Highlights of north Iceland

Day 1: Reykjavík

Accommodation options: Centerhotel Miðgarður, Hotel Borg, Icelandair Hotel Reykjavík Marina & Reykjavík Residence Hotel

On arrival in Keflavík, you’ll transfer by private car to the Icelandic capital, Reykjavík. If you wish, you may like to stop by the Blue Lagoon en route.

Day 2: Lake Mývatn

Accommodation: Icelandair Hotel Mývatn

Take a taxi to Reykjavík’s small domestic airport and fly to Akureyri: the country’s ‘second city’ in the north of Iceland. On arrival, you’ll be met by your guide and transfer by private car to Lake Mývatn. En route, you’ll stop to admire Goðafoss waterfall, before exploring Lake Mývatn’s highlights, including the lake’s curious pseudocraters and the bubbling mudpools at the Hverir Geothermal Area.

Day 3: Lake Mývatn

Accommodation: Icelandair Hotel Mývatn

Join a local geologist for a privately guided hike in the nearby Krafla volcanic area. The Krafla fissures stretch for 90 km (56 miles) across north Iceland, and you’ll learn more about the geological forces that have shaped this rugged region.

Day 4: Akureyri

Accommodation: Hotel Kea Akureyri

Continue your exploration of north Iceland with your private guide. Feel the spray of thundering Dettifoss waterfall – the largest in Europe – and take in sweeping views of Ásbyrgi canyon, whose curious horseshoe shape was said to be created by Sleipnir, Norse god Odin’s eight-legged horse. You’ll also have some time to explore the seaside town of Húsavík, and soak in the geothermal waters of Geosea baths, overlooking Skjálfandi Bay below and the Arctic Circle on the horizon. You’ll then return to Akureyri, where you guide will help you check into your hotel.

Day 5: Siglufjörður

Accommodation: Sigló Hótel

Collect your hire car this morning and drive north from Akureyri along the Troll Peninsula. All insurances have been included for you, and a GPS navigation system can be added locally. Expect scenic fjord views as you drive along the coast. Along the way, stop at the small village of Hauganes and board a traditional Icelandic fishing boat for a trip out onto Eyjafjörður. Search for humpback whales with your local guide and try your hand at angling for cod, which thrive in the fjord’s waters. From here, continue north to Siglufjörður, your base for the next few days.

Day 6: Siglufjörður

Accommodation: Sigló Hótel

Spend a full day at leisure on the Troll Peninsula, taking in its rugged coastal scenery and laid-back pace of life. You might like to visit nearby Hofsós and its Emigration Museum, which chronicles the history of Icelandic migrants to North America, or you might like to take the ferry to Hrísey – one of the largest islands on Eyjafjörður. We can also recommend the Herring Era Museum in Siglufjörður which recreates the town’s gold-rush atmosphere at the turn of the 20th century.

Day 7: Reykjavík

Drive back to Akureyri, returning your rental car at the airport and take a short flight south back to Reykjavík. On arrival, take a taxi to your hotel and spend the rest of your day at leisure exploring the capital’s highlights.

Accommodation options: Centerhotel Miðgarður, Hotel Borg, Icelandair Hotel Reykjavík Marina & Reykjavík Residence Hotel

Day 8: Return home

Your driver will be waiting to meet you at your hotel and transfer you to Keflavík airport in time for your onward flight.