Natural Wonders of Iceland
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Kirkjufell Mountains NATURAL WONDERS OF Activity Level: 2 ICELAND 32 Meals Included: June 1, 2021 – 18 Days 17 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 12 dinners A tour all around the island! Fares: Iceland offers unspoiled nature, breathtaking $10,765 pp double, $13,175 pp single Please add 0.4% GST landscapes and vibrant culture. Everywhere Experience Points: you turn there are glaciers, waterfalls, lava Earn 196 points on this tour fields, rainbows, streams and mountain Redeem 196 points if you book by February 24, 2021 ranges. We begin by exploring the capital city of Reykjavik, and then visit the boiling hot springs and hissing fumaroles in the Geysir area. We take a boat excursion around the rocky islands of Breiðarfjörður viewing many nesting birds, including puffins. An awesome sight awaits us at Vatnajökull, the largest glacier in Europe. Then, at the Jökulsárlón glacial lagoon, we board an amphibious boat and sail among huge floating icebergs. A soothing swim in the beautiful Blue Lagoon hotspring is a must. We will also visit an Icelandic horse farm and enjoy a whale watching excursion. ITINERARY Day 1: Tuesday, June 1 Accommodation: Fosshotel Lind We drive to Harrison Hot Springs and stay Day 4: Friday, June 4 overnight in the East Tower. Relax in the During the morning, there is a sightseeing tour soothing waters of the hot pools. A get- of Reykjavik. Weaving through narrow alleys acquainted dinner is arranged in the Copper framed with old timber houses, we learn about Room with entertainment by the popular dance the life of the city from its beginning to the band, The Jones Boys. While it may seem present. We visit the landmark Hallgrimskirkja unnecessary to travel to the Lower Mainland the Church, the harbour, the University, the giant day before your flight, the Coquihalla can have relief map of Iceland at City Hall, and Höfði long closures following an accident or flights House where the Reagan/Gorbachev summit can be cancelled by weather. took place in 1986. We also enjoy the panorama Meals included: Lunch, Dinner of Reykjavik from the Perlan viewing deck. The Accommodation: Harrison Hot Springs afternoon is leisure time to enjoy the multitude Day 2: Wednesday, June 2 of shops along Laugavegur near our hotel. The morning is leisure time to enjoy the hot Meals included: Breakfast pools again. We drive to Richmond and take a Accommodation: Fosshotel Lind walk through George Reifel Migratory Bird Day 5: Saturday, June 5 Sanctuary, a premier birding area situated on We drive through an agricultural area with a one of the islands of the Fraser delta. It consists mixture of farms and summer cottages. of 1,600 acres of tidal marshes, mud flats and Hveragerði has many greenhouses that grow grass habitats, and is home to thousands of vegetables and flowers, and are heated with birds. We fly from Vancouver airport on natural warm water. Next is the Geysir area Icelandair non-stop to Keflavik International where we walk around boiling hot springs and Airport, located 50 km west of Reykjavik. hissing fumaroles, and admire Strokkur Geysir Meals included: Breakfast which erupts every 5-10 minutes. Nearby is one Day 3: Thursday, June 3 of Iceland´s favourite waterfalls, Gullfoss, which After arrival at Keflavik, our Icelandic guide and plunges 30 metres into Hvítá Canyon. Later, we driver are waiting to greet us and we drive to admire two more waterfalls, Barnafossar which Viking World for breakfast under the Viking ship tumbles under a natural bridge, and Hraunfossar Íslendingur. Afterwards, we enjoy a soothing which pours from under a lava flow. Nearby swim in the Blue Lagoon, a natural geothermal Deildartunguhver is one of the world’s most pool in the middle of a dramatic lava field. The powerful hot springs producing 198 litres per 40-degree Celsius mineral-rich water and white second of boiling water that is piped to coastal sediment is known for its healing properties. A towns for heating. Next is Snorrastofa Museum, mud mask and towel are included. Then we named after Snorri Sturluson, a poet, historian, drive into Reykjavik, the northernmost capital of and 13th century Icelandic character. Our Europe. The name translates as “Smokey Bay” overnight stop is at Fosshotel Reykholt. because the first settlers of Iceland saw steam Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner rising from a cave in a geothermal area. We stay Accommodation: Fosshotel Reykholt two nights at Fosshotel Lind which has an excellent downtown location. Meals included: Breakfast Day 6: Sunday, June 6 also visit the turf church of Víðimýri which was It is a short drive to Stykkisholmur where we built in 1834 under the guidance of Jón take a boat excursion around the rocky islands Samsonarson. Our destination is Akureyri, of Breiðarfjörður, viewing many nesting birds capital of the north and a big city on the including puffins, kittiwakes, cormorants, Icelandic scale with 15,000 people. The next fulmars, and possibly the king of Icelandic birds, two nights