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Vacations with Personality

WINTER ICELAND COMPLETE

Escorted Tour

9 days / 8 nights
  • About Tour
  • Tour Itinerary
  • Whats Included
  • Important Info
  • T&C
Languages English Duration 9 days / 8 nights Airline
Enjoy the northern lights version of our best-selling Ring Road circle tour! You’ll see Iceland’s main attractions, but with the enchanting beauty—and northern lights—of an Icelandic winter. Discover “must-see“ places like the Golden Circle, the Glacier Lagoon, Lake Mývatn, and Dettifoss waterfall. The tour’s name says it all!

Witnessing the elusive northern lights’ exotic dance in the night sky is a once-in-a-lifetime experience! Our team of experts created this special northern lights edition of the popular Iceland Complete tour to combine the best of the Ring Road with the enchanting beauty of an Icelandic winter. Witness “must-see" attractions such as the Golden Circle, the Glacier Lagoon, Lake Mývatn and Dettifoss, but with extra-added magical snow, peacefulness, light, and shadows of an Icelandic winter. Northern lights wake-up calls are available on most nights of your trip, ensuring you don’t miss your chance to see the lights up close.

We Support Iceland’s Nature and Local Communities! During the trip you’ll receive a special souvenir: an Iceland Search and Rescue Association (ICE SAR) key ring. Your guide will tell you about this trained team of volunteers dedicated to rescue work and accident prevention in Iceland. ICE-SAR's work is supported by contributions from companies and individuals. Iceland Travel is one of these proud supporters.

Additionally, all our escorted tours include carbon offsetting through Kolviður, the Iceland Carbon Fund (ICF).

Recommended For: First time visitors to Iceland, Instagram photographers, Ring Road explorers
Interests: Natural wonders, Ring Road travel, geology, history, great photographic moments, northern lights, winter landscapes, authentic experiences

• Let us provide you with an excellent overview of Iceland and its unique wonders 
• We’ll take you to many of the classic natural wonders, including the Golden Circle, the Glacier Lagoon, Reynisfjara Beach, Dettifoss waterfall and Mývatn nature reserve
• Enjoy a glimpse into Icelandic life with authentic local activities and delicious dinners– great experiences that also add great value
• Take advantage of overnight countryside locations to search for the elusive northern lights
Highlights
Enjoy the northern lights version of our most popular tour! We’ll show you the main attractions of the legendary Ring Road, but with the added beauty—and northern lights—of an Icelandic winter.

• Departure flight onboard Play on a direct flight from Hamilton Airport to Keflavik Airport on selected flight class (*)
• Shared transfers on arrival and departure.
• One free personal item, one free Carry-on and one piece of checked bag included when booked on Play Value or Play Flex categories.
• Guided Coach Tour from day 2 to day 9
• Accommodation on the selected room category and plan.
• 24/7 personalized assistance by our professional staff in destination.
• Option to buy local excursions and entrances to attractions.
• Return flight from Keflavik Airport to Hamilton Airport on a direct flight to destination.

*Please note that some flight classes may already include either carry-on or checked bags on your price. Please make sure to check flight class on your booking before proceeding to pay for extras:
PLAY BASIC (B) – Personal item max. 10 Kg only. Carry-on, seats and checked bags can be added for a fee after bookings are paid in full.
PLAY BASIC PLUS (L) - Personal item max. 10 Kg + Carry-on max 12 Kg + Seat selection (middle to back of plane). Checked bags can be added for a fee after bookings are paid in full.
PLAY VALUE (V) – Personal item max. 10 Kg + Carry-on max. 12 Kg + 1 Checked Bag 20 kg + Seat selection (middle to back of plane excluding XL seats) + Priority boarding.
PLAY FLEX F) – Personal item max 10 Kg + Carry-on max. 12 Kg + 1 Checked bag max. 23 kg + Seat selection (excluding XL seats) + Priority boarding + Flight flexibility.
The Tour on Map Tour map image path

Itinerary

Tour day #1 photo
Day: 0 Departure from Canada
Arrive on time for your departure from Hamilton Airport to Iceland, 
Hop aboard your Play Airlines flight and brace yourself for the adventure!


Tour day #2 photo
Day: 1 Arrival in Iceland
Arrival at Keflavík International airport. 

Transfers to Reykjavík are included in the tour. 

