|
Iceland is home to some of the most incredible
geology, culture, natural phenomena, and weather on earth. Our trips feature
what we consider to be the best adventure settings in some of Iceland's most
magnificent wilderness areas. We chose not to travel all over Iceland as a week
spent in the northern portion of this country provides a comprehensive
immersion into some of Iceland's best backcountry and recreation opportunities.
We also run trips in this part of the country as it is among the least traveled
and touristy.
Iceland is a place of beautiful extremes. As such, we
provide this information as a primer on what can be expected on your Iceland
Adventure. Please call us with any questions you have!
Weather: The
weather of Iceland is...interesting. As the result of warm gulfstream waters
Iceland has warmer winters than New York. However, that same climatic
phenomenon leads to radical shifts in summer weather patterns, sometimes within
minutes. Often sunny and warm in the summer, Iceland is also prone to dramatic
rain storms, fog, and winds. Summer temperatures can range from the eighties to
the thirties during the day. Iceland is one of the most spectacular and
enjoyable places on earth to visit and one must come prepared for inclement
weather!
 Equipment: Each guest must bring his or her own
sleeping bag and a medium-sized backpack that is large enough to carry sleeping
gear, insulating clothes such as wool or fleece sweaters, rain pants and
jacket, extra socks, water bottle, some food, and other optional adventure
items such as binoculars, hats, etc. All specialty gear is provided by
Destination Wilderness. Although our itinerary includes overnighting in
cottages, having sleeping bags allows us to use trekking huts.
Experience Required: Our Iceland Adventure is an ideal vacation for
veteran adventurers and adventurous and relatively fit first-timers. The hikes
are not overly strenuous, but do require participants to be agile and in good
health, as the topography varies and some weight must be carried. All
adventures are led by experienced professional wilderness guides. The option
day allows groups, couples, etc. to select more appropriate activities for each
individual.
Meals and Beverages: We serve delicious, hearty meals of
Icelandic tradition and prepared with local ingredients. We also provide
coffee, tea, water, and juices with our meals. Please note: We serve very
limited amounts of wine and beer with dinner. Those wanting more than a glass
or two of beer or wine with dinner have the option of buying some in town.
Also, please let us know if you have any special dietary needs and we will plan
accordingly. All meals are provided by Destination Wilderness beginning with
lunch on the first day and ending with lunch on the last day of the
trip.
 Where To Stay There are a variety of hotels and
guesthouses in and around Reykjavik with a range of pricing. We recommend the
following hotels in Reykjavik for before and after your trip. For a current
list of guesthouses, please contact our office. The hotels are listed by price,
with the Hotel Borg being the more expensive. Note: It can be difficult finding
open stores and other businesses on Sundays in Iceland. If you arrive in
Iceland on a Sunday please prepare accordingly.
Hotel Borg 354-551-1440 /
Fax: 551-1420
Hotel Loftleider 354-505-0900/ Fax 505-0905 (by the domestic
airport, 4 kilometers from the city center)
Hotel Skjaldbreid 354-511-6060
/ Fax: 511-6070
Natural History You've probably heard the story of the
Vikings who discovered two different islands in the North Atlantic. They named
one Iceland and one Greenland. However, it was the warmer, more hospitable, and
resource-rich country they labeled Iceland. It seems that those explorers
didn't want other explorers to go to "Iceland" for fear of competition for its
treasures. Instead, they apparently preferred that their enemies head toward
"Greenland", an island largely covered in white. However "misguided" those
early explorers were, the names stuck. The green one is still called Iceland,
and it still holds treasures. Today, Iceland is very sparsely populated.
Over 80% of the island is undeveloped. One-fourth of the land is used
for grazing, much as it has been for generations. Ice caps, in the form of ice
fields and glaciers, cover 10% of the country. These areas of ice produce a
myriad of rivers and streams. Given these waterways and Iceland's positionin
the center of the North Atlantic Ocean, water is an important part of the
Icelandic economy. These waters also provide exceptional recreation
opportunities. River running is increasing in popularity, particularly among
foreigners who have heard of the dramatic canyons and fun whitewater. The
waterfalls of this country are equally spectacular. Countless, dramatic, and
earth shattering (the most powerful falls in Europe are in Iceland), these
waterfalls are found throughout the country.
Geysers also abound, as
the volcanic activity and geologic plate movement leave holes in the earth's
crust through which hot water jets upward at regular intervals. In fact, the
word "geyser" is a derivative of the name of the actual Icelandic geyser,
"Geysir". And, natural hot springs are found throughout the country, providing
yet another recreation opportunity to both visitors and residents of Iceland.
The geologic activity on Iceland is clearly visible. Bubbling mud pools, lava
flows, barren patches of moon-like surfaces, and the smell of sulphur are
common features of Iceland's landscape. The ongoing volcanic activity that
creates Iceland makes it geologically the youngest country in Europe. Estimates
put the age of Iceland at only 18 million years old. With both volcanic
activity and glacial influences affecting the landscape, one can see how
Iceland became known as the "Land of Fire and Ice".
 Culturally, Iceland is unique and rich. For example,
children are named using either their mother or father's surname, depending on
the sex of the child. New born males are given the surname that is related to
the father (such as Gustavsson) and females are given the surname related to
the mother (Gunnarsdottir). In addition, it is illegal for Icelanders to give
their children foreign sounding names, and immigrants to Iceland must adopt
Icelandic names before becoming citizens. Iceland is also the most literate of
all western countries. More books are written, printed, and read per capita
than any where else on earth. It also has the second highest average life
expectancy rates on earth. Written history of Iceland is found in their often
anonymously written sagas, which have served as important historic and
entertainment documents for generations of Icelanders.
Reykjavik, the
capital, hosts a variety of museums and theatres, and houses more than half of
the island's 250,000 people. The northernmost capital city on earth, Reyjavik
means "Smoky Bay" and was so named by the early explorers who saw geothermal
steam rise from the land. Other evidence of the explorers' culture is found
throughout Reykjavik and Iceland, as the people regularly celebrate their
heritage by wearing traditional Nordic clothes and participating in centuries
old dance and song. Iceland, despite all of its natural and cultural greatness,
still remains a relatively unknown adventure travel destination. We hope you
are able to come see for yourself a country steeped in tradition and filled
with countless adventure opportunities.
Suggested Iceland Reading
Daughter of Fire - A Portrait of Iceland. Katherine Scherman. Little, Brown
and Co.
Iceland Saga. Magnus Magnusson. The Bodley Head
Last Places - A
Journey in the North. Lawrence Millman. Houghton Mifflin
Guide to the
Geology of Iceland. Gudmundsson/Kjartansson. Orn og Orlygur Press Day One:
|
Iceland
Adventures: Rafting, Hiking, Horseback Riding, and
More! May - August
