Iceland Offbeat

Eric was an amazing source of information and guidance for our Winter Iceland Trip (for our family of 8)! I had done a lot of research on specific areas we wanted to visit, and he provided excellent details in creating a realistically-paced vacation, as well as specific details for greater understanding and additional highlights to visit. Eric was responsive and thorough in his explanations, as well as professional and patient with our itinerary questions and changes.

Specifics:
Car Rental - No problems at all... only a pesky spot that the windshield wiper didn't quite wipe away in the driver's view.

Day 1: We stopped to see some Icelandic friends at their home and visited with them awhile. The stops along the Golden Circle were beautiful... Thingvellir, Geysir and Gullfoss. What we should have, but didn't expect was all of the tour buses and group tours! We didn't have time for Fridheimar Tomato Farm or Kerid Crater, as our daylight was running out and we had dinner reservations. Our dinner at Ingolfsskali Viking Restaurant was absolutely delicious (for everyone)! We stayed at our friend's parents' cottage this night.

Day 2: Seljalandsfoss & Gljufrabui were amazing, although we couldn't see anything but pure whiteness when we pulled into the parking lot! The weather quickly cleared, and we were able to experience both waterfalls... my two sons even meandered back into the canyon to get closer to Gljufrabui, at the expense of one wet foot. Skogafoss & Reynisfara were amazing as well. We did witness a risky tourist challenging the sneaker waves too much and got completely knocked down & soaked by them! We had to call it a day after this because of weather/visibility. We went grocery shopping and cooked dinner at Eaglerock Guesthouse this night (and the next)... as well as breakfast. Very nice accommodations.

Day 3: Our Crystal Blue Ice Cave tour was awesome, and our tour guide (Johann from Troll Expeditions) had a super fun personality! Jokulsarlon & Diamond Beach were both truly beautiful! We even saw a seal playing close-up in the lagoon, and we saw the Northern Lights back at our rental this night right before bed!

Day 4: We HIGHLY recommend ice climbing with Tindaborg (referred by our Icelandic friends). Iris & Arni are expertly trained glacier mountain and climbing guides. They are involved in the national training of mountain guides, rescues, and glacier mountaineering. What's best are their friendly, patient, informative, adventurous, and truly pleasant personalities! We had complete confidence in our safety and guidance with them, and our whole family was able to experience something we never could have done on our own! We had a good meal at Smidjan Brugghus, and Vik Apartments provided a perfect stay for us.

Day 5: We really enjoyed hiking around Dyrholaey and into Loftsalahellir cave... spent more time there than we'd planned, but it was worth it! We drove to our friends' home in the Reykjavik area this night (New Year's Eve), and they had a delicious dinner catered in for us. They drove us out to one of the local bonfires, then back to their home for the traditional Áramótaskaupið TV show with English subtitles (and their helpful explanations of some jokes), then back outside for amazing fireworks all around!

Day 6: New Year's Day we went to Christ the King Catholic Church for Mass, shared coffee & pastries with some of the parishioners, then toured around some of the famous spots in Reykjavik. Some shops and quite a few restaurants were closed for the holiday, but we still got to visit a few. We had quick sandwiches for lunch and were throughly relaxed in the Seven Rituals of Sky Lagoon... Wow, what an experience! We even got to see the Northern Lights again from the warm waters of Sky Lagoon itself & outside as we were leaving. We returned to our friends' home for dinner and games that night.

Day 7: Our drive towards the Snæfellsnes Peninsula included the beauty of Hraunfossar & Barnafoss, but we didn't get to see much else because of the weather. The Gerduberg basalt cliffs were almost completely buried in snow (we could only see the very top of them), and we bypassed the other stops as well. Our family was hungry, and there were very limited options this time of year. We checked into Midhraun Resort (great accommodation), relaxed a bit, and waited for Langaholt Restaurant to open their buffet dinner (which was delicious)!

Day 8: We did a lot of imaging what beautiful Snæfellsnes would be like in the summer this day, as it we got pretty harsh weather most of the time we visited. We stopped at Budir church, Arnarstapi, and Londrangar. We spent a lot of time hiking around the amazing Djupalonssandur beach, which we thought was more enjoyable and preferable to the crowds of Reynisfara! Some of us took turns lifting the stones and staying clear of the sneaker waves. We had a very delicious lunch at Matarlist in the visitor center, but wow, it was pricey! We stopped by the Murals of Hellissandur, and half of our family walked the steps up to Saxholl Crater but found its top view a little disappointing. Unfortunately, Kirkjufell was only barely visible at its base because of the weather, but we were able to see Kirkjufellsfoss and play in the snow (snowball fight & built a snowman). We had planned to go to Stykkisholmur for a highly-rated restaurant dinner option, but were pretty worn out from the weather (and had spent so much at lunch) that we opted to stop at a grocery store and fix a simple dinner back at Midhraun.

