Another short video (about 4 minutes) which was shot on site at the Hellisheidi Geothermal Power Plant.  This is Iceland’s newest power plant and also a combined heat and power (CHP) plant wherein it produces electricity and hot water for heating.  This power plant is being developed in phases and when complete will produce 300 MWe and 400 MWth (electricity and how water).  The plant is scheduled to be completed sometime this year.  I have actually been to this plant and had the pleasure of a guided tour of the facilities and surrounding area.  I was there assisting in the filming of this video, with an employee from Mannvit Engineering, Iceland’s leading geothermal energy company.

Coming soon to Iceland?

Iceland was already one of the world’s leaders in the use of renewable energy.  Almost all electricity production and heating comes from geothermal and hydropower.  Now they’ve set out to reduce their dependency on foreign oil for transportation. 

Iceland is a nation powered by renewable energy.  You see lots of stats thrown around but, the bottom line is pretty much the whole country is powered by geothermal and hydroelectric power.  That is except for transportation.  The country, like most countries, still depends almost entirely on foreign oil imports. 

And, Icelanders love their cars, almost as much as Americans.  Except that fuel there is at least twice as expensive.  But that isn’t the real problem.  Iceland is a really clean country and they intend to keep it that way.  So they are purposely moving toward any and all available renewable energy technologies.  They already had one of the first hydrogen filling stations in the world and do operate a small fleet of hydro-powered public buses.  But, it seems that the movement towards hydrogen-powered cars is in a bit of a lull.

Enter Biogas and Biofuels.  There are currently several companies currently operating various pilot plants to capture landfill gas and to extract biogas and biofuels including:  biodiesel, landfill gas (biomethanol), bioethanol and methanol.  Much of the fuel that is being produced, or will be produced will be used for cars, trucks and fishing boats.  Now, Iceland is not, obviously,  planning to replace gasoline but simply offset need, by adding many of these fuels into their gasoline supply.

Iceland’s largest consulting engineering firm, Mannvit is working with the University of Akureyri  on several  research and development projects for landfill gas, biomethane & bioethanol and is working independently on a biodiesel plant designing a 450 TPY biodiesel plant.

One of the giant outdoor heated swimming pools in Iceland

Iceland is one of the most geothermally active countries in the world.  Thank goodness for that, because at the same time it is also a country with few other natural resources.  So what does Iceland do with all that heat?  Read on.

First, let’s get the obvious stuff out of the way.  We know Iceland has a lot of geothermal power plants.  To the best of my knowledge, Iceland has 7 geothermal plants:

1. Svartsengi geothermal power plant – where the Blue Lagoon gets it water
2. Hellisheidi geothermal power plant – Iceland’s newest
3. Nesjavellir geothermal power plant – produces 1,800 liters of hot water per second
4. Krafla geothermal power plant – original development plans almost cancelled due to a volcanic eruption
5. Reykjanes geothermal power plant – uses very high temperature steam from 2,700 meters below ground
6. Bjarnarflag geothermal power plant – Iceland’s oldest
7. Husavik Kalina cycle plant – the first Kalina cycle geothermal plant in the world

These geothermal plants currently produce approximately 25% of Iceland’s electricity (approximately 500 MW) and studies have revealed that the country’s utilizable potential for geothermal is much, much higher (approximately 4300!).

Besides producing electricity, some of these power plants also produce hot water for district heating.  So, in Iceland almost every building and house is heated with geothermal hot water but, that’s not all.  This hot water flows through thermally insulated pipes all over the country and is used for:
-Greenhouses
-Filling swimming pools – and believe me there’s lots of them
-Steam bathes and saunas
-Ice removal from sidewalks, roads, runways, soccer fields – you name it.
-Fish drying – the steam is used to heat the air in indoor facilities
-Some restaurants use steam to cook with
-Diatomite processing

You get the picture – Iceland has hot water in spades.  Lucky for them that it does because without it this country would be a lot less hospitable.  It solves many of the problems associated with life in a country just below the arctic circle.

By all accounts, Iceland is a unique country.  It is geographically small and somewhat remote.  It has a tiny population – only approximately 320,000 people – who speak their own language, Icelandic.   Despite these facts, it is a pretty influential and important country.

