Iceland

Sunday 27 June

Evening departure with Air New Zealand. Cross the International Date Line, arriving in Vancouver on the same day. Overnight at a hotel close to the airport.

Monday 28 June

Enjoy a leisurely day with the option to explore the city centre, relax at the hotel or simply enjoy some free time at your own pace. Hotel check-out is at 2.30pm, before we depart for Reykjavík in the early evening.

Tuesday 29 June

Arrive at Keflavík Airport this morning. Travel by bus to the Geysir area. In the afternoon, we’ll visit Gullfoss Waterfall. Welcome dinner this evening.

Wednesday 30 June

Today we travel through the Golden Circle area to Uppsalir Farm. We visit a horse stud and enjoy a traditional Icelandic horse show. We then stop at Seljalandsfoss Waterfall before continuing to the Westman Islands. This afternoon, we’ll explore the area where puffins nest. Overnight on the Westman Islands

Thursday 01 July

Today, you will explore the stunning black beaches, rich birdlife and impressive waterfalls of the South Coast. The first stop is a visit to Thorvaldseyri farm. Enjoy lunch in a local restaurant and visit Skógar Folk Museum before seeing the impressive basalt columns at Reynisfjara beach. Drive through Eldhraun lava fields before arriving at the hotel in Kirkjubæjarklaustur.

Skógar Museum in Southern Iceland opened in December 1949 and is a cultural heritage collection of 15,000 regional folk craft artefacts exhibited in three museums and six historical buildings.

Friday 02 July

Enjoy free time this morning to explore the scenic landscape in Skaftafell – there is an optional short hike (1.5 hrs) to Svartifoss (Black Fall). After lunch at Hótel Skaftafell, board an amphibian boat for an unforgettable tour of Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon, gliding past towering icebergs as they drift slowly out to sea.

Saturday 03 July

Today, explore the Eastfjords – a true highlight of East Iceland. Despite mostly good, surfaced roads, the Eastfjords still feel wonderfully remote, with immense, dramatic mountainsides and tiny working fishing villages nestled beneath them. En route, enjoy lunch in Djúpivogur before continuing to Fáskrúðsfjörður, where we stay overnight.

Sunday 04 July

Today, journey through the Mývatn area. Lake Mývatn was formed after a massive eruption 2,300 years ago, and it remains geothermally active today. See Námaskarð with its steaming jets and boiling sulphur pits; randomly strewn lava rocks in Dimmuborgir; pseudocraters. in Skútustaðagígar that formed by gas explosions when boiling lava flowed over the wetlands. 

Monday 05 July

This morning enjoy whale watching in Húsavík - one of the best locations in the world for whale watching! After lunch by the harbour, visit the Húsavík Whale Museum before continuing on to Akureyri for the night.

The first scheduled whale-watching tours in the whole of Iceland started in Húsavík, in the mid-90s, following requests by passing tourists. Since then, the industry has boomed and made Húsavík a household name, often branded ‘The Whale Capital of Iceland’.

Tuesday 06 July

Visit The Christmas House in Eyjafjörður, known as Jólahúsið – a magical place where Christmas is celebrated every day of the year. Wander around Akureyri Botanical Gardens before free time this afternoon to explore the charming town of Akureyri with plenty of colourful houses, small shops and cosy cafes.

Wednesday 07 July

Today, the tour leaves the coast and journeys west towards Borgarfjörður, travelling through wide valleys and beautiful landscapes of rolling hills, rivers and mountain views. En route to Reykjavík, we’ll stop to visit the Glaumbær and an agricultural museum.

Thursday 08 July

Enjoy a day at leisure in Reykjavík to explore the city at your own pace. This evening, enjoy a farewell dinner at the Viking Village.

Friday 09 July

Bid farewell to Iceland this morning as you depart Keflavík for Calgary. On arrival, enjoy a city tour before having the remainder of the afternoon free to relax or explore at your own pace.

Saturday 10 July

Morning at leisure before transferring to the Calgary Stampede.  Time to explore the grounds before the evening show. 

The Calgary Stampede immerses visitors in thundering chuckwagon races, bull riding and bronc busting, First Nations culture, live concerts, carnival rides, and endless fairground food, all wrapped up in true Western hospitality that earns it the title “The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth.”

Sunday 11 July

Today enjoy a sightseeing tour of Banff where you can admire the Rocky Mountain scenery, stunning lakes and glacial backdrops.

Monday 12 July

Today fly from Calgary to Vancouver with Air Canada and connect on Air New Zealand for your flight home to Auckland. 

Cross the International Date line.

Tuesday 13 July