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Mountain Highlights
...2012 Dates & Prices

Walking, Exploring and Whale Watching
  • A 10 day hiking tour
  • 3 national parks
  • Whale watching
  • Boat trip on glacial lagoon
  • Natural Hot Springs
  • 3-8 hours of hiking every day
  • Go right to Prices and Dates

This escorted adventure offers great variety of places Icelandic, with about three hours walking a day (and several full days) in some of the most beautiful parts of Iceland.
You’ll start on the south coast - Geysir, Gullfoss, Skaftafell National Park, then hike in the remote mountains of the East Fjords, the highland caldera Askja in the north, with whale watching Lake Myvatn, and south through the highlands to Landmannalaugur and Thingvellir before wrapping it up back in Reykjavik.

Lots to see but little to carry, as the tour bus takes your luggage along. Accommodations are in hotels, country guest houses and cabins. This tour works well for a moderate hiking tour that gets you off the beaten path. Great landscapes, great walks, great fun! This is a long tour, at least it is for Americans. But for any who can make the time for this trip it is an immersion into an exotic land that can't be beat!

If you like this tour and would rather do it as a Self Drive consider the Drive-Hike East Fjords Tour. We offer drive tours with or without air included and as a self drive you get a very complete itinerary outlining a lot to do and see, along with much supporting literature.

Saturday:
Travelers from North America leave for Iceland on an overnight flight with an early morning arrival at Keflavik Airport in Iceland.

Sunday:
Welcome to Iceland!
After an early arrival in Iceland, you’ll hop on the Flybus shuttle that will take you to Reykjavik where your outfitter will meet you and take you to your guesthouse in Reykjavik.  Then you’ll have the day to rest and explore Reykjavik, the worlds most northerly capital.  We’ll provide lots of ideas for what to see and places to eat- meals are on your own today. 

Monday
Reykjavík - Skaftafell, A geyser and a double waterfall
You'll leave the capital after breakfast, and your first stop will be at Geysir, the original boiling water spout followed by the beautiful double falls at Gullfoss. You’ll pass lots of beautiful waterfalls as you wind along the south coast to Skaftafell National Park, where you’ll stay for two nights.

Tuesday
Skaftafell National Park, Europe's biggest glacier and a lot more
You’ll have the whole day to explore Skaftafell National Park - at the base of Vatnajokull, Europes’ largest glacier. Lots of options, and unusual walking experiences.

Wednesday:
Skaftafell - Fljotsdalsherad The Glacier Vatnajokull and its Icebergs
You’ll head south from Vatnajokull, but it will dominate the landscape for quite some time. You’ll have a stop for a boat ride through the glacial lagoon at Jökulsarlon and then head to the Eastern Fjords, where you’ll spend two nights.

Thursday
Viking Trails, Hiking ancient ways
You’ll have an unusual day of walking through the remarkable and remote Viking trails of East Iceland.

Friday
Fljotsdalsherad-Highland Desert-Myvatn area, High falls and historic farmlands
You’ll walk up to Hengifoss, one of the highest waterfalls in Iceland. You’ll visit Saenautasel, an old farm that was the model for the novel “Independent People” by Nobel Prize winner Halldor Kiljan Laxness. You’ll continue to Modrudalur, a farm that has been inhabited from early settlement in Iceland until this day, and has also served as a church site for centuries. Travel through desert landscape. You’ll spend the next three nights near Lake Myvatn. .

Saturday
Whale Watching & Myvatn, Head towards the Arctic Circle to a very rich whale area
The day starts with a 3 hour whale watching cruise, weather permitting, from the picturesque village of Husavik. A short drive to Lake Myvatn, a unique area that featuers strange lava formations, attractive bays, pseudo craters and prolific bird life. Stroll through the lava field of Dimmuborgir ending with a walk up to the rim of the ash crater Hverfjall. Relax in Myvatns nature Baths before heading back to your accommodations.

