HE Travel
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Iceland Northern Lights Cruise
A Gay Travel Iceland Northern Lights Cruise with Hiking, Whale Watching
Prices listed are per person:
Triple Cabin: Shared Room: $3250
Private Room: $9750
Twin Inside Cabin: Shared Room: $3750
Private Room: $6375
Twin Outside Cabin: Shared Room: $4350
Private Room: $7395
Physical Challenge
We have offered summer trips to Iceland for over twenty-five years, showing many of you the unique and unending wonders of this remote land of fire and ice. But some experiences can be enjoyed only as the days get shorter: the aurora borealis radiating across the night sky, whales and dolphins swimming around our three-masted sailing ship and enjoying the vistas from hikes through the least-visited landscapes of Iceland. Join our Iceland Northern Lights Cruise to immerse yourself in Iceland’s picturesque autumn landscape and coastline.
Highlights
Sail on an historic 3-masted sailing vessel, with a motor but under sail when the weather allows.
Board Zodiacs to explore the bays of Northeast Iceland.
Hike along rugged trails in the least-visited corner of Iceland.
Watch for whales and dolphins swimming around our ship.
Observe grand displays of northern lights in the open skies to our north (weather permitting).
Enjoy this unique cruise itinerary with a friendly group of gay men, lesbians, family, and friends. (Please note that this is not a charter, so our group will be among other passengers on our sailing vessel.)
Overview
Join our Iceland Northern Lights cruise on a 3-masted wooden sailing vessel as we explore the northeast corner of Iceland. Depending on the weather conditions, we will have Zodiac excursions from our ship or take hikes into Northeast Iceland’s pristine wilderness, returning to our ship for dinner. Colder autumn temperatures bring humpback and minke whales, white-beaked dolphins, and harbor porpoises to the waters that we traverse. On a clear evening, we have high odds of a tremendous Aurora Borealis display with no interference from ambient light.
Itinerary
Day 1: A Ride from Reykjavik to Akureyri to Board our Ship
Meet our driver in Reykjavik for a 6-hour drive to Akureyri, Iceland’s largest city outside the Reykjavik region and only major port on Iceland’s north coast. In the afternoon, embark onto the s/v Rembrandt van Rijn to meet our expedition team and fellow passengers, enjoy our first dinner together, and set sail.
Each evening and night, our attentive crew will alert us if the Northern Lights emerge from the clouds. There is very little artificial light in this region to obscure our view when the Aurora Borealis is visible.
Day 2: Arctic Circle
Our Captain will have a Plan A and a Plan B for each day depending on weather and sea conditions. Plan A will be more boat-centered visiting remote harbors and nearby islands. Or, Plan B will allow hikes in this mountainous region while the ship traverses rougher seas to our next rendezvous point.
Plan A: if conditions allow, we will sail to the island of Grimsey, about 20 miles offshore from the main island. We will board our Zodiacs to get to shore, then visit a marker for the Arctic Circle, the northernmost of Earth’s five major circles of latitude. Grimsey is known for its steep cliffs, the perfect summer nesting area for vast numbers of puffins. (They will have migrated south by the time of our visit.)
Plan B: our vessel will stay in the sheltered harbor of Akureyri, and we will board a bus for a day of hiking in nearby Myvatn. This national park is home to volcanoes, waterfalls, and geothermal areas. We’ll return to our sailing ship for dinner.
Day 3: Husavik, and Whales, Dolphins, and Porpoises
Plan A: spend the day near the village of Husavik, considered to have the highest concentration of whales of any location in Iceland. The first house in Iceland was built by a Swedish Viking in 860 AD, but the most famous landmark visible today is a wooden church built in 1907. A minor claim to fame is that the 2020 Netflix film Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga was filmed here.
Weather permitting, in the afternoon we will sail across the bay on the lookout for porpoises, dolphins, and humpback and minke whales.
Plan B: if weather conditions keep our ship docked in Husavik, we will take a bus to the Tjornes Peninsula for a hike to see the area’s birdlife and unique geology. We will continue on to Asbyrgi, a forested horse-shoe-shaped canyon.
After returning to Husavik, we’ll have time to relax in outdoor pools heated with geothermal energy (on your own).
Day 4: Rounding Iceland’s Far Northeast Corner
Plan A: sail around the northeast corner of Iceland to the village of Raufarhofn. Near the town is a monument called Arctic Henge. It has been under construction for over 20 years, with the goal of creating a sundial inspired by a description in a medieval Norse poem.
Plan B: take a bus excursion to Dettifoss, with a larger water flow than any other waterfall in Europe. We will hike to get a closeup view of this magnificent 150-foot high and 330-foot-wide waterfall. We’ll return to our vessel in the evening.
Day 5: Explore Austurland – Iceland’s East Coast
Plan A: spend the day sailing along Iceland’s East Coast (Austurland) from Raufarhofn to Vopnafjordur. From the ship and on land, we’ll take in the natural beauty of the rugged landscape and the charm of the region’s small hamlets.
Plan B: if the seas are not conducive to sailing along the coast, our bus will take us on an inland excursion to explore this unique landscape.
Day 6: Highlights of Austurland
Plan A: set sail from Vopnafjordur to our destination of Seydisfjordur. Subject to weather conditions, we will also stop at Borgarfjordur, known for its eider down, considered one of the finest downs in the world. The is collected from the nests of eider ducks after the adults and their chicks leave the nests in the late spring. We will also see hamlets whose harbors protect small fishing boats.
Plan B: we will take an inland excursion before returning to our ship for our final evening. We will have our farewell dinner on board with our new friends.
Day 7: Homeward Bound!
We will conclude our Iceland Northern Lights cruise as we disembark in Seydisfjordur early in the morning. Anyone reserving the tour with HE Travel will be provided a complimentary 45-minute bus transfer to Egilsstadir Airport (EGS) for a 1-hour morning flight to Reykjavik’s domestic airport (RKV). There are direct buses from RKV airport to Reykjavik’s international airport at Keflavik (KEF). If you have the time, we recommend that you spend a couple of days in Reykjavik before heading home or to your next destination.
Price Includes
Price includes: Group bus transfer from Reykjavik to Akureyri (about 6 hours); Transfer from our ship to Egilsstadir Airport on departure day; 6 nights on the historic s/v Rembrandt van Rijn sailing ship in selected cabin type, all with a private shower and toilet; Two onboard tour guides accompanying the group at all locations; All meals while on the ship; All shore excursions, Zodiac and bus rides, sightseeing, and hiking as listed; Services of a knowledgeable HE Travel tour host (with a minimum number of participants). HE Travel provides complimentary Medical & Evacuation Insurance for every US Resident on our group tours who does not have other coverage.
Not included: Airfare between home and Reykjavik; Airfare from Egilsstadir Airport to Reykjavik’s domestic airport; airport transfers in Reykjavik/Keflavik; All meals before and after our cruise; Souvenirs, snacks, admissions not listed here or if listed as on your own; Alcoholic beverages; Gratuities for guides and host.
Tour Insurance
We strongly recommend the purchase of Trip Cancellation and Interruption insurance to protect your vacation investment in case of unforeseen circumstances such as flight delay, illness, or injury. Click Here to learn more about our Insurance partner.