Iceland: Reykjavik to the Glaciers

The tour was all that I had expected. We had such a great time. The included meals were excellent. The scenery was so different from the other trips i have taken. So much lava and t he people were very personable. The Blue Lagoon was really super. A great relaxing time in the hot springs. The waterfalls, beaches and glaciers were all exciting to see.

Fun in the land of fire and frost

Iceland is an unexpected gem, just a 5-hour plane ride from New York. In July, the temperatures were pristine: lows in the 40s/highs in the 60s, with plenty of sun. Whether strolling through the village-type streets of Reykjavik, admiring a waterfall, or wandering through a park, you'll love the crisp air, refreshing glacial tap water, and clean environment throughout all of Iceland. GoAhead outdid themselves with the convenience of Hotel Centrum for this trip: it is located right in the city center, a block from a fabulous tourist information center (with all the free literature and maps you care to carry) and 3-4 blocks from the harbor. The front desk staff will also help you book other excursions. My boyfriend and I added two days of travel onto this trip, and I would recommend that since the trip is so short. Trust me: you'll want to explore more of Iceland once you're there! GoAhead will not charge an extra fee; you'll just be responsible for your hotel cost. A trip to the Westmann Islands on our own was just what we needed to top-off the trip. I'd also recommend the ferry boat to Videy Island (it only costs a few dollars) from the old harbor. It's a cheap trip, and seeing Reykjavik from this ocean vantage point will delight you. The whale-watching tour could be skipped; you likely won't see whales in this busy harbor, but the ride itself on the high seas and to Puffin Island is an adventure--though the ferry is better. Don't worry about high costs of food or other items: you don't have to spend a lot of money if you don't want to. Shop the local grocery stores (there's a small one next to Hotel Centrum as well as the popular "Bonus" chain within a 5-min. walk), stroll the galleries for free, sit in a pocket park, eat out at Icelandic Fish & Chips . . . then save your money for a 66 North jacket, which seemingly every Icelander wears! Where else can you play in rainbows (really!), walk on an iceberg, see active geysers, run on a black sands beach--and drink the water? Iceland! My new favorite country!

Tour & Tour Director

We liked Iceland and the places we went. Should we ever want to go back, we've now seen the basic tourist destinations and will be able to tour on our own. We added the optional Whale Watching tour on which many people got seasick (fortunately not us) and on our own added the organ concert that was part of the International Organ Summer in Hallgrimskikju and a very informal ghost tour of Reykjavik. Our Go Ahead tour director was very knowledgeable and was able to answer a wide range of questions. However, he was not a good advocate for the bus drivers in that not once did he encourage us to tip them. Neither the tour nor the transportation buses that we took were very "infirm person"-friendly and I was recovering from some recent surgery. Fortunately, my niece, fellow passengers or the bus driver helped me.

Needs enhancing and review of whale excursion

The bus tour and guide were interesting, however the first day of the tour (which we had paid for) was lacking. We sat around all morning, and eventually (using materials WE had brought) toured the city. The later bus tour was boring -- not even a visit to the museum. You should have had recommendations of places to visit with accompanying literature/maps. I feel the first day was a waste. The whale watching excursion should be reviewed. I've gone whale watching all over the world, and when, the sea is rough, they don't take you out. Taking us out in that water was irresponsible -- GoAhead should have protocol for rough seas. Many people were sick -- and in fact one of our tour participants was vomited on from above, and she had to carry that vomit smell and material until she got off the boat. It was so rough, that I was thrown to the deck, and injured my knee, head, and hand (see incident report). I spent half the boat trip sitting on the deck because it was too rough even to get up. If I had been thrown overboard, it was so rough, that people would not have been able to stand to get the life preservers out of the clasped metal boxes. (IFortunately, the plexiglass shield within the railing kept me from going head first overboard) Sending us out was totally irresponsible on the part of the whale tour operation -- it would be to your advantage to investigate their practices. No one had anything good to say about the experience.. Our guide was amusing, knowledgeable, and helpful. None of this was his fault. The bus days were so fully scripted that we were not able to go to a concert in the unique concert hall in Reykjavek -- this would have required us getting back 30 minutes early, certainly do-able, but we were told it wasn't possible. .... a loss. I'm sure others would have enjoyed the folk concert, and experiencing the state-of-the-art concert hall.

