Iceland | Birding the Southern Coast and Snaefellsnes Peninsula

Depart US for overnight flight.

Upon arrival at Keflavík airport, we will meet our guide and depart for the Viking World Museum for a breakfast then explore the Reykjanes Peninsula, an area of volcanic rock and lava, with numerous clefts and gorges. The peninsula lies on the margin of the Eurasian and north American plates, and is directly connected to the mid-Atlantic ridge. Along the shore, low cliffs alternate with sandy beaches, where ocean waves sweep unhindered onto the coast. We will drive towards the cliffs of Reykjanestá via Hafnir. Here there is a beautiful setting for photographing, both the cliffs, Eldey Island as well as the beautiful lighthouse located in a hill close by. Stop at the geothermal area of Gunnuhver before continuing towards Grindavík. Possible bird species in the area: Kittiwakes, Arctic terns, various gulls, fulmars, gannets, cormorants, guillemots, razorbills, Black-tailed godwits, golden plovers, diverse waders, eiders, Red-throated divers. Red-necked phalaropes (also during migration times: knots, sanderlings, turnstones, brent, and geese). Visit the Blue Lagoon where we will have a wonderful start to our stay in Iceland. Continue to Reykjavik and check in to the hotel. Dinner will be at a local restaurant. Best time for birding in Iceland is June through August. ***Please schedule flight to arrive no later than 7:00 am. Flights arriving after this time will result in missed activities. If you are unable to arrive by 7:00 am, we can assist in booking a hotel night prior to your program start date.

Breakfast at the hotel. Today we will leave the capital and drive via Hellisheidi heath, past Hveragerid and via Selfoss through small villages and farmlands, heading towards the beautifully-situated village of Vík. A clear day on the South Shore allows for unique panoramic views of icecaps and volcanoes, including the snow-shrouded Mt. Hekla, Iceland’s most notorious and active volcano, as well as the ice-capped strato-volcano of Eyjafjallajökull. We will make a stop at the Lava Volcano and Earthquake Center in Hvolsvöllur, where we will enjoy this excellent interactive exhibit about Iceland’s active volcanoes and earthquakes. You’ll discover how these natural forces have sculpted Iceland over thousands of years. Stop at the spectacular waterfalls of Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss and drive past Dyrhólaey, Iceland’s southernmost point. Dyrhólaey is a magnificent rocky headland with sheer cliffs and a huge wave-cut gap in its ocean facing tip. Visit the seashore where steep bird cliffs tower above the black, wave-pounded sandy beach of Reynisfjara. Keep an eye out for guillemots, who breed in this area just offshore on the rocks of Reynisdrangar. Possible bird species in the area: Puffins, guillemots, fulmars, gannets, Great skuas, Arctic skuas, various gulls, waders, diverse and waterfowl. Please note: The headland of Dyrhólaey is closed to all visitors during the breeding season, i.e. about six weeks each summer. (generally mid-May to June 25th). Check in to the hotel and have dinner.

Breakfast at the hotel. Drive from Hvolsvölur to Landeyjarhöfn pier and from there by ferry (40 min appr.) to the Westman islands. These are rocky, steep-sided islands which were mostly formed by undersea volcanic eruptions. There are around fifteen islands; in addition there are about thirty rock pillars and skerries in the sea around the islands. The youngest island in this archipelago is Surtsey, which was formed in the 1960s. About ten years later, volcanic activity broke out on Heimaey, the largest of the Westman Islands. It is also the only island inhabited by people and one of Iceland’s most important fishing ports. The Westman Islands are the most populous puffin breeding ground in the world, as well as the only breeding place of many Icelandic shearwaters. Until recently, the same applied to Leach’s petrels and storm petrels. When your group arrives at the island of Heimaey, you will take a sightseeing trip around the island. Amongst the sites visited will be the newest volcanic crater, Eldfell, as well as the puffin colony at Stórhöfði. Take the ferry back in the late afternoon and return to your hotel for your dinner and overnight. Possible bird species in area: Puffins, guillemots, razorbills, fulmars, gannets, Great skuas, and Arctic skuas, various gulls, and sea-birds.

Breakfast at the hotel. Drive to Gullfoss, the Golden Waterfall, one of the most impressive waterfalls in Europe. Here you will see thousands of tons of icy water thunder majestically down over double falls into a deep canyon. Only a few minutes’ drive from Gullfoss is the famous Great Geysir, whose name has become an international term for an eruptive hot spring. One of the most active geysers in the area, Strokkur, makes frequent spouts of up to 25 meters (82 feet). Drive along the Sog River onwards to Þingvellir National Park, a remarkable geological site and the principal historic site in Iceland. Lake Þingvallavatn is the largest lake in Iceland and one of the deepest. The lake is located in a large, elongated rift valley that has been created through tectonic plate-divide movements. From the southern end of Lake Þingvallavatn flows the Sog River, Iceland’s most voluminous spring-fed river. Stop for lunch at Friðheimar. Visit their Greenhouses - an out of the ordinary "from the stem to the table" experience in the Icelandic countryside. On this tour, you will gain insight into the processes of Icelandic greenhouse horticulture. With a short and informative talk on the subject, you'll learn about how this farm grows vegetables in cold climates by creating warm geothermal Mediterranean conditions all year round. Next, tour the stable, where you will get a presentation about the horse breed and a one-horse show of the gaits. The Icelandic horse is known for its gaits, diversity of coat colors, strength, health and good spirits. Drive to Hvalfjörður Bay and then across the well vegetated region of Mýrar. En route you will pass the Eldborg lava ring, a famous landmark. The area is primarily meadow and moorland vegetation, along with marshland. Low-growing shrubs can be seen in some places and several rivers, streams and small ponds, many of them close to the road. Dinner at hotel. Possible bird species in the area: Harlequin ducks, Great northern divers (common loons), ptarmigans, whimbrels, Golden plovers, various waders, gulls and other seabirds (also during migration times: knots, sanderlings, turnstones, brent, geese, White-fronted geese).

Breakfast at the hotel. Spend the day exploring Snæfellsnes Peninsula, a unique area with a great variety of geological formations and diverse and colorful landscapes. These include lava fields, volcanoes, a multitude of streams, ponds and waterfalls, yellow and black sandy beaches and colorful lava fields and caves. The main attraction is without doubt the Snæfellsjökull glacier, a beautifully shaped strato-volcano at the very tip of the peninsula. Snæfellsjökull has become world-famous through Jules Verne’s novel Journey to the Centre of the . The lava and the coast around the old trading-post of Búðir is an impressive area where you can enjoy Earth great opportunities for walks. Old trails lead through a moss-covered lava field and along brightly-colored sandy beaches in contrast with the black lava. By the villages of Arnarstapi and Hellnar, there are some unique and quite scenic hiking trails along a coastline known for bizarre rock formations and a huge bird population. Continue on to Þúfubjarg cliff and Djúpalónssandur beach, heading through traditional fishing towns as you circumnavigate the peninsula. Possible bird species in area: Cormorants, shags, guillemots, Brunnich’s guillemots, razorbills, fulmars, Kittiwakes, eiders, Harlequin ducks, Great northern divers (common loons), Red-throated divers, Slavonian (horned) grebes, ptarmigans, whimbrels, Golden plovers, Red-necked phalaropes, and various waders, glaucous, gulls and other sea-birds (also during migration times: knots, sanderlings, turnstones, brent, geese). Arrive late afternoon/early evening back in Reykjavik. Check-in at your hotel. Farewell group dinner close to your hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to airport for flight back to US.