This tour offers the best of south, west and north Iceland.

Three nights in the south are followed by three nights in Snæfellsnes, arguably one of the most beautiful parts of Iceland. There is a chance to go whale watching with a high probability of encountering blue whales, humpbacks and orcas (optional trip). Finally, we spend three nights in north Iceland including visits to Lake Mývatn, one of the world's most spectacular wildfowl watching locations. The area is home to thousands of ducks feeding on insect larvae in the lake’s shallow waters. Great northern divers are found on the larger lakes, while breeding waders and Arctic terns are abundant.

We should see all Icelandic bird specialities and have the chance to record much of botanical interest as well. Iceland’s mountains and moorlands are home to a surprising diversity of wild flowers. In summer the ground is covered with mountain avens, moss campion, thrift and bilberrry. In addition to the wildlife, we will get a ‘taste’ of the local culture and, for those who fancy a dip, the chance to enjoy one of the popular Icelandic geothermal swimming pools.

Iceland’s volcanic landscapes provide a stunning backdrop for our trip. The country is one of the world’s most active volcanic areas and evidence of this is all around with lava fields, ash mountains, fissures and other volcanic features. Iceland has much to offer the naturalist from the splendid views of seabirds, wildfowl, waders and raptors to the delightful botanising amidst many arctic and alpine species. The local people have developed a unique culture and we will learn much about their way of life and both the difficulties and pleasures of living in these northerly latitudes.

The itinerary will be adapted to suit the local weather conditions and any other local practicalities but we will ensure that a wide variety of locations are visited and we can expect a good number of species to be seen as well as time to enjoy the local culture.

Click here for a gallery of photos from our 2008 trip.

Price and dates tbc. Full Board