Articles in Organized tours:

5.10.2012

If You’re Gonna Get Wet…

It was almost noon on a windy weekday at the end of August. A steady stream of Gortex-clad travellers filed into the Arctic Adventures office in Reykjavík, passing by the couch where I sat mindlessly turning the pages of a tourist brochure.
21.9.2012

Volcanic Heart Of Darkness

People often set aside the interior of Iceland as “other” from the rest of the country: it's a barren, uninhabitable desert, accessible only by certain vehicles at certain times of the year.
11.7.2012

Calmly Tölting Mordor

The fog was exceptionally low. The rain hung heavily in the sky, the greyish tones blanketing Reykjavík. As we drove out of the city, the southeast was even foggier and rainier than the capital.
6.7.2012

Belly Of The Beast

Einar Stefánsson is the kind of man who whistles while descending into the mouth of a volcano.
I’m standing in an open elevator system with him and two other strangers, dangling—it would seem—above the 120-metre deep magma chamber of a dormant volcano.
25.6.2012

Where Elves And Puffins Play Hide And Seek

Upon arriving in Egilsstaðir, I am greeted by Magnfríður Ólöf Pétursdóttir, better known as Magga, who promises to take me on a tour to discover elves, puffins and perhaps even some reindeer that are hiding in the area.
15.6.2012

The Platinum Circle Tour

When begged by their friends to describe some of the things that set the Icelandic landscape apart from that of other countries, foreigners must immediately think of the golden waters crashing from Gullfoss.
11.6.2012

We Went Into The Ground

 Just as Reykjavík began to fade out of view, we turned off the highway into an area known as the Leitarhraun lava field.




11.5.2012

Tales Of Whales And Birds

“Welcome to Húsavík, there is lots to see here,” our pilot announced after touching down on Húsavík airport’s single landing strip.


27.4.2012

A Wet And Windy Adventure Along The South Shore

When we arrive to the BSÍ terminal early in the morning, the air is crisp and clear and it looks like we picked a great day to tour the south shore of Iceland.

13.4.2012

Floating On A Sea Of Snow

Our driver and guide for the day Stefán Gunnarsson surrendered to the glacier at an altitude of 800 metres, just a few hundred metres from the top.



12.3.2012

CAVE IN, CAVE OUT...

The Golden Circle tour is a quintessential activity for most visitors to Iceland. You get to see a waterfall, geysers and Þingvellir national park, boasting another waterfall, the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and historical significance as the meeting place of Alþingi, the oldest parliament in Europe.


7.2.2012

Light A Pyre In The Sky

You know those pictures you see of the Northern Lights? 



3.2.2012

Get In The Van

It’s 7:15 on a cold December morning, a horrific time to be out of the house whichever way you swing it. But there is good reason.

23.1.2012

Pioneering Iceland's Wild West

When Torfi G. Yngvason started working at a river rafting company in 2001, Iceland was host to 300.000 tourists annually—compared to 540.000 today—and hardly any of them were going rafting.
21.12.2011

Beyond The Middle Of Nowhere

Given the variety of sights contained in a single place, it’s no wonder that Snæfellsnes is sometimes called a miniature of Iceland
2.12.2011

Iceland By Monster Wheels

At the Reykjavík bus station BSÍ bright and early, I shook hands with our tour guide for the day, a large Nordic-looking man (read: Viking), who introduced himself as Gústi. Gústi quickly ushered me into a monstrous vehicle waiting just outside. In typical Icelandic fashion, this vehicle seemed to have unnecessarily large wheels, but as I later found out, these wheels were in fact very necessary indeed.
18.11.2011

Chasmic Escapades

Judging by my lack of dexterity in all things strenuously physical, the opportunity to explore Iceland’s caves was an enormous challenge.
4.11.2011