Tonight, there will be an information meeting at your hotel. You’ll meet your guide, travel companions, and learn more about the tour.

Dinner this evening is at your leisure.

Reykjavík offers a multitude of restaurants and/or coffee-houses, making dinner a wonderful way to get better acquainted with Iceland's capital. 

Please note that hotels in Iceland start check-in around 14:00 (2:00pm), and early check-in is not guaranteed.

Most hotels will be happy to store your luggage if you are not able to check in early.

Good to Know: Generally, on Day 2 – 8 there will be no more than 45 minutes to one-hour driving between each tour stop. 

You’ll arrive at each night’s accommodation in the late afternoon.


Tour day #3 photo
Day: 2 The Golden Circle and The South Shore
Exploding Geysers – Waterfalls – Black Sand Beaches.

Breakfast at your hotel. Your guide will meet you in the lobby of the hotel. Start your adventure by visiting the fascinating Aurora Reykjavík Northern Lights Centre.

You’ll get a great introduction to northern lights, how they are formed and the folklore surrounding them. You’ll also get tips about how to capture northern lights on film.

Continue to the Golden Circle natural wonders. Explore Gullfoss waterfall, a spectacular sight in winter when frozen mid-cascade. Continue to the geothermal fields of Geysir with bubbling mud pools and the high-spouting Strokkur hot spring (and other geysers).

Continue along the south shore and stop to admire the waterfalls Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss before continuing to the black sand beaches of Iceland’s South Shore. Continue to the village of Vík.

Dinner and overnight in the Vík area.

If weather conditions are right, your guide will take you on northern lights hunt on foot in the area outside your hotel tonight, or on one of the other evenings that you are staying in the countryside.

Approximate Driving Distance: 325 km / 201 miles


Tour day #4 photo
Day: 3 Vatnajökull National Park (Skaftafell area)
Lava Fields – Glacial Lagoon with Icebergs – Europe’s Largest Glacier

Breakfast at your hotel. 

Today, you’ll be visiting the southern area of Vatnajökull National Park, named after Europe’s largest glacier. The total park area covers almost 14% of Iceland, making it the largest national park in Western Europe! Visit the national park’s famous Skaftafell area, a site of outstanding natural beauty dominated by several magnificent glaciers.

Visit Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon where you can enjoy the breath-taking sight of icebergs floating in the fantastic 180m (591 ft.) deep glacial lagoon (make sure your camera is loaded and ready!)

Nearby is the dramatic beauty of the Diamond Beach, where shrinking icebergs settle on the black sands before they drift out to sea. 

Dinner and overnight in Southeast Iceland or in the Höfn area.
Approximate Driving Distance: 265 km / 165 miles


Tour day #5 photo
Day: 4 The Eastfjords
Narrow Fjords – Picturesque Coastline – Legendary Lake Monster

Breakfast at your hotel. Get ready to enjoy some amazing views today! Drive through Almannaskarð pass, stopping to admire the majestic coastline. Continue to an area of towering mountains plunging vertically into the sea that form the magnificent East Fjords. 

Keep your hand on your camera and keep an eye out for wild reindeer, which can sometimes be seen in the area during the winter months. 

You will also pass villages, each with its own special history and charm. One of these is the tiny village of Breiðdalsvík. Here, you’ll visit the local Beljandi microbrewery and sample some of the beer.

You’ll meet one of the townsfolk and get a feel for life in a small town. Drive to Egilsstaðir town, located near Iceland’s largest forest and a lake said to be home to a legendary (friendly) monster. Egilsstaðir is also getting a name for itself for its excellent locally sourced cuisine, and you will surely enjoy some of it at dinner.

Dinner and overnight in the Eastfjords area.
Approximate Driving Distance: 260 km / 162 miles


Tour day #6 photo
Day: 5 Lake Mývatn Area
Highland Desert – Bizarre Lava Formations – Volcanic Winter Wonderland.

Breakfast at your hotel. Explore the empty vastness of the highland desert plateau Modrudalsoraefi, desolate and yet hauntingly beautiful in its winter snows, as you head towards the Lake Mývatn area. On the way, stop at Dettifoss, Europe's largest and most powerful waterfall. 

Continue onwards to Námaskarð pass with its boiling mud pools and vibrant colours. We often feel like we are visiting another planet when we come here, and you may the same way. It’s such a surreal experience!

