Your Grand Icelandic Adventure
Prepared for: Arch Meredith & Nora Atkinson
Itinerary Outline
July 19 - 25 | Nesjavallaleið | Ion Adventure Hotel | 5 nights
July 25 - 27 | South Iceland | Hotel Ranga | 2 nights
July 27 - 28 | Jökulsárlón | Hótel Jökulsárlón | 1 night
July 28 - 30 | Reykjavik | The Reykjavik EDITION | 2 nights
July 30 - August 1 | Reykjanes Peninsula | The Retreat at Blue Lagoon | 2 nights
August 1 - 4 | Ólafsfjörður | Deplar Farm | 3 nights
August 4 | Departure
July 19 - 25 | Nesjavallaleid
Welcome to Iceland
Arrive in Iceland where you’re at leisure with your own arrangements until July 25th.
Ion Adventure Hotel | 5 nights | Own Arrangements
July 25 - 27 | South Iceland
Rental Car Delivery (Priced Separately & TBC)
Your vehicle will be dropped off at Ion Adventure Hotel. Details and specifics to be confirmed.
South Coast Waterfalls and Black Sand Beaches
Travel to Iceland’s rugged south coast, where towering waterfalls like Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss await. Explore the dramatic black sand beaches of Reynisfjara, with its striking basalt columns. If you're up for it, enjoy outdoor activities such as ice caving in Mýrdalsjökull.
Landmannalaugar Highlands
Take a thrilling adventure to the colorful Landmannalaugar highlands, where rhyolite mountains and unique geothermal springs create a truly otherworldly landscape.
Þjórsárdalur Valley and Viking History
Explore the serene Þjórsárdalur valley, home to the breathtaking Haifoss and Hjalparfiss waterfalls. This area, once a thriving Viking settlement, offers insight into Iceland’s rich history. Visit the Þjóðveldisbærinn Stöng museum, a reconstructed farm that offers a glimpse into the lives of the island’s early settlers.
Private Horseback Riding
A private horseback riding excursion at Skalakot puts you on the back of the Icelandic horse, one of the purest and oldest breeds in the world, across lava fields and open farmland with the south coast mountains as a backdrop. The Icelandic horse's signature gait, the tölt, is uniquely smooth and covers ground at a pace that feels effortless even for riders without much experience. Skalakot's own stables sit on the property, so there is no transfer involved. Rides can be tailored to the group's ability level, from a gentle introductory loop to a longer cross-country route that takes you deep into the surrounding countryside.
*Landmannalaugar is only accessible from mid June til mid September. The drive can be dangerous due to river crossings – the route requires an experienced driver and there are no paved roads. We can offer a private tour to Landmannalaugar with an experienced driver-guide at an additional cost.
Hotel Ranga | Deluxe Room | Breakfast Included
Hotel Ranga is a luxury wilderness lodge on the banks of the East Rangá river, built around salmon fishing, northern lights viewing, and direct access to South Iceland's most iconic landscapes. The interiors lean into the Nordic wilderness aesthetic without being precious about it, with hot tubs outside and an observatory on site. It is the kind of property that justifies an extra night purely for what is outside the door.
July 27 - 28 | Jokulsarlon
Drive to Glacier Lagoon
Make your way to Glacier Lagoon with stop along the way.
Glacier Lagoon and Diamond Beach
Float between towering icebergs on a zodiac or amphibian boat tour of Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon, where calved ice from Breiðamerkurjökull glacier drifts toward the sea in shades of blue and white. Walk five minutes south to Diamond Beach, where ice chunks wash ashore against black volcanic sand. Time it for late evening when the light is low and the lagoon is at its most surreal.
