The Höfði Cipher — Decode the Summit's Hidden Accord
From12€

🕒 No date to pick · Code valid 1 year · Play whenever you want

Get my code
💡City Pass from 19€All games in Reykjavik
Reykjavik City CenterThe Höfði Cipher — Decode the Summit's Hidden Accord
📍 Reykjavik City Center·🕐 2h – 2h30·📍 ~2.5 km
Also available as:HistoricalMysterySpy thriller

The Höfði Cipher — Decode the Summit's Hidden Accord

October 1986: Decipher the secret clauses Reagan and Gorbachev negotiated behind closed doors at Höfði House. Uncover what the world was never meant to know.

📱 1 to 10 phones · 1 team per phone · Independent codes

Difficulty
·From age 12 years
Starting point :Ráðhús Reykjavíkur (Reykjavik City Hall)

On October 11–12, 1986, the eyes of the world fixed on a modest wooden house overlooking Faxaflói Bay

8
stages
~2.5 km
route
2h – 2h30
at your pace
🚶
walking

The Höfði Cipher — Decode the Summit's Hidden Accord

🎭Your Mission

You are a diplomatic intelligence officer, October 1986, on a critical assignment in Reykjavik.

Your mission: decipher the secret clauses negotiated by Reagan and Gorbachev behind Höfði House'

Delve into the heart of the secret negotiations that reshaped the global geopolitical map in Reykjavik in October 1986.

Far more than an escape game

A game, a guided tour and a heritage guide — all in one

You're not just buying an escape game. You're carrying a living guide — historical anecdotes, forgotten legends, key monuments, hidden architecture — unfolding as you go.

🏛️
Hidden historical gems

At each stop, places ordinary guides miss — secret façades, sculpted crests, alleys steeped in history.

📜
Anecdotes & legends

Every riddle is rooted in a real historical fact or local legend. You leave with dozens of stories to tell.

🏗️
Architecture & heritage

Learn to read buildings — flamboyant Gothic, Baroque, Art Deco — like a real art historian, while having fun.

🚶‍♀️
Immersive wandering

Walk through the city like a novel's character — every alley becomes a stage, every square a theatre.

🎙️
Immersive audio narration

A voice walks with you at every step, tells the story of each place, reads clues, adds a cinematic feel.

📲
Yours forever

Keep access to the guide & game for 1 year. Come back any time, share it with friends.

« You will not leave this city the way you entered it. »

How does it work?

🏛️
Outdoor escape game

Explore the city on foot solving puzzles based on real historical facts. No locked room — the city is your playground.

📱
On your smartphone

No app to download. Play directly from your browser. Guided step by step, at your own pace.

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦
Unlimited players

One purchase per phone is enough. Play with family, friends or as a couple — everyone participates.

🎯
Augmented reality

Point your phone at the façade: a historical character appears and speaks to you in your language. Golden letters magically write themselves on the wall to reveal the puzzle answer.

🤖
AI that helps you

Stuck? Progressive personalised hints. The character repeats the puzzle on demand — at your own pace.

🗣️
32 languages

French, English, German, Spanish, Italian + 27 other languages auto-translated by AI.

🎟️

Want to go deeper?

Places tied to your adventure — optional entries, totally up to you · per person

National Museum of Icelandoptional
2500 ISK. Explore Iceland's history, from Viking settlement to the 21st century, with artifacts dating back to the 9th century.
Optionnel
/pers.
Perlan - Wonders of Icelandoptional
4900 ISK. Discover Iceland's natural wonders, including an artificial ice cave and an exhibition on the Northern Lights.
Optionnel
/pers.
Traditional Icelandic Food Tastingoptional
From 6000 ISK. Taste Hákarl (fermented shark), Kjötsúpa (lamb soup), and Plokkfiskur (fish stew) at a local restaurant in downtown Reykjavik.
Optionnel
/pers.
Whale Watching from the Old Harboroptional
Approximately 11900 ISK. Embark on a 3-hour excursion from Reykjavik's Old Harbor to spot Minke whales and white-beaked dolphins.
Optionnel
/pers.
Budget if you do them all / pers.~0
« I will strengthen you with my right hand of justice »
Historical Icelandic motto, biblical context

The story that haunts this land

Your quest begins at Ráðhús Reykjavíkur, Reykjavik City Hall, strategically located on the shores of Tjörnin lake. This modern building, inaugurated in 1992, symbolizes the Icelandic capital's capacity to host major diplomatic events. As you traverse downtown Reykjavik, you will walk along Tjörnin lake, a major geographical landmark. This preserved natural environment, used as a tourist promenade area since the 18th century, offers a striking contrast to the intensity of the negotiations you are about to decipher. The City Hall's proximity to this central urban lake facilitates an immediate immersion into 'The Höfði Cipher' walking tour.

