This month, The Traveling Professor organized 2 small group tours to Iceland.   Our first tour started on February 6 and the 2nd tour started on February 11.    Here is a summary and report of our tour:

Day 1:  Each travelers arrived at the 4-star Holt Hotel in Reykjavik.   We like the Holt for several reasons.  It is close to downtown Reykjavik but in a quiet spot.  It has a friendly and accommodating staff.  It has a great bar/lounge for enjoying our down time.  Breakfast is terrific.  It also has the largest private art collection in Iceland and we were treated to a tour followed up by an hour-long wine tasting in the best-regarded wine cellar in Reykjavik.   It was a great way to get to know our fellow travelers.

Day 2:   With 40 degree plus temperatures we did a private tour of the Iceland Golden Circle.  Our day was filled with geysers, waterfalls, national parks and a special visit to a working Icelandic farm for lunch.  After getting back at 5 pm and a great dinner at Solon restaurant, our 2nd group got on the bus at 830 pm for a drive away from the light pollution of Reykjavik for a fantastic view of the Northern Lights.

Day 3:  Everyone slept in a little later and had the opportunity for a private guided walking tour of Reykjavik.  Our guide, Johanes, was full of humor and fun as he explained what it is like to live like an Icelander in Reykjavik.   The rest of the day was spent by travelers on their own discovering Reykjavik including the Harpa Opera House, shopping, and museums.

Day 4:  This was our longest day out on the road to the South Coast.  What a spectacular day!  We walked the glaciers, black sand beaches, saw volcanoes and 160 meter waterfalls.  After getting back after such a long day, we relaxed in the lounge at the Holt.

Day 5:  Some say relaxing in the soothing geothermal baths of the Blue Lagoon was their best day.  I’m not sure if there is an experience like this anywhere else in the world.   That night, our 1st group, still in search of the Northern Lights, took a trip out to an authentic lobster house on the South Coast for a dinner that will not soon be forgotten.

During out time in Iceland we had about 7.5-8.5 hours of daylight each day.   The weather was unseasonably warm, getting into the 40’s each day.  Generally, each day was overcast and it prevented our 1st group from seeing the Northern Lights. 

Here are some photos of our tour:  https://goo.gl/photos/7gzDhVUTRvqAC41U7

We will be going back to Iceland and the Northern Lights in 2018.   Take a look at our itinerary for our small group tour to Iceland here, but act quickly if you want to go with us, the trip is half-filled already.