Iceland: Ultimate Family Vacation

Start the day at the picturesque Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon. Take an amphibian boat ride between the huge icebergs, which constantly break away from the glacier tongue of Breiðamerkurjökull, producing a wonder world of ice. The lagoon has provided the backdrop for many major feature films and programs including ‘Batman Begins,’ and most recently ‘Game of Thrones.’

The Skaftafell region of Vatnajokull National Park is a lush oasis where you can hike for days on gorgeous trails through forests, waterfalls, black sands, mountains, and glaciers. You can’t leave this area without a hike to Svartifoss Waterfall, bordered on both sides by tall black basalt columns, resembling the pipes of a giant organ.

The highlight here is a glacier hike on crampons. Skilled guides will go over all safety features and equipment before you set foot on Vatnajökull, Europe’s biggest ice cap. On your journey, come across some spectacular ice formations, deep sinkholes, and rugged ice crevasses. (Minimum age 10 years).

Overnight Hotel Glacier Lagoon

Today, drive along the south coast – a sweeping landscape of sandy deserts, rocky shores, and rolling farmlands sandwiched between snow-capped glaciers, mountains, and the ocean. Stop to admire the black sand beaches and cliffs at Dyrholaey. There are also vast bird colonies here, including puffins (generally seen mid-May to early August). Along the way, stop at the gorgeous Seljalandsfoss Waterfall where you can walk behind it and through to the other side! We’ll also stop at the majestic and much-photographed Skógafoss Waterfall, with its impressive 60 m (196 ft) drop.

Visit Fjarðárgljúfur Canyon, which reaches up to 100 meters deep and 2 km long. It was created by progressive erosion by glacier melt through the rocks over a long period of time. A walk around the Canyon or just enjoying the majestic views makes this a great stop and photo-op. The Canyon has been the site for many music videos; recently Justin Bieber’s famous “I’ll Show You” video was shot there.

Visit the Seljalandsfoss Waterfall along Iceland’s southern coast, which is fed by melting water from the famed glacier-capped Eyjafjallajokull Volcano. Your final stop today will be Reynisfjara – a black pebble beach that features an amazing cliff of regular basalt columns resembling a rocky step pyramid. The waves at Reynisfjara are especially strong and unpredictable.

This afternoon you may choose from two activities:

Horseback riding: One hour of horse riding at a farm in the south. Icelandic horses are quite small but very strong for their size and very surefooted. They control five gaits while most other breeds have only three or four.

ATV tour : This two-three hour ATV tour takes you between two of Iceland ‘s most famous and notorious volcanos, Hekla and Eyjafjallajökull. Cross small rivers and visit waterfalls and caves along the way. The scenery is enchanting enough to be home to elves!

Overnight Hotel Rangá