Continuing your walking tour in Reykjavik, you will reach Alþingishúsið, the Icelandic Parliament House. Built in 1881 in a classic Danish architectural style, this monument is the seat of the Althing, the world's oldest continuously functioning parliament, founded in 930 AD at Þingvellir. Located on Kirkjustræti, about 500 meters from Ráðhús, it represents a strong Icelandic political symbol, directly linked to the diplomatic theme of the Reykjavik Summit 1986 negotiations. Here, the stakes of sovereignty and international relations resonate with the weight of decisions made at Höfði.

The heart of your mission leads you to Höfði House, a former fishermen's refuge transformed into a diplomatic residence. It was in this historic building from 1909, located on the Seltjarnarnes peninsula, that Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev met in October 1986 for the Reykjavik Summit. This key site of 'The Höfði Cipher' tour invites you to decipher the secret clauses negotiated by the two superpowers on nuclear disarmament. Nearby, you will discover Sólfarið, 'The Sun Voyager', a monumental stainless steel sculpture created by Jón Gunnar Árnason in 1974. Inspired by Norse mythology and Viking history, it symbolizes exploration and hope, offering panoramic views of Faxaflói Bay.

Your exploration of Reykjavik continues towards Harpa, the concert hall and conference center. Opened in 2011, this masterpiece of contemporary architecture, with its colored glass facade of 1,200 panels, contrasts with the historical sites of the tour. This building, located in Reykjavik's port, about 1 km from the city center, symbolizes Icelandic modernity and its place on the international stage. As you walk along Lækjargata street, a historic downtown artery dating from the 18th-19th centuries, you will observe traditional Icelandic architecture that testifies to the urban heritage, connecting the diplomatic past to the vibrant present of the capital.

The tour concludes at Ingólfstorg, Reykjavik's central historic square, named after Ingólfur Arnarson, the city's legendary founder in 874 AD. This convergence point of medieval trade routes is a symbol of Icelandic identity and Viking history, providing a powerful thematic context for diplomatic negotiations. By completing your diplomatic scavenger hunt in this emblematic location, you will have not only decoded the secrets of the Reykjavik Summit 1986, but also explored major sites of Icelandic historical heritage, from mythical past to the architectural modernity of the capital. This interactive journey will have allowed you to understand the forces that shaped Reykjavik and its role in world history.

1986
Reykjavik Summit between Reagan and Gorbachev.
1987
Signing of the INF Treaty, one year after Reykjavik.
1991
Dissolution of the USSR, official end of the Cold War.

The Route

8 stages through the city

The gameplay: AR, camera, hidden clues

📱Search clues with your cameraRA

At each stop, open your phone camera: an augmented reality character appears on the façade and speaks your language. Hunt the clue — it materializes as golden letters on the real wall or floats in front of you. When you find it, the phone vibrates, an AR chest opens and reveals your answer fragment. 8 stops, 8 clues to find with the camera, 1 final code.

🎭

The stops on your route are a surprise. You'll discover them one by one, guided by your phone, starting from the meeting point.

8
original puzzles
24
min of narration
🪙 24
TripCoins granted
16
GPS waypoints

How does it work with a group?

One phone = one team. Pick the number at checkout (1 to 10).

🧍
1 phone

Solo, or a group sharing the screen. One team, one code.

👥
2-3 phones

Family, couple, or 2-3 teams competing. Each phone has its own code and its own score.

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦
4 to 10 phones

Friends, bachelor/bachelorette, small office outing — each their own code, each plays at their own pace. Tiered pricing then €6 flat per phone from the 6th.

  • All codes are independent — play at the same time OR separately, each team advances at its own pace.
  • Leaderboard between your teams + global game leaderboard — each score appears in the public ranking.
  • More than 10 phones or need a personalized quest? Discover custom tours.
🕒No date to pick · Code valid 1 year · Play whenever you want

Ready to live this adventure?

Get my code · 12€

No calendar booking. Code sent immediately by email.

🔒 Secure payment · Code in 5 min · Free cancellation

Practical info

Starting point
Ráðhús Reykjavíkur (Reykjavik City Hall)
Directions on Google Maps
🕐
Duration
2h – 2h30
At your own pace
👥
Players
Unlimited
From age 12
📍
Distance
~2.5 km
Reykjavik City Center
Accessibility
Partial
Some slopes and uneven sidewalks
🌐
Languages
17 languages
Built-in translation

Why this route?

