Walking Holidays in Iceland - Iceland - Full Circle - 11 Nights
Holiday Highlights
- Overview
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- Info
Walking Holiday in Iceland
The itinerary has much to offer, with spectacular waterfalls and remote mountains to ascend. The East and South has more dramatic coastal scenery and potential for glacier walking than the West and North of the island.
Personalised quotation
We will gladly send you a personalised quotation for the holiday, duration and routing of your choice, we do not however offer locations that one of our team has not visited and experienced. The first and last days can also be adjusted depending on time of arrival and departures.
Driving Around
Distances in Iceland are large and public transport outside of Reykjavik is sporadic, so to link all the walking places in Iceland the best way is by car. We have put together holidays combining good walking with visiting the ‘must sees‘ of the country all linked by self drive car. You are unlikely to meet any other walkers in many places while walking around Iceland which is a delight, but you need to be prepared for sudden changes in the weather. Our holidays will appeal to those who not only wish to see the major sites of this unique country but also to explore it close up and not just from a car window. There is a choice of walks at most locations for all abilities.
Driving in Iceland is a real joy. Although some of the minor roads have dirt surfaces, all but a very short distance of the main road round Iceland is paved and all rural roads are pretty empty. Reykjavik is busy and does have some traffic jams at peak times but the rest of the country is traffic jam free. The distances are large with long periods of driving without a building or any other sign of human habitation in sight - just spectacular scenery, mountain ranges to cross, mountain streams and rivers to follow and waterfalls to spot. You will pass through isolated settlements either for farmers or fishermen, and you look at their lifestyle with envy of their spectacular views and setting and fear of what it is like to live so far away from anyone else. We provide a booklet with detailed driving directions.
Day 1: Arrive Keflavik, the international airport for Reykjavik. Drive to your first hotel near the small town of Selfoss. If arriving early, you could swim in the famous Blue Lagoon or stop off and take a walk to bathe in a hot river above Hveragerdi. HB. DD 76 miles
Day 2: Walk the Golden Triangle. Overnight Selfoss. HB
Day 3: Drive to Gauksmyri for walk around town then onwards to Akureyri. HB. DD 268 miles
Day 4: Walk to the top of Sulur a delightful summit with commanding views from the top down the fjord and towards central Iceland, then drive onward to Husivik. Take a break enroute and walk to the viewpoints above Godafoss (The Gods Waterfall). Overnight at Husavik. BB. Enjoy dinner in one of the superb seafood restaurants. DD 58 miles
Day 5: Drive to Dettifoss Waterfall considered by many to be the most impressive in Europe. After a short walk, drive on and take a longer walk to the spectacular Asbyrgi valley and the impressive Jokulsa Canyon. (5 hours ascent/descent 200m) return by a great drive along the Arctic coast. Overnight at Husavik. BB
Day 6: Either take one of the many whale watching trips run by ex-whalers (not included in the price) and visit the fascinating whale museum, in this whale watching capital of Iceland. Then drive to Myvatn. Or drive to Myvatn and take one of the many walking options in the area. Overnight at Myvatn. BB DD 40 miles
Day 7: Drive to the eastern fjords through some spectacular scenery (even for Iceland), then onto your hotel at Flolstodir, from where you can take a local walk in the area of this beautiful fjord.Overnight Flolstodir. HB DD 130 miles
Day 8: The first of many spectacular coastal drives, amongst the best in the world. Today you drive to Djupivogur a small fishing village. If you arrive in time walk around the nearby headland and see the reason why this area is famous for birdlife. Overnight Djupivogur. BB DD 80 miles
Day 9: Continue along the coast skirting the edge of Europe’s largest glacier, Vatnajokul. Stop at Skaftafell and undertake a walk to the edge of a glacier. Also stop en-route at the ice blue glacial Lake Jokulsarlon to view floating icebergs. Overnight Kirkjubaejarklaustur. HB DD 187 miles
Day 10: Return to Skaftafell National Park where you have a choice of walks and the possibility of a guided glacier walk. Overnight Kirkjubaejarklaustur HB
Day 11: Drive on the latest section of highway 1 to be completed allowing a circumnavigation only from 1974. Stop in and visit Vik and take a walk to a fine viewpoint of the Glacier. Take a short visit to the majestic waterfall of Skogarfoss and explore the area. Return car and overnight Reykjavik RO DD 163 miles
Day 12: Transfer to the airport and fly home.