Please note: The visit to Dettifoss waterfall depends on weather and road conditions and cannot be guaranteed..

Explore the natural beauty of the Lake Mývatn area, including the pseudo craters at Skútustaðir and the Laxá Salmon River. You will probably see why this area, especially during the wintertime, has been so popular for movie makers.

Dinner and overnight stay in the Mývatn area.
Approximate Driving Distance: 255 km / 158 miles


Tour day #7 photo
Day: 6 Akureyri and the Troll Peninsula
"Waterfall of the Gods" – Akureyri – The Beautiful Troll Peninsula.

Breakfast at your hotel. Start the day by exploring the peculiar lava formations at Dimmuborgir. The name means “Dark Citadels" in Icelandic, and they certainly look as though were built by fantasy creatures.

 There are local legends that elves live here.

Visit the magnificent Goðafoss waterfall, one of the most important symbols of North Iceland. Afterwards, drive to Akureyri, the colourful northern “capital" of Iceland. The town has charming buildings and a beautiful view of the Eyjafjordur fjord. 

After spending some time in Akureyri, continue along the coastal roads of Eyjafjörður and the Troll Peninsula. This is a beautiful drive along steep mountains with amazing views over the Arctic Sea and the black sand coastline. 

Enjoy a stop in Siglufjörður, a town set in a beautiful fjord of the same name. This town has some of the finest timber buildings in the country, beautifully restored to their original glory.

Visit Siglufjörður’s award-winning Herring-Era Maritime Museum. The museum recreates the atmosphere of the early 20th century, when Siglufjörður was transformed into a frontier-like boom town, thanks to a large migration of herring. The museum will transport you back to that exciting time.  

Afterwards, head along majestic mountains and narrow passes to Skagafjörður, considered to be one of the finest places in Iceland for horse breeding. 

Dinner and overnight in Northwest Iceland.
Approximate Driving Distance: 235 km / 146 miles


Tour day #8 photo
Day: 7 Skagafjörður – Borgarnes
Mountain Views – Unique Viking Horse Demonstration

Breakfast at your hotel. 

Today you will enjoy an introduction to the unique Icelandic horse breed with its special fifth gait, the tolt. Icelandic horses are very important to the country’s history. These gentle horses are known as the Icelandic people’s most faithful servant.

Continue towards the village of Blönduós, built on both sides of the river Blanda. This is a part of Iceland known from the Icelandic literary work Vatnsdæla Saga. Cross the Holtavörðuheiði plateau taking you into West Iceland.

Drive through Borgarfjörður, a region that has been getting international recognition for its diverse landscapes and its Viking history.

Dinner and overnight stay in the Borgarnes area.
Approximate Driving Distance: 235 km / 146 miles


Tour day #9 photo
Day: 8 Borgarfjörður – Þingvellir – Reykjavík
Hot Springs – Picturesque Waterfalls – National Park with Geological Wonders

Breakfast at your hotel. 

Visit some of West Iceland’s beautiful natural wonders. Drive to Deildartunguhver, the most powerful hot spring in Europe. Stop to admire the beautiful Hraunfossar waterfalls, were brightly blue water rushes through black lava formations. Nearby is Barnafoss, a waterfall with a brilliantly blue colour.

Drive through the scenic and mountain rimmed Hvalfjörður fjord to Lake Þingvallavatn, Iceland’s largest lake, and Þingvellir National Park. This UNESCO heritage site is where the world’s oldest continuing parliamentary government was founded in the 10th century. 

It is also the place where the North American and European tectonic plates meet. You will have the unusual experience of walking between two continents!

Afterwards, head to Reykjavík for a last night in the colourful capital city. Your guide will bid you farewell at your hotel.

Overnight stay in Reykjavík. Dinner is on your own.
Approximate Driving Distance: 205 km / 130 miles


Tour day #10 photo
Day: 9 Farewell to the Land of Fire and Ice
Breakfast at your hotel. Please note that this might be a light breakfast if you are taking an early morning flight. Transfer on your own to the international airport for your departure flight.
 
We recommend you depart your hotel no later than three hours before your departure flight.

