Iceland Circumnavigation 2026

Say Skál and Explore

Enjoy a day of independent exploration in Reykjavík—submerge in the healing waters of the famed Blue Lagoon, try the iconic Icelandic hot dogs or visit Yoko Ono’s white stone Imagine Peace Tower on nearby Viðey Island. Considered one of the cleanest, greenest cities on the planet, the groovy cosmo capital of Iceland is the perfect launching pad. 

Laugavegur is the main, buzzy street to see and be seen. There are endless cafes, museums, galleries and vintage and vinyl shops to poke around in. Try the best Icelandic cod and a shot of Iceland’s signature liquor, Brennivín. It’s a brand of schnapps made from fermented potato mash and caraway seed. Raise a glass and say skál.

We have an evening departure from the geothermal wonderland. Get ready to circumnavigate this volcanic island of black sand beaches, glacier lagoons, fjords and endless ribbons of waterfalls.

Included Meals

All on-board meals 

Accommodations

Your cabin on the Exploris One

A Natural Wonderland

The Snæfellsnes Peninsula’s mesmerizing coastline is adored for its ever changing landscape. Referred to as “Iceland in Miniature,” the natural wonders shift from black sand beaches to volcanoes, glacier tongues, hardened lava fields, daunting mountains, otherworldly basalt columns, pounding waterfalls, to dripping caves and gaping craters. This peninsula encapsulates all of these in one incredibly condensed region of 56 miles (90 km). 

Seabirds abound for listers—be on the lookout for kittiwakes, Arctic terns and Iceland gulls. Near shore, sanderlings, ruddy turnstones, purple sandpipers, ringed plovers, red shanks populate the coast. Red-throated loons and horned grebes often delight birders too!

Orcas, minke whales and porpoises are common around Snæfellsnes Peninsula, but larger species of whales keep to deeper waters farther from the coast.

Included Meals

All on-board meals 

Accommodations

Your cabin on the Exploris One

Puffins, Guillemots, and Coastal Charms

The multi-hued beaches and jagged cliffs of the Westfjords are a bonanza for birders. Three of the largest bird cliffs in Iceland are in this region, and estimates indicate that as many as two million pairs of Brünnich’s guillemots and common guillemots nest there. As we venture into the Westfjords, keep an eye out for fulmars, auks, northern gannets, large colonies of Atlantic puffins and glaucous gulls.

The beauty of the remote coastal fjords is arresting and an area that few travelers are privy to witnessing. By land, the Westfjords are really only accessible for a few months in the summer from May to September due to the heavy snowfall that buries the region. The Westfjords sometimes get cut off from the rest of the country during winter.

Included Meals

All on-board meals 

Accommodations

Your cabin on the Exploris One

Remote Rambles

Over the course of two genuinely wild days we explore the remote reaches of east Greenland by ship, Zodiac and on land. The first views of this seldom-visited region reveal a stunning coastline sliced with innumerable fjords that is sometimes spotted with pack ice.

Our expert expedition team will introduce us to this distinct area and share insider intel and insights on the landscape and Arctic wildlife we may encounter. Though rare to witness, polar bears, seals and humpback whales frequent this area.

Included Meals

All on-board meals 

Accommodations

Your cabin on the Exploris One

Evolution Underfoot

Iceland’s north is a near-fictional landscape of jagged lava, thundering waterfalls, jade valleys and snow-laden peaks. It’s an open history book revealing the powerful volcanic eruptions that have forever shaped the island.

This region hovers above the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. This is where the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates are slowly drifting apart. Steam spurts from geothermal vents, reminding all that there’s still fire in her belly. 

Conditions permitting, we will hike through this otherworldly terrain and be ever vigilant in scouting for surprises from marine life lurking below the surface.

Included Meals

All on-board meals 

Accommodations

Your cabin on the Exploris One

Quirky Collections

Húsavík’s Skjálfandi Bay is known as the whale capital of Iceland. There are 15 different whale species that frequent the area, as well as dolphins and dozens of reeling bird species. The town’s wooden church, Húsavíkurkirkja, was designed and built in 1907 by Rognvaldur Olafsson. Built in the form of a cross, it was constructed with wood imported from Norway.

We have time to take advantage of Húsavík’s diverse and curious museum offerings, including the Whale Museum, the Húsavík Museum and the Exploration Museum, which houses artifacts from the Apollo astronaut training in the area.

Included Meals

All on-board meals 

Accommodations

Your cabin on the Exploris One

Finding Harmony

Today we explore Seyðisfjörður, a tiny town of 700 that dots the tip of its namesake fjord. Known for its vibrant art scene, cobbled rainbow road and artisan handicrafts, it’s easy to lose hours exploring.

We can opt to take a hike or walk to the Tvísöngur sound sculpture on a nearby hill. Each of the five interconnected domes has its own resonance that corresponds to a tone in the Icelandic musical tradition of five-tone harmony. 

At the family-owned Skálanes Nature Reserve, we learn about the center’s research, sustainable tourism model and interpretation of Iceland’s environment and cultural history. 

There’s an optional excursion to Vallanes Organic Farm, where Eymundur Magnússon and Eygló Björk Ólafsdóttir have been organic farming since 1985. Explore their inspiring premises on a guided tour that digs deep into their focus on developing Icelandic grains, herbs and vegetables. Bonus: sample their hyper local products during a tasting!

Included Meals

All on-board meals 

Accommodations

Your cabin on the Exploris One

Chasing Waterfalls and Glaciers

South Iceland is home to some of the country’s most stunning natural attractions born of the collision of geothermal and glacial cold. There are volcanic peaks, ink-black sand beaches, lagoons, glaciers, steamy hot springs, spouting geysers and enormous waterfalls to see—either ashore on foot or by Zodiac cruise. 

Meditate and reflect in this remarkable, inspiring region of natural phenomena—it’s as wild as it gets! The landscape doubles as an ultimate group photo backdrop too!

The region’s windswept plains are patched with moss-covered lava fields, remnants of ancient eruptions now hidden under a vibrant green duvet. Glacial rivers worm across the landscape and give way to steep cliffs that push up from the plains. The only sound that splits the silence is the natural racket of thousands of seabirds who nest in the pockets of the sheer walls of the cliffs.

Included Meals

All on-board meals 

Accommodations

Your cabin on the Exploris One

Hot Stuff

Today, we unravel the dynamic history of this volcanic hotspot, from the birth of Surtsey in 1963 to the 2010 Eyjafjallajokull eruption that stunned and stalled part of the world. Of Iceland’s 32 active volcanoes, Katla takes the spotlight, as it’s hiding under thick glacial ice and any eruption would lead to devastating flooding. 

We take a super scenic Zodiac cruise in search of seabirds, including the “clowns of the sea.” Puffins nest in the nooks of the steep rock faces along the sheer ocean cliffs here and their animated antics are a pure joy to observe.

Included Meals

All on-board meals 

Accommodations

Your cabin on the Exploris One

Arriving Full Circle

Our circumnavigation of Iceland closes with our return to Reykjavík, where we’ll disembark in the morning. Give your fellow Wild Women crew a big polar bear hug, and start plotting your next life-changing adventure together!

You may wish to extend your stay to absorb more of this cool city and all that it offers, from the best-ever fish and chips to outdoor gear shops like the legendary 66°North. There’s also Aurora Reykjavík, Iceland’s first and only Northern Lights Center. Take a walk through history and learn about mythology rooted in the Arctic Circle and sky above. 

And don’t forget to stop at Baejarins Beztu Pylsur for a classic hot dog made out of pork, beef and lamb. It’s an Iceland pre-requisite.

Included Meals

All on-board meals