Journey to Iceland, a nature lover’s paradise, on this 11-day cruise on the small ship Ocean Diamond. Explore the country’s fabled Golden Circle—Thingvellir National Park, Gullfoss Waterfall, and the Geysir Center. Meet the residents of colorful fishing villages and stroll through archaeological sites that recall the heyday of Viking exploration. Photograph Iceland’s stunning landscapes—bubbling hot springs, glittering glaciers, soaring volcanoes, and plunging waterfalls. Cruise by Zodiac to search for whales, seals, breeding seabirds, and other marine mammals that congregate here in the summer months.
Highlights
Explore Iceland’s fabled Golden Circle, including Thingvellir National Park
View vast colonies of breeding seabirds - kittiwakes, murres, and more!
Meet the residents of fishing villages and stroll archaeological sites
Photograph Iceland’s stunning hot springs, glaciers, volcanoes & waterfalls
Cruise by Zodiac to search for whales, seals, and other marine mammals
Involves minimal physical effort and is typically associated with leisurely activities. Activities are low-intensity or last less than a few hours each day.
Arrive in the Icelandic capital this morning and transfer to your hotel. Lunch and the remainder of the day are at leisure to enjoy this fascinating and colorful city. Gather this evening for a welcome reception followed by dinner and overnight at your hotel.
After breakfast, set out to explore Iceland’s classic scenic wonders known as the Golden Circle. Begin with Thingvellir National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site surrounded by mountains and encompassing a vast lava plain of green moss and wildflowers. Continue to Gullfoss Waterfall where the Hvita River drops 96 feet in two voluminous cascades. The Geysir Center is a huge geothermal field of both boiling and tranquil multi-hued hot springs and bubbling mud pools. Then visit a traditional farm where Icelandic horses are raised. After lunch in these picturesque surroundings proceed to the pier, making a photo stop at a scenic viewpoint before boarding the Ocean Diamond.
By Zodiac, trace the coastline of Flatey Island before going ashore for a walking tour of the village. View the uniquely painted island church and the restored houses of islanders who earn a living fishing for cod and lumpfish. This evening sail past Iceland’s westernmost cape, the Látrabjarg cliff, a breeding ground for millions of seabirds.
After breakfast take a walking tour of small, verdant Vigur, the summer home to vast numbers of puffins, black guillemots, arctic terns, and eiders. The tiny community dates back to the late 1800s and boasts Iceland’s only windmill. During lunch on board, cruise northward to Ísafjördur, the trading and cultural center of the West Fjords. A cultural tour reveals the history and daily life of one of Iceland’s oldest fishing settlements and visits the region’s scenic highlights. This afternoon, enjoy free time in town to browse the local shops.
Though Grímsey Island sits astride the Arctic Circle, it enjoys a mild climate and is covered with rich vegetation. Weather permitting, go ashore to visit the Viking hamlet of Sandvik, home to about 100 permanent residents who earn their living from fishing and fish processing. A Zodiac cruise along Grímsey’s basaltic cliffs provides an exhilarating view of the incredible birdlife including kittiwakes, razorbills, fulmars, and puffins. In the afternoon, visit Siglufjördur, once the undisputed herring fishing capital of the Atlantic. The Herring Era Museum vividly depicts this period and a lively song and dance reenactment, accompanied by local delicacies, brings the herring boom era to life.
After an early breakfast, depart on a full-day inland tour of the Mývatn region. Thousands of years ago, volcanic eruptions created this dramatic landscape of labyrinthine lava formations, seething sulfur pits, and boiling mud pools. Oasis-like Lake Mývatn sits on the edge of a vast highland lava desert; one of Europe’s richest waterfowl breeding areas, it supports enormous numbers of breeding ducks and whooper swans. Continue to Húsavík to reboard the Ocean Diamond. Be on deck this evening to watch for humpback, minke, fin, orca, and sei whales, along with dolphins and harbor porpoises.
From stunning Thistilfjord Bay, set out on nature walks and take in the views from the cliff tops. Explore this area by Zodiac, cruising past chiseled headlands and dramatic sea stacks that rise from the bay.
The 11-mile cruise along Seydisfjördur showcases a scenic wonderland of stunning geology, cascading waterfalls, and soaring mountains. At its head, a natural harbor shelters the fishing town of the same name, renowned for its brightly painted 19th-century wooden buildings. Options this morning include Skalanes Nature Reserve to view an important archaeological site and search for 47 species of birds, or a hike to the magnificent Hengifoss Waterfall.
Djúpivogur is the gateway to Vatnajökull National Park, the largest national park in Europe. Choose from several full-day excursions highlighting the area’s natural wonders. Cruise among spectacular icebergs at Jökulsárlón glacial lagoon, take an exhilarating snowmobile ride across the Vatnajökull glacier, or join a guided hike through the supremely scenic Valley of the Waterfalls.
On Heimaey Island, visit the Herjolfsdalur Valley to view ruins of farmhouses dating back to 650 A.D., and from Storhofdi, the views over the island are simply breathtaking. You also pass between two volcanoes, one 5,000 years old, the other born only in 1973, and drive right across the new volcano’s crater and into the town known as the “Pompeii of the North.” Later this afternoon circumnavigate Surtsey Island, a fire-and-brimstone result of a 1963 undersea eruption. Today, approximately 56 species of vascular plants grow on the island and seals haul out to breed on its shores. Nearly 90 species of migrating birds use the island as a rest stop.
