Shore Excursions in Iceland – How I Spent a Day in Iceland’s Most Popular Ports

The shore excursions in Iceland with Iceland ProCruises allowed me to see the more authentic side of this beautifully scenic country.

Seeing puffins on flatey island was one of the best shore excursions in Iceland

Last Updated on 12/18/23 by Rose Palmer

Iceland is a beautifully scenic country which has also made it an extremely popular tourist destination. Cruising around the island is an easy and comfortable way to see the highlights. In the summer months, Iceland ProCruises organizes Iceland circumnavigation tours that shows off their country’s best sights along with some less visited gems that are unique just to their itineraries.

For me, the best way to cruise in Iceland was to tour with a company that is an Iceland expert, and that is why I went with Iceland ProCruises. Owned by a native Icelander and using Icelandic guides, the company provided the best possible authentic tour experience that allowed me to learn about the country’s culture as well as see its beautiful scenery.

the MS Seaventure in Iceland's waters
the MS Seaventure in Iceland’s waters

During the summer months, Iceland ProCruises charters the expedition ship MS Seaventure. With only 84 outside cabins, the cruise was an intimate sailing experience that allowed me to connect more easily to my fellow passengers and to the crew that took excellent care of us.

I describe the ship experience in a lot of detail in my post Experiencing Authentic Iceland in Style – An Iceland ProCruises Review

My Iceland Circumnavigation Itinerary

Iceland ProCruises Iceland circumnavigation

This was my 10 day Iceland circumnavigation itinerary:

Day 1 – board in Reykjavik

Day 2 – Anarstapi and the Snaefellsnes Peninsula

Day 3 – Isafjordur

Day 4 – Siglufjordur and Grimsey

Day 6 – Husavik

Day 7 – Seydisfjordur

Day 8 – Djupivogur

Day 9 – Vestmannaeyjar (Westman Islands)

Day 10 – Disembark in Reykjavik

Each day I had a choice of excursions. These Iceland shore excursions were not part of the base cost of the cruise. This allowed me to choose the specific tours I wanted based on my interests and my physical abilities. There were culturally focused tours, tours that took me to see beautiful scenery, or guide led hiking tours.

My shore excursions in Iceland

Day 1 – Board the Seaventure in Reykjavik at 4 PM

I started my day with walking and sightseeing in Reykjavik. My hotel recommended BakaBaka bakery for breakfast, and I must admit that their cinnamon roll and cappuccino hit the spot.

For a European capital, the core of the city is not large and is extremely walkable. I walked up Rainbow street to see the famous Hallgrimskirkja, then along the waterfront to see the Sun Voyager sculpture and the beautiful Harpa Concert Hall, and then all the way to the end of the harbor to see the Fly Over Iceland movie. All this was about 4 miles of walking.

Rainbow Street in Reykjavik
Rainbow Street in Reykjavik

At boarding time, I easily rolled my bag to the pier. The ship was conveniently docked right next to the beautiful Harpa Concert Hall which was an easy 5 minute walk from the City Center Hotel Reykjavik where I spent the night.

The Seaventure docked next to the Harpa Concert Hall in Reykjavik
The Seaventure docked next to the Harpa Concert Hall in Reykjavik
The Seaventure docked in Reykjavík
The MS Seaventure docked in Reykjavík

Check in was a breeze, and in under 10 minutes I was in the Seabreeze lounge enjoying sandwiches, cakes, and a special welcome aboard drink.

At 8 PM, as I was finishing my first dinner on board, the ship pulled up the anchor and we set sail, literally, into a beautiful Icelandic sunset.