I say this as a lead in to my first featured company, Mannvit Engineering.  Why, you ask?  Because this engineering firm, which was founded in 1963, has played a leading role in Iceland’s development as an industrial, modern nation in a way that few other engineering firms, in other countries,  could claim.  Of course one could pose the argument that this was only possible in a country that is roughly the size of Kentucky.  I grant you that.  But that does not diminish the achievement.  Scale aside, Mannvit literally hand their engineering-hands in almost every type of project built in the country over the last 40+ years from small to large structures, infrastructure and roads, geothermal and hydroelectric power plants and power transmission to harbors and quays, and more. 

Nesjavellir Geothermal Power Plant

Today, Mannvit Engineering is Iceland’s largest engineering firm, with a staff of approximately 400 dedicated specialists. The company is the result of the merger of three long-established engineering companies that were all founded in the 1960s – Hönnun hf., VGK hf. and Rafhönnun hf.  Founded in 2008, Mannvit, with the combined strength and expertise of these three successful engineering companies, offers decades of experience across all disciplines of engineering, consulting, management and operational services.

Though the company has deep roots in Iceland’s civil, industrial, and technological development, Mannvit has also developed a strong International presence over the years and has worked on projects on almost every continent including geothermal energy, hydroelectric, power transmission, EPCM projects, and more.

The company is dedicated to renewable energy development, sustainability and the ethical stewardship of our natural environment.  Besides it decades long involvement in most of Iceland’s geothermal and hydroelectric development, the company has also, branched out into biogas and biofuels, CO2 sequestration, carbon recycling, waste management, industrial composting and many other projects in-line with their commitment to slowing and reversing climate change.

For more information, I encourage you to visit their website.

I like outdoor activity, and not having a great deal of international travel experience, I had determined that a day tour or other guided tour or activity would be good for me, but which?  In the past, my what-should-I-do-on-my-vacation pattern has been:

1) Search online, confidently expecting to find something that ‘clicked’ with me that looks fun and is in my budget, easily
2) Realize that the problem isn’t too little information, it’s too much
3) Try to figure out a smart way to choose among options that all seem similar
4) Wing it when I get there

Step 4 isn’t the best plan! Ideally, I’d have a friend that knows the area and knows me and can help me shortcut to a ‘just-right’ solution.  In the absence of that, here are some approaches.  This is written about my next Iceland trip and links to a resource I like, but also applies to any vacation:

Read travel forums

Search for travel forums about the country, city or even the local activity you’re considering and read the comments.  Post questions and maybe get answers from fellow travelers.  This is similar to using ratings and reviews when shopping online – it’s great to hear from people but there’s no guarantee that you’ll agree with their tastes and experience.  Compared to nothing, there’s a lot of information here and occasionally you’ll find a link to a resource in another category (local pros), like Iceland Activities experts, Icelandic Travel Market.

Pros:  Detailed information from real travelers
Cons:  You won’t know what you might be missing and you’ll have to read in many different places
Good for:  Research junkies, as a supplemental source of info or a tiebreaker for particular activities.  You can contact people and ask them questions also.

Talk to a Travel agents

Talk to a travel agent that you know or a local one.  Unlike web references, these will vary by location and you may speak with someone who actually knows Iceland and you may not.

Pros:  In-person conversation is unbeatable for some
Cons:  Experience and knowledge is hit-or-miss and breadth of experience is limited to that person or a few people
Good for: People primarily interested in top level travel logistics, planning to stay in the city and not have any real local Iceland activity

Talk to locals

Find people online who live where you want to go and strike up a conversation.  These aren’t ‘people like you’ who travel there, they are residents.  You’ll get a different kind of response and maybe some insider info.  (The author has used this approach is a maverick info-seeking approach for lots of things, even via phone.  Before ubiquitous access to weather reports via web, phone and SMS, the author would call information in (any town) and ask for the phone number to McDonalds on Center street.  Then, ask whoever answers what the weather is.  It worked almost every time.)

Pros: Provides real insider info
Cons: Requires some boldness and it’s all subjective
Good for: People who really like talking to strangers and learning the inside scoop.  You’re not shy.

Talk to local pros

Talk to people who know all the options and work in the local travel industry.  These people have talked to travelers coming to the area for years and know how to match people up with the right activities.  In Iceland, the Iceland Day Tours experts are at the Icelandic Travel Market in downtown Reykjavik.

Pros: Experience, one-stop shopping, ability to say: I like this kind of thing, and get solid recommendations for similar activities.
Cons: Doesn’t satisfy the research junkie’s needs for multiple sources of info, may need corroboration from another source for some people.
Good for: You got your loan from a broker for the best deal, you shop comparison sites and prefer the ‘one-stop’ approach whenever possible.  You like getting guidance from a pro who can give you info on Iceland activities with industry-level oversight.

