self drive programmes 2016

SELF DRIVEPROGRAMMES

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Highlights of Iceland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6Holiday home vacation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12Iceland Boutique . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23Highland Adventures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30Iceland and The Faroe Islands in one . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37The Faroe Icelands, Iceland, Greenland . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

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Booked accommodation The self-drive programmes are designed carefully, with the goal of creating a balanced program with lots of wonder-ful things to see and to do . You choose the program that suits you best and the accommodation category you prefer (with or without ensuite facilities) . You can also add excursions, such as whale watching trips, snowmobile tours, river rafting and horse riding . Then we book the accommo-dation of the chosen category in the areas specified in each program, as well as the excursions if you have chosen any . You receive a very detailed itinerary, including the addresses of the hotels and information on how to find them . The itin-erary leads you along all the interesting places and tells you exactly how to get

there, so you won’t miss anything . Obviously, you can make detours or fol-low a different route and you can decide for youself where you want to spend a lot of time on a particular day and where you want to take just a quick look – if that is what you prefer . But you do not have to waste any time looking for a place to stay overnight, because its is already taken care of when booked through Smyril Line . Finding a hotel is something that, particularly in high season, can be quite a time-consuming job, and during the holiday that is not what people want to do with their time . When you book with Smyril Line, the hotels are all booked and confirmed, and you have lots of freedom to spend time every day in the way you like best .

There is no difference in doing the tours in a car or on a motorbike, it is equally well possible . The routes, which are most suitable for MCs, are route 1, 5, 8 and 17 . It is also possible for experienced people to go into the highlands (route 3 and 7) on a motorbike . Smyril Line can send you extra information on request .

MealsBreakfast is always included except ofr the Holiday Home Vacations . For other meals during the day, it is never difficult to find a place where you can get some-thing to eat . There are quite a few hotels, that offer wonderful buffet dinners, which are a culinary delight .

Explore the wild plains, enjoy the impressive waterfalls, glaciers and lunar landscapes created by lava. You have the choice between classical roundtrips, 4x4 roundtrips in the highlands, motor cycle roundtrips and much more. Get ready for a unique experience that you will remember for the rest of your life!

Smyril Line offers both one and two weeks self-drive programmes around Iceland including breakfast. There are 4 main categories.

EXCITING ROUTES AROUND ICELAND WITH PRE-BOOKED ACCOMMODATION

33 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE

HIGHLIGHTS OF ICELAND

The standard route follow ing the ring around Iceland .

HOLIDAY HOME VACATION

A tour especially designed for

families .

ICELAND BOUTIQUE

You stay in particularly nice accommodation

options in the country .

HIGHLAND ADVENTURES

Possible during the summer and requires a good 4x4 vehicle!

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Day 1: After disembarking from Norröna, you drive from Seyðis-fjörður to Egilsstaðir, making short stops at the waterfalls along the way . After a look around in Egilsstaðir, you can drive through Skriðdalur valley and over Breiðdalsheidi mountain pass, or you can drive along the east fjords, and make a stop on the way at the famous Petra Stone Museum . Then you drive further over winding roads, enjoying lovely views . You pass the tiny fishing village of Djúpivogur, from where the road contin-ues to Höfn, a larger community and an important fisheries harbour . You stay overnight either in Djúpivogur or in the Höfn area .

Day 2: First you drive to Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon, where large icebergs float around . It's possible to make an optional boat-trip on the lagoon . Then, take some time to visit Skaftafell national park and walk to Svartifoss waterfall, (1½ hours walk in total) before continuing along the south coast . You cross Skeiðarársandur, an outwash plain of black sand, at the foot of the glacier . Then you have the opportunity to stop at the interesting basalt columns of Dverghamrar . Next you pass Kirkjubæjarklaustur village and then you cross Mýrdalssandur outwash plains until you come to the village of Vík . Close by it's possible (after 25 June and until mid-August) to drive up to Dyrhólaey cliff to see the puffins . Overnight is in this area .

Day 3: Visit Skógar folk museum and Skógafoss waterfall before continuing your tour along the south coast and make a visit to Seljalandsfoss, a lovely waterfall which is very special: you can walk behind it – if you don’t mind getting wet . But today you also visit Iceland's highlights: Gullfoss waterfall, which some people consider to be Iceland’s most beautiful, and the Gey-sir hot spring area with the famous spouting spring Strokkur as well as a great number of bubbling, steaming and boiling springs . Then you drive to Þingvellir national park, where the ancient outdoor parliament was founded in 930 . This area is also very interesting from a geological point of view, since it’s situated on top of the mid-Atlantic ridge, where two earth crust plates slowly drift apart . Therefore, there are many fissures in the soil at Þingvellir . Overnight in the Selfoss area .

Day 4: In the morning, you drive to Reykjavík, where you can explore the city . If you fancy, it is possible to drive in the af-

ternoon to the Blue Lagoon for a swim in the mineral-rich hot water . By the end of the afternoon, you drive into Borgarfjörður for overnight .

Day 5: Today, it's possible to visit Hraunfossar waterfalls, Reykholt village and Deildartunguhver hot spring . Then you continue to the north, past Grábrók crater (which you can climb to obtain a lovely view over the area) and over Holtavörðuheiði pass, which brings you to Húnavatnssýsla County . This area has quite a bit of agriculture and Skagafjörður County is fa-mous for horse breeding . It’s possible to visit the Glaumbær Turf Farm Museum . Continue over the impressive pass Öx-nadalsheiði (550 m) to Akureyri, the most important town of the north . Overnight in or close by Akureyri .

Day 6: Drive via Goðafoss waterfall to Lake Mývatn, where you spend the rest of the day . At Skútustaðir, there are pseu-do-craters . Dimmuborgir is a beautiful lava labyrinth with very strange lava formations, which provide shelter for the abundant vegetation . A walk is definitely indicated . Another visit is made to the Námaskarð solfataras, with their grey mud pools which are really cooking, the yellowish sulphur precipitations and the unforgettable smell . Also you can climb Mount Hverfjall or visit Grjótagjá – a small gorge which is filled with hot water, or Stóragjá, a similar phenomenon . Overnight in the Mývatn area .

Day 7: Drive north along Tjörnes peninsula and make your first stop at Húsavík fishing village for a look at the picturesque har-bour or, if you like, an optional whale watching trip . Then you continue to the horse-shoe-shaped gorge Ásbyrgi where you can take a short walk through a small but lovely forest . Next, you drive through Jökulsárgljúfur gorge, which is a national park . You can visit Hafragilsfoss waterfall and you shouldn’t miss Dettifoss, Iceland’s most powerful waterfall . After de-scending on foot along a rocky path to see the waterfall, you continue over Möðrudalsheiði highland plateau to the east . Finally you drive through Jökuldalur valley to Egilsstaðir, the most important town of east Iceland, for overnight .

Day 8: In the morning you drive back to Seyðisfjörður, to catch the ferry .

FOR OTHER PRICES, PLEASE VISIT SMYRILLINE.COM

ROUTE 1:

HIGHLIGTS OF ICELANDA short but very comprehensive tour. The route goes all around Iceland, mainly following the circle route, thus visiting many of the most spectacular sites of Iceland: the most of Iceland in the shortest possible time!

1-WEEK ROUNDTRIPS – ROUTE 1, 2, 8 AND 16

SUMMER 14.06-16.08:Route 1 (approx . 2200 km) .

Route 2 (approx . 2200 km) . As route 1 incl . 2 nights in Reykjavík .

SPRING 02.04-04.06 & AUTUMN 27.08-15.10: Route 8 (approx . 2300 km) . As route 1 incl . 1 night in Reykjavík .

Route 16 (approx . 2300 km) . As route 1 incl . 2 nights in Reykja vík .

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SPRING/AUTUMN PRICE PER PERSON, FROM

€ 1,245SUMMER: € 1.615

BEST SELLER 2015

VISIT THE BLUELAGOON AND SWIM IN THE MINERAL-RICH HOT WATER

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SEE ÞINGVELL IR NATIONAL PARK, WHERE THE ANCIENT PARLIAMENT WAS FOUNDED

A WALK TO SVARTIFOSS WATERFALL IS A MUST

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Day 1: After disembarking from Norröna, you could have a good look around in Seyðisfjörður village . There is a small technical museum . Then, you drive to Egilsstaðir, making short stops at the waterfalls along the way . After a look around in Egilsstaðir, you can choose from some different excursions . You can drive north to Borgarfjörður Eystri, a lovely small village surrounded by colourful rhyolite mountains, or you can drive around lake Logurinn, visiting Iceland’s largest forest Hallormsstaðaskógur and hiking to Hengi-foss waterfall . Overnight in Egilsstadir .

Day 2: Today, you are going to visit an area that not many tourists visit, so it is a bit exclusive . You start by driving up the meander-ing mountain road Hellisheiði, which brings you to the fishing village of Vopnafjörður . If you like, you can visit the museum Bur-starfell . Another nice experience is a visit to the small swimming pool in Selárdalur . Next, you continue your trip and drive on to another village, Þórshöfn . If you have a jeep, you can drive all the way out to Fontur, the tip of the Langanes peninsula . Overnight is in this area, or in the next village, Raufarhöfn .

Day 3: Today you have a choice . You can either drive on to the village of Raufarhöfn and from there follow the coastline of Mel-rakkasletta, an area with abundant bird life, or you can also choose to drive over the mountain pass Öxarfjarðarheiði, which is shorter . Then you head south over Hólssandur, until you reach Dettifoss, Iceland’s mightiest waterfall . Next you return to the main road to visit Ásbyrgi, a horse-shoe shaped canyon, before driving to Húsavík (where it is possible to make a whale watching safari) or Mývatn for your next overnight stay .

Day 4: Today, you spent most of your time at Lake Mývatn, visiting all the marvellous sights, such as Krafla, the site of volcanic erup-tions as recent as the 80s, Námaskarð solfataras, Dimmuborgir Lava Labyrinth and the pseudo-craters at Skútustaðir . From there you drive to Goðafoss waterfall, the waterfall of the Gods, which is well worth a good stop . Then you continue to Eyjafjörður fjord, and spend the afternoon in the lovely city of Akureyri, often called »The

Capital of the North« . It’s a good idea to visit the beautiful botanic garden and a visit to the swimming pool is a very nice experience as well . Also, the city offers some nice shopping opportunities, such as for example a factory outlet of woollens . Overnight in Akureyri .

