Zecher Family Private Iceland Must See Tour | July 2023
Richard Zecher | 6 travellers
July 2023
July 1 | Arrival day, Private Fire & Ice Helicopter Tour
A private driver will wait for you by the arrival gates at KEF Airport upon arrival and take you to Reykjavík. Your hotel is ready for check in in the afternoon, until then use the time to start getting to know our favourite little city. You will join a private helicopter 60-80 minute guided helicopter flight with a 15 minute landing on a glacier and a 15 minute landing by a remote geothermal area on an old volcano.
Activities: Private airport transfer, private Fire & Ice Helicopter tour Accommodation: Reykjavík Edition Hotel in 3 of their guest rooms with breakfast Inclusions: Accommodation with breakfast, private airport transfers Exclusions: Flights, meals, in-city activities and transportation
Dinner reservation: Bakabaka, Bankastræti 2 101, Reykjavík Time: 18:00 Booking name: Richard Zecher
Your guide will pick you up from your Reykjavík accommodation to embark on our adventure to explore the entire south coast of Iceland. You’ll visit Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss waterfalls before taking a walk on Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach. You continue your drive further east where you’ll soon start to see the spectacular glaciers and Iceland’s highest mountains. You hike along the ridges of the gorge with the impossible name, Fjaðrárgljúfur, before coming into our accommodation for the night at Fosshotel Glacier Lagoon.
Accommodation: Fosshotel Glacier Lagoon in 3 of their Deluxe Rooms with breakfast Inclusions: Accommodation with breakfast, private transportation in our luxurious vehicle, led by one of our wonderful guides for the day Exclusions: Meals
Seljalandsfoss Aerial | Hidden Iceland | Photo Danny Mcgee | Featured
Reynisfjara by Simon Svensson
Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach & Reynisfjall by Danny Mcgee.
Fjaðrárgljúfur gorge is on the south coast of Iceland. Photo by Marc Hoey
July 3 | Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon, Diamond Beach and Glacier Hike
From here you continue west to do a glacier hike on the Falljökull glacier. You are heading onto the glacier to hike all the way up to the astonishing ice fall of the glacier exploring the glacier textures, features and walk on the bottom of its crevasses. It’s truly a unique experience. The glacier hike is about 4 hours in total. Once you come back you will travel to the nearby Jökulsárlón where we take time to explore the enormous glacier lagoon and the icebergs which float around here. Seals can often be spotted swimming amongst the icebergs. You make your way over to the Diamond Beach, where the icebergs from the lagoon flow with the tide out to the ocean and wash up on the shores of the black sand beach. You’ll rest easy again at the Fosshotel Glacier Lagoon after a day exploring the icy landscape.
Activities: Private glacier hike with all glacier gear provided
Accommodation: Fosshotel Glacier Lagoon in 3 of their Deluxe Rooms with breakfast Inclusions: Accommodation with breakfast, private transportation in our luxurious vehicle, led by one of our wonderful guides for the day Exclusions: Meals
Falljökull glacier. Winter Lights photo workshop with Tom Archer & Wahyu Mahendra. Hidden Iceland | Photo by Tom Archer
July 4 | South Coast Easy Day with Private ATV Tour
After two big days of travel and adventure, it’s time to slow the pace a little on this more relaxed day. You will take your time travelling back along the south coast stopping off along the way at your guides favorite spots. You will arrive in the picturesque town of Vík in time for lunch. Here you will have ample time to do a spot of shopping for souvenirs, try the ‘best coffee in the south of Iceland’ at the Skool Beans converted school bus café and get some great views along the way. In the afternoon you will join an ATV tour on the beautiful black sand beaches of the south coast. Your hotel for the night is just a short drive from here where you can spend the afternoon relaxing and revisiting all the pictures taken for the past couple of days.
Activities: Private 2 hour ATV tour on solo ATVs
Accommodation: Skálakot Hotel in 2 of their Standard rooms and their mini suite with breakfast Inclusions: Accommodation with breakfast, private transportation in our luxurious vehicle, led by one of our wonderful guides for the day Exclusions: Meals
Dinner reservation: Skálakot Manor Hotel Time: 19:00 Booking name: Richard Zecher
The DC Plane Wreck on Sólheimasandur
ATV Tour on Sólheimasandur
Vík Church in Summer Lupin Field. Hidden Iceland. Photo Norris Niman
Skool Beans Cat.
Svartifoss Waterfall . Hidden Iceland
July 5 | Westman Islands, Heimaey, Stórhöfði with RIB Boat Tour
You will start the day by taking the short ferry ride to reach the volcanic chain of islands known as the Westman Islands. The main island, Heimaey, was almost destroyed by a volcanic eruption in 1973 resulting in a full town evacuation. If you are feeling up to the challenge you will hike to the top of the still warm Eldfell volcano with great 360 degree views of the island and coast of Iceland. It is often referred to as the “Pompei of the North”. You will eat lunch at one of my favorite restaurants in Iceland, GOTT, which uses all local ingredients. The food at GOTT is inspired by what is available locally, giving a modern twist to many of Iceland’s favorite dishes. From here you can see the cooled lava and new section of the island that was created in 1973, with the island increasing in size by over 20% from all the new lava.
