Iceland Coast to Coast: A Midnight Sun Ring Road Adventure

This trip is designed to be a small group experience, with up to 20 guests. Keeping the group smaller makes the trip feel more personal and allows us to move around more nimbly than larger tour groups which often have 40-60 guests.

Yes, and many travelers do. Couples and friends often love the group dynamic because you still get to travel together while also meeting other like-minded travelers during activities and dinners.

Absolutely. Many people join these trips solo, and it’s actually one of the best ways to travel if you don’t have someone to go with. The group dynamic makes it easy to meet people and share experiences, while still giving you freedom to explore on your own when you want.

I offer roommate matching for solo travelers who want to share a room. While I can’t guarantee a match, I do my best to pair travelers when possible. If a match isn’t available, the solo room surcharge will apply.

You’ll fly into Keflavik International Airport (KEF). The airport serves Reykjavik arrivals, but keep in mind that it's located approximately 1 hour from the city center.

On arrival day, I recommend landing no later than 12:00 PM so you have ample time to explore Reykjavik and settle in before we head out on Ring Road the following morning. This is especially important if you'd like to book the optional Blue Lagoon add-on. Avoid extremely early arrivals (before 5:00 AM) when shuttle availability may be limited.

When departing, I'd suggest not scheduling a departure flight before 11:00 AM. This will give you time to have breakfast, transfer to the airport and still have at least 2 hours to drop luggage before your scheduled departure.

As a reminder it takes approximately 60 - 90 minutes to complete your transfer to or from Keflavik International Airport (KEF).

Overall, this is an easy to moderate trip. Most days involve short walks (10-30 minutes) on well-maintained paths, boardwalks, and staircases, with plenty of time spent in the minibus between stops. There are no required long hikes, multi-hour treks, or activities that demand specialized fitness.

What guests should be comfortable with:

• Walking 1-3 miles per day across short stops
• Climbing stairs (300 wooden steps at Grábrók Crater, a metal staircase at Saxhóll Crater)
• Standing on uneven terrain (lava fields, black sand beaches, gravel paths)
• Getting on and off the minibus multiple times per day
• Variable weather: wind, rain, cold even in June, with quick changes

Optional more strenuous activities (guests can opt out):

• Hengifoss hike: around 3 miles round-trip with 900 feet of elevation gain. Non-hikers spend the morning at Vök Baths instead, no pressure either way.
• Skógafoss top viewing: via a 527-step staircase. The base of the falls is the main view and just as impressive. Views from the top are optional.

Included activities that involve more effort:

• Jökulsárlón kayaking: Tandem kayaks, guided, no experience required, but you do need to paddle.
• The Thórsmörk UTV: You're a passenger in the buggy if you prefer not to drive, but expect a bumpy ride and small river crossings.

Bottom line: If you can comfortably walk for an hour on uneven ground and handle a flight of stairs, you'll have no problem on this trip. We move at a group-friendly pace with plenty of time to take photos, catch your breath, and enjoy each stop. Most physically demanding elements are optional or seated.

No prior ATV experience is necessary. The ATV tours are beginner-friendly and guided the entire time. The local guides will walk everyone through how the vehicles work before we start riding, and passengers can ride with another traveler if they prefer not to drive.

A valid driver's license is required if you plan to drive an ATV during this trip. If you do not plan to drive an ATV or you do not possess a driver's license, you must have another person on your reservation who plans to drive for you to become a passenger.

Accommodations & Meals

• 9 nights of lodging covering all hotels for the duration of the trip
• 10 breakfasts, one every morning of the trip

Marquee Activities

• Húsavík whale watching tour with an operator boasting a 97% success rate
• Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon kayaking, a professionally guided experience on the water
• A 2-hour Thórsmörk UTV tour with river crossings, glacier views, and canyon exploration
• Guided access to the Raufarhólshellir lava tunnels
• Two geothermal soaks: the Mývatn Earth Lagoon and Vök Baths