Sailing into a beautiful Icelandic sunset
Sailing into a beautiful Icelandic sunset

Day 2 – Anarstapi and the Snaefellsnes Peninsula

Our first stop in Iceland was at the small town of Anarstapi on the southern coast of the Snaefellsnes peninsula. I woke up to a classic Iceland view out of my cabin window: green mountains, blue water, and a mountaintop covered in an ice white glacier.

first view of Iceland from my cabin window
First view of Iceland from my cabin window

The morning started with a short zodiac cruise to get all the cruise ship passengers comfortable with getting in and out of the zodiacs. It was also a great way to get up close to the unique basalt coastline around the town of Anarstapi. Most tourists only get to see this from the top of the cliff, so I appreciated having this unique perspective.

Zodiac tour of the coastline in Iceland
Zodiac tour of the Anarstapi coastline on the Snaefellsnes peninsula in Iceland

After lunch we were off on our choice of shore excursions around the Snaefellsnes peninsula. The options were:

SN1 – JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH – Fascinating lava world, breathtaking scenery and exploration of a lava cave

SN2 – BUS EXCURSION AROUND THE SNAEFELLSNES PENINSULA – An introduction to the history and geology of Iceland, diverse landscapes and a visit to the shark museum.

For those going on excursions, the zodiacs took us into the photogenic harbor for the hamlet of Anarstapi.  From here it was a short walk to the waiting buses for our tours.

Views in Anarstapi, Iceland
Views in Anarstapi, Iceland

I chose the bus excursion which drove us around the peninsula to see the major highlights. We started with the Bjarnarhöfn Shark Museum where we learned about the process for making fermented shark and also had the option to taste this traditional delicacy. I did try a bite followed by a shot of local Brennivin liquor and decided that this was clearly an acquired taste.

Tasting fermented shark at the Shark Museum
Tasting fermented shark at the Shark Museum

The next stop was Kirkjufellsfoss, Iceland’s famous mountain, and its nearby waterfall. This is the most iconic and most photographed spot in Iceland. It was a short and easy walk from the parking area to the classic view of the mountain and also for photogenic views of the waterfalls.

Kirkjufellsfoss
Kirkjufellsfoss

We continued driving around the scenic nose of the peninsula to the Djupalonssandur black sand beach where we also had views of the Snaefellsjokull glacier. Here we had time to hike down (and then back up) to the beach for those that chose to do so. This spot also had wonderful views of the Snaefellsjokull glacier.

Djupalonssandur black sand beach
Djupalonssandur black sand beach
views of the Snaefellsjokull glacier
Views of the Snaefellsjokull glacier

The tour ended with a stop at the overlook for the Londrangar sea stacks before heading back to Anarstapi and then the ship.

The Londrangar sea stacks
The Londrangar sea stacks
The Seaventure docked near the small harbor of Anarstapi
The Seaventure docked near the small harbor of Anarstapi

Day 3 – Isafjordur

Our second full day took us to the town of Isafjordur on the northern tip of the Westfjords peninsula. This region of Iceland is less developed and extremely scenic.

With its deep harbor, it’s not surprising that fishing has been a major industry in Isafjordur for a long time. Today, this is also a popular cruise ship stop.

In Isafjordur
In Isafjordur

The day our little ship visited, there were two additional larger cruise ships in port which more than doubled the town’s population of 3000 residents. Fortunately, our smaller ship could dock at one of the piers, so we didn’t need to zodiac to shore.

The day tours offered by Iceland ProCruises on were:

I1 – LONELY WESTFJORDS IN AN OFF-ROAD BUS – a spectacular ride through the remote Westfjords

I2 – BUS TOUR – NATURE AND CULTURE OF THE WESTFJORDS – The bays and fjords on the east side of the Westfjords with a  visit to the local salt and chocolate factory

I3 – BUS TOUR – DYNJANDI WATERFALL – Drive through rugged landscapes to the magnificent Dynjandi Waterfall

All the tour options here sounded interesting, but I chose the Dynjandi Waterfall tour because this is one of Iceland’s best known and most scenic waterfalls. A one hour bus ride took us to the parking area at the base of the waterfall.