Going To The Country, Gonna Drink A Lot Of Vodka

For us, the lead up to the Iceland Airwaves festival is a couple of whirlwind weeks of trying to talk to as many performers as we can, especially the international acts setting foot on this rocky clump of land for the first time.
13.10.2011

A Trip To The Icelandic Old West

“ The wind caressing your face while your horse gallops smoothly in the middle of the nature, it is priceless.
7.10.2011

Surfin' Iceland

It was a sunny afternoon in September, and everything about it felt more like southern California than Iceland. Eight of us piled into a van strapped with surfboards, and we set off to Þorlakshöfn to find some waves.
29.9.2011

Four Autumn Excursions

Ever feel the urge to spelunk Iceland’s caves? You can experience the thrilling descent into Iceland’s subterranean wonderland all year round with Iceland Excursions.
9.9.2011

Picking Wild Berries In Iceland

Like many Icelanders, Guðrún Helga Sigurðardóttir was brought up picking berries. The activity of going out to the country to pick berries, called berjamór in Icelandic, is still practiced today though Guðrún said it’s less common than it used to be when she was young.
22.8.2011

In Nowhere Land

Our day tour to Þórsmörk started bright and early in Reykjavík. The pickup time was 8 AM, but we arrived at the BSI bus terminal several minutes early, not quite sure where we would find our bus. Finally, it appeared with the sign we were waiting for: Þórsmörk, Natural Reserve.
15.8.2011

Discovering The Saga Valley

Crossing a river, touching Hekla’s ashes, finding a huge crater lake, and contemplating waterfalls—these are just a few of the adventures that you will experience on the ‘Landmannalaugar & Saga Valley’ tour with Reykjavík Excursions.
18.7.2011

Relive The History Of Reykjavík —For Free!

Most cities and towns around the world have a fascinating history that the common visitor can explore and enjoy. Reykjavík is no exception…

15.7.2011

Walking On Clouds

Utter the word ‘Eyjafjallajökull’ to many non-Icelanders and you’ll get a cringe and a travel horror story as a response. Actually, say ‘Eyjafjallajökull’ and you’ll get a “God bless you! That was some sneeze!” Then when you explain what Eyjafjallajökull is (the glacier covering a volcano that erupted in 2010, stopping air traffic across the world) you’ll get the cringe and a travel horror story.
1.7.2011

Grímsey: There And Back Again

A trip to Grímsey—Iceland’s northernmost island—from Reykjavík seems less than appealing at first. In order to get there, you have to traverse an entire country, to stand on this micro-island with its approximately 100 inhabitants.
30.6.2011

YOU’LL KNOW WHEN YOU SEE IT

To many, no visit to Iceland is complete without a whale-watching trip. Few places offer a better opportunity to view the largest sea mammals on the planet.
17.6.2011

Ice Axes, Blood, And Rainbows

Glacier hiking and ice climbing, like many things in Iceland, are once in a lifetime opportunities for most travellers.



14.6.2011

The (Hidden) Wonders of Reykjanes

The Reykjanes Peninsula is much more than a highway and the Blue Lagoon. It’s the beautiful landscapes and dense history that can be found in the area if one does a little more searching.
9.6.2011

Immersing In A River Of Relaxation

Roll up for the magical mystery trip to probably the only place on earth where your nose hair will freeze while your nipples and bum are safe and warm in a river of hot natural water, flowing directly from the core of the earth. Welcome to the hot springs in the beautiful valley of Reykjadalur.


3.6.2011

Back To The Way It Was

North-central Iceland's attraction to tourists revolves primarily around two areas: Akureyri, for being “the capital of the north”, and Húsavík, which has exceptional whale watching tours. Sadly, the wonderful stuff in between these two towns is often completely neglected.
6.5.2011

The Norse Horse

Whether you’re looking for a tranquil stroll through the beautiful Icelandic countryside, or an exhilarating jaunt, this trip has got you covered. Íshestar provides a variety of different horseback riding tours around Iceland catered to every riding level. Their scenic Lava Tour is directed at beginners, but what it lacks in challenge, it more than makes up for in pristine scenery.
8.4.2011

Bad Weather, Fun Times

I thought about this on a dark, dreary winter morning, as I drove down to BSÍ to partake in a snowmobiling tour that I had for some strange reason volunteered to partake in.
11.3.2011

Puppy Love

Dog-powered vehicles might not be the most efficient way to travel, but it’s probably the cutest. For dog-lovers, an Icelandic dog-sledding tour is a dream come true. And if you’re not into dogs, it’s still a thrill...