Wildlife & Natural Wonders

• Four puffin viewing opportunities at Arnarstapi cliffs, Húsavík bay, Dyrhólaey, and Borgarfjörður Eystri, the main event with 8,000 to 10,000 nesting pairs on clifftop boardwalks
• 10+ waterfalls including Goðafoss, Dettifoss (Europe's most powerful), Skógafoss, the walk-behind Seljalandsfoss, the hidden Gljúfrabúi, and Hengifoss
• Five glacier viewing stops at Snæfellsjökull, Breiðamerkurjökull (the outlet glacier at Jökulsárlón), Kvíárjökull, Svínafellsjökull, and Mýrdalsjökull
• Five black sand beaches: Hvalnes Nature Preserve, Fauskasandur, Stokksnes, Diamond Beach, and Reynisfjara
• Three volcanic craters: Saxhóll, Grábrók, and Víti
• The Hverir geothermal field with bubbling mud pots, steaming fumaroles, and sulfur-stained ground

Logistics & Support

• Expert trip leader (Wes) accompanying the group for the duration of the trip
• A professional driver handling 25+ hours of driving
• Roundtrip airport transfers

Flights, meals & alcohol unless otherwise noted, and travel insurance (I highly recommend you insure your trip which you can do here).

While flights are not included in the total trip cost, I'm happy to assist any trip participants with choosing the best flight options. Just ask!

Booking is simple. Use the "Check Availability" buttons on this page to submit your deposit and secure your spot on the trip.

If you you'd rather learn more before submitting your deposit, let's get to know each other!

I'm always happy to set up a time for us to chat, video call or answer questions about my tours over email.

You can find my contact information below:

• Wes Mergard
• 513-202-3064
• wes@travelwithwes.com
• www.travelwithwes.com

You can also reach me on social media. If you don't already, join the 60,000+ people who already follow along with my travels in real time!

• Instagram
• TikTok
• YouTube
• Facebook

If you're located in Cincinnati, I'm always happy to meet in person over coffee to discuss.

Once you're ready to reserve your spot, you can do so by submitting your deposit using the form on this page, or using this link.

Iceland trip dates are as follows:

• 2027: June 12th - 22nd
• 2028: Expect more dates to be announced for mid June (email wes@travelwithwes.com to join the waitlist)

Icelandic is the official language. It's a North Germanic language that's stayed remarkably close to Old Norse, the language of the medieval Vikings, partly because of Iceland's geographic isolation. Modern Icelanders can still read the 800-year-old sagas in their original form, which is pretty wild.

The good news for your trip: English is widely spoken, especially in the tourism industry. You'll find that nearly everyone working at hotels, restaurants, gas stations, tour operators, and shops speaks fluent English. Iceland has one of the highest English proficiency rates in the world among non-native speakers. You won't have any communication issues.

A few Icelandic words worth knowing for fun:

• Takk (tahk) - thanks
• Halló (hah-loh) - hello
• Já (yow) - yes
• Nei (nay) - no
• Skál (skowl) - cheers

And one survival tip: place names look intimidating but follow patterns once you know them. Foss = waterfall (Goðafoss, Skógafoss, Seljalandsfoss), jökull = glacier (Vatnajökull, Svínafellsjökull), vatn = lake (Mývatn), fjörður = fjord (Borgarfjörður), vík = bay or cove (Reykjavík, Húsavík), and fell or fjall = mountain (Kirkjufell, Vestrahorn). Once those click, half the map starts to make sense.

No, Americans don't need a visa for short visits to Iceland. Iceland is part of the Schengen Area, which means US citizens can enter visa-free for tourism for up to 90 days within any 180-day period. You just need a valid US passport with at least 3 months of validity beyond your planned departure date.

You'll have free time each evening once we reach our hotel. These are great opportunities to explore different towns such as Reykjavik, Akureyri, Hofn and beyond! During the day, we'll move as a group exploring some of Iceland's most remote areas that would be difficult to reach on your own.

Travel insurance isn’t required, but it’s strongly recommended. It can help protect you in case of flight delays, cancellations, medical issues, or unexpected travel changes.

If you don't have travel insurance, you can compare policies here.

Deposits and prepayments are refundable in accordance with the tour cancellation policy.