Untamed Iceland (2012)

As a long time traveler with O.A.T. we always have high expectations when we
book a trip and we have never been
disappointed, but Iceland was so much more than we anticipated. The amazing
variety of activities was outstanding. Our guide gave us so much information about
his country and did so much to make this
trip one of our most memorable.

Traveler: Joyce Schulteis from Allenton, WI traveled on September 10, 2011

This was a wonderful, magical tour. OAT did a great job organizing an itinerary that allowed us tourists to see the highlights of the entire country and gain the full flavor of the country, its people and its culture. Iceland is not as foreboding as the name implies. We travelled starting at mid-September and the temperatureweather was no different than a mild Chicago winter. Since I'm from L.A., however, I did bring a waterproof and windproof snowjacket which served me well. Underneath, I had a sweatshirt hoodie. At times, it was warm enough that I could just wear the hoodie and jeans. The hood part is important just in case you run into some sudden rain or wind. I invested in a pair of snow pants and this kept me warm and dry during some of our outdoor excursions including a whale-watching trip and a boat tour. Don't worry about having to buy snow pants if you don't want the added expense. The whale-watching excursion and arctic river rafting provided warm gear for all the passengers. Since it can be sunny or rainy or windy all on the same day, dressing in layers is necessary. Iceland is a clean country, full of fresh air, and refreshingly tasty water straight from the tap (yes! it's clean). The Blue Lagoon is worth the entire price of the whole tour, especially if you suffer from severe skin conditions like psoraiasis or eczema. Everyone comes out of the Blue Lagoon looking younger and refreshed! The Icelandic hot dog lives up to its name as being the best hot dog in the world and I've tasted hot dogs from Pink's, Chicago, and the famous "Dodger" dogs! Be forewarned: nothing is cheap in Iceland. Even if U.S. dollars are worth more than the Icelandic kronur, the high price of everything there counteracts whatever extra kronurs you get for the dollar. For example, an Icelandic hotdog with a drink comes out to about $8 BEFORE you ask for extras like fries. Simple fare at a restaurant averages about $20-$30, but a good meal in a good restaurant easily hits $40-$65 BEFORE you add drinks. Since most meals are provided, I wouldn't worry about food, but I would bring some snacks. Or, just buy hot dogs when a meal is not provided. This is what the locals do! T-shirts run about $29, but if you find the Outlet store in Reykjavik, they can go as low as $15 on a 50% off sale. As a tourist destination, if you love nature hikes, admiring the beauty of a glacier or birdwatching, this is the place to go. The pollution-free air and clean living will astound you. If you're allergic to seafood like me, it is true that the mainstay of the Icelandic diet is seafood and shellfish. But, our wonderful OAT tourguide, Oddur Eiriksson, provided us non-seafood eaters with plenty of alternative menus even when the point of the particular excursion was eating fresh seafood freshly dredged from their absolutely clean ocean! Be wary of what you buy from some of the souvenir stores and try to buy only from the stores your tour guide takes you. When I was on my own, I wandered into a souvenir shop and excitedly bought what I thought was the rare lined Icelandic woollen sweater because I am allergic to wool. When I looked at the item in my hotel room, I found a tag that said "Made in China"! A well-known souvenir shop in Akureyri had the same sweater, but I noticed that the store conveniently clipped the "Made in China" tag off. If you can stand wool (and Icelandic wool is famous for being waterproof as well as warm), try to buy from the places sponsored by the Handknitting Association or where your tour guide tells you is run by a group of local women who band together to sell their knitting-wear in a cooperative. The items might be more pricey than the machine-knitted stuff from China, but they are hand-made using Icelandic wool and reflect closer the traditional Icelandic patterns. Plus, you are helping the local women directly as opposed to lining the pocket of some big corporation. Finally, if you like chocolate, especially milk chocolate, then you will love Icelandic chocolate. I bought some bars to give as gifts to my family, friends and co-workers. At less than a $1.00 each (79 kronur when on sale, look for a sign that says"tilbad", it means "sale"), the Hershey-bar sized Icelandic chocolates were amazingly smooth and tasty. My favorite is the orange chocolate bars but their milk chocolate is great. If you like licorice, Icelanders love chocolate-covered licorice.