Day 11: Reykjavík | Disembark
1 Breakfast
After breakfast, disembark for a fascinating tour of Hellisheiði Geothermal Power Plant—learn about geosciences, geothermal technology, and the environmental history of the area. Continue to the famous Blue Lagoon for lunch before departing for the airport and your independent flight homeward.
Apologies for the inconvenience. Prices for not yet published. Below per person rate based on previous season. Contact us to confirm upcoming season pricing.
Prices for are estimated based on inflation. Contact us to confirm pricing and availability for your desired departure date.
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Triple
Lower Deck, 200 sq feet. Two twin beds and an upper bed, two portholes, and private bath with shower.
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Twin Obstructed View
Captains & Upper Decks, 200 sq feet, one double bed or two twin beds, picture window with a partially obstructed view, and private bathroom with shower.
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Twin Window
Upper, Main & Captain´s Decks, 183-200 sq feet. One double bed or two twin beds, picture window, and private bathroom with shower.
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Single with Porthole
Lower Deck, 200 sq feet, one double bed, two portholes, and private bathroom with shower.
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Single Obstructed View
Captain's Deck, 200 sq feet, one double bed, picture window with obstructed view, and private bathroom with shower.
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Suite
Main Deck, 400 sq feet, one double bed or two twin beds, two picture windows and separate sitting area with sofas, two easy chairs, small table and two private bathrooms with shower.
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Balcony Suite
Observation Deck, 325 sq feet, one double bed or two twin beds, window and sliding glass door, private 96 sq ft deck, and private bathroom with shower.
Notes
- Rates are quoted in U.S. dollars and represent costs per person, double occupancy. Request the Twin Share Program where you are matched with a cabin mate of the same gender. Even if a cabin mate is not found for you, no single supplement will be charged.
- Standard Cabins are available for single occupancy at 1.7 times the double occupancy rate. The supplement for a Premium Cabin is 2 times the shared rate.
Insurance: Emergency medical evacuation coverage for a maximum benefit of US$500,000 per person is included. Travelers should have a minimum US$50,000 (or equivalent) of emergency medical coverage prior to embarkation. It is recommended that you and all members of your party have comprehensive travel insurance covering trip cancellation, trip delay (interruption or after departure coverage), baggage, and repatriation. Contact us for details.
I could not be happier with my Adventure Life experience, from beginning to end. I travel a lot, and I think your company and personnel do an outstanding job. I truly appreciate your professionalism, attentiveness, and flexibility. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend your company and would be happy to serve as a reference.
Constance Block
TrustScore 4.8 | 176 reviews
TrustScore 4.8 of 5
Based on 176 reviews on
1 day ago
Adventure Life is always an excellent choice when planning complicated, extreme, or exotic vacations or expeditions. They provide friendly professional services and advice and are enthusiastic and encouraging in helping us to prepare and thoroughly enjoy our trip. They handle all the details which greatly reduces the stress of planning a difficult trip. I'm very impressed with Adventure Life and definitely recommend them to friends and family.
Scott Trochim
3 days ago
The response from Adventure Life to my first inquiry was prompt and promising. I worked with Jamie Broeckel, Trip Planner, via text, email, and phone calls- always extremely responsive and thorough with information and explaining the process to arrange a private tour for me to Malaysia Borneo. Within about week, the booking was complete and I made decisions because of Jamie's great customer service , friendly manner, and overall competence on behalf of the company's travel expertise. Now I have an itinerary, additional Trip Planner Assistants, several links for vital information for traveling to Maylasia, etc. Still many details for Sept. trip, but now the heavy lifting is done and I can enjoy the rest of the anticipation and research!! Thanks Jamie- you are amazing!!!!
Susan Campo
5 days ago
The trip was not only memorable for the amount of animals we saw but also for the people and accommodations at the two camps where we stayed. Our first guide, BK, was a wealth of information about the animals, landscape and down to the plants and what they were used for. Everyday out was a learning experience with him. All the people at the camps were gracious and the food was excellent.
Our second camp in the Okavanga was just as good as the first as far as the staff, accommodations, food and animals. After our experience at the first camp we amazed that the high quality remained the same. Our guide, G, made sure we were able to enjoy every experience including a rush through the bush to witness a cheetah and an ensuing hunt that he heard over his radio.
In both camps there were enough guides out that if they saw something the other guides were informed which helped in seeing as much as possible. It was also nice that the concessions were large enough that we did not have vehicles following each other throughout the day.
Normally there is always something in a trip of this length that we think could be improved upon but this is the rare case where we cannot think of anything. From the time we left the States to when we returned it was one of the most hassle free vacations we took.
Perhaps emphasizing the use of the laundry facilities at the camps would be useful because of the luggage restrictions would be the only thing I can think of as an improvement to future clients.
Kenneth Dropek
6 days ago
Mary was so pleasant and professional. She made sure all of our questions were answered.