Hidden Iceland - Reykjavík

Eugenia J.

My partner, our friend, and I were planning to go to Iceland together, but planning a relatively last minute trip for 3 people with busy lives was more difficult than we thought. We decided to move forward with a private guided tour instead of renting a car or joining a tour with others because we wanted the flexibility of choosing our destinations and the comfort of a shared SUV rather than a larger tour bus.

After looking online, I came across Hidden Iceland, which had positive reviews and seemed like exactly what we were looking for. I did reach out to two other companies, but Holly at Hidden Iceland was the fastest in getting back to me. She answered all my questions promptly and even provided a recommendation for a Northern Lights tour that we booked for a separate night outside of the tour through them. She worked with us to tailor our trip and include everything that we wanted and within our budget. Her instructions and the materials were all very clear and we found it very easy to follow.

When we got to Iceland, the private driver, hired through Hidden Iceland, was already waiting for us at the airport and he drove us to our hotel, pointing out interesting spots along the way. The hotel was booked by Hidden Iceland and was a cute and comfortable shared room, with a divider between the two rooms, which was a thoughtful touch so that our friend could have his own space/bed.

We had a couple of nights in Reykjavík on our own, but on the second day, we went on a horseback riding adventure, arranged through Hidden Iceland. Everything was taken care of so we had nothing to worry about.

Our second morning in Reykjavík, Ingi, our future friend, met us promptly at the bus stop near us, after sending me a message that he had arrived and letting me know which car to look for. Ingi was friendly, shaking all our hands and helping us load our luggage. We got into the car and we were off, onto the next destination. Along the way, Ingi talked about everything from the red lava field to the volcanos, and the culture and history of Iceland. He was clearly very experienced and knowledgeable, and his laid back mannerism instantly put us at ease. It felt like traveling with an old friend. My partner called him the most interesting man in the world. Also, all the pictures and videos he took of us were amazing - they could've been taken by a professional (see example)!

Everything that we got to see and do along the way was either arranged through Hidden Iceland with parnter companies, such as the ice cave, which was more amazing than I could've imagined, and the lava tunnel, which was darkly beautiful and perfectly eerie. The tomato farm lunch was delicious and it was like a wondrous oasis against the stark landscape of Iceland. The Blue Lagoon was fun and while not necessarily relaxing, was a unique experience that left my skin feeling silky smooth.

All other destination, including the waterfalls, the national park, the geyser, and more, were guided by Ingi himself, with his expert touch. We crammed a lot of activities into our regrettably short time with him and we were constantly rushing from one location to another, which was just what we wanted. Ingi asked us what else we were interested in seeing and doing and was able to continue to tailor our trip along the way. We saw seals, reindeer, beautiful turquoise lakes, thunderous waves crashing against a craggy black lava rock, and majestic (though sadly, receding) glaciers.

From the comfort of our car, we took in the beauty of Iceland, in all its glory, with rare blue skies and sun during the day, and insane Northern Lights at night. Our hotels were all comfortable and clean, some with hot tubs and saunas! The entire trip, we kept saying how lucky we got - it felt like luck was chasing us! All thanks to Hidden Iceland's well crafted tour and Ingi's magic.

Thank you to Hidden Iceland, Holly, and Ingi for a fantastic time that left us craving more. We'll be sure to book with Hidden Iceland again, and ask for our friend, Ingi, to guide us once more.

David A.

We did two Hidden Iceland tours- Golden Circle and South Coast - and both were fantastic. Both guides were very knowledgeable and we particularly enjoyed Levy who was quirky and told Great stories. Each tour had 14 to 16 people, was well paced and well planned. Highly recommend!!

Charles D.

Hidden Iceland is up there with Rabbie's now for my favorite tour company. Their home base communication is fantastic and the guides they contract with are amazing. Each guide could be a legend in their own right, and in Iceland that matters a ton because if the weather turns on you the guide is going to be reaching out to rangers and figuring out what to do if a site/attraction is delayed/inaccessible. Also, I don't drive four wheel drive, and the guides being able to do that, and doing that exceptionally adeptly put my mind at ease when were on a gravel road, up a cliff, in the gorgeous Westland Fjords.

