Iceland
The Best of Iceland: A Country of Beautiful Contrasts
Program No. 3342RJ
Traverse the wonders of Iceland with locals and scholarly experts, delving deep into a landscape of stunning geological features, glaciers and bubbling thermal pools.
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Participant Reviews
Based on 48 Reviews
SHOWING
A superb travel experience to a fascinating country. I highly recommend this program.
— Review left May 29, 2025
Wow, this was simply the BEST! The best group leader (Helgi), the best bus driver (Thor), the best food, the best travel companions, and of course the best that Iceland has to offer! One of the most beautiful places in the world, Iceland is an interesting mix of European culture and pioneer spirit (think Germany and Alaska mashed together). I was awestruck at the abundance of natural resources, how clean everything is, how innovative Icelandic people are, and how well-planned the trip was. I highly recommend this program! 10 stars!
— Review left May 29, 2025
This is an excellent program with top notch instructors. It offers an opportunity to learn about the many things that make Iceland unique - its geological situation, its people, and its food. The scenery is breathtaking.
— Review left May 22, 2025
Great way to see a large part of Iceland and learn about its geological past and present and green power projects to harness geothermal power. Beautiful country, friendly people, fascinating geography.
— Review left October 5, 2024
This program provides a great exposure to the wonders of Iceland! The outings to see the geological wonders and the cultural aspects were fun and varied. I loved the whale watching, waterfalls, food and seeing the Northern Lights! Prepare to be inspired by this awesome country!
— Review left October 5, 2024
Primordial landscapes. Free range sheep. Whale watching. Sagas, local cuisine and culture in one package. Do it.
— Review left October 4, 2024
The Best of Iceland trip was excellent - I highly recommend this trip for first-timers or repeat travelers alike!
— Review left October 3, 2024
Iceland is an interesting country. It has great educational opportunities plus many options for outdoor activities.
— Review left September 14, 2024
Fantastic opportunity to experience Iceland and it's nature, culture, and heritage. Was on my bucket list.
— Review left August 28, 2024
This trip is amazing! Our leader was superb! The island is so clean and the landscape is beautiful!
— Review left August 18, 2024
This program exceeded my expectations. What a wonderful experience
— Review left August 10, 2024
Excellent program. Wonderful guide, Anna Toher. She was both personable and professional. Comprehensive itinerary. I think we could skip Perlan--too commercial, too crowded, and more for people who will not get out into the countryside. The Settlement should be included instead. The National Museum was too dark and not well laid out. There wasn't much free time because the days were packed with activities and we often didn't return to the hotel until 4:30pm. A little more free time. The morning lectures and evening programs were both information and enjoyable. In general the meals were tasty with lots of soups and fish. However, there was too much chicken and too many "buffet" meals. Sometimes, I felt like I was eating at Denny's. I would have like more Icelandic lamb and their national dishes. Beraya Marina Hotel is a very nice hotel and well-located at the Old Dockyards. Shopping, museums, Harpa, excursions are within a few blocks. Bring waterproof jacket and shoes. The rain can be very heavy.
— Review left August 9, 2024
Our guide, Anna Tober, enhanced the program in every way, giving us insight into all aspects of the places we visited.
— Review left August 4, 2024
The land of Fire and Ice did not disappoint. What a magical place Iceland is with our group leader, Einar being its informational cornerstone!
— Review left July 24, 2024
There is so much more to Iceland than I ever imagined! My Road Scholar tour of this "Country of Beautiful Contrasts" taught me about and showed me the most amazing geological features. Additionally, it gave me the opportunity to personally get to know the Icelandic people whom I admire so very much.
— Review left May 30, 2024
Iceland is a fascinating little country with a lot to share with the world. We can all learn from their use of geo thermal energy. For a country of 400,000 with over 2,500,000 visitors a year, they still manage to have a unique culture and a joy of sharing it with others. If you like waterfalls, hot springs, horse, whales, birds such as puffins and interesting geology and topography, then Iceland is the trip for you.
— Review left May 19, 2024
Program was great and I learned a lot about this beautiful and interesting country and our tour leader was EINAR ARMASON and he was the very best.