Day 5: First you drive to Skagafjörður County, famous for its horse breeding . There, it is possible to visit the turf house museum of Glaumbær, dating from the end of the 19th century . You continue along the main road to the village of Blönduós, and on to the Laugarbakki area where you stay overnight .

Day 6: You drive along the fjord Hrútafjörður and then over Laxárd-alsheiði to the northern side of Snæfellsnes peninsula . You follow its coastline along Skógarströnd and arrive at the charming fishing village of Stykkishólmur . It is possible to make a boat trip in the afternoon (in high season, book beforehand), sailing among the many islands of Breiðafjörður, fishing for scallops and watching the many seabirds of this area . Overnight in Stykkishólmur .

Day 7: This is a day to explore the marvels of the tip of the peninsu-la, such as the impressive beach Djúpalónssandur (from where you can hike to Dritvík, approx . 3 hours), the cliff at Þúfubjarg, and one of the highlights of the area: Arnarstapi . There the kittiwakes nest among the basalt columns, and you can observe them from very close by . A walk along the coastline here is really something not to be missed . After that you drive along the south side of the penin-sula, and you can make a stop at Gerðuberg, Iceland’s longest row of basalt columns . Next you continue to the village of Borgarnes . Overnight in this area .

Day 8: Today you visit some of the marvels of Borgarfjörður, such as Deildartunguhver which is Iceland’s largest hot spring, produc-ing 180 l of almost boiling water per minute . Also you view Hraunfossar, a whole row of small waterfalls » tum-bling out of the lava, into a passing river . Then you continue along the Hvalfjörður fjord back to Reykjavík . »


ROUTE 5:

HIGHLIGTS OF ICELANDThis a very versatile tour, featuring just about all of Iceland, without hurrying too much. It includes all Iceland’s highlights except the central highland and the West Fjords, and is very suitable for people who want to see as much of Iceland as they can in a leisurely manner.

2-WEEK ROUNDTRIPS – ROUTE 5, 6 AND 17


Route 6 (approx . 3900 km) . As route 5 incl . the West Fjords .

SPRING 02.04-04.06 & AUTUMN 27.08-08.10: Route 17 (approx . 3300 km) . As route 5 .

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Day 9: A free day in Reykjavík, to explore the marvels of the city . If you like, you can make an excursion to Reykjanes peninsu-la, with a visit to the church of Bessastaðir, and to the steam vents and boiling mud pools of Krísuvík . A highlight is a dip in the famous Blue Lagoon, filled with natural hot water, rich in all kind of minerals . After a refreshing bath in the bizarre sur-roundings of lava fields and a geothermal plant, you drive back to Reykjavík for a second overnight .

Day 10: Drive to Þingvellir National Park, where the ancient parliament was founded . This is also a place of great geologi-cal interest, and you can take a walk through one of the large fissures . Then you continue over Lyngdalsheiði pass to the village of Laugarvatn, and from there to the Geysir area, where the famous spring Strokkur ejects its water columns high into the air every 5 minutes or so . Next you visit Gullfoss, one of the most beautiful waterfalls of Iceland . Overnight in the area .

Day 11: Today you explore the lovely valley of Þjórsardalur . This valley was once a lovely farming area, but in 1104 it was de-stroyed by an eruption of Mt . Hekla . If the weather is favourable you might get some good views of this notorious volcano . You can visit the reconstruction of the farm Stöng, ruined by the 1104 explosion (entrance fee!) . There are the waterfalls Hjálp (twin falls) and Iceland’s 3rd highest: Háifoss and you mustn’t miss the charming little valley Gjáin . You can drive past Búrfell Power plant before returning to your hotel .

Day 12: In the morning, you continue in the direction of the waterfalls of Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss and the lovely Folk Museum of Skógar . Next you visit the bird cliff of Dyrhólaey (open after 25 June), where puffins can be seen until mid-Au-gust, and the small village of Vík . Then you drive over the Mýrdalssandur outwash plains to Kirkjubæjarklaustur and from there you continue further east . On the way you can make a stop at Dverghamrar with its basalt columns . Finally you arrive in the Skaftafell area, where you stay overnight .

Day 13: This is a whole day to enjoy the marvels of the Skaftafell National Park . You can actually drive all the way to the glacier tongue Svínafellsjökull, and there are many opportunities for hiking in the Park . A walk to Svartifoss waterfall (1½ hours in total) is a must! Overnight in the Skaftafell area or close by Höfn .

Day 14: Today you continue east along the south coast, and the first and most important stop of the day is at Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon . In this large lagoon immense icebergs float around, and you can even make a short boat trip among them, giving you really the opportunity to see them from close by . After this stop, you continue to the village of Höfn, and if the weather is good you can enjoy many lovely views of Vatnajökull glacier on the way . Then you drive over Almannaskarð pass into the East Fjord area, and pass Alftafjörður and Hamars-fjörður before arriving to the tiny fishing village of Djúpivogur . From there, you drive along the eastern fjords with their lovely landscape . A tip: visit the Stone Museum of Petra, in the tiny village of Stöðvarfjörður . There you can see a garden and most of the house full of the most colourful and sparkling Icelandic semi-gemstones . After circling around the fjords you drive over Fagridalur pass to Egilsstaðir, the most important village of the east (wonderful swimming pool)! Overnight in or near Egilsstaðir .



€ 1,750SUMMER: € 2.355

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Day 1: After disembarking from Norröna, you drive to Egilsstaðir, making short stops at the waterfalls along the way . After a look around in Egilsstaðir, drive through the long and fertile valley of Jökuldalur, and then you drive up to Möðru-dalsheiði, a desert-like plateau . From there, you continue your way west to the Mývatn area, where you can spend most of the day sightseeing . We recommend visits to the pseudo-craters of Skútustaðir, Dimmuborgir lava labyrinth (where the strange lave formations provide shelter for quite a lot of vegetation), the tephra volcano Hverfjall (which you can climb if you fan-cy), the impressive solfataras at Námaskarð and Leirhnjúkur (where boiling mud pools and colourful sulphur precipitations provide a very picturesque view), and caves filled with natural hot water . Finally you drive to your first summerhouse, in the Akureyri/Mývatn area .

Day 2: Today, we recommend a visit to Akureyri and Eyjafjörður . In Akureyri you can visit the lovely botanic garden, one or two of the interesting museums, and the wonderful swimming pool . If you are interested in churches, you could go for a drive through Eyjafjarðarsveit, south of Akureyri . You can also drive north via Akureyri to Dalvík village, and from there you contin-ue to Ólafsfjörður and make a detour to Siglufjörður . There, it is very interesting to visit the herring museum . Then you drive south into Skagafjörður and you might be interested in a visit to the museum in Hofsós, Next, you could visit the beautiful church at Hólar, and then you continue to Sauðárkrókur village . From there it is a good idea to drive to Glaumbær turf farm museum . Finally, you return over Öxnadalsheiði mountain pass to Akureyri and to your base .

Day 3: Today you drive north along Tjörnes peninsula . First you make a stop at Húsavík fishing village where it’s possible to make a whale watching boattour and where you can visit the charming church . Then you continue north along the peninsula and drive to Ásbyrgi, a horse-shoe shaped gorge, where a small forest shelters along the 100 m high rock walls . A short walk is

indicated . Another highlight of this day is Dettifoss waterfall, which is Europe’s mightiest - no other waterfall has such a lot of water! It’s 44 m high . You can walk down along a rocky path until you get very close by the waterfall, so you can thoroughly enjoy it . Then you return to your base .

Day 4: In the morning, you can spend some more time at Mý-vatn, because there is a whole lot to see there . After that you drive east, past Grímsstaðir and over Möðrudalsheiði highland plateau east . might enjoy a lovely mountain view (in good weather!) . After that you continue through Jökuldalur valley to Egilsstaðir village, the most important town of the east . From there you drive to your next summerhouse .

Day 5: Today you can drive north to Borgarfjörður Eystri, a lovely small village surrounded by colourful rhyolite mountains . During the summer you can see puffins from very close by, in the charming harbour of the village .

Day 6: You can drive through Skriðdalur valley to Breiðda-lur . Then you can have a look around in the tiny village of Breiðdalsvík, after which the trip continues to Stöðvarfjörður, where you should visit Petra's Stone Collection . From there you drive along the eastern fjords, and you might like a visit to the villages of Reyðarfjörður, Eskifjörður and Neskaupstaður . There are various interesting museums that you could visit . Finally you return to your house in the Egilsstaðir area .

Day 7: Today we recommend a drive around lake Logurinn, vis-iting Iceland’s largest forest Hallormsstaðaskógur and hiking to Hengifoss waterfall . If you like, you can also drive a bit further to see the Kárahnúkar power plant that is being built .


ROUTE 10B:

HOLIDAY HOME VACATIONA tour especially designed for families, who do not want to have to drive very much every day and want a lot of freedom in their daily excursions. In this trip, you stay 3 and 4 nights in two places, in a summerhouse from where you make various excursions.


1-WEEK ROUNDTRIP – ROUTE 10B

SPRING, SUMMER & AUTUMN 02.04-15.10:Route 10b (approx . 1400 km) .

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BRING TWO CHILDREN

(3-11 YEARS)

FROM € 273Per child

DETTIFOSS, EUROPE S MIGHTIEST WATERFALL

3 AND 4 NIGHTS IN TWO PLACES


€ 1,195SUMMER: € 1.450

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JÖKULSÁRLÓN GLACIER LAGOON WHERE IMMENSE ICEBERGS FLOAT AROUND

'HARPA' CONCERT HALL IN REYKJAVÍK

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Day 1: After disembarking from Norröna you drive through the long and fertile valley of Jökuldalur, and then you drive up to Möðrudalsheiði, a desert-like plateau . Then you head north over Hólssandur, until you reach the Mývatn area . From there you drive to your house in the north, in the Mývatn or Akureyri area .

