OVERVIEW

Discover the must-see attractions of the Snæfellsjokull Peninsula, a geological and natural wonderland famed for its harsh but beautiful volcanic landscape. You’ll begin with an immensely picturesque coastal drive, passing through one beautiful fishing village after another enroute to Snæfellsjokull National Park. This terrain in the setting Jules Verne’s used in his 1864 bestseller, Journey to the Center of the Earth – it looks the part. The park’s landscape looks primeval in every direction, especially at Djupalonssandur, a jagged coastline strewn with large boulders sailors once hoisted to prove their fitness to crew on ships. The remains of a sizable trawler wrecked in 1948 add to the edge-of-the-earth feel here. A visit to Malarrif and its majestic white lighthouse also brings an encounter with curious volcanic pillars some believe local elves use as churches. Passing the Lóndrangar Cliffs, you’ll stop for photos in tiny Arnarstapi, known for abundant birdlife and its own set of intriguing lava formations. In remote Búðir, you’ll visit a modest church of black painted wood, sitting in a lava field blanketed with lush grass. The visual contrast is stunning, especially with the park’s namesake glacier-capped volcano as its backdrop. Better clear plenty of storage on your camera.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Enjoy a picture-perfect exploration of the Snæfellsjökull Peninsula by panoramic coach.
• Stop frequently to visit some of the highlights of this harsh but beautiful volcanic wonderland.
• See the park that inspired Jules Verne in 1864, walk a beach where the rocks have nautical history, gaze at a towering lighthouse near lava pillars said to have elfin inhabitants.
• See from outside a remote little Icelandic church see against lava fields with the backdrop of an ice-capped volcano.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate layered clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.
• Bring a bottle of water, hat, sunglasses and sunscreen as needed.

OVERVIEW

Explore Iceland’s legend-laced volcanic landscape on a walk-through lava field, a climb up a small magic mountain, and a visit to a farm with an unusual crop. First, you’ll travel by coach along the incredibly picturesque coast to Berserkjahraun, an ancient field of lava spikes and mossy boulders. If its name sounds familiar, that’s because the phrase “going berserk” comes from an old Icelandic tale about two warriors who were killed here; these Berserkers were known to fight in an uncontrollable trance-like state. Then it’s on to Helgafell; where legend has it that those who scale this 240-foot “Holy Mountain” are granted three wishes. You’ll have your chance to confirm if that’s true – and be rewarded with sweeping hilltop vistas no matter what. In Stykkisholmur, you’ll you will have some free time. A different sort of museum awaits you on a lava-surrounded farmstead in Bjarnarhofn. Here you’ll visit the Shark Museum and meet the resident farmer who specializes in shark curing. You’ll also have a chance to taste his products, but a word to the wise: they’re quite ‘aromatic.’ Might be wise to bring some mints for the way home.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Travel by coach around West Iceland’s volcanic landscape for some wonderful first-hand experiences.
• Visit the legendary lava field where the term “going berserk” comes from.
• Scale a small mountain, more of a flat top hill, that is said to richly reward those who climb it.
• Tour a farm and its small museum where the crops smell and taste distinctly fishy.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate layered clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.
• Bring a bottle of water, hat, sunglasses and sunscreen as needed.

OVERVIEW

Embark on an adventurous exploration deep into the lava caves of Vatnshellir, formed thousands of years ago by a violent eruption. Western Iceland is the setting Jules Verne used for his epic 1864 page-turner, Journey to the Center of the Earth, wherein the professor and his intrepid crew get into all kinds of adventures after entering a passage into the earth on Snæfellsjökul Peninsula. Your expedition down into Vatnshellir will be much the same, but with better ventilation – and no dinosaurs. The lava tube entrance is a scenic hour’s drive from the pier, along a rugged coast and majestic volcanic landscape. Equipped with helmet and flashlight, you’ll follow your guide through an above-ground entry capsule and down into the cave’s upper section, lined with fascinating lava formations along its sides. A long, narrow passage and spiral staircase lead ever deeper until you reach the cave’s lower section, a completely soundless chamber with black igneous walls. Once there, all lights will briefly be turned off so that you can experience true total darkness. Expect your sense of smell to become heightened as your brain lets go of sight and sound. Then it’s back up to the surface, with new perspective.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Settle in for a drive across the one-of-a-kind Snæfellsjökul Peninsula landscape by panoramic coach.
• Don your helmet and check your flashlight, both supplied, as you prepare to enter Vatnshellir lava cave.
• Follow your guide inside and down through lava tubes and stairways leading to a soundless base chamber nearly 11 stories underground.
• Experience the rare sensation of total darkness and silence as we all briefly turn out our lights.
• Learn about what forces went into making this place happen, and what folklore has grown up around it.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate layered clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.
• Bring a bottle of water, hat, sunglasses and sunscreen as needed.

