Women-Only: Spirit of Iceland with Northern Lights

Note: Flights may not be available on all departures.

You can find more details on the Before You Depart page.

Travelers who purchased our air-inclusive program will be met and transferred to our hotel. Get ready for a full day after arriving in Reykjavik, known for its creative soul and eye-popping design. After a welcome breakfast at our hotel, our Reykjavik city tour's highlights include historic spots like one of the oldest parliaments in the world, the landmark Hallgrimskirkja church with its impressive tower, Asmundur Sveinsson Sculpture Museum, and Hofdi House, where presidents Reagan and Gorbachev held a summit that marked the end of the Cold War. This afternoon we'll have some free time before this evening's first opportunity to see the Northern Lights. We can't guarantee you will see the northern lights, but we'll make every effort! If the weather doesn’t cooperate, the excursion will be rescheduled for another evening.

Today is a free day for independent exploring in or around Reykjavik, or you can join a fascinating full-day optional excursion to the spectacular Snaefellsnes peninsula. See optional tours for more details on this must-see destination.

Our journey takes us through the stunning and diverse landscapes of Iceland’s south coast. This is the land of Njal’s Saga, a region of breathtaking scenery and legendary stories. Today’s first visit will be to Bakkastofa, where author, leader, and storyteller, Ásta Kristrún and her husband Valgeir, one of Iceland’s foremost songwriters, live and work. They’ll share stories and legends referencing the history and politics of Iceland before inviting us to enjoy coffee and Icelandic cake on the second floor of their home. Ásta just published a new novel, and she also has a background in politics and teaching and can speak to the current state of women in Iceland. Next, we’ll encounter the dramatic sea cliffs of Dyrholaey and spectacular waterfalls of Seljalandsfoss and Skogafoss, as well as unforgettable views of Hekla and Eyjafjallajokul volcanoes. Tonight’s destination is the remote village of Vik, known for its black-sand beaches and considered one of the most magical places to see the northern lights. After dinner together in our countryside hotel, we can simply stroll outside to view this amazing phenomenon!

We'll depart this morning for our full-day tour. First, we'll travel to the Geysir hot spring area with the lively Strokkur, which spouts water every 30 minutes. We'll get our cameras ready for an exciting show! After an independent lunch, we'll continue to the famous Gullfoss (translated as "Golden Falls") with its spectacular two-tiered cascade.  We'll continue to Friðheimar Greenhouse where they cultivate tomatoes year-round. Here we'll enjoy a greenhouse tour with tastings of food and drink made with the produce cultivated and grown on the farm. Sample the greenhouse's unique "Healthy Mary" drink with time to discuss the meaning behind this project. From Friðheimar we make our way to Laugarvatn Fontana, where we'll see the power of geothermal energy first hand. We'll dig out a pot of fresh bread from the hot black sand with the chance to enjoy a taste as we learn more about this Icelandic tradition. Next, is Thingvellir National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site where the ancient Viking parliament met for centuries on the shores of Iceland’s largest lake. Here, we’ll witness the geological phenomenon of tectonic plates drifting apart.  Later, we’ll return to Reykjavik for an evening at leisure.

Today you’ll dip into Iceland’s fascinating history, unique geothermal wonders and one of its most popular attractions. Our exploration includes Hafnarfjordur, built on an ancient lava flow; the deep, mysterious Lake Kleifarvatn; geothermal areas at Krisuvik and Gunnuhver; the fishing village of Grindavik; and the country’s oldest lighthouse. We’ve saved the most relaxing stop for last, the famous Blue Lagoon, where you’ll bathe in mineral-rich, 102°F waters like the Icelanders do! After our return to Reykjavik, our day concludes with a farewell dinner.

Spend the morning at leisure before checkout. Then, your smarTours guide will take you to the Whales of Iceland Exhibition. The Whales of Iceland is the largest museum dedicated to whales in Europe and possibly the world. A team of expert craftsmen has sculpted 23 lifelike cetaceans found in Icelandic waters both to scale and based on specific individuals found in the wild! Our tour of Iceland comes to an end. Travelers who purchased our air-inclusive program will transfer to the airport for our return nonstop flight to the U.S.