Dynjandi waterfall
Two of the cascades at Dynjandi waterfall

This is actually a series of four cascades with a huge bridal veil fall as the showpiece. There is a 1 mile round trip trail that climbs up along the edge of the falls and the stream. Some sections were steep and required climbing stone stairs that were slippery. I found a hiking stick quite useful for this trek, especially in the wet, steeper sections.

We had about 90 minutes here which was enough to get to the top and back if you were fit. This is a popular tour and with three ships in town it seemed like all the tour busses arrived at the same time. As a result, the single trail to the top was tricky in the narrower sections as people tried to go up and others tried to go down at the same time. But even with the crowds, this waterfall with its four tiers was stunning.

Close up of the largest cascade at Dynjandi
Close up of the largest cascade at Dynjandi
One of the lower waterfall at Dynjandi
One of the lower waterfall at Dynjandi

After Dynjandi, we had two more unique experiences that are a great example of the authentic cultural touches that I experienced with Iceland ProCruises. Our next stop, the Jon Sigurdsson Museum, was not far from the waterfall. Jon Sigurdsson was instrumental in getting Iceland’s independence and this spot celebrates his birthplace.

Besides recounting the key events of Jon’s life, the museum has also reconstructed the turf house than Jon grew up in. There was a lovely little cafe here and along with a 19th century church.

Jon Sigurdsson Museum
At the Jon Sigurdsson Museum and memorial

For lunch, our guide took us to the small village of Pyngeyri where we had a delicious fish soup, fresh salad, and homemade bread at one of the local homes. We also had time to explore the village on our own for a bit. I enjoyed perusing in the town’s handicraft shop with its many handmade Icelandic sweaters on display.

Home made Icelandic fish soup and salad for lunch
Home made Icelandic fish soup and salad for lunch
handmade Icelandic sweaters for sale in a local shop
handmade Icelandic sweaters for sale in a handicraft shop in Pyngyeri

Day 4 – Siglufjordur and Grimsey

Siglufjordur

The morning started with a scenic stop at the northern town of Siglufjordur. Once again, I woke up to a beautiful view from my room.

View of Siglufjordur from my balcony
View of Siglufjordur from my balcony

This was also a very deep harbor so our ship was once again able to dock near the town center. From our boat, it was an easy 10 minute walk to the Herring Museum, my sightseeing goal for today.

The tour options today were:

S1 – HERRING RUSH – The history and the key role of the Icelandic herring industry including a musical performance, herring and “Brennivin” tasting, and entrance to the Herring Museum.

S2 – HVANNEYRARSKAL VALLEY HIKE – Fantastic views over the fjord

S3 – BOAT TOUR IN THE SIGLUFJORD – Calm boat trip through scenic nature

I chose the Herring Rush tour because I wanted to learn about the role that the women of this community played in developing the herring industry in Iceland.

Herring Girls sculpture in Siglufjordur
Herring Girls sculpture in Siglufjordur

The tour started with a herring cleaning demonstrations which was traditionally done by the women and girls of the town. While the men went out and caught the fish, it was up to the women to clean and prepare the fish. During the fishing heyday in the 1930’s as many as 15,000 barrels of fish were cleaned and salted by the “Herring Girls”.

Salted herring was an important food source in Europe, especially during the two World Wars. Herring meal also became a staple animal fodder throughout Europe and before petroleum oil, herring oil had many uses in the chemical industry.

Modern day Herring Girls demonstrating how to quickly clean herring
Modern day Herring Girls demonstrating how to quickly clean herring

The herring cleaning demonstration was followed by a performance of traditional singing and dancing that got the whole tour group involved.

Taking part in a traditional dance in Siglufjordur
Taking part in a traditional dance

Next, a local guide took as through the three buildings that make up the Herring Museum. She gave us a detailed perspective of what life was like during the heyday of the herring rush, especially for the women that played a key role in its success.