— Review left May 18, 2024
The trip was outstanding. Inga, our guide, shared her wealth of knowledge about Iceland; the country she loves; its history, political-economy, geology, flora and fauna, culture, and so much more such as sharing ghost stories and teaching us traditional songs. The trip provided us with endless opportunities to learn, meet new people, and discover new things. We never had a bad meal and the service was impeccable. I had such a good time, I would love to return some day and see the rest of the country.
— Review left November 28, 2023
What a different environment. Scientists study Iceland to understand how the Earth itself evolved. It was wonderful to see the island in person. I stood on the Mid-Atlantic rift and saw an aurora and many waterfalls, glaciers, etc. The horses and wildlife were remarkable.
— Review left October 29, 2023
I loved my trip to Iceland the program and instructors were fabulous. But would appreciate LESS advertising mailings and emails.
— Review left October 8, 2023
This was a fabulous trip, carefully designed to include geographic balance within Iceland (south, west, north) as well as city/town/rural. Einar Arnason was an exemplary group leader. I learned so much from the program as well as fellow travelers. Five stars!
— Review left October 8, 2023
Fantastic learning experience with an amazing guide and excellent subject matter experts. Very enjoyable!
— Review left October 7, 2023
Beautiful country but cold, cold, cold. Wind didn't stop.
— Review left September 24, 2023
Excellent trip, one of the best. Caution about the first hotel. My room was infinitesimal. I thought they were all like that and dreaded the return stay at the end of the trip. However, my room at the end was a little bigger and the desk clerk said I could change if I asked. It was adequate, so I didn’t have to put up with a very tiny room. Look at the room map at the back of the room door to see the variation. There was lots of variation in dinners, so be brave and try new stuff.
— Review left September 6, 2023
Iceland is a magnificient country. The sights are extraordinary. The Icelandic people are friendly, proud and helpful. Our Tour leader, Tryggvi Felixson was experienced, very knowledgeable, passionate about his country and very patient. This trip was a nice discovery. Johanne and Denis Belzile.
— Review left September 5, 2023
I have taken 15 Road Scholar trips, and I would rate this one and the civil rights trip as the top two. The program and the program leader were absolutely fantastic!!
— Review left August 18, 2023
Iceland will blow you away!
— Review left August 14, 2023
This was an excellent program that educated us on history, culture, geography and people of Iceland. The scenery is fantastic. The meals were delicious. Tryggvi, the tour guide was knowledgeable & cordial. A fine representative of his country! This was the 7th Road Scholar program and the best so far.
— Review left August 14, 2023
Based on our Road Scholar experience in Iceland, we are going to investigate the Grandparents Road Scholar program.
— Review left August 14, 2023
Extraordinary beauty and landscape, more than I imagined and expected... excellent guide ,Erikur, excellent food, friendly Icelanders, good presentations on history, folklore, etc... I highly recommend this trip!
— Review left July 13, 2023
Our trip to Iceland was wonderful and was greatly enhanced by our Group Leader, Harpa who trained as an artist but had many other talents including geology, natural history, ornithology, storytelling, history and disk jockey sessions on the bus. She was the best overall Group Leader of the five Road Scholar trips I have been on. Walt A. May 2023
— Review left June 14, 2023
We had a fabulous time in Iceland and recommend everyone take a trip there! The Northern Lights are more beautiful than you can imagine. People aren't kidding when they say it is expensive, but it's worth your time and effort. Once we got to Iceland, we were very happy with all the tours, the food, and especially our Group Leader, Einar. We can't forget to mention his bus driver/side kick, Morton! The people at the hotels were all very friendly, with a shout out to Kevin at the Hotel Marina in Reykjavik.
The only downside to our Road Scholar experience (our first international trip with them) was dealing with their travel people. Not being able to get anyone to answer a phone (unless you call the emergency line) is not OK. The awful routing they chose got us to Iceland with 2 stops (way too many travel hours). They paid no attention to the flights we asked for, with 1 stop. It was like dealing with a bunch of 'newbies' to the travel booking industry - very painful - not a good introduction to Road Scholar!
Except for the travel agency difficulties, Iceland was everything we hoped for and more!
— Review left October 17, 2022
This trip had never been on my bucket list, but it definitely should have been! It truly was an amazing and incredible experience capped off by luckily getting to see the Northern Lights on two occasions. Even without that, the trip should not be missed!
