VOLCANIC ICELAND

Welcome to Iceland! This happy nation, plonked near the top of the globe, makes for an arresting sight as you land, flying past volcanic and glacier-covered terrain. A short transfer to the capital, Reykjavik, from Keflavík International Airport (KEF) will allow you to decompress from your flight. Here you'll meet your fellow travellers at 6pm – as well as our local insider who will accompany your group throughout the trip. Tonight, you’ll start your adventure with a three-course dinner at Sæata Svinið – expect delights such as Icelandic beef or lamb, lobster and Arctic char, all washed down with local beer.

You’ll start your first full day in Iceland with a tour of its capital, before venturing out to the lesser-trodden Borgarfjörður region to visit the Barnafoss and Hraunfossar waterfalls. You’ll also have the chance to wander through the charming village of Reykholt, home of the great Icelandic saga writer Snorri Sturluson, and of Krauma Natural Geothermal Baths, where you’ll soak in warm water baths derived from Europe’s most powerful hot spring.

Today you’ll experience the three main highlights on the Golden Circle tour – Thingvellir National Park, the Geysir Geothermal Area and Gullfoss waterfall. We’ll start in Thingvellir, where the island’s geology is at its most epic, most notably when you can actually see the meeting point of two continental plates. En route to witness spouting geysers we’ll stop at the Geothermal Bakery Fontana to taste their extraordinary and delicious rye bread, made using the island’s natural heat. We’ll round off our tour at the thundering falls of Gullfoss, before kicking back at a magical, lesser-known geothermal lagoon. Settle in for the evening at our cosy, family-run boutique hotel in southern Iceland and, if you’re lucky, you may get to witness the Northern Lights, especially if you’re travelling in season.

A waterfall you can walk behind? Yup, it’s as cool as it sounds. But don't forget to pack your wet-weather gear when you're visiting Seljalandsfoss today. One more waterfall after this, Skógafoss, then you’ll head down to the black Reynisfjara beach and watch as it's pummelled by the Atlantic Ocean. To keep your adrenaline pumping, you’ll set out on a three-hour hike across the Sólheimajökull glacier. Warm up afterwards with a hot drink, snack and shot of whisky before returning to the hotel for a hearty farewell evening meal.

It’s nearly time to bid Iceland adieu. However, there’s one more stop before you make your way to the airport. The Blue Lagoon, a series of powder-blue geothermal pools surrounded by black lava fields, sits at an average temperature of 39C (102F); the silica in the water is said to have many skin benefits so be sure to bring your swimmers. Once you’re all bathed out, bid farewell to the group by 1pm and catch your transfer to Keflavík International Airport, a 15-minute drive away.