Herring Museum exhibit showing how the women lived during the Herring Rush
Herring Museum exhibit showing how the women lived during the Herring Rush

Before I had to be back on the ship, I had time for the 10 minute walk to Frieda’s Chocolate shop at the edge of town so I could try a cup of her famous Belgian hot chocolate. I highly recommend this.

Hot chocolate at Frieda's in Siglufjordur
Hot chocolate at Frieda’s in Siglufjordur
Grimsey

After another tasty lunch on board, we arrived at the island of Grimsey which sits on the Arctic Circle. The tiny village on the island has about 60 hearty souls living there year round.

The main sights here were the puffin colonies and the photo op with the sign post that marks the Arctic Circle. The zodiacs dropped us off in town and from there it was an easy walk along the coastline to these two highlights.

Arctic Circle marker on Grimsey Island
Arctic Circle marker on Grimsey Island
Puffins on Grimsey Island
Puffins on Grimsey Island

On the way back to the Seaventure, we cruised along the coast in the zodiac for a little while to get a closer look at the abundant birdlife on the cliffs and the nearby rock formations.

The sea stacks around Grimsey Island are filled with bird life
The sea stacks around Grimsey Island are filled with bird life

Day 5 – Flatey and Husavik

Flatey

Flatey is a private island with a few holiday homes and a church. Iceland ProCruises is the only tour company that is allowed to come here with its guests.

The big attraction here was the large, easily accessible puffin colony. We arrived early in the morning and a brief walk took me to the cliffs where large groups of puffins were hanging out.

Puffin colony on Flatey Island
Puffin colony on Flatey Island
Close up of puffin on Flatey Island
Close up of puffin on Flatey Island

I could only get within 20 feet of the puffins so as not to spook them into flying away. But with my long telephoto lens, I was able to get good close-ups, even at these distances.

Husavik

While we enjoyed lunch, our cruise continued to the town of Husavik on the northern coast of Iceland.  The tour options for this afternoon were:

HU1 – WHALE WATCHING ON RIB BOATS (THIS EXCURSION IS COMBINABLE WITH HU2 OR HU3) – Whale watching from Rigid Inflatable Boats

HU2 – FLIGHT ABOVE THE HIGHLIGHTS OF NORTHERN ICELAND (THIS EXCURSION IS COMBINABLE WITH HU1) – see Asbyrgi, Dettifoss Waterfall, Lake Myvatn and much more from above.

HU3 – BUS TOUR – DIAMOND CIRCLE (THIS EXCURSION IS COMBINABLE WITH HU1) – Europe‘s most powerful waterfall Dettifoss and the Vesturdalur Valley

For the afternoon excursion, I chose the HU3 excursion. After lunch we drove north from Husavik along part of the Diamond Circle tour route. The first stop was the Jokulsargljufur National Park where a short hike took us to the Botnstjorn pond at Asbyrgi with its interesting basalt lined cliffs.

Botnstjorn pond at Asbyrgi
Botnstjorn pond at Asbyrgi

The second stop was the powerful Dettifoss waterfall and the nearby Selfoss. Getting to the waterfall overlooks was about a 15 minute walk from the parking area through black lava fields. I could hear the noise of the waterfall long before I could actually see it. There were a number of viewpoints from the top giving slightly different perspectives. The trail down to the edge of Detifoss was busy and looked wet and slippery, so I opted to walk to the overlooks for Selfoss, just upstream of Dettifoss.

Dettifoss waterfall
Dettifoss waterfall
Selfoss
Views of Selfoss

Our third stop was a scenic overlook at Hijodaklettar, where we saw interesting rock formations that were created as the river cut through the lava. Then we drove down to beginning of the hiking trails at Vesturdalur valley and its unique lava rock formations.

Overlook at Hijodaklettar
Overlook at Hijodaklettar

This day was not over yet though. After a delicious bar-b-q dinner on the ship’s sun deck, I was off on an evening whale watching excursion. Since it was summer, it was light out quite late so we could fit in a lot of activities into a day.

