Iceland · Geological Wonders

6 Day Around Iceland Winter Minibus Tour

6 Days Round trip from Pickup service provided in Reykjavík. Easy pace

The journey

Trip highlights
  • 01 Travel around Iceland in winter on a 6-day small-group minibus tour
  • 02 Explore the Golden Circle, including Þingvellir, Geysir and Gullfoss
  • 03 Join an included glacier hike with certified guide and equipment
  • 04 Visit a natural blue ice cave near Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon
  • 05 See Reynisfjara black sand beach and Diamond Beach
  • 06 Discover the remote Eastfjords and the Lake Mývatn region
  • 07 Enjoy an included whale watching tour from Hauganes
  • 08 Stay 5 nights with private bathroom accommodation and breakfast included

Discover Iceland’s dramatic winter landscapes on a 6-day small-group minibus adventure around the island. Travel from Reykjavík through the Golden Circle and South Coast to glacier lagoons, black sand beaches, the Eastfjords, Lake Mývatn and North Iceland, with a mix of iconic sights and lesser-visited regions along the way.

This itinerary includes standout winter experiences such as a glacier hike, an ice cave tour and whale watching, plus five nights of accommodation with breakfast. Along the route, visit famous natural landmarks including Þingvellir National Park, Geysir, Gullfoss, Skógafoss, Reynisfjara, Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon, Diamond Beach and Goðafoss, with chances to spot the northern lights if conditions allow.

Before going on a 3 hour whale watching tour where you have the opportunity of seeing Humpback Whales, Minke Whales, Harbour Porpoise and White Beaked Dolphins.

From the itinerary

At a glance

What this trip includes

Duration 6 Days
Tour type Shared
Activity level Easy
Accommodation Included
Transport Included
Wheelchair access Not applicable
Cities Reykjavik, Akureyri, Gullfoss, Geysir, Mývatn, Vík í Mýrdal, Skaftafell, Jökulsárlón, Vatnajökull National Park, Thingvellir, Djúpivogur
Languages English

Day by day

The itinerary

1
Day 01

Day 1 - The Golden Circle

The first attraction of this 6-day Iceland tour is the well-known Golden Circle, one of Icelands most popular attraction. 

First of all you will visit Þingvellir national park where the two tectonic plates, the North American and the Eurasian plate, are moving away from each other. Few places in the world offer a better and clearer view of this massive geographic activity. The biggest natural lake in Iceland is also located at Thingvellir National Park and hosts a great variety of fish and bird life. Thingvellir is also an important place for Icelandic national history. At Thingvellir Icelanders founded their parliament in 930 AD where the chieftains had their annual meeting every summer. 

From Þingvellir you will drive for a short time to the next attraction which is Geysir geothermal area. There you can see Strokkur hot spring gushing out boiling water every 5 minutes or so. 

Next up is Gullfoss waterfall (The Golden Falls), one of Iceland's most iconic waterfalls that has a drop of 32 meters over two tocky tiers. On a sunny day, you can see the glacier Langjökull in the distance and enjoy a rainbow in the mist of the waterfall. 

At the end of the day you will visit Seljalandsfoss waterfall, famous for the pathway all around the waterfall. 

After a good day of sightseeing you will spend the night in the south of Iceland. Throughout this tour you will mostly be staying at country hotels that provide good opportunities of witnessing the northern lights if the weather allows.

2
Day 02

Day 2: South Coast, Waterfalls and Glacier Hike

Your second day includes the beautiful South Coast of Iceland. 

This day you will pass farmlands, rivers and picturesque waterfalls.  Along the day you will have the waves of the Atlantic ocean on your right side. There will be plenty stops for taking photographs and explore the amazing scenery.  To make this day even more adventurous you will start your day on a glacier hiking tour. This glacier hike gives you amazing scenery through crevasses and jagged ridges, incredible surroundings around the glacier and get up close with the blue ice.  

You will visit the powerful Skógarfoss Waterfall, you can either go right up to the waterfall or hike up the 527 steps to witness the amazing view over the south coast. 

The last stop of the day will be Reynisfjara beach where you can breath the ocean air while exploring the extraordinary basalt stacks.  The accommodation of day 2 will be in or close to the town of Vík.

3
Day 03

Day 3: Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon & Ice Caving

This day will very likely be one of the highlights of your trip. You will travel further east along the South Coast, through the desert of Skeiðarársandur, passing another national park, Skaftafell. 

Further east you will stop at Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon, one of the most iconic locations in Iceland. In Jökulsárlón you will see big and small icebergs breaking off from Breiðamerkurjökull glacier floating in the lagoon. If you look really well you might spots some seals that live in the lagoon. 

On this day you will have the unique opportunity of exploring ice caves inside on of Icelands glaciers. Visiting the natural blue ice caves of Breiðarmerkurjökull is one of the bucket list experiences in iceland. 

