12 days / 11 nights from £ 2,395 pp

The world at your feet, with an average of three hours walking a day in some of the most beautiful parts of Iceland and with some longer hikes on days two, four and nine. Highlights include visiting three National Parks Þingvellir, Skaftafell and Jökulsárgljúfur, the wonders of Landmannalaugar and Lake Mývatn, for its latitude the most fertile area in the world. There are waterfalls including the awesome Dettifoss, the most powerful in Europe. The tour includes, weather permitting, a 3 hour whale watching cruise sailing from Húsavík.

2012 departure dates:

Package price is from £ 2,395 per person based on availability and sharing a twin or double room. Single supplemnt is £ 570.

Package includes:

• Direct return flights from London to Reykjavik
• Airport transfers in Reykjavik 
• 2 nights accommodation in Reykjavík 
• 9 nights accommodation in hotels or country guest houses
• 11 x breakfasts
• 9 x dinner (3-course or buffet for the nights outside the capital)
• 2 x picnic lunch included on Day 6 and 9
• Boat tour on Jökulsárlón glacial lagoon (Day 4)
• Sænautasel farm visit (Day 5)
• Whale watching from Húsavík (Day 7)
• Entrance fee to the Nature Baths at Lake Mývatn (Day 7)
• Visit to three national parks
• English speaking guide

Mountain Highlights Tour itinerary:

DAY 1: ARRIVAL IN REYKJAVIK
Arrive in Reykjavik and shuttle bus transfer to the Fosshotel Baron 3* or simillar.

DAY 2: REYKJAVÍK-GULLFOSS-GEYSIR-SKAFTAFELL
The day starts with a drive to the famous Geysir and the Queen of Iceland´s waterfalls, Gullfoss. We then travel along the south coast which is overlooked by mountainous cliffs and magnificent waterfalls. We stay for the next two nights near Skaftafell National Park.

DAY 3: HIKING IN SKAFTAFELL
The whole day is spent hiking through the Skaftafell National Park.

DAY 4: SKAFTAFELL-FLJÓTSDALSHÉRAÐ
We drive south of Vatnajökull, Europe´s largest glacier which dominates the landscape with its glacial tongues. Next, amongst the icebergs, enjoy a boat trip on the Jökulsárlón glacial lagoon. We then continue through the beautiful Eastern fjords. We spend the next two nights in the neighbourhood of Egilsstaðir.

DAY 5: HIKING THROUGH VIKING TRAILS
A full day hiking in the beautiful Eastern mountains.

DAY 6: FLJÓTSDALSHÉRAÐ-HIGHLAND DESERT-MÝVATN AREA
Today we walk up to Hengifoss, one of Iceland's highest waterfalls. In the very remote area in the highlands of Iceland we visit Sænautasel, an old farm that was the main model for the setting of the novel: Independent People by Nobel Prize Winner Halldór Kiljan Laxness. We continue to Möðrudalur, a farm that has been inhabited from the early Icelandic settlers through to the present day. We travel through desert landscape before reaching our accommodation for the next three nights in the Mývatn area.

DAY 7: HÚSAVIK WHALE WATCHING - LAKE MÝVATN AREA
We start the day, with a 3 hour whale watching cruise, weather permitting, from the picturesque village of Húsavík. A short drive to Lake Mývatn, a unique area that features strange lava formations, attractive bays, pseudo craters and prolific bird life. We stroll through the lava field of Dimmuborgir ending with a walk to the rim of the ash crater Hverfjall. We relax in Mývatns Nature Baths, before we head back to our accommodation.

DAY 8: WALKING IN HLJÓÐAKLETTAR-DETTIFOSS- ÁSBYRGI
We visit Hljóðaklettar with its strange formations and the magnificent and puzzling canyon Ásbyrgi, said to be a hoof print of the eight legged horse of the ancient God Óðinn. We walk along the west bank of the mighty Jökulsá river where we see Europe´s most powerful waterfall Dettifoss.

DAY 9: LAKE MÝVATN AREA-HELLA
We visit Goðafoss waterfall and on our way south across the highland desert we travel either the Sprengisandur or Kjölur route, with its views of the distant ice-caps. This area became shrouded in mystery and folktales of ghosts, giants and outlaws and is today one of Europe's last wilderness. We spend the next two nights in Rangárvallasýsla.

DAY 10: HIKING IN LANDMANNALAUGAR
The entire day is spent hiking in the geothermal area of Landmannalaugar, a jewel in the Icelandic landscapes. The surroundings rhyolite mountains have the feel of another planet, ranging in colours from beige to red and from blue to black. We will have the opportunity to enjoy a bathe in a pool of warm spring water.

DAY 11: ÞINGVELLIR-REYKJAVÍK
Today we visit the historic sites of the first Icelandic Parliament at Þingvellir National Park where we enjoy the last walks of our tour before returning to Reykjavík.

DAY 12: DEPARTURE FROM REYKJAVIK
Breakfast at the hotel and transfer to the airport.

*** Extra nights can be added in Reykjavik before / after the tour.

Accommodation:
Accommodation is provided in hotels with private facilities. The hotels used on tours are often “summer hotels”, used most of the year as boarding schools and are simple and clean. Most of our groups will stay at the following hotels (subject to change):
* Fosshotel Baron, Reykjavik
* Fosshotel Skaftafell, Southeast Iceland
* Hotel Hallormsstaður, East Iceland
* Fosshotel Húsavik, Northeast Iceland
* Fosshotel Mosfell, Hella, South Iceland

Note:
There is an average of 3 hours hiking & walking each day except on days 3, 5 and 10 where most of the day is spent hiking. This tour is not very difficult, but there is always the possibility of returning earlier back to base if someone does not want to hike the whole day. Good walking boots are needed on all our tours, as well as waterproof clothing and we recommend walking/hiking sticks.