I had done a whale watching cruise in Husavik on a previous trip to Iceland and had been disappointed because the boat didn’t get very close to the whales. Even though they seemed somewhat uncomfortable, I thought I would give the RIBs tour (Rigid Inflatable Boat) a try this time. They claimed that with their smaller size and increased maneuverability they could go to where the whales were.

I was not disappointed. We did indeed get close to two whales as they were actively feeding.

Getting close to the whales
Getting close to the whales
A feeding humpback whale
A feeding humpback whale

Day 6 – Husavik

After such a busy day yesterday, I decided to sleep in and forgo any of the offered excursions on this day. The tour options were:

HU4 – BUS TOUR – MYVATN MAJOR -the Lake Myvatn, Godafoss Waterfall, Dimmuborgir, Myvatn Nature Baths

HU5 – BUS TOUR TO THE NORTHERN CAPITAL – Godafoss Waterfall and free time in Akureyri

HU6 – HIKE TO LAKE BOTNSVATN – panoramic views and stunning nature

Godafoss waterfall
Beautiful Godafoss waterfall

Since I had seen all of these sights on a previous trip to Iceland, I didn’t feel like I was missing out, though I knew how stunning all this scenery was

Instead, I chose to take a short walk into town to Geosea, the town’s new geothermal baths. This was clearly a community gathering place with very few tourists present. I had a wonderfully relaxing, authentic feeling, afternoon soak in the hot water pools while looking out over the fjord. I could easily get used to doing this every day!

Soaking in the Geosea thermal pools
Soaking in the Geosea thermal pools

Day 7 – Seydisfjordur

Overnight we transitioned from Iceland’s north coast to the east where we docked in the small town of Seydisfjordur. This town is best known for its rainbow walk leading to the quaint town church.

Seydisfjordur church
Seydisfjordur church

But Seydisfjordur is also a good stepping off point for exploring some of  Iceland’s eastern coast sights.

SF1 – HUSEY – HORSEBACK RIDING – Icelandic horse riding tour

SF2 – BUS TOUR – NATURAL BEAUTY OF THE EAST – Iceland’s only forest, waterfall surrounded by basalt columns, swim in the lake

SF3 – HIKE IN THE MOUNTAINS – Impressive nature

As a photographer, I chose to explore the area’s natural beauty. We first stopped and did short walk through the Hallormsstadur forest, an unusual sight in Iceland which is mostly treeless.

Next, we stopped for an hour to see Litlanessfoss, a long, skinny waterfall that drops into a deep canyon. Getting close to the falls overlook was an uphill climb so I decided to admire it from afar and indulged in a cappuccino instead.

The final stop was the best – another chance for a dip in hot spring pools. We were able to enjoy the Vok baths for 2 hours.  These baths were made up of 3 hot pools of increasing warmth. Two of the pools were actually built into a lake and if you were daring enough you could go for dip in the cold lake after soaking in the hot pools. (I was not daring).

The day ended with an optional zodiac tour and history lesson around the Seydisfjordur harbor, another one of Iceland ProCruises’ special touches.

Zodiac tour around the harbor
Zodiac tour around the  Seydisfjordur harbor

Day 8 – Djupivogur

Stone egg sculptures along the harbor in Djupivogur
Stone egg sculptures representing all the native bird species in Iceland line the harbor in Djupivogur represent all

Today’s port stop was another small town on Iceland’s east side, Djupivogur. I was tempted to take the excursion to the glacier lagoon and the nearby black sand beach berceuse I knew how beautiful these were. But in the end, I decided to go off roading on the super jeep tour and see sights I had not seen before.