Day 2: Today you drive north along Tjörnes peninsula . First you make a stop at Húsavík fishing village where it’s possible to make a whale watching boat tour and where you can visit the charming church . Then you continue north along the peninsula and drive to Ásbyrgi, a horse-shoe shaped gorge, where a small forest shelters along the 100 m high rock walls . A short walk is indicated . Another highlight of this day is Dettifoss waterfall, which is Europe’s mightiest – no other waterfall has such a lot of water! It’s 44 m high . You can walk down along a rocky path until you get very close by the waterfall, so you can thoroughly enjoy it . Then you return to your base .

Day 3: Today’s tours brings you to lake Mývatn, where you spend the rest of the day visiting all the marvellous sights, such as Krafla, the site of volcanic eruptions as recent as the 80s, Námaskarð solfataras, Dimmuborgir Lava Labyrinth and the pseudo-craters at Skútustaðir .

Day 4: Today you drive first to Goðafoss waterfall, the waterfall of the Gods, which is well worth a good stop . Then you contin-ue to Eyjafjörður fjord, and spend the afternoon in the lovely city of Akureyri, often called »The Capital of the North« . It’s a good idea to visit the beautiful botanic garden and a visit to the swimming pool is a very nice experience as well . Also, the city offers some nice shopping opportunities, such as for example a factory outlet of woollens . Next you drive to Skagafjörður county, famous for its horse breeding . There, it is possible to visit the Turf House Museum of Glaumbær, dating from the end of the 19th century . You continue along the main road to

the village of Blönduós, the fjord Hrútafjörður and then over Holtavörðuheiði to the Borgarfjörður area, your base for the next 4 nights .

Day 5: Today, it is possible to make a boat trip in the afternoon (in high season, book beforehand), sailing among the many islands of Breiðafjörður, fishing for scallops and watching the many seabirds of this area . Overnight in Stykkishólmur (180 km) .

Day 6: Today you visit some of the marvels of Borgarfjörður, such as Deild ar tunguhver which is Iceland’s largest hot spring, producing 180 litres of almost boiling water per minute . Also you view Hraunfossar, a whole row of small waterfalls tumbling out of the lava, into a passing river .

Day 7: This is a day to explore the marvels of the tip of the pen-insula, such as the impressive beach Djúpalónssandur (from where you can hike to Dritvík, approx . 3 hours), the cliff at Þú-fubjarg, and one of the highlights of the area: Arnarstapi . There the kittiwakes nest among the basalt columns, and you can observe them from very close by . A walk along the coastline here is really something not to be missed . After that you drive along the south side of the peninsula, and you can make a stop at Gerðuberg, Iceland’s longest row of basalt columns . Next you continue to the village of Borgarnes . Overnight in this area .

Day 8: Today you drive to Reykjavík, where you might like to explore the marvels of the city . If you like, you can also make an excursion to Reykjanes peninsula, with a visit to the church of Bessastaðir, and to the steam vents and boiling mud pools of Krísuvík . A highlight is a dip in the famous Blue Lagoon, filled with natural hot water, rich in all kind of minerals . After a refreshing bath in the bizarre surroundings of lava fields and a geothermal plant, you drive back to Reykjavík and to your house in south-west Iceland . »

ROUTE 10C:

HOLIDAY HOME VACATIONHere you can read one of the many different versions of this trip. It can go either clockwise or anticlockwise and the areas where you stay can vary, bu you will always be able to visit all mentioned places.


2-WEEK ROUNDTRIP – ROUTE 10C

SPRING, SUMMER & AUTUMN 02.04-08.10:Route 10c (approx . 3900 km) .

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Day 9: Drive to Þingvellir National Park, where the ancient parliament was founded . This is also a place of great geologi-cal interest, and you can take a walk through one of the large fissures . Then you continue over Lyngdalsheiði pass to the village of Laugarvatn, and from there to the Geysir area, where the famous spring Strokkur ejects its water columns high into the air every 5 minutes or so . Next you visit Gullfoss, one of the most beautiful waterfalls of Iceland .

Day 10: Today you explore the lovely valley of Þjórsardalur . This valley was once a lovely farming area, but in 1104 it was destroyed by an eruption of Mt . Hekla . If the weather is favour-able you might get some good views of this notorious volcano . You can visit the reconstruction of the farm Stöng, which was destroyed by the 1104 eruption (entrance fee!) . There are the waterfalls Hjálp (twin falls) and Iceland’s 3rd highest: Háifoss and you mustn’t miss the charming little valley Gjáin .

Day 11: Today you explore the south coast, driving in the direc-tion of the waterfalls of Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss and the lovely Folk Museum of Skógar . Next you visit the bird cliff of Dyrhólaey (open after 25 June), where puffins can be seen until mid-August, and the small village of Vik . Next you drive over the Mýrdalssandur outwash plains to Kirkjubæjarklaustur . Your next base is in this area (or possibly closer to Höfn) .

Day 12: Today you continue further east . On the way you can make a stop at Dverghamrar with its basalt columns . Finally you arrive in the Skaftafell area, to enjoy the marvels of the Skaftafell National Park . You can actually drive all the way to the glacier tongue Svínafellsjökull, and there are many opportu-nities for hiking in the Park . A walk to Svartifoss waterfall (1½ hours in total) is a must! After that you return to your house .

Day 13: Today you make some excursions out of the Kirkjubæ-jarklaustur area, for example to the lovely gorge Fjaðrárgljúfur .

Day 14: Today you continue east along the south coast, and the first and most important stop of the day is at Jökulsárlón gla-cier lagoon . In this large lagoon immense icebergs float around, and you can even make a short boattrip among them, giving you really the opportunity to see them from close by . After this stop, you continue to the village of Höfn and into the East Fjord area . Via Djúpivogur and Skríðdalur you drive to the east for the last night, which you spend in a hotel .

Day 15: In the morning you drive back to Seyðisfjörður, where you can have a good look around and perhaps visit the Techni-cal Museum, before you catch the ferry .


€ 1,660SUMMER: € 2.020

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PEACE AND QUIET IN INSPIRING SURROUNDINGS

VISIONS OF BEAUTY BEYOND COMPARE

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THURSDAY: This day is wide open for you to fill with adventures. We would be happy to book a place for you for the night, as well as the other nights without fixed accommodation, just let us know. But you could also arrange your own accommodations or go camping .

FRIDAY:No fixed programme

SATURDAY:No fixed programme

SUNDAY:You should plan to reach the southwest by the afternoon of your first Sunday in Iceland, as the night will be the first of 7 in a summerhouse in the Reykjavík/Hveragerði/Selfoss/Geysir area in the southwest .

MONDAY: REYKJAVÍK - BORGARFJÖRÐUR - REYKJAVÍK AROUND 240 KMToday you should drive up north to explore the lovely county of Bor-garfjörður . Start with a visit to Iceland’s largest hotspring, Deildartun-guhver, which provides warm water for heating homes as far as 60 km from the spring . Then head to Reykholt village, where the 13th century historian Snorri Sturluson lived . It is still possible to see his miniature private swimming pool in this little village and, if you are interested in history, a visit to the Snorri Museum is a must . Your next stop will be Hraunfossar waterfalls, a series of small waterfalls that tumble straight out of the lava, a strange and magnificent sight. Close by is the summer resort of Húsafell, where you can visit a lovely swimming pool . After that, you drive back to your accommodation .

TUESDAY:Today you could go on an excursion to the Reykjanes peninsula . Begin with a visit to the boiling mudpots of Krísuvík . Then, visit the fishing village Grindavík where you can stop at a quaint fishing muse-um . The highlight of this day is a visit to the famous Blue Lagoon, a lake filled with naturally hot mineral-rich water.

EXCURSION: You might like to drive to the famous Blue Lagoon, which is filled with naturally hot water rich in all kinds of minerals. There, you can take a refreshing bath in the curious surroundings of lava fields and a geothermal plant. You will have to book this in advance . Enjoy a refreshing swim immersed in the lunar landscape of lava fields and you could even get a massage floating in the geo-thermal waters . After relaxing and recharging, continue your drive to the tip of the peninsula with its wide-open vistas of the ocean . A little further along you can visit the ‘bridge between the continents’, a symbolic bridge marking where the European and American tectonic plates come together . Finally, a visit to the church of Bessastaðir is well worth your time before returning to your accommodation for the night .

WEDNESDAY:Today you should set out for Þingvellir National Park, where Iceland’s ancient outdoor parliament was founded in 930 . This area also boasts fascinating geological features, since it is situated on top of the mid-Atlantic ridge where two of Earth’s tectonic plates are slowly drifting apart. This means that you can hike down into a fissure (named Almannagjá) between the two plates . After exploring this magnificent spot, drive to Laugarvatn and continue your tour to the Geysir hotspring area with its famous spouting Strokkur and a great number of fuming and bubbling springs . After this, you will visit what is arguably the most beautiful, and certainly the most famous, waterfall in Iceland, Gullfoss .

EXCURSION: On the way back from Gullfoss, you have two exhila-rating excursion options: a Riverjet Boat trip (about 1 hour) or a River rafting trip (about 2 hours) .From Gullfoss continue via the charming gorge of Brúarhlöð to Flúðir and from there you can visit the church of Skálholt before you return to your accommodation .

THURSDAY: REYKJAVÍK:This is the day to sample the delights of Reykjavík . Walk down the old town street full of boutiques and restaurants or visit one of the many galleries and museums . Don’t forget to visit Hallgrímskirkja »

ROUTE 10E:

TWO WEEKS IN ICELAND WITH ONE WEEK BOOKED IN SUMMERHOUSE

2-WEEK ROUNDTRIP – ROUTE 10E

Valid 02.04-08.10

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Church and Perlan, a revolving restaurant sitting on top of the city’s hot water tanks offering a fantastic view over the city. There are also two shopping malls, a botanical garden in a lovely park, a little zoo (mostly with domestic animals), wonderful outdoor year-round swim-ming pools, a world-class spa, bowling alleys, fitness centres, and a host of other things to do . You could also book a whale-watching tour out of Reykjavík or even go fishing. Finally, you drive back to your accommodation for the last overnight stay .

