanoes in the awe-inspiring Snaefellsnes Peninsula, where you will surely work up your appetite for an afternoon cooking demonstration aboard the Panorama. Learn how to make staple dishes that have remained relatively unchanged for centuries. Maybe spend the evening reading one of the Icelandic sagas while the ship returns to the capital.
Accommodation
  • M/S Panorama (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Icelandic Cooking Demonstration
  • Snaefellsnes Peninsula Visit
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
  • Dinner
Special Information
Once we leave Grundafjordur, there will be limited access to food for lunch. So before setting out, time will be given to visit the local Supermarket or bakery to pick up something to have for lunch. Alternatively, we can arrange for a packed lunch to be prepared by the ship to take with you (at an additional charge). Your tour leader will provide more information about the options on board.

Revisit Reykjavik during a tour from your now-familiar on-board leaders. The city is full of architecture that is almost as striking as the nearby mountains, and you may wish to explore buildings like the towering Hallgrimskirkja, a stark modern cathedral. Enjoy a farewell dinner on deck for your Adventure Cruise part of the tour, and toast your new friends before spending your final evening on board.
Accommodation
  • M/S Panorama (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Reykjavik City Tour
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
  • Dinner

Disembark your voyage this morning and transfer to your hotel in Reykjavik, Iceland's quirky capital. There are no activities planned until tonight's group meeting, but if you arrive early, take a stroll and acquaint yourself with the world's northernmost capital. Perhaps take a trip to the National Museum to see the permanent exhibition on the history of Iceland from the 9th century to the present. As there is not much time spent in Reykjavik on this trip you may want to consider booking some additional days in the capital before or after your trip.
Accommodation
  • Hotel Klettur or similar - Reykjavik (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Complimentary Arrival Transfer from Keflavik Airport
Meals Included
There are no meals included on this day.
Special Information
A private airport arrival transfer from Keflavik Airport is included in the price of the trip. Please advise your travel agent of your arrival flight details at the time of booking. Meet your fellow travellers and trip leader at 6pm for a welcome meeting.

Today you’ll board your private vehicle and drive to Þingvellir National Park (Parliament Plains), the original location of Iceland’s first parliament from 930 AD and a geological phenomenon. From here enter the Borgarfjordur area and visit the stunning waterfalls of Hraunfossar (Lava waterfalls) and Barnafossar (Children’s waterfalls). Continue to Deildartunguhver, Europe’s hottest water spring. In the afternoon head to your overnight stay in the southern part of the Snaefellsnes Peninsula. Later meet up with the group for dinner.
Accommodation
  • Guesthouse Langaholt or similar - Snaefellsbaer (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Deildartunguhver Hot Spring
  • Thingvellir (Parliament Plains)
  • Hraunfossar and Barnafoss Waterfalls
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
  • Dinner
Special Information
Driving time: Approx 5 hours, 350 km

Today you will continue around the Snaefellsnes Peninsula and its magnificent glacier Snaefellsjokull, an icecap covering a dormant volcano underneath. Places you’ll visit today include basaltic pebble beaches framed by strange lava formations, and Arnarstapi, where a short stroll along the coastal cliffs gives you access to the rich birdlife and other wonders of nature. Continue to the pretty town of Stykkisholmur with its famous modern church overlooking town, before driving to our overnight stay in Saudarkrokur in Iceland's north.
Accommodation
  • Hotel Mikligardur or similar - Saudarkrokur (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Snaefellsjokull, Arnarstapi & Stykkisholmur
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
  • Dinner
Special Information
Driving time: Approx 5 hours, 400 km

Drive around the impossibly picturesque Trollaskagi Peninsula and visit the small fishing town of Siglufjordur. Explore the compact town centre, dwarfed by towering mountains on three sides, and opening up to the fjord on its northern side. Continue to the town of Akureyri, Iceland's second town, where you will have the afternoon to enjoy at leisure. Perhaps visit the church or join a whale watching adventure from the town’s port.
Accommodation
  • Icelandair Hotel or Hotel Kea or similar - Akureyri (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Trollaskagi Peninsula, Siglufjordur & Akureyri
Optional Activities
  • Whale Watching (Seasonal) - ISK9000
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
  • Dinner
Special Information
Driving time: Approx 3 hours, 200 km

Start the day by driving to the waterfall Godafoss, also known as The Waterfall of the Gods. Continue to Lake Myvatn, one of the most interesting geological and geographical areas of the northern hemisphere and in Iceland. Visit a number of geological anomalies lining the lake’s shorline, including the lava labyrinth of Dimmuborgir and the pseudo-crater group at Skutustadir, and the boiling mud pots and sulphuric vents of Namaskard. From Lake Myvatn drive to the magnificent waterfall Dettifoss, Europe's mightiest waterfall. In the Modrudalur Valley, a settlement in Iceland's highlands, a local baker will ‘treat’ you to a pastry making demonstration. Astarpungur – translated into English this means “love-ball” – is a round donut-like pastry typical to the region. You will spend the night in Modrudalur.
Accommodation
  • Fjalladyrd Farm House - Modrudalur Valley (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Godafoss Waterfall
  • Namaskard Boiling Mud Pools, Dimmuborgir & Skutustadir Crater Group
  • Dettifoss Waterfall
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
  • Dinner
Special Information
Driving time: Approx 5 hours, 300 km

This morning after breakfast continue back to the coast and along the beautiful coastal region of Iceland's East Fjords, with spectacular landscapes, high mountains and deep fjords. If you are lucky you may spot a seal or two. Drive to the famous Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon for an unforgettable boat tour on the milky blue waters and between floating icebergs, originating from Vatnajokull, Europe’s largest ice cap. In the afternoon you will arrive at your overnight stop at Skaftafell.
Accommodation
  • Hotel Skaftafell or similar - Skaftafell (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Boat Ride on Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon
  • East Fjords
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
  • Dinner
Special Information
Driving time: Approx 6,5 hours, 500 km. Today is a long day of travel, however the scenery and beauty of the coast makes up for this.

