Supreme Iceland- EI121

Day 1

We start the day by picking you up at your hotel and drive towards the valley of Thjorsardalur. There we get a view to the volcano Hekla, which we will get closer to on our way into the highlands. In earlier times, Hekla was believed to be the gateway to Hell. This cone shaped volcano is made up of a series of ridges and it is one of Iceland's most famous and active volcanoes. Hekla last erupted in the year 2000, for 11 days.

We drive along the River Thjorsa, the longest river in the country. We drive into the valley of Thjorsardalur, stopping by Hjalparfoss Waterfall - the Helping Falls, which is where travellers used to let their horses graze in the last lush area before heading across the sandy desert of Sprengisandur.

We have lunch in Hrauneyjar Highland Center. This will be the last stop before we enter the real highlands at Fjallabak Nature Reserve. We drive through vast lava fields, which are most often covered by snow at this time of year. We pass Lake Hnausapollur and Lake Ljotipollur and have a stop at Lake Frostastadavatn. The surrounding mountains and strange rock formations are reflected in the mirror like surface of the lake when the weather is calm - an excellent photo opportunity.

Finally, we get to Landmannalaugar, which will most likely be snow covered. But the steep rhyolite mountains and rough lava fields are visible, highlighting the geothermal activity of the area, where hot springs and naturally heated rivers criss-cross the land at every turn.

After the drive you will be able to relax in the geothermally heated pool whlist your driver-guide prepares dinner from premium Icelandic ingredients. And If we are lucky with the weather, we can go outside and check if the Northern Lights show up. If they do not show up it is still spectacular to view the stars shining extra bright so far away from the light pollution of civilization.

The lodge is heated and kept warm all year and is especially inviting for visitors on cold days in the Icelandic winter. The lodge has two floors; downstairs there is a large sleeping area with bunk beds, a large and spacious kitchen, a cozy sitting area and the mud room. Upstairs there are three separate sleeping areas. The lodge is heated with geothermal heat and the kitchen is equipped with gas. The lavatories are in a small building located next to the main building.

Day 2

Many travellers begin their day by bathing in the geothermal pool before breakfast, and start wondering where the heat comes from. The mountains encircling the area are mostly formed from sour magma which was cooked in the magna chamber of a volcano located at the glacier of Torfajokull, south of Landmannalaugar. The Torfajokull area is the country’s second largest high temperature geothermal area. The sour magma and the geothermal heat are located within a huge chamber - the largest of its kind in Iceland.

During breakfast we go over the schedule of the day, which is based on the snow conditions, weather and of course your own preferences. Some examples of the activities that are available: a snowmobile tour in the area, a hike to the one of the numerous interesting locations nearby or a ride with your guide in the modified Super Jeep to nearby lakes and interesting locations. Or if you’re in the mood for relaxation, just stay put and bathe in the hot pool outside, enjoying the peace.

For dinner we prepare a delicious barbecue dinner, enjoy life in the lodge, embrace the solitude and, of course, partake in geothermal bathing in the pool.

Day 3

We begin our last day in Landmannalaugar by eating breakfast, before heading out to the dam at Hrauneyjar. Once there, we take a look around and stop for lunch. From there we drive through Thjorsardalur on to the Golden Circle route, the most popular tourist route in Iceland.

Our first stop on the Golden Circle is the majestic Gullfoss Falls ("Golden Falls"), in the glacial river Hvita. The river flows from the lake Hvitarvatn and the glacier Langjokull, the second biggest glacier in Iceland. Gullfoss is 32 metres high but it plunges in two stages (11 m and 21 m).

Next we stop at the geothermal field of Geysir, where you can find hundreds of hot springs of all types – a few of them geysers. Geysir is one of the most famous hot springs in the world. It is sometimes referred to as The Great Geysir, and was the first geyser described in a printed source and the first known to modern Europeans. The English word geyser (a spouting hot spring) derives from the Icelandic name “Geysir”.

We then head on to the third main stop of the Golden Circle, the national park of Thingvellir. Sometimes called the heart of Iceland, Thingvellir has a history that goes back to the first settlers of Iceland and was declared a National Park in 1930.

A law was passed designating Thingvellir as "a protected national shrine for all Icelanders, the perpetual property of the Icelandic nation under the preservation of parliament, never to be sold or mortgaged".

Weather conditions, snow and general road conditions all play a big role in our tour. Therefore, the travelling time can vary greatly. The time of arrival in Reykjavik is estimated to be in the early evening, at dinner time.

We begin our tour by leaving Reykjavik behind for an exciting day packed with activity and beautiful sites. So gear up, put on warm clothes, good shoes and don't forget the camera! On the way to the south coast we first pass a geothermal power plant on Hellisheidi, where the guide explains the many different ways of utilizing clean energy. Passing through the countryside in winter gives you an opportunity to see Icelandic horses wandering the icy fields and you may even stop to take photos of these hardy little beasts, since they are most often curious and friendly. Our first scheduled stop is at Seljalandsfoss waterfall, which is unique because you can walk behind it and see the world from behind the 60-meter-high waterfall. Glacier hiking & the South Coast After Seljalandsfoss we head on to do the glacier walk on Solheimajokull. We gear you up with crampons, harnesses, iceaxes and helmets and do a quick safety briefing before we go onto the glacier. Sólheimajökull is an outlet glacier of Myrdalsjökull, Iceland‘s fourth largest glacier, which covers the infamous volcano Katla. The one-hour hike is easy and should be suitable for everyone who are comfortable walking on uneven surfaces. Reynisfjara, the black sand beach is our next stop after the hiking. You should beware the powerful waves that can sweep you of your feet if you go too close to the ocean. In Reynisfjara you will encounter stunning basalt columns on the shore, vast black sands and Reynisdrangar, the majestic sea stacks, on the horizon. Before dinner we make stop in the twilight at Skógafoss Waterfall with water running from Eyjafjallajökull. This majestic waterfall is one of the most visited sites in Iceland and for a good reason. Legend says that a treasure is buried beneath it, but nobody can get at the treasure except someone who is born at Skogar farm and has been raised to the age of fourteen only on horsemilk, horsemeat and has never heard God‘s name mentioned. So that probably excludes you! After Skógafoss we start our drive back to Reykjavik. We will go to a switching point, where you can buy snacks and coffee, or eat packed dinner. After that we go on a separate minibus tour, The Magical Auroras. We drive out of the city and go see if we can find the northern lights somewhere in the vicinity. Northern Lights Hunting in a minibus Understandably, there is no promise of viewing the auroras. We will hope for the best and hope they will appear. We will drive to beautiful locations outside of Reykjavik, where we will get out of the minibus and check if we see the elusive lights. We will go to locations where there is no light-pollution, so that we can get a good view of the Auroras. If we still don't find the magical green lights, we look at the cloud cover and the aurora forecast and the guide will decide where we should head to next. And on the way you can of course enjoy the beautiful scenery (if it’s not too dark). The Aurora Borealis are usually neon green, though white, red and purple colours may also appear, as the colours depend on the gas particles in the atmosphere. To watch the northern lights surrounded by the magical Icelandic nature is like walking into a storybook full of mystical beings and locations. According to norse and pagan religion, the dancing northern lights are the fierce Valkyries riding into Valhalla, where those who have died in battle are sent. If the Northern Lights don't show up on your tour you can contact our sales team: info@extremeiceland.is and we will book you on another evening departure, free of charge (on the Magical Auroras tour). Please remember to mention your booking number in the email. Disclaimer: All glacier trips are undertaken at the responsibility of the participants. Extreme Iceland does not assume any responsibility for accidents which are caused by its customers.