Reykjavik -- package or not to package?
 

I've got a big birthday coming up in September, and I've chosen Iceland as part of my self-treat. Never been there, and I won't have a car, so I'm trying to see if the tour pkgs they have on the IcelandAir.com site are worth it. [btw, choice of hotel would be the Hotel Nordica] any thoughts would be helpful! :) I'm so excited about going! I just want to make the right choices...

Gigimc, I haven't been yet (also going in Sept). I booked the Golden Circle Tour and one of the afternoon Horseback Riding excursions through Icelandair.com. They seemed pretty reasonably priced. I am like you and won't have a car, so figured I couldn't go too terribly wrong. If nothing else, it's a good way to get out of the city and go see some of the countryside - even if only a little bit.

Shane

I did an Icelandair package in January 2005. I felt that I received a lot for the money paid. My package included staying in 3 places in Iceland with a rental car and a flight to northern Iceland. I stayed at Fosshotel Baron, but I have heard that Nordica is a very good hotel.

I was in Iceland (many years ago) for one week without a car. We did the Golden Circle, a tour to Vik and back that we really loved, and an Icelandair package day trip to a little village in Greenland. Of the three, the last was probably the least worthwhile: lots of time sitting on a plane, and we really felt like the obnoxious tourists decending on this town! (The views from the plane over Greenland's icebergs were really terrific, though.)

We found plenty to do in Reykjavik, and the southern coast was truly spectacular. We just wished we had more time to see other areas, too!

Don't do a package. Rent a car and do everything yourself. Driving is very easy and it much better to have the ability to stop when you want... there is much more to see then the main attractions.

I'M BACK!!! :D of course with the sniffles because it was unusually cold & windy this past weekend... and I left the blue lagoon with a wet head... duh... the package route was pretty cool in theory-- just make sure you are completely ANAL with your icelandair agent if you speak to one. I was going to book it all online but found a discrepency in the price, so I called to get a warm body to walk me through the process & she screwed me up. Luckily the wonderful people at the excursion desk in Reykjavik felt very bad about the situation and accomodated me well... no complaints at all! [takk takk takk!] so bottomline, the package is great if you don't know your way around, especially if you're alone... but tsm0885a, there's some truth to what you say as well. When I go back I will definitely be on my own & rent a car. I'm a little better at the lay of the land now [one of the goals on my initial trip this year...] parting thoughts: GET YOUR A** TO ICELAND! lol