Land of Northern Lights New Year's Departure

At 09:00 meet your tour guide who shows the group the highlights of Iceland’s exciting capital. Then we head out to the Reykjanes Peninsula with its hot springs, mountains, moon-like landscape, bird cliffs, lighthouses and fishing villages. In the afternoon we bathe in the Blue Lagoon. Drive along the south coast to arrive in the village of Hella where we stay for two nights in simple cottages. In the evening, we hear about the Northern Lights from our tour guide. Naturally, once darkness falls, you are out in the garden waiting for the Northern Lights. Overnight location: Arhus Cottages or Hotel Stracta (Comfort version), Hella or similar. Breakfast included. Lunch & dinner is on your own. (220km / 137mi)

Today we travel along the south coast. We reach the area beneath the Eyjafjallajökull volcano and glacier. We stop at Seljalandsfoss waterfall and visit Skógar folk museum of early Modern Iceland with its turf houses. At lunch, we visit the Skógarfoss waterfall. In the afternoon the tour continues further south where you walk on the famous Black Lava Beach at Reynisfjara, observe the Cap of Dyrhólaey and the Reynisdrangar Sea Cliffs before visiting the charming village of Vík. In the evening we celebrate New Year the Icelandic way. Before dinner, join a guided bus tour to visit the bonfires in the villages of Hvolsvöllur and Hella. The traditional Brenna bonfires of New Year’s Eve had their origins in the Middle Ages when people built bonfires to burn the old things they no longer needed. In Iceland, there are bonfires all around the country where inhabitants gather, shoot off fireworks, sing and dance as they wait for the New Year to come in. Your festive 4-course dinner starts around 20:30 and is served at Árhús Restaurant on the river banks in Hella, which is a small village in South Iceland. Afterwards, we walk through the village and celebrate New Year’s with a bang when at midnight the sky opens with thousands of fireworks set off in the village by the local inhabitants. This is an experience of a lifetime; you will never forget. Drink a toast of sparkling wine as you enjoy a real special Icelandic New Year’s celebration. If the night is clear, you might be lucky enough to see the Northern Lights swirling in a wild and carefree dance across the heavens in dramatic shapes, colors, patterns and sizes. Overnight location: Arhus Cottages or Hotel Stracta (Comfort version), Hella or similar. Breakfast included. Festive 4-course dinner (200km / 124mi)

In the morning we learn about the Icelandic horse, its unique qualities and history and visit a geothermal greenhouse. Then we travel the Golden Circle route, see steam rising from the Geysir geothermal fields and admire the double waterfall of Gullfoss. We end the afternoon at Þingvellir National Park, the location of the ancient Viking Parliament and UNESCO World Heritage Site. The program includes a culinary treat at a restaurant located in the heart of downtown Reykjavík. Return transfer included. Overnight location: Hotel Cabin (Standard room is 10m²) or Hotel Klettur (Comfort version), or similar in Reykjavík. Breakfast included. Culinary dinner experience (200km / 124mi)

Individual transfer by Flybus shuttle bus from your accommodation in Reykjavik to Keflavik International Airport. Breakfast included. (50km / 31mi)