EXCURSION: In Reykjavík you can go on a whale watching boat trip (about 3 hours), or go horseback riding in the neighbouring town of Hafnarfjörður . It is also possible to take a trip on a quad bike .

FRIDAY:This day is dedicated entirely to the Snæfellsnes peninsula . First, the trip goes west along the south shore of the peninsula until you arrive at Arnarstapi bird cliffs. A walk here is warmly recommend-ed; you don’t want to miss the striking basalt formations teeming with nesting birds, like kittiwakes and arctic terns . At the tip of the peninsula there are many picturesque places to stop, like Þúfubjarg bird cliff (this involves a short walk away from the main road) and Djúpalónssandur beach where a rocky path takes you down to an imposing black beach . On a clear day you will also have a picturesque view of Snæfellsjökull glacier, an old volcano surrounded by lava fields. Afterwards, you will drive along the north side of the peninsula through various fishing villages such as Ólafsvík, Grundarfjörður and Stykkishólmur .

EXCURSION: You can take a boat trip out of Stykkishólmur to sail among the islands of Breiðafjörður Bay and enjoy the rich bird-life, lovely basalt formations and scallops caught fresh during the trip . At the end of the day, you drive back to your accommodation .

SATURDAY:Today you can drive through Þjórsárdalur valley, where you can visit the twin waterfall Hjálp, and the lovely little canyon Gjáin . You can also visit a replica of a farm that was destroyed by the notorious vol-cano Hekla in an eruption in the year 1104 . This museum gives you a good sense of how people lived at that time in Iceland . If you have a 4x4 vehicle, you can also drive to the waterfall Háifoss, Iceland's third highest waterfall . On the way back to your accommodation you can follow a different route through Landsveit to see the what Hekla’s eruptions have created, not just destroyed, as this area is brimming with different lava formations and volcanic ashes.

SUNDAY:Today you have to leave your summerhouse before noon . You can slowly start your drive back east, going either along the south coast or visiting the north on your way .

MONDAY:No fixed programme.

TUESDAY:No fixed programme.

WEDNESDAY:No fixed programme. You should, however, reach the Egilsstaðir area by evening for your last night in Iceland .

THURSDAY:Early in the morning you board Norröna again to sail back to Den-mark via the Faroe Islands .


€ 1,130SUMMER: € 1.450

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TRY A RIVER RAFTING TOUR IN SKAGAFJÖRÐUR

RELAX AND RELOAD IN THE BLUE LAGOON

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Day 1: After disembarking from Norröna, you could opt to have a good look around in Seyðisfjörður village . There is a small technical museum . Then, you drive to Egilsstaðir, making short stops at the waterfalls along the way . After a look around in Egilsstaðir, drive through the long and fertile valley of Jökuld-alur, and then you drive up to Möðrudalsheiði, a desert-like plateau . Then you head north over Hólssandur, until you reach Dettifoss, Iceland’s mightiest waterfall . Next you visit Ásbyrgi, a horse-shoe shaped canyon, before driving to Húsavík . You can have a look around in the picturesque harbour or visit the very interesting local museum and/or the Whale Museum, before checking into your hotel . In the evening, it is possible to make an optional whale watching safari .

Day 2: You spend the morning visiting some of the marvellous sights in the Mývatn area, such as Krafla, the site of volcan-ic eruptions as recent as the 80s, Námaskarð solfataras and Dimmuborgir Lava . Around noon, you drive to Goðafoss water-fall, the waterfall of the Gods, which is well worth a good stop . Then you continue to Eyjafjörður fjord, and spend some time in the lovely city of Akureyri, often called »The Capital of the North« . It’s a good idea to visit the beautiful botanic garden . Also, the city offers some nice shopping opportunities, such as for example a factory outlet of woollens . From here, you have a choice: either you drive over Öxnadalsheiði mountain pass straight to Skagafjörður and Sauðárkrókur village, or you make a rather long but very interesting detour, via Dalvík and Ólafs-fjörður . Then you drive on to Siglufjörður, where you can visit the interesting herring museum . From there you continue to Sauðárkrókur, where you stay overnight .

Day 3: In the morning, it would be possible to go on a river rafting tour in Skagafjörður . This takes at least 3 hours, so it limits your options for the afternoon a bit, but it is a superb ex-perience . Before leaving Skagafjörður, it is possible to visit the Turf House Museum of Glaumbær, dating from the end of the 19th century . You continue along the main road to the village of

Blönduós, and along the fjord to Laxárdalsheiði pass . Continue via Skógaströnd to the Snæfellsnes peninsula, where you can make a stop at the charming fishing village of Stykkishólmur, before driving through a few small fishing villages to the tip of the peninsula, where you might spot the glacier Snæfellsjökull (depending on weather conditions) . We recommend a visit to Arnarstapi, an area where kittiwakes nest among the superb basalt columns, before checking into the hotel at Búðir .

Day 4: First, you drive along the south side of the peninsula, through grassy farmland, to Borgarnes village . There, you can make a choice . If you want to spend more time seeing marvels of nature, we recommend a visit to Borgarfjörður County, where you can visit some lovely spots, such as Deildartunguhver which is Iceland’s largest hot spring, producing 180 litres of al-most boiling water per minute . Also you can view Hraunfossar, a whole row of small waterfalls tumbling out of the lava, into a passing river . Then you continue along the Hvalfjörður fjord to Reykjavík . You can also skip this and drive straight from Bor-garnes to Reykjavík, if you like to have more time in the cap-ital . In both cases, you can use the late afternoon to visit the famous Blue Lagoon and take a dip in the blue, warm, mineral water . It would also be possible to go horseback riding in the afternoon, just outside of Reykjavík . Overnight in Reykjavík .

Day 5: Drive to Þingvellir National Park, where the ancient parliament was founded . This is also a place of great geological interest, and you can take a walk through one of the large fis-sures . Then you continue over Lyngdalsheiði pass to the village of Laugarvatn, and from there to the Geysir area, where the fa-mous spring Strokkur ejects its water columns high into the air every 5 minutes or so . Next you visit Gullfoss, one of the most beautiful waterfalls of Iceland . From there, you follow the south coast in an eastward direction, making a stop at Seljalandsfoss . Overnight is at a very small but very charming country hotel . »

ROUTE 4:

ICELAND BOUTIQUEThis is a very special trip, giving you the opportunity to see an enormous lot of Iceland,and stay always in the nicest and most tasteful or original hotels in each area. It involves quite a lot of driving. The tour includes the whole circle as well as the Snæfellsnes peninsula.


1-WEEK ROUNDTRIPS – ROUTE 4 AND 13


SPRING 02.04-04.06 & AUTUMN 27.08-15.10: Route 13 (approx . 2700 km) .As route 4 .

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Day 6: In the morning you can visit Skógafoss waterfalls, and the lovely Folk Museum of Skógar, before driving to the bird cliff of Dyrhólaey (open after 25 June), where puffins can be seen until mid-August, and the small village of Vik . Then you drive over the Mýrdalssandur outwash plains to Kirkjubæjark-laustur and from there you continue further east . On the way you can make a stop at Dverghamrar with its basalt columns . . Then you arrive to the Skaftafell national park, where we sug-gest you spend some time . A walk to Svartifoss waterfall (1½ hours in total) is highly recommended . The last highlight of the day is at Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon . In this large lagoon immense icebergs float around, and you can even make a short boat trip among them, giving you really the opportunity to see them from close by . After this stop, you continue to your ac-commodation in the Höfn area .

Day 7: In the morning, a skidoo trip on Vatnajökull glacier would be possible . Today is a restful day, driving along the eastern fjords with their lovely landscape . A tip: visit the Stone Museum of Petra, in the tiny village of Stöðvarfjörður . There you can see a garden and most of the house full of the most colourful and sparkling Icelandic semi-gemstones . After circling around the fjords you drive over Fagridalur pass to Egilsstaðir, the most important village of the east (wonderful swimming pool)! Overnight in or near Egilsstaðir .



€ 1,430SUMMER: € 1.860

24

DISCOVER NATURAL PHENOMENA

UNIQUE COMBINATION OF INCREDIBLE LANDSCAPES BY DAY AND ACCOMMODATION SELECTED FOR THAT EXTRA TOUCH BY NIGHT

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Day 1: After disembarking from Norröna, you drive from Seyðis-fjörður to Egilsstaðir, making short stops at the waterfalls along the way . After a look around in Egilsstaðir, you drive through Skriðdalur valley and over Breiðdalsheidi mountain pass, to Breiddalur valley . Alternatively, you can drive along the east fjords, and make a stop on the way at the famous Petra Stone Museum . Then you drive further over winding roads, enjoying lovely views . You pass the tiny village of Djúpivogur and from there you continue to Höfn, a larger community and an important fisheries harbour . You stay overnight in this area .

Day 2: First you drive to Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon, where large icebergs float around . It's possible to make an optional boat trip on the lagoon . Then, take some time to visit Skaftafell national park and walk to Svartifoss waterfall, (1½ hours walk in total) before continuing along the south coast . You cross Skeiðarársandur, an outwash plain of black sand, at the foot of the glacier . Then you have the opportunity to stop at the interesting basalt columns of Dverghamrar . Next you pass Kirkjubæjarklaustur village and then you cross Mýrdalssandur outwash plains until you come to the village of Vík . Close by it's possible (after 25 June) to drive up to Dyrhólaey cliff to see the puffins . Visit Skógar folk museum and Skógafoss waterfall before checking into your hotel for the night .

Day 3: Today, you can opt to visit the Westman Islands, where a volcanic eruption destroyed part of the village on Heimaey island in 1973 . This was a flourishing village, depending eco-nomically mostly on fisheries . The lava, however, threatened to close off the harbour, which would have been a disaster . But instead of giving up, people decided to pump millions of tons of cold water onto the lava stream, to make it coagulate faster, and they were rewarded with success . Today it is again a prosper-ing fishing village, and by now some of the houses that were destroyed are being excavated, which is very interesting . To go there, you drive to the harbour of Landeyjahöfn, from where you take the ferry to Heimaey . On the island it is possible to

take a 2 hours excursion, and you can also make a boat trip and visit the lovely Natural History museum . Afterwards, you con-tinue along the south shore to your hotel in the Selfoss/Flúðir area .

