The Waterfalls...

Where Will We Go, What will we see?

Summer 2026

(Full Ring Rd. + Total Solar Eclipse!)

ECLIPSE NIGHTS (8/11 & 8/12) availability very limited and must be paid in full upon registration.

July 31 - August 13, 2026

Days 1 & 2: Reykjavik

(July 31 & August 1) Our first two days will be spent in Reykjavik, where we will experience the Capitol, and the area where 90% of Icelanders call home. This incredibly cosmopolitan city has amazing restaurants, world-famous bakeries, museums, an unbelievable concert hall/convention center (Harpa), a bustling night life, amazing shopping and so much more. We will have some flexibility for arrival times, if anyone prefers just one day in Reykjavik instead of two. We will be spending time in the amazing Sky Lagoon, a luxury spa just 10 minutes out of the city center. We have two days built in to give us plenty of time to adjust to the time zone, but also to adventure to any eruptions that may be taking place at that time if they are accessible. Also included is the National Museum of Iceland which has an incredible array of artifacts from Iceland through the ages.

Day 3 - Selfoss

(August 2) We will depart Reykjavik and explore the "Golden Circle". This area includes Þingvellir National Park, Geysir & Strokkur (the OG geyser and it's nearby neighbor which still erupts reliably every few minutes), and Gullfoss waterfall. As our first day outside the city, you will be stunned by the incredibly beautiful countryside, the lupines that fill so many of the fields and mountains, the gorgeous farms, sheep and horses meandering throughout the area and in the roads! We will see our first quaint rural churches, something that everyone will quickly learn is quite the thing all throughout Iceland! This will be the day that we would go snorkeling between the tectonic plates at Silfra, an incredible lifetime experience. In Selfoss we will have the opportunity to explore Kerið crater I will offer the opportunity for folks to visit Kerið crater. This location is really fascinating to take in once, but folks who have been with me previously are welcome to sleep in that morning and enjoy an extra cup of coffee, and we'll swing back and pick up the rest of the crew when we head on down to Vik!

Day 4 - Vik (Reynisfjara, blacks and beach, Dyrhólaey)

(August 3) Vik is one of the most charming towns along the entire South coast of Iceland. On our way there we will visit several stunning waterfalls. The drive down to Vik is absolutely spectacular. We'll visit Seljalandsfoss where you can hike back behind the falls into a cave, and look out over the amazing landscape through the falling water. Just a short walk down a well-maintained path everyone can also visit Gljufrabui, which is a waterfall inside a cave. A short ways down the road we'll visit Skogafoss which is one of the most recognizable waterfalls in all of Iceland, especially for Game of Thrones fans which used Skogafoss in some prominent shots in the show. We will continue down to Vik where we will explore the incredible black sand beaches, the spectacular columnar basalt caves at Reynisfjara, and we'll probably catch some sightings of puffins on the cliffs at Dyrhólaey overlook, although we will spend much more close-up time with Puffins later in the trip! Our hotel for the evening is under an hour away from Seljalandsfoss. We will have the option of doubling back to Seljalandsfoss to capture sunrise photos from the cave behind the falls for all of the photographers in the group.

Day 5 - Fjallsarlon (Diamond Beach & Glacier Lagoons)

(August 4) We will travel a ways farther east along the south of Iceland, and spend our day exploring the Fjallsarlon glacier lagoon, Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon and Diamond Beach. One of most spectacular experiences I have ever had in Iceland is to take a small zodiak boat out into the very quiet Fjallsarlon glacier lagoon, and explore the icebergs and the face of the unbelievably massive glacier as it crawls out into the lagoon. We'll scoop up ice from the water which is so fresh and clean you can drink it! Our hotel is just minutes away from Diamond Beach, so we will spend our night exploring the amazing light hitting the ice on the beach (sky willing!)

