2011-2012

But what's about weather??  Iceland's weather is always changeable -- no guarantees that you'll have clear crisp autumn days - there may be rain, wind, very occasionally snow.  You'll want layers of cotton, fleece, waterproof outer layers.  Hats, gloves, scarves, warm boots, and perhaps long johns.  But this is just a wee bit more than we advise for our summer tours!  Remember the answer to the question - when are you guaranteed good weather in Iceland?? Never!

While many summer organized activities aren't offered once September comes around, there's plenty of hiking as well as super -jeep tours, riding, caving, and even snorkeling that aren't affected by cooler temperatures.  We'll provide an itinerary that gives you lots of places aces to explore on your own, as well as suggestions for organized activities. 

So be prepared and bundle up and you can enjoy a lovely not-the-usual holiday break in Iceland's extraordinary landscape.

South Iceland Driving Tour, 5 Day

5 Days to explore and relax traveling through a land of waterfalls, glaciers, geysirs, and vistas!  

Day 0
Leave the US on evening flights from Boston, JFK, Minneapolis, or Seattle

Day 1
Welcome to Reykjavik

Early arrival at Keflavik Iceland, pick up car, tour a bit on your way into Reykjavik.  At your hotel you can leave your luggage and set out to see a bit of Iceland's capital city (or we can set up early check-in).  It's small but exciting, compact and walk-able, a good place to shop, to brows, enjoy, and eat.  We'll give you lots of ideas

Day 2
Golden Circle and South Coast

Hit the road early  (or not!)  We'll give you a good map and directions to explore some of the most vivid sights in South Iceland -- take in Thingvellir National Park - a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  Continue to Gullfoss waterfall - the Golden Falls on the Hvita River and the geothermal fields at Geysir, where Strokkur erupts every 5- 10 minutes.  Next stop is Kerið volcano crater and with other options, too.  Continue along the south coast past the towns of Selfoss, Hella, Hvolsvollur, and Vík to Kirkjubæjarklaustur, for the next two nights. 

Day 3
SKAFTAFELL NATIONAL PARK

You'll have a day to explore, hike, photograph and take in Vatnajökull National Park.  It's the largest National Park in Europe, covering 12000 sq kilometers.  With Iceland's highest mountains, Vatnajokull, Europe's largest glacier and Jökulsárlón glacial lagoon with its floating icebergs, there's plenty to keep you busy.

Day 4
South Coast back to Reykjavík

You'll have to make some hard choices today.  Walk on the black lava beaches near Vik, where even in winter bird's nest in the high cliffs.  Stop at the 60 meter tall Skógafoss waterfall with its excellent   folk museum and turf houses. Walk behind the high and narrow Seljandsfoss - if you're prepared to get wet.  Visit the Saga Center at Hvolsvollur.  The seaside towns with their old buildings, history, and great restaurants.  Stop to ride an Icleandic horse  Hike to a hot spring  The long list of options make the days seem shorter!   Back  to Reykjavik for a last night

Day 5
Reyjkavik or  Reykjanes Peninsula

You'll have a long morning to relax, sleep in, and explore some of the capitals, museums, cafes, or swimming pools.  Or take in the hot springs bird cliffs and geothermal wonders of the Reykjanes peninsula - and the Blue Lagoon before hopping on the plane for home.

What's included?

Like all of our driving tours, our "Fall for Iceland series" is pretty inclusive  - prices include flights from US - JFK, Boston, Orlando and Washington Dulles, with all taxes and fuel surcharges, a choice of car, with all fees, basic CDW, unlimited kilometers, all nights in double (or single or triple) rooms in a comfortable hotels all with private bath, and breakfast every day, most with TV, Internet, hairdryers; and a detailed itinerary that provides lots of guidance for how to spend your time.  All you'll need to add is lunch, dinner, and gasoline.  Plus postcards back home telling your friends and families how much you're enjoying Iceland Off- Season! Ask about Seattle, Toronto and Europe flights.

Not included is Travel Insurance, which we recommend and can help you purchase, or anything other than basic CDW, which has a fairly high deductible  We urge you to check with your credit card company to see if they provide this for car rentals in Iceland.  Otherwise, Super CDW can be purchased once in Iceland. 

Three car examples, with others available

B - like a Toyota Auris;: small compact, fuel efficient, 2 Wheel Drive

F  - like a Toyota Rav 4, a small four-wheel drive car, fine for 2 people

I - like a Toyota Land Cruiser; - seats 5, can get you most anywhere!

Prices here are per person/double occupancy - ask about other occupancies, cars, and tour length.  Car prices listed are w/manual transmission, but let us know when we put your tour together if you'd like us to book a car with an automatic transmission, which adds a bit to the price.

While not all Icelandair gateways have flights every day we'll be happy to work with your travel schedule!  Prices aren't guaranteed until flights are booked - and there may be times in which seats on flights are not available, or only with an additional surcharge - especially if it's a short time between booking and travel.  Once you've booked and confirmed your itinerary, there may be a charge if you ask to change that itinerary.  

Weather  - The Gulf Stream keeps Iceland’s climate quite moderate - it’s cool in the summer and fairly mild in the winter. The weather, however is very changeable - the Icelanders say they don’t have weather, they have commercials for weather in that long stretches of any particular type of weather comes and goes quickly!  Sunshine, rain, a breeze, showers, and overcast skies may appear all in the course of a day (or an hour) You should be prepared for the unexpected, with clothes for layering, sturdy footwear, wind proof and water proof gear, and a sense of adventure. And remember your camera!

Please note that we don't yet have PDFs of the daily itinerary for these tours. Please call or email for any details beyond those on this page..

Two other Winter Driving Tours you might also consider -
West Iceland, 5 Days
South and West Iceland, 8 Days

Two Winter Escorted Tours
MultiActivity - Winter Action Week, 5 Days
MultiActivity - Winter Viking Challenge Days
The Scenic Tour - The Power of South Iceland

                                                                                                                                                            Sunrise/Sunset           Reykjavik:                                                                        
January 1  11:19 am / 3:44 pm
March 1      8:36 am / 6:46 pm 
July 1         3:05 am / 11:57 pm
October 1    7:36 am / 6:58 pm