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Travel through the world’s greatest film set! This is the perfect holiday for movie enthusiasts and avid travellers alike. On this exciting 10-day self-drive holiday around Iceland you’ll follow in the footsteps of James Bond, Lara Croft, Walter Mitty, and other adventurous fictional characters as you create your own blockbuster holiday.

You'll visit Iceland’s most famous filming locations, including:

The black sand beaches of South Iceland showcased in Noah and Star Trek II

Jokulsarlon Glacial Lagoon where James Bond and Lara Croft were filmed

Dettifoss waterfall in the north, which served as otherworldly background in Oblivion and Prometheus

Grjotagja Cave, a small cave with a thermal spring inside, which became iconic after being depicted in a steaming romantic scene in the TV series Game of Thrones

Itinerary

Flags of our Fathers – The Secret Life of Walter Mitty – Hostel II

Having cleared customs, collect your rental car and make your way to the first scene of your very own Hollywood blockbuster! Head south through the barren lava landscape to Sandvik, set along the coast of the Reykjanes Peninsula. These black sandy beaches were chosen to portray the island fortress of Iwo Jima in Clint Eastwood's Flags of our Fathers. Not far from Sandvik, you'll find the fishing village of Gardur. While this little village is primarily known for bird watching, it was also featured in the movie The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, where Ben Stiller takes a leap of faith and jumps out of a helicopter into the Atlantic Ocean.

Next on your itinerary is the place that director Eli Roth compared to an "outdoor spa on the moon" — the Blue Lagoon. This otherworldly location was used in the film Hostel II. That may have been a horror movie, but in reality the Blue Lagoon is an oasis of calm relaxation. We recommend a soothing soak in the milky waters, preferably with a silica mud mask covering your face.

Head to Hveragerdi for your overnight accommodation.

Overnight: Hveragerdi

Approximate mileage: 135 km / 83 miles

Hveragerdi - Golden Circle

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty – Game of Thrones - Faust – Star Wars

We travel onwards to Thingvellir, Iceland's oldest national park and a UNESCO World Heritage area. In the summer of 2013 the park became the set for Series 4 of Game of Thrones. For those looking to explore a bit more, the park offers many hiking options, such as the short walk to Oxararfoss waterfall. From Thingvellir, you have the chance to take a detour along the picturesque Nesjavallaleid route which offers another familiar glimpse into The Secret Life of Walter Mitty; this is the location of the scene of the "I'm on my way to a volcano" moment where Walter rides his bike along the water pipes lining the road. Onward to the geothermal area of Geysir where geysers, mud pools and thermal springs have been attracting

visitors to the area of the original geyser for centuries, but strangely enough the area has never been featured in a Hollywoodproduction. From Geysir, it will only take you a 20 minutes to reach the majestic Gullfoss waterfall,which was featured in period piece Faust (2010).

Overnight: Golden Circle/Geysir area

Approximate mileage: 142 km / 88 miles

South Coast - Vik

Faust - The Secret Life of Walter Mitty – Noah – Game of Thrones – Thor II

In the movie Prometheus, the crew travels from their space ship to and from the alien base, driving across the barren alien wasteland that lies below Hekla, one of the most active volcanoes in the world, the last eruption having taken place as recently as 2000.

The renowned Eyjafjallajokull volcano was also featured in Faust. If you haven’t seen the movie, the powerful volcano is enough on its own, full of rich history and various activities that you can enjoy nearby.

One of the most beautiful waterfalls in Iceland, Skogafoss, is a sight not to be missed. This serene and breathtaking place has appeared in both Thor: The Dark World and as Afghanistan in the Secret Life of Walter Mitty. Notice the open fields that surround you as you experience this waterfall. You can even climb the stairs that take you above the top of the falls for a panoramic view. The dramatic black sandy beaches of Reynisfjara will be your next stop. It was here that Russell Crowe, playing Noah, prepared his ark for the coming of the flood. At the foot of the glacier Myrdalsjokull, which sits on the volcano of Katla, you'll find Hofdabrekka. This area was used to film the scenes in the treacherous Frostfangs in Game of Thrones. During shooting, the cast and crew stayed in and around Vik, the southernmost town in Iceland. For those wishing to visit the black sand landscape of Thor II’s ‘Svartalfheim’, the Dark Elves realm, a category 5 rental car is needed to reach Landmannalaugar.

Overnight: Vik area

Approximate mileage: 145 km / 90 miles

Vik - Hofn

Calculator - Tomb Raider - James Bond - Batman Begins - Secret Life of Walter Mitty – Prometheus - Interstellar

The Russian sci-fi thriller Calculator, starring footballer-turned-actor Vinnie Jones, was shot partly in Iceland,

with the country standing in for an alien planet. The Icelandic leg of the shoot lasted around three weeks, with most of the production taking place in Hafursey, a single green mountain standing in the midst of the black sand of Myrdalssandur. After Walter Mitty makes his stop in Yemen, he reaches the Himalayas in Afghanistan, where he finally finds his friend Sean O’Connell. Vatnajökull National Park was used to supply the beautiful snowy mountains that stood in for the Himalayas. The ice trail of the top peaks where Walter and the guides hike is actually on some glaciers (Fjallsarlon IceLagoon) of Vatnajokull National Park.

