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9 days - Self Drive highlights of Iceland, done simply.
Experience Iceland with the kids on an unforgettable drive, being your own master to decide stops and highlights. You self-drive the detailed itinerary with unlimited mileage and all accommodation is arranged in local small hotels and farm stays.
Highlights include the Golden Circle region, National parks and family friendly places to visit. Farms, whale watching and lots of swimming (hot springs and pools) can make this a great family holiday.
- Day 1
- Arrive Reykjavik and enjoy a private transfer from the airport.
- Days 2 - 3
- Explore the South - Golden Circle, Waterfalls and Geysirs.
- Day 4
- Head North to the Borgarfjörður area.
- Days 5 - 6
- The North - whale watching, boiling mud pots and hot springs.
- Day 7
- Head back towards Reykjavik, staying overnight in Borgarfjörður/Hrútafjörður
- Day 8
- Enjoy Reykjavik with pools, zoo and family parks.
- Day 9
- Departure day.
- Start/End Place
- Reykjavik, Iceland tours
- Country Visited
- Iceland tours
- Duration
- 9 Days
- Type
- Self Guided
- Suitability
- Independent self-drive tour with some basic accommodation
- Code
- FQS-IK
Details
Transportation
Skoda Octavia Combi, family size. Upgrades to 4WD are possible.
Included
- 6 nights accommodation, rooms with shared or private facilities incl. breakfast.
- 2 nights, Guesthouse/Hotel in Reykjavik
- Rental manual car for 8 days, with unlimited milage and CDW insurance.
- Whale watching tour (3 - 3.5 hours)
- GPS rental
- Airport transfer to Reykjavik
- Good road map and suggested itinerary
- 24-hour emergency service
- Taxes and service fees
Not Included
- Flights to and from Iceland.
- Meals other than specified.
- Airport transfer upon departure.
- Personal travel insurance.
- Extra car insurance, such as S-CDW and gravel protection.
- Optional activities are not included. Please inquiry approx. prices for activities such as Horseriding, 'Inside the Volcano" (children over 12) and Rafting.
- If you wish to hire an automatic car, these are 'on request' and can be difficult to obtain. Please seek further advice with us .
Itinerary
Day 1 - Arrive Reykjavik and enjoy a private transfer from the airport.
Guests are met upon arrival at Keflavik international airport and driven to their hotel in Reykjavik. Accommodation in Reykjavik.
Explore the city's attractions: Tjörnin Lake, Hallgrímskirkja church tower, the old harbour and Harpa Concert & Conference Centre. Or head to one of the many pools in town or even the artificial beach, Nauthólsvík which has hot tubs next to the water- be brave and jump from one to the other. Reykjavík Art Museum is free for under 18's and has a lovely cafe.
Accommodation
Restaurants
Optional Add Ons
Days 2 - 3 - Explore the South - Golden Circle, Waterfalls and Geysirs.
Explore Iceland’s famous circle of wonders “The Golden Circle” with highlights such as Þingvellir, Gullfoss and Geysir. Start by driving to Þingvellir National park and visit a horse farm where the children can try horse riding. Enjoy the afternoon in Slakki, an attractive small family zoo with the Icelandic animals and more.
On Day 3 it is ideal to visit Gullfoss waterfall and Geysir hot spring area in the morning and drive to the coastal village Stokkseyri to visit the Witchcraft museum and the family garden Töfragarðurinn.
Meals
2 BreakfastsTransportation
Approx. 50 kilometresAccommodation
Accommodation for two nights in the Gullfoss and Geysir area.Day 4 - Head North to the Borgarfjörður area.
On your way north visit the Borgarfjörður area, Hraunfossar, even detour to Snæfellsnes peninsula.
Meals
1 BreakfastTransportation
Approx. 270 kilometresAccommodation
Local guesthouse accommodation in Borgarfjörður/Hrútafjörður area.Days 5 - 6 - The North - whale watching, boiling mud pots and hot springs.
Your days in the Northern Iceland can be spent according to your families age and interests. The nature baths in Mývatn area are not to be missed. You will go whale watching in Húsavík on Day 7. There is plenty of outdoor activities to enjoy, such as taking a short hike across lava fields to see boiling mud pots in Krafla area or visiting Dimmuborgir - the 'Dark Castles of Iceland' .
Your family will be amazed at the Goðafoss (Waterfall of the Gods).
Your accommodation will be in Akureyri for the next two nights. Spend some time in outdoor swimming pool in Akureyri.
Meals
2 BreakfastsTransportation
Approx. 315 kilometresOptional Add Ons
Day 7 - Head back towards Reykjavik, staying overnight in Borgarfjörður/Hrútafjörður
Visit the farmhouse museum in Glaumbær and the old turf church at Víðimýri. There are horse rentals in Skagafjörður area where you can try out Icelandic horses which area very different from other breeds. Although small, they are extremely strong and sturdy, with five gaits, two more than most other breeds.
Meals
1 BreakfastTransportation
Approx. 100 kilometresAccommodation
Staying overnight in Borgarfjörður/HrútafjörðurDay 8 - Enjoy Reykjavik with pools, zoo and family parks.
Head back to Reykjavik, an intimate city with a big personality and some striking landmarks - stroll down to the harbour to visit the Armoury, the new concert hall, the design streets and city hall. The many outdoor swimming pools in Reykjavik are great for children. If you didn't go earlier, the Blue Lagoon is a must for every traveller and child friendly.
It can also be fun visiting the Family Park and Zoo in Laugardalur. For city sightseeing we recommend the 'Hop on, Hop off' bus.
Meals
1 BreakfastAccommodation
Day 9 - Departure day.
Departure day. "Flybus" departs from your hotel - please consult with the reception the day before leaving.
