Relaxed Luxury Tour of Iceland: Natural Wonders & Geothermal Spas - 10 Days

Highlights

• Snorkel between continents in the Þingvellir National Park's Silfra fissure
• Experience Iceland's frozen wonders with three private glacier tours
• Relax in the geothermal nature baths at Vök, Mývatn, and Húsavik's GeoSea
• Unwind at the Blue Lagoon's luxurious The Retreat spa hotel

Brief Itinerary

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1: Arrive in Reykjavík, Bespoke City Tour, Live Lava Show

Velkominn til íslands (welcome to Iceland)! Known for its myriad geological wonders, untamed beauty, and evocative history steeped in myths and legends, the "Land of Fire and Ice" is home to some of Europe's most dramatic and diverse landscapes. Your destination is Reykjavík, the country's refreshingly modern capital, with a first-class dining scene, innovative architecture, and over 60 museums and exhibitions spanning Iceland's settlement history, the northern lights, and interactive ice cave installations.

Upon arrival at Keflavík airport, your driver will take you to the capital, where you'll check into The Reykjavík Edition, a sleek and stylish 5-star hotel in the center. The boutique rooms and suites blend warm palettes of ash gray and pale oak with copper details, elegant Scandinavian design, and individual furnishings from local artisans. Suites have uninterrupted views of the harbor, Mount Esja, and the Snæfellsjökull glacier. Once you've had a chance to relax and regroup, you'll meet your guide in the lobby for a private city tour tailored to suit your interests.

Whether you opt for a history, cultural, or foodie take on the city's gems, you'll see key landmarks, including the Sun Voyager sculpture, Harpa Concert Hall, and the towering 244-foot (74 m) Hallgrímskirkja church. Meanwhile, your guide will share recommendations for the best off-the-beaten-path restaurants, bars, and shops. Later on, you'll experience the world's only live lava show, where you'll see molten lava glide over ice structures and slowly turn from bright orange to gray and finally black, mirroring many of Iceland's natural wonders. 

Day 2:  Transfer to Hella via Golden Circle, Silfra Snorkeling & Friðheimar Farm

Today, you'll set out with your driver to discover landscapes dotted with hot springs and woven with dramatic cliffs and waterfalls with a private tour of Iceland's famous Golden Circle. Your first stop is the Þingvellir National Park, where you'll find the extraordinary Silfra fissure. Created by the separation of the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates, this is one of Earth's clearest bodies of water, with up to 400 feet (120 m) of visibility. You'll experience a true bucket list moment as you snorkel between the continents, within touching distance of both plates. 

Continue your tour with stops at Gullfoss waterfall, the regularly erupting Strokkur Geyser, and the 3,000-year-old Kerið crater with its enchanting turquoise lake. Pause for a light lunch at the renowned Friðheimar Tomato Farm and Restaurant, where after a behind-the-scenes tour of the award-winning estate, you'll sample a selection of mouthwatering innovative tomato-based dishes, including their famous soup with sour cream, fresh herbs, cucumber salsa, and freshly baked bread. 

Day 3: Super Jeep Tour to Landmannalaugar & Hot Springs Visit

Your destination this morning is the volcanic lava-field-strewn region of Landmannalaugar in Iceland's remote Southern Highlands. With an experienced guide and driver, you'll embark on an all-day tour of the area, traveling in the comfort of a Super Jeep. Explore the region's dramatic windswept rhyolite mountains and marvel at the soft shades of blue, green, orange, red, and cream that make for an ethereal location against the contours of the ink-black Laugahraun lava field.

Pass smoldering volcanoes, zig-zag through glacial rivers, and explore coastal waterfalls as your guide takes you off the beaten track and into the highland's sharply contoured landscape. There'll be plenty of opportunities to stop for photos and refreshments as you take in the beautiful peaks of Bláhnúkur, Brennisteinsalda, and Suðurnám. Toward the end of the afternoon, you'll reach the Landmannalaugar hot springs, where you can join in the local customs and rejuvenate in the thermal waters after a day of adventure. 

