Overview
A full circuit of Iceland in a small group, with a specialist guide who chases the aurora forecast each night. Winter means ice caves under Vatnajökull, black-sand beaches, and hot springs with snow around the edges.
You'll sleep in small guesthouses and farm stays, eat lamb soup in village cafés, and have two extra nights in the north in case the lights don't show first time.
Trip highlights
- Blue ice cave tour beneath Vatnajökull glacier
- Aurora hunting with a specialist guide, on two separate nights
- Golden Circle — Þingvellir, Geysir and Gullfoss
- Jökulsárlón glacial lagoon and Diamond Beach
- Geothermal soak at Mývatn Nature Baths
Day by day
9 days1Day 1Arrival in Reykjavík
Airport transfer and evening in the capital. Aurora forecast briefing with your guide.
Boutique hotel, Reykjavík
2Day 2The Golden Circle
Þingvellir National Park, the Geysir geothermal area and Gullfoss waterfall, with an evening soak at a geothermal pool.
Farm stay, South Iceland
3Day 3South coast waterfalls
Seljalandsfoss, Skógafoss and the black-sand beach at Reynisfjara, with a stop at the Sólheimajökull glacier tongue.
Guesthouse, Vík
4Day 4Ice caves and the glacier lagoon
Guided blue ice cave tour under Vatnajökull, then Jökulsárlón lagoon and Diamond Beach.
Guesthouse, Höfn
5Day 5East fjords
A slow drive through the east fjords — fishing villages, wild reindeer and long views across the water.
Guesthouse, Egilsstaðir
6Day 6Lake Mývatn
Geothermal landscapes around Mývatn, Dettifoss waterfall and an evening at the Mývatn Nature Baths.
Lodge, Mývatn
7Day 7Northern lights in the north
Day in Akureyri, and a dedicated aurora hunt after dark with your guide.
Hotel, Akureyri
8Day 8Back to Reykjavík
Drive south through the countryside, with a final aurora stop en route if conditions allow.
Boutique hotel, Reykjavík
9Day 9Departure
Transfer to Keflavík Airport.
What's included
- Hand-picked accommodation as listed
- Private airport transfers on arrival and departure
- Daily breakfast, plus meals shown in the itinerary
- Local English-speaking guides throughout
- All entrance fees for included activities
- 24/7 support from your dedicated travel planner
Not included
- International flights (we can quote these separately)
- Travel insurance
- Visa and entry fees where applicable
- Personal expenses, drinks and gratuities
- Optional activities not listed in the itinerary
Departures & availability
Gallery
Traveller reviews
Write a reviewChasing the lights with an expert
Three clear nights out of eight and we saw the aurora twice properly. Our guide constantly checked the cloud map and rerouted us — on night six he drove forty minutes east and we got a full display over an empty valley. That is not something you can do on your own.
Lucas Ferreira
São Paulo, Brazil
Good to know
Best time to visit
June–August (midnight sun) or September–March (aurora)
Currency
Icelandic Króna (ISK)
Language
Icelandic, English
Time zone
Atlantic/Reykjavik (UTC+0)