All about our Snaefellsnes peninsula tour
OUR #1 BESTSELLER!
Departure time:
8:30h from the 15th of November until the 31st of January
09:00h from the 1st of February until the 14th of November
Duration 11 hours
Small group
Pick-up and drop-off from anywhere in greater Reykjavik area (see www.eastwest.is/pickup for further details)
Bilingual on Fridays: English/Spanish
Highlights
Berserkjahraun lava fields
Mt. Kirkjufell
Snæfellsjökull glacier (sightseeing)
Black beach at Djupalonssandur
Arnarstapi fishing village
Buðarkirkja, the black church
Ytri Tunga beach
Lunch at the horse farm
Need to know
The order or availability of attractions may change due to road or weather conditions.
During the winter we may have to adjust timings to the short daylight of winter days. Djúpalónssandur will be skipped due to the dangerous access.
The climate of Iceland is unpredictable, so please dress according to the weather.
Lunch at the horse farm is included. Food allergies and dietary restrictions must be communicated on time otherwise they cannot be accommodated if last-minute.
During the winter, we will enjoy an early dinner at the farm (instead of lunch).EastWest reserves the right to delay or cancel any tour due to weather or any other dangerous conditions for the safety of our clients.
Due to the duration of this tour and the fixed schedule, we believe that infants (0-3 years old) should not attend this tour. To keep pace with them, we suggest our private option.
What’s on my tour?
Join us as we head west on a full-day mystical tour to Snæfellsnes and its surroundings. This tour is available all-year-round so no matter when you come to Iceland, you can go explore the magical Snæfellnses peninsula. It is also known as Iceland in Miniature and you will soon see for yourself why!
Countless lunar landscapes and volcanic views lie in store for us as we drive west out of Reykjavik and head towards the magnificent Snæfellsjökull glacier.
The glacier sits atop the active stratovolcano of the same name that took center stage in the Jules Verne sci-fi novel, ‘Journey to the Centre of the Earth’. You might even have spotted the ice cap glittering from across the bay in Reykjavik.
Our first stop will be Ytri-Tunga. You will be surprised because next to the farm there is a beautiful beach. Huge seal colonies can normally be found on the beach and your guide will lead you to the place where you can possibly find them.
Right after, we head to our favorite farm in the peninsula, where an amazing home-cooked meal is always guaranteed.
We cannot miss Buðarkirkja, the black church in the hamlet of Búðir. It sits within the lava field of Búðahraun and it has a natural harbor that made this place the most important commercial hub in the peninsula, during the Danish trade monopoly in the 17th and 18th centuries.
Here we can admire one of the few black churches in the country, painted with pitch in order to protect the wood from the harsh climatic conditions of Iceland. The current building dates from 1848, when a woman called Steinunn Lárusdóttir got permission from the Danish King to build this church, in the location where the original turf chapel stood from 1703 until 1816.
The dramatic coast of Arnarstapi is waiting for you next. Powerful waves are constantly eroding the cliffs and leaving impressive rock formations behind. We will also meet a statue of Bárður Snæfellsás, the guardian of the peninsula.
We will pay a visit to the black sand beach of Djúpalónssandur, too, where we can see the remains of a shipwreck that took place in 1948. It is really interesting to know the story behind the four big stones at the entrance of the beach, all of them of different sizes. They were used to measure the strength of sailors in the days of the fishing stations and their salary was determined accordingly.
Then, we will stop to admire Kirkjufell, probably the most picturesque and most-photographed mountain in the country. Surrounded by streams and small waterfalls, it was chosen to be one of the filming locations for Game of Thrones, featuring the "Arrowhead Mountain".
We will drive by Bersekjahraun lava fields. Created around 4.000 years ago, the lava fields are extremely thick and decorated with beautiful rock formations. Also, an exciting story back from the Viking era is waiting for us.
Snaefellsnes is an area of exceptional geological beauty – craters, lava fields (some more recent than others), idyllic hidden coves and bizarre rock formations all lie in wait to be explored and discovered.
Local legends and folk stories abound and are an essential element of this multifaceted tour, which hits the spot when it comes to observing volcanic phenomena, discovering Iceland’s dramatic coastline and experiencing a more spiritual and mystical side of Iceland.
The tour is operated in a minibus and do not exceed more than 19 people. This way the guide can connect to all passengers and a much nicer vibe is created during the day.
Book it now:
Included:
Pick-up 30 minutes before departure from anywhere in greater Reykjavík area (see www.eastwest.is/pickup for further detail)
Knowledgeable local guide
Free WiFi onboard
Lunch at an Icelandic horse farm
Drop-off back in Reykjavík
Small group in a minibus
TripAdvisor Reviews
““A fantastic experience and an absolute must during your trip to Iceland. Friendly, knowledgeable locals guide you through less explored, breathtaking sites. Every aspect of this tour far exceeded our expectations!””
“I strongly recommend this trip with EastWest. Everything was perfect and wellplanned. The guide was fabulous! A must do when you go to Iceland!”
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