Have a great trip!  Please comment with other ideas.

Iceland is an amazing country and it’s definitely worth a trip.  It is filled with exotic landscapes and unspoiled nature.  When you go, I urge you to get out of the city and experience some of it for yourself.  The tricky part is knowing what tours are available, and believe me there are a lot.  The beauty of ITM is that it is a one-stop shop for all tours, excursions and activities in Iceland.  It is everything Iceland Travel!  And, because everyone’s perfect Iceland holiday is different, it’s very convenient to see a wide range of choices all on one website.

Besides being able to book your tour on the ITM website, you can also stop by downtown Reykjavik headquarters/sales office which is located on Bankastræti 2, one of Reykjavík’s oldest buildings, built in the middle of the 19th century.  At the ITM headquarters, you’ll find friendly helpful, employees, brochures and information on just about anything related to your time in Iceland.

ITM also operates two other sales offices during the summer months, or peak season in Iceland (April – August).  The first one is located at Skogar, near the famous Skogafoss waterfall on the south coast of Iceland and at the Skaftafell National Park which is located in the famous Vatnajokull region in Southeast  Iceland.

So, whether you want to go whale watching, book a bus tour, walk on a glacier, ice-climbing and just about anything in between, ITM is the first place you should go before deciding on a tour in Iceland.

Icelandic Travel Market, or ITM, is the result of a merger between two of Iceland’s oldest and most experienced tour operators:  Iceland Rovers and Iceland Mountain Guides.  Iceland Rovers offers a great selection of Iceland tours in their specially outfitted super jeeps.  Iceland Mountain Guides specializes in Iceland tours featuring hiking, backpacking, climbing and skiing.

Yes, there are two Icelands and they are like twin, beautiful, yet antithetical daughters.  One is cool, chic and a little shallow.  She’s the kind of woman you might pick up in a bar – exciting but brief, that’s Reykjavik.  The other is mysterious, deep and earthy.  She is unyielding and does not give herself over easily.  She is the kind you marry, that’s the other Iceland.

Reykjavik.  It’s quaint and interesting with lots of old buildings to see and explore.  It is also modern and lively, with a rather infamous nightlife.  The downtown main thoroughfare, a street called Laugavegur is very nice, with lots of pedestrian activity, shops, bars and the like.  It’s worth seeing and experiencing, no doubt.  But, Reykjavik is fairly small as capital cities go and one could see most of it in a weekend. 

What is truly unique about Iceland, is that which lies outside of the capital; it’s the other Iceland and it is the real reason why Iceland is such a gem.  The total population of the entire country is approximately 320,000, two thirds of which live in Reykjavik.  That means that the rest of the country is open space – clean, beautiful and exotic open space with natural wonders at almost every bend of the road. 

For most of us getting away from it all is quite a chore.  In Iceland it is as easy to access as a Sunday drive.  Out in the country, you’ll see few cars and few people.  What you will see is an unspoiled land filled with natural wonders.  This other Iceland is a place where time slows down a bit.  A place where you can acquaint yourself with nature as it was.  A place you can still drink water from a stream.

And, the beauty of Iceland is that it is not as far away as you think.  It is not yet a mainstream destination for the hordes of hungry global tourists.  So, if you go, spend a little time in Reykjavik, than treat yourself by spending more of your precious time in the other Iceland.  Rent a car, travel the ring road, stay at guesthouses, go horseback riding, walk on a glacier – soak it up.

If you want you want a little more structure and local knowledge, book an Iceland tour with one of the many tour operators.  There are all kinds of fun adventure-type tours for your choosing:  4×4 tours, mountain climbing, ice climbing, trekking – whatever moves you.  The main thing is do yourself a favor and see the ‘other’ Iceland.  Just skip the bus tour, you won’t find her there.

#1 – Hallgrimskirkja – literally, the church of Hallgrímur, is the largest church in Iceland and is centrally located in downtown Reykjavik.  Though not the oldest church in Iceland, it is the tallest at 244 feet.  In fact it’s tall spire can be seen from almost anywhere within the city.  For a nominal fee, you can take an elevator up to the observation tower for some spectacular views.  The interior is beautiful and distinctly Scandinavian in style and decor.  Lastly, if you get a chance, the church has a great pipe organ.  Outside the church is a large statue of Leif Ericsson, the statue itself was a gift from the United States in honor of the 1930 Althing Millennial Festival, commemorating the 1000th anniversary of Iceland’s parliament at Thingvellir in 930 AD.