Traveler: Starla 888 from Los Angeles, CA traveled on September 16, 2011

This was without a doubt the cleanest country we have ever visited -- and we have been to 48 so far. The people were wonderful and the scenery out of this world. One of our very best trips. OAT is a great organization -- our bus had an engine problem that was solved so quickly that we did not miss anything--a different bus picked us up within 45 minutes. Our trip leader, Oddur, took care of everything very quickly -- much quicker than would have happened in California. We now have several people that want to take this trip because of our description of the trip. Thank you OAT.

Traveler: Cheryl Dumaine from Riverside, CA traveled on September 16, 2011

I would not have selected Iceland as one of the top 10 places to visit in my travel list. However, I'm very glad that I did have the opportunity to visit Iceland as it was a wonderful experience. The OAT tour is well organized and full of interesting stops and activities to get a full appreciation of Iceland. The country is unusual in my travel experience. It is one of the most pristine places I have visited - clean water, clean air and very little noise pollution. The scenery is beautiful including many spectacular waterfalls, hot mineral pools and steam vents due to the volcanic nature of the island. The seafood is the best I have ever tasted due to its freshness. The people are friendly and speak fluent English which is very helpful.I will carry forward many wonderful memories and visuals of the wonderful country of Iceland.

Traveler: Catherine Smith from Carlsbad, CA traveled on September 14, 2011

Went up there because I thought it would be different, and different it was. This trip is not to be overlooked for the natural beauty of the country. One place with out Roman ruins! The country is one cleanest I have been in now have been though 70 countries.
This trip is a real hidden gem.
If you go. get Under Armour. the weather can change quite fast and this one garment kept me from packing more layers. Wifi is great all over. Food can be expensive by our standards but if you walk a bit you can find very reasonable restaurants. Our guide was Ágústa Stefánsdót?tir and did a great job of making sure everything was just perfect and found many on the spot learning experiences that were quite fun. It's a laid back trip hotels are very Nordic in style. People are nice. I left my Kindle on the airplane, and it was returned to the hotel! Other than Under Armour, a hat scarf are good accessories along with some zip lock baggies for your camera in case of rain, along with what ever rain gear you might use. We had nice weather during our trip and the weather can change very quickly. If you want to see the pictures of the special beauty of Iceland go to:

http:www.andrew-rabatin.netINTERNATIONAL-TRAVEL-PHOTOSICELAND

have fun andy



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Traveler: Andrew Rabatin from Palm Harbor, FL traveled on August 02, 2011

My husband and I thoroughly enjoyed our time in Ireland with OAT! The country is spectacular and being on a tour enabled us to see and experience more of it than we would have had we traveled on our own. We were happy that it included as much physical exercise as it did: climbing the Holy Mountain, walking on numerous lava rock beaches, visiting so many beautiful waterfalls. etc. The hotels were all lovely and the food delicious (what we had to buy on our own was very expensive so we really appreciated the included meals)! Loved the visit to the horse farm, the greenhouse tour, family hosted visit and the Skogar Folk Museum which was INCREDIBLE! River rafting was exciting and the Blue Lagoon a real treat.

Alan and Harriet: one complaint which I am separating from my review: at some point before leaving I changed from doing my own airfare from JFK to Reykjavik (Delta no longer flew this route in September) and paid the extra $. I was told (and wrote down in my notes) that since the arrival would be late, we would be put up at "a motel near JFK" - we were to fly out at 7 a.m. the next day. Well, upon arrival in N.Y. there was no record of my reservation. However, the rep from Grand Circle had us go to the Hilton with the rest of the group and she got us a room to the tune of $123.00. She told me to send the invoice to OAT for reimbursement. Which I did. To my great dismay I got a call telling me that because we had not done the domestic part of our flight with OAT, they would not cover our night in the hotel. Since I had been told it would be covered, I was VERY upset (and still am - this is definitely coloring my heretofore "OAT is THE BEST!" feeling about your organization). I don't know if YOU can do anything about this (or split the cost in the spirit of good customer service). I might add that our group never got to go whale watching (weather) so you saved all that cost while we missed out!!!!!

