ellayneg

My husband and I are planning a trip for our 20th anniversary in August. We want to experience Iceland, Greenland and the Faroe Islands and have 2-3 weeks. We have been working with a travel agent and have put together a tentative itinerary. It will be about $9000 a person.
I would appreciate any feedback /thoughts on the itinerary and whether this is too ambitious for one trip

Thanks!
8/04/09 - Depart New York JFK on Icelandair
8/05 - Arrive Keflavik Airport in Iceland. Change to Air Iceland flight to Ilulissat in Northwest Greenland. Transfer to hotel, info meeting and welcome dinner. Overnight: Hotel Arctic, Ilulissat

8/06 - Breakfast at hotel. Optional tours. Overnight: Hotel Arctic, Ilulissat
8/07 - Breakfast at hotel. Optional tours. Overnight: Hotel Arctic, Ilulissat
8/08 - Breakfast at hotel. Transfer to airport. Return flight to Keflavik Airport, Iceland (afternoon arrival). Private transfer into Reykjavik and to hotel. Overnight: Hotel Holt (or similar), Reykjavik

8/09 - Breakfast at hotel. Full day Golden Circle glacier tour by super jeep (small group). Overnight: Hotel Holt, Reykjavik

8/10 - Breakfast at hotel. Day on own in Reykjavik. Overnight: Hotel Holt, Reykjavik
8/11 - Breakfast at hotel. Morning Puffin Tour by boat (with hotel transfers). Afternoon transfer on own (taxi) to Reykjavik downtown airport (RKV) for 5:15pm flight on Atlantic Airways to the Faroe Islands. Airport transfer to hotel. Overnight: Hotel Hafnia, Torshavn

8/12 - Breakfast at hotel. Half day excursion to the Vestmanna bird cliffs and Viking settlements at Kvivik. Overnight: Hotel Hafnia, Torshavn

8/13 - Breakfast at hotel. Tour by coach to top of Sornfelli (749m) with fantastic view over the islands - an unforgettable sight. Tour continues to Kollafjørdur, back to Torshavn via Kollfjardar Tunnel and Kaldbaksfjord. Dinner in Torshavn. Overnight: Hotel Hafnia, Torshavn

8/14 - Breakfast at hotel. Airport transfer. Morning flight back to Reykjavik (RKV). Pick up rental car at airport (4WD automatic), drive to Hvalfjordur. Overnight: Hotel Glymur Resort

8/15 - Breakfast at hotel. Drive to Snaefellsnes Peninsula and explore. Overnight: Hotel Budir (or similar) on Snaefellsnes

8/16 - Breakfast at hotel. Drive to the West Fjords. Overnight: guesthouse/farmhouse/small hotel
8/17 - Breakfast at hotel/guesthouse/farmhouse. Continue exploration of the West Fjords region. Overnight: guesthouse/farmhouse/small hotel

8/18 - Breakfast at hotel/guesthouse/farmhouse. Continue exploration of the West Fjords region. Overnight: guesthouse/farmhouse/small hotel

8/19 - Breakfast at hotel/guesthouse/farmhouse. Drive to the north of Iceland. Overnight: Kea Hotel, Akureyri (or similar)

8/20 - Breakfast at hotel. Exploration of area by car. In evening, Grimsey Island excursion (or could be done on 8/19). Overnight: Kea Hotel, Akureyri (or similar)

8/21 - Breakfast at hotel. Drive to Lake Myvatn for exploring. Overnight: Myvatn hotel (Reykjahild or similar)
8/22 - Breakfast at hotel. Drive to Akureyri, drop off rental car at airport. Air Iceland flight Akureyri - Reykjavik (a few flight times available). Transfer on own to hotel. Overnight: Hotel Arnarhvoll, Reykjavik (or similar)

8/23 - Breakfast at hotel. Full day tour, South Coast & Glacial Lagoon (with stop in Vik). Overnight: Hotel Arnarhvoll, Reykjavik

8/24 - Breakfast at hotel. Blue Lagoon excursion, with continuing transport to Keflavik Int'l Airport. Return flight on Icelandair to JFK.