Day 6 - Hofn (Vestrahorn, Vatnajökull National Park)

(August 5) Vestrahorn is one of the most iconic photo destinations in Iceland. We will make sure to be there during some of the most beautiful light throughout the day, and to also be there at high tide, so we can hopefully capture the iconic reflection shot that so many photographers strive to achieve in that location. The rest of the day is going to be spent exploring a location that my previous travelers have not gotten to explore, Vatnajökull National Park. For those up for a fairly robust hike up a hill, there will be time to hike up to Svartifoss. This is a waterfall that I have visited on my own, but haven't had the time/opportunity to take any of my groups. The hike up to the falls is on an extremely well maintained trail, but it is a rather steady uphill climb. I definitely had to stop several times and catch my breath as a non-hiker. The falls at this location crash over spectacular columnar basalts. It's a really special place. For those who are not inclined to make that up-hill hike, there are spectacular views throughout the area that can be enjoyed without the hike! Our hotel for this day is right in Hofn, so we will be able to take advantage of the midnight sun and the spectacular golden hours.

Day 7 - Hallormsstaður (National Forest)

(August 6) Hallormsstaðaskógur, the national forest of Iceland is quite a stunning change from the landscapes around the entire rest of the country. This area is lushly covered with trees, and the resort where we will be staying has a completely different 'feel' than all of our other facilities. It is very much a mountainous/forest landscape with beautiful lakes and rivers. For those who traveled with me in 2023, this is the same facility we stayed in where we drove all the way up to photograph puffins. That area is so stunning, I was really disappointed that we didn't have time to explore it together, so we will be heading back there, but staying in that region for the day.

Day 8 - Borgarfjörður eystri (Puffin colony!)

This is a day I'm especially excited about. Last year we drove to this remarkable puffin colony and spent some time photographing these beautiful birds. There are only a few hotel rooms in the entire town, and we were not fortunate enough to have gotten them, so we had to stay hours away. This time, we are in the Blabjorg resort, right there in town so we can be spoiled by the puffin photography AND their spa!

Day 9 & 10 - Akureyri

In my previous full ring road trips, I have included a two-night stay in the Lake Myvatn area. So many folks repeat their travel with me, I wanted to make sure we mixed it up, and so this time, we are going to base our two-night stay in Aukureyri, the second largest city in Iceland. From there we will branch out and explore many of the northern fishing and whaling villages. One of the towns where we will spend a good amount of time is Húsavík, where we will have an incredible whale watching excursion. Akureyri itself is packed with a ton of quaint shops, art installations, a beautiful church, bakeries and restaurants - this will definitely be a terrific opportunity to do some shopping for souvenirs.

Day 11 - Hofsstadir (Horse country)

I have tried to book the Hofsstadir Country Hotel every time since my first visit to Iceland and it has been unavailable each time since. This time we have this stunning property and dinner at their spectacular restaurant. This is horse country, and one of the top priorities for this trip is to do a bit of horseback riding. In all likelihood, this will be the spot. We will also have the opportunity to visit an absolutely stunning area called Fosslaug which we have not explored previously. A visit to Iceland's oldest church, Grafarkirkja is also on the itinerary for that day. This is a throwback to turf covered buildings, and it's spectacular spot for drone photography for any drone enthusiasts.

Day 12 & 13 - Hafnarfjörður (Full Eclipse)

A total solar eclipse is a major event, regardless of where it occurs. For the 2026 eclipse, there are only a handful of places where one can experience full totality. The far western edge of Iceland is one of those locations! Starting two full years in advance, hotels were already unavailable. I am fortunate enough to have secured a beautiful property, right in the path of totality. The property is requiring payment in full in order to reserve the rooms. Due to that requirement, I have split out the two eclipse night from the remainder of the trip. It is completely possible to participate in the first 11 days of the trip, then we can drop you at the airport to return home, instead of remaining for the solar eclipse.

Included in the trip:

4-star hotel accommodations all 11 nights (night 12 & 13 are separate, but facility is also a 3+ star facility)

Full breakfast every day except the final two. (The facility in Hofnarfjordur does not currently serve breakfast, but they may be adding that before 2026).

Puffin photography at one of the largest puffin colonies in the world

Whale Watching excursion

Horseback Riding

Upgraded rooms whenever possible

Vestrahorn Mountain and the Viking Village

Diamond Beach

Glacier Lagoon

Vatnajokell National Park (largest glacier in Iceland)

Hallgrimskirkja

Harpa

National Museum of Iceland

Land transportation throughout the trip

**Airfare is not included

**Lunch & Dinner are not included

Price per person $6,000 (double occupancy) ***Nights 12 & 13 are billed separately***