Iceland Active Private Tour: Summer 2024/2025
Local Time
Why You Should Go
Even after our extensive travels, we truly believe Iceland’s natural beauty remains unparalleled! This active, outdoorsy private tour is our tribute to the geological wonders of the Icelandic landscape. Thrills and excitement can be found in traversing this land’s ancient glaciers, massive waterfalls, dormant volcanoes, and more than 45 hot springs. Meanwhile, the luxury accommodations of The Retreat at Blue Lagoon, Highland Base Hotel, and Skálakot Manor Hotel & Horse Farm provide high-touch service and relaxation after a long day of adventuring. This tour is packed full of inspiring natural views of Iceland from the top of a canyon to the bottom of a volcano. Remember to bring your camera!
Based on the limited number of high-quality accommodations and guides, coupled with the extraordinary tourist demand in this tiny country, Iceland private tour costs are among the highest in the world. During the three-month, peak, summer season (June – August) Iceland hosts nearly 700,000 tourists, despite the country’s total population being only 350,000. Over the past several years, Iceland has experienced an incredible, 25% per year tourist growth!
Best Travel Time: Summer
*All of our comprehensive private tour itineraries are inclusive of all luxury accommodations, private guide/driver throughout, daily meals as specified, INTERNAL flights/rail /private transfers as needed, & all taxes/service fees.
Sample Itinerary
9 Days
Each private luxury tour is custom to the wishes of each client. This itinerary is a sample. Partnering with our long-established relationship with United Airlines, our sister company, TRAVNET, may provide competitive Polaris/Business Class international airfare, along with mileage points conversion.
Day 1
Fly to Keflavík
Through our sister company, premium air provider TRAVNET, we may assist with your international airfare, as well as with mileage points conversion.
Day 2
Arrive Keflavík + Private Transfer to Highland Base Hotel
Upon arrival at Keflavík International Airport, you will be privately transferred to Highland Base Hotel. The brand-new property is located in the Icelandic Highlands and connects upscale lodges to geothermal baths through underground passageways – a unique experience!
Meals: —
Accommodations: Highland Base Hotel
Day 3
Snækollur Mountain Summit
We feel this challenging hike is the best way to get panoramic views of the unique (and beautiful!) Kerlingarfjöll landscape. Also known as Snow Top Mountain, Snækollur is the highest peak in the Kerlingarfjöll mountain range.
Following breakfast at Highland Base, you will be accompanied by a private guide to trek the rocky mountain ridge trail to the top of Snækollur. Upon reaching the summit, enjoy views of both the south and north coast of Iceland. Your descent traverses a glaciated snowfield. Depending on weather conditions, this hike can take anywhere from four-to-seven hours round-trip, totaling approximately 5.8 miles.
Meals: Breakfast & Lunch
Accommodations: Highland Base
Day 4
Loðmundur Mountain Summit/Glacier Hike
Following breakfast at Highland Base, you will be met by a private guide for a full-day Loðmundur Mountain summit. With a pointed pyramid-like shape, Loðmundur is the most iconic summit in the north end of Kerlingarfjöll mountain range. To reach the top, traverse a glacier along the high mountain ridges before reaching a short but steep trail to the summit. For this part of the trek, you will be securely strapped in using a rope and anchor.
The 6.2-mile hike duration is approximately nine hours. Hiking gear includes an ice axe, crampons, a helmet, and a harness. We suggest bringing warm clothes and socks, a wind and waterproof jacket, sturdy boots, gloves, a hat, and sunglasses. Please note this physically challenging hike and is not fit for those with a fear of heights.
Meals: Breakfast & Lunch
Accommodations: Highland Base Hotel
Day 5
Private Transfer Kerlingarfjöll/Skálakot + Golden Circle Private Tour
Following breakfast at Highland Base, you will be privately transferred to Skálakot Manor Hotel. En route, enjoy a full-day stopover at the Golden Circle with horseback riding included.
The Golden Circle features three of the country’s most popular locations in Southwest Iceland: Þingvellir National Park, the Geysir Geothermal Area, and Gullfoss Waterfall. Steeped in history and folklore, Þingvellir National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site situated between the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates. Farther down the circle is the Geysir Geothermal Area within the Haukadalur Valley, where vents and chimneys within the ground let out steam, visible from miles away. Gullfoss, which means “golden falls”, powerfully flows over a three-step staircase before plunging down 105 feet in two stages, into a crevice. Visitors are allowed to get as close as they brave in order to feel the power of Gullfoss.
