Search:

• home
• news
• services
• clients
• testimonials
• links
• contact us

Escaping North to Iceland
January 22nd, 2010

With a name like Iceland, a country might start off with a disadvantage in the tourism industry. Luckily, enough travelers have been intrigued by its proximity to the arctic circle and awed by its natural beauty to make fears induced by the name virtually obsolete.

This is not to say that it’s a warm weather destination, it is not. However, in the summer (really the only time to go for casual tourism) it can reach into the 60s Fahrenheit. Iceland is an ideal destination for active and adventurous travelers, as well as those interested in nature and photography. Among the landscape of this country are geysers, waterfalls, volcanos, natural hot springs, lava fields and mountains.

By contrast, the capital of Reykjavik is a lively, cosmopolitan city with shopping, dining of all sorts, museums, galleries and nightlife that’s tough to beat. The city is small, so can easily be explored in a two days, allowing plenty of time to enjoy all that the outdoors have to offer here.

The Golden Circle, which is in the south near the capital, is home to some of the country’s most popular attractions. Gullfoss, a double tiered waterfall which falls 30 meters into a narrow canyon, is among the most visited sites. In this region visitors can also find the spouting hot spring of Geysir.

The opportunities for hiking in Iceland are plentiful. From Reykjevik, take a hike along the hot springs river, or for something a bit more intense, hike to the top of Mt. Hekla, Iceland’s second most active volcano. There are numerous tour operators who provide small group and private guided hikes throughout the country, and for those inexperienced in hiking in these conditions, a guide is recommended.

Iceland’s waters provide ample opportunity for sea kayaking, canoeing, rafting and diving. For those who prefer to stay further above the water, it is also one of the best places in the world for whale watching.

Of course, a trip to this northern country would would be virtually incomplete without seeing the Northern Lights, which are visible from September to March. For those who truly want to take advantage of Iceland’s location, take the ferry from the town of Dalvik (way in the north of the country) to Grimsey Island, where you can actually cross the arctic circle. A warning – the water may be quite choppy so if you tend towards any seasickness, take along some medication (over-the-counter or prescribed) to combat this.

Finally, I thought I’d share a few suggestions from a client of mine who went to Iceland this August who had some great feedback for visitors:

“Go north!  Visit the northern city of Akureyri and stay there if possible…From there one can get to Myvatn Lake, Detifoss and the northern national park called Jökulsárgljúfur. If you want to go to Grimsey Island and cross the Arctic Circle then a bus can take you to the ferry in Dalvik (there is no real reason to stay in Dalvik).

We raced through the eastern part of the island making our way back to Reykjavik and I think we all wished that we had more time.  One of my favorite roads to travel was route 939.  It is a road that cuts off part of the Ring Road (Route 1) in the east and allows for more direct travel.  We took it from the north down toward the coast (i.e. from the interior) and were treated to some spectacular scenery as well descended over 600 meters from the highlands to the fjord.  We saw many waterfalls and clouds bisect mountain ridges as we experienced the weather change throughout the decent.  It was amazing!  We then continued west on the Ring Road and eventually came to Jokulsarlon (again approximate spelling).  This is also a MUST SEE location.  This a a glacier created lake that is filled with icebergs making their way to the sea.  WOW!  The views are otherworldly (as are a number of views throughout the whole country).”

Fast Facts:

Entry Requirements: US visitors do not need a visa to enter Iceland.

When to visit: Temperatures are warmest in July and August. Reykjevick, though, is a rainy city (average 213 days of rain per year) and May and June tend to have a few more sunny days than other months.

Getting there: Icelandair operates nonstop from New York, Boston, Orlando, Toronto, Seattle and Halifax. Icelandair and other carriers operate with connections throughout the world.