Est. package price per person: $9,283.00

Option B
8/03/09 - Depart New York JFK on Icelandair
8/04 - Arrive Keflavik Airport in Iceland. Private transfer into city & hotel. Afternoon Puffin Tour by boat. Overnight: Hotel Holt (or similar), Reykjavik

8/05 - Breakfast at hotel. Full day Golden Circle glacier tour by super jeep (small group). Overnight: Hotel Holt, Reykjavik

8/06 - Breakfast at hotel. Full day tour, South Coast & Glacial Lagoon (with stop in Vik). Overnight: Hotel Holt, Reykjavik

8/07 - Breakfast at hotel. Much of day on own. Afternoon transfer on own (taxi) to Reykjavik downtown airport (RKV) for 5:15pm flight on Atlantic Airways to the Faroe Islands. Airport transfer to hotel. Overnight: Hotel Hafnia, Torshavn

8/08 - Breakfast at hotel. Half day excursion to the Vestmanna bird cliffs and Viking settlements at Kvivik. Overnight: Hotel Hafnia, Torshavn

8/09 - Breakfast at hotel. Excursion today to the island of Sandoy with many interesting sights and traditional Faroese life (incl. transport, guide, boat trip, lunch). Back in Torshavn, enjoy 3-course dinner at restaurant in evening. Overnight: Hotel Hafnia, Torshavn

8/10 - Breakfast at hotel. Day on own in Torshavn. Overnight: Hotel Hafnia, Torshavn
8/11 - Breakfast at hotel. Airport transfer. Morning flight back to Reykjavik (RKV). Change to domestic Air Iceland flight up north to Akureyri. Pick up rental car (4WD automatic). Overnight: Kea Hotel, Akureyri (or similar)

8/12 - Breakfast at hotel. Exploration of area by car. In evening, Grimsey Island excursion. Overnight: Kea Hotel, Akureyri (or similar)

8/13 - Breakfast at hotel. Drive to Lake Myvatn for exploring. Overnight: Myvatn hotel (Reykjahild or similar)
8/14 - Breakfast at hotel. Drive at leisure to the West Fjords in NW Iceland. Overnight: guesthouse/farmhouse/small hotel

8/15 - Breakfast at hotel/guesthouse/farmhouse. Continue exploration of the West Fjords region. Overnight: guesthouse/farmhouse/small hotel

8/16 - Breakfast at hotel/guesthouse/farmhouse. Continue exploration of the West Fjords region. Overnight: guesthouse/farmhouse/small hotel

8/17 - Breakfast at hotel/guesthouse/farmhouse. Drive to Snaefellsnes Peninsula and explore. Overnight: Hotel Budir (or similar) on Snaefellsnes

8/18 - Breakfast at hotel. Return to Reykjavik at leisure. Overnight: Hotel Arnarhvoll, Reykjavik (or similar)
8/19 - Breakfast at hotel. Drive to Keflavik Airport this morning and drop off rental car. Depart on morning Air Iceland flight to Ilulissat in Northwest Greenland. Transfer to hotel, info meeting and welcome dinner. Overnight: Hotel Arctic, Ilulissat

8/20 - Breakfast at hotel. Optional tours. Overnight: Hotel Arctic, Ilulissat
8/21 - Breakfast at hotel. Optional tours. Overnight: Hotel Arctic, Ilulissat
8/22 - Breakfast at hotel. Transfer to airport. Return flight to Keflavik Airport, Iceland (afternoon arrival). Transfer by hotel shuttle to accommodation by Blue Lagoon. Overnight: Northern Light Inn, Grindavik

8/23 - Breakfast at hotel. Blue Lagoon visit on own (walk or shuttle from hotel, entrance fee not included). Transfer by hotel shuttle to Keflavik Int'l Airport for Icelandair flight in afternoon back to JFK




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Jed

We went to Iceland and east Greenland about 20 years ago.

Your itinerary seems very good to me, and not too ambitious.

