Iceland Family Vacation - Tour Around Iceland for 10 Days

Welcome to your Iceland family vacation! Once you arrive at Keflavík International Airport, you will be transferred to your accommodation in the heart of Reykjavík. In the afternoon you can explore some landmarks of the city like Perlan building, Hallgrímskirkja Church and Harpa – Music & Conference centre. Reykjavík has also many interesting museums and we recommend to visit the Northern Lights Centre, the Saga Museum or the Marine Museum. You could also visit the Reykjavík Zoo and Family Park. Very special in Iceland are also the outdoor swimming pools and in Reykjavík you should not miss to visit Laugardalslaug. Overnight in the heart of Reykjavík.

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Your journey around the island starts today! You will pick up your rental car in the morning and start your day in Þingvellir National park. Þingvellir because of its beauty and its geological and historical value, was accepted as UNESCO’s heritage site in 2004. After exploring the treasures of the park, head south to see Geysir and Gullfoss waterfall to complete the “Golden Circle”. In the afternoon we recommend stopping by at the country farm Vorsabær II where you can get in contact with the farm animals and the kids can go horse riding. Stay the night in the area.

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Today you will head to the famous South of Iceland. After breakfast and packing, drive east to the picturesque waterfalls Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss. Near Skógafoss you will find Skógar Museum where you can see how the Icelanders used to live. A bit further is Mýrdalsjökull glacier where you can enjoy an optional snowmobile or glacier walk tour. Drive further along the south shore to Dyrhólaey natural reserve where you can find one of the best seabird colonies in Iceland where you might spot some puffins. Dyrhólaey is a 120 meter high headland into the sea and you definitely should hike on it. You stay the night close to Vík and we recommend you an evening walk at the black beach of Vík.

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Today you will head to Skaftafell in Vatnajökull National Park. You will cross Mýrdalssandur and Eldhraun which is the largest lava field ever to flow on earth in historical times. We recommend the great hiking trail to Svartifoss waterfall that is surrounded by beautiful basalt columns – this is also convenient for small children. Near Skaftafell you can join an optional birdwatching tour to Cape Ingólfshöfði which is home for thousands of nesting seabirds, like puffins and great skuas. Continue east to the glacial lagoon Jökulsárlón that comes from the roots of Vatnajökull, Europe’s largest glacier. During summer time you can take an optional boat tour where you will sail between the icebergs while the local guides tell you the story about this great phenomenon. You stay the night close to Höfn.

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Time to travel the tranquil and beautiful East Fjords of Iceland. On your way there you can join an optional boat tour from Breiðdalsvík where you might see some puffins and seals and enjoy some sea angling. We also recommend to stop and explore Miss Petra´s stone collection and then continue your travel through tranquil coastal villages towards the largest village in the east, Egilsstaðir. Nearby Egilsstaðir, there is a small forest called Hallormsstaðarskógur. In the ancient times, it was believed that a large worm-monster lived in the lake by the forest, our very own Loch Ness monster. Close to Hallormsstaður you will find Hengifoss, a beautiful waterfall which takes about 30 minutes to walk up to. Stay the night around Egilsstaðir.

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Today you will drive to the amazing and almost surreal Mývatn area. We recommend that you take the Dettifoss Road and explore Dettifoss Waterfall (the most powerful in Europe), Hljóðaklettar Cliffs and Ásbyrgi Canyon. After that drive to Húsavík, where you can take an optional whale watching tour before continuing to Lake Mývatn. Around the Mývatn area you will find amazing attractions such as the colorful Námaskarð pass, the Skútustaðir pseudo craters, the Dimmuborgir lava formations, Krafla volcano and the Natural Baths of Mývatn. Stay the night in Mývatn.

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Start the day early by exploring the sights around Lake Mývatn before driving to Akureyri. On your way to Akureyri (the “Capital of the North”) stop and enjoy the charming Goðafoss waterfall. In Akureyri we recommend that you visit Kjarnaskógur forest, a recreational area with a playground for the kids, visit the Christmas house and it is always popular to spend the afternoon in the town’s outdoor geothermal swimming pool. Overnight in or around Akureyri.

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It’s time to continue your Iceland travel. Leave Akureyri behind and start making your way to the beautiful Skagafjörður fjord where you can enjoy optional riding tours on the famous Icelandic horse or an exciting family river rafting tour. On your way to Skagafjörður, we recommend you drive the Tröllaskagi peninsula and visit the towns of Ólafsfjörður, where you will find a Museum of Natural History, and Siglufjörður, where you will find a Herring Era Museum. In the afternoon we recommend visiting one of the most beautiful swimming pools in Iceland in Hofsós. The best thing about the pool is its location next to a stunning fjord. Stay in a hotel or guesthouse in Skagafjörður area.

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Today you will be heading back to the capital. Before finishing your ”ring road”, take a look at the highlights of West Iceland. Sights along the way are the volcanic crater Grábrók, Barnafossar and Hraunfossar waterfalls, Deildartunguhver (the largest hot spring in Europe) and the settlement center in Borgarnes. There is also a really unique children park in Borganes, known as Bjössaróló, that was handmade by a local craftsman. Once heading back to Reykjavík, you can either take the Hvalfjörður fjord route or take the “under ocean” tunnel Hvalfjarðargöng that was made in 1998 to shorten the ring road. If you are interested in sport and museums, you can pass by the sports museum in Akranes and hop on board the Kútter Haraldur (an old famous Icelandic ship) in Akranes museum center. Once back in Reykjavík return the car and stay the night in central Reykjavík.

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This is your last day in Iceland! How time flies when you’re having fun! You will be picked up from your accommodation and transferred to Keflavík airport in time for your departing flight. If your departure is in the afternoon, you can either do some last-minute shopping or stop by the Blue Lagoon (optional) – a wonderful last memory of Iceland.

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