After sailing across the treacherous North Sea, the Vikings named this previously uninhabited island “Iceland” to discourage others from coming. (They preferred that others land on the frozen island to the north and so named it Greenland.) And while Iceland is well known as the land of fire and ice, it is much more. Iceland is also a country of the Sagas, whales, stunning landscapes, majestic waterfalls and teeming with millions of migratory birds. This beautiful country, which breaks through the artic circle in the north, enjoys a remarkably temperate climate thanks to the warming gulf stream (in January, the average temperature in Reykjavik is warmer than that of New York City). Join us on this 12-day around-the-island tour of Iceland to explore the magnificent variety of sights that have been forged by the forces of nature.

		Days 1-3: REYKJAVIK · VOLCANOES · GLACIERS We join up in Reykjavik, the country’s modern and trendy capital, before setting out to explore the island in a counter-clockwise tour.  Our first days take us past an active volcano, glaciers pushing off from Europe’s largest ice cap and terrain that ranges from mountain desert to verdant valleys.
		Days 4-8: FJORDS · FISHING VILLAGES · GEYSERS The middle section of the trip takes in the fjords and fishing villages of eastern Iceland before settling into the environs of Lake Mytvatn which is home to millions of migratory birds and surrounding areas teaming with active thermal geological sites.
		Days 9-12: WATERFALLS · HOT SPRINGS · CAVES The latter part of our trip includes stops back on the coast for whale watching followed by treks around two massive waterfalls, including Europe’s mightiest.  We also visit regions of active geysers and hot springs and the country’s massive cave system extending almost 3 miles in length.

Trip Dates: June 2010, July 2010 & August 2010		Prices from $4,480 USD