11.2.2011

Water, Water, Everywhere

We all dream of the perfect vacation, filled with unforgettable moments and taking brochure-worthy photos to make our Facebook buddies super jealous. But let’s face it: Sometimes the weather just doesn’t cooperate.
7.12.2010

Beautiful As Hell

 Jumping up and down, we cross rivers on our fourwheel drive jeep, the majestic Mýrdalsjökull glacier on the right, the sublime Eyjafjallajökull right in front of us and the sun showing off with perfect autumn morning light.
5.11.2010

True North

On arriving in Iceland, it generally follows that tourists are bombarded with advertisements to experience either of two things.

 
15.10.2010

Get Out Of Town!

Odds are that you’re here for the Iceland Airwaves festival—but you just can’t come to Iceland without venturing outside of Reykjavík.
8.10.2010

Going Surfin

It’s hard to imagine ‘hurling yourself into freezing North Atlantic waves’ would be near the top of many peoples’ list of ‘things to do at nine am on a Sunday morning in Iceland’.
1.10.2010

Dinner Party In Faxaflói Bay

We knew we were in the right place as we spotted a bunch of funny looking tourists dressed up in warm suits provided by Elding tours looking prepared for a rough afternoon in Faxaflói bay.
27.9.2010

Vitamin Sea

Driving down to Ægisíða to meet our guide, Skúli Guðbjarnarson, I had a feeling that my eager team of rowers and I were in for something special.
2.9.2010

Snorkelling in Between Two Continents

Mother Earth is a stable, solid rock – that has always been something I was sure of.
9.8.2010

The Way To The Great Valley

Landmannalaugar is one of the many beautiful places in Iceland that highly spoken of and kind of tricky to access.
21.7.2010

Walking On Ice

It was a sunny, Friday morning in Reykjavík. The air was still and the sky was clear; the perfect kind of day to drive out east and hike up a big pile of ice.
7.7.2010

Boats, Birds And Baked Goods

Nothing starts the day like an early flight to Ísafjörður.
31.5.2010

Romping Through Lava Fields

A walk through customs plus a small wait for suitcases at the Keflavík International Airport plus a dip in the Blue Lagoon just about sums up the Reykjanes peninsula for many tourists who then hop on a bus to Reykjavík.
17.5.2010

Grapevine Takes A Tour On Icelandic Horseback

You’d think from the looks of these dwarfen beasts that they’d be meek and mild, happy to carry a hobbit off on an adventure into Iceland’s fairytale landscape.
23.4.2010

Snorkelling In Long Underwear And Thick Socks

School’s out, work’s off and Spring Break has finally arrived. Like countless others with the same ideas of escape, I fled the city for a nice snorkelling destination.
8.2.2010

Scary Adventures On A Glacier

As most Icelandic adventures, this one starts at eight-thirty in the morning at Reykjavík’s central bus terminal, BSÍ. Grapevine’s photographer and I are there to embark upon Reykjavík Excursions Glacier Adventure, which entails riding snowmobiles around the Mýrdalsjökull glacier.
 