Glacier lagoon at sunrise
Glacier lagoon at sunrise
Kayaking in the Glacier Lagoon
Kayaking in the Glacier Lagoon

D1 – BUS TOUR-GLACIER LAGOON/JÖKULSARLON – Amphibian boat tour on the Glacier Lagoon, dramatic landscapes

D2 – KAYAK TOUR – Impressive nature viewed from a kayak

D3 – ADVENTUROUS SUPER JEEP TOUR – 4×4 adventure amongst waterfalls and valleys

Our specially designed 4x4 vehicle for Iceland's back roads
Our specially designed 4×4 vehicle for Iceland’s back roads

A huge, specially designed van picked up our small group at the dock and drove us around some of the less visited spots on the east coast. Our ship was engulfed in fog when we left, but once we drove out of town and climbed to higher ground, we also climbed out of the clouds and had beautiful sunny skies.

You can see forever in Iceland
Once the fog cleared, we could see forever
The Bejandi Waterfall
The Bejandi Waterfall

At first, we drove on the well paved ring road, but once we crossed onto the dirt tracks, it was clear why we needed such a high clearance vehicle. Our lunch stop was a lovely picnic at the remote Beljandi waterfall.

From here, we climbed and climbed along the switchback of the “Oxi” dirt road, stopping briefly for photos of the Folaldasfoss waterfall. Then it was more switchbacks until we were back in the valley and on home to the docked Seaventure.

Looking down on the Oxi road
Looking down on the Oxi road

Day 9 – Vestmannaeyjar (Westman Islands)

I was really looking forward to this stop since I had not been here on my previous trip to Iceland. The Westman Islands are reached via a ferry from the Iceland south coast. Our ship however docked right in the heart of town which made it very easy to explore. This day’s cruise excursions were:

V1 – BUS TOUR-POMPEII OF THE NORTH (THIS EXCURSION IS COMBINABLE WITH V2) – A geologically and historically interesting bus tour that includes a visit to the Volcano Museum “Eldheimar”

V1 – BUS TOUR-POMPEII OF THE NORTH (THIS EXCURSION IS COMBINABLE WITH V2) – A geologically and historically interesting bus tour that includes a visit to the Volcano Museum “Eldheimar”

V3 – VOLCANO HIKE (THIS EXCURSION IS COMBINABLE WITH V2) – Climbing a volcano, visit to the Volcano Museum Eldheimar

I was very curious to learn about the volcanic eruption in 1973 and its impact on the town so was very interested in the Pompei of the North tour. The Eldheimar Volcano Museum presented the fascinating story of the volcano eruption and its impact on the local population.

The museum was built around and over a local house that had been engulfed by some of the lave. Seeing how this home was devastated did more to convey the impact of the eruption than all the other exhibits combined.

The Eldheimar Volcano Museum
The Eldheimar Volcano Museum
The Eldheimar Volcano Museum
The Eldheimar Volcano Museum

From the museum we toured the rest of this small island. Equally impressive was the town’s rebuild. At the point where the lava stopped, new houses and streets have replaced those damaged by the eruption and are a testament to the hardiness of the people that call this island home.

Where the lava and the town come together
Where the lava and the town come together

Day 10 – Disembark in Reykjavik

Sadly, today was the day to say goodbye to this wonderful cruise. We ended back where we started, at the dock in Reykjavik next to the Harpa Concert Hall.

We disembarked early in the morning, but my flight wasn’t until later in the evening. Iceland ProCruises safely stored my bags while I did some more sightseeing throughout the day.

My Iceland circumnavigation cruise with Iceland ProCruises was everything I hoped for. I got to see the beautiful scenery Iceland is famous for along with unique travel experiences I could not have had any other way.

 

Please note that my trip was hosted by Iceland ProCruises. All content and opinions are my own.

 

Other related stories:

Detailed review of my Iceland ProCruises cruiseExperiencing Authentic Iceland in Style – An Iceland ProCruises Review

50 favorite photos from my Iceland trips: In the Land of Fire and Ice – My Favorite Iceland Photos and Photography Spots

Norway cruise shore excursions: Norway Shore excursions – How I Spent a Day in Norway’s Most Popular Ports

 

Thanks for visiting.

Rose

 

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