Tour to the Arctic Circle
Northern lights on the Arctic CircleStay at a Icelandic farm, Bjarnargil, far in the north Iceland & enjoy hiking to nearby mountains, try out the amazing out-door swimming pool at Hofsos and so much more |
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Staying at Bjarnargil - a farm accomodation offered by Farm Holidays - is a great selection if you want to experience the northern part of Iceland and the infamous Skagafjörður with beautiful mountain surrounding while you wait for the Iceland northern lights to show up. Close to Bjarnargil in Fljótum we have the out-door swimming pool in Hofsos a well known for its amazing view. See here.
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What is great with this location for your northern lights tour?Staying outside of the main cities e.g. Reykjavik while waiting for the northern lights to show up is wise because you dont need to worry about any light pollution. In Bjarnargil, Fljotum, you dont need to worry about any light pollution at all and you can easily walk up to some of the mountains to have a better view. In case they don´t show up for some days then you have many activities in Skagafjordur to enjoy, from horse riding, laying in the swimming pool at Hofsos, take a quick tour to the closest fishing villages - just to name few activities you could do. Below you see some photos from Bjarnargil and surrounding.
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Efstidalur - farmhouse accomodation
Efstidalur - farmhouse accomodation
- South, Iceland
- Farmhouse Accomodation
- Price range: $ - Low-range
Great farmhouse on the Golden Circle route, close by Geyser hot spring area, Gullfoss waterfall and Laugarvatn geothermal baths
Nearby attractions to watch the aurora
We talked to the farmer to discover some hidden gems
Brúarfoss waterfall - get your once in a lifetime aurora photo
View Route from Efstidalur to Brúarfoss waterfall in a larger map
Fontana geothermal baths - soak in a hot tub while you wait
View Route from Efstidalur to Fonanta, Laugarvatn in a larger map
What to see on the south coast?
What to see on the south coast?
Seljalandsfoss
Skógafoss
Reynisfjara beach
Kirkjubæjarkaustur
Skógar museum
Dyrhólaey
Jökulsárlón
3 Days Self Drive Tour To Snaefellsnes
3 Days Self Drive Tour To Snaefellsnes
This self drive tour itinerary is for people who want to spend 3 days relaxing in the western part of Iceland. For this itinerary we recommend you book an inexpensive yet luxurious stay at Hotel Brú. Have a relaxing and peaceful time in Iceland by going to the western Peninsula of Snaefellsnes and enjoying the sceneries of Stykkisholmur.
Day 1: Arrival into Keflavik Airport and head to the Blue Lagoon, stay at Hotel Bru
Arriving into Iceland at the Keflavik International Airport, you can make your way to your rental car company. Since you will be tired from your flight, this day is about relaxing and enjoying the beauty of Iceland so our first stop is the Blue Lagoon.
The Blue Lagoon is a 15 minutes drive from the airport and there is a large car park by the entrance. Please book in advance as tickets get snapped up fast. We recommend you try the package with both the Silica and Algae Masks and drink at the swim-up bar. The water massage treatment and beauty treatments here are amazing and will leave you feeling energised and ready for the next few days.
Next, you can drive to Hotel Bru where you can settle for the night. This hotel is one hour and thirty minutes drive from the Blue Lagoon. You will drive through Reykjavik on the way so feel free to stop and take in some sites.
At Hotel Brú try their deliciously mouth watering food at the hotels restaurant known for offering genuine Icelandic cuisine such as lobster soup and Trout. The first night and your first chance to view the Northern Lights, one of the best tourist attractions of Iceland. The hotel offers a wake up call if the lights show up in the middle of the night.
Below is the map for Day 1 for your reference.
Day 2: Snaefellsnes Peninsula
After a good breakfast you hit the road and drive to the Snaefellsnes Peninsula. Head towards the town of Stykkisholmur in the north of Snaefellsnes, a two hour drive from Reykjavík.