 
14.1.2010

Northern Exposure

Boarding a plane at the Reykjavík airport has all the pomp and ceremony of catching a city bus: no gates, no magic wands, no taking my belt or shoes off. After a few minutes of waiting in the lobby with other red-eyed passengers, an attendant simply points outside and we all trudge out towards the prop plane waiting at the door.
18.11.2009

Yoko´s Tower of Power

I like Yoko Ono. In fact, I like Yoko Ono far more than I’ve ever liked John Lennon.
18.11.2009

Brilliant Hike on the Rocks

“For how many gin and tonics could you get ice from this glacier?” asks one co-traveller as our group of hikers makes its way towards Sólheimajökull, an outlet glacier in Southern Iceland.
28.10.2009

Battle of the Golden Circle

One PM and it’s a sea of silver heads on the Gullfoss and Geyser Express Tour as international pensioners claim seats.
23.9.2009

Winter Wonderland

The equinox is almost upon us, and a big ol’ nine-month night will soon overtake our days. Temperatures are rapidly dropping and the snow will soon fall.
1.9.2009

The Metaphysical Art of Sailing the North Atlantic

There is something elemental that happens when you face an unbridled ocean. It’s something so primal; it affects the very core of our DNA.
20.8.2009

All The Pretty Little Horsies

I can’t say that I ever intended to, of all things, go horseback riding here in Iceland. I tried riding a horse once when I was eight. I screamed a lot. I might have been sick. I didn’t like it.
22.7.2009

Puffin Party

Puffin Express brings you to the forefront of puffin life with their daily rides out to Akurey Island, which is just a short distance from Reykjavík Harbour.
6.7.2009

Best July Activity

Leaving Ísafjörður on July 17, the Aurora, a 60-foot sloop yacht that has travelled around the world four times in competition, will embark on a true Viking journey of natural discovery.
3.7.2009

Nothing like a Cold Glacier on a Summer Day

It is June, and I’m eating lunch on a large slab of ice with my axe sticking out of a slight incline nearby. In an alternate universe, say, my summers past, I would be contemplating the strength of SPF I should use on a trip to the beach, not wielding a sharp tool while crossing a frozen landscape.
19.6.2009

King Of The Road

When you take the most bad-ass of vehicles and combine it with a little off-road driving, you, in turn, become the bad-ass you have always dreamt of being. Steven Seagal, step aside.

11.6.2009

Free Minke

Elding tours located in the old harbour of Reykjavík claim a staggering 95% sighting guarantee. If you’re one of the unfortunate 5% then you’re generously offered another tour for free. Lucky for me, and a few dozen others, we saw a whole lot of blubber – both on board and in the ocean of course.
5.6.2009

Climb Every Mountain

The handsome, looming monstrosity of Mount Esja emerges from the sea, and sits, keeping watch over Reykjavík. It is a very good mountain to admire from afar, like a secret crush whose house you just “happen” to drive by. Then comes the actual first experience, in person (yes, in person!) of talking to the crush: the sweaty palms, the avoidance of eye contact, the dry mouth, all the usual signs of studied familiarity, yet unknowing expectancy.
8.5.2009

Scuba Diving + Jeeps = F-U-N

This particular tour is very convenient for folks who don't know their way around Reykjavík, as the good people of the Reykjavík Activity Center pick you up right at your front door, given that you let them know where you’re staying. That seems easy enough. For this Grapevine reporter, it wasn’t. I like to sleep in. Thus, my activity tour started with a lot of wild flailing for clothes and some desperate running out the door.
12.1.2009

Þingvellir On 38 Inch Tyres

One thing that hits you once you get acquainted with Reykjavík's cityscape is the abundance of big-wheeled, so-called called “Super Jeeps”.
18.8.2008

The Serene Act of Watching Whales

Ahoy there! Grapevine clambered on board the Ísafold for an afternoon of whale watching and deep sea fishing.
1.8.2008

White-water Fun!