I cannot stress this enough, I would not have been able to have as much fun as I did, with as many people as we had, and seen all of the cosmically beautiful things we saw, without Hidden Iceland handling the backend and working with the best guides.

Cathy B.

Literally the best trip we have ever been on! Hidden Iceland worked wonders to get us the best experiences. Including a last minute helicopter ride over the volcano! The hotels they chose for us were top notch. Because we were there in the early season Rita asked one of the museums to open for us! Not one bad word to say! Our guide was incredible! We had him on a golden circle tour a couple years ago and kept his info. Björn knew the answer to every single question we had and there were many. He was instrumental in getting us to ancestral family farms. He knocked on doors and because he was so charming and spoke the language the farmers opened their doors to us and shared all kinds of information that we didn’t know. He was always ready with his camera to catch the photos we missed. He also knew all the best ice cream and pastry shops. He was always one step ahead of our needs. We will plan our next trip around his schedule!

Sanaa A.

I wanted to do a self drive in Iceland and I was planning it by myself as I used to do with all my previous tours, however this time I have decided a bit late so I thought it is better to do it throughout a local agent in Iceland which I never regret. Actually it was the best thing I have done especially with this tour, eventually I had my dream tour to Iceland. Hidden Iceland made me relaxed as I had the plan done by the experts. Aaron Thomas “the hero” was just amazing and so patient (BIG Thanks). We had discussed the itinerary many times and he gave many valuable advices. Also he suggested couple of places that never came to my mind, however they are really worth to visit. To be honest, it took me long time to decide the final itinerary, but I never felt that Aaron was stressing me out or pushing me to decide so quickly, he was so supporting. All the accommodations were just perfect. The itinerary was so detailed and clear. I would definitely recommend Hidden Iceland and will also contact them for my next journey to Iceland.

Michael S.

We wanted to go off the beaten path, concentrating primarily on the Westfjords, on a self-drive tour. Avoiding the throngs of tourists as much as possible. Working closely with us, Aaron at Hidden Iceland did a great job in customizing an itinerary that did just that. Everything from accommodations, rental car, food and snack recommendations were expertly provided. The attention to detail and interactive navigation capability of the TripCreator app was outstanding. The companies who partner with Hidden Iceland, to provide the activities we chose, were also very good. Throughout the planning process, I was in contact with several of the Hidden Iceland team members. They were all very responsive and made me feel like I was dealing with friends rather than a business. I would highly recommend getting in touch with Hidden Iceland to help you put together an outstanding visit to this amazing country.

Lindsay C.

This tour was hard to beat. Our guide Bjorn led us on a magical journey along the south coast. We saw waterfall after waterfall, tons of wildlife, and Bjorn worked in many stories of Iceland’s history, folklore and geology. I never felt rushed or crowded - we had ample time at each stop to explore and hit everything at the perfect times to avoid high crowds. The minibus was super comfortable, and the guest house for the overnight was cozy and welcoming. The glacier tour itself was challenging but manageable and very safe. This tour and Bjorn exceeded all of my expectations, and I left it feeling accomplished, alive and refreshed. Highly recommend Hidden Iceland for a more personalized tour than some of the other conglomerates offering big bus tours.

Brooke S.

We had the most incredible private tour with Hidden Iceland and our tour guide, Marcin! Marcin was the best tour guide we could have asked for - he was extremely knowledgeable and filled the trip with surprise stops we never would have found on our own. We really enjoyed all 3 days we spent with him- he even taught us a new card game!

The highlight of the trip was definitely the Ice Climbing day, where we were out on the glacier all day with Marcin and another amazing guide. The itinerary was perfectly spaced out so we fit in a TON of activities in just 3 short days. We definitely recommend Hidden Iceland - we wouldn’t have done it any other way!