After lunch you will have more time to explore the islands and joining a 1 hour RIB boat ride to explore the islands is a fantastic and fun way to do it. The scenic boat tour takes you deep inside the sea caves, and around the small islands scattered off Heimaey that are otherwise inaccessible. If you are lucky you may even get close to the array of wildlife around the islands, like whales and Puffins. It is amazing to see the islands from this angle. In summer the Westman Islands is one of the best places in Iceland to view Puffins, with millions calling these islands home for the summer. It is always a delight to see these incredibly cute birds. You will come back to your south coast accommodation in the late evening.
Activities: 1 hour RIB Boat tour (private tour), GOTT Restaurant (all inclusive lunch besides alcoholic beverages)
Accommodation: Skálakot Hotel in 2 of their Standard rooms and their mini suite with breakfast Inclusions: Accommodation with breakfast, private transportation in our luxurious vehicle, led by one of our wonderful guides for the day Exclusions: Meals
Dinner reservation: Skálakot Manor Hotel Time: 19:00 Booking name: Richard Zecher
Arial View of the Westman Islands
View from Eldfell Volcano. Photo Lucas Peters
Close up puffins. Photo taken by Dagný Björg Stefánsdóttir.
RIB Boat Tour
July 6 | Þórsmörk Highland Tour with packed lunch
Today you truly go off the beaten track going into Þórsmörk, a lushly vegetated mountain valley in an off road 4×4 vehicle that enables you to cross deep glacial rivers and handle nearly any terrain. On the way, you will head all the way up to Gígjökull, one of the outlet glaciers of the Eyjafjallajökull volcano. Here, you will get an idea of the forces that were at play during the 2010 eruption of Eyjafjallajökull. Next stop, you will explore Stakkholtsgjá canyon, a beautiful natural wonder. Walking to the end of the canyon is one of the most rewarding short hikes in Iceland. After your walk in the canyon, you will make way deep into Þórsmörk, a nature reserve in the southern Icelandic Highlands, nestled between the Myrdalsjökull, Eyjafjallajökull and Tindfjallajökull glaciers. You have the opportunity to enjoy the amazing landscape and take nice short hikes around the area, and really take in the beautiful unspoiled nature of Iceland. After the tour you will head straight to the beautiful Retreat Hotel. Before dinner at Moss Restaurant you will enjoy a private wine cellar tour complete with tastings.
Activities: Full day Thórsmörk highland tour with packed lunch (private tour)
Accommodation: The Retreat in 2 of their Moss Junior suites and 1 of their Lagoon View Junior Suites with breakfast Inclusions: Accommodation with breakfast, private transportation in our luxurious vehicle, led by one of our wonderful guides for the day Exclusions: Meals
Dinner reservation: Lava Restaurant at the Blue Lagoon Time: 19:00 Booking name: Richard Zecher
Þórsmörk Super Jeep Tour. Hidden Iceland.
Thorsmork (Þórsmörk). The Valley of Thor in the Highlands of Iceland.
Thórsmörk in winter. Þórsmörk highlands tour. Picture provided by Midgard Adventures. Thorsmork.
Thórsmörk Highlands. Þórsmörk 4×4. Hidden Iceland. Photo by Erik Solie. Thorsmork.
Thórsmörk Highlands. Þórsmörk 4×4. Hidden Iceland. Photo by Erik Solie. Thorsmork.
July 7 | Inside the Volcano Tour
Today you will take a tour to Inside the Volcano. The dormant Þríhnúkagígur volcano is a unique natural phenomenon. To be able to experience this wonder, you will start with a moderate 45–50 minute hike (to get to the crater) and descend 400 feet to the bottom of the crater in an open cable lift. It is truly a unique experience to go inside a dormant volcano – the colours are astonishing! After this exhilarating tour you will head back to the Retreat to spend some more time relaxing at the Retreat spa.
Activities: Inside the Volcano Tour (open departure, not private)
Accommodation: The Retreat in 2 of their Moss Junior suites and 1 of their Lagoon View Junior Suites with breakfast Inclusions: Accommodation with breakfast, private transportation in our luxurious vehicle, led by one of our wonderful guides for the day Exclusions: Meals
Private Wine Tasting Reservation: 16:45
Dinner reservation: Moss Restaurant at the Blue Lagoon Time: 18:30 Booking name: Richard Zecher
Inside the Volcano
Inside the Volcano
Inside the Volcano
The Retreat Hotel by Blue Lagoon
The Retreat Spa & Lagoon by Blue Lagoon
July 8 | Departure day
Today marks your last day in Iceland. A private driver will pick you up from your accommodation and take you to KEF Airport for your outbound flight.
Inclusions: Hotel breakfast, private airport transportation Exclusions: Meals, in-city activities and transportation, flights
Tour Overview
Inclusions
– Accommodation for a total of 7 nights in the above mentioned room types with breakfast all mornings
– Private transportation in one of our luxurious vehicle with one of our wonderful guides for the duration of the private tour
– Private Fire & Ice Helicopter Tour
– Private glacier hike with all glacier gear provided
– Private 2 hour ATV tour on solo ATVs
– 1 hour RIB Boat tour (private tour), GOTT Restaurant (all inclusive lunch besides alcoholic beverages)
– Full day Thórsmörk highland tour with packed lunch (private tour)
– Inside the Volcano Tour (open departure, not private)
– Private wine cellar tour with tastings at the Retreat
– Carbon offsetting
– Flexible cancellation policy
– All taxes and fees