Overnight: Hofn area

Approximate mileage: 272 km / 169 miles

Hofn - Seydisfjordur

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty – Fortitude - Stardust

Similar to setting the scene for Yemen, the scene where Walter Mitty lands in Nuuk, Greenland was actually filmed in Hofn, Iceland.

Remember the skateboarding scene where Walter Mitty skates down the roads in the mountains? This scene was shot onSeydisfjardarvegur Road located in Seydisfjordur. Walter skates energetically with pieces of lava tied to his hands, into the town surrounded by Mount Strandartindur and Mount Bjolfur.

Overnight: Seydisfjordur

Approximate mileage: 213 km / 132 miles

Seydisfjordur – Myvatn

Prometheus - Oblivion

The opening scene of the film Prometheus takes place at Dettifoss waterfall. Just prior to that moment, the camera flies over the Krossa River in Landmannalaugar. Thanks to computer technology, the editing crew added a flying saucer to the background. Dettifoss also provides the mountains and lakes of Asgard in Thor II, where an aerial unit captured spectacular shots of the Dettifoss falls.

Another film in which you’ll find Dettifoss waterfall is Oblivion, a post-apocalyptic sci-fi movie where the charred, barren, post-apocalyptic remains of the earth we once knew is actually just North Iceland.

The destroyed old baseball stadium seen in the film is an old crater called Hrossaborg, and different scenes are filmed in different parts of the barren central highlands of the country.

Overnight: Lake Myvatn area

Approximate mileage: 201 km / 124 miles

Lake Myvatn - Akureyri

Game of Thrones

Today you will be entering the otherworldly landscapes of Lake Myvatn where the scenes for North of the Wall in Game of Thrones were filmed. After a day of beautiful waterfalls, volcanoes, unusual lava rock formations, steaming hot springs, bubbling mud pools and mysterious landscapes, it will become apparent why the Game

of Thrones production crew were drawn to this area. The last stop before leaving the area will be the majestic Waterfall of the Gods, Godafoss. According to the Icelandic Sagas, the waterfall draws its name from Thorgeir of Ljosavatn throwing his statues of the heathen gods into the falls after Iceland converted to Christianity in the year 1000.

Overnight: Akureyri

Approximate mileage: 91 km / 57 miles

Akureyri – Stykkisholmur

Drive from Akureyri to the Snaefellsnes Peninsula through a countryside full of history and beautiful scenery. On this route our find locations from the Icelandic Sagas which hopefully will one day be depicted in their own Hollywood masterpieces.

Overnight: Stykkisholmur

Approximate mileage: 352 km / 218 miles

Stykkisholmur - Reykjavik

Walter Mitty – Journey to the Centre of the Earth – Pawn Sacrifice

The village Grundarfjordur was used as filming location for the Greenlandic port where Walter arrives after boarding the boat Erkigsnek. When you’re on your way from Stykkisholmur, be sure to take a little stop and walk around the village.

When Walter gets word that his friend Sean is in Iceland, he bikes through the village of Grundarfjordur in search of him. Once Walter hears that the only chance for him to meet Sean is for him to immediately jump into the helicopter that was starting to take off, he runs and jumps into the helicopter. As you may remember, the song

"Ground Control to Major Tom" is being sung by Cheryl (Kristin Wiig) in the background. This scene was shot in Stykkisholmur, which is standing in for a town in Greenland. Scenes from the upcoming Pawn Sacrifice starring Toby Maguire were also shot in Grundarfjordur.

The nearby Berserkjahraun Lava Field was also used in the film The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, when the protagonist comes to a stop after skating to the village in search of Sean – he finds himself in this lava field. As you continue along the peninsula you’ll pass Snaefellsjokull glacier, which, in Jules Verne’s novel Journey

to the Centre of the Earth, was said to be the entrance to the Earth. The movie based on the book, starring Brendan Fraser and Icelandic actress Anita Briem, was shot in Iceland, although the scenes for Snaefellsjokull were actually not filmed there, but at Langjokull glacier.

Overnight: Reykjavik

Approximate mileage: 300 km / 186 miles

Departure

Return to Keflavik International Airport* and drop off the car.

* Please note that the package price is based on 10x 24-hour rental days starting at the time of rental. If your flight arrives early on day 1 and departs late on day 10, an additional supplement will be necessary unless you choose to return the car in Reykjavik when the 10-day rental is up and use our Flybus departure transfer to return to the airport.

Notes