North Iceland Family Adventure

Stay in Akureyri

You will be based at Hotel Kjarnalundur, tucked into woodland above the small, compact city of Akureyri. As well as hiking and mountain bike trails right on your doorstep, all the facilities and attractions of Akureyri and Eyjafjordur (one of Iceland’s longest fjords) are just a short drive away, whether you want a meal out, a dip in the local swimming pool or a stroll around one of the world’s most northerly botanic gardens – just 50km shy of the Arctic Circle.

Set sail on Europe’s ultimate whale watching tour

Back in 1993 we were the first company to operate a whale watching tour in Iceland. Husavik, a colourful harbour town on the north coast is Europe’s whale watching capital. Included in your holiday (March – November), you’ll set out into the glittering expanse of Skjalfandi Bay. With the average success rate of sightings at over 97%, you and your children shouldn’t have to wait long for your first marine mammal encounter… perhaps it will be a minke whale surfacing near the boat, a pod of white-beaked dolphins cavorting thought the waves, or a humpback whale breaching. If you’re lucky, you might even spot a blue whale or a pod of orcas. Gannets, puffins, fulmars and other seabirds are just as riveting – and as if things couldn’t get any better, you’ll be offered hot chocolate and cinnamon buns on the way back to port!

Tour the natural wonders of the north

Akureyri lies on the Arctic Coast Way, a 900km touring route that follows the deep fjords, broad bays and wild peninsulas of North Iceland. Set off in your hire car and you can easily sample a section… perhaps driving north along the shores of Eyjafjordur. Just 30 minutes’ drive from your hotel, you’ll find Godafoss, one of Iceland’s most beautiful waterfalls. Another 30 minutes and you’ll arrive at Lake Myvatn, encircled by a road that links eye-popping volcanic features, from craters and lava flows to boiling mud pits. You won’t want to miss the Nature Baths – an amazing outdoor geothermal lagoon with water temperatures of 36-40°C. At the height of summer, with 24hr daylight, it’s well worth continuing on to Dettifoss to stare in awe at Europe’s mightiest waterfall – 44m high and flowing at up to 200 cubic metres a second.

Take your pick from numerous optional activities

We can pre-book optional excursions for you to suit. Choose from horse riding to a guided Superjeep tour for truly off the beaten track fun into Iceland’s uninhabited interior. Children will also love visiting the medieval trading site of Gásir where, each July, Icelandic craftsmen and women recreate life from the 13th and 14th centuries.

Extend your stay

All of our holidays can be tailor made – let our Travel Specialists know what you want to do and they’ll happily plan a bespoke itinerary for you, whether it’s a case of adding a day or two, or extending it into a two-week holiday. We can also arrange for you to fly into Akureyri and out of Keflavik if you’d like to travel overland between North and South Iceland.