This afternoon includes a 2-hour horseback riding tour. Get to know the purebred Icelandic horses in the lowlands before heading up the Eyjafjöll mountain slopes. Following your tour, you will be transferred back to The Retreat at Blue Lagoon where you will be free to enjoy the retreat’s relaxing amenities for the remainder of your day.
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodations: Skálakot Manor Hotel & Horse Farm
Day 6
South Shore Private Tour + Glacier Walk
Today, experience the stunning views of the Southern Icelandic countryside on the Sólheimajökull Glacier Hike. Join an expert guide on a 3-4 hour hike along the approximately seven-mile-long outlet glacier and traverse across icy water cauldrons, crevasses, ridges, and waterways. A packed lunch, rain gear, mountaineering boots, and technical glacial equipment will be provided.
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodations: Skálakot Manor Hotel & Horse Farm
Day 7
Inside the Volcano Excursion + Private Transfer to The Retreat Hotel
After breakfast at Skálakot, enjoy a journey inside the Thrihnukagigur volcano. With a total depth of 700 feet, this volcano has been dormant for over four thousand years! Enjoy a light lunch of Icelandic meat soup before embarking on a 1.86-mile trek (each way) around this ancient landmark. You will be lowered to the bottom of the crater by crane to explore the inside of the volcano for approximately 45 minutes. Those with a fear of heights: be cautious! Please note a moderate fitness level is required for this excursion.
You will then be privately transferred to the Blue Lagoon Spa. The world-renowned Blue Lagoon is heated by geothermal energy and contains skin nurturing mineral salts and silica.
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodations: The Retreat at Blue Lagoon
Day 8
Free-Day at the Retreat Hotel
Discretionary day enjoying the spa amenities and geothermal pools at Blue Lagoon.
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodations: The Retreat at Blue Lagoon
Day 9
Fly Keflavík/Home
Through our sister company, premium air provider TRAVNET, we may assist with your international airfare, as well as with mileage points conversion.
Hotels
The Blue Lagoon is the only 5-star luxury hotel in Reykjavik and offers a private, otherworldly Iceland experience. Situated on a man-made geothermal hot spring like no other, this property offers the ultimate solution to overcrowded lagoons: completely private access! The silica and chalcedony minerals cause the water to turn a milky, ethereal blue and is one of the most popular attractions in all of Iceland. The Retreat at the Blue Lagoon has taken this ultra-lux hotel to a whole new level of pampering. The 62-suite hotel/spa/resort features terraces overlooking the lagoon (!), floor-to-ceiling windows in every room, and Moss, their signature Michelin-recommended restaurant, onsite.
The Retreat Spa is built into 800-year-old lava flows and features steam rooms and therapeutic “bathing chambers” carved directly into the rock. Our family’s four-hour spa experience here was among our most memorable anywhere! Included is the “Blue Lagoon Ritual” featuring a silica, algae, and mineral body treatment provided in three connecting rooms. Following our ritual and massage, the Retreat’s “Nest” was a fitting space to end with a blissful nap. The Nest provides unique suspended chairs with floor to ceiling windows looking out at the therapeutic water of the Blue Lagoon. Kudos to the Retreat’s mastermind, Grimur Saemundson! This truly is a remarkable place.
The Retreat at Blue Lagoon
The Blue Lagoon is the only 5-star luxury hotel in Reykjavik and offers a private, otherworldly Iceland experience. Situated on a man-made geothermal hot spring like no other, this property offers the ultimate solution to overcrowded lagoons: completely private access! The silica and chalcedony minerals cause the water to turn a milky, ethereal blue and is one of the most popular attractions in all of Iceland. The Retreat at the Blue Lagoon has taken this ultra-lux hotel to a whole new level of pampering. The 62-suite hotel/spa/resort features terraces overlooking the lagoon (!), floor-to-ceiling windows in every room, and Moss, their signature Michelin-recommended restaurant, onsite.