Hoping to hear from you. Sincerely,

Virginia Heyler (Missoula, MT)

Traveler: Virginia Heyler from Missoula, MT traveled on September 07, 2011

this trip was amazing. but do remember to bring a warm, waterproof jacket, rain pants and some type of shoe covers as we got extreamly wet several times. for sure bring your bathing suit, the blue lagoon was wonderful!!!!!!!! also you will never drink such wonderful tap water in your lifetime!

Traveler: Valerie Allen from Santa Cruz, CA traveled on August 15, 2011

Wonderful trip - Weather was great.
Food and accomocations were very good.

Loved the Blue lagoon, whale watching, and fishing.

100,000 horses enhanced the beautiful scenery. Great waterfalls.

Everyone spoke English,

Geothermal efforts are impressive.

Wonderful Guide

Traveler: June White from Hillsborough, CA traveled on August 08, 2011

An excellent opportunity to witness geographic wonders that are still new and developing. It is much similar to how North America must have been 20 million years ago. From virtually any view, you are able to see flat farm land growing wheat or barley and lava fields running up to active or semi-active volcanoes or rifts in the land surface from earthquakes or stream vents spewing hundreds of feet in the air and rivers of salmon like a fisherman's paradise. Do not go for the food (very ordinary) or the people (not particularly friendly). Very very expensive.

Traveler: Budd Lehman from Culver City, CA traveled on August 09, 2011

Iceland is beautiful. The itinerary is excellent. We saw a lot and really sampled Iceland. Our guide was one of the best we have had. If you are planning a trip there, you should be aware that Iceland is very expensive. Therefore, the trip price is as good a deal as you can get on any trip anywhere. We are glad we went and glad we went with OAT.
Walt Newsom

Traveler: Walter Newsom from Starkville, MS traveled on August 09, 2011

It is one the place in the world still unspoiled as well as very safe.If you are nature lover then this is the one. Food aswell as accomdation are very nice.More then that most of places Wi Fi was not locked at all. So easy to talk to loved one backhome. Please do put it in your list to go. Guide is very helpful plus all the travellers were so nice.Wonderful trip.

Traveler: Vibhuti Shah from Elmira, NY traveled on August 09, 2011

This trip has been well reviewed by other travelers. Here are a few more comments:

Main trip...

*We thoroughly enjoyed our trip leader, Helgi. He has written various articles and books on Iceland and knows his country well. He is well versed in Icelandic literature and is also an expert on birds.

*The hotel rooms are kept very warm so there is no need for flannel pajamas! Even on a cold day you will notice that many people have cracked their windows open.

*You will get used to the "midnight sun" and will be surprised when you return home and it actually gets dark at night!

*Do not be afraid of the river rafting trip. We had two travelers that almost opted out because of fear. Both were glad that they participated and felt that the rapids were fun and not dangerous. If you'd like a few more thrills, you can jump off of a cliff into a deep part of the river.

*Be advised that food and alcohol are expensive in Iceland. We really got a chuckle over spending $20 for a hamburger on our "dinner on your own" meals. Fortunately, most all of the meals are included.

*You'll never drink better water than you will in Iceland. You can drink it right out of the tap. Another big bonus is that you can actually flush TP down the toilet!

*Read books by Haldor Laxness, especially "Independent People". It's a slow read but definitely worthwhile. The mystery series by Arnaldur Indridason take place in Iceland and are fun to read!