Happy about trip and GAT

Iceland is beautiful. We felt safe walking around on the streets and around attractions. The food is delicious and affordable. Most memorable sightseeings are the riff area where the Eurasian and North American plates are moving apart, the view of Eyjafjallajökull that just erupted two years ago. Iceland is dynamically changing. Most heartfelt experiences are the proprietors of small family run businesses of a stable and a B&B during our deviated stay. They are passionate about their business of serving us well and sending us off with a piece of their heart. In fact, we met kind and considerate people throughout this tour—hotel and restaurant personnel, and even employee at grocery stores and ice cream stands. Their sense of service was a true delight. This is my first tour with GAT, and I'm very happy with the entire trip: Attentive help by Lindsay, Emily, Angus and the flights team.  Direct connections from SMF to KEF and back with 1 stop. Centrally located lodging at the Hotel Centrum.  Clean and spacious rooms.  Yummy breakfasts with fresh breads, fruits, lox, and much more.  Pampering welcome and farewell dinners. Delicious lunch buffet at the geyser.  Conscientious and knowledgable guide, Trausti Gunnarsson, who made our bird watchers happy with his enthusiasm for the many birds we saw.  Interesting tour itinerary.  I can foresee myself returning for more tours like many people we met in our Reyjkavik tour.

Incredible!

An amazing beautiful country with very, very friendly people! We hit it just right in early July, as the weather was very comfortable, very little rain, and almost no wind. The tour ran super smoothly with a kind, caring, and knowledgeable tour guide. Trausti knew the geology, birds, plants, and shared part of the Iceland Sagas on the road. We visited geysers, glaciers, beautiful waterfalls, the countryside, the amazing Blue Lagoon (soaking for 2 hours!), and the city of Reykjavik. Hotel Centrum, was a beautiful, classy hotel, located one or two blocks from the city center. We walked a block or so to start shopping or go for a stroll around the long duck ponds. In fact we walked all over the city in our free time. Oh, and the hotel has great drapes for keeping out the ever shining sun for a sound sleep. We kept the window open all night, as well. The food? We tried Icelandic tapas, Icelandic Fish and Chips, and the famous hot dog stand by the flea market, along with many other places. The fish was the best in the world! Fresh and cooked to perfection whether fish and chips or a gourmet 5 course meal. And then there were the delicious desserts, many made with Skyr (close to a yogurt but much better and very healthy). Oh yeah, the ones that tried horse for dinner had found a new love. We customized our trip with GoAhead making our adjusted flight schedule. We wanted to include an adjustment day before the tour (we took a puffin tour) and 2 more days at the end to explore the northern peninsula of Snaefelnes with our tour guide/guest house owner, Edda, from Eric the Red Guest house. On our last day we rode the beautiful Icelandic horses and fell in love with their special smooth trotting gait. The rest of the day we visited places like the Volcano Museum, the wonderful National Museum, and the "local" shopping areas. This tour is a "don't miss." GoAhead, thank you so much for your attention to details, for working with our custom plans, and for your well-planned itinerary.

Reykjavic July 7 - 12, 2012

I have a confession to make, whenever we took a trip, we did everything by ourselves. It was super to have someone else do this, plus we had the best tour director. He took care of us, plus we had a large group. We saw volcanos, geysers, went on a whale watching tour, and the unusual natural beauty of the country. Reykjavik is a modern, upbeat city, that has very friendly people. Go Ahead Tours did an excellent job.

iceland tour

fantastic tour so much to see and enjoy wonderful people

Iceland - short trip, big value

Lots of experiences were included in this short trip, which fit perfectly into our budget and time constraints. From the tours of beautiful Reykjavik, to the outlying areas including the geothermal spa of the Blue Lagoon, glaciers and magnificent rock formations, waterfalls and geysers with a very knowledgeable tour guide, my husband and I enjoyed this trip immensely. My only regret - I wish I had taken a leisurely horseback ride on one of the Icelandic horses rather than going on the whale watch tour on the rocky, North Atlantic waters.

Best kept secret on the planet.

Iceland is the best kept secret on the planet. Known to just a few lucky tourists from the USA such as I. The country is unique in its geology and geography. There truly has not been a vacation spot that can compare to its natural wonders. If I was to visit the surface of the moon, i imagine that this is what it would be like. The glaciers and volcanic rock formations are beautiful and peaceful. There was a tranquility and quietness in the air that melts your heart. The waterfalls and rainbows were picturesque and seemed like I was transported back in time. Absolute fresh air, cold glacial water, and smiles from everyone who welcomed me with open arms. If you want to visit a place that is so different from where you have been and love the untouched land that the planet holds, then you must visit Iceland and experience all the wonders of this best kept secret......