We can put together any combination of the days above to fit the time you have and your particular interests. Just contact us and we will discuss your particular requirements.
HB = dinner, bed & breakfast included BB = Bed and Breakfast RO = Room only DD = Driving distance in miles directly between hotels
Walk Grading
Self-Guided – A choice of Easy, Moderate & Challenging walks.
Iceland - Full Circle - 11 Nights
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The number of nights accommodation with half board or B&B (room only in Reykjavik) as indicated |
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Lunches & drinks with meals |
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Group A car hire collected from the airport and returned when itinerary returns to Reykjavik (a car is a liability in the city) |
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Travel Insurance (required) |
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Return transfer to Reykjavik airport |
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Route notes & walking map |
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Optional Extras |
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'With flights' includes typical flight prices from London Heathrow, Birmingham, Manchester, Aberdeen or Glasgow |
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Superior rooms available at some hotels and higher category hotel possible in Reykjavik at small supplements, please enquire further. |
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All prices are valid for 2022
Prices are per person in GBP / UK £ and are based on a shared twin/double standard room.
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Route |
Dates |
With Flights |
Without Flights |
Duration |
Nights B&B (Room only in Reykjavik) |
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Full Circle |
May |
3264 |
3134 |
21 |
4 |
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Jun – Aug |
4064 |
3884 |
21 |
4 |
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Sep – Oct |
3684 |
3554 |
21 |
4 |
|
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May |
2324 |
2194 |
14 |
4 |
|
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Jun – Aug |
2914 |
2734 |
14 |
4 |
|
|
Sep – Oct |
2624 |
2494 |
14 |
4 |
|
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May |
1910 |
1780 |
11 |
3 |
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Jun – Aug |
2344 |
2164 |
11 |
3 |
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Sep – Oct |
2060 |
1930 |
11 |
3 |
Higher category hotels available in some locations, also higher category rooms possible, please enquire.
We can put any itinerary combination together for your needs, please enquire for details.
Extra nights and single room prices upon application.
UF01
This map is for illustration purposes only and we cannot be held responsible for its accuracy.
Akureyri
The husband and wife, Inga Margrét Árnadóttir and Stefán own and run the hotel. The hotel is located on the east side of Eyjafjörður, in the middle of the north of Iceland. Akureyri, which is usually considered one of the most beautiful towns in Iceland, is only a 10-minute drive away. In Akureyri one can find numerous museums, restaurants, swimming pools, an 18-hole golf course, a botanical garden, a great skiing resort and many other things.
Within a 20 minute drive from the hotel, guests can go horseback riding, whale watching, hiking, diving and biking. Guests can also visit the Christmas house in Eyjafjarðarsveit, the old farmhouse Laufás or the spectacular Goðafoss, to name but a few things.
It is approximately an hour’s drive to Siglufjörður, Húsavík and Mývatnssveit and an hour and a half to Dettifoss and Ásbyrgi.
The hotel has 7 single rooms, 27 double and 2 triple. All rooms have a private bathroom, a TV, a hairdryer, a desk and a chair and a wireless network.
During the summer, they offer a dinner buffet most nights. There are usually two meat based dishes, two fish based dishes, a vegetarian option and a selection of side dishes. There is also soup served, freshly baked bread, cheese plate and a sweet desert. Guests also have access to free coffee and tea in the dining hall outside breakfast and dinner hours.
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Djupivogur
Djupivogur is a little fishing village on the east coast of Iceland with a population of 450. The hotel is made up of cottages and apartments by the sea and you will find everything you need to make your stay an enjoyable one. Overlooking Djupivogur Harbour, it offers local seafood specialities, a bar and free private parking. Djupivogur Swimming Pool and Spa is just 150 m away
The accommodation options have either a private bathroom or shared facilities. Some include kitchen facilities and a living room. Communal laundry facilities are available at the Camping site. The hotel serves a daily breakfast buffet. During warmer months, guests can eat out on the terrace. Wi-Fi is free in public areas.