I highly recommend both of the extensions..."Iceland's Westman Islands" and "Greenland: Gateway to the Arctic". The pre-trip and post-trip are perfect bookends to this wonderful main trip. Do not miss them!

Westman Islands...

*Remember back in 1973 when Eldfell erupted in Iceland and we saw startling images of homes being covered by ash and lava in the darkness of winter? This is where you are going! Most of our group vaguely remembered this geologic event and were surprised and excited to find out that this happened on Heimaey of the Westman Islands.

*There is a little "Art Gallery" on the waterfront that sells beautiful handmade Icelandic sweaters. If you buy one you can wear it on the rest of the trip!

*If you like to hike you can do so during your free time. The summits of both Eldfell and Helgafell each take about 1.5 hours from the front door of your hotel. The view from the top is breathtaking. The summit of Heimaklettur takes 3-4 hours and is only for the very fit and those that have no fear of heights...I turned back!

*Read "Ashes to Dust" by Yrsa Sigurdadottir. This mystery takes place on this tiny island.

Greenland...

*The approach into the airport in Kulusuk is like no other. Turn your camera flash off and be ready to take pictures out of the plane's window.

*In both the villages of Kulusuk and Tasiilaq there are many places to walk. In Kulusuk walk the shoreline in front of the hotel. In Tasiilaq walk in back of the hotel where you will find a big lake. The hills are steep in Tasiilaq so bring non-slip shoes. These are quiet villages but there is a lot to see and enjoy while exploring.

*The weather in Iceland and Greenland is almost always unsettled. The Westman Islands and Greenland are more remote so delays due to weather are common. We spent two more days in Greenland than scheduled because of a storm. It was fun being "stranded", but make sure that you take extra "rain walks" and bring along extra books to read!

This is an excellent trip. Enjoy the adventure!

Traveler: Allison Lockwood from Pismo Beach, CA traveled on July 07, 2011

This trip was exceptional and extraordinary -- I agreewith detailscomments provided by other reviewers. Iceland is an amazingly beautiful country you will never forget. Our guide, Oli, was wonderful.

Traveler: Laurel Lairson from Costa Mesa, CA traveled on May 30, 2011

We just returned from Iceland and again, OAT has done a wonderful job arranging an action packed adventure. This trip is not as active as some but there are plenty of opportunities for exercise. Iceland is a huge lesson in geology with volcanoes, geysers, lava, etc. Scenery is spectacular. Other reviewers have covered it well but we have a few pointers. The Icelandic Sagas are very important to them. Rather than read them all before you go, look into "Iceland, Land of Sagas" by Krakauer and Roberts. It gives an overview and the photos are wonderful. We found Rough Guides map of Iceland to be more comprehensive than one we obtained there. It is available from Penguin, as is a book of all the sagas. We watched the weather forecasts for weeks before we left so had a good idea it was going to be between 34 and 52 while we were there so we packed accordingly. Good wind breaker, fleece underneath, hat, gloves, scarf, etc. Take something polyester to wear under the wet suit for the river raft trip. We used UnderArmour mock turtlenecks over bathing suits and wool socks and that really kept us warm. Our guide, Oddur, was delightful and gave us non-stop commentary about their history, the sagas, geology, etc. Don't be afraid to try the fermented shark meat. Smells terrible but tastes like strong cheese. Take Less Drowsy Dramamine (Bonine) the night before whale watching if you tend to get seasick. That way you have the 24 hour coverage but not the drowsiness. The boat stays in the bay but the bay is wide and can get a bit rough. If leaving from the west coast, OAT routes you through NY. We did our own air and flew directly from Seattle on Iceland Air and went one day early to get rested up for the tour. Use the Flybus from airport to town and make reservations ahead of time. There are B&B's close in town which are more convenient than the Hilton, which is a 30-40 minute walk into town. We stayed at Eric the Red guest house and really enjoyed it. Friendly folks, great breakfast, and close to town. We joined the tour the next day as everyone arrived. We had a fun group, well matched for activities. Another great OAT adventure!

