Traveling to Iceland After the Volcanic Eruption
An update on what travelers can expect when traveling to the country
As OAT travelers are undoubtedly aware, Iceland’s Eyjafjallajökull volcano began erupting on March 21, 2010. The volcanic ash impacted air travel around the world for several weeks—affecting many OAT adventures.
According to VisitIceland.com, one of Iceland’s tourism websites and the official travel guide to Iceland, besides the area directly surrounding the Eyjafjallajökull glacier, the eruption hasn’t had a lasting effect on Iceland’s animal and plant life. However, some travelers may still be apprehensive about the air quality in Iceland. Besides the area around the volcano, the country has been mostly unaffected by the eruption, and the area that has been affected only accounts for a small portion of a large island. The Environment Agency of Iceland has been monitoring the air quality, both in the area around the volcano and the area around the capital. According to the agency, the air quality is within its safety requirements—and the only area where someone might need to wear a mask is around the volcano. They say that the best rule to follow is, “If you see ash, wear a mask.” The Environment Agency of Iceland will continue to monitor the air quality, and should safety levels change, warnings will be issued to travelers.
For those travelers who aren’t aware, Iceland has been ranked as the cleanest country in the world by Forbes magazine, as well as one of the world leaders in green energy and sustainable development. And according to Landsvirkjun, Iceland’s national electricity company, the country prides itself as being the only western country to “produce all its electricity from emission-free and sustainable natural resources in the form of geothermal and hydro power.”
If that’s not encouragement enough, visiting Iceland in the summer and fall months is one of the best times to travel for nature-lovers. You’ll have the opportunity to view contrasting landscapes, from bright green valleys to bubbling mud baths to lush lava fields along the coast.
Explore Iceland’s ever-changing landscapes and abundant wildlife on our Untamed Iceland adventure.