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Husavik
This hotel has a great view over the town and Skjálfandi bay. The hotel is in a historic house built in 1950 by the Húsavík Fishing company. A complete renovation of the house began in 2010 and the hotel opened for guests in May 2012.
The hotel has 19 spacious rooms with made beds and private bathrooms. All guests have free access to wireless Internet.
The hotel is close to the centre of Húsavík and it is only a few minutes walk to restaurants, museums, swimming pool, stores, banks etc and the harbour where boats leave for whale watching excursions numerous times per day.
Hvammstangi
The hotel in Hvammstangi is a cosy family run accommodation and horse related tourism business in North West of Iceland. They can accommodate 55 people in rooms with both: private and shared facilities.
There is a restaurant inside that serves local grilled meet, soup, salad buffet and a nice bistro menu. Both the restaurant and the hotel are decorated with modern country house elements which makes our guests to feel as good as at their “granny's home”.
The hotel is also a horse farm with 120 horses. Horse riding tours are available all year round and we also do horse shows for groups upon request. Where the history and talents of the Icelandic Horse are introduced.
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Myvatn
This hotel opened in 2017 and offers 92 rooms in wonderful surroundings north of Lake Mývatn, within 100 km from the Akureyri Airport. The hotel is designed by award-winning architectures and features almost exclusively low-environmental impact materials. The building is a low-rise, clad with larch wood and grass roof which makes it in perfect harmony with the surrounding nature.
This spectacular hotel offers standard rooms, lake view rooms, and suites. On the ground floor, you will find a wonderful restaurant with the perfect view over the lake and seating for up to 120 people.
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Reykjavik
Located on one of Reykjavík’s oldest streets, Adalstraeti, is a first class hotel in the heart of the city. The hotel is composed of three 18th century style buildings that create an atmosphere of true Icelandic charm and hospitality. 89 beautifully decorated rooms offer comfort and satisfaction. Each room is fitted with modern amenities including a satellite TV, telephone, Internet access, small frigde, radio, iron and board, hair dryer, safe and tea and coffee set. This location gives guests an ideal springboard to enjoy all that the city has to offer.
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Seydisfjordur
This hotel is located in four different buildings in Seydisfjordur. The concept of the hotel is to renovate old houses and give them new life. The main house contains reception, offices and restaurants and the other buildings contain the hotel rooms. All rooms contain free wi-fi. The hotel operates two restaurants, one serving seasonal Nordic food and the other serves Icelandic fish in a Japanese sushi style.
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Snaefellness
This is a family run guesthouse on the south coast of the Snæfellsnes Peninsula. Keli, Rúna and the crew welcome guests all year round. The hotel is a good base to explore the many faces of the peninsula.
There are 40 en-suite rooms, a 60- seat “a la carte” fish restaurant, a bar and two lounges. There is also a well sheltered terrace outside the dining hall, a popular place to enjoy the sun and peacefulness. Free wi-fi in common areas.
Local fish and seafood is the restaurant speciality. Only a few places have as rich and generous fishing grounds as the settlement at Snæfellsjökull. Their fish is provided by the fishermen in the area. To meet everyone´s needs, the hotel permanently offer one meat course on the menu, lamb or beef and a vegetarian option is also available.
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Availability Information
Iceland enjoys a much milder climate than its name and location adjacent to the Arctic Circle would imply. A branch of the Gulf Stream flows along the southern and the western coast greatly moderating the climate. The walking season is short, from middle of May to Mid October with the first and last months being still quite cold and could be interrupted by poor weather. The days have almost endless daylight in June and July. Even in July and August you can have cold days and there is always the chance of rain and storms. It is very rarely 'hot'.
Please note our best to go information is generally referring to the walking which may fall in the early or late season in some places. This may mean that not all tourist facilities will be open at the time you visit.
When to book your walking holiday in Iceland - Iceland - Full Circle - 11 Nights| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
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