Visit Skaftafell National Park and walk to the tongue of the glacier of the same name. Drive over the black sands and lava formations caused by the Laki eruption of 1782-1783 (an event that has shaped Iceland's history and culture) to the village of Vik. From here continue to the beautiful scenery of Iceland's South Shore, with sights including the Solheimajokull glacier and the towering black rocks of Reynisdrangar. If the sky is clear you will be able to see Eyafjallajokull, the volcano that was responsible for grounding flights for several days in 2010. In the afternoon you will visit the waterfalls of Seljarlandsfoss and Skogafoss before arriving at your overnight stop in the Hvolsvollur Valley. Here our local friends will give you an insight into how the eruption of Eyafjallajokull volcano in 2010 has affected the lives of the residents in this area of Iceland. The guesthouse is the leader in responsible tourism and sustainability in Iceland. Since the arrival of the first settlers to Iceland, deforestation has taken place in order to make space for pastures. Overgrazing has then led to soil erosion. With this in mind, the owners had the idea to start a tree planting project on their land to contribute to lowering CO2 and counteract soil erosion. Join the effort and head out into the hills surrounding the property to plant trees yourself.
Accommodation
  • Hotel Fljotshlid Smaratun Farm or similar - Hvolsvollur Valley (1 night)
Included Activities
  • South Shore, Reynisdrangar & Solheimajokull Glacier
  • Laki Lava Fields
  • Seljarlandsfoss & Skogarfoss Waterfalls
  • Responsible Travel Tree Planting Activity
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
  • Dinner
Special Information
Driving time: Approx 3,5 hours, 300 km

From Hvolsvollur drive to the geyser geothermal area for the spouting hot springs of Geysir (after which all other geysers were named) and Strokkur, the most reliable of the geysers, erupting every 10 minutes on average. Don’t stand downwind if you don’t want a hot shower. Then it’s on to Gullfoss, the Golden Waterfall, where on a sunny day you can see rainbows shimmer in the spray above the waterfall. In the afternoon drive back to Reykjavik for a short city tour before checking into your hotel. The evening is free for you to explore the streets of Iceland’s capital. Perhaps join the locals in one of the many cafés aka pubs.
Accommodation
  • Hotel Klettur or similar - Reykjavik (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Reykjavik Walking Tour
  • Golden Circle (Strokkur Geyser & Gullfoss Waterfall)
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
Special Information
Driving time: Approx 3 hours, 250 km. Arrival back into Reykjavik this afternoon will be at around 3 and 4pm.

Your Icelandic journey comes to an end after breakfast on the last day. Those looking to extend their stay can arrange additional nights' accommodation at the time of booking the trip (subject to availability). Use your time in Reykjavik to soak up the local art scene and café culture or pay a visit to the bubbling Blue Lagoon, an absolute must when in Iceland.
Optional Activities
  • Volcano House - ISK1590
  • Perlan Museum - ISK2900
  • Saga Museum - ISK2100
  • Settlement Exhibition - ISK1650
  • Whales of Iceland Museum - ISK2900
  • Harpa Concert Hall - Free
  • Maritime Museum - ISK1650
  • Blue Lagoon - ISK9500
  • Whale Watching (Seasonal) - ISK9000
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
Special Information
The Blue Lagoon has limited availability, and during peak times tickets sell out far in advance. We recommend you book your time slot online in advance if you would like to be sure of a certain time/date for your visit: bluelagoon.com.

Meals

14 breakfasts, 13 dinners

Transport

Small Cruise Ship, Private minibus

Accommodation

Small Cruise Ship (7 nights), Comfortable hotel (8 nights)

Included Activities

  • Welcome Dinner
  • Rope Swinging Demonstration
  • Eldheimar Museum
  • Hraunfossar and Barnafoss Waterfalls Visit
  • Reykholt Museum
  • Krauma Thermal Pools
  • Cliffs of Latrabjarg - Walk
  • Raudasandur Beach
  • Þingeyri Visit
  • Icelandic Cooking Demonstration
  • Snaefellsnes Peninsula Visit
  • Reykjavik City Tour
  • Complimentary Arrival Transfer from Keflavik Airport
  • Deildartunguhver Hot Spring
  • Thingvellir (Parliament Plains)
  • Hraunfossar and Barnafoss Waterfalls
  • Snaefellsjokull, Arnarstapi & Stykkisholmur
  • Trollaskagi Peninsula, Siglufjordur & Akureyri
  • Godafoss Waterfall
  • Namaskard Boiling Mud Pools, Dimmuborgir & Skutustadir Crater Group
  • Dettifoss Waterfall
  • Boat Ride on Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon
  • East Fjords
  • South Shore, Reynisdrangar & Solheimajokull Glacier
  • Laki Lava Fields
  • Seljarlandsfoss & Skogarfoss Waterfalls
  • Responsible Travel Tree Planting Activity
  • Reykjavik Walking Tour
  • Golden Circle (Strokkur Geyser & Gullfoss Waterfall)

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Important notes

BOOKING CONDITIONS
Adventure Cruising trips have a deposit of A$600 per person (different amounts apply in other currencies) and the balance is due 90 days before departure.
SINGLE TRAVELLERS
Single travellers will share a twin a room with another traveller of the same gender. If you’d prefer not to share, a single cabin supplement is available at an additional charge. A single passenger cannot be booked or confirmed in a double cabin unless a single supplement is paid.

Essential trip information

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