Iceland Ring Road & Classical Sights Photo Tour

A photography tour for nature and landscape photographers available upon demand, either as a self drive or with a driverguide.  Capture Iceland in the midnight sun and enjoy the 24 hour daylight. All of Iceland´s classic photo ops, either on your own or with a local guide and photographer.

Includes:  Skaftafell National Park, Jokulsarlon glacier lagoon, Lake Myvatn, Gullfoss waterfall, Geysir (geyser's) and more. 

Day 1:  Arrival in Keflavik Int. Airport - Hotel Ranga on Iceland´s South Shore
Drive from Keflavik Airport out to the Blue Lagoon where we gather the group if people are arriving on different flights. From the Blue Lagoon we drive the gravel back roads of Reykjanes Peninsula which is often described as „lunar landscape" and has great photo ops of the volcanic landscape and lava fields. No houses, no people and no traffic to interupt us. A photo stop at the hot springs at Seltún near Krýsuvík to capture the arrays of color in the geothermal area. Afternoon shoot at Seljalandsfoss waterfall in the afternoon (the sun doesn´t hit the waterfall until the afternoon and then most of the tourists are gone).
Accommodation: Hotel Rangá

Day 2:  Rangá - Skaftafell
Morning shoot a Skogafoss waterfall and the birdcliffs of Dyrholaey, a seacliff known for it´s basalt columns and a big hole through the cliff. Lunch at Vík before we continue east along the south shore to Skaftafell National Park which has endless photo with Europe´s largest glacier in the back garden, steep mountains, green hills and sandy desert. You have the option to shoot Svartifoss waterfall, Svínafellsjökull glacier tongue and weather permitting, Iceland´s highest peak in the evening sun. Accommodation: Hotel Skaftafell

Day 3:  Skaftafell to East Iceland
The ring road from Skaftafell and Jokulsarlon glacier lagoon, eastwards is very scenic and driving with Europe´s largest glacier on one side and the waves of the Atlantic Ocean beating on the lava rocks or the black sand beach on the other, provides plenty of landscape photo ops. If we are lucky, we might see reindeer and sheep crossing the road. The area is also known for it´s rich bird life but over 70 different bird species migrate to Iceland every summer and take land in south east Iceland. We will stop at Djupivogur, an old sea side fishing village, known for it´s old houses and majestic backround.
Accommodation: Hotel (in the works)

Day 4:  East Iceland to Lake Mývatn
Complete new type of landscape as the ring road takes us a bit inland, across some of Iceland´s most remote area, Mödrudalsöræfi. Barren,remote, desolate, abandoned, vast... and plenty of photographic opportunities. We visit Europe´s most powerfull waterfall, Dettifoss and a geothermal area with hot springs and steamvents where the earth has the strangest colors.
We stay at lake Myvatn which is Iceland´s fourth largest lake and known world wide for it´s exceptionally many breeding duck species and abundance of other avifauna. Lake Mývatn´s surroundings have an incredible variety in landscape and amazing geological formations.    The whole area is extremely volcanic. In the period from 1975 to 1984 there were 9 eruptions and the continental drift was measured 4,8m.
Accommodation: Hotel Gígur

Day 5:  Lake Myvatn
We drive a route thatt´s often referred to as the Diamond Circle which includes Godafoss (Waterfall of the Gods), Jokulsargljufur National Park which includeds Asbyrgi which is a 3,5 km long canyon with up to 100m high walls, created by two catastrophic flood waves from the glacier Vatnajokull. In the afternoon or early evening we visit Dimmuborgir which is famous for it´s lava formations.
Accommodation: Hotel Gígur

Day 6:  Kjölur to Gullfoss and Geysir
From Lake Mývatn we drive through the northern part of Iceland, through the town of Akureyri before turning south to the mountain road Kjolur, into the central highlands. Kjolur is an old mountain road that connects the north to area around Gullfoss and Geysir in the south. The road is very scenic, lying between two large glaciers. We stop for lunch at Hveravellir where you can take a dip in the geothermal pool and/or photograph the hot spring area with the glacier in the backround. We arrive at Geyisr before dinner where we stay for the night. Since we are staying in a hotel at Geysir, you have the whole evening and the morning to photograph the geysers - and have a good chance of doing so without it being packed with tourists.
Accommodation: Hotel Geysir

Day 7:  Golden Circle to Reykjavik
We visit Iceland´s most famous waterfall, Gullfoss (The Golden Waterfall - hence the Golden Circle) and visit Thingvellir, Iceland´s oldest national park and on UNESCO´s World Heritage List. It´s where Icelanders founded the oldest parliament in the world and is also one of the best places in the world to see the tectonical plate boundaries. On the way to Reykjavik we take a little detour along the lake and to Iceland´s second largest geothermal area at Hengill and Nesjavellir. We should arrive in Reykjavik mid day so you have some time to explore the city on your own.
Accommodation: Hotel in Reykjavik

Day 8:  Departure from Keflavik Airport
We drop you off at the airport in time for your flight

Price depends upon size of group

For further information and bookings, please don´t hesitate to contact us by email: info@NatureExplorer.is
Please check also our Fire & Ice Photo Tour in August 2009