Grand Countryside escorted tour

Price includes return economy class flights from the UK to Reykjavik, all airport taxes, return airport transfers, pre- and post night at Guesthouse Borgartun with breakfast, escorted tour from day 2 to day 12, half board (breakfast and 3 course dinner, from dinner on the second day to breakfast on the last day), 10 nights accommodation in the countryside in hotels (with private facilities), boat trip on Breiðafjörður fjord (day 3), a visit to Glaumbær folk museum (day 4), horse-show in Skagafjörður (day 4), whale watching tour from Húsavík (day 5), entrance fee to the Nature Baths at Lake Mývatn (day 6) and sailing on Jökulsárlón glacial lagoon (day 10). The whole day is spent walking or relaxing (day 11).

Departures from London on Sundays: 20 June, 18 July and 15 August 2010.

Departures from Manchester/Glasgow on Fridays: 18 June, 16 July and 13 August 2010. Manchester/Glasgow departures require 2 extra nights pre-tour. Please contact us for prices.

Early booking discount: book your holiday by 29th of January 2010 and save £100 per person (terms and conditions apply)

Day 1: ARRIVAL

Fly with a scheduled airline to Reykjavik.

Transfer to your guesthouse/hotel in central Reykjavik. Journey time about 50 minutes. If you fly out on the morning or afternoon flight you can, on the journey into Reykjavik, make a stop at the famous Blue Lagoon (optional extra) before continuing to Guesthouse Borgartun for 1 night.

Day 2: REYKJAVÍK-BORGARFJÖRÐUR
The day starts with a drive to the famous Gullfoss and Geysir. We also visit the beautiful church of Skálholt and the Þingvellir National Park, site of the Viking Parliament, before continuing to Reykholt, home of the 13th century poet, Snorri Sturluson. We stay in Borgarfjörður for the next two nights.

Day 3: SNÆFELLSNES
Today we drive around the Snæfellsnes peninsula, which is dominated by the glacier where, according to Jules Verne’s book, the Entrance to the Centre of the Earth can be found. We visit small fishing towns and drive through interesting lava fields and on to the town of Stykkishólmur where we take a boat trip around the islands of Breiðafjörður, home of the puffins and the white tailed eagle.

Day 4: EYJAFJÖRÐUR-ÞINGEYJARSÝSLA
We stop at the beautiful waterfalls of Hraunfossar before heading for Skagafjörður where we visit the farm museum at Glaumbær and are introduced to the Icelandic horse. We continue to Akureyri for a sightseeing tour of the town before driving on to our accommodation in in the Húsavík area for the next three nights.

Day 5: HÚSAVÍK-WHALE WATCHING
We start the day with a 3 hour whale watching tour from Húsavík, weather permitted. Afternoon is at leisure to ponder around the town with the possibility to visit museums and the church.

Day 6: GOÐAFOSS-MÝVATN
We visit the waterfall Goðafoss, enroute to Lake Mývatn. There is lush vegetation here and many different species of birds, some of which are not found anywhere else in Europe. We visit the lava field Dimmuborgir and climb up to the rim of the ash crater Hverfjall. Before heading back to our accommodation we relax in Mývatn Nature Bath.

Day 7: DETTIFOSS-FLJÓTSDALSHÉRAÐ
We travel around Tjörnes Peninsula and visit the magnificent waterfall Dettifoss, the most powerful in Europe. For the next three nights we will stay in the neighbourhood of Egilsstaðir.

Day 8: FLJÓTSDALUR-SEYÐISFJÖRÐUR
We tour around the Lake Lögurinn, passing the farm mansion at Skriðuklaustur with its large unusual type of house. When conditions are suitable we walk up to Hengifoss, one of the highest waterfalls in Iceland. We also visit the fishing town of Seyðisfjörður.

Day 9: BORGARFJÖRÐUR-EYSTRI
This short wide fjord and grassy fertile valley with a charming fishing village of the same name is situated north-east of Egilsstaðir. Magnificent colourful mountains and numerous beautiful rocks and rare stones are to be found here.

Day 10: FLJÓTSDALSHÉRAÐ-SKAFTAFELL
Vatnajökull, Europe’s biggest glacier, dominates the landscape with its glacial tongues calving into a glacial lagoon. We take a boat trip on the lagoon among the icebergs. For the next two nights, we will stay in the neighbourhood of Skaftafell National Park.

Day 11: SKAFTAFELL
The whole day is spent walking or relaxing at Skaftafell.

Day 12: SKAFTAFELL-REYKJAVÍK
We return to Reykjavík through the fertile meadows and the sandy desert of the south coast, overlooked by mountainous cliffs and glaciers. There are several beautiful waterfalls on the way and we may spot puffins and even some seals.

Day 13: DEPARTURE

After breakfast transfer back to the airport for your flight home. If you are departing on afternoon flight we recommend departure transfer via Blue Lagoon.

On some departures this tour may be operated in reverse order.