Trip Report
Trip Report
Essential Iceland Tour
A week exploring the south-east of Iceland, including the renown golden circle and Blue Lagoon. We preferred using guided tours to avoid driving in winter weather but it can be done without guides.
+ 8
Iceland6 days / February 2019
Highs & Lows
Climbing a glacier and walking in a volcano cave are a must!
We didn't see the northern lights because of the bad weather
Itinerary Overview
We were mainly based in Reykjavik and did a couple of daytrips around. However, we had to spend two nights in other hotels to optimize our trip along the south coast.
We did the golden circle tour and also explored Snæfellsnes Peninsula as part of our adventure holiday.
Q & A
What would you have changed?
Since the Blue Lagoon is on the way to the airport it would have made much more sense to stop there on the day we flew out, instead of doing a day trip there.
What tips would you give a friend?
We wouldn't recommend to chase the northern lights by boat if you want to take a nice photo. Also, if you visit in winter it is better to bring trekking shoes with a good grip since the ice is very slippery. You can buy specific gear at any petrol stations once in Iceland.
Packing tips?
In winter, pack warm clothes if you are not used to cold weather. When we arrived there were -8 degree C with wind. Thankfully we had multiple layers of clothes to protect us.
Transportation Tips?
In the summer you can rent a car and explore the island at your own pace, but if you are not used to driving on ice, we recommend booking a guide in winter.
Booking details?
We have booked everything by ourselves. Used local travel agencies for our day trips since we did not feel comfortable driving with sub-zero conditions. In summer, you can drive your car everywhere without problems.
Lodging
We stayed one night at Center Hotels Arnarhvoll
We stayed one night at Hotel Sellfoss. Our room had a very nice view over the river running through the town.
Brunnholl Countryguesthouse
House of the Snowbird, which we found on Airbnb. Pretty apartment in the center, above the artisanal shop of the parents of the owner. The entire house was actually transported to Iceland from Norway and was built around 130 years ago!
