Duration(in days): 4
From: Reykjavik
To: Reykjavik
Explore Iceland in the winter months with this 3 night Reykjavik city break, complete with a Northern Lights tour. From your base in Reykjavik, you’ll have a chance to see the highlights of Iceland in just a few days. You’ll start your break with a trip to the Blue Lagoon, where you can relax in the colourful water and enjoy a face mask of mineral-rich white mud while snow falls around you. Next, you’ll enjoy a wintery trip around the waterfalls and glaciers of the Golden Circle, topped off by snowmobiling across a glacier! You’ll finish your trip with an evening tour to hunt for the Aurora Borealis and see the famous green and purple lights dancing across the sky.
This itinerary can be tailored to suit your requirements, so please contact one of our consultants to start planning your dream trip.
On arrival in Reykjavik, you will be met at the airport and take a shuttle bus to the Blue Lagoon, where you can bathe the mineral-rich water and enjoy a white mud mask on your face. There are luggage storage facilities here, so you can easily keep your bags safe before hopping back onto the bus to your hotel in Reykjavik, where you’ll check in for three nights. What a great start to your winter break in Iceland!
After breakfast, you’ll head off on a 4x4 tour of the Golden Circle, passing three of Iceland’s most beautiful natural wonders. First, you’ll visit Thingvellir National Park, where Iceland’s first parliament was founded over a thousand years ago. Here, you’ll head out along the mountain tracks towards the Geysir, a spouting hot spring after which all other geysers around the world are named. Continuing on, you’ll visit Gullfoss, where you’ll get close enough to feel the spray of glacial water on your face, before enjoying a snowmobiling tour on Langjökull, Iceland’s second largest glacier. It’s a busy day and a great introduction into the geothermal wonderland of this tiny country.
Today, you can enjoy the pretty city of Reykjavik. Wander through the harbour browsing the boutique shops, pick up the perfect Icelandic jumper or try a craft ale at one of the cosy pubs. Make sure you try a famous Reykjavik hot dog as you continue to explore the city, taking in the vibrant museums, interesting galleries and a glimpse of Hallgrimskirkja Church, visible from almost everywhere in the city due to its height.
In the evening, you’ll join a tour heading out into the wilderness on the hunt for the Aurora Borealis. On dark, clear nights it is possible to witness one of Mother Nature’s most awesome displays – the Northern Lights. You’ll drive away from the bright lights of Reykjavik on the lookout for swirling green and purple lights that dance across the clear night sky. The tour will last between 3 and 5 hours, depending on the weather.
*there is no guarantee of seeing the Aurora Borealis – they are a natural phenomenon and appear when they like! *
Spend your final day in Reykjavik walking along the harbourfront and breathing in the fresh Atlantic breeze, before taking a shuttle bus back to the airport in time for your onward flight.
Iceland enjoys a milder climate than many people think. The summers are generally warm and sunny, while winters are as cold as they come. Due its location - just at the point where the Gulf Stream and Arctic Air meet - the weather is extremely changeable, so make sure you bring a range of clothing, even if you are there in midsummer. The midnight sun shines between late May and August, which means you can maximise your time here by exploring until late at night. In the winter however, the sun doesn’t rise until 11am and disappears around 3pm, perfect for aurora spotters out to see the northern lights.
If you'd like to get a feel for this trip, read our blog post 'The land of fire and ice’: what to see in Iceland in 5 days - written by one of our consultants who's been there.
This itinerary is purely a suggestion, and can be tailor-made to your requirements, so please contact us with your requests and we’ll put together a bespoke quotation for you.
3 nights in 3* standard accommodation.
Outside of Reykjavik, Iceland is made up of small villages and towns. There is a limited amount of accommodation in each area, which means we do not specify hotels until you have booked with us.