Reviews

4 great days in Iceland! - Julian was an amazing trip organizer and guide!! Our teenagers loved him as well as our three yr old. He made sight seeing fun and interesting. The... read more glacier hike was a favorite part for all of us. Highly recommend this tour company.

The BEST way to experience Iceland! - We had a 3-day private tour with Julian and our time with him was outstanding. He customized the trip to fit our interests and shared his historical knowledge and... read more experiences with us to enhance our trip. The private transportation was very comfortable. He was professional yet personable. As a special treat for our 30th anniversary, he surprised us with champagne in a private ice cave tour. I highly recommend Arctic Exped and we will definitely use them again for future trips.

Once in a lifetime experience with phenomenal guide - Our family of four (two young teens and two adults) loved every minute of our time with Julian. He was quite responsive from the moment we booked, helping us customize... read more our tour to exactly what we wanted to see, was perfectly on time for our pickup, and went out of his way to tailor each activity to the physical limitations of our group. Julian was so friendly and knowledgeable about the landscape and ecology of Iceland, pointing out details we never would have noticed on our own. The small details are really what set him apart from other guides or group tours - reliable private transport, adaptability, experience and knowledge of Iceland, and he even stopped for snacks for my aways hungry teen! This was by far one of the best tours we have ever taken. We had such an amazing time with Julian that we booked a second tour days later with him as well!

Amazing tour of Iceland with stunning photos! - We had the most amazing experience with Julian and Arctic Exped! Such a knowledgeable group of people and Julian’s expertise make this trip so fun and adventurous! They think of... read more every detail and I cannot them and thank them enough!!

An amazing experience with an outdoor enthusiast and knowledgeable guide - I did a 3 day private tour which included trips to an ice cave, diamond beach, a glacier hike, waterfalls, northern lights and snorkelling at Silfa. Every part of the... read more tour was exceptional. Julian has enormous knowledge of the region and extensive outdoor experience. He shares this knowledge throughout the tour in a way that is engaging and informative. He runs the tour in a very flexible way and is always happy to accommodate individual preferences. His planning is meticulous and I always felt safe and supported throughout the trip. Julian is a really genuine guide and his love and appreciation of nature really comes across throughout the trip. This was a once in a lifetime trip for me and I couldn’t recommend enough

The greastest tour and tour guide - book with Arctic Exped!  - Our tour with Arctic Exped was the most amazing tour I've done (and I've done q few!). Julian was knowledgeable and personable. Julian's experience in guiding us through all the... read more fun activities and taking us to quieter secret spots made the trip unforgettable. Would very highly recommend booking with Arctic Exped - it will ensure you have the best experience and see the sights of Iceland.

Great South Coast Tour with Glacier Hike  - We had a very pleasant experience on the South Coast tour, including the glacier hike, with Julian. He was professional and well organized, which made everything run smoothly. The atmosphere... read more was relaxed, the pace was just right, and the tour was very well arranged overall.

Can't recommend enough - TL;DR: BOOK THEM!!

If you’re planning a trip to Iceland, I have two bits of advice: book a private tour, and book Arctic Exped for that tour.

Planning... read more a trip to Iceland can be overwhelming—at least for us. Every place we wanted to visit seemed to have an 18-letter name that was impossible to pronounce. We found Julian and spoke with him about what we wanted to see and the overall vibe of the trip we were looking for.

He worked with us on the itinerary we had planned and made thoughtful recommendations on what we were missing or what could be swapped for even better options. He also included several off-the-beaten-path stops, which ended up being some of the most memorable moments of our entire trip. That’s the kind of experience you simply can’t get any other way.

Julian is cool, funny, knowledgeable, and extremely experienced, which allowed us to feel completely safe and at ease—whether we were out on outdoor excursions or spending long hours driving across the country.

As if the trip itself wasn’t incredible enough, we also ended up with gorgeous photos.

I can’t speak highly enough about our experience, and I can’t recommend Julian and Arctic Exped enough.

