Pause at the surreal Jokulsárlón Glacier Lagoon, where ice calved from Breiðamerkurjokull drifts past as luminous blue sculptures. Listen to creaks and splashes as seals navigate channels between drifting icebergs.

Cross to nearby “Diamond Beach,” where polished shards sparkle on volcanic sands. Cinematic vistas and Arctic light combine to create a stark, photogenic landscape that has starred in major films and nature documentaries.

Get acquainted with Iceland’s southeastern outpost on an orientation of Hofn, a small town ringed by mountains and sea. Trace the working quays, colorful boats and sheds that anchor a community famed for langoustine.

Views stretch back to Vatnajokull’s white mass while murals and maritime details illuminate everyday life at the edge of the North Atlantic. This compact walk offers photo stops and local insight.

Journey a cliff-hugging road through narrow fjords backed by steep-sided mountains, passing weathered piers and turf-topped sheds. Keep an eye out for eider ducks and seals in quiet coves as light shifts over mirror-calm water.

Glance offshore toward Papey Island, once a monastic refuge before Viking times. The day’s changing vistas and fishing villages reveal a quieter, storied corner of Iceland’s coast.

Unwind at Vok Baths, where chic floating infinity pools extend into Lake Urriðavatn. Slip into mineral-rich geothermal waters as cool air brushes your face and distant hills reflect on the lake’s surface.

Architecture and nature blend in clean Nordic lines, with sauna, cold-mist tunnels and lake views enhancing the ritual. This serene pause showcases Iceland’s bathing culture and its elegant, modern design sense.

Explore the volcanic north around Lake Mývatn, a haven for birdlife and unusual geology. Wander amid the fantastical Dimmuborgir lava fields, circle pseudocraters and feel the heat rising from the Námaskarð fumaroles.

The area’s recent eruptions and vivid mineral colors reveal the island’s restless subsurface. Sulfur scents, steam hisses and rippling lava formations combine for a textured experience of Iceland’s active earth.

Discover the “Capital of the North” on an orientation of Akureyri. See tidy streets, inviting cafés and the striking Akureyri Church by Guðjón Samúelsson, perched above town.

Harbor promenades open to Eyjafjorður, one of Iceland’s longest fjords, where fishing boats and mountain backdrops speak to the town’s maritime roots and modern cultural life.

Enjoy an orientation of Borgarnes, a peninsula town set amid coves and skerries on the Borgarfjorður coast. Learn how trade, fishing and road links shaped this compact community.

With mountain silhouettes and sea vistas, Borgarnes connects modern Iceland to the Settlement Era tales of the surrounding region, offering a gentle window into daily life by the bay.

Travel the wild Snæfellsnes Peninsula to Snæfellsjokull National Park, crowned by an ice-capped volcano celebrated in Jules Verne’s classic. Walk short paths through mossy lava and listen to surf on black pebbles.

Pause at the ethereal Búðir lava fields, where a solitary church and black-sand shore meet pale dunes. Folklore, geology and North Atlantic weather combine in a landscape of stark beauty.

Walk a spectacular headland path along the Arnarstapi sea cliffs, pausing to photograph basalt arches, blowholes and bird colonies. The lava shoreline shows the artistry of waves and ancient eruptions.

Hear the Atlantic’s rumble against honeycombed rock and feel salt on the air as kittiwakes wheel above. The contrast of green turf, dark stone and Atlantic swells makes this a favorite coastal ramble.

Visit Þingvellir National Park, where the North American and Eurasian plates edge apart along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Stroll between cliffs formed by tectonic drift and stand on the grassy plains where chieftains once gathered.

Here the ancient Alþingi was founded in 930, making Þingvellir both a geological wonder and a cornerstone of Icelandic identity. Clear waters and rugged fissures complete this compelling scene.

Choose between two signature experiences in the capital. Step into the Perlan Museum – Wonders of Iceland to walk an indoor ice cave and explore interactive exhibits on glaciers, volcanoes and the Northern Lights.

Or opt for FlyOver Iceland, a soaring flight-theatre ride that sweeps you over mountains, fjords and lava fields with wind, mist and music effects. One experience is included; selection is made with your Travel Director.

Gather on your first evening to meet your Travel Director and fellow travelers at a convivial Welcome Reception. Share first impressions of Reykjavík while nibbling canapés inspired by local produce and coastal flavors.

