A two day escape into the lesser known west of Iceland. If you want to experience Iceland’s vast landscapes and wild nature in Snæfellsnes, while trying to get a peak at the Northern Lights, this is the tour for you. With towering mountains, broken sea cliffs, hidden waterfalls, ancient lava fields and black sand beaches, this small peninsula has it all. No wonder so many movies and TV shows like Game of Thrones were filmed here.
On this trip you will get to know all the main sights of the Snæfellsnes peninsula, including Snæfellsjökull National Park, while also embarking on an adventurous day time activity.
The Snæfellsnes peninsula is authentically Icelandic with its enchanting fishing villages, black sand beaches, lava fields, arrow shaped mountains (Game of Thrones, anyone?), shattered coastline and the mystical glacier which gives the area its name. To enhance our chances of seeing the Northern Lights we make sure to stay in a secluded hotel overnight so you have as much time as you want after our daytime activities to hunt. We’ll stop by the
This two day tour is run between September and early April but can be converted to a summer adventure too.
PRIVATE SNÆFELLSNES & NORTHERN LIGHTS 2 DAY TOUR
Tour Summary
Day 1: Travel north to the Snæfellsnes Peninsula stopping by black sand beaches, arrow shaped mountains and broken sea cliffs, ready to see the Northern Lights in your secluded hotel
Day 2: Take part in any number of optional activities or visit the lesser known Husafell area
Please Note: Arrival day, departure day and additional days are not part of the proposed itinerary but will be planned by our Trip Planners for you in your first quote if requested. We also recommend having at least one full day in Reykjavík before or after your tour.
Day 1 | Exploring Snæfellsnes Peninsula
We depart Reykjavík heading north, first we drive alongside Mount Esja before passing underneath Hvalfjörður, the Whale Fjord, by going through the six kilometre subsea tunnel. On our way to Snæfellsnes we will pass by farm land, rocky bay areas, dramatic lava fields and steep mountains that seem to rise from the sea.
The lake Selvallavatn and the vast surrounding landscape is our first stop on the peninsula. It is here that there is even a hidden waterfall, which just tops off this incredible introduction to the beauty of Snæfellsnes.
We continue on to one of the most iconic sights in Iceland. Kirkjufell, or Church mountain, which rises nearly 500m up right above the seaside town of Grundafjörður. This arrow shaped mountain was famously depicted in North of the Wall scenes from the TV show Game of Thrones. On calm days the mountain’s reflection can be seen in the nearby lake, while the views from the picturesque waterfall of Kirkjufellsfoss are incredible.
From impressive mountains to striking beaches, our next stop is the black sand beach of Djúpalónssandur. This pebble beach is amazing and the walk through the small gorge, lava fields and past the mineral water pool is almost as wonderful. From here we will get to take in the powerful Snæfellsjökull volcano, which will dominate the skyline for the rest of our drive. Snæfellsjökull provided the setting and inspiration for Jules Verne when writing his book, Journey to the Centre of the Earth, and its not hard to see why.
The last stop before heading towards tonight’s accommodation at Hótel Búðir (or equivalent) is the minuscule fishing village of Arnarstapi. The first thing we’ll notice is the large statue of the Saga character Bárður Snæfellsás, a half man half giant who is said to protects the inhabitants of Snæfellsnes. Here the rock formations, coves and sea cliffs are to be explored and admired, with the crashing waves constantly eroding various shapes into the exposed cliffs. Staying overnight at the wonderful Hótel Búðir (or equivalent) gives us a far better chance to see the Northern Lights, which are often seen right over the hotel on a clear, starry night.
Arnarstapi. Photo by Norris Niman * Featured
Selvallavatn waterfall by Dennis Stever
Lóndrangar cliffs in the Snæfellsnes Peninsula | Snæfellsnes Peninsula Tour | Hidden Iceland | Photo by Norris Niman. Londrangar.
Kirkjufell Mountain | Northern Lights | Snæfellsnes Peninsula | Hidden Iceland | Photo by Tom Archer. About Us.
Northern Lights by Norris Niman. Hidden Iceland
Day 2 | Activity Day
After breakfast at Hótel Búðir (or equivalent) we will explore the hotel’s surroundings in the morning twilight and most definitely take a few pictures by the black church of Búðakirkja, which has to be the most photogenic church in Iceland, with its stunning backdrop of lava fields and mountains.
Once we are ready we head out for the day to enjoy your chosen activity.
During whale watching season we will meet our partners at Láki tours (until October 15th and after February 15th). They will take us out on Breiðafjorður Bay on the search for killer whales, or orcas, who call this large fjord home for the winter. We grab lunch in the town of Ólafsvík once we are back on dry land. We make another stop or two on our way back to Reykjavík, getting back in time for dinner in the city.
During the whale watching off season we have multiple other options for our second day in West Iceland
– A sightseeing day in the tranquil Husafell region
– Into the Glacier tour on Langjökull glacier, with or without snowmobiling
– The Lava Cave. We could also go and explore the lava tunnel of Víðgelmir
– Horse Riding. We could go on a horse riding tour with our partners at Sturlureykir
– Soak at Krauma Spa for the afternoon.
Snæfellsnes drive. Photo by Tom Archer.
Orca Whale Watching Iceland
Búðakirkja black church in winter. Hidden Iceland. Photo by Scott Drummond
Tour Highlights
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Inclusions
Accommodation, activities requested & private transportation in a comfortable vehicle and our wonderful English speaking driver guide for the duration of the trip. Reykjavík accommodation, airport pickup and/or drop off can be included if requested.
Exclusions
Flights to and from Iceland, meals unless otherwise specified.
Optional alternatives
Víðgemlir Lava Tunnel, Into the Glacier Tour, Snowmobiling, Horse Riding, Krauma Geothermal Spa, Snowmobiling.
Extensions
Additional days, Reykjavík accommodation and airport pickup and/or drop off can be included if requested.
FAQ
What if the Northern Lights forecast is bad?
We stay in a secluded hotel overnight to give you as good a chance as any to see the Northern Lights. If the forecast is bad, we will stay run the trip as planned but focus on the daytime activities instead. We can never guarantee Northern Lights sightings but we can maximise our chances as much as possible.
How long do we spend hunting for the Northern Lights?
After dinner, your guide will spend time with you on foot outside of the hotel giving you hints and tips on how best to take pictures and what to look for. Your guide will head to bed at a reasonable time. It’s then up to you how late you want to stay out before heading to bed.
Will I get a second chance to see the Northern Lights if we aren’t successful on our trip?
We don’t provide Northern Lights only tours so this will be your only chance to see them with us if you aren’t doing other package tours with us. We prefer to only offer Northern Lights tours as part of a package, so if you don’t get lucky at night you at least still had a fantastic day leading up to it. There are a number of other companies that offer Northern Lights only tours if this is your top priority on other days.
Ready to make this your dream trip?
Please try to give us as much information as you can, like the fields below, so that we can come up with the best private trip for you as quickly as possible. We will always do our best to respond to all messages within 3 business days, excluding weekends.
