Grand 12 Day Photo Tour

Price

$8395 pr. passenger

Availability

Book Now

Grand Photography Tour

12 days Photo Tour in Iceland

America’s closest European neighbour, vast, volcanic Iceland is sadly misnamed. In fact it is about 89% ice free, and boasts one of the planet’s most incredible landscapes, full of contrast and extremes. Medieval Europeans popularly believed it to be the threshold of the underworld, and Jules Verne chose a volcano here as the entranceway for his Journey to the Center of the Earth.

The word geyser was coined here, named after Geysir, the largest of the island’s many spouting hot springs. There are also lava fields, bubbling mud pools, and steam vents, but look in another direction and you’ll see plenty of ice, including the dramatic glacial lagoon at Jokulsarlon, famous for icebergs that break off from the glacier face and form an ever-changing maze for chugging tour boats. In yet another direction, you’ll see pristine farms and extraordinarily green grasslands, mostly along the coast. This photo tour around much of the island, takes in everything from ocean scenery to the empty, treeless tundra to the fire and ice of the interior. Photographers may feel as if they’ve returned from a trip to the moon when they return to Reykjavík, the world’s northernmost capital.” Bring your warm clothes.

Highlights of the Tour

The Ultimate Photography Holiday

What you will experience in bullet points – scroll for more information.

Landscapes
Waterfalls
Black beaches
Rock stacks
Glacial lagoon
Icebergs
Green and yellow
Highlands
Volcanos
We focus on you

The Schedule

12 days in Iceland

Day 1

Waterfalls, black beaches and stacks

Focus this day on waterfalls, black beaches, basalt columns, stacks as well as people. Seljalandsfoss waterfall is our first stop. It is one of the most famous waterfalls in Iceland. It’s very picturesque and therefore its photo can be found in many books and calendars. It’s possible to go behind the waterfall. The waterfall Skogafoss is next on our route. It is one of the biggest and most beautiful waterfalls of the country with a width of 25 and a drop of 60 meters. Due to the amount of spray the waterfall consistently produces, a single or double rainbow that is normally visible on sunny days.

The world-famous Reynisfjara beach, near the village of Vik is widely regarded as the most impressive black-sand beach in Iceland. It is a black pebble beach and features an amazing cliff of regular basalt columns resembling a rocky step pyramid, which is called Gardar. Out in the sea are the spectacular basalt sea stacks Reynisdrangar. The area is rich in birdlife, including puffins, fulmars and guillemots. Overnight in the Vik area.

Day 2 and 3

Vatnajokull NP – Skaftafell – Jokulsarlon glacial lagoon

This day and the next we head for the Jokulsarlon glacier lagoon and Skaftafell area with its waterfall Svartifoss. These two are two of Iceland’s most visited places and that is no wonder. The lagoon is famous for the icebergs that calve from the Breidamerkurjökull glacier, a glacier tongue of the Vatnajokull icecap. These drift across the lagoon into the ocean. We take good time to photograph the area around the banks. Also it is possible to take a private zodiac trip on the lagoon for photographing the icebergs up close from the angle and with the shadows we prefer.

We also photograph the icebergs on the black beach (The Diamond Beach) just below the lagoon that has a huge amount of icebergs that wash upon it. We photograph Svartifoss waterfall in the Skaftafell region and have the opportunity to go on a private bird photography tour to Ingolfshofdi to photograph puffins. There are 8-10 million puffins in Iceland. Following we Overnight in the Skaftafell region.

Day 4 and 5

Langisjor lake – Fjallabak Nature Reserve – Landmannalaugar

We leave the coast and head inland and drive behind the glaciers in the south. We will visit the Langisjor lake and the Fjallabak Nature Reserve area. The green and yellow colours in the landscape are something not to be forgotten or missed. Landmannalaugar is a volcanic hotspot in the country’s southern highlands. The area is famous for the multi coloured mountains. The wide spectrum of colours is caused by the interaction of rhyolite rock and geothermal gasses. We also visit the Langisjor area that is famous for the black volcanic ash covered with beautiful green moss. We consider the Langisjor area to be the most beautiful place in the whole of Iceland. Overnight in Hrauneyjar Highland Motel.

Day 6

Sprengisandur Highlands, Aldeyjarfoss waterfall and Godafoss waterfall

This day we head north into the Highlands of Iceland i.e. Sprengisandur which lies between two huge glaciers i.e. the Vatnajokull and Hofsjokull glaciers. It is the largest desert area in Europe. The entire highland area is an exceptional place to photograph. The landscape is full of contrast and the light and colours are always changing. The mountains attract a lot of clouds and the sun often comes through them making for spectacular light. When we descend from the highlands we have the Aldeyjarfoss waterfall to photograph. Overnight in the Myvatn area.

Day 7

Myvatn lake – Dettifoss waterfall

This area is an amazing mix of extreme contrasts, birdlife, flora, geothermal activity, geology and saga. The Lake Myvatn area is by many considered the most beautiful and at the same time the most catastrophic place in Iceland. The ecosystem here is truly unique, the birdlife is varied and more duck are said to breed here than any were else in Europe. Very early in the morning we visit Dettifoss the most powerful waterfall in Europe. Overnight two nights in the Myvatn area.

Day 8

Askja caldera

The Askja is a caldera located in the interior of Iceland, in the mountain region of Dyngjufjoll. We go there for the day. Inside the caldera is a deep lake, and a crater with geothermal water. It’s sometimes possible to bath in the crater although the path down into it is often impassable due to how slippery it can get in rain as it is very steep. We may also visit the Holuhraun lava field and volcano area that erupted in the winter of 2014/2015. Overnight in the Myvatn area.

Day 9

Godafoss – Akureyri – Hvitserkur – Snaefellsnes peninsula

This is a transfer day as we need to go from the northeast part of the country to the west. On the way we visit the Godafoss waterfall. We also stop in Akureyri the largest town in the north. After Akureyri we may also have the opportunity to visit a horse farm to photograph the Icelandic horses. Overnight in Saefellsnes peninsula region.

Day 10 and 11

Snaefellsnes – Kirkjufell – Budir – Arnarstapi – Hellnar

We will spend two days in this amazing area going from one place to the other depending on light and weather. At Arnarstapi fishing village we have craggy stacks and arches made of basalt rock columns. Next is the picturesque Budir hamlet with the icecap of the Snæfellsjokull glacier making a great backdrop to the tiny black parish church. Mt. Kirkjufell is considered to be one of Iceland’s most beautiful mountains with its special cone like shape and steep hills. There are a number of locations for photography around the mountain and we may visit it more than once during our stay. Overnight in the Snaefellsnes region for two nights.

Day 12

Hraunfossar – Thingvellir NP

The Hraunfossar waterfall is on the agenda if you have not had enough of waterfalls already. This may not be the tallest waterfall in Iceland but it sure is unique and beautiful. We reach Thingvellir NP by going through the desert mountain pass of Kaldidalur (the Cold Valley). Thingvellir is the site of the world’s oldest parliament established in 930 AD. It’s also the site where we can see Europe and America physically drifting away from each other as it is here that the Eurasian and American tectonic plates can be seen drifting away from each other with huge walls dropping down into the rift valley. Afterwards we overnight in Reykjavík.

More About the Tour

Reykjanes Peninsula Day Tour

Included

Private tour. Only you and your party, no one else. Because this is a private tour we can change the schedule if you have special wishes as to locations, length of tour etc.
Max number of participants is 4.
Professional photographer, a licensed guide
SUV vehicle and fuel
Evening meetings with the photographer
Airport transfers can be arranged.

Not included