This relaxed event sets the tone for the week ahead—warm hospitality, stories from the road and a gentle introduction to the Icelandic flavors you will encounter across the island.

Meet the island’s beloved equines at a local stable and meet Icelandic horses known for their sure-footedness and friendly nature. Hear how selective breeding preserved the breed’s unique five gaits and its role in farming and travel.

Handlers share stories linking the horses to rural life and the Sagas of the Icelanders. This is an Optional Experience at additional cost, bookable on tour and subject to availability.

Savor a cozy evening with dinner in a historic house at Borgarnes’ Settlement Center. Enjoy hearty Icelandic dishes before exploring engaging displays on the Settlement Era and the saga of Egill Skallagrímsson.

Artifacts, models and audio guides bring early Iceland to life under creaking beams and candlelit nooks. This is an Optional Experience at additional cost, bookable on tour and subject to availability.

Visit Iceland’s flagship energy site and join a guided visit of the Hellisheiði Geothermal Power Plant. Learn how superheated water from deep volcanic strata powers turbines and heats homes, and see interactive exhibits that explain drilling, steam separation and re-injection.

Hear how Iceland leads the world in renewable energy deployment and how this project supports UN Sustainable Development Goal 13: Climate Action. The surrounding moss-covered lava fields and rising steam plumes set the scene for an eye-opening encounter with Earth’s inner forces.

Step inside a working hothouse and sample greenhouse-grown tomatoes raised under Iceland’s soft northern light. At Friðheimar, discover how geothermal heat and bumblebee pollination sustain year-round cultivation, even when snow dusts the surrounding fields.

Meet the growers to meet the family behind this sustainable setup, and savor a farm-fresh tasting in the heart of the geothermal greenhouses. The experience blends Icelandic ingenuity with comforting flavors that showcase the island’s resourceful culinary traditions.

Explore the steaming geothermal field of Haukadalur to witness the Geysir hot springs and the reliably erupting Strokkur, which shoots water skyward every few minutes. Feel the ground tremble and smell the minerals carried by the vents.

Continue to the thunder of Gullfoss waterfall, where the Hvítá River plunges into a spray-filled canyon. The power and geology of the Golden Circle unfold in dramatic layers of basalt, bedrock and glacial meltwater.

Stand before two of Iceland’s icons as you walk behind the curtain of water at Seljalandsfoss and feel the fine mist glow with rainbow light. A short drive brings you to Skógafoss, where a broad torrent plunges from the island’s former sea cliffs.

These south-coast cascades reveal Iceland’s ancient shoreline and the ceaseless sculpting of glacial rivers, with basalt ledges, birdlife overhead and the distant outline of ice caps inland.

Join a short orientation of Vík, a windswept village framed by cliffs and black shores. Scan the horizon for the dramatic Reynisdrangar sea stacks and feel the Atlantic breeze over the black-sand beach, shaped by the region’s relentless surf.

The setting highlights Iceland’s meeting of fire and ice, with offshore basalt pillars, nesting seabirds in season, and views toward glacier-capped mountains that rise just inland.

Encounter the edges of Europe’s largest ice cap on gentle trails beneath Vatnajokull National Park. Stroll among birch scrub and ash-dusted paths to viewpoints of outlet glaciers and jagged peaks that pierce the sky.

Glacial tongues, braided rivers and glacial moraines tell a story of advancing and retreating ice. The contrasts—dark lava plains against blue ice—offer a living classroom in Iceland’s powerful geology and climate.

Insight Vacations

• 8 Breakfast (B)
• 5 Dinner (D)

• Business class coach with extended leg room
• Top-rated dining, from farm-to-table to local restaurants
• Premium regional accommodation

• Fridheimar: Explore a local farm and sample their sweet-tasting, homegrown tomatoes. Meet the family to learn about Icelandic horticulture and growing the tastiest tomatoes, all the while respecting the surrounding nature.

• Reykjavik: Experience the magic of Iceland on an exhilarating flight-ride at FlyOver. This seated ride combines state-of-the-art technology and special effects to show you Iceland’s spectacular scenery, it really feels like you are flying!
• Reykjavik: Experience the natural wonders of Iceland on a visit to the Perlan Museum. Learn about glaciers, volcanoes and the Northern Lights through interactive displays. 

• Reykjavik: This evening, delight in a delicious dinner at a local restaurant where you round off your journey through one of the world’s most naturally beautiful places.