Day 1: Arrival & Private City Tour
Private transfer  from the airport to Reykjavik. Most flights from Canada and US arrive early morning. The quickest way into the time zone is to sleep for 2-4 hours in the morning until lunch time (requires an early check in).  After lunch you could explore the city, either on your own or on a guided tour.
Accommodation: Hotel in Reykjavik

Day 2: Thorsmork Nature Reserve
Today we visit one of the most beautiful locations in Iceland; Thorsmork. Located by the roots of Eyjafjallajokull, which erupted so memorably in 2010, the green valley is one of Iceland’s most popular hiking grounds. The route into Thorsmork is a great strip of mountain track, with plenty of unbridged rivers and streams to cross. The day is spent hiking and photographing in Thorsmork. On the way out of the valley we can stop for a walk along a long valley with a picturesque waterfall at the end. In the afternoon we photograph Seljalandsfoss waterfall.
Accommodation: Hotel Ranga

Day 3: South Shore to Skaftafell National Park
We drive east along the south shore and explore all the classic sights; Skogafoss, Dyrholaey, Reynisdrangar and the black sand beach in Vík.  We have a few hikes to choose from. One is along the banks of Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon and another in Skaftafell, for example to Svartifoss waterfall. All of the places above are well known photographic destinations. Optional: Glacier hike or ice climbing
Accommodation: Hotel Skaftafell or Fosshotel Glacier Lagoon

Day 4:  Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon & Icy Beach
We start with visiting the famous Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon and the icy beach. We also visit a less know glacier lagoon, Fjallsárlón which is much closer to the glacier crumbling down the mountainside makes a great setting for landscape photography. We know an unmarked trail that takes you much closer to this hidden gem. We also visit Svinafellsjokull glacier and Skaftafell.  We can then choose between tour to see the puffins at Ingólfshöfði or to go hiking in Skaftafell. Optional: Private boat tour among the icebergs, great for photography
Accommodation: Hotel Laki

Day 5:  Landmannalaugar
Landmannalaugar is a nature pearl in the interior highlands, located in a valley between colourful mountains at the dark edge of the rhyolite lava field Laugahraun. A visit to Landmannalaugar is a geological exploration where the hot and cold meet in a great array of colours and beauty. In Landmannalaugar we can walk to Grænagil (‚Green Canyon‘) and/or hike to Mt. Brennisteinsalda (‚Sulphur Wave‘) or simply photograph from the parking area and by the natural geothermal pool. Enroute we stop at crater lakes Hnausapollur and Ljotipollur to photograph as well as at Lake Frostastadavatn.
Accommodation: Hotel Highland

Day 6:  Hrafntinnusker (‚Obsidian Skerry‘) + Laugarvegur hiking route
Hrafntinnusker means ‚Obsidian Skerry‘ and as the name suggests it‘s black glassy rock, obsidian, rising above the wilderness.  On the mountain side there is a receeding ice cap with geothermal steam vents and boiling mud pools underneath, melting the ice and forming ice caves. Around the fumeroles and hot springs grows neon green moss and algea.  You therefore have an amazizng variety to photograph; from the grand scale landscape untouched by humans to the macro close ups of the geothermal areas. This is place is so remote that most 4×4‘s can‘t get there and the large tyres on our super-truck are needed.  Tom Cruise flew in here on a helicopter when making the film Oblivion, just to see this. You won‘t find this in any guide book or in any tourist brochure but it‘s worth the trip. Your guide will then leave you in the middle of nowhere  – or almost – you hike part of Iceland’s most famous hiking route, Laugavegur down to Landmannalaugar, 12k where your guide will pick you up again (hopefully 🙂 )
Accommodation: Hotel Highland

Day 7:  Crossing the Central Highlands north to Lake Myvatn
This is route is a bit hard to describe but you will get a true sense of the Icelandic highlands and wilderness. We cross through center of Iceland, the mountain desert and lava fields where Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin practiced for the their moon landing. Spectacular view of 3 glaciers and a few glacier rivers to cross make the route a fun and scenic drive. Plenty of time to stop and photograph, including Aldeyjarfoss waterfall and ruins of a hideout by Iceland’s most famous outlaw, Fjalla-Eyvindur (‘Mountain-Eyvind’)
Accommodation: Hotel by Lake Myvatn