Day 4: Today you can explore the lovely valley of Þjórsardalur . This valley was once a lovely farming area, but in 1104 it was destroyed by an eruption of Mt . Hekla . If the weather is favour-able you might get some good views of this notorious volcano . You can visit the reconstruction of the farm Stöng, which was destroyed by the 1104 eruption (entrance fee!) . There are the waterfalls Hjálp (twin falls) and Iceland’s 3rd highest: Háifoss and you mustn’t miss the charming little valley Gjáin . You can drive past Búrfell Power plant before returning to the south coast, where you will drive back to your hotel .

Day 5: Today you visit Iceland's highlights . First, you drive to Gullfoss waterfall, which many people think is Iceland’s most beautiful . It falls into a deep canyon in two parts, the first one 20 m high, the second one 11 m . From there you drive to the Geysir hot spring area, where many hot springs are bubbling and boiling . The most famous is the spouting spring Strokkur, which ejects a high column of boiling water every 5 minutes or so . After this you continue to Laugarvatn village and over a mountain road to Þingvellir national park . This is where the ancient parliament was founded in the year 930 . Also, this area is of great geological interest, since it’s situated directly on the mid-Atlantic ridge, which divided Europe and America . Therefore, there are many large fissures in this area, which can easily be seen . After a walk in this beautiful area, you drive to Reykjavík for the next overnight .

Day 6: This is a whole day to explore Iceland's capital . There are lots of things you can do, including shopping in the main shopping street or either of the two big shopping malls, visiting some of the many museums and galleries, going for a walk in a lovely nature area at the edge of the city or »

ROUTE 12:

ICELAND BOUTIQUEA leisurely two weeks trip, where you stay in the nicest hotels available in each area, all with a special character and a personal approach. The route is a complete circle and includes the Westfjords. If you want, you can also visit the famous Westman Islands where a volcanic eruption destroyed part of the village in 1973.


2-WEEK ROUNDTRIP – ROUTE 12

SPRING, SUMMER & AUTUMN 02.04-08.10:Route 12 (approx . 3700 km) .

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strolling through the centre with its many cafeterias and coffee houses . You can also decide to make a daytrip to Kulusuk in Greenland (must be booked well in advance), go on a whale watching safari, go bowling, go horseback riding, visit the botanic garden or go for a swim in the lovely geothermic pools (see www .visitreykjavik .is) .

Day 7: Today, we recommend a visit to Reykjanes peninsula . One of the highlights on this tour is Krísuvík, an area with some solfataras and hot springs, mostly boiling mud . From there, you can continue along the south side of the peninsula, driving through a very picturesque lava field . Your next stop would be in Grindavík, a small fishing village, and from there you drive to the famous Blue Lagoon . This is a lake, filled with geothermal hot water which is very rich in minerals, resulting in a real blue colour . A visit to this modern spa and a bath in the lagoon is a very refreshing experience . From there you can drive on to the edge of the peninsula, visiting the so-called 'toe', with a superb view of the ocean . Then you return to Rey-kjavík, and from there you continue your trip to Hvalfjörður, a picturesque fjord, where you stay overnight .

Day 8: Today you explore the lovely county of Borgarfjörður, You start with a visit to Iceland’s largest hot spring, Deildartungu-hver, which provide people with hot water for house heating as far as 60 km away from the spring . Then you drive to Reykholt village, where the 13th century historian Snorri Sturluson lived . It’s still possible to see his miniature private swimming pool in this small village and if you’re interested in history a visit to the Snorri Museum is indicated . Your next goal is Hraunfossar wa-terfalls, a series of small waterfalls that tumble straight out of the lava, a strange and magnificent sight . Close by is the sum-mer resort of Húsafell, where you can visit a lovely swimming pool, and if you fancy there is a farm in this area which offers riding tours . From there you drive to Borgarnes village, and along the south side of Snæfellsnes peninsula to the next hotel .

Day 9: An interesting drive awaits you today, all around Snæfellsnes peninsula . Your first stop will be at Arnarstapi birdcliffs . A walk here is recommended strongly, because there are many lovely basalt formations, as well as lots of nesting birds, such as kittiwakes and arctic terns . At the tip of the peninsula there are many lovely places to stop such as Þúfub-jarg bird cliff (this involves a short walk away from the main road) and Djúpalónssandur beach – where a rocky path brings you down to an impressive black beach . Also, you might get good views of Snæfellsjokull glacier, which is also an old vol-cano – as can be seen from the many lavafields that surround the mountain . Then you drive along the north side of the pen-insula, through various fishing villages, such as Ólafsvík and Grundarfjörður, and possibly Stykkishólmur (10 km detour) . Finally, drive along Skógaströnd, enjoying some nice views over Breiðafjörður fjord, to Búðardalur village and from there to your hotel .

Day 10: A long day, driving along the southern coast of the West Fjord area . It’s a remote area, but there are lovely views of Breiðafjörður bay and the impressive mountains at the other side . Sometimes, you can see seals along the coast . It’s nice to make a stop in Vatnsfjörður, close by Flókalundur, and take a short walk into this nature reserve . Just past Flókalundur you continue along the Barðastrand area to the small museum at Hnjótur, which is well worth a stop . From there the route brings you to Látrabjarg, the westernmost tip of Iceland, where impres-sive bird cliffs rise out of the ocean . Overnight is in the area .

Day 11: Today you turn north and drive over high mountain passes north, to arrive at the highlight of today: the waterfall Dynjandi . This is actually a collection of 5 waterfalls, so you

should take some time to explore! It’s possible to climb all the way up, along a small track, to get close to all 5 falls . Finally you drive via Þingeyri village to Ísafjörður, and you will have come time to explore this charming fishing town . There are some lovely old houses and interesting museums . We also rec-ommend a drive to the nearby village of Bólungarvík, where an old fishermen’s hut was turned into a small museum, which is quite an experience . It might also be possible to make a boat-trip on Ísafjarðardjúp fjord . Overnight in Ísafjörður .

Day 12: Today you drive along Ísafjarðardjúp, one of the least inhabited areas of Iceland apart from the highlands . The land-scape is impressive, with its winding roads along the various fjords . In earlier times, there were quite some farms in this area, but the distances in this area are rather large and there is not much flat land, which makes farming rather difficult . So nowadays there are no farms anymore in this area, it is mostly uninhabited . After driving around quite a few of these fjords, you drive over Steingrimsfjarðarheiði high plateau, to Hólmavík village . This is a small and friendly fishing village, where you can also shop and tank! After this you drive south along the Strandir coast, an area with some agriculture . This area is also famous for the quantities of driftwood that are found along the coast . Finally, you drive into the Hrútafjörður area and you stay overnight here, or close by Blönduós .

Day 13: First you continue to Skagafjörður County, famous for horse breeding . It’s possible to visit the Glaumbær Turf Farm Museum . This house was lived in until 1939, and it gives you a very good idea about how people lived in Iceland from late 19th century until the beginning of the 20th century . Then you drive over Öxnadalsheiði to Eyjafjörður fjord . Then you drive to Akureyri, the most important town of the north, where you can enjoy some shopping and sightseeing . There’s a very lovely bo-tanic garden in the town and we recommend a visit . Overnight is in Akureyri .

Day 14: In the morning, you drive via Goðafoss waterfall, one of Iceland’s most charming falls, to Lake Mývatn, your next base (330-350 km) . The rest of the day you will spend sightseeing at lake Mývatn . We recommend visits to the pseudo-craters of Skútustaðir, Dimmuborgir lava labyrinth (where the strange lave formations provide shelter for quite a lot of vegetation), the tephra volcano Hverfjall (which you can climb if you fancy), the impressive solfataras at Námaskarð and Leirhnjúkur (where boiling mud pools and colourful sulphur precipitations provide a very picturesque view), and caves filled with natural hot wa-ter . Overnight again in the Mývatn area .

Day 15: Today you drive north along Tjörnes peninsula . First you make a stop at Húsavík fishing village where it’s possible to make a whale watching boat tour and where you can visit the charming church . Then you continue north along the peninsula and drive to Ásbyrgi, a horse-shoe shaped gorge, where a small forest shelters along the 100 m high rock walls . A short walk is indicated . Another highlight of this day is Dettifoss waterfall, which is Europe’s mightiest – no other waterfall has such a lot of water! It’s 44 m high . You can walk down along a rocky path until you get very close by the waterfall, so you can thoroughly enjoy it . Then you drive east, past Grímsstadir and over Möðru-dalsheiði highland plateau east . On the way, you might enjoy a lovely view of Mt . Herðubreið (in good weather!) . After that you continue through Jökuldalur valley to Egilsstaðir village, the most important town of the east . Overnight stay in Egilsstaðir or Seyðisfjörður .


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€ 2,100SUMMER: € 2.835

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Day 1: After disembarking from Norröna, you drive from Seyðis-fjörður to Egilsstaðir, making short stops at the waterfalls along the way . After a look around in Egilsstaðir, you drive through Skriðdalur valley and to Breiðdalsheidi mountain pass, where you have a choice: you can drive through Breiðdalur val-ley, or you can opt for a more adventurous track that brings you straight to Berufjörður fjord . Then you drive along the eastern fjords over winding roads, enjoying lovely views . You pass the tiny village of Djúpivogur and from there the road continues to Höfn, a larger community and an important fisheries harbour . You stay overnight either in Djúpivogur or in Höfn .

Day 2: First you drive to Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon, where large icebergs float around . It's possible to make an optional boat-trip on the lagoon . Then, take some time to visit Skaftafell national park and walk to Svartifoss waterfall, (1½ hours walk in total) before continuing along the south coast . You cross Skeiðarársandur, an outwash plain of black sand, at the foot of the glacier . Then you have the opportunity to stop at the interesting basalt columns of Dverghamrar . Next, you drive to Kirkjubæjarklaustur village where you stay overnight .

