Travel with guides who understand that guiding is about people as much as it is about wildlife.

Spend a day on Grímsey, the only part of Iceland that crosses the Arctic Circle, among the puffins that have just returned for the season. A local woman biologist joins us as our nature interpreter, from the ferry deck to the cliff edge.

Ride Icelandic horses with a farming family at Langhús, beginners welcome, then wander Siglufjörður, once the herring capital of the North Atlantic.

Search for harlequin ducks, Barrow's goldeneye, and nesting grebes at Mývatn, one of Europe's great duck lakes, and stand in the spray of Goðafoss, the waterfall of the gods.

Head out on Skjálfandi Bay from Húsavík on a whale watching tour, then warm up in the geothermal water of the Forest Lagoon.

Follow the Arctic coast road through fishing towns and steep-walled fjords, then warm up in the geothermal water of the Forest Lagoon.

Settle into two beautiful bases: a country lodge on the Troll Peninsula with its own geothermal pool, hot tub, and sauna, and a harborside hotel in Akureyri, the capital of the North.

Your own room is included, always. No single-supplement fee, ever. If you're traveling with someone and you'd rather share a room, we can make that happen, too.

From the horse country of the Troll Peninsula to the Arctic Circle itself, this seven-day trip is timed for the weeks when the puffins are back on Grímsey and the light stays long into the night. It's built for women who want their travel to mean something: for themselves, for each other, and for the place they're visiting.

You'll travel by private van with Syrago, your guide and driver throughout. Our time on the road stays easy. The long drives are Day 1 and Day 7, and every other day is short and broken up by stops: turf houses, black sand beaches, harbors, waterfalls, and the occasional pool.

What sets Her Wild Life guides apart isn't just their knowledge of this landscape. It's knowing when to share it and when to simply let the moment land. It's the difference between a guide who can answer your questions and one who knows which ones you didn't think to ask.

Along the way, you'll meet the women who shape this corner of Iceland. This trip is built with local expertise and guiding experience, and on Grímsey we're joined by a local woman biologist who knows these cliffs and their puffins far better than any guidebook. This isn't incidental to the trip; it's the point. Every Her Wild Life expedition is built to put real recognition behind the women shaping the places we visit.

This trip builds on nearly 20 years of conservation-focused travel through our parent company, Reefs to Rockies, and Her Wild Life's partnership with ZEISS Optics for immersive wildlife viewing.

Whether you're arriving solo or with a friend, this is a week built around community: the community you'll build with the women in your group, and the community of Icelandic women you'll meet, learn from, and support along the way.

Day 1 – Reykjavík to Fljót

We head north on the Ring Road into horse country, stopping at the turf houses of Glaumbær and the tiny turf church at Gröf. At Hofsós, we take a swim where the pool meets the sea. By evening, we arrive at Sóti Lodge, our country base on the Troll Peninsula, for our first dinner together. Plan on about 4½ to 5 hours of driving, spread across the day.

Plan to arrive to Keflavik International Airport (KEF) by 8 am today.

Accommodations: Sóti Lodge

Meals: Dinner

Day 2 – Horses and Herring

This morning, we ride with the family at Langhús farm, and beginners are welcome. In the afternoon, we head to Siglufjörður, once the herring capital of the North Atlantic, to visit the Herring Era Museum. Back at Sóti Lodge, there's the Barðslaug geothermal pool, hot tub, and sauna to settle into before a three-course dinner made from local produce. Optional: a guided flotation session in Barðslaug.

Accommodations: Sóti Lodge

Meals: Breakfast and dinner

Day 3 – Grímsey

This is the day the trip is built around. We catch the ferry from Dalvík with our biologist on deck, then spend about four hours among the puffins on Grímsey. We'll take a step across the Arctic Circle and enjoy the long June light on the way home. It's an early start and a full day, and we'll be back at Sóti Lodge for a late dinner.