OVERVIEW

Take an invigorating walk-in exhilarating scenery as you venture through Grundarfjörður to an idyllic waterfall at the base of Iceland’s most photographed mountain. Setting out on foot from the pier, you’ll cross through this picture-perfect fishing village perched on a fjord and surrounded by mountains. Soon you’ll ascend a small hill above the town and, weather permitting, be treated to one of the Snæfellsnes peninsula most breathtaking vistas: the iconic Mt. Kirkjufell. This distinctive monolith rises steeply from shore to a height of over 1,500 feet – a barren but magnificent landmark that only the adventurous climb. Conveniently, you’ll be taking on an easy and super-scenic alternative as you trek to the gorgeous waterfall near Kirkjufell’s base, its multiple torrents of crystalline water fed by glacier melt. Any photograph taken with this cascade in the foreground and Kirkjufell soaring to the heavens behind can’t help but be a winner. In fact, photographers, and filmmakers from all over the world come to Grundarfjörður just to capture this image. On the return walk, you’ll want to check out the fishing boats in the charming harbor, the church, and the homes built by the town’s French founders.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Explore the picture-perfect fishing village of Grundarfjörður on foot and catch the perfect picture of its surrounding landscape.
• Ascend a hill overlooking town for spectacular vantage point on the Snæfellsnes peninsula scenery.
• Trek to the spot where idyllic Kirkjufellsfoss waterfall cascades in multiple streams with iconic Mt. Kirkjufell as its backdrop.
• Photograph this scene of incomparable natural majesty, as so many famous photographers have.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate layered clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.
• Bring a bottle of water, hat, sunglasses and sunscreen as needed.

OVERVIEW

Cruise to rocky Melrakkaey Island to for up-close views of a colony of puffins doing all the things that puffins naturally do. This includes nesting on the steep cliffs, swimming in the sea and perhaps even flying – much faster than you might expect. After a short walk from the pier, you’ll reach and board a small tour boat that is ideal for sightseeing in hard-to-reach places. Craggy little Melrakkaey Island is one of those enviable spots, a protected bird refuge since 1972 where the only crowds ever seen have wings. While you’ll likely spot other seabirds here – like guillemots, shags and kittiwakes – puffins are the star attractions. They’re easy to identify with their bright orange beaks and penguin-like coloring; some people even call them “sea parrots” because of the shape of their beaks. Iceland is the breeding ground for most the world’s Atlantic puffins, and Melrakkaey is one of their favorite spots. You’ll see their nests on the precipitous rocky cliffs and surely spot puffins resting on the water between dives for the tasty small herring they love to eat. Your guide will share fascinating facts about the lifestyle of these charming birds during the excursion.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Walk to a tour boat near the cruise pier, ideally sized for reaching areas off limits to larger vessels.
• Cruise out to Melrakkaey, an island offshore from Grundarfjörður that’s now a protected seabird refuge.
• Watch the resident colony of colorful puffins at their nests, diving for fish, and even flying around.
• Learn about the lifestyle and mating habits of these charming half-parrot, half-penguin creatures.
• Look for plenty of other sea birds here as well, including guillemots, shags and kittiwakes.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Wear warm, layered clothing; consider a windbreaker.
• Flat walking shoes with a non-slip sole are recommended for the boat.
• Bring a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen as needed.

OVERVIEW

Discover the natural wonders in western Iceland, especially around Snæfellsjökull National Park, an area that has been famous since 1864, when Jules Verne used it as a setting in his classic science fiction novel “Journey to the Center of the Earth.” The landscape looks eerily primeval, especially at Djúpalónssandur, whose coastline is strewn with large rocks and the remains of a shipwrecked fishing trawler. Sailors once demonstrated their strength there by lifting boulders to show that they were fit to work on ships. While walking along the beach at Arnarstapi, you will observe birds nesting in the craggy lava formations. A noticeably different volcanic terrain awaits you in Búðir, whose beach features yellowish sand instead the pitch-black sand commonly found elsewhere. The modest Búðir church is also noteworthy. Painted black, it sits in a lava field blanketed with lush grass, and the contrast is stunning. An ice-capped volcano looms dramatically in the background.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Enjoy a panoramic drive through western Iceland’s hauntingly beautiful volcanic terrain.
• Behold a primeval landscape of volcanoes, lava fields and rock-strewn beaches.
• Look for wildlife, birds in particular, that often nest on the coastal cliffs.
• Visit from outside the Búðir church, a 19th-century wooden building that overlooks the sea.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.