A Travel Advisor’s Honest Review of an Icelandic Tour with Exoticca

When I first set out to plan a tour with Exoticca, who was at that time a ‘new to us’ tour operator, after having just been newly TICO certified, I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect. Although they have been in operation for many years, we had never dealt with this particular tour operator before, as our agency only deals with other TICO certified operators for our clients’ protection. The price point for Exoticca’s tours is fabulous — almost unbelievable really — which made me, as an industry insider, a bit skeptical to be honest. Would we be staying in bargain basement hotels to justify the low cost? Would the tour guides be subpar? Would the coach bus be less than desirable or leave us broken down on the side of some rugged wintry highway? There had to be some catch to be able to offer these prices. And there is, but it wasn’t what I thought, so read on if you want to know how they do it and to get an insiders look into an Icelandic tour. 

I have to start out by saying that absolutely everything about this tour exceeded my expectations tenfold. In a first for me, I stepped back from researching and planning for the most part, and left the bulk of that to my young associate, who did an outstanding job in researching the optimal conditions, selecting the absolute best dates to experience the Northern lights (it’s under a new moon between December and April, in case you were wondering) and educating us about what to expect, and more importantly what to pack. Having a somewhat different experience this time, as something less than the usual Sherpa role that I often play when escorting a group, probably added to the thrill factor for me. But, I have to say, that I also brought my researcher along with me for this tour, and she too experienced a pretty elevated ‘wow’ factor on this tour. So perhaps the lack of over-familiarity really didn’t have much to do with the excitement level that I experienced after all. 

No amount of planning, research or second-hand information could truly have fully prepared us for this experience though, and I mean that in the absolute best of ways. I simply cannot put into words how amazing this tour really was. Every day really was an adventure of epic proportions. The beauty of the natural wonder of the country is absolutely stunning. The vast array of experiences to be had is exhilarating. The excitement level was off the chart. And our tour guide, Beggi, was extremely knowledgeable and just added so much more to the fun factor of the trip overall.

Each night I’d go to bed thinking that this had been the best day ever and that nothing could top it, only to be proven wrong again and again the next day. I really do not have the words to convey this experience completely, it is something that I really think must be physically seen and experienced first hand, but for the sake of this blog I will give it my best shot.

Our tour group was an average sized tour group of 32 travellers. There were 12 of us Canadians who flew out of Hamilton (yes! round trip, direct flights out of Hamilton, which made for a much more pleasant experience from the usual Pearson airport in Toronto) while the remainder of the group was a pretty equal mix of American and British travellers, who we met upon arrival. A quick flight of just over five hours had us in Keflavik for 5 am local time. A 45 minute taxi, or FlyBus, ride had us to our hotel in downtown Reykjavik for our first night, where we could (and did) take advantage of an early check in for a very modest charge. After a few hours nap we were ready for some Icelandic coffee and an exploration of the city on our own. We would meet our tour guide, and the rest of our group, the next morning when our coach picked us up from the City Hall bus stop, just a block away from our hotel. 

You’ll want to note that at this time of the year in Iceland (mid-February) the sun does not rise until nearly 10 am. So while the temperature generally hovered close to the zero degree Celsius mark for most of our tour, it could feel quite a bit colder in the early morning. Warm outdoor clothing and dressing in layers is really a must. Waterproof ski pants, or lined pants, and jackets, warm hiking boots with a solid tread, hats, gloves and face coverings (scarves or ski snoods) were all well-used at times. Crampons are also very highly recommended for markedly reducing the risk of slipping on the wintery landscapes that we visited, and we picked up a great pair for less than $20 on Amazon.

On that first day of touring we covered some 300 kilometres as we traversed through the Snaefellsnes Peninsula, visiting several sites such as the Lóndrangar Sea Stacks, Djúpalónssandur Black Pebble Beach, Kirkjufellsfoss Waterfall and Arrow Mountain – a most impressive site that has been featured as the area beyond the wall in HBO's Game of Thrones. Here we had the opportunity to visit some very contrasting and dramatic landscapes, exploring both running and frozen waterfalls up close, and to take some of the most jaw dropping photos that I have ever captured. A lunch stop in the scenic little village of Arnarstapi rounded out our day and provided an opportunity for some authentic, traditional Icelandic lamb soup – some of the best that I have ever tasted! An equally delicious, homemade vegetable soup was also on offer for those who wanted an alternative to lamb. On paper, it seems like a lot of ground to cover in one day, but in reality, we never felt rushed or worn out as we were spurred on by the new playground awaiting our exploration at each stop and the sheer awe of the scenery on every bus ride in between.

There are five, fairly full tour days included on this trip, and so starting off with a hearty breakfast, as well as packing some snacks for throughout the day, went a long way in keeping us energized and comfortable for the duration. Breakfast was included at each hotel for the entirety of the tour and the hotel breaksfasts were all very plentiful with a wide variety of choices. We definitely recommend stocking up at breakfast and on occasion even snagged some fresh fruit and snacks at breakfast to pack along with the rest of our supplies for the day. We had the same coach and staff for the duration, so leaving items onboard in between activities was never an issue.

As we headed away from the city and out into the rugged terrain on that second day, it quickly became clear that we were in for some really impressive touring. The drives were always scenic, with mountains, volcanoes and glaciers abound, and our guide, Beggi, (who was definitely not subpar!) was often providing insight into various dramatic aspects of the landscape as well as enriching us with an insider insight and education into the Icelandic culture and people. 

