After breakfast we’ll discover a seaside turf church mentioned in a Saga from the year 1200, that seats only two people.
Along the way we’ll discover a unique group of ancient, abandoned stone and timber houses built inside natural cave openings in lamb-filled pastures, like a scene from a fairy tale. Enchanted seaside farms set at the foot of waterfalls seem too idyllic to believe.
“In this region Iceland was all green, glowing with fertility. The adorable Icelandic lambs (always in pairs) were everywhere, and herds of handsome Icelandic horses grazed serenely.”
Adrian L., Australia
“In this strange place the baby lambs always seem to come in pairs. Even more surprisingly some of them are piebald, like tiny furry cows.
It was lambing season when we visited, so the roadside was dotted with hundreds of these adorable creatures. Some of them were just so cute that Adrian would suddenly veer off the road so that we could stop and admire the way their little tails flew back and forth as they fed.
John pretended not to think the sheep were very cute, and made mock grumbling sounds when ever we stopped to take a closer look. However, Jay, Adrian, and I all voted that they were completely charming.
These regions of Iceland were reminiscent of Tolkien’s Bag End, and I expected to see hobbits emerging from their holes. The turf keeps the houses snug under the snow during winter, and during summer they sprout a vibrant green top.”
Lydia M., Belgium
In brutal contrast we’ll soon pass through a vast, desolate seaside desert created by a flash flood in the 1990's when a volcano erupted beneath the nearby glacier- you’ll recognize this stunning landscape from many TV commercials that have been filmed there. Already vast tracts of lupines are expanding to replace the endless black sands into the distance.
Soon some of us will climb on the glacier- Europe's largest. Others will hike into a volcanic crater lined with the improbable geometry of naturally-occurring basalt columns, to view a waterfall tumbling into its inside.
Next we’ll explore the shores of a spectacular lagoon beside the glacier- jam-packed with hundreds of turquoise icebergs where both James Bond and Laura Croft have also tread in movie making! We may even take a guided boat excursion- and some incredible photos- among the lovely icebergs.
“One of the most perfect sights I have ever seen is Jokulsarlon, at the base of one of the glaciers… The lagoon looked just like Antarctica, a perfect blue sky and blue water, filled with ice crystals, shaded from white to blue (with streaks of black from when volcanic ash fell on the snow thousands of years ago when the ice formed). We went out on a boat to glide between the ice-burgs, 200 metres above the surface of the fjord… Arctic turns flew over the water and every now and then a seal pocked its head up. As we found out, 73 seals live in the estuary, our guide commented that they ‘are cuter than ocean seals as they don't have whiskers’.”
Adrian L., Australia
“The Vatnajokull glacier was one of the highlights of Iceland. Driving through the landscape near the glacier, the green soon morphed into white and turquoise. At the Jokulsarlon lagoon at the foot of the glacier, we boarded an amphibious vehicle (a boat with wheels) and drove right into the lagoon! We were able to catch an up-close and personal glimpse of the hundreds of icebergs being held captive by the lagoon, and were even able to taste the more than 10,000 year-old ice!”
John T., USA
The scenery past the lagoon is particularly spectacular with panoramic views from high, winding sea cliffs, all the way to our hotel.
In the evening we may chose to enjoy a traditional Icelandic meal by candle light in our hotel, once an historic house, facing snow-capped mountains across an elegant fjord. A sauna is available to all our guests.
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