Signature: Iceland's Winterscapes, Golden Circle & Northern Lights

You will be met at the airport and transferred to the hotel to start your adventure.

Transfer to a centrally located hotel where your fellow travellers, National Geographic Expedition Leader and National Geographic Expedition Expert gather for awelcome meeting before continuing the day.

Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.

Explore the historic Þingvellir National Park on a guided walk through the dramatic rift valley where the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates are pulling apart. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is the ancestral home of Iceland’s parliament and offers a unique look at both the island's geological marvels and its cultural origins.

Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.

Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.

Stop to visit Solheimar Ecovillage, a sustainable community of over 100 people, dedicated to helping people with disabilities. Nestled beautifully amongst the countryside, take in the panoramic views as you support this non-profit community by touring the village to learn about the various workshops, businesses, and programs and opting to enjoy a meal at the local coffee house.

Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.

See a variety of geothermal pools and the erupting hot spring Strokkur. Geysir is one of the oldest geysers recorded in the world, but is most often dormant. Strokkur erupts a spray of boiling hot water straight into the air about every ten minutes.

Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.

Discover one of the most impressive waterfalls in Iceland, Gullfoss, and complete the circuit known as the Golden Circle. This massive waterfall cascades over three “steps” before spilling into a large crevice. Fed by a glacier lake, the water passing through the falls can be a dark grey depending on how much sediment gets pushed through the river.

Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.

We gather around as a pot of rye bread is unearthed from warm black sand after baking underground for 24 hours. Served steaming hot with butter, it is sweet, chewy, and rich—a taste preserved for generations. Afterward, step into natural steam from a bubbling geyser. Listen to the earth's hiss, inhale mineral mist, and feel heat dissolve tension while unwinding in thermal baths or cooling off in the lake: pure geothermal bliss.

Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.

As night falls over the dark Icelandic countryside, step outside the warmth of your hotel into the crisp, still air for an evening walk across the grounds with your National Geographic Expedition Expert. Far from the ambient glow of the capital, the rural darkness provides an ideal canvas to capture the essence of the science behind the aurora borealis.

Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.

This morning travel to the volcanic plateau of Hengill for a visit and private tour of the Hellisheiði Geothermal Power Plant, one of the world's largest renewable energy facilities. Step inside the sleek, modern complex, feeling the low, rhythmic hum of the earth's raw energy vibrating through the floorboards. Inhale the faint, earthy scent of sulfur as you look out over the vast landscape of steaming vents and moss-covered lava fields. You specialist guides you through the facility, detailing how subterranean water, heated to roaring temperatures by deep magma chambers, is harnessed to power the modern nation. Learn about pioneering carbon-capture technology that turns emissions into stone, witnessing a masterclass in green innovation.

Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.

Descend beneath the Earth's crust for a visit to Raufarhólshellir, one of Iceland’s longest and most magnificent lava tunnels. Fasten your helmet and step onto a specially constructed footbridge that leads you into a subterranean world carved by a roaring river of fire over 5,000 years ago. Walk through the colossal, cathedral-like main chamber as expertly placed lighting illuminates a natural gallery of vibrant crimson, amber, and deep purple mineral bands etched directly into the rugged basalt walls.

Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.

Hveragerði is an Icelandic town built on an active geothermal area. It features rising volcanic steam, hot rivers for bathing, earthquake history, and greenhouses powered by Earth's energy. The town is packed with unique outdoor, culinary, and geological activities. Because the town sits right on a tectonic plate boundary, everything here revolves around the earth's natural energy.

Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.

Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.

Seljalandsfoss is a 60m (196 ft) tall waterfall located along the popular ring road. Behind the flow of water is a path, allowing visitors to peek behind the curtain of water cascading over the rocks above.

Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.

Visit Skógafoss, one of the largest and most recognisable waterfalls in Iceland. The 60m (200 ft) high falls form a constant mist that floats in the air, creating rainbows as sunlight allows. The sound and view of the thundering water cutting through the green hills make the falls a must-see on any trip to Iceland.

Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.

Step across the threshold of history during a private guided visit to the Skógar Museum, nestled under the mist of the towering southern cliffs. Meet a local curator who guides you through an extensive collection of cultural treasures, where the scent of aged timber and weathered iron tells the story of early Icelandic survival. Wander past beautifully preserved rowboats, handmade woollen textiles, and intricate woodcarvings, learning how past generations braved the harsh Arctic elements. Afterwards, step outside into the crisp coastal air to explore the open-air heritage site, walking amongst historic turf houses with green-carpeted roofs that blend seamlessly into the volcanic landscape.

Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.

As night falls over the dark Icelandic countryside, step outside the warmth of your hotel into the crisp, still air for an evening walk across the grounds with your National Geographic Expedition Expert. Far from the ambient glow of the capital, the rural darkness provides an ideal canvas to capture the essence of the science behind the aurora borealis.

Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.

Visit this stunning interactive exhibition with a volcanologist to learn about all aspects of Iceland's unique geography, including volcanoes, earthquakes, and geothermal activity.

Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.

Travel to Skeiðvellir horse farm for a private session dedicated to the iconic Icelandic horse, a breed deeply woven into the country's historic legacy. Meet your host for a guided tour of the stables, breathing in the scent of sweet hay as you get up close to these spirited animals. Learn how strict genetic isolation since the Viking Age has preserved their pure bloodline and unique five gaits. Your host shares stories of the farm's heritage and the breed's vital role in Icelandic survival through centuries of volcanic winters. Stand in the crisp country air as the horses move across the paddock, gaining a newfound appreciation for their resilience and place in the national identity.

You will be met at your hotel and transferred to the airport at the end of your adventure.