Jewels Of The North

OVERVIEW

This fascinating tour brings you face to face with some of Iceland’s most beautiful – and sometimes bizarre – natural attractions. You’ll travel by coach along the shore of picturesque Eyjarfjordur fjord, cross an ancient glacial valley, gaze in awe at a legendary horseshoe waterfall and marvel at the eerie volcanic pseudo-craters of Skutustadir – and that’s all before lunch. After breaking for a hearty meal at a local venue, you’ll be ready for an afternoon filled with even stranger examples of this country’s bubbling geothermal roots. Like those twisted lava formations at Dimmuborgir, an imaginative landscape formed over 2,000 years ago and full of hardened lava lakes, natural arches and craggy grottoes. Then there’s the barren field of gurgling sulfur cauldrons and boiling mud pits at Namaskard, where you’ll be able to peer directly into the superheated heart of Iceland – catching a sulfurous whiff of the nasty brew that bubbles about beneath the ground no plant can survive in. Overall, few places on Earth are as curious.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Hear the mighty “Waterfall of the Gods” – Godafoss – roar as it thunders over a wide horseshoe cliff.
• Visit the odd volcanic landscape of Skutustadir, where the craters look like something on the moon.
• Encounter extraordinary, hardened lava castles and other ancient formations at Dimmuborgir.
• Tour a simmering landscape of active geothermal pits and cauldrons of Namaskard.
• Travel by comfortable coach with a seasoned guide and enjoy a hearty midday lunch.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.