Sunday
Hljodaklettar - Dettifoss - Asbyrgi, Mighty waters and a Mythic canyon
Visit the peculiar cliff formations at Hljóðaklettar. Nearby is the mighty Jökulsá river, and the canyon Asbyrgi said to be the hoofprint of Odin’s eight-legged horse. Not far upstream is one of Iceland's most impressive waterfalls - Dettifoss.

Monday
Lake Myvatn -Sprengisandur - Hella, Interior wilderness, glaciers and volcanoes
You’ll travel back to the south on the isolated and rugged Sprengisandur route, through a desert created by lava in the highlands. You’ll see Vatnajokull and Hofsjokull glaciers and pass near the active volcano Hekla. You’ll end the day in Hella, where you’ll spend the next two nights.

Tuesday
Landmannalaugar, Natural hot water and rich colored hills
All day is spent walking in the colorful rhyolite mountains and valleys of Landmannalaugar. This is a large natural area that’s like a jewel in the wilderness, with cold springs and geothermal water mixing to make bathing spots in a unique landscape spotted with lava flows, grasses and flowers.

Wednesday
Thingvellir- Reykjavik, History and geology, both rugged
You’ll walk through the historic area at Thingvellir National Park - where the North Atlantic ridge comes to the surface, and where Icelands’ parliament met for a millennia or so. The tour returns to Reykjavik in the afternoon and you'll have an evening, with dinner on your own, to explore Iceland's capital. There are also some nice walking opportunities in the city.

Thursday
Farewell...
Travelers on early flights will make an early departure via Flybus to the airport., while those leaving late afternoon will have time to explore a bit of Reykjavík, do some shopping, or soak in the warm swimming pool in nearby Laugardalur, before being picked up by the Flybus around 1 PM.. 

Download a PDF of the itinerary of The Mountain Highlights Tour

Prices and Dates and other useful details

In 2012 The Mountain Highlights Tour dates below include travel dates. It’s also easy to add a day or two before or after your tour - just ask!

There is an average of 3 hours of walking a day - except for Days 2, 4 and 9 when most of the day is spent walking. While most of the walking is not terribly strenuous, there is always an option to return earlier to base if someone would prefer not to walk the whole way. Essential for this tour are good walking boots and waterproof clothing.

Mountain Highlights Travel Dates

Sat, June 23 - Thurs, July 8
Sat, July 7 - Thurs, July 19
Sat, July 21 -Thurs, August 2
Sat, August 4 - Thurs, August 16
Prices
Number in party
Price per person
1
$6039 (single occ)
2
$4987 (double occ)
3
$4950 (triple occ)

Finer Print: Price includes round trip airfare, including fuel surcharge and departure taxes from Boston, New York Minneapolis, Washington Dulles International Airport, Denver. Ask about Seattle, Toronto, Halifax and Europe. The price also includes all airport transfers and pick ups at your accommodations for the listed tours. Accommodations are in double rooms, with breakfast every day. Single and triple rooms are available. Also included are a night in a centrally located comfortable 3 star hotel in Reykjavik on pre-and post-tour nights, with breakfast the following morning. During the tour, you’ll stay in double rooms in tourist class hotels, all with private baths, with breakfast and dinner included. There’s a picnic lunch on day 5 Friday and Day 8 (second Monday.) Also included are visit to two Nature Baths, whale watching cruise (weather permitting), boat to glacial lagoon, and a visit to 3 national parks.

Not included in the price are Travel Insuarnce, meals on arrival and departure day, lunch while on the tour except those mentioned above, (there will be a stop to purchase this), and any optional excursions in Reykjavik.
NOTE: Your pre and post nights in Reyjkavik are in comfortable 3 star hotels -- we can also book a guesthouse which will reduce the price a bit, or upgrade you to a 4 star hotel as well. Just ask!!

Hotels used on this tour, are often Tourist Hotels, which are simple and clean. They all include private bathrooms but may not offer other hotel amenities, such as in room telephones or TVs. These are usually found in a central sitting area.

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