Highlights of Iceland

Iceland lies on one of the major fault lines in the Earth’s crust, the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. As a result, it is one of the most ‘lively’ places in the world, with a wealth of volcanoes, thermal springs and frequent earthquakes. Many buildings are heated by water piped from the hot springs, which also manifest themselves as geysers and boiling mud lakes. Close to the Arctic Circle, the landscape is wild, rugged and colourful, with black lava, red sulphur and green valleys, rivers and waterfalls with a coastline richly indented with fjords and bays. This new itinerary offers the chance to experience the diversity of Iceland in a relatively short time, at a special tariff for a limited number of departures. For some, the highlight will be Vatnajökull, the biggest glacier in Europe covering about 8% of Iceland and the world’s third largest icecap after Antarctica and Greenland.

However, the wide range of Icelandic highlights will bring new experiences and wonders every day: the fjords of Stöðvarfjörður, Skagafjörður known as the ‘valley of horses’ and Eyjafjörður, the longest fjord in Iceland; Akureyri, the capital of the north; the waterfalls of mighty Gullfoss and Goðafoss, waterfall of the gods; the natural wonders of lakes Mývatn and Lögurinn; the rock formations of Dimmuborgir; the ‘moon’ craters of Hverfjall (hot spring mountain); the geothermal areas of Geysir and Námaskarð; the volcanic activity at Krafla; Möðrudalur, the highest Icelandic homes inhabited all year; the glacial valley of Jökuldalur; the lake of Fljótsdalshérað; Lögurinn, where according to legends a giant lake-worm lives; the small fishing village Djúpivogur the glacier lagoon of Jökulsárlón, where the James Bond movie, ‘Die Another Day’ was partly filmed; Skaftafell National Park with glaciers, moors, mountains, birch forest, glacial rivers and sandy plains; the lava fields of Eldhraun and the surreal experience of swimming in the Blue Lagoon.