Private Glacier Hike
A private glacier hike from Hótel Jökulsárlón takes you onto Breiðamerkurjökull, one of the most accessible outlet glaciers of Vatnajökull, Europe's largest ice cap, with an expert guide who reads the ice in real time and takes you through crevasses, moulins, and ice formations that no fixed group tour gets near. The proximity of the hotel means you are on the glacier within minutes of leaving the property, which matters when you want to be there at the best light. Crampons, harnesses, and technical gear are provided, and the route is built around your group's fitness level, from a two hour surface walk to a full day technical descent into the glacier interior.
Skaftafell and Vatnajökull National Park
Stop at Skaftafell before reaching the lagoon to hike the trails around Europe's largest glacier. The Svartifoss waterfall trail is short and rewarding, framed by dark basalt columns. For something more demanding, a guided glacier walk on Falljökull is the best way to get onto the ice without needing technical experience.
Fjallsárlón Glacial Lagoon
A smaller, quieter alternative to Jökulsárlón just 10 kilometers west. Fewer crowds, equally dramatic, and a different angle on the glacier face. Worth an hour if they arrive with daylight to spare, which in late July they will.
Hótel Jökulsárlón | Family Suite | Half-Board Meals Included
Hótel Jökulsárlón sits directly beside the glacier lagoon, making it the only place to sleep with unobstructed views of drifting icebergs from your window. Rooms are simple and unpretentious, built for people who are here for what's outside rather than the interior design. Half-board meals are included, which matters here given how remote the location is.
July 28 - 30 | Reykjavik
Drive to Reykjavík & Drop Off Rental Car
Drive back to Reykjavík on an extended journey with many stop along the way to be added to your itinerary soon. When you reach the city, you’ll drop off your car.
Explore Reykjavík
Explore Reykjavík’s top landmarks, including Hallgrímskirkja church, the city center, and Perlan Museum, while listening to fascinating tales that bring the city's heritage to life.
Private Food Tour
A private food tour of Reykjavik moves through the city's compact but serious culinary scene, from harbor-fresh seafood at the old port to the geothermally baked rúgbrauð that has been a staple of Icelandic kitchens for centuries. Expect stops at family-run fishmongers, local bakeries, and the Grandi food hall, with tastings covering skyr, lamb, Arctic char, and the divisive hákarl if your group is willing. A good guide connects the food directly to the landscape and the history, so by the end it reads less like a meal crawl and more like a coherent introduction to how Iceland feeds itself.
Optional Add-on: Whale Watching and Buggy Adventure
Embark on a private whale-watching cruise from Reykjavík’s Old Harbor. As you sail across Faxaflói Bay, you may spot minke whales, humpbacks, dolphins, and harbor porpoises. Following this serene experience, buckle up for an off-road buggy adventure through rugged lava fields and steep slopes, before visiting a geothermal power plant to witness thermal energy in action.
The EDITION | Superior King Room | Breakfast Included
Positioned on Reykjavik's Old Harbour with direct views of the mountains and ocean, The Reykjavik EDITION is the city's most design-forward luxury address, steps from Harpa Concert Hall and the main shopping street, Laugavegur. Its seven floors hold 253 rooms and suites with floor-to-ceiling windows, a Michelin Guide-recommended seafood restaurant, a rooftop bar where you can watch the midnight sun or northern lights without leaving the building, and a hammam spa that serves post-treatment cocktails. What sets it apart is the combination of scale and intimacy: it functions as a full-service urban hotel with serious food and wellness programming, while the architecture and interiors stay firmly in boutique territory.
Jul 30 - Aug 1 | Reykjanes Peninsula
Private Transfer to The Retreat
Private transfer from your hotel to the Reykjanes Peninsula where you’ll stay at The Retreat.
Reykjanes Peninsula and Blue Lagoon
Explore the Reykjanes peninsula, where lava fields, volcanoes, and geothermal activity abound. This area, along the Mid Atlantic Rift, is rich in geological wonders. Afterward, unwind at The Retreat Spa in the Blue Lagoon, soaking in the mineral-rich waters while surrounded by the captivating volcanic landscape.
