Our trip to Iceland was too amazing for words...
Iceland
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Jul 4 - Jul 13, 2022
Our trip to Iceland was too amazing for words. I love to plan trips but I knew that for this trip, I’d need assistance from knowledgeable people. Duncan at Kimkim did not disappoint!
We took nine days to drive around the entire island. Our itinerary was customized perfectly for us! The activities and tours we took were all top notch. Having each leg’s driving plan mapped out took the stress off of figuring out directions and distance and helped keep us on a nice pace throughout the trip. Our pre-booked hotels ranged from small, old, and historical to unique and modern. Each place was clean and offered a delicious spread for breakfast each morning.
Picking favorite places and activities is difficult in a country that’s full of such overwhelming beauty. The activity that was the most fun and gave us the biggest laughs was rafting the West Glacial River outside Skagafjörður. Our guides Amy, Scottie, and Cam with Viking were so much fun!!
I personally loved Husavik and the whale watching-mostly because of the special encounter we had. Our boat had a humpback come right up to our boat not once but twice! Our guides were beside themselves with excitement as this type of encounter was rare. The crew on the Salka were very knowledgeable and kind. We were served delicious cinnamon rolls and hot chocolate on the return which made it more special. Highly recommend!
My husband and daughter loved our ATV to the Black Beach and Plane Wreck tour because it was just plain fun riding fast on the black beach, seeing the plane wreck, and driving our ATV across a river all while having beautiful glacier and mountain views!
Our most unique activity was snorkeling the Silfra Fissure and touching two separate continents with our hands! It took a lot of preparation to get our bodies ready to enter 38 degree Fahrenheit water but seeing such crystal clear water at a depth of 150 meters was like none other! Our guide, Sebastien with Dive.IS was kind, patient, and knowledgeable.
And finally, after leaving the best hotel, Hotel Hallormsstadur on Lake Lagarfljot, our most favorite part of our drive of the island was between Egilsstadir to Hofn. It was littered with one beautiful waterfall after another and the mountains were breathtaking!
There wasn’t one part of this trip we would not do and we know that if we return, there’s infinitely more places we could explore without repeat. If you’re thinking about Iceland, think no more. Go and book now!
Hotel Reviews
Loved this hotel from the moment I walked in. The decor was warm, welcoming, and sophisticated. The bathroom was so relaxing having both a soaking tub and a shower. Breakfast and dinner in the hotel was among our favorite meals of the trip. A little extra bonus was walking into our room after check-in and seeing sheep grazing right outside our window.
This hotel was special because of the retro European decor and the magnificent view of Lake Lagarfljot from our bedroom window. Make sure to drive to Vok Nature Bath and experience the best and most scenic geothermal bath we had!
Activity Reviews
This was great because of the proximity you get to The glacier, icebergs, and seals. It was a magical and breathtaking scene.
Our tour guide was from England and had a Masters in Geology. She was an enthusiastic teacher and learning all about the types of rock that make up Iceland early in the trip helped improve our understanding of the topography there.
Such a fun experience!!! We laughed the entire trip thanks to Scottie and Cam. We were lucky and had a beautiful day too. We stayed for lunch and so glad we did! They served us fresh lamb and vegetables from a farm next door. It was our favorite meal of the trip! Don’t hesitate to book this family rafting trip!
This bath was ok. After seeing the super organized and efficient process at The Blue Lagoon, here it was not as fluid. I had issues with my locker twice and the scenery around the bath was a lot of dirt and construction equipment. Also know that this bath has an extremely strong smell of sulphur. It bothered my teenage daughter and I saw other people at the bath having some issues with the smell. My advice would be to skip this one. There are other much better baths in the country.
We had a great experience watching whales on the Salka. We had two very up close encounters with the whales and saw many more at various distances! Highly recommend.
My favorite bath. It’s natural water from the lake and has no sulphuric smell. The infinity pools look out into the lake and mountains on the other side. The facility is clean and well organized. Strongly recommend!
A most unique experience! The water is so clear and gorgeous! Dive.IS we’re very friendly, patient, and knowledgeable. We were well dressed to snorkel in 38 degree water. You won’t regret doing this!!
Thanks so much for the glowing account of your trip, Donna, your enthusiasm and enjoyment are palpable in the descriptions of your experience, and I'm thrilled it all turned out so well for you!
Duncan