#2 – Downtown Reykjavik and the central square – Downtown Reykjavik is lovely and offers an interesting mix of old world and cutting edge modern buildings and architecture. Reykjavik’s downtown is fairly small so it is easy to enjoy on foot.  Just find the main artery, Laugavegur and start walking.  there are numerous restaurants, cafe’s, bars, clothing, art galleries and just about everything in between.  If you want to enjoy Reykjavik’s nightlife, this is pretty much where you want to be.  If you keep heading down the street you will come to the central square.  Just make a left on Pósthússtræti and you will see it immediately.  The central square is lined by the old Parliament building, the Althing, a beautiful old church, the Hotel Borg and many other old buildings.  In the center of the square is a statue of Jon Sigurðsson, a national hero in Iceland. 

#3 – Skaftafell National Park – Skaftafell National Park is located in SE-Iceland about a 6 hour drive from the capital.  And, it is worth the drive.  This beautiful park sits at the foot of Iceland’s largest glacier, Vatnajokull.  You can camp here or stay in a guesthouse outside the park.  What this place offers is some of the most pristine and beautiful nature I have ever seen.  You can hike to waterfalls, go mountain climbing to Iceland’s highest summit, hike on glaciers, ice climbing and more.  Or, you can just relax and enjoy clean air and green grass.  For some reason, the weather at this location can be good even when its bad everywhere else.  I think that the glacier provides a high-pressure dome.  

#4 – Snaefellsness Peninsula – The Snaefellsness Peninsula is about a 3 hour drive north of Reykjavik.  In fact on most days, you can see the dome of Snaefellsjokull (Snaefells Glacier) from the capital even though it is like 150 km away – pretty impressive.  The peninsula is gorgeous with sweeping views of the ocean, beautiful beaches, lighthouses and quaint villages.  There is much to see but one thing you should see up close is Snaefellsjokull.  It is a relatively small glacier and you can drive right up to the edge and experience it up close.  Snaefellsjokull was made famous by Jules Verne in the book, “Journey to the Center of the Earth” as the point of entry to the Earth’s core.

#5 – Akureyri – Akureyri is the called the capital of the north and it is the farther away of all the Iceland sightseeing recommendations in this article.  By car, Akureyri is a full day’s drive.  The drive is long but will offer lots of sightseeing opportunities.  If you want to avoid the long drive, you can book a flight to Akureyri on Iceland’s domestic airline and be there in one hour.  The airport for domestic flights is near downtown Reykjavik.  Akureyri, which is located near the end of a long fjord,  is small and charming and boasts quaint shops, restaurants and hotels.  During the summer, when the sun hardly sets, the locals spend a lot of time in the city center just hanging out, partying and just enjoying themselves.  All of which makes for a fun, festive atmosphere that is quite memorable.

#6 – Reykjavik public pools – Swimming is simply one of the things you do while in Iceland.  There are several nice pools in Reykjavik that are run by the city that offer just about everything for only 300 kronur (about $3.50): lap swimming, hot tubs, steam rooms, slides for the kids and more.  It’s a great deal and a great to meet Icelanders.   In fact, Reykjavik is unofficially called the ’spa city.’  This is also because of the next top nine attraction, the blue lagoon.

#7 – Blue Lagoon – The Blue Lagoon is one of the top tourist destinations in Iceland.  It is located about halfway between Keflavik (where you will fly in) and Reykjavik.  In fact you will drive past in on your way from the airport to the capital.  The Blue Lagoon is a geothermal spa unlike any other on earth.  The best and most efficient way I can explain this place is with a picture (see above).

#8 – Waterfalls, Geysers & Hot Springs -  Iceland has water in spades.  It is also one of the more geologically active places on earth.  That means it has lots of waterfalls, hot springs and one well-known geyser called, “strokkur,” which translates as “boy.”  There are waterfalls everywhere.  Some of the most famous are Skogafoss, Dettifoss and Gullfoss.  Hot Springs are all over the place too.  My recommendation is to book a tour.  Let the locals take you to the best spots.  Many of these Iceland tour operators have tours built around these famous attractions, the most well known is called the Golden Circle Tour, which include Gullfoss, Geysir (strokkur) and Thingvellir. 