Amazing trip to see Katla and South Coast  - What a treat! Julian picked us up promptly from our hotel. With the weather predicted to take a turn for the worse, he made sure to review our itinerary with... read more us to hit our priorities first while we still had good light. As memories of our experience were (are) important to us, we appreciated his attention to detail both in planning our route and in helping plan shots of the family. We also appreciated his help in picking a good restaurant during our day as our son can be a bit of a picky eater at times. An unexpected treat was, ironically, skipping the black sand beach (Reynisfjara) and the associated busloads of tourists. As we discussed on the ride, we had been before when the weather was nicer and didn't need to take a repeat trip if he had a better option for our time. Instead, he took us to another black sand beach that we were able to have all to ourselves!

We will definitely do another tour with Arctic Exped the next time we're back in Iceland.

Julian an amazing tour guide!  - Julian was an incredible tour guide and an absolute pleasure to spend time with. We spent three days with him exploring the south of Iceland, and from the very beginning... read more he was warm, personable, and incredibly knowledgeable. He planned an awesome itinerary for us and thoughtfully customized the trip around specific things we wanted to see and do. Julian was easygoing, enthusiastic, and genuinely passionate about Iceland, which made long drives and busy days extra enjoyable! This was my second time in Iceland but my first time booking a private tour guide, and I would 100% recommend a private tour over a group tour. It takes the experience to another level. If we hadn’t booked a tour with Julian, I don’t think we would have had nearly as amazing of an experience in Iceland as we did.

Trip of a lifetime! Could not recommend enough  - Julian was absolutely amazing, truly could not have asked for a better 3 day trip than what he was able to provide. We got to see everything we wanted and... read more then some, with Julian taking us to his personal favorite spots, which were lesser known to other tourist groups, and led to some beautiful moments we’ll never forget. A sunrise on black sand beach without another soul for miles, an ice cave all to ourselves, or even venturing to more difficult locations at more known spots to get the most unique experience possible, Julian did it all. Not to mention, he was taking professional pictures of us the entire time!

I put a lot of stake in feeling safe in a foreign country I couldn’t have been more comfortable. Whether it was icy roads and long nighttime drives, Julian always made it a stress free experience to go along with his knowledge bank of facts about the country of Iceland as a whole.

Once I got home the only thing I could tell my family was “I can’t wait for you guys to go to Iceland one day, I have an amazing tour guide you have to us.” I think that says it all, would recommend. Thank you to Julian for the trip of a lifetime!

Amazing tour with Arctic Exped  - We had the most amazing experience with Julian from Arctic Exped! He took us on a 3 day tour of the South coast of Iceland, giving us the most incredible... read more and unique tour of the country! Julian took us to his own spots and viewpoints, where we got the most amazing private experiences of Iceland’s beauty. Will never forget the awesome ice cave, private beach, and glacier hike!
Julian was also super kind, helpful, and knowledgeable! We felt well taken care of, safe and comfortable, especially in the winter in Iceland when roads can get a bit icey. He brought a lot of fun to our trip, and even took amazing photos of us that we will keep forever. We had such an amazing trip with Julian, and highly recommend his private tours for anyone looking for a unique and special trip to Iceland!

First time in Iceland!  - Going to anotber country for the first time can be scary but with Julian as our guide i felt like id been living there my whole life. Such an incredible... read more trip that was made better by having someone so knoweldable and experienced guiding us around. You gotta get Julian he is funny, charismatic, can answer any question and he saved my life when we were on our Iclandic Horseback excursion (im fine btw)
Thanks for making our Iceland trip unforgettable!

A trip of a lifetime! - Our 3 day trip to Iceland with Artic Expeditions was amazing! Exploring ice caves, picking glacier ice rocks on stunning black lava beaches, riding on beautiful glaciers and through... read more mossy lava fields, watching seals on blue icebergs, enjoying geisers, hot springs, beautiful waterfalls and catching the elusive Northen Lights . What a magical trip! Julian is an experienced and travelled icelander, kind, patient, funny, and very resourceful, always willing to adapt the trip to the rapidly evolving weather, with powerfull all terrain car and his masterful driving skills! Julian has also a talented eye and takes stunning photographs! We had a dream trip to Iceland! I recommend wholeheartly Artic Expeditions with Julian! Thank you, Julian, for a trip of a lifetime!
P. and E.