Day 9: Breakfast at Midhraun both mornings was great, and staff was very friendly. We saw more Northern Lights this morning before heading out! We were mesmerized by the drive between Borgarnes and Hvammsvik with its incredible scenery... blue, clear skies and breathtaking views of the water and snow-covered mountains! Hvammsvik Hot Springs was throughly enjoyable, and most of us even went into the ocean in between the hot spring pools. We stopped in a shop near Reykjavik for some souvenirs, said goodbye to our Icelandic host friends, and made it to the airport on schedule.

We found the Icelandic people to be very friendly, the tour bus groups to be a bit annoying, and the trip as a whole to be outstanding!! We would love to return and experience it again one summer, but we also really appreciated and enjoyed the amazing beauty of this winter wonderland!

Thank you, Eric, for all your help and expert guidance!
Sincerely,
The Williams Family from Florida

Activity Reviews

Crystal Blue Ice Cave

Iceland

Amazing sights and creation! Johann from Troll Expeditions had a great personality and helped make this experience super fun! The crowds were the only thing detracting from this trip.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sky Lagoon

Iceland

Truly relaxing and luxurious experience!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Hvammsvik Hot Springs (& Nature Reserve)

Iceland

Such a great and relaxing experience! We enjoyed the views from these hot springs even better than Sky Lagoon, and it was much less crowded as well.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We had a great time despite the terrible weather. Difficult driving conditions (we rented a car) added to the adventure! We did not get to do everything on the itinerary, either because of time, weather, or we just decided to pass on a couple of things. Do not miss the Freidheimar tomato farm. The tomato soup and breads are the best.

Blue Lagoon was a great way to start the trip. Ice cave tour was amazing. Thingvellir is incredible from an historic and geological perspective.

We are talking about going back for 3-4 days in Spring or Summer just to stay in Reykjavik and maybe do some days trips from there.

Iceland truly left me in awe with its otherworldly beauty, and our trip was unforgettable in every way. The landscapes were absolutely breathtaking—rugged volcanic terrain, vast glaciers, and waterfalls at every turn. The highlight for me was the charming town of Vík, a place so picturesque it almost felt surreal. Nestled by the sea, Vík offered incredible views. Every corner felt like something out of a dream.

Our hotel was nothing short of spectacular. Located between two mountains with the sea infront ,it felt like we were nestled in the heart of Iceland's wild beauty. Waking up to those mountain views each morning was an experience in itself. The accommodations were cozy and modern, providing the perfect base for our adventures.

Throughout the trip, we were consistently impressed by the warmth and kindness of the Icelandic people. Every guide we encountered was not only friendly but also incredibly knowledgeable. Their passion for Iceland’s history, culture, and natural wonders shone through in every tour. We learned so much about the island’s geology, mythology, and wildlife, which made the excursions even more enriching.

A special thanks to Jenny for helping to book the trip. She was wonderfully patient, attentive, and extremely helpful throughout the process, ensuring every detail was taken care of. Thanks to her, everything went smoothly from start to finish, and we were able to experience the best of what Iceland has to offer.

This trip was an absolute dream, and I can’t wait to return to Iceland someday!

Activity Reviews

Blue Lagoon

Iceland

Quality of Experience

Northern Lights Hunt Super Jeep Tour

Iceland

Solheimajokull Glacier Hike

Iceland

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Katla Ice Cave Superjeep tour

Iceland

Whale Watching Tour

Reykjavík

Adam listened to what we were looking for and created a great itinerary for us. Loved the fact that he created Google maps itineraries for each day, that made our road tripping so much easier and was such a thoughtful detail. Furthermore he made great suggestions in case we wanted to do more than what had been aalloyed for each day- some of those ended up being extraordinary experiences which we loved. Our trip was beyond delightful, the activities selected and even the hikes he managed to sneak in (it’s late November and quite cold) were extraordinary. Hotels were great as well and were within our budget.
This is my 3rd trip with Kim Kim and I am definitely a fan! Will be consulting them for my next trip without a doubt.

My husband had been wanting to go to Iceland since we first met. We decided to go for his 40th birthday and worked with Rinolda to plan the trip. It was amazing. She took all of our feedback into account and really thought about the details. We had a redeye flight so didn't sleep much and basically started our activities as soon as we landed. The first stop on our itinerary was the Blue Lagoon which was really refreshing and helped to wake us up. We had just the right amount of things to do each day and got to see so many beautiful places and do so many unique things on this trip.

Hotel Review

Comfort Category Accommodation With Private Bathroom

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Blue Lagoon

Iceland

The facilities were very nice and it was a nice, relaxing experience overall.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Crystal Blue Ice Cave

Iceland

Our guide was very knowledgeable and funny. The experience itself was really cool and definitely something I'd recommend.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport