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Itineraries  /  Ultimate Iceland Winter
IC05 · Iceland · Grand Winter Tour

Ultimate Iceland Winter

Reykjavik · Golden Circle · South Coast · Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon · North Iceland
Duration
12 Days · 11 Nights
The route
Reykjavik · Golden Circle · South Coast · Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon · North Iceland
Style
The definitive Iceland winter journey
Best season
September – March · best
The route

11 nights, 5 stops — the definitive iceland winter journey.

Reykjavik → Golden Circle → South Coast → Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon → North Iceland.

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What you're tracking

What you'll see

Humpback whale
On Faxaflói Bay.
White-beaked dolphin
Off the harbour.
Atlantic puffin
On summer boat trips.
Icelandic horse
In the valleys.
Day by day

The journey, one day at a time

01Arrive Reykjavik

Arrive Reykjavik

The journey begins.

Arrive in Reykjavik, met and transferred to your accommodation. Few capitals offer the northern lights from their own streets on a clear winter night.

02Reykjavik

Reykjavik

A full day in the field.

Explore the capital, then a whale-watching trip from the harbour. Settle in, soak at the Blue Lagoon and watch for aurora after dark.

03Reykjavik → Golden Circle

To Golden Circle

On to the next.

Transfer to Golden Circle. Tour the rift at Þingvellir, the Geysir field and Gullfoss falls. Walk between the continents and watch Strokkur erupt, with aurora after dark.

04Golden Circle

Golden Circle

A full day in the field.

Walk between the continents and watch Strokkur erupt, with aurora after dark. The Golden Circle is where you literally walk between two continents as they drift apart.

05Golden Circle → South Coast

To South Coast

On to the next.

Transfer to South Coast. Visit Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss, the black beach at Reynisfjara, and hunt aurora after dark. Walk behind a waterfall and hike a glacier tongue, with aurora at night.

06South Coast

South Coast

A full day in the field.

Walk behind a waterfall and hike a glacier tongue, with aurora at night. The waterfalls and black sands of the coast, ending with an aurora watch.

07South Coast → Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon

To Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon

On to the next.

Transfer to Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon. Explore the iceberg lagoon and Diamond Beach, with aurora at night. A guided trip into a blue ice cave beneath Vatnajökull.

08Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon

Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon

A full day in the field.

A guided trip into a blue ice cave beneath Vatnajökull. Glacier-edge walks and the lagoon, ending with an aurora watch. Stepping into a glowing blue ice cave beneath Vatnajökull is one of Iceland's most unforgettable experiences.

09Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon → North Iceland

To North Iceland

On to the next.

Transfer to North Iceland. Explore the Mývatn geothermal region and Goðafoss, with aurora at night. Soak in the Mývatn Nature Baths and tour the craters and lava.

10North Iceland

North Iceland

A full day in the field.

Soak in the Mývatn Nature Baths and tour the craters and lava. Whale-watch from Húsavík and chase aurora over the north. The north offers Mývatn's volcanic wonders and Húsavík's whales with a fraction of the south's visitors.

11North Iceland

North Iceland

A full day in the field.

Whale-watch from Húsavík and chase aurora over the north.

12Depart North Iceland

Departure

The journey ends.

A final morning in North Iceland — a last outing or a slow start as time allows — before the transfer onward and the journey home.

When to travel

The season changes what you see.

September – March

Peak season

Aurora season — northern lights possible from the city and on evening tours.

June – August

Peak season

Midnight sun, whale-watching at its peak and long bright days.

Wildlife you may see
Birds Marine Mammals

Make it yours.

Add nights, swap a park, extend to the coast — this route is a starting point, not a fixed menu. Tell us how you travel and we'll route the rest.

Field notes, now and then.

Where to go · When to go · Wildlife in season

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