The BEST!!! - Best guide ever & one of the best experiences of my life. Can't wait to come back to Iceland and book with Arctic Exped again. I highly highly recommend!

Golden Circle and South Coast Private Tour  - Julian was absolutely amazing! We did two days of tours, one in the South Coast and the other in the Golden Circle. He took us off the beaten path into... read more areas not crowded by tourists. These areas were absolutely breathtaking! He was very friendly, timely and knowledgeable about the areas and Iceland history. Already looking forward to coming back and seeing more! He definitely made our trip special, the South Coast tour was easily the highlight of our trip!

Phenomenal tour! - We had the absolute best experience with Arctic Exped! A huge thank you to Julian for organizing our 3-day South Highlights tour with Garðar. Julian went above and beyond—checking in... read more with us daily, recommending excellent accommodations, and even providing extra raincoats when our luggage didn’t arrive. The level of care and attention made our trip stress-free and unforgettable. Garðar was a fantastic guide, and we couldn’t have asked for a better way to experience Iceland. We wouldn’t hesitate to reach out to Arctic Exped again for a future adventure!

Private Family Adventure Off-the-Beaten Path - We spent three days with Julian and Arctic Exped and it was incredible. Julian was super-responsive and worked to craft a private itinerary that was exactly what we wanted -... read more off the beaten path, true adventure. He delivered and recommended incredible hotels as well. From ice climbing and scuba diving to hiking and relaxing in natural springs, we did it all. And, when our son was left hanging by another travel company, Julian helped us arrange transportation, no questions asked. If you want great adventure with excellent service, go with Arctic Exped.

Fantastic Private Tour Experience  - If you're looking for a private tour guide for Iceland, look no further than Julian and Artic Exped. From our initial communications, Julian was a pleasure to deal with as... read more he was very responsive and accommodating. Our group of 8 (4 adults and 4 kids aged 10-13) did two day tours with Julian, one covering the Golden Circle and one to the South Coast with glacier hike, and everyone loved the experience. In both instances, Julian seamlessly covered all we wanted to see and more. We enjoyed his company and his extensive knowledge about the country. The glacier hike was definitely a highlight. Julian was fantastic with the kids and we all felt very safe durings this unique experience. I recommend Julian without hesitation.

3 day Iceland adventure - Fantastic service across the board. One of the best travel companies we’ve had the pleasure of working with. Julian was a fantastic guide and made everything fun and personalized. Could... read more not recommend more!

Great glacier hike  - My family - including 16 year old daughter and 13 year old son - did a four hour private glacier hike with Matteo. He did a great job catering to... read more our various needs. When he heard my son rock climbed, he found an ice wall and set it up for my kids to repel down and ice climbed back up. He took pictures of us throughout the trip and sent them the next day. Having a private guide enabled us to go off the traditional paths to find unique adventures. We highly recommend Arctic Exped and Matteo.

Amazing trip! Family of 5 + Artic Julien!  - We are a family of five who spent six days and five nights touring southern Iceland and the highlands with Arctic Julien, and it was truly the trip of a... read more lifetime. Julien was an excellent host — extremely knowledgeable about all things Iceland, especially its nature and landscapes. His passion for the country was matched by his ability to share fascinating facts, hidden gems, and breathtaking viewpoints we never would have found on our own.

From start to finish, Julien was organized, professional, and attentive to every detail, ensuring our days and nights ran smoothly and comfortably. By the end of the trip, it felt less like we were with a guide and more like we were exploring with a good friend.

We enthusiastically recommend Arctic Julien to anyone looking to experience Iceland in a deeper, more personal way. Thank you, Julien, for making our adventure unforgettable!

