The One Small-Group Iceland Tour I’ll Never Stop Recommending

My visit to Iceland was truly incredible, and I believe everyone needs to find a point in their life to visit this incredible country at least once in their life. When booking an Iceland tour, most people go for the big names like the Golden Circle Tour or anything including the Blue Lagoon.

In this article I want to share one of the best small-group tours I’ve ever taken, and one that you absolutely need to take as well when visiting Iceland for the first time. When I go back, I will make sure this is on my list again.

The Small-Group Iceland Tour That Change My Life

I visited Iceland back in 2021, one of the first trips I’ve ever been on (without my parents), and I was very nervous going into it. However, over the course of the trip it got easier and easier and more incredible. Our final tour on our itinerary was the Snæfellsnes Peninsula tour.

This was a big change going from a large bus of about 50+ people to a very small bus of about a dozen of us. It was very intimate, we got to talking with the people on our bus, and the tour guide was a true Icelander.

As he drove through the treacherous winter conditions, he told stories about his life growing up, stories about Iceland, fun facts and more. he truly made it an experience to remember. A good tour guide is super essential to a fun trip. You want one that is excited and passionate about what they do and where they live. Not ones who are just doing it for the tips. Fortunately, most people who are tour guides, love their job.

The drive up to the peninsula was almost two hours. On the way we stopped at a local cafe for coffee and pastries.

Hidden Waterfall

On the way up we pulled off the side of the road to hike through the snow and wind to this hidden waterfall on a lake. The best way I can describe it is it was like you were “North of the Wall.” For anyone who watched Game of Thrones, you know what I’m talking about.

the best Iceland Tour to take — Snow Covered Lake in Iceland

We were able to walk behind the waterfall, carefully stepping over wet rocks and snow. Keep in mind the weather this day was cold, windy and snowy. However, it truly was getting the entire Iceland experience.

Arrowhead Mountain

From there we drove up one of the most famous and iconic landmarks in all of Iceland, “Arrowhead Mountain.” This was another place that was used for a background location in Game of Thrones.

arrow-mountainin Iceland — Arrowhead Mountain from Game of Thrones

We were able to get out here and walk down to the water falls and grab an insane picture of the waterfall as well.

Kirkjufell Waterfall in Iceland — Kirkjufell Waterfall

Again, these are all places that are pretty far off the beaten path and the main touristy spots, so there weren’t a whole lot of other people and tourists in this area which was nice. We were pretty much the only group there at the time which made the experience even more intimate.

If you’re interested in seeing more Game of Thrones Filming Locations, check out my article on that here.

Lunch

For lunch, we stopped a local restaurant on the way. They had a special dish, which i cannot remember the name of, that was an “Icelandic Special” that we all got as well. And it really was amazing.

This was great because we all sat together in a group, and we got to talk with people from Denmark, England and other countries, which was really cool. The first Iceland tour you really get to do that with because the group is so small. It was fun just sharing stories and experiences from everyone’s lives and hearing about their travels and plans.

There is something so amazing about talking with people from different parts of the world.

Black Sand Beaches

From there we took towards the coastline to another black sand beach. Walked down jagged steps and through a little valley to finally end up on the beach. We all attempted to lift this big rock, but no one could do it. Of course, our tour guide was able to get it up and lift it no problem. Icelandic Strength.

Black Sand Beach in Iceland — Tour guide lifting a large rock

We were able to walk around for a while and explore the beautiful black sand beach

Black Sand Beaches on the Snæfellsnes peninsula. — Black sand Beaches of Iceland

After walking around and braving the elements for a while we hopped back in the van and headed towards the tip of the peninsula.

Hellissandur

We then continued down to the town of Hellissandur where there are charming little farmhouses, art galleries, shops and more. There is a walking path that goes right along the coastline and walking right up next to the cliffs with the waves crashing.

Hellisandur Cliffs of Iceland Tour — Hellisandur cliffs of Iceland

It was a truly an experience unlike anywhere else on Earth.

From there we headed back. A full 10-12 hour day of exploring the amazing Snæfellsnes peninsula.

Why was it My Favorite Iceland Tour?

Most people go to Iceland stick to the main tourist spots like Gullfoss, Blue Lagoon, Skogofoss, the south coast and all these other hot spots, which are awesome and totally worth seeing! However, there is so much more hidden beauty in Iceland that we got to see with not too many other people around.

That’s really why I enjoyed it. The intimate small group setting, the tour guide telling stories and hiking around with us. Trying some local restaurants, seeing things that most people who visit Iceland miss!

It truly felt like a true Icelandic experience with the weather, the different biomes, the people, the waterfalls, black sand beaches, snow covered mountains etc. If you find yourself in Iceland soon, this tour is an absolute must book!