Things to Do in Iceland
Considering a vacation to Iceland? Here is a short list of fun things to do to make your vacation special and memorable.
Having lived in and worked in Iceland for a couple years, I have had the privilege of many memorable trips, events and excursions which may help you to cut through the clutter and plan your Iceland vacation.
Iceland is certainly and exciting and unique vacation destination and is worth visiting. This is especially true if you love the outdoors and crave wilderness and wide open spaces. Iceland is also a fun destination for its nightlife. But that won’t be the focus of this article as that was never something I got into.
First, I would recommend going during the summer months which are between late May and August, give or take a few weeks. Don’t expect warm temperatures though, the average temperature during the summer months is somewhere in the high 50s. Every once and awhile the temperature can get into the 70s but those days are few and far between. That said global warming has been good to this island nation below the Arctic Circle. People I still maintain contact with tell me that they often go weeks without rain and that it is warmer than it used to be.
Second, you should be prepared for an expensive vacation. Iceland is very pricy. Food, gas, lodging, car rentals, alcohol and just about everything in between is anywhere from double to even triple the price of goods and services in America. There are ways of saving money and I recommend taking advantage of every discount, including staying in guesthouses, shopping for and cooking your own food where possible, using pubic transportation or tour buses, and buying your alcohol in the duty free shops when you arrive. Ok, with that information out of the way, here are some fun things to consider:
Iceland has numerous glaciers and there are all kinds of tours offered that allow you to explore and experience these. You can book glacier hiking tours, jeep tours that will drive right onto the glacier, ice climbing for the more adventurous and snowmobiling tours.
Pony Trekking in Iceland is very popular. Icelandic horses are a unique breed in fact they are the only horse species with five different gates. These horses are short and stocky and quite easy to ride. There are many tour companies that offer everything from day tours to longer tours into the countryside. Many of these companies will even come and pick you up from your hotel or guesthouse.
Another fun adventure-type tour is jeep tours. There are several tour companies that offer these. They are mostly day tours. These jeeps are locally called "super jeeps" and they are specially outfitted to handle just about anything from crossing rivers to driving on glaciers. This is a fun way of getting a guided tour well beyond the reach of the bus tours. Most of these companies offer themed tours that cater to different tastes and interests, some even provide lunch.
I am not a huge fan of bus tours because they are not very personal but, I can see the appeal of being able to see some of the countries highlights in a few hours. Bus tours are probably the cheapest option and they will usually even come pick you up at you hotel or guesthouse. Many people choose the golden circle tour which will take you to Thingvellir national park, Geysir, and Gullfoss and very large and famous waterfall.
In my opinion, one of the funnest things to do in Iceland is to go on a hiking tour. The nature and scenery of Iceland is truly world class and what better way to experience this than on foot, up close and personal. There are several well-established hiking tour companies that offer all kinds of tours from day hikes to overnight backpacking trips and even longer expedition style tours. I realize that not everyone is interested in this but once you get out in nature, you’ll be glad you’re there.
The fishing in Iceland is excellent, especially the salmon fishing. The season for salmon fishing roughly coincides with the summer season. There are numerous rivers and streams all over the country some of which are right in the capital city of Reykjavik. However salmon fishing is very pricey. So this kind of activity may not be for everyone. Many celebrities and wealthy individuals come back to Iceland every year just to fish for salmon.
Rounding up the list of things to do is whale watching, and white water river rafting. I have never done these personally but know that they are popular activities. Whale watching is a day tour. There are one or two main tour operators in Reykjavik that will pick you up and take you down to the harbor where you will board a boat and spend a few hours. White water river rafting in Iceland is not for the faint of heart. The rivers are extremely cold which requires the use of dry suits.
If you are looking for things to do in Iceland, there are lots of good Iceland tours to choose from. I personally would recommend the glacier tours, they're really unique. - David Brooks
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