Iceland

Monday 28 June

Evening departure on Air New Zealand. Cross the international date line, arriving in Vancouver the same day. Change planes for your Iceland Air flight to Keflavik.

Tuesday 29 June

Arrive at Keflavik International Airport this morning. Continue to your hotel on Reykjavik’s harbour. Enjoy an afternoon city tour and Welcome Dinner this evening.

Wednesday 30 June

Today is the Golden Circle tour including a visit to Thingvellir National Park, the national shrine of Iceland and a UNESCO World Heritage Site; Geysir Area; and Gullfoss waterfall. Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant followed by a private horse show. Continue on to your hotel in Hvolsvöllur on the South Coast for the night.

Thursday 01 July

Today, you will explore the stunning black beaches, rich birdlife and gorgeous waterfalls of the South Coast. The first stop is Seljalandsfoss waterfall before 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 seem remote – a feeling enhanced by immense, dramatic mountainsides and the tiny working fishing villages that nestle under them. En route enjoy lunch at Hótel Framtíð where the daily special is always the catch of the day, whether it be cod, trout, halibut, haddock, redfish or plaice. Stop at Petra’s Stone Collection on the way to Fáskrúðsfjörður for the night.

Sunday 04 July

Today you’ll journey through the Mývatn area. Lake Mývatn was formed after a massive eruption 2300 years ago, and it remains geothermally active today. See Námaskarð with its steaming jets and boiling sulphur pits; randomly strewn lava rocks in Dimmuborgir; pseudo craters in Skútustaðagígar that formed by gas explosions when boiling lava flowed over the wetlands. Enjoy a lunch of local homemade food at a unique restaurant inside a cowshed and dinner at the hotel in Mývatn tonight.

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 Borgarfjordur through wide valleys and beautiful landscapes shifting between rolling hills, rivers and mountain views. Stop en route to visit the Glaumbær museum and Grábrók, the largest of three volcanic craters in the area. Arrive in Borgarfjörður for the night.

Thursday 08 July

Borgarfjordur is the gateway to the Snæfellsnes Peninsula – home of friendly towns and villages, spectacular mountains and a multitude of bird species. Visit the charming fishing village of Arnarstapi and Hellnar with lunch at a local restaurant. Visit Kirkjufellsfossar waterfalls before continuing on to Keflavik for the night.

Friday 09 July

Bid farewell to Iceland this morning as you depart Keflavik for Calgary. On arrival, enjoy a city tour, with 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