For the next four days we toured the Snaefellsnes Peninsula and the southern and western coasts of this vast island from about 9 til 5 each day. Stopping at several points of interest every day, but without feeling rushed and having time to enjoy each site. The stops became more and more impressive as we went along, from epic waterfalls and glacier hikes that conjured up scenes from Vikings and Game of Thrones, to beaches and dramatic coast lines reminiscent of Durdle Door and the Cliffs of Moher. A couple of museum stops, complete with tales of Icelandic sagas and an original 17th century settlement, as well a visit (and dip!) in Iceland’s oldest outdoor swimming pool, heated entirely by geysers and hot springs surrounding the natural landscape, rounded out our days. Also included were visits to two national parks – Snæfellsjökull National Park and Pingvellir National Park – the latter of which sits in a rift valley caused by the separation of two tectonic plates, with rocky cliffs and fissures like the huge Almannagjá fault, literally allowing us to walk (or snorkel!) between the plates of the North American and Eurasian continents!

We spent our evenings in well appointed, but modest hotels that were very comfortable. The first night in Borgarnes and the next two in Selfoss. Both were charming towns, nestled in between mountainous terrain with amazing views and fabulous local cafes and restaurants that provided us with plenty of choice, as well as truly authentic experiences for our evening meals. Convenience and grocery stores were always nearby too for picking up more snacks or forgotten sundries if needed. After dinner, many of us took the opportunity to socialize amongst our group and with others at the local pubs. Our ever-helpful guide also kept watch each night until midnight for the appearance of the Northern Lights, armed with his list of those of us who wished to receive a wake up call should they appear, and then accompany him to the local church, or other nearby site with optimal darkness for viewing. Every single one of us opted to be on that list of course! 

Our final two days and nights were spent back in Reykjavik as our base camp, with our final day of touring ushering in a spectacular finale to our adventure, with a little help from nature. The last day of our tour was seamlessly improvised after (???) had erupted again near Grindavik on the day of our arrival. Our itinerary had originally called for a visit to the Blue Lagoon, but lava flow from the eruption had closed off the road to the Lagoon and surrounding area. Instead we were treated to a panoramic tour of Reykjavik, which allowed us to capture some spectacular photos of the city and surrounding landscape, followed by an afternoon visit to the Sky Lagoon. There we were treated to the full seven step ritual of the Nordic spa, which involved bathing in the natural thermal waters in the infinity pool overlooking the Atlantic, cold water plunging, saunas and body scrubs. Celebratory champagne at the swim up bar was also on offer. An absolute treat for the senses, the complete experience left us feeling completely rejuvenated and not having missed the Blue Lagoon at all.

At this point we very reluctantly said goodbye to Beggi, as he returned us to our hotel with plenty of time still to enjoy our last dinner out. Our group then headed out to fuel up on some fine Icelandic cuisine before a planned evening excursion to chase the Northern Lights. With the guided part of our Exoticca tour officially over now, the Northern Lights excursion was something that I (with the help of my trusty research assistant) had independently arranged for our group that day, knowing that the conditions would be prime for the appearance of the Lights near Reykjavik that night. A local tour operator provided same day booking for the coach tour at a very reasonable cost of €52 for a minimum four hour tour. And boy did Mother Nature deliver as we drove about an hour out of Reykjavik to Gardur on the country’s west coast to a prime dark-night viewing location at the town’s lighthouse on the shore of the Atlantic. Appearing slowly at first after our arrival, within half an hour we had vivid Lights dancing across the Northern sky in front of us for over two hours before we were returned back to our hotel at midnight.

Now we could not have planned a more perfect and absolutely surreal final evening. But what we can do however, is utilize our own skills, along with those of the locally provided guide on each tour to monitor conditions each day and take advantage of any potential opportunities for viewing that arise in order to maximize the chances of our clients having the same incredible experience. 

So how do we do it you ask? How do we deliver such an amazing experience at such incredible prices? Well first, I believe that one of the big secrets to Exoticca’s prices lies in volume buying. A lot of travellers are taking their tours because they’re so affordable. And the majority of them are returning again and again because they know the experience will be great. This was evident from the other travellers in our group that I spoke with. 

Now are there less inclusions on an Exoticca tour than other costlier or more luxury tours? Well yes, but here’s the catch. This is where the value of your trusted travel advisor comes in. Sure, the transfers from the airport to the hotel are not escorted by your wonderful Exoticca tour guide. Yes, your first and last day are free days, where again you won’t have your fabulous Exoticca guide holding your hand. BUT, if you have yourself a good travel advisor, they can make all of those arrangements for you and help you find the perfect activities to suit you individually. And if you have yourself a great travel advisor (ahem!) they will have either been there before you, guiding you on exactly what to expect, or be escorting a small group themselves to be right there with you in person. The more savvy traveller would likely easily be able to fill those gaps themselves, but again, why would they when a great travel advisor can do it for them and for the same cost (or less!) than if they had done it themselves! 

Now you know, of course, that I’m going to say that I think that everyone should take a tour of Iceland at least once. But really and truly I mean that from my very soul. Experiences like these are priceless (and really for the cost of this tour you absolutely cannot go wrong!) Travel like this will absolutely change your life and your perspective. In amazing ways that can’t always be predicted. I promise you. 

 

For the month of February, Exoticca is offering an exclusive promotion to bring you closer to your next destination. Any booking of $4500 or more will receive an additional $400 off of the already fabulous sale prices on offer. Please contact us to take advantage of this limited time offer only available through your travel advisor.

(Another one of those perks to booking with a great travel advisor that we mentioned!)