Meals
1 BreakfastAdult prices are twin share per person unless otherwise specified. Please ask us for your child price which will apply when travelling with 2 adults between the age of 2 & 11 years of age. Due to the current volatility of the Icelandic Króna (ISK), this price is indicative. We are happy to individually tailor make and quote this tour for you.
30 Sep 2022
Important Information
Farm Accommodation Standard:
Some farmers in Iceland supplement their low farming income and cater for tourists, and the most natural way of doing that is building cabins on their land. They are reasonably basic, with private facilities in the cabins and rooms. The meals offered on the farm stays are generally traditional home made food featuring locally sourced ingredients from their own farm or neighbouring farms, such as geothermally grown vegetables, organic beef and lamb, freshly caught fish and home baked bread.
Optional Activities:
Please let us know if you wish to prebook any optional activities before departure; some get very busy during the peak summer period.
- Horseriding
- Inside the Volcano
- Fly Fishing
- Glacier walks
- Kayaking
- Seal Safaris
- River Rafting
- Bird Watching
Driving in Iceland:
In regards to gravel roads; technically you’re not recommended to take a hire car on gravel roads, but in Iceland you may not have a choice. Some guesthouses are located on gravel roads. Consider getting extra car insurance with gravel protection if it is something that might worry you.
The hire car cannot be driven in the Highlands area. If you wish to 4WD, please ask us about our Highlands Self-Drive itinerary.
Please note that the authorities of Reykjavik City has announced changes to the current arrangement for tour bus traffic in Reykjavik City Centre, effective from 15th of July, 2017. The area where buses are not allowed to drive has been increased in size, and locations, numbers and names of the designated bus stops have been changed.
This may affect the pick-up and drop-off locations for your activities and transfers. If you have airport transfers with FlyBus, you will need to carry your luggage (200 metres to 300 metres) to / from the bus stop to your hotel.
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Travel Insurance
Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is compulsory for all tours with 50 Degrees North. Please ensure that you have this organised as we will need to see proof of this upon issuing your tour documentation. Please contact us for a quote or visit http://www.suresave.net.au/
Self Drive holidays in Iceland
Practical information about self drive holidays in Iceland
Driving Conditions:
Conditions in Iceland are in many ways unusual and often quite unlike what foreign drivers are accustomed to. It is, therefore, very important to read about driving conditions and if this type of tour suits you.
Road conditions in Iceland vary substantially. Highway 1 (Þjóðvegur 1) is mostly paved, but other country roads are often very narrow, steep and unpaved. Those unfamiliar with such conditions often find it difficult to drive on Icelandic roads, especially in winter. We advise all travellers to gain information before heading off to the roads and recommend driving a 4wd during the winter (October - March). Please visit the website www.safetravel.is for further information.
Before you get in your car and have to dial 112, please check the road conditions en route to your destination with this very informative map.
This atlas/guidebook/crazy facts book is also recommended.
Finding your Iceland accommodation:
Most of the farms and guesthouses have good signs on the roads and are marked on detailed maps. However we advise all travellers to buy good maps (e.g. 1:500 000) and to go over the route before the journey. If lost do not hesitate to call the accommodation and ask for directions.
The most useful map in the car and essential companion to the Iceland Road Atlas is the KORTABOK, beautifully designed by Hans H. Hansen, on a scale of 1:300 000. It can be found in all good bookstores and the better gas stations.
There are also some new mobile Apps that you can use to guide you.
**Just a note: you often stay at a different accommodation each night on these self-drive itineraries. Be sure to pack with this in mind. **
Check in and out times:
Check-in is usually after 14:00 and check-out before 12:00 but it can vary between the accommodation. The farmers should be notified if you intend on arriving later than 18:00.
Dinner arrangements and other meals:
Dinner is available in most of the farms and guesthouses. Some of them have fantastic restaurants with well known chefs while others offer more traditional meals in their own kitchen! Lamb and fish are amongst the most common dishes in Iceland.
Accommodation places we book for you do evening meals. When staying in the smaller farms it is often a good idea to give them a call in the morning if you wish to have dinner in the evening. This way you will also know what time dinner is served (on smaller farms there's usually a set time, around 7-8pm or so). Some of the bigger places have a restaurant that might be open for a few hours each night. Cost for a basic soup & bread dinner is around ISK2000 (roughly AUD20), 3 course meals (which are usually excellent) are around ISK4000-6000 (AUD 40-60), depending what you order. Glass of house wine was around ISK1100 (AUD11) in most places.
For lunch you can stop at petrol stations for example (they usually serve little sandwiches etc.), but I would probably recommend having some snacks (fruit, biscuits, nuts etc.) in the car, as the more remote locations won't necessarily have too many options.
Petrol stations also sell coffee and hot chocolate. Be sure to find the 'self heating' hot chocolate (and coffee) cans that you can get in some places ( Buy a few of these if you see them, and have them in the car).
Horse riding options:
Usually, horseback riding can be booked on the spot. Day tours and longer tours however must be booked in advance.
Car types:
It is not necessary to drive a 4 wheel drive car in summer unless you are crossing the highland and F-marked roads.
Best time to visit Iceland:
The summer months, June, July and August, is the most popular time to visit Iceland. However spring and fall can be just as nice, especially for those who want to enjoy the tranquility of the countryside. If you are looking for a unique experience, a winter visit will be unforgettable with the northern lights and a magical landscape.
Farm Accommodation Standard:
Some farmers in Iceland supplement their low farming income and cater for tourists, and the most natural way of doing that is building cabins on their land. They are reasonably basic, with private facilities in the cabins and rooms. The meals offered on the farm stays are generally traditional home made food featuring locally sourced ingredients from their own farm or neighbouring farms, such as geothermally grown vegetables, organic beef and lamb, freshly caught fish and home baked bread.