Day 3: Today the highland adventure begins, leaving civilisa-tion for a while to visit Eldgjá gorge, where you can hike to the charming waterfall Ófærufoss . From there you continue over a rough track to Landmannalaugar, with its many hot springs and a nice warm river where you can bathe, all surrounded by very colourful mountains . You can go on a very nice hike in this area . Continue through Landsveit to the main road and from there to Reykjavík for overnight stay .

Day 4: Today you can spend a bit of time in the capital, and after that you visit Iceland's highlights, starting with a drive to Þingvellir national park, where the ancient outdoor parliament was founded in 930 . This area is also very interesting from a geological point of view, since it’s situated on top of the mid-At-lantic ridge, where two earth crust plates slowly drift apart .

Therefore, there are many fissures in the soil at Þingvellir . Next you visit the Geysir hot spring area with the famous spouting spring Strokkur as well as a great number of bub-bling, steaming and boiling springs . From there you continue to Gullfoss waterfall, which some people consider to be Iceland’s most beautiful . Overnight in the area .

Day 5: Today you head north through the highlands, starting with some stops in Þjórsárdalur valley, to see the lovely twin waterfalls of Hjálp, and possibly the waterfall Háifoss, Iceland’s second highest . Then your trip continues with a drive over Sprengisandur track, passing the power plants in the south, and driving between the glaciers Hofsjökull and Vatnajökull . You will have to cross two rather deep rivers, so it will be quite adventurous . Late in the afternoon you arrive in the Mývatn area, where you stay overnight .

Day 6: Today you can make your choice from the marvels of lake Mývatn and Jökulsá Canyon: at Mývatn there are the Námaskarð solfataras, Dimmuborgir lava labyrinth, and Skútu-staðir pseudo-craters, and in the national park Jökulsá Canyon, you can visit Ásbyrgi gorge and Europe’s most powerful water-fall Dettifoss .

Day 7: A long, but very rewarding day . You head east and after a while south, straight into the wilds, passing the table moun-tain Mt Herðubreid (1 .682 m) on your way to Askja . A hike will bring you to Víti crater, where it is possible to descend on foot and bathe in the lukewarm water . From there you continue east to Egilsstaðir, where you arrive in the early evening . Overnight in Egilsstaðir .


NOTE: DRIVING OUTSIDE OFFICIAL TRACKS IS PROHIBITED BY LAW IN ICELAND BECAUSE OF DAMAGE TO THE ENVIRONMENT . DRIVING THROUGH RIVERS IS NOT COVERED BY INSURANCES .

ROUTE 3:

HIGHLAND ADVENTURESA short but very comprehensive tour, which involves quite a bit of driving. The route goes to the most exciting spots in the highland and also includes the 'musts' of Iceland. It is necessary to drive this program in a 4x4 drive car, and not the smallest types! This trip can only be made during the summer season.



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PRICE PER PERSON, FROM

€ 1,615

GULLFOSS IS CONSIDERED BY SOME PEOPLE TO BE ICELAND'S MOST BEAUTIFULL WATERFALL

VÍTI GEOTHERMAL LAKE AT ASKJA

31

EXPLORE THE MARVELS OF NÁMASKARÐ SOLFATARAS

HIKE IN THE MARVELLOUS AREA OFJÖKULSÁ CANYON

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Day 1: After disembarking from Norröna, you drive from Seyðis-fjörður to Egilsstaðir, making short stops at the waterfalls along the way . After a look around in Egilsstaðir, you continue south over Breiðdalsheiði pass to the East Fjord area . Then you drive over a very steep, winding and primitive road to the long fjord of Berufjörður (where you’ll find a lovely waterfall) and on to Djupiv-ogur village for overnight .

Day 2: Continue to Höfn and from there to the famous glacier lagoon Jökulsárlón, where you can make a short boat trip among the icebergs, which are floating around in the lake . Then you continue to Skaftafell national park, where we recommend a hike to Svartifoss, a lovely waterfall surrounded by basalt columns . Via Skeiðarársandur outwash plains you finally arrive to the Kirk-jubæjarklaustur area where you stay the next 2 nights .

Day 3: Today you make an excursion along a rough mountain track to Laki, a series of craters, which produced an enormous lava flow in 1783, which stopped just outside Kirkjubæjarklaustur village .

Day 4: Another adventurous day, leaving civilisation again for a while to visit Eldgjá gorge, where you can hike to the charming waterfall Ófærufoss . From there you continue over a rough track to Landmannalaugar, with its many hot springs surrounded by very colourful mountains . Continue through Landsveit to Hvolsvöllur village for overnight .

Day 5: Today you can drive to Þórsmörk nature reserve, where you can go on some very interesting hikes, exploring a gorge where you’ll find a hidden waterfall, climbing a small mountain, or walking through a green valley . Late afternoon you drive to Rey-kjavík, where you stay overnight .

Day 6: Today you can explore the charming city of Reykjavík on your own . We also recommend a visit to the famous Blue Lagoon, not far from Reykjavík . Overnight in Reykjavík .

Day 7: Today you can drive via Þingvellir, a national park, where the ancient parliament was founded in 930, over Kaldidalur highland pass to Borgarfjörður province . Visit Hraunfossar wa-terfalls, Reykholt village and Deildartunguhver, Iceland’s largest hot spring, before returning to Reykjavík along the charming fjord Hvalfjörður .

Day 8: Drive out of the city towards Þingvellir, After exploring this magnificent spot, you drive over Lyngdalsheiði for another taste of unpaved roads, and visit the highlights Geysir and Gullfoss, before checking in your hotel for the night .

Day 9: Today there is another highland adventure: you drive over Sprengisandur to the north of Iceland . On the way, you will see the large lakes that provide Iceland’s largest hydropower stations with water, and if the weather is favourable you will get magnifi-cent sights on Hofsjökull and Vatnajökull glaciers . In the middle of the highlands you have to cross two large rivers, so some adventure is guaranteed . You will visit the beautiful waterfall Aldeyjarfoss before returning to civilisation . Late in the afternoon you check into a hotel in the Mývatn area for 3 nights .

Day 10: A whole day to explore the marvels of lake Mývatn: the Leirhnjúkur and Námaskarð solfataras, Dimmuborgir lava lab-yrinth, Hverfjall crater, Skútustaðir pseudo-craters and other spectacular sights . Lots of time for walking and little driving: a wonderfully relaxing day . Today, it is also possible to go on an optional whale watching tour from Húsavík village . »

ROUTE 7:

HIGHLAND ADVENTURESThe highlands of Iceland are uninhabited and uninhabitable, since the winters are very harsh in this area. It is almost impossible to drive there in the winter, and even in the summer, it can only be done with good 4x4 cars. There are quite a few glacier rivers tumbling down from the mountains, and there are not always bridges … so then you just have to drive through the fords. We will provide instructions on how to do this, and of course you need to be careful and use some common sense, but the experience is very remarkable indeed. The wildness and variation of the highlands is almost unlimited, and if you were wondering if there is still some unspoilt nature left in the world, you will find the answer here! This trip can only be made during the summer season.



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Day 11: Today you drive to the national park Jökulsá Canyon, where you can go on some marvellous hikes, visiting the Echo Rocks Hljóðaklettar and Europe’s most powerful waterfall Detti-foss .

Day 12: A long, but very rewarding day . You head east and after a while south, straight into the wilds, passing the table mountain Mt Herðubreið (1 .682 m) on your way to Askja . A hike will bring you to Víti crater, where it is possible to descend on foot and bathe in the lukewarm water . From there you continue east to Egilsstaðir, where you arrive in the early evening . Overnight in the Egilsstaðir for 3 nights .

Day 13: After yesterday’s long drive, this is a rather relaxing day, visiting Borgarfjörður Eystri, a lovely small village along the north-eastern coast, famous for colourful rhyolite mountains, semi-precious stones which are used to make very beautiful sou-venirs and the charming puffins (until mid-August) .

Day 14: Today you make an excursion into the eastern highlands, driving along lake Lögurinn to the highlands, where you drive past Kárahnúkar, where a new power plant is built . From there you continue to Mt Snæfell (1 .833 m) at the north-east corner of Vatnajökull glacier . Return to Egilsstaðir in the late afternoon .



€ 2,355

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GJÓGV MEANSGORGE INFAROESE

UNIQUE HOLIDAY

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We have made an example of how your journey might look Saturday: Departure Hirtshals Sunday evening: Arrival Tórshavn, the Faroe Islands Sunday - Wednesday: Stop-over in the Faroe Islands Wednesday: Departure Tórshavn Thursday: Arrival Seyðisfjørður, Iceland Thursday - Thursday: Roundtrip in Iceland Thursday: Departure Seyðisfjørður Saturday: Arrival Hirtshals

Including the price is: • Denmark - the Faroe Islands - Iceland - Denmark • 2-berth cabin without window • 1 car (max 5 m long and 1,9 m high)• Double room with ensuite facilities in hotels, farms or guesthouses in Iceland, Route 1• Double room at 4-star Hotel Føroyar in the Faroe Islands• Breakfast throughout the journey

WHAT TO DO WHILE THE FAROE ISLANDS It is very easy to get around in the Faroe Islands. Here are some examples of what to see while you are there:

Day 1: Tour the main islands Streymoy and Eysturoy to enjoy histori-cal sites and the beguiling Faroese landscape . On the biggest island in the archipelago, Streymoy, we recommend a visit to the ancient heart of Faroese culture Kirkjubøur . It is home to the remains of the Magnus Cathedral and the oldest church still in use in the Faroes St . Olav's Church . Also, make time for a stroll in old Tórshavn where you will find the oldest parliament in the world . For more informa-tion on how to spend your time in the capital go to: visittorshavn .fo On your drive to Eysturoy, the second largest island in the Faroes, you will cross the bridge connecting Streymoy and Eysturoy .

