11D9N Iceland Ring Road Explorer Special Dep: Sep 12

OPERATED IN A MINIBUS. SMALL GROUPS & PERSONAL SERVICE.

Some say that Iceland is “heaven on earth” and you would find this to be true if you explored this country in all its untouched

beauty via its famous ring road. This captivating journey of wondrous fjords, magnificent waterfalls, bubbling geothermal pools

and majestic glaciers is guaranteed to take your breath away and leave you speechless. Be sure that your camera has sufficient

memory because only pictures can convey the sheer beauty of this land.

Inclusions

Return Economy Airfare

Return Airport Transfers

9 Nights accommodation

Fully escorted touring as per itinerary

Entry to Saga Museum at Hvolsvollur

Glacier Walk in Skaftafell National Park

Amphibian Boat Tour on Jokulsarlon

Bird & Seal Watching Boat Tour in Djupivogur

Visit to Myvatn Nature Baths with towel

Whale Watching Boat Tour in Husavik

Half-Board Meals (Daily Breakfast & Dinner)

DAY 1 SINGAPORE – REYKJAVIK (Meals On Board/Dinner) Depart Singapore Changi Airport for your flight to Iceland’s capital, Reykjavik. Upon arrival, transfer to your hotel for check-in. Thereafter, spend the rest of the day exploring the cosmopolitan city of Reykjavik at leisure. DAY 2 REYKJAVIK – GOLDEN CIRCLE - HELLA (Breakfast/Dinner) After breakfast, depart Reykjavik and embark on the popular tourist sightseeing route known as the Golden Circle. Starting at UNESCO World Heritage site and Iceland’s first national park, visit Thingvellir National Park and find out its historical and political significance in Icelandic history. Then, marvel at the magnificent two-tiered Gullfoss waterfall followed by the awe-inspiring geysers, The Great Geysir and Strokkur, as well as the highly active surrounding geothermal area. DAY 3 HELLA – SOUTH COAST – KIRKJUBAEJARKLAUSTUR (Breakfast/Dinner) This morning, head to Iceland’s South Coast and travel to the village of Hvolsvollur to visit the Saga Museum for a lesson in Icelandic history. Next stop is the most well-known waterfall in the country – Seljalandsfoss! Behold the mesmerizing beauty of the water as it plummets 65 metres into the plunge pool below and you can also take a short hike to the back of the waterfall for a different (and equally breathtaking) view. Then, visit Eyjafjallajokull Glacier, an impressive ice-capped volcano that gained notoriety for disrupting air traffic across Europe when it erupted in 2010. Head to Skogar next to see the spectacular Skogafoss waterfall, followed by the charming village of Vik, Iceland’s southernmost village with black sand beaches and magnificent natural surroundings. See the dramatic Reynisdrangar, spiky basalt sea stacks jutting out from the ocean under the Reynisfjall mountains, which also serve as the visual trademark of Vik. After that, drive across the vast and picturesque Eldhraun Lava Field, the largest in the world as you head to the village of Kirkjubarjarklaustur. Stop by Kirkjugolf along the way, a columnar basalt that has been eroded and shaped by glaciers and waves. DAY 4 KIRKJUBAEJARKLAUSTUR – SKAFTAFELL – JOKULSARLON (Breakfast/Dinner) Today, embark on a glacial adventure at Skaftafell National Park as your expert glacier guide leads you on a glacier walk at Svinafellsjokull Glacier. Witness the impressive ice formations and crevasses as you take in the majesty of your surroundings, which are in actual fact, part of the Vatnajokull Glacier, the largest glacier in Europe. Continue on to Jokulsarlon, a large glacial lake on the edge of Vatnajokull National Park and go on an Amphibian Boat Tour of the lake. Learn about the geology and surrounding ecosystem as you sail among the massive and magical icebergs and you might be able to spot seals swimming if you’re lucky! Note: Please wear comfortable hiking shoes for the glacier hike.

DAY 5 JOKULSARLON – EAST FJORDS (Breakfast/Dinner) This morning, head to the idyllic East Fjords with its towering mountains, enchanting fjords, beautiful woodlands and charming fishing villages. Stop by the main town of Egilstadir followed by the small harbor village Djupivogur where we will go on a Bird & Seal Watching boat tour. The tour takes you to the island of Papey to see the abundant wildlife including a puffin sanctuary, as well as the tiniest and oldest wooden church in Iceland. Next, travel to Stodvarfjordur to appreciate the world’s largest private collection of rare rocks and minerals, Petra’s stone collection, including rare stone gems from all over Iceland painstakingly collected by local enthusiast and collector Petra Sveinsdottir since 1946. DAY 6 EAST FJORDS – DETTIFOSS – LAKE MYVATN (Breakfast/Dinner) After breakfast, visit Dettifoss waterfall in Vatnajokull National Park, reputed for its sheer size and power. The 500 cubic metres of water per second that plunges over the edge is from the nearby Vatnajokull glacier, and it appears milky white due to the sediment-rich runoff from the glacier. Next, proceed to the Lake Myvatn region to explore Iceland’s weird and wonderful Martian landscapes made up of desolate craters, bubbling mud pools and geothermal caves. See black rivers and bubbling pools of sulphuric mud as they cut through psychedelic minerals in the steaming geothermal wonder of Namaskard and the photogenic plumes from the 2000-metre deep boreholes at the Krafla Geothermal Power Station. DAY 7 LAKE MYVATN – MYVATN NATURE BATHS – HUSAVIK (Breakfast/Dinner) Today, make a stop at the fascinating pseudo-craters of Skutustafir. From there, visit the key highlights in the area – Hverir Mud Pools and Grjotagja, a small lava cave with a thermal spring inside. Next, stop by Hverfjall, a tephra cone or tuff ring volcano with a crater approximately 1km in diameter. Your last stop for the day will be Myvatn Nature Baths, the perfect place to soothe those aching legs and enjoy panoramic views of the striking surroundings. This evening, head to Husavik, also known as the whale-watching capital of Europe. DAY 8 HUSAVIK – AKUREYRI - SKAGARFJORDUR (Breakfast/Dinner) Begin your day with a Whale Watching Tour at Skjalfandi Bay outside Husavik. The most common whale species found here are Humpback Whales, Minke Whales and Blue Whales. If you are lucky, you may be able to catch a glimpse of the largest mammals on earth as they feed, breech, or even engage in spy-hopping. Next, stop by the amazing Godafoss waterfall in Skjalfandafljot River and find out how it got its name “Waterfall of the Gods”. Travel to Akureyri thereafter and spend the rest of the day at leisure. Tonight, head west to the horse-breeding valley of Skagafjordur fjord and spend the night there. DAY 9 SKAGARFJORDUR – WEST ICELAND – REYKJAVIK (Breakfast/Dinner) After breakfast, drive through Borgarfjordur to explore the awe-inspiring natural sights of West Iceland. First, make a stop at Deildartunguhver, the thermal spring with the highest flow rate in Europe of 180 litres per second. Visit Hraunfossar next, an unusual natural spectacle formed by a series of rivulets seeping through the lava and flowing into the Hvita River as tiny waterfalls. See Barnafoss waterfall after that and learn about the legend behind its name “Children’s Waterfall”. Then, en route back to Reykjavik, enjoy the beauty of Hvalfjordur fjord with its tranquil surroundings and whaling history. DAY 10 REYKJAVIK – SINGAPORE If time permits, you can do some last-minute shopping before you transfer to your airport for your flight home.

DAY 11 ARRIVE IN SINGAPORE