Accommodations: Sóti Lodge

Meals: Breakfast and dinner

Day 4 – The Arctic Coast Road

After breakfast, we say goodbye to Sóti Lodge and follow the coast road north and east: black sand at Héðinsfjörður, Ólafsfjörður tucked between steep peaks, and the tiny harbor at Hauganes. Then we settle into Akureyri with a free afternoon to wander the harbor and cafés. If the sea or fog kept us off Grímsey on Day 3, this is our second chance to go.

Accommodations: Skáld Akureyri

Meals: Breakfast

Day 5 – Goðafoss and Mývatn

Today, we visit the waterfall of the gods, then one of Europe's great duck lakes. Look for harlequins on the Laxá, Barrow's goldeneye, and grebes nesting in the reeds. If we still need a Grímsey day, this is our last backup chance to go.

Accommodations: Skáld Akureyri

Meals: Breakfast

Day 6 – Whales of Skjalfandi Bay

Today is for the whales. We start at the orange lighthouse at Svalbarðseyri and cross the Víkurskarð pass to Húsavík, then head out on Skjálfandi Bay for a whale watching tour, the main event of the day. Whales are never guaranteed, but Húsavík’s whale coast gives us our best shot. Back on land, there’s time for a stroll around the harbor, the 1907 wooden church, and a headland walk. We finish with the warm water of the Forest Lagoon and a farewell dinner together in Akureyri.

Accommodations: Skáld Akureyri

Meals: Breakfast and dinner

Day 7 – Back to Reykjavík

After a last breakfast in the North, we drive south, arriving in Reykjavík in the late afternoon. It's never long enough, but you'll leave with new friends and a deeper appreciation for this wild, warm-hearted corner of the world.

Meals: Breakfast

Plan to depart from Keflavik International Airport (KEF) after 4 pm today.

Every Her Wild Life expedition is built for women who want full, active days and authentic wildlife encounters, which sometimes means being out early and moving when the wildlife is most active. We put you in the right place at the right time, while acknowledging that the best encounters take a mix of guide expertise and genuine luck.

This North Iceland expedition involves:

• An easy activity level. No previous experience is required, and horse riding is beginner-friendly.

• Two longer drives. Day 1 and Day 7 are the long driving days. Every other day stays short and is broken up by stops.

• A ferry crossing to Grímsey of about three hours each way, with an early start on the day we go.

• Weather-dependent plans. Grímsey depends on the sea and the fog, so we schedule it early in the trip and keep two backup days. If the ferry isn't an option, a flight from Akureyri is the alternative, and we'll swap days to follow the best weather.

• Early June conditions. In late May and early June, North Iceland experiences average daytime highs ranging from 43°F to 57°F and nighttime lows between 35°F to 46°F. Wind speeds typically average 8 to 14 mph, though coastal gusts can make the open air feel 5°F to 10°F colder. Pack layers, because the weather can change quickly.

• Pack your sense of adventure, wonder, and humor.

Accommodations

• 3 nights at Sóti Lodge in Fljót

• 3 nights at Skáld Akureyri

What's Included

• Lodging for 6 nights as listed, in a private room. No single-supplement fee, ever. Prefer to share? A discounted double-occupancy rate is available.

• Hosting and guiding throughout by Syrago Koutsoni.

• A local woman biologist as our nature interpreter on Grímsey.

• 6 breakfasts and 4 dinners: three-course dinners at Sóti Lodge and a farewell dinner in Akureyri.

• Private van transportation, including fuel and tunnel tolls.

• Grímsey ferry crossing, with weather contingency planning and rebooking.

·       Whale watching tour on Skjálfandi Bay from Húsavík.

• Horseback riding at Langhús farm and Forest Lagoon geothermal baths.

• 24/7 in-country support. 

• A conservation donation made on behalf of every traveler.

What's Not Included

• International flights

• Travel insurance (quotes available)

• Lunches

• Dinners in Akureyri other than the farewell dinner

• Alcohol and other drinks

• Optional activities (guided flotation session)

• Gratuities

• Personal expenses

Cost

$8395* per person, private room included with no single-supplement fee. A discount of $1197* per person is available for travelers sharing a room.