Lava Travel

Trip exceeded expectations ! Hard to do justice to how great an experience we had in a short review!

Pre-trip communications were exceptional : informative, timely responses, detail-oriented

Trip plan was fantastic..locations chosen were spectacular and captured the essence and beauty of Iceland, with the appropriate amount of time allocated for each location.

Gummi our guide was amazing ! A really nice and down to earth guy and a great conversationalist. Having a knowledgeable local guide providing minute by minute accounts and anecdotes about the history of Iceland and at the same time describing in real time the day to life of Icelanders, was invaluable. From the moment we met him we clicked and by the end of the week we had established a real personal connection….which really enhanced the experience.

We loved what we saw of Iceland and genuinely hope to return to experience the rest of the country.

My wife (and I) will never forget her ‘big birthday’ trip.

I had the most wonderful first visit to Iceland, with my guide, Gummi. The airport pickup was seamless and we immediately headed out west. I had asked that we take our time and really get to spend as much time needed everywhere, and that’s exactly how it went. The first hotel he had chosen turned out to be a great destination - great food in an area where there weren’t many options, and locals enjoying music in the lobby on a Saturday night. Also - the skies managed to clear up for a viewing of the Northern lights. After spending two days out west, we headed to the North for two - seeing the geological sites of interest, but also visiting the towns of Husavik and Akureyri. On the way back to Reykjavik, seeing more of the natural wonders, stopped at a wonderfully situated geothermal spa. Gummi not only created a wonderful itinerary for me, but personally shared with me background on the history, language, and natural history of Iceland. He was a great conversationalist and we also enjoyed some music along the way. I hope to come back some day and have him show me other parts of Iceland I couldn’t fit into this trip.

Where do I start to describe this phenomenal adventure Gummi planned for us?? It was so well organized and unbelievably planned with such care and accuracy that we completely wore ourselves out with great new experiences and adventures words will never be able to describe. The pictures will speak for themselves. We started at Blue Lagoon and ended at Sky Lagoon with a visit to Laugarás Lagoon in the middle and we NEEDED all 3!! Our favorite was Laugarás Lagoon!!
Our hotels were all amazing (CenterHotel Plaza(Reykjavík) / Dís Cottages (Snæfellsnes Peninsula) / Hotel Bifrost (Reykholt) / Hótel Grímsborgir by Keahotels (Golden Circle) / Black Beach Suites (Vík) / CenterHotel Klopp (Reykjavík) and ALL of the staff were a joy to meet and took very good care of us the entire trip. Our favorite was Hótel Grímsborgir!!
Our adventures included but was not limited to: 3 Lagoons / Víðgelmir Lava Cave Experience / Langjökull Glacier Snowmobiling Adventure / Sólheimajökull Glacier Walk and we cant pick just one favorite....recommend all of them, hands down!! The guides were impressive as well, we tipped them for their amazing service!!

Our itinerary:
1 - Reykjavík- Blue Lagoon: ate at the tapas at Tapas Barinn (AMAZING) around the corner from the hotel and had the seafood soup at Sæta Svínið Gastropub (OUT OF THIS WORLD). The town center was already filling up with beautiful Christmas decorations and it was just magical!
2 - Reykjavík to Snæfellsnes Peninsula: stopped at Hvalfjörður - Whale Fjord (didnt see one but we knew they were there! / stopped at Hraunfossar for the “Lava Falls” (breathtaking and COLD) / Víðgelmir Lava Cave Experience (A MUST DO) / sun set too quickly for us to see Gerðuberg Basalt Cliffs (next time) / checked into Dis Cottages and made our wwn dinner and stayed up to watch the northern lights!
3 - Snæfellsnes Peninsula - missed Kirkjufellsfoss falls but saw the mountain / Lóndrangar basalt sea stacks / Explored Arnarstapi and had THE BEST Lamb Soup in Iceland at Samkomuhúsið Arnarstapa / pictures at Búðir Church / ended at Ytri Tunga Seal Beach (the seals put on a show for us too)
4 - Snæfellsnes Peninsula to Reykholt - Kolugljúfur Canyon (worth the drive) / missed Hvitserkur and got sidetracked on our way to Bifrost with the MOST DELICIOUS Lamb Chops at the local gas station!!
5 - Reykholt to Golden Circle - we had snow so driving was slower than normal - Þingvellir National Park (the p's sound like t's and had us soooo confused) but the drive was beautiful / ate at Efstidalur II Farm Bistro and the burgers were of course AMAZING / couldnt get to Brúarfoss with the weather and had an appointment at Laugarás Lagoon - Lerki (MUST MUST MUST EXPERIENCE) / checked into Hótel Grímsborgir and this place was our favorite!!
6 - Golden Circle - slept in due to the Northern lights last night / passed on Kerið Crater / walked the Geysir Geothermal Area - bitter cold (the welcome center was delightful) / Gullfoss Waterfall was spectacular / on to Langjökull Glacier Snowmobiling Adventure / with a piece of glacier ice and a short JD, we headed back to Hótel Grímsborgir for dinner
7 - Golden Circle to Vík - Seljalandsfoss & Gljúfrabúi Waterfalls (too crowded, going back tomorrow / Skogafoss Waterfall (BEAUTIFUL) / Kvernufoss Waterfall (we passed ont his one to get to Sólheimajökull Glacier Walk (AN ABSOLUTE MUST MUST MUST DO!! OUR GUIDE SAM WAS INCREDIBLE) ON TO Black Beach Suites (Vík) (BOUGIE and VERY COMFORTABLE - 30ft wall of windows to boot)!
8 - Vík - tried to get to Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon but the drive and snow was a bit too much. We turned around and decided to shake things up and explore on our own. We found the Black pizza place and it didnt dissappoint!
9 - Vík to Reykjavík - Reynisfjara Beach & Reynisdrangar Columns was just beautiful / Dyrhólaey Arch and Cliffs (DO NOT MISS THIS! THE VIEW IS SPECTATUCULAR. OUR FAVORITE OF THE ENTIRE TRIP. YOU CAN SEE THE GLACIER IN THE DISTANCE AND THE BLACK BEACHES BELOW....JUST SPECTACULAR ALL AROUND) /Urridafoss (SO HAPPY WE SQUEEZED THIS ONE IN!!) / Sky Lagoon Experience - Sér (another AMAZING experience (7steps ritual!!) / back to CenterHotel Klopp and had dinner at MAR (Fish pans) COMPLIMENTS WERE GIVEN TO THE CHEF ON OUR WAY OUT....DELICIOUS!!
10 - Explore Reykjavík - Hallgrímskirkja / Sun Voyager Sculpture / Laugavegur Street (I think) for the Famous hot dog / back to America but we are looking forward to returning and experiencing more of Iceland with Gummi's help! We sooooo lucked out when we managed to meet him...what an AMAZING job he did at packing so much into 10 days! We are exhausted but FOREVER GRATEFUL!