Traveler: Alan and Sue Reiter from Enumclaw, WA traveled on June 03, 2011

The Iceland trip was a great trip, albeit different from the many other OAT trips we have enjoyed--a different type of adventure. If you enjoy magnificent scenery, you will love this trip. The number of geological formations and geothermal areas is astounding. While we did not get a good look at a glacier or Eyjafjallajökull , we did see many calderas and cones and learned a great deal about different types of lava and rock formations.Iceland is full of beautiful waterfalls as well.
Our guide used the sagas of Iceland as a platform for introducing us to historical figures as we moved about the countryside. OAT made a good decision to have us fly back to Reykjavik once we had traveled to the northern most point of our trip.
When we were in Iceland and Greenland, there was a "heat" wave as such--daytime temperatures in the 60's and evening temperatures in the low 50's most of the time. Hotels were so well insulated, we almost always had the windows open. Hats and gloves were used most often on the boating excursions. On the whale watching tour, we were provided with insulated waterproof suits, splash jackets and, of course, life jackets. We were definitely warm enough. While clothing was not provided on the Greenland boating excursion, it wasn't truly needed. Most of us found heavy pants, a couple of top layers and a jacket, as well as hat and gloves sufficed.
The review from the person who provided specific needs did an outstanding job and we would concur. Regarding towels, I would rent for the rafting trip--only 200 Krona (you don't have to worry about a wet towel in addition to your wet bathing suit as you continue on your way to Reykjavik) and use a hotel towel for the Blue Lagoon as you return to the hotel after that excursion. That is what worked for us. The bug nets are nice and they can be easily purchased at a major discount store in the camping section for about $2 prior to your trip. We have found them useful on a number of trips.
Provided lunches were often soup and bread. The breads in Iceland were delicious--a good way to gain weight. We began to tire of soup. Our guide often made arrangements for us to have lunch as a group when meals were not included.
There is only one optional excursion on this trip and we thoroughly enjoyed it, seeing many Puffins and a white-tailed eagle. The seafood that iwas brought up from the fjord bottom was a great addition to the trip and we were fortunate that only our OAT group was aboard the boat. If the weather had been bad, we may not have had the same experience.
The size and weight of luggage can be a issue; however few of us (if any) kept to the 22" recommendation but all seemed to work to keep our weight down. We found that almost impossible when we were trying to make sure we had sufficient layered clothing. Our walking sticks were only used once or twice and could have been left home.
This is not a shopping tour, even for the most avid shopper so don't be disappointed.
Bottom line--we had a wonderful time and glad that we had the opportunity to experience a great deal of Iceland a a small piece of Greenland.

Traveler: Cyn from Atlanta, GA traveled on July 26, 2010

Just back from a terrific trip to Iceland and Greenland; July travel was ideal. We had wonderful weather and great times. One evening at dinner a group of us discussed what we wish we had known beforehand. Here are our comments:
• Hair dryers were available in our hotels in Iceland but not in Greenland.
• Same with shampoo
• If you have a head bug-net, you might bring it; perhaps not worth buying one
• Earphones can be purchased on the Icelandic flights; bringing your own is fine should you wish to have one.
• Save $ and bring an old towel, or better yet, a travel towel for rafting and the Blue Lagoon. Can be rented, but expensive
• Wear glasses? Bring something to hold them onto your head for rafting. A piece of string worked fine but hard to find there.
• Trip more sedentary that seems from the description. Exception: first rapid a bit less sedentary…some thought it class 3. But only one…
• For the sunny July we experienced, most had too much warm clothing. Especially true for night wear; rooms were warm.
• Brought too many snacks. Excellent food and lots of snack opportunities.
• Easy to be a vegetarian on this trip
• For us, hand washed clothing dried easily. If you bring extra anything, make it socks.
• Eye shades are useful for those needing dark to sleep.
• Much of the trip is by road, and it was interesting to follow our travels on a good road map.
• Luggage is limited. Good heavy-soled shoesboots are needed. In addition, sandals or Tivas that can be worn with socks are all the shoes that might be all the footwear needed.
• Some folks would have liked to have water shoes; some not.
• Gloves warm hat are on the packing list – pack them!
• Small clip of some kind…clothespin, binder clip to keep the drapes closed and the room a bit darker
• Don’t bring extra clothes to “dress up”. You will eat in some very nice restaurants, but dress isn’t important in them.
• Pay attention to luggage size limits. Space for luggage on the bus is very limited.
• Ambivalent about Greenland? Don’t miss it. Go for it!
• Not surprisingly, very expensive. Even serious shoppers were cautious. Food, too, expensive, but always a grocery store nearby for those not wanting to spend a lot for optional meals. Use Icelandic currency; dollars accepted but inconvenient. Easy to access currency at ATMs. One bus driver for entire trip; no local guides in Iceland, so easy to organize tips.

