West coast tour

A unique tour around west Iceland including a visit to the geothermal area at Deildartunguhver hot spring, learn about Vikings and the Sagas, and wonderful  waterfalls.

Quick facts & Tour information:

•         Duration: 2 days
•         Minimum age: 8 years
•         Difficulty: Easy
•         Availability: All year
•         Estimated return to Reykjavik is around 20:00
•         Free cancellation: up to 7 days prior to departure
•         Highlights: Deildartunguhver, Hraunfossar, Lava cave, Djúpalónssandur, Kirkjufell

Pickup information:

Be ready at 8:30 for pickup.

• Pickup begins at: 08:30 – 09:00

Included:

•         Reykjavík pickup
•         Entrance to Lava Cave
•         English speaking guide
•         Accomodation for 1 night

Cancellation: Up to 7days  before tour

What to bring:

• Warm clothes in winter
• Towel and Bathing suit
• Good hikingshoes
• Camera

Full description

Your adventure begins in Reykjavík where you’ll be picked up in the morning and taken to visit Europes highest outflowing hot spring at Deildartunguhver.

A natural beauty the hot spring is also piped to the town of Borganess and Akranes for heating. We will then visit Hraunfossar Waterfalls often described and being wide and gentle. Whilst not large nor powerful, or narrow and high, the fall is unusual because it is made of thousands of falls that flow out of solidified lava and run as tiny waterfalls and rapids into the Hvitá River.

The next stop on the tour is Barnafoss Waterfall

Another gem, which is not too far away (Side by side of Hraunfossar) Here, the color of the water can be mesmerizing.

The name Barnafoss translates as “Children’s waterfall” and as legend would have it Barnafoss used to have a natural arch. The arch was destroyed by the mother of 2 children who fell from the arch to their deaths.

The highlight of the first day in West Iceland is a 1.5 hour expedition to the Lava Cave at Vidgelmir. Just over a thousand years ago, a volcanic eruption here in the Hallmundarhraun lava field created a hollowed-out lava tube that stretched for hundreds of yards. Over time, the roof of this tube has collapsed in several places, making it possible for visitors to climb down and explore the depths in safety on well-built walkways with permanent lighting. The Vidgelmir Lava Cave is an incredibly colorful underworld, measuring 1585 meters long, nearly 16 meters high, and 16 meters wide. That means it’s easily the largest lava tunnel in the country. Inside, guided by local experts, you will see some incredible sights – delicate lava formations, ice crystals, stalactites and stalagmites. It is thought that early Viking settlers may have sheltered here, which makes it even more exciting to visit here.

The last stop on the first day of the tour is Reykholt, which is an historic site in Iceland’s folklore, featured in the writings of Snorri Sturluson, a famous poet and local chieftain. Snorralaug (Snorri’s Pool) is an old-time hot spring, where locals have bathed for hundreds of years. Snorralaug is now a protected archaeological treasure, and there is also a traditional timber church here to look at too.

Then we make our way to the accommodation for the night in Borganes.

After a good night rest we leave Borgarnes and start our circuit around this 100km peninsula, the glacier-topped volcano called Snaefellsjokull comes into view. At nearly 1500m, Snaefellsjokull dominates the skyline here, capped with a glittering crown of snow and ice.

Snaefellsjokull was the inspiration for Jules Verne when he wrote “Journey to the Center of the Earth”, where the entrance to the planet’s core was thought to be located, and many people still think of Snaefellsnes as a very spiritual place

Our first stop will be on a golden sandy beach where we will hopefully get a chance to see a seal colony

Next stop will be at the black church of Budakirkja a black wodden church built by strong willed local women against local authorities and has become a popular place to get married in.

Third stop of the day will be at Arnarstapi for a hike along the cliffside to see the unique Gatklettur ( the rock with a hole) You will also get to see the Jules Verne tribute and the troll-like monument

Then we visit the picturesque basalt columns at Londrangar for a good photo opportunity

At the Djúpalónssandur you will find the four “lifting stones” an old measure ment of strength for the fishermen as well as the remains og a shipwrecked English trawler

Last stop of the day will be the most photographed mountain in Iceland Kirkjufell a mesmerizing mountain that almost looks like a shark’s fin where is stands almost alone from the surrounding hills