Overview
The north of Iceland holds the country’s best secrets, from Snæfellsjökull, the glacier-capped volcano that inspired Jules Verne’s Journey to the Center of the Earth, to brilliant blue Lake Mývatn, surrounded by a geothermal wonderland. With our Icelandic Trip Leaders, we’ll head far from the tourist circuit for spectacular hikes. Our trails take us to the Peninsula of the Trolls, along the black-sand beaches and bird cliffs of Snæfellsnes, and through ásbyrgi Canyon, home to huldufólk (hidden people—Iceland’s elves and trolls). We’ll finish with whale watching in charming Húsavík, on the lookout for humpback, minke, and blue whales.
Iceland is just an amazing place and we saw so much of it in such a short time. And what we saw was just gorgeous and interesting. I can’t recommend the trip highly enough. It was one of the more amazing trips that I have been on with WT. I have to admit I’m a confirmed addict of your trips. They have all enriched my life considerably and I am truly grateful that your company exists.
— Sara H., Calabasas, CA
Itinerary at a Glance
Days 1-2
Reykjavík, Iceland / Snæfellsnes Peninsula
On the Snæfellsnes Peninsula, a realm of wild beaches, fishing villages, lava fields, and peaks jutting into the sea on Iceland’s west coast, we hike around the crater rim of Eldborg volcano and along a magnificent coastal route, with ice-capped Snæfellsjökull Volcano as a backdrop.
Days 3-4
Eiríksstaðir / Akureyri / Tröllaskagi Peninsula
En route to the town of Akureyri, just 50 miles from the Arctic Circle, we visit Eiríksstaðir, the former homestead of Erik the Red and his son Leif Eiríksson, the two most famous Viking explorers. Our hikes bring us to the remote and largely uninhabited Tröllaskagi Peninsula, whose name means “peninsula of the troll.” The sweeping landscapes of this glacial-alpine realm seem a fitting terrain for trolls, elves, and other mythical creatures of Iceland’s “hidden people.”
Days 5-6
Goðafoss / Lake Mývatn
After visiting the horseshoe-shaped cascade of Goðafoss, one of the most spectacular waterfalls in Iceland, we head to Lake Mývatn, passing through surreal geothermal landscapes of bubbling mudpots We’ll enjoy a thermal soak at Mývatn baths, a remote and much more local version of Reykjavík’s “Blue Lagoon.”
Days 7-8
Vatnajökull National Park / Dettifoss / Húsavík / Whale Watching
In Vatnajökull National Park, we see the enormous Dettifoss waterfall and hike past columnar basalt formations into ásbyrgi Canyon, known in Icelandic legend as the “shelter of the gods.” Our journey ends at Húsavík with whale watching aboard a ship with an electric engine—no noise or fumes! Depart on Day 8 via Akureyri.
Northern Iceland: Off the Beaten Path
Highlights
Highlights
Details
6 hiking days on moderate to strenuous trails, some steep sections, 4-8 hours a day, van support (for luggage or if you wish to skip a day’s hike)