Day 4: Transfer to Kirkjubæjarklaustur via South Coast & Kötlujökull Glacier

Iceland's south coast is characterized by vast glaciers leading to thundering waterfalls and a coastline dotted with basalt rocks and black-sand beaches. After breakfast, meet your driver for a tour of the south's most compelling spots. Start with Seljalandfoss, a waterfall along the Seljalandsá River, where the footpath behind the cascade leads you to a coveted position directly behind one of Iceland's most photographed falls. Next is Gljúfrabúi waterfall. Tucked away in a crevice, its cascades descend 131 feet (40 m) into a pool at the bottom of a narrow cylindrical canyon.

Finally, you'll reach Skógafoss, one of the country's largest cascades and a wonder to behold from its black basalt base. Your tour concludes on the famous south coast, home to the Dyrhólaey Arch and the black sands at Reynisfjara Beach. Break for lunch, and afterward, you'll take a private tour of the Kötlujökull glacier. Travel by Super Jeep across the icy terrain to explore the south's ice caves—distinctive for their layers of different colored ice and volcanic ash that paint impressive stripes into the glacier.

After hot cocoa in the Jeep, your driver will drop you at your accommodation for the night, the highly-regarded Fosshotel Glacier Lagoon, in an ideal position between the Skaftafell nature reserve and the Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon. The contemporary, stylish interior with floor-to-ceiling windows allows for great views of the hotel's celebrated neighbors. Check into your room or suite, where neutral colors, dark wood furnishings, and soft lighting create a cozy glow. Decompress after your adventures with a soak in the hot tub before heading to dinner at the excellent on-site restaurant. 

Day 5: Transfer to Egilsstaðir via Skaftafell Glacier Hike & Jökulsárlón

If you've ever wanted to scale a glacier, this is your chance! You'll spend the morning exploring one of Skaftafell's outlet glaciers that extends from the vast Vatnajökull glacier. Meet your private guide and get to grips with the basics of ice climbing, then step onto the ice field, where you'll spend several hours walking atop the frozen landscape and view deep cracks, crevasses, and moulins (vertical shafts created by melting water). Here, you can admire some of Iceland's most coveted views, where the surroundings have been featured onscreen in "Interstellar" and "Game of Thrones."

With the bar set high for the rest of the area's natural wonders, a visit to Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon won't disappoint. It's an impressive sight as you watch the icebergs float toward the ocean and return, glittering and polished by the waves, to the black sandy shores of Diamond Beach. For sweeping views across the entire lagoon, your guide will show you one of the best vantage points atop the nearby hill, where, depending on the time of year, you may also be able to spot seals, porpoises, or small whales. 

Afterward, you'll journey to the Eastfjords region and your overnight destination of Egilsstaðir, set on the banks of Lake Lagarfljót. You'll close your day of adventure with a visit to the serene geothermal Vök Baths. Bathe in the clear, warm waters that lead directly onto Lake Urriðavatn, then transfer to your hotel. Your accommodation for tonight is the elegant Gistihúsið – Lake Hotel Egilsstaðir, which dates back to 1903. Opt for a superior room with gorgeous views of the lake, where moss green and white walls, accented with warm oak flooring and dark wood furnishings, give a serene and contemporary feel.

Day 6: Transfer to Lake Mývatn via Stuðlagil Canyon & Lofthellir Ice Cave Tour

Today, you'll leave behind the Eastfjords and head west with your driver through the fascinating landscapes of the Northern Volcanic Rift Zone. Don't miss a detour to Stuðlagil. Located in the Efri-Jökuldalur valley, this canyon possesses Iceland's largest basalt rock columns, providing a mesmerizing contrast to the blue-green glacial river below. Continue to the Lake Mývatn region and visit some of the area's renowned geological and geothermal sights, including the Skútustaðagígar pseudocraters and steaming sulfuric vents at Hverir and Leirhnjúkur.