#9 – Thingvellir & Thingvellirvatn  – Thingvellir is area of land located about 45 minutes outside of Reykjavik.  Now a national park, it was the site of Iceland’s original parliament, called the Althing which was formed in 930 AD.  Leaders and everyday folk would come to this location from all over Iceland to make laws, settle disputes, buy and sell and generally stay connected.  The park has many rifts, some you can walk through, others are filed with the clearest water you’ve ever seen.  In fact these water filled rifts are a popular scuba diving spot.  The park also boats a beautiful waterfall, streams, amazing vistas and a large lake called Thingvellirvatn.

Granted there are more than nine top attractions in Iceland.  Listing every possible worthwhile place is outside the scope of this article and frankly, my time.  That said, the attractions listed above are all things I have experience first-hand; I can say with confidence that they are worth seeing.  And, now’s still a good time to visit Iceland.  Your dollars, or Euros, or whatever currency you use will go a long ways because of Iceland’s economic misfortune which led to a massive deflation of their currency.  Without sounding mean-spirited I say, take advantage of this while it lasts.  You’ll be helping the local economy and getting a world-class travel experience in return.

Food expenses are always an important consideration when you are travelling.  In some countries this is not a big issue because food is cheap, or at least moderately affordable.  And, many countries offer a true bounty of food choices.  Iceland’s food scene is neither cheap nor abundant.  I know because I lived there for two years.

That isn’t to say that there isn’t good food in Iceland.  Far from it.  I have had some truly memorable meals there.  But I digress.  If you are travelling in Iceland and aren’t swimming in money, you will want to know where to go to get reasonably affordable food. 

Grocery stores
Forget dining out for every meal.  This is especially true when you leave Reykjavik.  There are numerous small towns outside of the capital city and while many of them have restaurants, they are usually more like truck stop cafes with very simple menus.  My suggestion is to stock up on supplies at the various grocery stores.  The cheapest of which are Bonus and a store called Kronan.  Stock up on the basics: bread, cheese, Skyr (an Icelandic dairy product similar to yogurt), deli meats, etc.  Buy local greenhouse-grown vegetables like tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce and peppers. Almost everything else is imported.  If you have a place to cook your own meals, your options will increase.  In that case, I recommend buying fish.  It’s fresh, clean, reasonably affordable and doesn’t need any fancy sauces or condiments to be tasty.

Hot dog stands & local shops
Icelandic hot dogs are excellent.  They are made with lamb and pork and have a unique flavor that is slightly smoky and more than slightly delicious.  If you ever go to Iceland, I highly recommend that you try one – and order it with everything.  There are hot dog stands in many locations, the most famous of which is downtown (see picture).  You can also buy them at the various and even more numerous local shops.  These stores sell the basics:  candy, ice cream, sodas, pre-packaged sandwiches as well as hot dogs and hamburgers.  Not the healthiest fare but it’ll do in a pinch.  And, that is kind of how it goes with eating in Iceland.  It is not the normal plethora of choices that many are used to (especially Americans), but rather what’s available.  When you are on the road and hungry, you will lower your standards and be happy to have found a pre-made sandwich and some skyr.  Mark my words.  If it matters to you to have vegetables, buy them at a grocery store and bring them with you.  Don’t expect to find vegetables at these shops.

Fast food
There are many fast food restaurants in Iceland, mostly only in Reykjavik.  While I am not a big fan of eating at McDonalds and the like, I would recommend eating at Subway in Iceland.  You can get a reasonably healthy meal for not too much money.  A 12″ sub is about 700 Icelandic Krona, that’s about $10.  Of course this will vary with the exchange rate.

Dining out
If you want to eat at a low-cost restaurant, I would recommend seeking out Thai food.  There are many Thai expats in Iceland who have opened some good, authentic Thai restaurants.  There are some other choices but not many.  There is a restaurant in Reykjavik called cafe Copenhagen which serves reasonably priced lunches and dinners.  It is the kind of place families would go for lunch on Sunday afternoon.  Another affordable choice in Reykjavik is a restaurant called Nings.  They serve Chinese food that is made fresh and is decent but not great. 

Now that I have saved you money on food, I highly recommend that you spend that money doing things that you can’t do almost anywhere else.  Go out and explore Iceland’s beautiful nature.  Book an Iceland tour, take a hiking tour, experience a 4×4 jeep tour adventure, walk on a glacier, drink directly from a stream.   Soak it up because while Iceland may not be the best culinary destination, it does boast some of the world’s most beautiful and exotic  vistas, landscapes and unspoiled nature.  Do some sightseeing in Iceland - just bring a sandwich…

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.