are at Hotel Kea, located in the the white-tailed eagle. After some net fishing by shopping district. Get your picture taken with the crew, enjoy a taste of some very fresh the troll statues nearby! scallops. At Helgafell, we see the grave of Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner Guðrún dating from 1008. Legend says that you Accommodation: Hotel Kea can get three wishes fulfilled by climbing the hill Day 9: Wednesday, June 9 above the grave. Our last stop is at the We take the short ferry ride to Hrísey, Iceland’s Bjarnarhöfn Shark Museum which produces second largest island. The bird life is fantastic hákarl (fermented shark meat), a traditional with lots of plovers, arctic terns, and ptarmigans. Icelandic dish. There are exhibits about this The island is also unique because cars are rare culinary curiosity, the family's fishing boats, and and most people get around on bicycles. We their tools. You can also taste a sample of shark take a tour of the island on a wagon pulled by a meat. We stay two nights at Hotel tractor. Back in Akureyri, there is a short driving Stykkisholmur. tour, then the rest of the afternoon is leisure Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner time. Accommodation: Hotel Stykkisholmur Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner Day 7: Monday, June 7 Accommodation: Hotel Kea Today is spent on Peninsula Snæfellsnes with Day 10: Thursday, June 10 views of Snæfellsjökull where, according to Our first stop is at Goðafoss (waterfall of the Jules Verne, the entrance to the centre of the gods) where, in the year 1000, a chieftain threw earth is found. Along the south coast, we see a his pagan statues to prove his loyalty to the new rare light coloured beach at Búðir and walk the Christian God. During the drive all around clifftop at Arnarstapi past two natural bridges shallow Lake Mývatn, we explore natural and lots of birdlife. The tip of Snæfellsnes and wonders such as the moon-like crater Hverfjall, its north coast feature magnificent seascapes the bunkhouse for trolls, and the colourful with dramatic cliffs, black sand beaches, and boiling mud pots at Námaskarð. A special treat pounding surf. is the soothing 40 degree waters of Mývatn Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner Nature Baths. We stay two nights at Fosshotel Accommodation: Hotel Stykkisholmur Husavik. Day 8: Tuesday, June 8 Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner We head east through green valleys, across Accommodation: Fosshotel Husavik ancient lava, and past nicely sculpted fjords Day 11: Friday, June 11 before arriving in Skagafjörður, known as the The city of Húsavík is on the north coast and “valley of horses”. We learn the secrets and best known for an abundance of whales. We importance of the Icelandic horse during the take a whale watching excursion, most likely Gauksmýri Farm horse show. Next is Glaumbaer seeing the minke. The Húsavík Whale Museum Folk Museum where turf buildings of the 18th has impressive exhibits about the habitat and and 19th centuries have been preserved. We ecology of whales, including several gigantic Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner skeletons. Accommodation: Hotel Höfn Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner Day 15: Tuesday, June 15 Accommodation: Fosshotel Husavik An awesome sight awaits – Vatnajökull, the Day 12: Saturday, June 12 largest glacier in Europe at 8,300 square Our morning drive follows the rugged coastline kilometres or covering about 8% of Iceland. of the Tjörnes Peninsula and the island of Numerous tongues descend from its main ice Grímsey can be seen – the only place in Iceland cap which is an amazing contrast to the located above the Arctic Circle. In farmlands along the coast. At the Jökulsárlón Jökulsárgljúfur National Park, we take walks into glacial lagoon, we board an amphibious boat Asbyrgi Gorge and to awesome Dettifoss, and sail among huge floating icebergs. Further Europe’s largest waterfall. We follow the long along the south coast, there are more views of valley of Jökuldalur to the farming region of Vatnajökull and Iceland´s highest peak, Fljótsdalshérað. The next two nights are at Hvannadalshnjukur. The Skaftafell region of Icelandair Hotel Hérað in Egilsstaðir. Vatnajökull National Park offers fascinating Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner landscapes contrasted with glaciers, moors, Accommodation: Icelandair Hotel Hérað mountains, braided rivers, and sandy plains. The road crosses Skeiðarársandur, a vast expanse of Day 13: Sunday, June 13 glacial outwash with a kilometre-long bridge. Lake Lagarfljot is said to be home to a Tonight’s lodging is at remote Hotel Laki. legendary giant lake-worm. Near the lakeshore, Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner we take an interesting walk through a rare Accommodation: Hotel Laki Icelandic forest at Hallormsstaður Arboretum. Next is an exciting drive over a rugged pass to Day 16: Wednesday, June 16 the fishing village of Borgarfjörður-Eystri on the We stroll the sandy beach at Vik, walk to the east coast.