At the end of the day you will then visit the amazing Diamond Beach where the icebergs previously floating in the Glacier Lagoon have washed up to the beach making small diamonds. 

This night is spent in the area of Vatnajökull glacier.

4
Day 04

Day 4: The Eastfjords

Today, you will continue further east towards the East Fjords of Iceland. The East Fjords are one of the most spectacular and untouched regions in Iceland. In this area you will feel the peace and tranquillity from the nature around you. While driving around this area you might spot some wild reindeers.  

There are loads of interesting stops on this day as you head further east such as Djúpivogur, Lagarfljót lake, the charming fjords of the East and the small fishing villages.  

You will have the chance to add horseback riding on this day. Famous for its size and strong built, truly unique. 

At the end of the day you can relax in the VÖK Baths. 

The night will be spent in the Eastfjords area.

5
Day 05

Day 5 - Mývatn and the North East

After breakfast on day 5 you will head north towards Lake Mývatn and the nearby geothermal area. 

You will visit Dimmuborgir (Dark Castles) an area that is known for its strange rock formations, some look like a dark fort but others may look like a church. 

Next stop is Námaskarð, a geothermal area with bubbling mud pools. Icelanders often place dough of bread and bury it in the ground allowing it to bake overnight. 

The last stop of the day before heading to the overnight accommodation in Akureyri is Goðafoss waterfall. Goðafoss is very rich with beauty and history. 

At the end of the day you can strive around Akureyri, the capital of the north. 

6
Day 06

Day 6 - The North with Whale Watching

This is the last day of your 6-day trip around Iceland. Today you will travel from the capital of the north to the capital in the south, Reykjavík with a few stops on the way. 

First you will head out to Hauganes, that is the home of only about 140 people, it's really charming and peaceful village. You can spend some time strolling around the black sand beach or walk on the harbor. Before going on a 3 hour whale watching tour where you have the opportunity of seeing Humpback Whales, Minke Whales, Harbour Porpoise and White Beaked Dolphins. These species are the most commonly spotted in this area.   

After that you will head to Reykjavík, when in Reykjavík it's up to you how you want to spend your time there, you could visit the city's museums, go on a whale watching tour, go shopping in downtown Reykjavík for example.  We do not recommend flying from Iceland in the evening of the last day in case of any delays due to weather.

The route

Where you'll travel

Tour route map
Round trip from Pickup service provided in Reykjavík. 11 cities · 6 Days

The fine print

Trip details

What's Included

  • Driver guide, pick-up and drop-off from in Reykjavik capital area
  • Small group experience
  • Wi-Fi and Icelandic music on board
  • Accommodation:
    5 nights accommodation with a private bathroom
  • Meals:
    5 Breakfasts
  • Included activities and equipment:
    Whale watching
    Ice cave tour
    3 hours glacier Hike with a certified guide
    Glacier equipment: Helmet, Harness, Crampons, and Ice Axe
    Northern lights sightseeing, if the weather allows
  • Taxes

What's Not Included

  • Flights.
  • Lunch and dinner not included.
  • Pick up outside of Reykjavik capital area.
  • Single room Supplement Fee (Mandatory for Single Travellers)
  • Additional activities, that can be added during the booking process: Horseback Riding Tour, VÖK Bath

Know before you go

  • Customers travelling on their own will receive a single room. Reservations for 2 people will be allocated a double room. For bookings of 3 or more, triple rooms will automatically be allocated. For example, a group of 8 will receive 2 triple rooms and 1 double. If these arrangements do not meet your requirements, please contact the provider.
  • The Northern Lights are a natural phenomenon, and therefore cannot be guaranteed, but this itinerary is designed to maximise your chances to see them if weather allows. Please be advised that there is no specific Northern Lights hunt on this tour, but your guide will notify you if the conditions are favourable and advise you on how to best spot them.
  • It can happen, in the case of extreme weather, that an activity is cancelled. If your chosen activity is cancelled, we will assist you with rearranging or booking other activities when possible, and any potential price difference will be refunded to you.
  • Please note that only pick up and drop-off from designated pick up locations in the greater capital area is available, not from Keflavík International Airport. Therefore, we do not recommend attempting to start this tour on your arrival day in Iceland. Arrival time back to Reykjavík at the end of your tour can vary depending on weather and traffic.
  • It is highly recommended that you do not book your flight home the same night as bad weather or delays could affect your journey. Please be sure to arrange accommodation for this evening and an airport transfer the next day to take you to Keflavík International Airport for your departure.
  • Note that Icelandic roads and pavements can be slippery in the wintertime. We recommend you bring shoes with slip-resistant soles or ice-grip shoe covers. The covers can be purchased in most supermarkets and gas stations around the country.

Logistics

Meeting & route

Meeting point
Pickup service provided in Reykjavík.
Tour start
Pickup service provided in Reykjavík.
Tour ends at the same location as the start point.
End of the journey

Your 6 days finish where they began, in Pickup service provided in Reykjavík..

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