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ROYAL GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY TOUR
60 Years Of Touring
Expert Direction & Local Flavours
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Across nine days, you’ll travel from Reykjavík's compact, characterful streets around the island, following a route that takes in geysers, glacier lagoons, lava fields and waterfalls that have been shaping this landscape for millennia. You’ll take a boat trip to cruise among icebergs at Jökulsárlón, have the chance to walk behind the curtain of Seljalandsfoss and explore Þingvellir National Park, home to Iceland’s original Parliament. Along the way, there's time to soak in a geothermal spa, search for reindeer along the East Fjords and reflect on your tour with the quiet satisfaction of having seen Iceland the way most people never do.
Pace of trip: Adventurous
Designed for confident travellers - perfect if you love immersive exploration and are looking for an adventure.
The Royal Geographical society have selected this tour as part of our joint collection as it immerses the modern day traveller into the cultural heritage of Iceland following in the footsteps of explorers and visiting landmarks shaped by history.
Your Icelandic adventure begins with a flight to Reykjavík. On arrival, we'll transfer you to your first hotel ready for your tour of glaciers, waterfalls and volcanic landscapes ahead. This evening, join your fellow travellers for a welcome dinner and the first chance to swap stories about what's brought you here.
Meals included: D
This morning, a Local Guide leads us on a tour of Reykjavík's highlights, from the working Fishing Harbour and striking Parliament buildings to the distinctively shaped Hallgrímskirkja church. It's a gentle introduction to a capital that still feels more village than city, and a good chance to get our bearings before we head north tomorrow.
Meals included: B
After breakfast, we begin a scenic journey north through the Hvalfjörður Tunnel to the village of Borgarnes, then on to Skagafjörður. The fjord and its valley have long been associated with the hardy Icelandic horse, and a region where horses are believed to outnumber people.
We’ll stop at the Glaumbær Museum, a well-preserved traditional turf farmhouse offering a window into Iceland’s rural heritage. From here, the road takes us across the Öxnadalsheiði highland plateau, with vast mountain views, before bringing us into Akureyri, the unofficial capital of North Iceland.
This evening, explore Akureyri at leisure or unwind at the Forest Lagoon, a peaceful geothermal spa in a forest setting on an optional excursion.
Meals included: B
Today we’ll explore the volcanic heart of North Iceland around Lake Mývatn, a shallow lake renowned for its abundant birdlife and geothermal activity. We begin at Goðafoss, the Waterfall of the Gods, celebrated for its beauty and shrouded in legend.
From here, we continue to the Dimmuborgir lava fields, known as the Dark Castles, followed by a walk among the pseudo-craters of Skútustaðagígar, fascinating relics formed by steam explosions thousands of years ago. At Grjótagjá, we'll find a lava cave with its own naturally heated spring, then visit Námaskarð, where bubbling mud pools and hissing fumaroles create a landscape that feels closer to another planet than this one.
Before reaching Egilsstaðir this evening, we stop at Dettifoss, one of Europe's most powerful waterfalls, then cross the Möðrudalsöræfi highland desert and the Jökuldalur Valley.
Meals included: B,D
Leaving Egilsstaðir this morning, we follow the East Fjords, a dramatic coastline of narrow inlets, steep mountains and small fishing villages that is largely untouched by mass tourism. This is also a part of Iceland that is famous for its clear lakes, historic farms, and the only area where wild reindeer still roam freely.
Enjoy an afternoon to make your own discoveries in Hofn, a harbour town famed for its langoustine or join our optional Glacier Jeep Adventure on Vatnajökull, Europe’s largest glacier. From a modified super jeep, you’ll have the opportunity to walk on snow, admire panoramic glacier views, and experience the thrill of Iceland’s icy wilderness.
Meals included: B
Today’s route follows Iceland’s southeast coast, starting at Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon, where we take an amphibian boat tour through icebergs calved from Breiðamerkurjökull glacier. Close by, Diamond Beach offers the striking sights of icebergs resting on black volcanic sand.
We continue through Vatnajökull National Park, passing Hvannadalshnúkur, Iceland’s highest peak, and across the expansive Eldhraun lava fields and glacial plains of Mýrdalssandur. We’ll make a stop at Vík, to visit the Reynisfjara black sand beach famed for its basalt columns and summer puffin colonies. Nearby is the Dyrhólaey sea arch, carved naturally by the sea.
The day ends with visits to two of Iceland’s best-known waterfalls: Skógafoss, a towering 60-metre cascade, and Seljalandsfoss, where a path leads behind the curtain of water (waterproofs recommended). We’ll continue to our hotel for the evening located in the Selfoss area.
Meals included: B
Today we explore the Golden Circle, Iceland's best-known touring route. We start at Gullfoss, a two-tiered waterfall thundering into a rugged canyon before visiting the Geysir Geothermal Area, where the bubbling Strokkur erupts roughly every five to ten minutes, blasting boiling water up to 30 meters in the air.
