Iceland & Northern Lights with Pete Lawrence - Manchester

None given.Iceland & the Northern Lights with Pete Lawrence
Iceland, the newest country on earth, is raw nature at its very best. Discover the fascinating capital of Reykjavík before heading into the great wilderness and remoteness of natural Iceland. See where the European and American Tectonic plates are slowly moving apart. Marvel at the spectacular Gullfoss Waterfall and experience the bubbling muds and spectacle of the exploding Geyser. Walk behind mighty waterfalls and gaze upon black sands. As if this is not enough, Iceland is also perfectly placed to witness the spectacular Northern Lights and, unlike tours based in more light-polluted areas, we have the opportunity of watching out for them from the comfort of our hotel.
For those wishing to learn more about the Northern Lights and the night sky or master the art of taking impressive photos of them, Pete Lawrence from the BBC's The Sky at Night will be travelling with us to offer a helping hand.

Iceland & the Northern Lights with Pete Lawrence
Itinerary
Day 1 - Arrival in Iceland & Reykjavík
Fly to Keflavík. On arrival, we are transferred to our overnight hotel in the heart of Reykjavík, the country's capital. The rest of the day is spent at leisure to explore the sights. The city is home to the National and Saga museums, tracing Iceland's Viking history while the striking concrete Hallgrimskirkja church and rotating Perlan glass dome offer sweeping views of the sea and nearby hills.
Day 2 - Golden Circle Tour & Night Sky Viewing
After breakfast, our coach and English-speaking guide collect us from the hotel for our Golden Circle Tour which embraces the very best of Iceland. Tour highlights include the Þingvellir National Park with its magnificent views and natural wonders such as the Almannagjá gorge and Lake Þingvallavatn; the famous Geysir hot spring area with boiling mud pits and geysers such as the lively Strokkur geyser which spouts water up to 30 metres into the air every few minutes; and the mighty Gullfoss Waterfall which is, by volume of water, the biggest waterfall in Europe.
Later this afternoon we check in to the Hotel Lækur in Hella, where we stay for two nights. After our two-course dinner, there's the option to join Pete Lawrence for an informative presentation on the Northern Lights and the best way to photograph them. After the presentation and subject to suitable weather conditions, we go outside and explore the night sky, again with the help of Pete and wait in anticipation for the Aurora to appear. An “Aurora watch” will be in operation until at least midnight for those who wish to be woken up to see them!
Day 3 - South Iceland Tour & Night Sky Viewing
We depart on our South Iceland Tour after breakfast - take the chance to walk behind waterfalls and wander along volcanic beaches and see the amazing glacier peaks! Highlights include the Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss waterfalls; the impressive rock formations and cliffs at Dyrhóley; the cliffs and black beach at Reynisfjara and the village of Vík, located near the absolute southernmost point in Iceland.
On our return to the hotel we enjoy a two-course dinner. Afterwards, there's the option to join a further presentation with Pete Lawrence. Under his expert eye, we wait for the Aurora to make an impressive appearance. A Northern Lights watch will again operate until at least midnight for those who wish to be woken up to watch them.
Day 4 - Urriðafoss Waterfall, Hveragerði & Reykjavik
We enjoy breakfast and depart for our final excursion. Our first stop is the scenic Urriðafoss waterfall in the mighty Þjórsá River before we continue on to explore Hveragerði. Surrounded by picturesque scenery and distinctive fumaroles, this pretty town is renowned for its abundance of hot springs that are heated by activity from the nearby Hengill volcano. The water from these springs is used to heat a series of greenhouses that cultivate a large quantity of unique Icelandic plant life. After lunch, we return to Reykjavík where we have some time to explore at leisure before we continue to Keflavik where we check in to our overnight hotel.
Day 5 - Departure
We check out of our hotel and transfer to Keflavík airport for our return flight home.
Please note: as the Northern Lights is a natural phenomenon, we cannot guarantee a successful sighting.

Iceland & the Northern Lights with Pete Lawrence

- Return flights to Keflavík
- Airport taxes & luggage allowance (one piece of checked-in hold luggage per person)
- Airport & hotel transfers in Iceland
- 1 night at a selected hotel in Reykjavík (JG3 rating) with breakfast
- 2 nights at the Hotel Lækur, Hella (JG3+ rating) with dinner & breakfast
- 1 night at the Konvin Hotel, Keflavík Airport (JG3 rating) with breakfast
- Full day Golden Circle Tour with an English-speaking guide
- Full day South Iceland Tour with an English-speaking guide
- Visits to the Urriðafoss Waterfall, Hveragerði & Reykjavík with an English-speaking guide
- 2 presentations and astrophotography guidance by Pete Lawrence
- 2 nights watching for the Northern Lights with Pete Lawrence
- Services of a tour manager


Iceland & the Northern Lights with Pete Lawrence

- Visits to the Urriðafoss Waterfall, Hveragerði & Reykjavík with an English-speaking guide
- 2 presentations and astrophotography guidance by Pete Lawrence
- 2 nights watching for the Northern Lights with Pete Lawrence


JG3
Hotels with a JG3 rating tend to be a more formal style of hotel, often part of a hotel chain, or are very-welcoming family-owned properties. Generally, they offer a greater range of facilities and services, and bedrooms tend to be a little more spacious with additional features. Public areas are larger and include lounge seating, bar and restaurant with good quality food served either buffet style or waiter service.

JG3+
JG3+ hotels typically enjoy higher levels of satisfaction on both online hotel rating sites and our own customer satisfaction surveys and may enjoy superior locations close to resort attractions or surrounded by spectacular scenery.Konvin Hotel, Keflavík
JG3 rating
With its convenient location near Keflavík Airport, the Konvin Hotel is an ideal base for the last night of our break. The spacious en-suite rooms offer TV and free Wi-Fi, and the hotel also features a bar in the cosy lobby lounge.

Hotel Lækur, Hella
JG3+ rating
The family-owned Hotel Lækur is a modern hotel, peacefully located on an Icelandic horse farm close to the village of Hella in southern Iceland, an area renowned for its beautiful and untouched nature. The hotel proudly offers the all-around Icelandic experience, surrounded by magical landscapes, close to both breathtaking natural wonders and local entertainment. All the rooms feature an en-suite shower room and other facilities include free Wi-Fi, a bar, lounge, restaurant, drying room and an outside viewing terrace, perfect to watch out for the Northern Lights.

Selected Hotel
JG3 ratingWe will spend one night of this tour at a selected hotel in Reykjavík (JG3 rating) such as the Klettur Hotel or Hotel Leifur.