An An unforgettable 8-day private trip to Iceland with Arctic Expedition  - We are extremely satisfied with Arctic Expedition’s service on our 8-day’s private trip to Iceland. Julian always promptly replied my emails with clear communication on quote and be flexible to... read more accommodate my itinerary changes, and with very competitive quote. Prompt photo sharing afterwards. Our guide Snaebjorn is awesome, always give us latest update on the schedule, itinerary to accommodate the weather condition and took us to the wonders of highland and the south coast with numbers of 10km day hike. Deep appreciation to both of them who made our first trip to Iceland an unforgettable life memory. We enjoyed it so much.

Great guide. Great driver. Great companion  - Excellent guide. He adjusted the day to fit the weather. Julien is also very knowledgeable about the geology of the county. He took us to places we didn’t know existed.... read more He is very enjoyable companion.

Amazing Experience with Arctic Exped - We just had the most amazing 4 days with Julian at Arctic Expeditions! Our family of four hiked, swam, rode and explored our way through Iceland. From a gorgeous and... read more challenging glacier hike to a frigid and serene free diving experience to a adrenaline pumping buggy ride and some of the most beautiful waterfalls we've ever seen, every
day was better than the next. Julian was an incredibly knowledgable and fun guide who took care of every detail (including the photos) and showed us the Iceland not on any typical tour. I can't say enough about the trip, about Julian and how grateful I am for the incredible memories we will have.

South Coast and Golden Circle tours  - Julian was our guide on 2 day trips to the South Coast and Golden Circle, for a group of 11 of us, and it was an incredible experience! The booking... read more process was easy, and he was quick to respond to emails and questions.
He was incredibly accommodating on the trips, especially given our size. His vast knowledge made it easy for him to answer all the questions we threw at him, and his great personality and easy-going nature made the trip stress free and unforgettable. The professional style photos he sent us after was a special bonus.
I had already gone on these day trips a few years back (with a different guide), but Julian was able to still show us some sights I hadn’t seen before, so whether you are new to Iceland, or coming back, I couldn’t recommend Arctic Exped, and Julian, enough!

South Coast and Golden Circle Tour: Highlight of our 40th Birthday Trip!  - Julian was our guide for two back-to-back day trips out of Reykjavik for a group of 11 friends celebrating our 40th birthdays. The entire tour experience was amazing from start... read more to finish. Julian was knowledgeable and fun, suggesting additional activities along our routes and answering any and all questions we threw his way. The sights are undeniably beautiful along the South Coast and Golden Circle, but having Julian guide our tours elevated the entire experience. His photos are professional quality, his demeanor is charming, and he went above and beyond to make sure we had a blast while seeing the sites. Absolutely recommend, 10/10!

All-around awesome experience for my family - We went to Iceland in April 2025 for 10 days, a family of four with daughters ages 11 and 12. We had an absolutely amazing trip, unforgettable. Julian, from Arctic... read more Exped, was a great host and guide (and great photographer). Everything was personalized, from the moment he picked us up at the airport until drop-off. The itinerary was packed with adventure and carefully tailored by Julian for our family: ice climbing, dog sledding, visiting ice caves, snorkeling in glaciers, trying to catch a glimpse of the Northern Lights (which we fortunately got to see), skiing, walking up volcano craters, etc. We drove around Iceland in 10 days. Every day was exciting and fun. Hotels were great. We absolutely recommend the experience with Arctic Exped. Thank you Julian for your dedication and care.

Our favorite vacation  - My husband and I booked the 6 day luxury south coast and ice caves tour with Arctic Exped. It was nothing short of amazing! Truly the best vacation we’ve ever... read more taken. Robert, our guide, was first class all the way. So knowledgeable, resourceful and funny! We would not have had the same experience on our own. Having an area local driving is key. We checked everything off our list- northern lights, glacier, ice caves, and more. And professional photos were taken at every stop. Perfect! Highly recommend.

Highly recommend, was an amazing day! - Amazing day hiking the glacier and doing some ice climbing. Julian was patient and kind and knowledgeable about the area and its history. A private tour was wonderful to go... read more at our own pace, highly recommend this!!