This trip was a wonderful experience. Beautiful, beautiful countryside. Very pleasant, friendly, efficient, low-key people. Excellent home-hosted experiences. Outstanding guide…thanks again, Oddur! Another not-to-be-missed experience!

Traveler: Leslie Boss from Silver Spring, MD traveled on July 09, 2010

Really enjoyed this trip to a spectacular country. Had a chance to try things I'd never done before: river rafting, whale watching, climbing a holy mountain, standing on a glacier covered with volcanic ash, hiking through lava fields, standing in the quiet beauty of black sand beaches.

Our guide, Sigurdur, was wonderful - knowledgeable and patient. Really appreciated his geology background and his ability to explain in terms we could understand and remember.

The volcanic eruption didn't affect us in any real way, so don't worry about that.

If you go in June, take a few short sleeved shirts because the weather was warmer than expected, and the hotel rooms are designed to retain heat.

Take hiking boots for the lava field, swimsuit for the river rafting (they provide all other equipment - and are very safety conscious), binoculars, and a friendly face because the Icelanders are wonderfully friendly and welcoming.

And it is the cleanest country I've ever been to.

Traveler: Nancy from Verona, NJ traveled on June 07, 2010

I would definitely recommend O.A.T.'s Iceland tour for anyone who loves the outdoors and seeing the scenery, and who has a sense of adventure. Here the landscape is just stunning--green valleys, black lava fields, steaming geysirs, boiling brown mud pools, snow-capped mountains (yes, in August!) and sheep everywhere. Our guide, Hakon, was outstanding--a veritable walking encyclopedia of facts about plants, animals, geology, and history, along with stories, jokes, and saga lore. He even recited and gave us samples of Icelandic poetry!

One of the highlights for me was the horse farm. Watching the Icelandic horses do their special gaits of tolt and flying pace was breathtaking. I opted out of the whalewatching tour (which was just as well, as no whales were seen) in order to visit Nonnahus in Akureyri, the boyhood home of Rev. Jon Sveinsson, the author of the Nonni series of children's books. All of us opted for river-rafting, in the rain (I heartily recommend the jump off a cliff into the river during the trip, if only to remind yourself you're still alive) and most of us went glacier walking too, in the rain! Other highlights were the Skogar Folk Museum, the National Museum in Reykjavik, Thingvellir National Park, and the unique coastal walk near Budir. I tried puffin (tastes like liver), shark (um...it's a good thing it was a small bite) and brennivin--not for the faint of heart. The Blue Lagoon is a must. Though the trip itself was a good mix of cultural, historical, and natural sights, I stayed on an extra week just to go horseback riding and see Skaftefell National Park in the south, which were not included, Take long underwear, wool socks, and a waterproof raincoat. For as our guide said, if you wait for the sun to come out, you won't have time to do anything. And when the sun does come out, it's glorious!

