Best of Iceland

This six-night escorted tour with G Adventures offers a compact but full itinerary around Iceland's distinctive landscapes. The route includes stops at Goðafoss, a waterfall whose cascading water has long marked the eastern fjords, then moves on to visits around Mývatn lake, including the lava formations of Dimmuborgir and the geothermal vents of Námaskarð.

Further along the way, the tour visits Dettifoss, often claimed as Europe's most powerful waterfall, and the immense Vatnajökull glacier. At Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon, visitors will find seals floating among the icebergs, a quietly arresting sight. Reynisfjara beach offers vistas of basalt columns and black sand, contrasting sharply with the more familiar whites and greens of other coastlines. The tour concludes with the Golden Circle route featuring Gullfoss waterfall, Geysir hot springs, and Þingvellir National Park.

Travellers stay in small hotels and local guesthouses, with a group size averaging 14, allowing room for walking between sights and soaking in the unique Icelandic weather, which can shift dramatically within the day. It is not an effortless sightseeing trip; expect some long drive days as the group moves across this island nation, famed for its stark and varied terrain.