Iceland – The best of South and West – Self Drive – 8 days 6 nights

Day 1:  Montreal – Reykjavik
Departure from Montreal airport on direct flight to Reykjavik, Iceland.
Day 2:  Reykjavik
Highlights:

• Blue Lagoon
• Reykjavik

Your memorable, Iceland adventure begins the very moment you arrive at Keflavik Airport. Once you pick up your rental vehicle, you’ll head directly for Reykjavik and your exciting, first night in “the land of fire and ice.” Suggestion: If your flight arrives early enough, you can start your trip off in a spectacular way with a visit to Iceland’s world-famous, Blue Lagoon. Be sure to pack your swimsuit, so you can take a relaxing dip in the Lagoon’s soothing, geothermal waters, before heading to your hotel.  Overnight stay in Reykjavík.  Approximately 50 km

Day 3:  Snaefellsnes
Highlights:

• Snæfellsnes Peninsula
• Snæfellsjökull Glacier
• Búðir
• Arnarstapi
• Breiðafjörður

From Reykjavik you head to the Borgarfjörður region on your way to Snaefellsnes Peninsula famous for the majestic Snaefell volcano/glacier. Day spent exploring the numerous places of interest include the basalt pillars of Gerðuberg, Búðir with its small wooden church surrounded by a lava field, Arnarstapi, a small fishing village and Djúpalónssandur, a black sand beach. On the north of the peninsula you will drive along the shore of the Breiðafjörður Bay, passing through charming fishing villages.  Overnight stay in Snaefellsnes Peninsula area.   Approximately 280 km 

Day 4: Borgarfjörður, Þingvellir
Highlights:

• Deildartunguhver
• Reykholt
• Hraunfossar Waterfalls
• Þingvellir National Park

From Snaefellsnes you head back to the Borgarfjörður Region to explore this region better. You can make a stop at Deildartunguhver hot spring (the biggest in Iceland in terms of water production per second), Reykholt and the Hraunfossar waterfalls where the water flows out from beneath a lava field into the river below. You continue to Thingvellir (Þingvellir) National Park, considered a geological wonder of the world. This is a highly interesting area both from the geological and the historical point of view. Here you can see the effects of the tectonic plate movements which have opened cracks and fissures in the earth’s crust. Overnight stay in Laugarvatn/Selfoss area.  Approximately 230 km 

Day 5: Gullfoss, Geysir
Highlights:

• Hot Springs
• Gullfoss Waterfalls
• Seljalandsfoss Waterfalls
• Skógafoss Waterfalls
• Dyrhólaey
• Vik

Now it is time to visit some of the most interesting and famous areas of Iceland. In the geothermal area of Geysir the hot spring Strokkur ejects its water column high into the air every 5 – 10 minutes or so and here numerous small springs boil and bubble. Afterwards you only have a short drive to Gullfoss, which many regard as Iceland’s most beautiful waterfall. On your way along the south coast you will pass the pass Seljalandsfoss waterfall and you can actually walk behind it. A little further you pass Skógarfoss waterfall, one of the highest in Iceland. Next you can stop at the magnificent Dyrhólaey Cape. You can either take the road up to the top of the cape, and have a look at the bird cliff there or drive to a beautiful black sand beach at the foot of the cape. (Please note that Dyrholaey is closed during nesting season from May 15 til June 23 and from mid- August the puffins will have gone to sea!).  Overnight stay in Vík/Klaustur area.  Approximately 300 km

Day 6: Skaftafell
Highlights:

• Eldhraun Lava Field
• Kirkjubaejarklaustur
• Skaftafell National Park
• Vatnajökull
• Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon

Today you will drive across the impressive black sand plain Mýrdalssandur, the beautiful Eldhraun lava field and the immense and remarkable Skeidarársandur outwash plains with lovely views of the outlet glaciers of the great Vatnajökull, the largest glacier in Europe. Make a stop to enjoy the breathtaking sights of the Skaftafell National Park, an oasis surrounded by glaciers and black sand with many hiking possibilities and at the spectacular Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon. Enormous icebergs drift on the the lagoon and you can take a 30-40 min boat trip around them. Overnight stay in Vík/Klaustur area.  Approximately 380 km 

Day 7:  Le Lagon Bleu et Reykjavik
Highlights:

• Reykjavik
• Blue Lagoon

Drive back to Reykjavik through Selfoss and Hveragerði. Now you can either take some time to relax in Reykjavik or drive to the famous Blue Lagoon, on the Reykjanes Peninsula, where you can enjoy a relaxing swim in geothermal water.  Overnight stay in Reykjavík.   Approximately 250 km

Day 8: Reykjavik – Montréal
Transfer to Keflavik airport for your return flight.  Approximately 50 km