The Retreat Spa is built into 800-year-old lava flows and features steam rooms and therapeutic “bathing chambers” carved directly into the rock. Our family’s four-hour spa experience here was among our most memorable anywhere! Included is the “Blue Lagoon Ritual” featuring a silica, algae, and mineral body treatment provided in three connecting rooms. Following our ritual and massage, the Retreat’s “Nest” was a fitting space to end with a blissful nap. The Nest provides unique suspended chairs with floor to ceiling windows looking out at the therapeutic water of the Blue Lagoon. Kudos to the Retreat’s mastermind, Grimur Saemundson! This truly is a remarkable place.
Opened in 2023, the brand-new Highland Base Hotel is now among our favorite properties in Iceland due to its remote location in the Icelandic Highlands. What makes this place so unique is its 28 upscale rooms and suites which connect to hotel facilities and geothermal baths through underground passageways. While walking through the tunnels is an exciting experience, they also have significant utility, protecting all guests from the harsh outdoor elements. We particularly enjoy the sleek and minimalist aesthetic; though a luxury 5-star accommodation, Highland Base has an understated, simple design meant to emphasize the surrounding Kerlingarfjöll mountain ranges. Expect earth tones and clean wooden floors. Luxury amenities include a trio of steaming pools, a sauna, and a cold plunge pool, a complimentary daily excursion (ranging from hiking adventures to snowmobiling and skiing tours), and the onsite Highland Base Restaurant, offering bistro-style Icelandic comfort food and drinks.
Highland Base Hotel
Opened in 2023, the brand-new Highland Base Hotel is now among our favorite properties in Iceland due to its remote location in the Icelandic Highlands. What makes this place so unique is its 28 upscale rooms and suites which connect to hotel facilities and geothermal baths through underground passageways. While walking through the tunnels is an exciting experience, they also have significant utility, protecting all guests from the harsh outdoor elements. We particularly enjoy the sleek and minimalist aesthetic; though a luxury 5-star accommodation, Highland Base has an understated, simple design meant to emphasize the surrounding Kerlingarfjöll mountain ranges. Expect earth tones and clean wooden floors. Luxury amenities include a trio of steaming pools, a sauna, and a cold plunge pool, a complimentary daily excursion (ranging from hiking adventures to snowmobiling and skiing tours), and the onsite Highland Base Restaurant, offering bistro-style Icelandic comfort food and drinks.
Our favorite boutique property on Iceland’s South Shore, the small, 14-room, Art Deco-inspired Skálakot Manor is surrounded by picturesque scenery and the peacefulness of the countryside, adjacent to the verdant Icelandic highlands. Compared to the other hotel options in the area, please note that though a stay at Skálakot requires more driving time to the various stopovers in the Golden Circle, we feel the quality and beauty of the area are unmatched. Proprietors Mumi and Johanna are part of a family who has spent seven generations taking care of the farm and horse breeding business. With 160 Icelandic horses, there are many to choose from for beautiful horseback rides around the surrounding areas. Though the accommodations here are not as striking and expansive as Deplar Farm in the north, the simple, elegant rooms include modern amenities and provide a unique Icelandic countryside experience. The service here is personal and friendly, and after the first night, you will feel part of Mumi and Johanna’s family. Enjoy the farm’s loveable, horse-herding dogs!
Skálakot Manor Hotel & Horse Farm
Our favorite boutique property on Iceland’s South Shore, the small, 14-room, Art Deco-inspired Skálakot Manor is surrounded by picturesque scenery and the peacefulness of the countryside, adjacent to the verdant Icelandic highlands. Compared to the other hotel options in the area, please note that though a stay at Skálakot requires more driving time to the various stopovers in the Golden Circle, we feel the quality and beauty of the area is unmatched. Proprietors Mumi and Johanna are part of a family who has spent seven generations taking care of the farm and horse breeding business. With 160 Icelandic horses, there are many to choose from for beautiful horseback rides around the surrounding areas. Though the accommodations here are not as striking and expansive as Deplar Farm in the north, the simple, elegant rooms include modern amenities and provide a unique Icelandic countryside experience. The service here is personal, friendly, and after the first night, you will feel part of Mumi and Johanna’s family. Enjoy the farm’s loveable, horse-herding dogs!
Location
Overview
| Temperature |
|---|
| Highs: Mid 50’s |
| Lows: Mid 30’s |
| Area |
|---|
| 103,000 SQ KM |
| 39,769 SQ MILES |
| Capital |
|---|
| Reykjavík |
| Population |
|---|
| 328,000 |
| Language |
|---|
| Icelandic |
| Currency |
|---|
| Icelandic Krona |
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