Exclusive Iceland: The Golden Circle & the Wild West

With Selfoss as the drop-off point, you'll have two days to explore at your own pace, discovering the incomparable Golden Circle region and the glaciers and volcanoes of the South Coast. In winter, the sky and vast expanses of unexplored land change colour as the sun charts its short arc across the sky. The almost unreal Northern Lights are its absolute highlight.
Things to see and do - Thingvellir National Park, the former site of the Althing, the Icelandic national parliament, founded in 930 AD, making it the world's first. Here there's a beautiful waterfall, numerous geological faults including Almannagja, which offers beautiful views of the valley, and Lake Thingvallavatn, Iceland's largest natural lake. It's also home to Strokkur geyser (Icelandic for 'churn'), which erupts every five to eight minutes to a height of 65ft. Then head for the Gullfoss waterfall, undoubtedly Iceland's most famous waterfall, but also one of the most beautiful - it falls in two stages into a beautiful canyon.
Included in your itinerary - Lunch at a restaurant in Stokkseyri, one of our favourite places in Iceland. It's a lovely restaurant adorned in wood, with a large slate displaying the dishes of the day. However, there's one speciality in particular: langoustines sauteed in butter. Bon appetit!

Head north to reach the West Coast and Hafnarskogur, through lava deserts, meadows and pretty bays.
Things to see on the way - Hvalfjordur (Whale Fjord) - the open-air museum in Arbaerjarsafn, which showcases art and tradition.
Spend three nights in your second private house, a charming cocoon in the countryside, just a short distance from the coast. In the distance is the Snaefellsnes Peninsula and, just opposite, Borgarnes, a small harbour nestled at the bottom of a fjord, with colourful houses gathered around a wooden church.

Spend a few days exploring the wild coasts of the west and the Snaefellsnes Peninsula, dominated by the Snaefellsjokull volcano glacier (4,680ft). Creeks alternate with cliffs, which are home to black-legged gulls, seagulls, and Arctic terns. Take a walk along the cliff-top paths and skirt the sides of the volcano, where Jules Verne located the entry point to the Centre of the Earth in his most famous novel. The more adventurous among you can explore the glacier by snowmobile, while others may prefer to hike or ride. You'll also go on a fishing trip and a boat tour to discover the birds and mammals that inhabit the bays.
Sites worth seeing - Gerduberg basalt column cliff - Eldborg crater and its glowing walls - Reykholt valley and Barnafoss and Hraunfossar waterfalls, which are among the most beautiful on the island.
Your itinerary includes the baths of Krauma, which welcome visitors for a geothermal experience in a modern facility. In addition to the five hot baths supplied by Deildartunguhver, the most powerful hot spring on the European continent, there is a cold bath from Rausgil, which springs from Ok, Iceland's smallest glacier. There are two saunas and a relaxation room, where you can relax by the fire to prolong your stay.
Option - Snaefellsjokull glacier snowshoe trip.

You'll take a short drive south to the capital, where you'll spend three nights in a small private house in Grjoit, one of the city's oldest districts, which is listed as a heritage site.

In your itinerary - Reykjavik with a local guide. With your local guide, you'll share a slice of life, talk about everyday life, discuss societal issues, or learn about the history of one of the world's most northerly cities. It's an informal encounter, an improvised walk to suit individual tastes. It's also an opportunity to visit many great places.
Things to see and do - Climb to the top of Hallgrimskirkja Church; walk or take a bike or scooter to district 101, around Laugavegur Street, a 'village' of wooden houses of all colours, from pink to olive green, and concept stores where you can buy virgin wool blankets or pretty ceramic dishes; visit the Arbaejarsafn in Kistuhyl, the open-air museum of architecture, to discover what the Icelandic capital looked like at the beginning of the 20th century; eat cooked shark fin for lunch, accompanied by Brennivín, a potato and caraway aquavit; visit Marshall House, a former herring factory opened in 1948 and financed by the Marshall Plan, which has now been converted into an exhibition space for artists collectives.