1. The far north

If you’re on one of these cruises~ Viking, Ponant, Silversea, Hurtigruten, or Norwegian cruise line then most likely the next stop of yours will be Akureyri or Húsavik. One’s a college town whereas the other is known for whale watching. From there you can go on a shore excursion and find yourself the following~

  • Waterfall of Gods AKA Godafoss- 100 ft wide with a magnificent view
  • Lake Myvatn- full of geothermal features viz fumaroles, steam vents, unique volcanic rock formations.
  • Siglufjordur- northernmost town of Iceland, the herring capital. Home to the herring museum where you can enlighten yourself about the fishing industry.

2. The Westman islands

– If you’re in one of the cruise lines, you’ll have the perk of easily accessing the south to Heimaey. It’s a small fishing town, with half of its buildings lost due to the eruption of the Eldfell volcano in 1973.

– Helgafell volcano- 5000 yr old. The population of 4000 people and 8 million puffins in summer.

– Surtsey- Residence to 89 bird species and 335 invertebrates, this is the newest edition to the islands of Iceland. Rose from the sea in the 1960s, is now under the protection of the UNESCO World Heritage site.

 

Cruise information-

Usually ranges from a week to two.

Budget-

Low~ $1406 per person, for 10 days on Norwegian star between Reykjavík and London

High~ $5100 to five figures, per person from Reykjavik

 

Do your research on the cruise lines thoroughly, find what suits you the best, and go for it. It’ll be a once-in-a-lifetime experience, exploring the land of fire and ice via sailing around in the water, so don’t miss out on it!

3. The Arctic Circle

While sailing north, if your cruise lines allow, you’ll likely cross the Arctic Circle. Most times it goes unnoticed by the travelers but your captain will provide you with a signed certificate as a memoir. Up north, you may find yourself on the Grimsey island, which can be reached only by boat. This island touches the Arctic territory and when onshore you can go meet the resident fishermen. Have fun learning new things and spotting seabirds! Keep an eye out for the rare long-tailed duck called dovekie. If you do spot one, take a picture of this little auk and don’t forget to show it to your friends!

4. The Eastfjords

Seydisfjordur- Situated in eastern Iceland, past cliffs, with snow-covered mountain tops, beautiful Waterfalls, and striking green moss-covered hills. Residence to 700 people and the most picture-perfect village, something straight out from storybooks.

Homes are made of wood and colored in pretty pastels and primary colors. With their Nordic style, they make for some excellent photos. Don’t forget to make this a pit stop in your journey and get to know all about it from the villagers!

5. The Westfjords

You ought to visit the cute little town Isafjordur. located in the northwest corner of Iceland, it’s a fishing town that’s surrounded by water on three sides and mountains on another.  You’ll get to see houses made of wood pretty fishing boats in the harbor. Enjoy the views that also include snow-covered peaks by paddling the fjord through the kayak.

Dokkan Brugghús- A family-owned, one and only brewery in Westford. Here pales, lagers, stouts, and IPAs are made from volcanic purified water.

For bird watchers- Spot Atlantic puffins through Zodiac and the Vigur island. Westford is a hotspot for these birds.

If you’re on one of these ships~ Lindblad expeditions- national geographic and luxury line crystal cruises, then you might get the chance to see the Latrabjarg cliffs which are residence to the gannets, puffins, guillemots, and a lot of other birds.