We wish you a pleasant trip back to your homeland and hope to see you in Iceland again!
Whats Included
• Departure flight onboard Play on a direct flight from Hamilton Airport to Keflavik Airport on selected flight class (*).
• Shared transfers on arrival and departure.
• Guided coach tour from day 2 to day 8
• Expert professional English-speaking local guide from day 2 to day 8
• Free Wi-Fi on board the motor coach 
• Accommodation 2 nights in a standard room with facilities in Reykjavík
• Accommodation 6 nights in a standard room with facilities in the countryside
• Icelandic breakfast (except arrival day)
• 6 three-course local-cuisine dinners in the countryside with coffee/tea (days 2-7) 
• Souvenir Icelandic Search and Rescue keyring
• Information meeting with guide (day 1)
• Entrance fee to the Aurora Reykjavík Northern Lights Centre (day 2)
• Microbrewery visit and beer tasting in Breiðdalsvík (day 4)
• Entrance to the Herring Era Maritime Museum (day 6)
• Horse show in Skagafjörður (day 7)
• The Iceland Travel App, which has interesting information about the areas your tour visits
• Use of crampons/cleats (if needed) for walking on snow/ice covered surfaces
• Great photo stops
• Seat rotation during the tour
• Northern lights guided hunt on foot one selected evening, including use of crampons and headlight
• Customer care service during office hours
• 24-hour Iceland Travel emergency line assistance while you are in Iceland
• Also (Added Value): Northern lights “wake-up call” option during the night on days 2-7 (please note: available at most countryside hotels)
• Return flight from Keflavik Airport to Hamilton Airport on a direct flight to destination

Accommodation - Quality Category
Please note this is an advised hotel list and subject to change.
Day 1 – Berjaya Iceland Reykjavík Natura
Day 2 – Katla Hotel KEA
Day 3 – Hotel Höfn
Day 4 – Valaskjálf Hotel
Day 5 – Laxá Hotel/Fosshotel Mývatn
Day 6 – Hofsstaðir Country Hotel
Day 7 – Hotel Hamar
Day 8 – Berjaya Iceland Reykjavík Natura

*Please note that some flight classes may already include either carry-on or checked bags on your price. Please make sure to check flight class on your booking before proceeding to pay for extras:
PLAY BASIC (B) – Personal item max. 10 Kg only. Carry-on, seats and checked bags can be added for a fee after bookings are paid in full.
PLAY BASIC PLUS (L) - Personal item max. 10 Kg + Carry-on max 12 Kg + Seat selection (middle to back of plane). Checked bags can be added for a fee after bookings are paid in full.
PLAY VALUE (V) – Personal item max. 10 Kg + Carry-on max. 12 Kg + 1 Checked Bag 20 kg + Seat selection (middle to back of plane excluding XL seats) + Priority boarding.
PLAY FLEX F) – Personal item max 10 Kg + Carry-on max. 12 Kg + 1 Checked bag max. 23 kg + Seat selection (excluding XL seats) + Priority boarding + Flight flexibility.


 
Whats Not Included
• Breakfast on arrival day
• International airfare
• Baggage porterage at airport/hotel
• Personal travel insurance (highly recommended)
• Round-trip transfers between airports and hotels 
• Beverages, snacks, lunches, dinners unless otherwise noted in itinerary 
• Guaranteed early check-in (check-in time for most hotels in Iceland starts between 14:00 and 16:00 (2:00pm and 4:00pm)
• Guaranteed late check-out 
• Any service not specifically listed under "Included"

• We reserve the right to alter routes without prior notice, due to road conditions
• Please advise us at booking time if you have food allergies or dietary preferences
• Northern lights are dependent on weather conditions and sightings are not guaranteed
• A minimum of 3 passengers is required to guarantee each departure

TERMS AND CONDITIONS FROM THE TOUR OPERATOR

Please read and accept the following Terms and Conditions to continue with your purchase of any product offered by THE SPECIAL TRAVEL CORPORATION.
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TERMS AND CONDITIONS FROM THE AIRLINE

Please read and accept the following Terms and Conditions to continue with your purchase of any product or air segment offered by PLAY Airlines.
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TERMS AND CONDITIONS FROM THE DESTINATION MANAGEMENT COMPANY

Please read carefully the Terms and Conditions applicable to the services offered by ICELAND TRAVEL (local Destination Management Company in Iceland).
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Vacations with Personality