Iceland | Dramatic Landscapes and Geological Forces

Meet your private driver-guide at your hotel. Today you'll visit two geothermal sites, take a walk over a bridge connecting the European and American tectonic plates, and explore dramatic coastlines with thundering waves and charming villages. Nearby, the beautiful landscape of Krýsuvík and its colorful steaming slopes is a unique trip into the Earth's ancient past. Continue to Hellisheidi Power plant for the Geothermal Exhibition, experience first-hand how green, sustainable energy is produced at one of the largest single-site geothermal power plant on the planet. After the visit drive to Selfoss for the food and history walk. Afterwards head onwards to Hotel Hvolsvöllur for your overnight stay.

After breakfast, drive along the iconic South Shore, which is one of the main farm regions of the country; Icelandic horses can often be seen in the fields. Depending on the weather, you might catch a glimpse of beautiful Mount Hekla, Iceland's most frequently erupting volcano, and glacier-crowned Eyjafjallajökull, the famous volcano whose 2010 eruption halted air traffic worldwide due to the large amount of ash it produced. Visit LAVA Centre, a high-tech and interactive exhibition that teaches visitors about Iceland's volcanic activity, earthquakes, and other geological forces. From here, continue on to two spectacular waterfalls, Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss. Seljalandsfoss has an impressive, nearly 200-foot drop, and depending on the trail conditions, you can walk behind the cascade. Skógafoss is one of the country's largest waterfalls and is also one of the most photographed due to the single or double rainbow that's often visible. As you drive along the coast, you'll also get a view of Mýrdalsjökull, Iceland's fourth largest glacier. Finally, visit Reynisfjara beach, where you can take a walk on the volcanic black sands and admire the extraordinary rock formations and powerful North Atlantic waves. Drive back to Hotel Hvolsvöllur in the afternoon.

After breakfast at your hotel, spend the day on the famed Golden Circle route, which showcases a trio of celebrated natural attractions. Start with a visit to Þingvellir National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site where Viking settlers in AD 930 established the Alþingi, today the longest-running parliament in the world. Þingvellir is also geologically interesting, as it is another place where the Mid-Atlantic Ridge is viewable. Here, you can walk along a path that takes you through a canyon marking the location of the ridge. Next, head through scenic farmlands to the celebrated Gullfoss. Several walking paths take you to different views of the double-ledged waterfall. Nearby is the Geysir Hot Spring Area, alive with boiling mud pits, steam vents, and exploding geysers. The most well-known of these is Strokkur, a high-spouting geyser that erupts every 10 minutes, but there are many smaller, active geysers bubbling away. For lunch today stop at Friðheimar, an innovative, family-run greenhouse farm and horse ranch. Visit the greenhouse and learn how the family uses pollution-free geothermal energy and bumblebee pollination to grow their excellent organic tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers, which they use to make delicious products. You'll also enjoy a demonstration about the Icelandic horse breed and its unique five gaits, along with a chance to meet some of these friendly animals.

Depart Hvolsvöllur and enter the highland wilderness via the Fjallabaksleið interior track. The surreal beauty of the uninhabited interior reveals deep valleys and sculptured, often mossy, mountains formed by Ice Age volcanic eruptions. The untouched nature areas of Landmannalaugar and Fjallabak Nature Reserves contain geological wonders of volcanic craters, multicoloured rhyolite mountains, steaming lava fields, and the famous Mt Hekla volcano. There are many excellent walking trails in the area and a lake-filled crater, lush with brown trout. Take some time to enjoy the benefits of this geothermal area with a refreshing dip in Landmannalaugar's hot-spring fed river. Don't forget to bring a towel and a swimsuit!

From Hvolsvöllur drive to Reykjavik and start the day with a tour around the world's most northerly capital, which holds more than one third of Iceland's population. Today, Reykjavík is a modern city with a variety of restaurants, museums, galleries and theatres. Visit the most important sights of the city, such as the Old Town, the city cathedral, Hallgrímskirkja church and the "Pearl" (Please note that no entrance fees are included except for Hallgrímskirkja church tower). Leave Reykjavik and drive to Konvin hotel in Keflavik were you say goodbye to your driver-guide.

This morning you will take the airport shuttle from you hotel to Keflavik airport for your flight home. You are confirmed for the 7am shuttle.