Iceland

April 2017

Where to go:

Tours with Guides

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Fly in to Reykjavik

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Reykjavik | Iceland

(Airport is 40 miles away but can reserve a bus)

To stay: city center, Laugavegur, Reykjavík, Iceland

Reykjavik, Iceland’s capitol is one of the cleanest, safest, and happiest cities in the world. Even though it only has an urban area population of around 200,000, it is the home of the vast majority of Iceland’s inhabitants. It is the center of culture and life of the Icelandic people, as well as being one of the focal points of tourism in Iceland.

Vik.  (3 hour drive from Reykjavik)

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Vik is Iceland’s southernmost village and faces the open Atlantic Ocean, framed by a long black volcanic sand beach.  Less than 300 people live in Vik.

  • A black beach

DYRHOLAEY ARCH (7 miles from Vik)

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Things to see:

  • Blue lagoon

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The Blue Lagoon offers the most relaxing natural bathing found only 40 minutes away from Reykjavík. The water from the underground hot springs reaches 37–39 °C and is beneficial for health and skin.

 

  • Puffins

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There are two small islands near Reykjavík that host puffin colonies, and you can only access them by boat. If you head to Reykjavík harbour, you’ll find a number of companies that offer tours out to the islands for around 30-40 USD per person.

 

  • Thingvellir National Park (45 minutes)

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Thingvellir National Park is where the Eurasian tectonic plate and the North American tectonic plate meet.

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Go snorkeling in Silfra

Snorkel In The Mid-Atlantic Ridge ||  At Thingvellir Park you can see the island literally being ripped apart by earth’s crust pulling in opposite directions (explanation below), exposing the Mid-Atlantic Ridge.  This rare occurrence obviously causes a number of geographic phenomenon, and excites snorkelers with views to the center of the earth. You will get the chance to swim between two continents – North America and Eurasia. Make sure you wear proper dry suits since the temperature is usually between 0-5 °C!

snorkeling Silfra (See the whole experience here)
Snorking Tour Site – $160 for the day.

 

  • Thrihnukagigur Volcano Tour

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Tour Information

Get inside a volcano || Þríhjnúkagígur is the only volcano in the world that you can actually explore from the inside, so I’d say it’s a must see when you visit Iceland. During your trip you’ll be descending 120 m into this massive magma chamber. The colours inside will amaze you!

 

  • The Northern Lights

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Aurora Reykjavik Northern Lights Center is located downtown and actually a really impressive museum. Their motto is “where the Northern Lights are always on display!” The museum has interesting information about the mythology and science of the Northern Lights.

Best time of the year to see the Northern Lights is between August-April, with the most intense colors in October and April.