Note: Flights not offered for 2025 departures.

You can find more details on the Before You Depart page.

Welcome to Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland! Our tour begins with a welcome meeting hosted by our Tour Director at our hotel at 1 PM. Afterward, our panoramic city tour takes us to Reykjavik's highlights like one of the oldest parliaments in the world, the landmark Hallgrímskirkja Church, the Perlan Observatory Deck, Harpa Concert Hall, and Höfði House. Our tour concludes with a welcome dinner. Later tonight, we'll have our first opportunity to view the Northern Lights with a late-night excursion (approx. 9 PM–12:30 AM). We can't guarantee you will see the northern lights, but we'll make every effort! If the weather doesn’t cooperate, the excursion will be rescheduled for another evening.

Note: Given the length of the day, we recommend purchasing the optional pre-night and arriving in Reykjavik one day earlier.

Today is a free day for independent exploring in or around Reykjavik, or join a fascinating full-day optional excursion to the spectacular Snaefellsnes peninsula. See optional tours for more details on this must-see destination.

Our journey takes us through the stunning and diverse landscapes of Iceland’s south coast. This is the land of Njal’s Saga, a region of breathtaking scenery and legendary stories. Today’s first visit will be to Bakkastofa, where author, leader, and storyteller, Ásta Kristrún and her husband Valgeir, one of Iceland’s foremost songwriters, live and work. They’ll share stories and legends referencing the history and politics of Iceland before inviting us to enjoy coffee and Icelandic cake on the second floor of their home. Ásta just published a new novel, and she also has a background in politics and teaching and can speak to the current state of women in Iceland. Next, we’ll encounter the dramatic sea cliffs of Dyrholaey and spectacular waterfalls of Seljalandsfoss and Skogafoss, as well as unforgettable views of Hekla and Eyjafjallajokul volcanoes. Tonight’s destination is the remote village of Vik, known for its black-sand beaches and considered one of the most magical places to see the northern lights. After dinner together in our countryside hotel, we can simply stroll outside to view this amazing phenomenon!

We'll depart this morning for our full-day tour. First, we'll travel to the Geysir hot spring area with the lively Strokkur, which spouts water every 30 minutes. After an independent lunch, we'll continue to the famous Gullfoss (translated as "Golden Falls") with its spectacular two-tiered cascade.  We'll continue to Friðheimar Greenhouse where we'll enjoy a greenhouse tour with tastings of food and drink made with the produce cultivated and grown on the farm. Sample the greenhouse's unique "Healthy Mary" drink with time to discuss the meaning behind this project. From Friðheimar we make our way to Laugarvatn Fontana, where we'll see the power of geothermal energy first hand. We'll dig out a pot of fresh bread from the hot black sand with the chance to enjoy a taste as we learn more about this Icelandic tradition. Next, is Thingvellir National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site where the ancient Viking parliament met for centuries on the shores of Iceland’s largest lake. Here, we’ll witness the geological phenomenon of tectonic plates drifting apart.  Later, we’ll return to Reykjavik for an evening at leisure.

Today we’ll dip into Iceland’s fascinating history, unique geothermal wonders, and one of its most popular attractions. Our exploration includes Hafnarfjordur, built on an ancient lava flow; the deep, mysterious Lake Kleifarvatn; geothermal areas at Krisuvik and Gunnuhver; the fishing village of Grindavik; and the country’s oldest lighthouse. We’ve saved the most relaxing stop for last, the famous Blue Lagoon, where we’ll bathe in mineral-rich, 102°F waters like the Icelanders do! After our return to Reykjavik, our day concludes with a farewell dinner.

Our tour comes to an end after breakfast this morning. Our Tour Director and/or the hotel staff can help organize transportation for your onward journeys.