Lots of Adventure, Relaxation, Food, Pictures, and More  - We had an amazing trip with Julian! We spent five days with him driving along the south coast and stopping along the way for ice cave exploring, glacier hiking, waterfall... read more views, geysers, hot springs, beach walks, rock formations, and more. Julian had answers for every question we asked, was great company, and helped us plan the trip perfectly to balance adventure with relaxation, avoid crowded times at certain places, take great pictures, and eat great food. Couldn't recommend him more!

5 Day tour with pick up from airport - Blue lagoon, golden triangle, glacier hike, ice caves, south coast tour.  - Julian the owner was absolutely amazing and he catered for the 8 of us. With pick up and and drop off back to the airport included he took care of... read more everything which helped as we had young kids.

Going in December I was a bit worried about driving in snow conditions but we booked Artic Exped to do the driving for us and made the arrangements for hotels / excursions - this made our experience hassel free.

Thank you so much Artic Exped for the wonderful exprience and memories of Iceland.

Experiencing Iceland is so much better with someone who loves it as much as Julian.  - I run Luxury Travel Photography workshops around the world and one of my biggest challenges is in finding someone who is as passionate about providing an amazing experience to my... read more participants as I am. What drew me to Julian was his sense of adventure and the fact that he is a great photographer himself. In our first conversation it was clear - he knew what I was looking for and we spent hours coordinating the perfect locations to shoot over the course of our week long trip. Julian provided peace of mind while overcoming logistical nightmares as severe winter weather struck us early in the season. After day one, each day of our trip was modified from the planned itinerary and yet, somehow, we still fulfilled (and exceeded!) everything we intended. Julian was personally invested in creating results for us as if he had guaranteed it. His commitment blew my mind. And while this is impressive, what was most admirable about Julain is that he did this with a positive attitude. His love and passion for Iceland is contagious and his knowledge about the country is with sincere interest. He loves what he does and everything he did during our trip was to make sure that my group experienced Iceland with the same awe and appreciation that he does. Despite the storms and bitter cold, all I can think about when reflecting on our week is how amazing it was and how I can't wait to go back (and travel with Julian, again).

Iceland in November - Julien was an incredible tour guide. During our one week, we were fortunate enough to be able to see and experience a lot in Iceland. He showed us beautiful scenery... read more in more remote areas including a black beach and brand new ice caves. He also was always monitoring and was able to give us a wonderful Northern Lights experience. I highly recommended Arctic Exped and working with he Julien was an unmatched experience!

Truly a great trip. Julian is an expert in many things.  - Julian from start to finish was fantastic. Has the Toyota Landcruiser which is perfect for the trip and comfortable for family of 4.

Cutomized adventure  - Julien was responsible for my intense adventure in Iceland. As part of an ambitious but difficult plan, in a really short time not only that we've climbed the highest peak... read more in Iceland - Hvannadalshnúkur, but we also did some ice climbing, sightseeing down the road plus freedive in Silfra! Reliable, creative and responsible - these are the features that make it worth choosing ArcticExped. Highly recommend!

Thomas

Great trip. Julian was a great host and his knowledge and enthusiasm made our trip a real pleasure.  - We visited Iceland in early October for 6 days. Friends who had recently been to Iceland strongly recommended that we connect with Arctic Exped to ensure that we made the... read more most of our time there. We are so happy that our friends told us about Julian (owner/founder). Julian took care of virtually every aspect and logistic of our trip from the moment he picked us up at the airport on our arrival to the moment he returned us to the airport for our departure flight. Julian designed a bespoke experience for us that took into account our preferences for food, accommodations, adventure, and sight-seeing. With his extensive knowledge of (and love for) Iceland, Julian expertly guided us through glaciers, ice caves, waterfalls, black sand beaches, and so much more – all while educating us about the geography and history of the places we were visiting. And on top of it all, Julian was an absolute delight to spend the week with (and we don’t say that about many people)! We are telling all of our friends to visit this wonderful country and that Arctic Exped is the absolute best way to make the most of your time there.