Then continue North to the imposing summits of Slættaratindur (882 meters) and Gráfelli (857 meters), the tallest mountains in the archipelago, located between the villages of Eiði Gjógv nestles on Eysturoy’s northeastern tip and is best known for its picturesque scenery dotted with multi-colored old house built around its vital natural harbor, which lies protected in the gorge that has given the village its name – gjógv means gorge in Faroese . It is a fitting name; the harbor carved by the sea was the village’s lifeline before the arrival of modern roads . For more information on the sights in Eysturoy go to: www.visiteysturoy.fo/UK/ and Gjógv .

Day 2: Take a 15-minut drive from the capital Tórshavn to the Gam-larætt harbor where you can catch the ferry to Sandoy island (the crossing takes about 30 minutes) . Sandoy is known for its fertile agricultural land, this is why the fields are always bustling with activity in summer when hay is made and stored in silos, and the potato fields are lush and green . Around 1,500 people live on Sandoy in seven villages; most of the inhabitants earn their living from the fishing industry . Many of the villages are said to have been inhabited since Viking times . Archeo-logical excavations in the village of Sandur have demonstrated that it is indeed one of the oldest in the Faroe Islands . For inspiration for your Sandoy trip go to: www.visitsandoy.fo/UK/

Day 2: We recommend a visit to the North . The ‘Northern Isles’ is a term used to describe the six islands of Fugloy, Svínoy, Viðoy, Borðoy, Kunoy and Kalsoy, which make up the northeastern corner of the Faroe Islands . These six islands are very different, each has its own distinctive character . Together they make up a unit around the second largest town in the Faroes, Klaksvík . Here you will find dramatic landscapes, idyllic villages and people who live in close connection with the beautiful, but treacherous ocean . For all you need to plan your trip up North go to: www.visitnordoy.fo/UK/

THE FAROE ISLANDS

ICELAND AND THE FAROE ISLANDS IN ONEDuring summer, 11.06-13.08, it is possible to add the Faroe Islands to your Iceland journey. You can choose to make a stop-over in the Faroe Islands on your way to Iceland or on the return from Iceland, giving you the opportunity to explore two destinations in one your-ney. In the Faroe Islands you can choose beween different accommodation options and in Iceland you can choose between our different self-drive programmes.

See also our Inspiration catalogue online:

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Smyril Line · Yviri við Strond 1 · FO-110 Tórshavn · Tel. +298 345900 · [email protected]

Read more on smyrilline.com or follow us on facebook.com/smyrilline.int

INSPIRATION TO YOUR STAY ON THE FAROE ISLANDS


€ 1,885

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Day 1: After disembarking from Norröna, you drive from Seyðis-fjörður to Egilsstaðir, making short stops at the waterfalls along the way . After a look around in Egilsstaðir, you can drive through Skriðdalur valley and over Breiðdalsheidi mountain pass, or you can drive along the east fjords, and make a stop on the way at the famous Petra Stone Museum . Then you drive further over winding roads, enjoying lovely views . You pass the tiny fishing village of Djúpivogur, from where the road contin-ues to Höfn, a larger community and an important fisheries harbour . You stay overnight either in Djúpivogur or in the Höfn area .

Day 2: First you drive to Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon, where large icebergs float around . It's possible to make an optional boat-trip on the lagoon . Then, take some time to visit Skaftafell national park and walk to Svartifoss waterfall, (1½ hours walk in total) before continuing along the south coast . You cross Skeiðarársandur, an outwash plain of black sand, at the foot of the glacier . Then you have the opportunity to stop at the interesting basalt columns of Dverghamrar . Next you pass Kirkjubæjarklaustur village and then you cross Mýrdalssandur outwash plains until you come to the village of Vík . Close by it's possible (after 25 June and until mid-August) to drive up to Dyrhólaey cliff to see the puffins . Overnight is in this area .

Day 3: Visit Skógar folk museum and Skógafoss waterfall before continuing your tour along the south coast and make a visit to Seljalandsfoss, a lovely waterfall which is very special: you can walk behind it – if you don’t mind getting wet . But today you also visit Iceland's highlights: Gullfoss waterfall, which some people consider to be Iceland’s most beautiful, and the Gey-sir hot spring area with the famous spouting spring Strokkur as well as a great number of bubbling, steaming and boiling springs . Then you drive to Þingvellir national park, where the ancient outdoor parliament was founded in 930 . This area is also very interesting from a geological point of view, since it’s situated on top of the mid-Atlantic ridge, where two earth crust plates slowly drift apart . Therefore, there are many fissures in the soil at Þingvellir . Overnight in the Selfoss area .

Day 4: In the morning, you drive to Reykjavík, where you can explore the city . If you fancy, it is possible to drive in the af-

ternoon to the Blue Lagoon for a swim in the mineral-rich hot water . By the end of the afternoon, you drive into Borgarfjörður for overnight .

Day 5: Today, it's possible to visit Hraunfossar waterfalls, Reykholt village and Deildartunguhver hot spring . Then you continue to the north, past Grábrók crater (which you can climb to obtain a lovely view over the area) and over Holtavörðuheiði pass, which brings you to Húnavatnssýsla County . This area has quite a bit of agriculture and Skagafjörður County is fa-mous for horse breeding . It’s possible to visit the Glaumbær Turf Farm Museum . Continue over the impressive pass Öx-nadalsheiði (550 m) to Akureyri, the most important town of the north . Overnight in or close by Akureyri .

Day 6: Drive via Goðafoss waterfall to Lake Mývatn, where you spend the rest of the day . At Skútustaðir, there are pseu-do-craters . Dimmuborgir is a beautiful lava labyrinth with very strange lava formations, which provide shelter for the abundant vegetation . A walk is definitely indicated . Another visit is made to the Námaskarð solfataras, with their grey mud pools which are really cooking, the yellowish sulphur precipitations and the unforgettable smell . Also you can climb Mount Hverfjall or visit Grjótagjá – a small gorge which is filled with hot water, or Stóragjá, a similar phenomenon . Overnight in the Mývatn area .

Day 7: Drive north along Tjörnes peninsula and make your first stop at Húsavík fishing village for a look at the picturesque har-bour or, if you like, an optional whale watching trip . Then you continue to the horse-shoe-shaped gorge Ásbyrgi where you can take a short walk through a small but lovely forest . Next, you drive through Jökulsárgljúfur gorge, which is a national park . You can visit Hafragilsfoss waterfall and you shouldn’t miss Dettifoss, Iceland’s most powerful waterfall . After de-scending on foot along a rocky path to see the waterfall, you continue over Möðrudalsheiði highland plateau to the east . Finally you drive through Jökuldalur valley to Egilsstaðir, the most important town of east Iceland, for overnight .



ROUTE 1:

ICELANDA short but very comprehensive tour. The route goes all around Iceland, mainly following the circle route, thus visiting many of the most spectacular sites of Iceland: the most of Iceland in the shortest possible time!

ICELAND– ROUTE 1Route 1 (approx . 2200 km) .

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DISCOVER NATURAL PHENOMENA

MANY OF ICELANDS SPECTACULAR SITES

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ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME EXPERIENCE

THE FAROE ISLANDS, ICELAND AND GREENLAND IN ONE

David Trood

Thomas Nørby Mogensen

André Schoenherr

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MORE INFORMATION AT SMYRILLINE .COM

THURSDAY: SEYÐISFJÖRÐUR - DETTIFOSS - HÚSAVÍK 280 - 330 KMAfter disembarking from Norröna, you could have a good look around Seyðisfjörður village, which has a little technical museum . Then, drive to Egilsstaðir making short stops at the waterfalls along the way . After a look around in Egilsstaðir, head through the long and fertile valley of Jökuldalur, from where the road leads you up to Möðrudalsheiði, a desert-like plateau . Then, you drive north over Hólssandur until you reach Dettifoss, Iceland’s mightiest waterfall . Next, you visit Ásbyrgi, a horseshoe shaped canyon, before driving to Húsavík . You can have a look around in the picturesque harbour or visit the interesting local museum and/or the Whale Museum, before heading to your hotel .

EXCURSION: Depending on where you spend the night, you could go on a whale-watching trip out of Húsavík either this afternoon or the following morning (about 3 hours) .

FRIDAY: MÝVATN-AKUREYRI 180 - 220 KMToday you spend most of the day exploring Lake Mývatn and its sur-roundings . At Skútustaðir there are pseudo-craters . Dimmuborgir is a beautiful lava labyrinth with otherworldly lava formations that provide shelter for lush vegetation, a walk here is definitely recommended. Make sure you also visit the Námaskarð solfataras with their bubbling grey mudpots, yellowish sulphur precipitations and unforgettable smell . In addition, you could hike up Mount Hverfjall or visit Grjótagjá – a small gorge filled with hot water, or Stóragjá, a similar gorge. It is also possible to visit the Nature Baths, filled with naturally hot water. In the afternoon you drive via Goðafoss waterfall to Akureyri . You stay overnight in Akureyri, Dalvík or possibly in Varmahlíð

SATURDAY: AKUREYRI - LAUGARBAKKI - STYKKISHÓLMUR ABOUT 440 KMYou could spend a little more time in Akureyri if you would like . When you are ready to leave, drive to the county of Skagafjörður famous for its horse breeding . There it is possible to visit the old Glaumbær peat farm, dating from the end of the 19th century .

EXCURSION: In Skagafjörður you can go horseback riding or on a riv-er rafting tour (about 3 hours total) . You continue along the main road to the village of Blönduós, a nice little village . On the way from there to the Laugarbakki area, where you stay overnight, you can take some lovely detours to see a big rock in the sea, a remarkable rock formation and a nice little waterfall . You will drive along the fjord Hrútafjörður and then over Laxárdalsheiði to the northern side of Snæfellsnes peninsula . If you like, you can make a short detour to visit the museum dedicated to Leifur Eiríksson, who travelled widely and even went from Greenland on to America where he landed around the year 1000 . Next, you follow the coastline along Skógarströnd and arrive at the charming fishing village of Stykkishólmur .

EXCURSION: You can take a boat trip out of Stykkishólmur, sailing among the islands of Breiðafjörður Bay . There will be plenty of birds to watch and basalt columns to admire .

