Winter Experience photographic tour

Visit all the major sights around Iceland and see them in a winter mode.
Available upon demands November - March (9 days - 8 nights)

Highlights: Professional photographer as a driver guide, Hraunfossar waterfalls, Akureyri town, Lake Mývatn area, East fjords, Jökulsárlón - Glacier lagoon, South Coast, Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss waterfalls, Reynisfjara black sand beach, Vík, Golden Circle with Gullfoss waterfall and Geysir hot spring, Thingvellir national park, Horses and Northern lights.

About the tour

During this tour, you will experience Iceland in a variety of weather conditions and have the opportunity to photograph extreme landscapes in ever changing colors. Despite the winter, Iceland is not always covered in snow, and due to the low sun and varied weather conditions between the north and south of the island, Iceland has exceptionally beautiful light and contrast, which gives way to plenty of variety in your photographs.

We will take the route one with a few detours, stopping at the highlights of Iceland´s natural landscape, subject to weather and accessibility during the winter.  A big advantage for photographers during these months is that there are fewer people around at this time of year compared to the summer.

During the nights and evenings, we will keep a lookout for the Northern lights since they can appear in the sky without any notice and disappear just as quickly.  The main sights on this tour are the Lake Mývatn area in northeast Iceland with its lava formations, craters and geothermal areas, the glacier lagoon and Vatnajökull glacier in the southeast with the possibility of exploring some ice caves, the black sand beaches in the south, numerous waterfalls along this 1,400km route in all their shapes and winter forms, fishing villages with their old houses, the Icelandic horse and anything else that we may come across and look interesting.

We will stay at farm hotels and guesthouses that offer personal service and home cooked food.  We will take packed lunches with us during the day since the focus of this tour is about taking good, original photographs and not spending time in restaurants.  Driving around Iceland in wintertime is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you are going to get.

You are most welcome

Haukur Snorrason photographer

Itinerary

Day 1: Borgarfjordur, Lava waterfalls, Vatnsnes peninsula

Saturday 25th February

We will pick you up from your hotel at 9am and drive to Borgarfjördur-fjord and also to Hraunfossar waterfalls (Lava waterfalls).  Close to Hraunfossar is another spectacular waterfall, Barnafossar (children’s waterfall according to folklore).  Afterwards, we will head north to a rock formation called Hvítserkur, which is last remains of a central volcano, an old injection of magma.  The sea erosion has carved holes through its foundations and sculptured it in a very unique way
Accommodation: Gauksmýri guesthouse

Day 2: Skagafjördur fjord

Sunday 26th February

After a hearty breakfast, we will drive to a waterfall close by in the Kolugljúfur canyon.  Once we arrive in Skagafjordur fjord/valley we will visit Glaumbaer, one of few turf farms still standing, with its grassy roofs and small windows intact.  This region is famous for horse farming and training.  We will then visit the small village of Blönduós with its old traditional timber houses
Accommodation: Bakkaflöt guesthouse

Day 3: Akureyri town, Godafoss – Lake Mývatn

Monday 27th February

After we have had breakfast and checked out, we will head further north towards Lake Mývatn.  On the way we will pass through northern Iceland´s largest town, Akureyri, and also stop at Godafoss waterfall – “the waterfall of the Gods”.  We will arrive at Lake Mývatn in the afternoon and amongst many things to visit there are the Kálfastrandavogar lava rocks that rise out of the lake.
Accommodation: Stöng Guesthouse

Day 4: Lake Mývatn, Krafla, Hverarönd

Tuesday 28th February

We will spend the whole day in the colourful and contrasting lake Mývatn area and you will have the opportunity to photograph various geothermal areas at Hverarönd and Krafla.
Accommodation Stöng Guesthouse

Day 5: East fjords - Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon

Wednesday 29th February

We will travel from northeast to southeast Iceland, and whilst driving through the East fjords, we stop both at random and at planned locations until we get to the glacier lagoon in the late afternoon.
Accommodation: Hali guesthouse

Day 6: Glacier lagoon – Vatnajökull National Park

Thursday 1st March

At first light, we will drive to the glacier Lagoon and spend plenty of time there.

Seals are often to be seen at this time of year resting on the icebergs, presenting you with a very rare photo opportunity.  We will meet a local guide who will take us to the glacier tongue where ice caves can often be found.  After a full day of photographing the ice, we will drive to a Guesthouse in Hrífunes where Hadda, Haukur´s wife, will be waiting for us with her delicious home cooked food.
Accommodation: Hrífunes Guesthouse

Day 7: Black sand beach, old rescue shelter and a ship wreck

Friday 2nd March

We take a break from visiting the more well known tourist spots and drive towards the remote black sand beach beneath the Álftaver farms, travelling on the beach towards an old rescue shelter and fishing boat which is half buried in the black sand.  We will also spend some time photographing the great lava fields from the 1783 Laki eruption (the largest lava flow seen to man).
Accommodation: Hrífunes Guesthouse

Day 8: Columnar basalt formations, Dyrhólaey cape and Skógafoss waterfall

Saturday 3rd March

We will leave Hrífunes and drive over the Mýdalssandur sand towards the Hjörleifshöfdi cape, visiting the large rocks that stand alone in middle of the sand desert. Afterwards we will head towards the village of Vík with the Reynisdrangar rocks standing in the sea, and also take a look at the columnar basalt formations at Reynisfjara beach.  If possible, we will drive on top of cape Dyrhólaey, the southernmost point of Iceland.  In the middle of Skógasandur sand lies an old DC3 airplane from the fifties which makes a nice contrast to our itinerary. Skógafoss waterfall also demands a good visit.
Accommodation: Hotel Anna

Day 9: Geysir and Gullfoss waterfall – Thingvellir National Park

Sunday 4th March

We finish our tour around Iceland by going to the famous Geysir geothermal area, where the Strokkur hot spring spouts 20 metres into the air every 7-10 minutes. Close by is Gullfoss, Iceland´s most famous waterfall.

Our final stop in the tour will be at Thingvellir National Park located on the bridge of the North-American and Eurasian plates. This is the site where the Vikings established their Parliamentary assembly in 930AD and is on UNESCO´s site of heritage.

Tour facts

Name of tour:  Winter experience photographic tour

Departure: Upon demand

Duration: 9 days/8 nights

Participants:  4-8

Price
Price/person in a dbl room: 487.200

Price/person in sgl room: 535.920

Price Includes:

Accommodation: Various farm hotels and guesthouses with made up beds and sometime shared facilities.

Meals: Breakfast from the second day until the last day, packed lunch from day one until the last day, dinner from day one until the second to last day (2-3 course meals).

Transportation & guiding: Professional English speaking driver guide and photographer, Vehicle: 4X4.

Not included; Cost of flights to Keflavik/Iceland, transportation to and from airport (although this can be arranged), hotel accommodation in Reykjavík and alcoholic beverages.

more information: info@phototours.is