Iceland · Geological Wonders

6 Day Around Iceland Summer Minibus Tour

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

The journey

Trip highlights
  • 01 Explore Iceland’s Ring Road on a 6-day small-group minibus tour
  • 02 Visit Golden Circle highlights including Thingvellir, Geysir and Gullfoss
  • 03 See South Coast landmarks such as Seljalandsfoss, Skógarfoss and Reynisfjara
  • 04 Enter the Katla Ice Cave with provided glacier equipment
  • 05 Join a guided glacier hike with a certified guide
  • 06 Visit Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon and spot floating icebergs
  • 07 Travel through the remote Eastfjords and Lake Mývatn region
  • 08 Enjoy a whale watching tour from Hauganes

Travel around Iceland on a 6-day small-group summer adventure that combines the country’s most iconic natural sights with unforgettable outdoor experiences. From the Golden Circle and South Coast to glacier landscapes, the Eastfjords, Lake Mývatn and North Iceland, this journey offers a wide-ranging look at Iceland’s dramatic scenery, with accommodation and breakfast included along the way.

Discover waterfalls, black sand beaches, geothermal areas, glacier lagoons and remote coastal villages as you circle the island with an expert driver guide. Highlights include a Katla ice cave visit, a guided glacier hike, whale watching from Hauganes, and stops at famous locations such as Thingvellir, Geysir, Gullfoss, Jökulsárlón, Dettifoss and Goðafoss.

With a minibus format, country hotel stays, and optional add-ons such as the Jökulsárlón boat ride, horseback riding and VÖK Baths, this tour is designed for travellers who want to experience a broad sweep of Iceland in one well-paced itinerary.

Highlights include a Katla ice cave visit, a guided glacier hike, whale watching from Hauganes, and stops at famous locations such as Thingvellir, Geysir, Gullfoss, Jökulsárlón, Dettifoss and Goðafoss.

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 Egilsstaoir, Reykjavik, Akureyri, Gullfoss, Geysir, Mývatn, Vík í Mýrdal, Skaftafell, Jökulsárlón, Thingvellir, Djúpivogur
Languages English

Day by day

The itinerary

1
Day 01

The Golden Circle

The first day of your 8 day tour around Iceland will be spent in the Golden Circle.

First stop is Thingvellir National Park where both the amazing nature and Icelandic history meet. It's located where the two tectonic plates, the North American and Eurasian plate are drifting away from each other. The biggest natural lake of Iceland is located in the National Park with it's variety of fish and bird life. It's also the location where Icelanders founded their first parliament in 930.

Next up is the geothermal area of Geysir, where you can see mud pools and hot springs all around. The hot spring Strokkur gushes our boiling water every 5-7 minutes.

Then you will head out to Gullfoss Waterfall (The Golden Falls) one of Iceland's most iconic waterfall dropping 32 meters on two rocky tiers.

At the end of the day you will visit Seljalandsfoss waterfall, originating from the infamous Eyjafjallajökull Glacier. Here you can hike 360° around the waterfall.

Your night will be spent in a hotel on the south coast.

If you are traveling in late August or September you will have the chance of seeing the Northern Lights as the accommodation around Iceland is chosen with Northern Lights sightseeing in mind.

2
Day 02

South Coast & Katla Ice Cave

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.

You will start at the powerful Skógarfoss Waterfall, if you have the energy to hike up all 527 steps by the waterfall you will have a great view of the Icelandic coastline.

The next stop of the day will be Reynisfjara beach where you can breath the ocean air while exploring the extraordinary basalt stacks along the black sand beach.

Last stop of your day will be the amazing Katla Ice Cave. The ice cave is located in Kötlujökull Glacier which is an outlet glacier of Mýrdalsjökull glacier. Underneath awaits the mighty volcano Katla, that names both the glacier and the ice cave.  Once you arrive to the glacier, your guide will hand you all the necessary ice cave equipment and go over a safety briefing and facts about glaciers and ice caves. You’ll take a fun walk on the glacier with your experienced glacier guide before you enter the famous Katla Ice Cave.

Please note that sometimes we may need to do this activity on day 3 depending on availability.

The accommodation of day 2 will be in or close to the town of Vík.

Please note that sometimes we may need to stay in a nearby area (Hvolsvollur or similar) depending on availability.

3
Day 03

South Coast with Glacier Hike

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. You will start your day at the glacier, going on a 3 hour adventure on the glacier in Skaftafell. You will meet your expert glacier guide who will equip you with all the glacier gear needed for a safe journey on the glacier (or Solheimajokull on day 2, depending on availability). There you will witness the amazing view on the glacier, the mulans and crevasses.

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.

You will then take a boat ride on the Glacier Lagoon where you can get up close to the icebergs floating on the lagoon (extra)

This night is spent in the South East.

4
Day 04

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.

On this day you will have the option on adding a horseback riding tour from Galdrahestar farm.

At the end of the day you will also have the option of relaxing in the VÖK Baths close to Egilsstaðir.

The night will be spent in the Eastfjords area.

5
Day 05

Lake Myvatn and Akureyri

After breakfast on day 5 you will head north towards Lake Mývatn and the nearby geothermal area. First you will visit the Stuðlagil Canyon, one of the new phenomenon of Iceland. Where the blue water meets with the basalt columns.

Then you will head out to Dettifoss the second most powerful waterfall in Europe. 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. When driving to Akureyri you will pass Víkurskarð mountain pass you can take in the beautiful surroundings of Eyjafjörður fjord.

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

6
Day 06

North of Iceland & Whale Watching

Today you will make your way to the west part of Iceland with a detour around the northern area of Hauganes. Hauganes 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 harbour. You will start your day with a 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 exploring the Icelandic Ring rOAD this 6-day tour has come to an end. You will end the tour in Reykjavík in early evening. We do not recommend flying from Iceland in the evening of the last day in case of any delays due to weather. We rather recommend exploring Reykjavík, the northernmost capital in the world.

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 and bus ride from and to Reykjavik capital area
  • Small group 6 Days experience
  • Wi-Fi and Icelandic music on board
  • 5 nights of accommodation in various country hotels with breakfast and a private bathroom
  • Breakfast
  • Glacier Hike with a certified guide (Either on Solheimajokull or Skaftafell)
  • Glacier equipment
  • Katla Ice cave
  • Hauganes Whale Watching Tour

What's Not Included

  • Flights
  • Lunch and dinner
  • Pick up outside of Reykjavik capital area.
  • Jökulsárlón Amphibian Boat Ride
  • Horseback Riding Tour
  • VÖK baths

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.
  • 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.

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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