Across the Widerness Escorted Coach Tour 2012

• 11 Days, 10 nights
  Snæfellsnes Peninsula
  Dettifoss Waterfall
  Lake Mývatn
  Jökulsárlón Glacial Lagoon
  Skaftafell National Park
  Gullfoss Waterfall
  Geysir
  
  
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Here's the itinerary:

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

Thursday:
Welcome to Iceland!
The Flybus shuttle will bring you from the airport into Reykjavik and drop you at your hotel. You’ll have the day to enjoy Iceland’s capital, visit museums, shops, the big outdoor swimming pool nearby and some of the many fine coffee houses, and restaurants. Lunch and dinner are on your own. You’ll have tonight to rest up and recover from your short night sleep on the flight.

Friday:
Thingvellir - Gullfoss - Geysir
UNESCO World Heritage site with Geological Wonders - The Famous Golden Falls - Exploding Geysers

An easy first day begins with a visit to Thingvellir National Park, the ancient site of the world's first parliament and a jewel of nature. Next you’ll travel to the nearby Geysir geothermal area and witness boiling pools and hot springs. The most active geyser, Strokkur, shoots water high into the air every few minutes. Onwards to the beautiful Gullfoss (“Golden”) waterfalls, amongst the most impressive in Iceland. Overnight in the Hvolsvöllur area.
Saturday:
Vík - Dyrhólaey - Kirkjubæjarklaustur
Thundering Waterfalls - Puffin Colony - Black Sand Beaches of the South Shore - Lava Fields
Admire the two classic waterfalls, Skógafoss and Seljalandsfoss before enjoying great views from Dyrhólaey* headland where thousands of puffins nest during the summer. A stop in the quaint village of Vík follows before crossing the Mýrdalssandur outwash plains of Katla volcano. The day ends by passing through the vast Eldhraun lava field, the largest on earth since the end of the Ice Age. Overnight in the Kirkjubæjarklaustur area.
*Please note that Dyrholaey is closed during nesting season in spring, middle May til June 23rd.

Sunday:
Jökulsárlón - Skaftafell
Glacial Lagoon with Icebergs - Europe's Largest National Park - Europe's Largest Glacier

The day starts with a drive through beautiful scenery towards the Vatnajökull ice cap, by far the largest in Europe. You circumnavigate the Öræfajökull volcano with Iceland’s highest point, Hvannadalshnjúkur. The turn-around point today is Jökulsárlón Glacial Lagoon where huge icebergs float in water which is full of life. An optional boat tour among the icebergs is possible. At Svínafellsjökull you’ll experience close encounters with a glacier tongue. On the way you’ll pass Skaftafell national park. Overnight in the Kirkjubæjarklaustur area.

Monday:
Landmannalaugar
Multicolored Mountains of the Highlands - Lava Fields - Hot Springs with Bathing - Hekla Volcano

Meander along the primitive Fjallabaksleið interior track to Landmannalaugar, a magnificent area surrounded by colorful rhyolite mountains with the option of bathing in a naturally warm geothermalpool. This pearl of the interior consists of deep valleys and sculptured, often mossy mountains, many formed in volcanic eruptions under ice-age ice caps, forging a powerful, colorful experience. Overnight in the Þjórsárdalur area.

Tuesday:
Sprengisandur
Uninhabited Interior and Highland Desert

Discover hidden parts of the Icelandic interior, exploring the vast and desolate wilderness of the Sprengisandur highland route. Sprengisandur is the longest stretch between the South and North and is passable only during the late summer months. You’ll enjoy lunch, (which will be provided), at the Nýidalur mountain hut in the country’s center, as no services are available on the way. No bridges over the rivers means several river crossings on this rough track. Overnight in the Lake Mývatn area.

Wednesday:
Tjörnes - Ásbyrgi - Dettifoss - Lake Mývatn
Glacial River Gorge – Europe’s Most Powerful Waterfall - Geothermal Activity - Rich Bird life

A fully packed day with a wild variety of landscapes. Travel through Húsavík town and around the Tjörnes peninsula, the most northern point of your journey. Discover the serene horseshoe-shaped canyon of Ásbyrgi National Park
that according to myth, is the hoofprint
left by Sleipnir, the magical eight-legged horse of the Norse god Óðinn. Continue to thundering Dettifoss, the most
powerful waterfall in Europe, located in the expansive Jökulsárgljúfur canyon. The uniquely beautiful nature reserve of Lake Mývatn follows, a paradise for nature enthusiasts and bird watchers. On the “to-do list” are the solfataras at Hverarönd geothermal region, peculiar lava formations and explosive craters at Krafla.
Overnight in the Lake Mývatn area.

Thursday:
Akureyri - Skagafjörður
Waterfall “Of the Gods” - Iceland’s Second Largest City - Viking Horses

Goðafoss waterfall is visited before “Capital of the North” and the second largest urban area in Iceland. Spend some
free time in Akureyri, which can include a visit to the amazing botanical gardens, the geothermal pool complex, go shopping or just chill in a local café. Continue to the Skagafjörður area, renowned for horse breeding as well as being home to many important sites relating to the classic
Icelandic Sagas. In the evening, a horseback riding tour on locally bred Iceland horses is optional, or take a regenerating walk in the picturesque surroundings. Overnight in the Hvammstangi area.

Friday:
Hvammstangi - Eiríksstaðir - Snæfellsnes Peninsula
Fertile Farmlands - Birthplace of Leif Eiríksson - Quaint Fishing Villages

The journey continues through rolling farmlands and across Laxárdalsheiði heath to the Viking Age house at Eiríksstaðir, the original home of Erik the Red and birthplace of his son Leifur Eiriksson, two of the most celebrated Vikings in the world. Next you’ll pass through a series of small fishing villages on the northern coast of the Snæfellsnes peninsula. Overnight in the Snæfellsnes area.

Saturday:
Snæfellsjökull National Park
Snæfellsjökull Glacier - Sand Beaches - Sea Cliffs with Bird life - Quaint Fishing Villages

A day in Snæfellsnes National Park. Circle around the legendary Snæfellsjökull glacier, where, according to Jules Verne, is the entrance to the center of the Earth. Continue to the expansive black sea shore of Djúpalónssandur. Stop at the picturesque harbor village of Arnarstapi with its magnificent columnar basalt rock formations. Take a unique walk between the villages of Arnarstapi and Hellnar before continuing to Reykjavik. Overnight in Reykjavík.

Sunday:
Time to say good bye ...

After breakfast 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 Across the Wilderness Escorted Coach Tour

Price (flights, taxes and fuel surcharges included)
and Dates for the Across the Wilderness Tour for 2012