I am unable to say whether 18K is reasonable, but it seems like a lot of time on your own, and extra cost for many days' travels and tours.

ellayneg

Thanks for the reply! I was beginning to wonder if anyone was interested in these destinations since I posted it twice with no results.
Some of the cost has to do with the customized self drive through the westfjords and more upscale accomodations as well as our needing an automatic car for the week.

We were trying to decide where in Greenland to go between Narsarsuaq and Ilulissat- did we make the right choice?

alfisol

We've been to Greenland (in the winter!) and Iceland in the summer.

First Greenland: we stayed three nights at the Arctic Hotel. It's very nice, but a little ways out of town. They have a great view of the town and harbor.

We also stayed two nights at the hotel at the Kangerlussuaq airport, where all flights go through. The plane from Kangerlussuaq to Ilulissat stopped at two other towns on the way. I really recommend at least one overnight in Kangerlussuaq. You can take an expedition from there to the Ice Cap, which is a phenomenal experience. We did our Greenland trip from Copenhagen. It's hard to describe just how much I liked Greenland!!

As for Iceland -- we were there for 10 days, including a 6 day tour (the Viking Challenge). We flew to Akureyri and spent a few days there, including taking the ferry to Grimsey. There wasn't much to do in Grimsey, only one place to eat, though we had the wild experience of having our heads dive-bombed by nesting arctic terns. But we did get to go north of the Arctic Circle there. We also took a long one day tour up to the Snaefellsnes, what a beautiful peninsula. Lots of birds there too! Since we were in Iceland in late mid-late June, it was light nearly all the time.

I would love to go back to both places, and go to the Faroes too.

Amy

Sounds like a wonderful trip! It's been 13 years since I've been to Greenland, so not much help there, but there are a few pictures here if you'd like a peek:
http://travel.webshots.com/album/569...S?vhost=travel

For Iceland, here's an old thread that still has some relevance, I think, even though it doesn't come up in searches (it fell off the forum "cliff" during a glitch quite a few years back):
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...mp;tid=1278237
I've been to Iceland three times, never for a long enough time...beautiful country.

mistik321

ellayneg:
Wow, hubby and I may do a similar trip (albeit a shorter timeframe, 14days) in mid-Aug 2009.
Still in the planning stages...

Your trip seems like a combo of semi-guided and independent; I like that you have lots of time on your own.

Are all hotel breakfasts included?
How about all the transfers?

I think your pricing is about right - Iceland is expensive!
My pricing is approx $7k/pp right now and rising (depending on tours we add and subtract

In Ilulissat, are you staying in Hotel Arctic igloo room or a regular room in the hotel?
I read the igloos have a better view into Disko Bay but accommodations are quite cramped and a bit rundown, so check with your TA.
End of July-August has quite a few mosquitoes, esp inside the fjords, so I was told to prepare for that.

In Torshavn, Hotel Hafnia is a good option.
We are looking at Hotel Streym there.

In Reykjavik, we like Hotel Borg, and a meal at Silfur Restaurant is a must.

I prefer your Option A: Greenland first, then Faroe Islands, then Iceland.

On your 1st day, it's very doable to fly 5hrs JFK-KEF, then 3 hrs KEF-Ilulissat.
It is a direct flight right, or do you have to stop at Kangerlusuaq?

Sounds like a great vacation!

As soon as I have something more solid I will post here.

mistik321

Narsarsuaq vs. Ilulissat

Hmm, I haven't really considered Narsarsuaq yet...
Will have to do more research.

Did your TA recommend one more than the other?

ellayneg

Thanks for the feedback ! In response to mistik321 questions-
I don't know what type of room we will have at Arctic Hotel- will check with TA.
If you want to spend more time in Greenland than you should do both Ilulissat and Narsarsuaq - according to our TA Ilulissat is a bigger city and you are also guaranteed to see icebergs which is important to us while in Narsarsuaq it is a possiblity but not a guarantee.

We wanted a combo of tours, private guides and on our own time- we were not interested in a large group experience.

It has taken our TA severalk weeks to tweak this for us- we did our own research and then we relied on an expert.

I would be curious to see your itinerary when it is finalized.