The Retreat | Moss Suite | Breakfast Included
The Retreat at Blue Lagoon Iceland sits inside an active geothermal field in a lava canyon, making the landscape itself the amenity in a way no urban hotel can replicate. Its 60 suites connect directly to a private mineral lagoon and a subterranean spa carved into the lava rock, so the geothermal experience is not an add-on but the entire point of the property. Moss Restaurant, its Michelin-starred dining room, looks out over the volcanic horizon, which means even the meal is choreographed around one of the most singular natural environments on earth.
August 1 - 4 | OlafsfjOrDur
Private Transfer to Reykjavik Airport and Flight to Akureyri
This morning you make your way to Reykjavik Airport for a short domestic flight north to Akureyri, the gateway to the Fljót valley. Upon arrival you will be met by your driver and transferred to luxurious adventure lodge, Deplar Farm.
Settle in and spend the next four nights at your own pace, making the most of everything Deplar Farm has to offer, from the subterranean spa and the extraordinary valley on your doorstep to the many activities available.
River Rafting
The glacial river that runs below Deplar Farm makes for one of the most dramatic rafting settings imaginable, with the valley walls rising steeply on either side and the water ice cold from the mountains above. A genuinely exhilarating way to experience the landscape from a completely different angle.
Sea Angling
Head out from the north coast on a private fishing excursion into the waters of Eyjafjörður, one of Iceland's longest fjords. The waters here are rich with cod, haddock, and catfish, and the views back to the mountains from the water are extraordinary.
Kayaking on the Fjord
Explore the calm waters of Eyjafjörður by kayak at your own pace, with the mountains of northern Iceland reflected in the water around you. In the long light of the summer evening, it is a particularly special way to spend a few hours.
Helicopter Excursion
Take to the air for a private helicopter flight over the highlands, glaciers, and fjords of northern Iceland. From above, the scale of the landscape becomes truly apparent, and on a clear summer day the views stretch almost endlessly in every direction.
Deplar Farm | Óðinn Queen Bed | Full-Board Included
Deplar Farm sits in the Fljót valley in northern Iceland, on a former sheep farm at the foot of mountains that drop almost directly into a glacial river below. The remoteness is the point. Eleven suites look out over a landscape bathed in the extraordinary light of the midnight sun, where summer days stretch on seemingly without end and the valley feels entirely yours. An infinity pool and hot tubs sit outside year round, and a subterranean spa sits within. In summer the surrounding wilderness opens up entirely, with hiking, river rafting, horse riding, and sea angling all available directly from the farm.
aug 4 | Departure
Flight from Akureyri to Reykjavik
Fly from Akureyri to Keflavik International Airport, as you prepare to embark on your flight home.
inclusions
Accommodation:
July 25 - 27 | South Iceland | Hotel Ranga | 2 nights
July 27 - 28 | Jökulsárlón | Hótel Jökulsárlón | 1 night
July 28 - 30 | Reykjavik | The Reykjavik EDITION | 2 nights
July 30 - August 1 | Reykjanes Peninsula | The Retreat at Blue Lagoon | 2 nights
August 1 - 4 | Ólafsfjörður | Deplar Farm | 3 nights
Transport:
Private Transfer from Reykjavik to the Blue Lagoon
Private Blue Lagoon to Reykjavik Airport
Tours & Activities:
Private Glacier Hike
Private Horsebackriding at Skalakot Hotel
Private Food tour of Reykjavik
All Activities at Deplar Farm
Hosts & Guides: Private expert guides for the guided tours listed above.
Flights:
Reykjavik > Akureyri > Reykjavik in a one-class cabin
Meals: All breakfasts throughout the trip and full-board meals at Deplar Farm.
Other: City taxes associated with your accommodations. Restaurant reservations and coordination. 24-hour emergency team on call during your trip.
Exclusions
Vehicle Rental
International Flights
Travel Insurance
Tips