Next, we arrive at Þingvellir National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site marking the point where the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates drift apart. This is also home to Iceland’s original parliament, the Alþingi, one of the world’s oldest legislative assemblies, founded in 930 AD. On our journey back to Reykjavik, we will make a coffee stop at Solheimar, an eco-village known for its devotion to community, artistic ethics and sustainable living.
Once in Reykjavík, there is time to explore independently. Alternatively join us on an optional excursion to the Blue Lagoon where you can enjoy the warm waters of the lagoon and a Silica Mud Mask. It’s a perfect way to relax after an unforgettable tour around Iceland.
Meals included: B
We’ve left today free for you to unwind and reflect on your Icelandic adventure. For anyone who wants to see more, we offer an optional excursion to the Snæfellsnes Peninsula, often called 'Iceland in Miniature' for the range of landscapes packed into one drive.
We travel via Borgarnes to Ytri Tunga, one of Iceland's few golden sand beaches and home to a playful, resident seal colony. Continue to Arnarstapi, where sea cliffs and rock arches shelter nesting seabirds and create one of the country’s most picturesque coastal landscapes. At Djúpalónssandur, black sand and the volcanic craters of Hólahólar make for a quieter, less-visited stretch of coast.
We’ll venture to the fishing village of Ólafsvík before our final stop at Kirkjufell, one of the country’s most photographed mountains, and its neighbouring waterfall Kirkjufellsfoss. We return to Reykjavík for our final evening.
Meals included: B
Today our tour comes to an end. With memories of lava fields, waterfalls and glacier views, we’ll transfer you to the airport for your return flight to the UK.
Meals included: BThe Society's Collections comprise over 700 items specifically relating to the historical geography of Iceland. Highlights include nineteenth century photography of Iceland by John Edward Tenison-Woods and Karl Grossman and early illustrated accounts of voyages and expeditions to the island in the 17th and 18th centuries.
Walking distance from the Icelandic capital city is the Reykjavik Marina Hotel. Housed in a completely renovated building, this accommodation is ideally located to the historical Slippur Dock and features Slippbarinn, a charming restaurant and bar, as well as a cinema room, hair salon and prides itself on being a green hotel. Each room has a TV, hairdryer, mini-fridge and safe. Free WiFi is also available.
Following a day in the chill of Iceland's beautiful North, step inside the warmth of the Berjaya Hotel in Akureyri and relax by the crackle of the fireplace in the lounge area, or view the snowy peaks from the restaurant and communal areas during your stay, or even wind down in the famous Akureyri Geothermal Swimming Pool is located just across the street! Room facilities include a TV, Tea & coffee making facilities, hairdryer and free WiFi.
Berjaya Hérað Hotel serves as a perfect base for exploring the majestic fjords and highlands of the Eastern part of the island. Free Wi-fi is available, as well as the Lyng restaurant and bar with balcony. Each room has a TV.
Berjaya Höfn Hotel is charming waterfront hotel in the south east of the island, offering sea and glacier views from the restaurant, bar and communal areas, as well as serving as a base for exploring the Vatnajökull glacier region, along with immediate access to the harbour, nearby nature reserve and local cultural exhibits in Höfn. The hotel also prides itself on being an environmentally friendly green hotel. Room amenities include a TV, Tea & coffee making facilities, hairdryer and free WiFi.
Right in the heart of Selfoss, on the banks of the Ölfusá River, is this vibrant accommodation which will act as the perfect base for this leg of your tour. The hotel includes the Riverside restaurant & bar, as well as the Riverside spa with authentic Icelandic sauna. Room facilities include a flatscreen TV, fridge and tea & coffee making facilities.
Walking distance from the Icelandic capital city is the Reykjavik Marina Hotel. Housed in a completely renovated building, this accommodation is ideally located to the historical Slippur Dock and features Slippbarinn, a charming restaurant and bar, as well as a cinema room, hair salon and prides itself on being a green hotel. Each room has a TV, hairdryer, mini-fridge and safe. Free WiFi is also available.
Enjoy a coffee and cake stop at Solheimar, an eco village that supports over 100 residents, and is home to a café, art workshops, greenhouses and guesthouses. During your visit, you'll learn more about the diverse community of differently abled residents and artisans, who are provided with a sense of empowerment and purpose through this project.
Experience even more of your destination by adding one or more optional experiences to your holiday before you set off. Take a look below at the extra trips you can enjoy on this tour
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Prices shown are based on twin occupancy of a double or twin bedded room with private facilities unless otherwise stated. Single occupancy supplements will apply. Travelsphere have made every effort to ensure the accuracy of the hotel images provided on this website and images of room types displayed may vary to those offered on your tour. Therefore due to the possibility of inadvertent errors we do not guarantee their accuracy. Accommodation, airlines used and flight times are subject to change and will be confirmed in your final documents.
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