Traveler: Jane from Boulder, CO traveled on August 17, 2009

Things we loved: learning about the country's history and formation (volcanic activity, tectonic plates); feeling the effects of geothermal mineral waters at the Blue Lagoon; the food at the Hilton Nordica at Reykjavik (at first disappointed at the itinerary's designation of a Hilton hotel thinking it would not be Icelandic, but the furnishings and staff are wonderfully Icelandic, and the food is gourmet!); sheep and horses grazing; the horse farm visit; the vistas of this beautiful country; rainbows; the glacier walk; our excellent driver, Beggi-pleasant company, informed Icelander; our very congenial tour group; the Skogar folk museum and the National Museum - a real treasure! - and, the water from the tap is so tasty we wanted to drink more water! That's a first.
Could have done without: Hakarl and Brennevin - but they made great photos and good stories; freezing rain, huge gusty winds, ice underfoot--bring winter wear including insulated, waterproof hiking shoes for fall departures! Also, could have done without the visit to the "eco village" and wish we hadn't been looking forward to seeing exotic birds (they're gone by August, we were told), or whale watching (whales are gone, and weather's too severe), or river rafting (cancelled because of weather)--fall departures need to consider replacing those features, perhaps with more visits to the prevalent and used-by-Icelanders geothermal pools.
This is a wonderful new trip that OAT has put together, and with tweaking for the seasons will be even better. Iceland is a fascinating country and we'd return in a minute to experience it all again.

Traveler: Glenn and JoAnne from Sheridan, IN traveled on October 05, 2009

The first thing you notice is the clean air, we all took deep breathes, it was wonderful. This time of the year is cold, but invigorating, the only snow was the glaciers and then it snowed. Winter wonderland!!!! You do have to dress right at this time of the year! When they say no cotton, believe me you need polartec and woolen clothes. The trip couldn't be made any better, everything planned and extras we were able to do could not be improved on. Our guide Trig and driver Chisof were very accommodating and knowledgeable. Hotels and meals also were excellent.

Traveler: Linda from North Tonawanda, NY traveled on September 21, 2009

This was a great trip, and what a beautiful country this is. I had never thought that this trip would be so interesting. We saw alot of rainbows and waterfalls. The people mostly speak English and are very nice. The hotels were mostly near everything you needed as were well appointed (except some of those bathrooms were tiny!) and warm, with duvets on the beds. We went to some of the municipal swimming pools, to swim the Icelandic way. All their pools are thermally heated, so even doing laps in the big pools was nice and warm, don't miss this experience! We also went to Myvtin Hot Springs to bathe in the pools there, it was great.
Our trip leader (Giorgio) was very helpful and knowledgeable about the areas we traveled through. We were able to do a few more things and see a few more things because he was so organized.
I know people keep asking me, Why Iceland? But it's got so much more to see and experience than you've ever thought!

Traveler: Diane from Carmichael, CA traveled on September 11, 2009

Iceland is a fascinating place. With its unique geology, a long and interesting human history, and unspoiled natural beauty, it's a place that was absolutely worth visiting. It's off the beaten track but very comfortable for travelers - good hotels and great food. This tour introduced us to a wonderful variety of Iceland's people, places, and culture. And our leader had all the traits of a great guide - extremely knowledgeable in everything relating to Iceland, with a personality that made him feel like a good friend.

Traveler: Richard from Ellicott City, MD traveled on August 14, 2009

We just returned from this trip and thoroughly enjoyed it. The scenery is just beautiful and the itinerary is very good. There are a few things that might be helpful to future travelers on this trip. First, on the river rafting trip, everything is provided. You just need to bring your swimsuit to wear under the wetsuit and jackets and watershoes that they provide. No porterage was available at any of the hotels so pack accordingly (wheels will help.) Keep your packing as light as possible, but suitcases larger than 22" were the rule on our trip. Be prepared for misty rain and wind, but it did not stop anything and was intermittant. Be prepared for a wonderful adventure in a beautiful country.

Traveler: Jim from Auburn, AL traveled on August 24, 2009