Finish your tour of the area around Mývatn with a private visit to Lofthellir, a 3,500-year-old lava cave known for its incredible ice formations. Upon arrival, you'll enter the cave with your guide and have plenty of time to explore and snap photos of the glimmering ice stalagmites. Afterward, you'll head back along the lake until you reach the Mývatn Nature Baths. Spend the next couple of hours surrounded by rugged lava fields and sweeping views of the mountains as you bathe in the mineral-rich warm waters amid Iceland's raw beauty. 

Day 7: Tour the Diamond Circle, GeoSea Geothermal Baths

Day 8: Transfer to Borgarfjörður via Forest Lagoon Spa, Langjökull Glacier Tour

After a relaxing morning at your scenic lodgings, you've one more geothermal experience before heading southwest with your driver to the Borgarfjörður district. North Iceland's recently opened Forest Lagoon Spa enjoys a wonderful location in the depths of Vaðlaskógur forest. Relax in the lagoon's elegant, naturally heated infinity pools and enjoy the Icelandic wellness practice of combining a dip in the cold pool with a visit to the sauna a few steps away. Lunch at the on-site cozy Skógur Bistro and choose from brunch favorites or delicious homemade lamb soup. 

Relax and enjoy the journey ahead as your driver transports you across the Vatnsnes peninsula, passing the Hvítserkur sea stack and along Víðidalur to the rugged gorge of Kolugljúfur. It's worth the short detour to the viewing platform at Kolufossar to see the gorge's rapids tumbling over the numerous waterfalls here. Continue on to your accommodation in Húsafell, and you've just time to squeeze in an invigorating guided tour of the icy Langjökull, whose rugged landscape you'll navigate in a specially modified glacier vehicle before venturing inside the blue-hued ice tunnels.

Afterward, check into the 48-bedroomed Hotel Húsafell, a luxury retreat on the edge of Iceland's dramatic Central Highlands whose location, in the shadow of the Langjökull glacier, offers incredible views of the elusive northern lights. Rooms and suites feature a pared-down Scandi chic aesthetic with heated floors, modern furnishings, and original artwork by Páll Guðmundsson. Relax in one of the hotel's hot tubs after a long day, and dine in the cozy restaurant as you gaze at the sweeping mountain views from the panoramic windows. 

Day 9:  Transfer to The Blue Lagoon Retreat, Retreat Spa Massage

After a relaxed breakfast, you'll enjoy a scenic transfer as your driver returns you to the Reykjanes Peninsula for your final night in Iceland. Admire Borgarfjörður's untamed landscape as you weave through charming towns surrounded by mountains steeped in history, culture, and Old Norse mythology. In a couple of hours, you'll reach the peninsula, a UNESCO Global Geopark home to The Retreat, Iceland's premier luxury resort next to the Blue Lagoon Spa, and your accommodation for your final night.

Check in to one of the 60 elegant suites carved directly into lava rock with furnishings that blend warmth and minimalism. Bespoke Italian furniture and fine linens provide effortless style, while heated floors and sumptuous bathrooms filled with the spa's award-winning skincare products are thoughtful additions. Opt for one of the two Lagoon suites for floor-to-ceiling views and your own private spa pool.

You'll close your Iceland adventure with a pampering one-hour massage in The Retreat's relaxing subterranean massage suite. Afterward, enjoy a private dip in your suite's outdoor geothermal pool or soak in the therapeutic waters of the Blue Lagoon. In the evening, dine in style at the on-site Michelin-starred Moss, where your sommelier will guide you on a tour of the wine cellar: a volcanic chamber of centuries-old lava, now lined with vintages from all over the world. 

Day 10: Depart Iceland

Your adventure in Iceland comes to a close today. Enjoy one last luxurious soak and pre-flight treatment in the spa before meeting your driver and transferring to the airport in time for your flight home. Safe travels!

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