A family adventure in Iceland
Iceland
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Jun 9 - Jun 17, 2023
Our family of five had an amazing trip to Iceland. I am so appreciative of the itinerary Duncan put together for our family. You could tell he listened to our families’ interest in planning the trip. Finding activities to interest three kids ranging from 19 to 13 in age. The country of Iceland is unlike anywhere we have traveled, pictures do not do it justice.
We had a chance to see a lot of the country during our visit. Driving in Iceland was very easy especially with access to Wi-Fi in the car. That made a huge difference. Duncan provided a detailed map with optional stops to see waterfalls, glacier views, beaches and hiking trails. We definitely made the most of our time seeing all the must see stops and some hidden gems.
We were very fortunate with the weather with very little rain and just a couple of heavy wind days. Our boat ride out to Melrakkaey Island to see the puffins was canceled due to the wind.
We did a number of activities- snorkeling, snowmobiling, a glacier hike, a zodiac lagoon ride and lot of gorgeous hikes. The tour companies were all great. It was an easy check in process and our guides were friendly and shared lots of information about Iceland.
For our family having a detailed plan and a variety of areas to explore at our own pace works best. We could stay longer at a location, stop for lunch on our schedule, skip or add stops depending on where the day takes us. This would have been a different trip if we had been sitting on a tour bus or trying to plan our a trip on our own. This was a perfect blend.
Hotel Reviews
The hotel is in unique location with a beautiful view and a small individual balcony. The rooms were clean and comfortable. The restaurant food was good but the service was just so-so. We drove about 20 minutes away to the closest town for dinner outside of the hotel after the first night.
The location is amazing- stunning view of the ocean. We spent a lot of time looking for whales from the balcony. The rooms were clean and comfortable. The staff was very friendly. There is a cliff walk just off the hotel that has gorgeous views of the coastline.
This was our least favorite hotel. The rooms were clean and the staff was friendly but the location wasn’t great nor was it close to activities we had planned. We didn’t have hot water for showers. The restaurant however was good. We had a very nice dinner our first night.
Unique hotel. The rooms and beds were very comfortable. Breakfast had great options and the bar/lounge was open late. It doesn’t have a view of Reykjavik or the harbor but it’s a short walk to the harbor. This hotel had the best blackout shades, we all got a great night’s sleep.
Activity Reviews
This was a fun stop and really interesting to see
This was such a unique experience. It is definitely cold but worth it. The water is crystal clear. Our guide was great and very funny. He also took these awesome digital photos while we snorkeled that we purchased for at a reasonable cost
We loved this experience. Amazing view of the glacier while you are out on the ride. The snowmobiles were easy to operate even for a first times. My kids 19, 17 and 13 had so much fun. Our guide was great and we had a chance to stop half way through to soak in the scenery and take some photos. I would highly recommend this activity.
We were able to do a hike on the lower part of the glacier. It was an easy hike- not quite what we were expecting based on the photos. We did the 3 hour hike but that includes the ride to and from the glacier and the walk to get to the ice cap. If I were to do it again I would select the 5 or 7 hour hike that takes you further into the glacier. But it was still a great activity that we all enjoyed.
Amazing experience- not to be missed. It’s hard to describe and pictures don’t do it justice but the lagoon is stunning. We also saw several seals sunbathing on icebergs. If we had time we would have gone a second time.
This spa was amazing. The seven steps were perfect. And the location is beautiful looking out at the water. The large glass window in the sauna just adds to the relaxation. We went to 3 thermal spas and this one was the clear favorite.
Erin, thank you so much for your detailed review. I am so glad you had good weather and were able to experience everything to the full. You were a real pleasure to work with!