Question - Diamond Circle excursion in Akureyri, Iceland

[2cruisecats]

Iceland’s Natural Beauty Cruise - In Akureyri, The Diamond Circle excursion is listed as a full day and a demanding excursion. From the description, it seems more moderate? If you have done this excursion, did you find it demanding? And, if demanding, what made it demanding — length of walking or difficult terrain or ..? Trying to decide between Diamond Circle (preferred) and Northern Iceland’s Natural Treasures, another full day excursion but listed as moderate.

[CCWineLover]

52 minutes ago, 2cruisecats said:

Iceland’s Natural Beauty Cruise - In Akureyri, The Diamond Circle excursion is listed as a full day and a demanding excursion. From the description, it seems more moderate? If you have done this excursion, did you find it demanding? And, if demanding, what made it demanding — length of walking or difficult terrain or ..? Trying to decide between Diamond Circle (preferred) and Northern Iceland’s Natural Treasures, another full day excursion but listed as moderate.

@2cruisecats   I assume you mean "Iceland's Natural TREASURES EXCURSION".  We did this EXACT excursion out of Akureyri last June!  We had an absolutely wonderful time, thanks to good weather.  It was definitely a long day, however, but we had a really good and large lunch halfway through near Lake Myvatin at a very upscale conference hotel restaurant with a view!   I would have listed it as 1/2 demanding and 1/2 moderate (I've been on many Viking excursions both truly demanding and truly moderate.  There are several stops where you get out of the bus and have to walk a moderately decent distance to the "attraction".  Perhaps that is where the "demanding" comes from.  The one area that has some hills is the paved trail through the wonderful towering lava castles and grottoes of the Dimmuborgir lava labyrinth.  The walking to the Godafoss waterfalls and the sulphur springs areas is moderately long (maybe 1 mile total?)

As for the Diamond Circle - I would have given it the same rating.  We took an independent tour out of Reykjavik that went to the attractions on this tour description.  It goes to the same lava park (Dimmuborgir) so would have the same walk and hills there.  It however, goes to Dettifoss waterfall.  I thought the walk to/from the parking lot to this falls was much more difficult than the Natural Treasures excursion's walk to the Godafoss falls.

I am a bit surprised that Viking rated these 2 excursions differently.  I would have rated them either both Demanding or both Moderate.  

I would choose whichever one you wish!  Hoping that helps relieve any indecision.  Feel free to email me and I can say more and send you some pics from both excursions -  

kjstong at gmail dot com

 

Kent

[2cruisecats]

3 hours ago, CCWineLover said:

 

I am a bit surprised that Viking rated these 2 excursions differently.  I would have rated them either both Demanding or both Moderate.  

I would choose whichever one you wish!  Hoping that helps relieve any indecision.  Feel free to email me and I can say more and send you some pics from both excursions -  

kjstong at gmail dot com

 

Kent

Thank You! Great info.  We have until April 4th to decide. Yes, I've left this  investigation a little late as we've been focusing on the 10 day self-drive tour of the Westfjords we're dong ahead of the cruise. Email coming -- love to see your pix.

[Peregrina651]

I have done Natural Treasures. 

 

The decision is six of one, half a dozen the other.  There is a lot to see from Akureyri and you can't see it all in one day.  They each have a variety of geologic features; it just depends on which you like seeing the most.

 

You can't go wrong with either one.

[Peregrina651]

Just a couple to whet your appetite...

 

 

Geothermal pools

 

 

Lake Myvatn and surroundings

 

 

Goðafoss