Stykkisholmur is the centre of services and commerce in the area with fishing and tourism as their main income. You’ll find great fish restaurants here to taste their unique and delicious menus. Try Fimm Fiskar, a popular fish restaurants serving Icelandic catfish, puffin, guillemot, seafoods and homemade pasta dishes.
After your meal, drive the circular route around Snaefellsnes. There are a number of attractions which are ideal for photo opportunities. We suggest visiting the Snaefellsjökull National Park at the end of the peninsula. Here you can get a very scenic view of the glacier. You can continue towards Arnarstapi, a small fishing village on the southern coast of Snaelfellsnes. Here you will get to marvel at the authentic and charming Icelandic houses, ragged cliffs and ocean views. The beach area here is also home to large colonies of arctic tern.
Make sure to check out Kirkjufellsfoss Waterfall, located a short walk away from the equally beautiful Kirkjufell mountain, Iceland’s most photographed mountain. You will recognise it by it’s unique cone-shape. Kirkjufell is known as ‘Church Mountain’ as it resembles a church steeple and has acted as a landmark for seafarers and travellers over the centuries. This area is very photogenic, you might also recognise this location from Game of Thrones.
Djupalonssandur Black Sand Beach was once a bustling fishing village, when Snaefellsnes Peninsula functioned as one of Iceland’s most active trading ports. Walking down towards Djúpalónssandura Black Sand Beach you will notice four large stones of varying sizes weighing between 23kg (50lbs) and 155kg (342lbs), used as lifting stones to test the strength of fishermen. The stones are named Amlodi (useless), Halfdreattingur (weakling), Halfsterkur (half-strong) and Fullsterkur (full-strong). If you walk around the beach you may discover rusty iron remnants of the 1948 shipwrecked scattered along the beach.
Heading back towards Borganes and Hotel Brú to relax and have another chance to glimpse the Northern Lights.
Day 3: Driving Back to Keflavik Airport
Check out and head back towards Reykjavik. Take a few hours to wander the back streets, taking in the local architecture and street art. Visit Harpa and Hallgrimskirkja, and have lunch or a coffee and cake in one of the many cafes.
Head toward Keflavik to return your rental car before checking in for your flight from Keflavik Airport.
3 days self-drive idea to West and North
3 days self-drive tour to West and NorthEnjoy the west and north of Iceland with this 4 days self drive idea that has a combination of adventure, exloring and relaxation. |
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This self-drive ideas is for those who want to experience adventure and relaxation in the west and part of north of Iceland. You will go to Akranes and Borgarnes in the west and Blonduos, Skagafjörður and Siglufjordur in the northern part where you can do many things and stay in great accommodations. This is one self-drive idea that will tell you the beauty of Iceland.
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THE 3 DAYS ITINERARYDay 1 – Arrival in Keflavik Airport; Drive to AkranesYou arrive in Keflavik Airport at around late morning and do the necessary things needed for your 3-day vacation. The first thing to do is get your rental car in Thrifty and do the 1 hour and 30-minute drive your first destination, Akranes. Akranes is a beautiful town where you can just relax and enjoy the awesome sights since you just arrived in Iceland. No need to go on an adventure first, so this town is the perfect first stop. You can go to the Langisandurinn (The Long Sand), which is one of the best tourist attractions with its attractive bathing beaches where you can swim and just relax with family or friends. You can also visit the Museum Area in Gardar that tells the stories of the town. And from the town, you can get a great view of Mt. Akrafjall that is breathtaking. Afterwards, you can pick a great restaurant such as the Galito for a lunch full of great meals.
Source: Atli Harðarson After lunch, you can go to the small town of Borgarnes that is located on a peninsula at the shore of Borgarfjörður.
Source: Ulrich Latzenhofer One of the places of interest that you should go is the Church of Borgarnes. This famous tourist attraction is known for its great architecture and how it is visible throughout the town. Afterwards, you can go to various trourist attractions in the city such as Puppet Museum of Bruduheimar and a museum in The Settlement Centre. While the town is small, you can be assured you will see a lot of attractions here.