— Review left October 4, 2022
This program is perfect for people who like to learn about the history, culture, food and natural beauty of a country that is beginning to attract the attention of tourists.
— Review left September 30, 2022
We were able to see and enjoy the Best of Iceland!!!!!Food and accommodations were the best we have had on any RS trip.
— Review left September 24, 2022
While my trip to Iceland was amazing in many ways, I feel compelled to relay that our leader was not the best at his game. Although he answered all direct questions, solved some challenges along the way, and offered sightseeing information, overall he seemed disorganized and detached from the group. He rarely interacted with group members, and many of us agreed that by the end of the trip we believed that he did not even know our names. At times, also, he did a cursory count before a number of our field trips, and if individuals had not raised objection, the bus would have left with some of us missing.
Meanwhile, let me reiterate.....the Road Scholar trip itself was excellent! We all experienced so many varied and interesting things, and I, for one, will definitely recommend this trip to others. Thank you for planning such an awesome travel experience for all of us!
— Review left August 6, 2022
When you see Iceland on a map, it appears small, but when you're on the ground it's amazing just how large this little island is. Finding out just how these Icelanders survived and thrived is a real eye opener. Trust me, if you like history, this program is for you and if you enjoy nature, this program is for you.
— Review left July 29, 2022
Iceland is an interesting and exciting place to visit.
— Review left July 23, 2022
Wonderful beautiful country with very helpful people. I would highly recommend this adventure.
— Review left June 18, 2022
Best of Iceland provided a great overview of most famous cultural and natural sites in Iceland and will have you wanting to come back and stay longer.
— Review left June 17, 2022
The Best of Iceland is a spectacular trip, and our leader was wonderful. But Iceland is a rugged, demanding country, and getting a close-up look at its natural wonders takes some physical energy. Make sure you are up to it.
— Review left June 17, 2022
You MUST put this trip on your list. Culturally fascinating and the land is stunning. The variety of places we visited and learned about were just right. Our group leader, Inga was the absolute best. I would follow her anywhere! I'm still dreaming about it.
— Review left October 19, 2021
A great overview of Iceland! It's not very strenuous so you can leave the walking poles at home unless you need them for mobility. And no need to get any cash at the airport as credit cards really are used for everything. Do bring the recommended layers. We had mild weather and almost no rain, yet often layered up and down during the course of a day.
— Review left August 27, 2021
Highly recommend this trip.
— Review left September 30, 2019
What a great trip! I didn't realize all the exciting things that I learned until I started telling my mother about the trip. Iceland is a very interesting place and has so much to see and experience. Our group leader, Inga, was knowledgeable, interesting, and a real delight with whom to work and travel. I'd recommend this program to anyone!
— Review left September 1, 2019
We had some trouble coordinating our travel with the start and finish of the trip, but once we were there, all went well. We had to join the rest of the group already at the Blue Lagoon, and it would have been better if the whole group could have gone at the same time. However, once that was over, the rest of the tour was fantastic. Eirikur, our guide, was great, knowledgeable on everything, birds, history, politics, life style, anything we asked him. I especially enjoyed the entertainment we had, and seeing the dairy, the tomato greenhouse, the fish processing plant, the sod house, the puffins, the whales, oh heck, I loved everything! I would have liked an earlier plane from Akureyri to Reykjavik, as we had more free time in the former than we needed and less in Reykjavik. However, our schedule depends on the airlines, of course. Maybe one more day in Reykjavik. so we could have enjoyed more of the Pearl than just the restaurant.
And that reminds me, the food was fantastic! And the desserts! One of our group was lactose intolerant and everyone was so helpful with her.
I hated to leave. I love Iceland (in the summer, anyway!)
— Review left June 30, 2019
I do not usually travel with Road Scholar but found this trip to be especially diverse in its activities with lectures, farm visits, scenic waterfalls, historical locations, whale watching and the Blue Lagoon among others. There were so many opportunities to learn all about Iceland which is one reason I travel!
— Review left June 30, 2019
My wife and I recommend the Best of Iceland tour very strongly, although we are glad we went in shoulder season as crowds were never a real problem. The trip itself was an engrossing mixture of experiences. We came away much impressed with Iceland and (again) much impressed with Road Scholar.
— Review left June 10, 2019