🕵️‍♂️

Diplomatic Espionage

A thrilling quest into the heart of Cold War secrets.

🧊

Cold War Setting

Relive the tensions and hopes of a pivotal era.

📜

Hidden Documents

Decipher clues to reveal a forgotten protocol.

The silence of diplomacy holds the greatest secrets.

Find the protocol that could have changed history.

★ Innovation 2026

9 features nobody else has

OddballTrip combines gamified play, augmented reality and AI. All our competitors deliver 1 or 2 of these angles. We deliver all 5.

🎁

AR treasure chest

A golden chest floats in front of the monument. Tap → opening animation → reveals a secret message.

🧙

AR narrator character

Point your phone at the façade: a knight, witch, monk, sailor, detective or ghost appears full-screen and speaks to you in your language with their dedicated ElevenLabs voice (each character has their own unique voice) — your living guide.

📜

Magic golden letters

At the puzzle climax, golden letters magically write themselves on the real wall — that's the puzzle answer. An unforgettable visual effect.

🎧

Written + audio narration

Every puzzle available as text AND voice-over: read at your own pace or listen eyes-free while walking. Great in groups and for accessibility.

🧭

360° radar + vibration

A mini-radar shows the target even behind you, and the phone vibrates when you aim in the right direction.

📸

Heritage storytelling

Every puzzle weaves in real historical facts (architecture, era, anecdotes). You learn by playing — like a gamified audioguide.

🤖

Progressive AI hints

3 levels of AI-generated help: vibe → where to look → answer format. You're never stuck.

🤳

AR selfie memento

At the end of the game, capture a selfie with OddballTrip banner + mascot, shareable on Instagram, TikTok.

📱

Zero app to install

PWA technology: open the link, it plays in your browser. Same quality as an app, no App Store hassle.

Frequently asked questions

Q01Do I need to download an app?

No, never. You get a link, you click, it plays in your browser. That's the point of a PWA: same as an app, without the hassle.

Q02Does it work offline?

GPS yes (handled by your phone). Maps yes (tiles cached). AI and hints need an intermittent 4G connection.

Q03How long does a game take?

1 h 30 to 2 h 30 depending on your pace. The timer runs but only for the leaderboard — you play at your own tempo.

Q04What happens if I'm stuck?

You get 3 levels of hints per puzzle (increasing penalty). If truly stuck, you can skip the step (45-min penalty but you keep going).

Q05What's the age range?

From 12 without an adult, from 6 with an adult reading puzzles. Works for families, couples, friend groups, companies.

Q06What if my city isn't in the catalogue?

Pre-register or contact us — we'll email you as soon as your city is live.

Q07What is augmented reality exactly?

Point your phone at the façade: a historical character appears full-screen and speaks to you in your language. At the puzzle climax, golden letters magically write themselves on the real wall — that's your answer. After each puzzle solved, a treasure chest floats in front of you. Seeing is believing.

Avis des aventuriers

Soyez le premier à partager votre expérience.

Did you play le protocole secret du hofdi? Check the email you received after your game to leave a verified review.

Your turn to play

Delve into the heart of the secret negotiations that reshaped the global geopolitical map in Reykjavik in October 1986.

12€
1 phone
23€
2 phones
33€
3 phones
42€
4 phones
50€
5 phones
56€
6 phones
62€
7 phones
68€
8 phones
74€
9 phones
80€
10 phones

1 purchase = 1 phone. Play several on the same device.

🕒No date to pick · Code valid 1 year · Play whenever you want
Get my code · 12€

No calendar booking. Code sent immediately by email.

🔒Secure payment · Code in 5 min · Free cancellation

🪙+24 TripCoins granted with your booking

Other escape games in Reykjavik City Center

See all games in Reykjavik City Center

More ideas for self-guided walking tours, scavenger hunts & city quests in the same city

Other escape games in Islande

View Islande

More destinations, tours & urban treasure hunts across the country

Explore other cities in Islande

🎟️Coupe-file

Réservez vos entrées maintenant

Coupe-file disponibles pour les sites payants de votre parcours. Gagnez du temps, vivez l'aventure pleinement.

💡 Réservation optionnelle — vous pouvez aussi acheter sur place. Tous les liens ouvrent dans une nouvelle fenêtre, votre visite OddballTrip reste préservée.