Vikingtravelblog

This is for all you trekking, hiking and outdoor enthusiasts out there – you know who you are.  There’s a small island in the North Atlantic that has few rivals for those seeking adventure. 

Iceland is a little known adventure destination; it’s a little known destination period, let’s face it.  But, if you are like me and really enjoy the outdoors, Iceland is a great place to visit.  It has so many offerings, coupled with a near pristine environment.

Here is a list of some of the adventure possibilities Iceland offers: hiking, trekking, snowmobiling, glacier hiking, mountain climbing, ice and rock climbing, downhill skiing, telemark skiing, ocean and freshwater fishing, white water rafting, adventure jeep tours, extreme off-roading, scuba diving (both fresh water and ocean) camping and cycling tours. Additionally, you can explore hot springs, ice and lava caves, lava fields, geothermal fields, bird watching – the list goes on.

I will not go into detail on all these activities, just the ones I have done myself.  First up is hiking and trekking.  In Iceland you can opt for easy, short hikes, half day hikes and overnight hikes.  I have even see, though not done myself, a trek across the entire country that takes almost a month – what an experience that would be!  I lived in Reykjavik for two years and participated in numerous hikes.  Just outside of the capital is Mt. Esjan.  This is a fairly easy 3-4 hour hike up the face of Mt. Esjan with a rewarding, uncluttered view back to Reykjavik. 

The jeep tours are outstanding and I have been on several.  Most will take you in to the backcountry, crossing streams (really rivers) along the way, driving on glaciers, black sand beaches, up tight mountain passes into some of the most beautiful areas I have ever seen.  One memorable jeep tour I took was to visit several natural hot springs.  The whole point of the tour was to bathe in as many hot springs as possible.

I have also gone on one of those glacier tours where we had to where crampons and follow a guide to make sure you don’t fall into a crevasse.  This is one of the most memorable and powerful outdoors activities I did while in Iceland.  The colors and surreal beauty was outstanding. 

I never personally got the opportunity to do many of the other items I listed but, I have spoken with people who have done them all.  Of particular consequence is the salmon fishing.  Iceland is a world-class destination for fly fishing and you don’t even have to leave the city of Reykjavik.  My apartment was about one half mile from one of the best fishing rivers in the country.  During the season I would see the salmon grouping up together, resting before their next push forward.  I would watch the fly fishermen hauling them in.   

Iceland, as an adventure destination, does have some detractions.  For one, it is fairly remote, located just below the arctic circle way out in the north Atlantic.  Though, it is not as far away as you might think.  Flight times from the east coast of the US range from 5 to 6 hours.  Secondly, Iceland can have very bad and capricious weather.  I would advise traveling there in the high season from May to late August.  You can expect temperatures in the mid to high fifties and on a really nice day the temperature can reach 70 degrees.  Another big hurdle is Iceland’s high prices.  I read recently that Iceland was one of the most expensive countries in the world.  This is especially true for food, fuel and lodgings. 

High prices, potentially bad weather and its remote location aside, Iceland is worth it.  If you want an adventure, almost no matter what kind of adventure, Iceland will deliver.  Just pick your thrill, book your flight and enjoy.