29.7.2008

Getting Spooked

Silfra ranks among the top diving sites in the world I’ve been told frequently, and after floating in the water for an hour I understood quite well what the fuss is about. The water is so crystal clear that the visibility can be up to 100 metres.
29.7.2008

Hot Springs and Mountans of Many Colours

It is an overcast, cold day when I arrive at the BSÍ bus terminal and board the mini bus along with 11 others for the early Sunday morning guided tour of Landmannalaugar and the “Saga Valley”. The forecast is for a warm, sunny day, but despite all evidence to the contrary, our driver Sævar is optimistic, proclaiming his faith in Iceland’s temperamental weather gods.
15.7.2008

Fjord Explorers

Kayaking in Hvalfjörður fjord is yet another fine way to discover the profound beauty of Iceland’s landscape.
15.7.2008

Getting Horny with the Cod

The first thing that strikes you about the fish is just how bright and healthy-looking they seem to be
2.7.2008

Glacial Dogs

There were five of them up on the Mýrdalsjökull glacier: a journalist, a photographer, and three former sergeants from the Danish army who by some strange cosmic coincidence were all named Christian
20.6.2008

City Slicker Rides Again

It’s Friday morning, around quarter past nine and me, the photographer, and an older Danish man and his wife are being driven to Laxnes in Mosfellssveit by Þórarinn “Póri” Jónasson.
18.6.2008

The View From the Top

Despite its name, Iceland is not all that icy.
9.5.2008

Stumbling Around Glaciers

29.6.2007

The Playground Hvítá River

29.6.2007

Fighting Hypothermia at Iceland’s Highest Peak

“Crevasse!” The deal was that a yell would warn the party whenever a chasm and potential danger was spotted in the ice. In practice, things went quite differently. Our guide simply vanished in a white cloud right before our eyes. Yell or not, it was rather evident that we had actually happened to incur a crevasse, subtly concealed by snow. We all ducked at once – as we had been instructed to do in similar cases, before entering the glacier – to exercise further traction on the rope and give the leader the necessary stability for rescuing himself. Then, it was just a matter of waiting.
18.5.2007

A Thrill Like No Other

18.5.2007

Horse Riding in Hafnarfjörður

9.2.2007

Exploring the Þingvellir Lava Fields From the Inside Out

30.6.2006

Visiting Viking Trails in the West

30.6.2006

A Really Wild Safari to the Brink of Human Endurance, Sort of

16.6.2006

Watching Whales in Action

16.6.2006

A Weird Tour of Haunted Reykjavík

2.6.2006

Bubbling Water and a Hidden Bathing Spot

19.5.2006

Mind the Menacing Bumblebees

5.12.2005

More Pleasant Tour than Rugged Safari

2.10.2005

Blue Ice Doesn’t Say the Half of It:

10.6.2005

Whale Watching in Faxaflói Bay

The Grapevine sent two young foreign residents of Reykjavík on a whale-watching tour of Faxaflói Bay.
10.6.2005

Look at Me, I’m Rugged

Hvítá is not the first river you’d think of putting a boat on. An extremely powerful glacial river, if you’ve gone to the awe-inspiring waterfall Gullfoss, you recognize the name. So it is surprising that Arctic Rafting runs a moderate tour, at a rating of about 2.3 on a 5 scale, down the river only two hours from Reykjavík.
3.9.2004

Mountain Taxicab Confessions: My Tires are Bigger than Yours

It’s not the size of the tires; it’s the motion of the ocean, right? Wrong. If you want to venture off the coast and penetrate deep into Iceland’s virgin interior, you’ll need big tires. Unfortunately, most Icelandic jalopies can hardly make it up Öskjuhlíðin, let alone a glacier, but there are a number of local outfitters who are ready and willing to take you farther than you’ve ever gone before. Grapevine took a trip with one of the more popular outfitters, Mountain Taxi, to see if the grass really is greener on the other side of glacier.
22.8.2003

OBSCURED BY CLOUDS

As any Icelander knows, there´s nothing at all to on this island but drink and watch TV. Yet tourists come here in droves, leave the city and come back all smiles. What do they get up to out there in the wilderness? Grapevine investigates.
Kerecis
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