Gummi organized an absolutely amazing trip for us in Iceland. We decided on the road-trip as a babymoon fairly last minute, and he quickly jumped in to help us. After sending an initial itinerary, we then did a zoom call, made a few adjustments, and then had the perfect trip plan.

The trip was the perfect mix of hitting the "hot spots" (i.e. the Golden Circle), as well as visiting and staying in some slightly more remote places (would highly recommend spending two nights on the Snaefellsnes Peninsula, that was our favorite stop!). Although the schedule was packed, we never felt overwhelmed or like we were rushing from attraction to attraction - it would have been impossible for us to have planned something like this ourselves.

This is my second time using Kimkim and we will absolutely be using it again!

I didn't know what to what to expect when I first reached out to KimKim to help plan our Anniversary Trip to Iceland. Within a short while of completing the online questionnaire I was contacted by a local special specialist, Guðmundur (Gummi) Óli, in Iceland. Gummi asked me a series of questions regarding what we were hoping to see while in Iceland. He also allowed me time to ask questions about other sites to see and availability based on the time of year we are visiting. Within a day, I received a draft itinerary and initial pricing, all of which seemed reasonable. I then reached out to Gummi for clarification of exactly what was included, and if we could change some of the proposed items. I don’t know how much time I was saved by the work of Gummi but I guarantee that I would not have been able to put together such a comprehensive itinerary.
Upon arriving in Iceland, everything was as planned. I was also provided detailed digital maps showing my drives for every day from one site to another. I don’t think I would’ve been able to enjoy the trip as much if I had planned it personally and I’m pretty sure I would not have been able to see all of the sites that we were able to see.
We will definitely be using kimkim again for our next travels

Hotel Reviews

CenterHotel Klopp

Reykjavík

Authenticity & Character

Location

One block away from shopping and dining in center city

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The Hill Hotel Fludir

Fludir

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hótel Kría

Vík

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Center Hotels Skjaldbreið

Reykjavík

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Fosshótel Reykholt

Reykholt

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Breiðamerkurjökull Ice Cave Experience

Iceland

The ice cave experience at Breiðamerkurjökull was really good. It was one of the standout activities on our trip. We wanted to see and do something unique, and this activity certainly delivered. It aligned perfectly with the top activities we wanted to do in Iceland. I'm glad we got this done and it was well worth it.

Víðgelmir Lava Cave Experience

Iceland

The Víðgelmir Lava Cave experience was good and something different from the other activities we had planned. It's an interesting way to explore the unique geological features of Iceland. We enjoyed it.

Silfra Snorkeling Adventure

Golden Circle

The Silfra Snorkeling Adventure was fantastic. The guide was great, and it's amazing to think that you're snorkeling between two tectonic plates. Although it's understandable that you don't see much marine life, the rocks and underwater views were still captivating. It's a unique experience that you can't get anywhere else.

Sky Lagoon Experience - Sér

Reykjavík

The Sky Lagoon Experience was awesome. We had to reschedule the time, and it was done quickly and smoothly thanks to excellent support from Gummy. The experience itself was rejuvenating and a perfect way to unwind towards the end of our trip.

We had a great time. Guomundur Òli was great. He helped us navigate some pretty crazy weather and kept the trip fun. His suggestions were great and helpful.

We had an incredible experience with our tour operator, Guðmundur Óli Pálmason, who curated a fast-paced, see-it-all Iceland adventure. Our itinerary covered the classic must-see sights along the South Coast as well as the stunning Snæfellsnes Peninsula in the west, a beautiful region that feels more off the beaten path and absolutely worth exploring.

The trip combined scenic self-drives, unforgettable natural attractions, and unique activities, with plenty of opportunities to soak in Iceland’s geothermal pools. Every day was thoughtfully planned to maximize experiences to see as much as we could in a week. Guðmundur’s deep local knowledge, organization, and personal attention made the journey seamless and memorable. We highly recommend him and will definitely use him again when planning our next trip to Iceland.

Our travel co ordinator, Guðmundur Óli provided us with an itinerary which enabled us to experience the beauty and character of Iceland. Each day provided a different facet of Iceland's natural beauty & contrast. Additionally, all of the details which are critical for a stress free experience were taken care of. Guðmundur Óli provided an excellent level of service.

We had an incredible experience working with Guðmundur for our family trip to Iceland! Every detail was thoughtfully planned — from daily itineraries to local recommendations — making the trip completely stress-free. He was extremely organized and always quick to respond to questions or last-minute changes. Thanks to his expertise, our trip was seamless and unforgettable!