Iceland for Families: A Tailor-Made Journey

Fly into Keflavik and meet your private driver for the transfer to Húsafell, a hamlet set among lava fields at the edge of Iceland’s rugged interior. The scenic drive brings you into the fjordlands of the Borgarfjörður district, and your driver will point out highlights along the way. Stop to see the Hraunfossar waterfall, which pours off ledges of lava in many small cascades. Then meet goats, silkie chickens, horses, and more at Háafell Goat Farm, and learn how its owner helped bring Icelandic goats back from the brink of extinction. Settle into your hotel and, if you wish, enjoy a soak in the onsite hot springs.

Venture into Víðgelmir, one of the largest lava tubes on Earth, stretching nearly a mile long. Learn how the cave was formed from a volcanic eruption thousands of years ago and discover a multi-colored world of unusual lava formations—and equally colorful legends dating back to the Vikings. From this fire-forged cave, continue into the realm of ice on an adventure into Langjökull, the second-largest glacier in Iceland. On a guided small-group tour, follow a subterranean network of otherworldly ice tunnels to the glacier’s blue heart. (B)

Journey south with your guide to the famous Golden Circle region. Walk between two tectonic places in Þingvellir National Park and see evidence of how they are slowly pulling apart. At the Geysir Geothermal Area, watch Strokkur geyser blast boiling water some 60 feet into the air several times an hour. Then walk to an overlook for a spectacular view of Gullfoss, a thundering, two-tiered waterfall. Stop by the geothermal bakery at Laugarvatn Fontana, where traditional Icelandic bread is baked in the ground using nothing but geothermal energy. Sample freshly dug bread with a dab of Icelandic butter. Travel along the southern coast to your lodge-style hotel and enjoy stargazing with the on-site astronomer after dark. (B)

Set off to discover the many natural wonders along Iceland’s rugged south coast with your private guide. Marvel at the geometrical basalt columns of Reynisfjara beach and hear myths of the sea stacks clustered offshore. At Seljalandsfoss waterfall, walk behind the 200-foot cascade of water for a thrilling perspective; then feel the spray of powerful Skógafoss waterfall and learn the legend of the treasure chest hidden behind it. Later, saddle up for a small-group horseback riding tour on a black-sand beach and learn about the unique qualities of the stocky Icelandic horse. Return to your lodge this afternoon. (B)

Explore the Reykjanes Peninsula, a craggy landscape dotted with volcanic craters, steaming fumaroles, and mossy lava fields. Discover bubbling mud pools and startlingly blue turquoise lakes with your guide and discover how this barren landscape was used by NASA to train astronauts for Apollo missions to the moon. Your tour ends in Reykjavík, where you’ll check into your hotel in the city center. (B)

The rich waters off Iceland’s coast attract up to 24 cetacean species, from white-beaked dolphins to blue whales. Set off from Reykjavík’s harbor on a small-group whale-watching tour for a chance to see humpbacks, minke whales, orcas, and other species up close. If you’re visiting in the summer, keep an eye out for the puffin colonies that come to nest on Iceland’s coast each year. This afternoon, you’ll have free time to explore Reykjavík. Consider a visit to the observation deck of the Pearl for a panoramic view of the city and the mountains beyond. (B)

After a final morning at leisure in Reykjavík, travel by private car to Keflavík Airport in time for your onward flight. (B)