Eugenia Joe
Google
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.