Day 8:  Lake Myvatn
he day is spent exploring the Lake Myvatn area, seeing sites such as Dimmuborgir lava formations, Krafla caldera and Namaskard hot spring area.  This area is also the home of over 2000 birds in the summer.  There has been a lot of volcanic activity by Myvatn and there’s a lot of geothermal heat in the ground.  Myvatn, is the fourth largest lake in Iceland covering an area of 36,5km2. The lake has 44 island and endless nooks and crannies. Myvatns most popular attractions include Dimmuborgir, Hofdi, Hverfjall, Leirhnjukur/Krafla the pseud-craters at Skutastadir, the boiling mud pits and fumeroles on the east of Namaskard, and the hot streams in the caves of Grjótagjá. There are many different hiking paths to choose from around Lake Mývatn. Together we will choose the one you like best. In the afternoon it’s perfect to go for a relaxing soak in the Myvatn Nature Baths.
Accommodation: Hotel by Lake Myvatn

Day 9:  Dettifoss, Hljodaklettar & Asbyrgi in Vatnajokull National Park
Less than an hour from Lake Mývatn is Europe’s most powerful waterfall, Dettifoss and a bit further are Hljóðaklettar (‘Echo cliffs’). There is a great hiking route along the banks of the canyon which is fun and scenic. You can choose how far you want  to hike, from Dettisfoss to Hljóðaklettar – or from Hljóðaklettar down to Asbyrgi for example. Another option is to drive to Askja and perhaps even to the current eruption – which might very well be still ongoing in July. If the volcano is still erupting it’s definitely worth seeing, wheter we do this by super-jeep or a photo-flight.
Accommodation: Hotel by Lake Myvatn

Day 10:  Krafla and Namaskard
There are so many great sights around Lake Myvatn that we’re confident you will want another day. The crater lake Víti and the new lava around Krafla volcano offer great hiking and photography. Among other options are a whale watching from Husavik, which is the best place in Iceland to see whales or going into a lava tube cave.
Accommodation: Hotel in Lake Myvatn

Day 11:  Kjolur mt. route to Kerlingarfjoll
We start the morning with a photo stop at Godafoss waterfall before we drive west, through the town of Akureyri and turn south to another great mountain road, Kjolur. This will take us to Hveravellir, a geothermal oasis in the central highlands and then to Kerlingarfjoll, which are colorful rhyolite mountains with a lot of geothermal actvity. It’s a favorite hiking and photographic destination for us, compatible with Landmannalaugar but with much fewer people.
Accommodation: Kerlingarfjoll Mt. Resort

Day 12:  Golden Circle and back to Reykjavik
We recommend a morning photographic session and a light morning hike before leaving the magical mountains. The drive down south is very scenic, between two large glaciers, and will take us to the Golden Circle route, with it’s famous Geysir, Gullfoss waterfall and the tectonic plates at Thingvellir National Park.
Accommodation: Hotel in Reykjavik

Day 13:  Inside the Volcano
Thrihnukagigur is the only place on earth where you can enter a magma chamber – and it’s right outside Reykjavik.  It’s an easy 2 x 45 min hike to/from the chamber to the parking lot across a lava field.  It’s a unique opportunity which combines so many great adventures; hiking, cave exploring, geology and photography – there are amazing colors inside the volcano. Afterwards it’s ideal to enjoy a relaxing soak in the Blue Lagoon.
Accommodation: Hotel in Reykjavik

Day 14:  Departure
Private transfer from your hotel to the airport

NOTE: This is a custom designed itinerary, not a pre-made package. We will gladly custom design your Iceland adventure based your your needs and wishes.

For your safety, Nature Explorer reserves the right to change tours according to weather and snow conditions

Highlights

– Customized Iceland summer holiday
– Privately guided super-jeep tour

FAQ for Customized Iceland Holidays

Q: What is the cost?
A: The cost depends on the length, number of rooms etc but it is expensive to have your own private driver-guide on a super-jeep. We don’t add any mark-up to hotel price lists but of course the driverguide also needs a room when staying outside of Reykjavik.

Q: Can the tour start on any date?
A: Yes, as long as we and the hotels have availability

Do you have questions? Please don’t hesitate to contact us: info@NatureExplorer.is