Source: yashima Afterwards, you can go straight to Hotel Bru for dinner and check in. And if you are lucky, you will be able to see the Northern Lights. And you don't have to worry because the hotel staff will give you a wake up call when the lights appear. Here is the map for Day 1:
Day 2 - Exploring the North: Blönduós and SkagafjörðurHave breakfast in Hotel Bru and check out. From there, you can do the almost 3-hour drive to Blönduós, a small seaside town in the north of Iceland. The first place of interest that you can go is the Blönduós Church, which is famous for its unusual architecture. The church was designed based on its surrounding mountains and landscape and has good acoustics, which make the sound carry well and beautifully for singing.
Source: JasonParis Another place that you can go to is the 9-hold golf course, especially if you are a golfer and want to get our more in your 3-day vacation in Iceland. The golf course is located just north of the town and you can inquire their golfing activities there. Afterwards, you can either fo bird watching, hiking (like in the Húnaflói area) and bird watching. Another famous activity that you can do is salmon fishing in Blanda River. You will never run out of things to do here in Blönduós. Before leaving Blönduós, have lunch in Potturinn Restaurant that offers a wide variety of delicious food at reasonable prices that includes Italian, Indian, Icelandic and vegetarian.
Source: eskimo_jo The next place you go is the municipality of Skagafjörður.
Source: Gúnna One of the things you can do is river rafting to continue the adventurous streak on this day. Skagafjörður is known as the capital of whitewater rafting in Iceland, where there are powerful and wild glacial rivers in remoteness of the municipality. The water is always on high levels, which adds more adrenaline when doing this extreme sport. You can ask tour companies such as Nordic Travel and Arctic Adventures regarding river rafting in this municipality.
Source: Stig Nygaard Afterwards, you can relax and rejuvenate in one of the seven pools of the municipality. You can try the hot springs and pools of Sauðárkrókur where you sit in a traditional hot tub and bond with your family and friends as the hot water relaxes your body. Then you can have dinner and check in Hótel Varmahlíð. Below is the map of Day 2:
Day 3 - Siglufjörður; Departure from IcelandCheck out of Hótel Varmahlíð and proceed to the small town of Siglufjörður, in which you can spend the whole morning exploring. it is surrounded by towering mountains and have the fishing industry as their source of income. If you just want to look around town and relax before your depart the North, this is the perfect place for a last stop.
Source: Julien Carnot The first place you can visit is The Herring Era Museum. It has a big collection of stories of the town, the fishing industry of Iceland and other stories concerning the development of the country. It also has interactive presentations and has various displays of boats and various artifacts. Afterwards, you can do bird watching, walk around town, join in the Herring Festivals if given the chance, and eat your lunch befoe departing to
Source: thisishopelandic 
Source: Julien Carnot 
Source: sela-v You depart from Siglufjörður at around after lunch, do the five-hour drive towards Blue Lagoon for rejuvenation and re-energizing. You can have have some 1-2 stopovers in between the drive to rest. After Blue Lagoon, you can drop off your rental car in Thrifty then proceed to Keflavik Airport for your departure.
Source: Sarah_Ackerman Hope you had a wonderful time in Iceland. Here is the map of Day 3:
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Thrifty - 4x4 car rental
Thrifty.is - 4x4 rental cars in Iceland |
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4x4 jeeps from Thrifty can be picked up from four rental locations: Akureyri airport, Reykjavik, Down Town Akureyri and Keflavik Airport. The company has a ISO 9001 certification and offers free shuttle bus service. Everything will be done so you can easily change or cancel your reservation whenever you need - no questions asked.
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Great offer
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Galtafell guesthouse
Galtafell Guesthouse
- Downtown Reykjavik
- Guesthouse
- Price range: ISK 16.000 - 23.999
Downtown guesthouse build by the famous Icelandic artist, Muggur
Location & Directions
Below you can see routes to best places to watch the northern lights
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Prices & Booking