SUNDAY: STYKKISHÓLMUR/ÓLAFSVÍK - SNÆFELLSNES - BORGARNES/REYKHOLT 250 - 290 KMFirst, you follow the northern coastline of the peninsula past a few small, but charming fishing villages. Then you get the chance to ex-plore the marvels of the tip of the peninsula, such as the impressive Djúpalónssandur beach »

ROUTE 5 & 14B:

THE FAROE ISLANDS, ICELAND AND GREENLANDThis trip gives you the opportunity to drive the classical circle route around Iceland and take in all the ‘musts’ coupled with a unique crossing to Greenland, a whole different world and a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Due to the fact that the Greenland trip is very popular, and there is limited availability, we have built a lot of flexibility into this tour. It is possible to change the sequence of the daily programmes and make the Greenland trip a day earlier or up to two days later than originally planned, depending on availability. This will give you the opportunity to explore most of Iceland, while also getting acquainted with Greenland. Just bear in mind that the there may be some changes to the sequence of your adventures.

Ilulissat

ReykjavíkTórshavn

Seyðisfjörður

FAROE ISLANDS

ICELAND

DENMARK

THE FAROE ISLANDS

GREENLAND

Hirtshals

2-WEEK ROUNDTRIP – ROUTE 5 & 14B

Valid 14.06-09.08 NEW!

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(from which you can hike to Dritvík, about 3 hrs.), the cliff at Þúfubjarg, and one of the highlights of the area: Arnarstapi . There, kittiwakes nest among basalt columns and you can observe them at very close range . A walk along the coastline here is not something to be missed . Afterwards you drive along the south side of the peninsula, where you can stop at Gerðuberg, Iceland’s longest row of basalt columns . Next, you continue to the village of Borgarnes where you could visit the Settlement Centre . You will spend the night in this area (or possibly in Reykjavík, if the trip to Greenland should start one day earlier . In that case, you will visit Borgarfjörður on the second Thursday) .

MONDAY: BORGARNES/REYKHOLT - BORGARFJÖRÐUR - REYKJAVÍK 190-240 KMToday you have the chance to visit some of the marvels of Borgar-fjörður, a lush farming county. Your first stop is at Deildartunguhver, which is Iceland’s largest hotspring, producing 180 l of near boiling water per minute . Next you visit Reykholt, where you can see the mini pool built by 13th century historian and politician Snorri Sturluson . You will also spot Hraunfossar, a whole row of little waterfalls tumbling out of the lava, into a passing river . A bit further on there is also a waterfall, which is less unusual, but worth seeing . You can also drive to Húsafell, a summer resort in a small birch forest, where another wonderful swim-ming pool is to be found . Then you continue along the Hvalfjörður fjord to Reykjavík, where you will spend a few nights .

TUESDAY: REYKJAVÍK - ILULISSATIn the morning, you take a flight from the domestic airport in Reykjavík to Ilulissat in Greenland . At the airport you will be met by a guide and taken to the hotel for an information meeting . Next, you go on a guided city walk . After that, you have the chance to explore this modern Green-landic town north of the Polar Circle and experience the unique Disko Bay . A welcome dinner is included and you will stay at hotel Arctic .

WEDNESDAY: ILULISSATToday you can go on optional excursions from Ilulissat . Examples:Calving glaciers and gigantic icebergs: Majestic icebergs are situated in the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Ilulissat Ice Fjord, right outside the town, and can be experienced at close range on our Midnight Cruises or during full day excursions where we cruise close to the impressive glacier of Eqip . Isolated Settlements: On other excursions we sail to small remote old world settlements, where Greenlandic hunters still live largely according to ancient traditions . Breakfast and farewell dinner Accommodation: Hotel Arctic

THURSDAY: ILULISSAT - REYKJAVÍKBreakfast at the hotel. Farewell coffee at the hotel with your guide. Transfer to the airport. Afternoon flight with Air Iceland from Ilulissat to Reykjavik Domestic Airport . Overnight in a hotel in Reykjavík .

FRIDAY: REYKJAVÍKToday you can spend the whole day exploring Iceland's capital, Reykjavík . It has a small, but cosy city centre, lots of museums, many wonderful swimming pools to enjoy, bowling alleys, and even offers hiking opportunities just outside the city in a nature reserve . We do recommend a visit to the very interesting National Museum . There are also two shopping malls and a main shopping street in the centre .

EXCURSION: In Reykjavík you can go on a whale-watching boat trip (about 3 hours), or horseback riding in the neighbouring town of Haf-narfjörður . There is also the option of a trip on a quad bike .

SATURDAY: REYKJANES PENINSULA - 140 - 180 KMThis day would be an opportunity for an excursion to Reykjanes pen-insula, with a visit to the Bessastaðir church and the steam vents and boiling mudpots of Krísuvík .

EXCURSION: You might like to drive to the famous Blue Lagoon, filled with naturally hot mineral-rich water . There, you can take a refresh-ing bath in the curious surroundings of lava fields and a geothermal plant . You will have to book this in advance . In Grindavík there is a nice museum on the theme of salted fish, which you might like to visit.

Then you can drive to the tip of the peninsula to take in the magnificent seascapes from the viewing point, there is also an area with hotsprings . At the end of the day you drive back to Reykjavík .

SUNDAY: REYKJAVÍK - ÞINGVELLIR - GEYSIR - GULLFOSS - SELFOSS AREA ABOUT 250 KMIn the morning you drive to Þingvellir National Park, where the ancient parliament was founded . This area also boasts very interesting geolog-ical features and you can take a walk through one of the large fissures. Then you continue over Lyngdalsheiði pass to the village of Laugar-vatn, where there is a nice spa, and from there to the Geysir area, where the famous spring Strokkur sends its water columns high into the air every 5 minutes or so . Next, you visit Gullfoss, one of the most beautiful waterfalls of Iceland .

EXCURSION: Not far from Gullfoss, you can go on two exciting excur-sions: a Riverjet Boat trip (about 1 hour) or a River rafting trip (about 2 hours) . Finally, you drive back to the main road in the south for your next overnight stay .

MONDAY: SELFOSS/HELLA - SOUTH COAST - KIRKJUBÆJARKLAUSTUR/SKAFTAFELL 170 - 300 KMIn the morning you continue towards the east, and you will pass the waterfalls of Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss . Also, you can visit the lovely Folk Museum of Skógar .

EXCURSION: In the Skógar area you can take a snowscooter trip on Mýrdalsjökull glacier (total about 2 hours) .Next, you might visit the bird cliff of Dyrhólaey, where puffins can be seen until mid August, and from there you continue to the small village of Vik . Then, you drive over the Mýrdalssandur outwash plains to Kirkjubæjarklaustur . Your overnight stay can be here, or further east in Skaftafell or Hof .

TUESDAY: KIRKJUBÆJARKLAUSTUR - SKAFTAFELL - GLACIER LAGOON - HÖFN AREA 150 - 220 KMToday you continue further east . On the way you can make a stop at Dverghamrar with its basalt columns, and then you arrive to the Skaftafell National park . You can spend quite a bit of time enjoying the marvels of the Skaftafell National Park . It is possible to drive all the way to the glacier tongue Svínafellsjökull, and there are plenty of opportuni-ties for hiking in the Park . A walk to Svartifoss waterfall (1 1/2 hrs . in total) is a must .

EXCURSION: In Skaftafell you can participate in a glacier hike excur-sion, about 2 hours, on Svínafellsjökull . From Skaftafell you continue to the glacier lagoon Jökulsárlón, where you can marvel at the icebergs floating in the lagoon.

EXCURSION: It is possible to go on an optional boat trip on the lagoon, either in an amphibian boat or in a zodiac . You will most likely continue further east along the coast to the Höfn area for your overnight stay .

EXCURSION: In the Höfn area you can take a snowscooter trip on Vatnajökull glacier .

WEDNESDAY: HÖFN - EGILSSTAÐIR 250 - 280 KMToday you begin by driving along the steep slopes of Hvalnes to the fishing village of Djúpivogur, where you can have a look around. From there, you drive along the Eastern Fjords with their lovely landscape . A tip: visit Petra’s Stone Collection in the tiny village of Stöðvarfjörður . Petra’s garden and most of her house is filled with the most colourful and sparkling semi-precious Icelandic stones . After circling the fjords you drive over Fagridalur pass to Egilsstaðir, the main village in east Iceland (with a wonderful swimming pool) . You spend the night in or near Egilsstaðir .

THURSDAY: EGILSSTAÐIR - SEYÐISFJÖRÐUR 27 KMIn the morning you drive back to Seyðisfjörður to catch the ferry .

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Rino Rasmussen

Julie Skotte

Mads Pihl

MAJESTIC ICEBERGS ARE SITUATED IN THE UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE OF ILLOLISSAT´S ICE FJORD

ICELAND AND GREENLAND

PRICE PER PERSON,FROM €

3,970

THE FAROES, ICELAND AND GREENLAND PRICE PERPERSON, FROM €

4,061

David Trood

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Yviri við Strond 1 · P.O.Box 370 · 110 Tórshavn · Tel. +298 345900 · Fax +298 [email protected] · www.smyrilline.com · facebook.com/smyrilline.com

WE ARE HAPPY TO ADVISE YOU ABOUT YOUR ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME EXPERIENCECall us on +298 345900, send an email to [email protected] or chat with our travel consultants on smyrilline.com

You can also follow us onfacebook.com/smyrilline.com

Drive the circle in your own car.

Quality and safety are keywords for us ensuring you an experience of a lifetime.

We have more than 33 years experience doing these tours, and we are the only company that can provide you with personalised itineraries that really fit in with the hotels that are booked for you.

The self-drive programmes are carefully designed and planned by experts who know Iceland like the back of their hands. This is your guarantee for an unforgettable journey.

You save time on finding hotels yourself, which particu-larly in high season, can be quite a time-consuming job. We only use properties with licences and we visit the hotels every now and then to make sure they are nice enough for our clients.

RANDI V. HANSENTravel Consultant

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self drive programmes 2016

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