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Vikings, Valkyries, & Volcanoes

Iceland Cultural Walking Adventure

6 DaysStarting at $6,295

Overview

Iceland is rich with more cinematic landscapes and incredible experiences per square inch than anywhere. Game of Thrones doesn’t even do it justice! Think waterfalls, glaciers, black sand beaches and lava fields covered with insanely green spongy moss. For every ice cave, there’s a geothermal pool. The Northern Lights curtain the night sky. Activities range from tectonic snorkeling to horseback riding, spectacular coastal and countryside walks to puffin watching. And true to Classic Journeys style of travel, your guides are dyed-in-the-wool native Icelanders, descended from shark fishermen and 9th century Vikings! So, you get true connections to local culture…not to mention the expertise that assures you’ll get away from the crowds to experience Iceland at its very best. On several days we offer you a choice of activities — think of it as “choose your adventure” — all at no extra cost. And at the end of every day in this amazing land, you’ll nestle into some of the country’s finest luxury hotels, and refuel with world-class Atlantic-and-farm-to-table cuisine. If you love adventure travel, welcome to paradise!

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I had visited Iceland. But I never experienced Iceland until I explored it with Classic Journeys.”
Rachael Roth, Editor, Fodor’s

Highlights

  • Settle into your luxury manor house hotel on a farm that’s been owned by the same family for seven generations and join your hosts for a morning walk on scenic trails to the sheep barn where you’ll often find lambs.
  • Start a nightly ritual of enjoying the midnight sun in the summer months and checking the pitch-black skies for the Northern Lights the rest of the year.
  • Choose your adventure — hiking boots or flippers — and either slip into an insulated wet suit (also called a ‘dry suit’) to snorkel in the waters between the Eurasian and American tectonic plates or follow a lava flow for a technicolor hike to a Viking meeting place dating to the year 930.
  • Join expert glacier guides for a hike on the tongue of a glacier to explore the caves and crevices carved into the ancient aquamarine ice, before you stop for a once-in-a-lifetime glacier picnic.
  • Saddle up to ride the short, sturdy, shaggy Icelandic horses to a hidden waterfall or enjoy an incredible coastal walk from black sand beaches along a cape to a headland where you’ll find Viking ruins.
  • Strike out for a walk along Glacier Lagoon, punctuated by marooned icebergs that look like diamonds.
  • See firsthand how mythology and legend combine with geology to create Icelandic culture as you walk in a setting straight out of Games of Thrones along a black sand beach with views to Reynisdrangar, three sharp black pillars that burst from the waves offshore.
  • Steam (and chill out) in the famed Blue Lagoon, a steaming lake filled with almost 2.5 million gallons of neon blue geothermal water.
  • Hike up the tongue of a magnificent lava flow to the rim of a volcano, where you can see more than 20 other volcanos in the landscape around you.

 

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Map

  • Starting Point:

    Reykjavik – 9:00 am – Lobby of Alda Hotel
  • Ending Point:

    Reykjavik – 9:00 am – Lobby of Alda Hotel

Dates & Prices

The earlier you book, the more choice you’ll have and the lower your price. And you can always change your mind — you won’t be charged to transfer to a different trip before your final payment is due. Talk with one of our travel experts at 800-200-3887.

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Family Departure

Select our “Family Departure” to travel with other families.

Why Choose Classic Journeys

Travel + Leisure has awarded Classic Journeys the #1 World’s Best Tour Operator multiple times and says, "Classic Journeys provides unbeatable access to experiences around the globe." Here’s what that access means for you.

  • Experience the world on foot and at eye level. Each day, join your guide on the most cinematic footpaths in the region.
  • Exceptional full-time local guides who become your well-connected friend. Our amazing guides are with you throughout each day of the tour, share their lifelong connections as well as engaging anecdotes about the history and culture of the region.
  • Small groups that provide you unrivaled access. An average of fewer than 10 guests per departure means we can offer you special access to sites like Stonehenge so you experience the stone circle when it’s closed to the general public, a guided visit to Zion Narrows that other companies cannot arrange because of larger group sizes, and vineyard walks with a count and countess in Tuscany.
  • Award-winning hotels are waiting for you at the end of every day. Luxuriate in the finest and most distinctive accommodations in the region you’re exploring, including rainforest lodges, 16th century villas, and award-winning properties that show up on World’s Best and Gold lists.
  • Eat like (and with) the locals. Food is a foolproof way into the hearts, homes and history of the places you visit with us. From gourmet picnics to coveted local restaurants, our meals offer you opportunities to explore native food traditions and fine dining.
  • Handcrafted itineraries with all activities included. With our long-term friendships, we know our walking tour regions more personally than anyone else. So you get thoughtfully curated itineraries that combine explorations of the villages, organic farms, archeological sites and the people who know them best.
  • Sustainable travel that supports the places you’re visiting. We put our local currency into the pockets of the people who live where we travel. It’s your guarantee that you’ll have authentic, up-close experiences on your trip. Best of all, our person-to-person approach helps sustain their ways of life.
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Accommodations

Fosshotel Glacier Lagoon

Remote beauty and contemporary comfort are what this hotel is all about. Situated between two massive glaciers, the property’s rooms have big windows that keep you close to the stark beauty. The fine dining restaurant reflects the modern aesthetic.

Skalakot Manor Hotel in Iceland

Skalakot Manor Hotel

With gables that echo the nearby mountains, this family-owned manor hotel is a cozy and luxurious retreat. Rooms are decorated in true Icelandic style. The exceptional restaurant features local specialties from Arctic char to homemade bread.

Alda Hotel

Situated right on Laugavegur, the city’s main shopping street, this cool hotel is in the heart of the action. Rooms are decorated in clean Scandinavian style. There’s a fitness center, views of mountains and sea, and even a chocolate shop.

What’s Included

  • All breakfasts, 2 lunches and 5 dinners
  • Full-time experienced guide(s) who are with you throughout the trip and handle behind-the-scenes logistics
  • Admissions to tastings, historic sites and other scheduled events as noted in the detailed daily itinerary
  • Gratuities for hotels, meals, and baggage
  • All land transportation during the trip

Above & Beyond Benefits

Invisible Check-In

  • When your group arrives, we whisk you and your bags to your room immediately. No waiting – no tipping.

Privileged Access Events

  • One-of-a-kind access to remarkable people, places and activities arranged just for you.

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