Two Weeks in Iceland

Iceland is such a place of contrasts, day by day, place to place- that no two people can expect similar experiences. Except to be reduced to few words by the awe and grandeur of the scenery, the incredible achievements of a country with the population of a small city.

So our two week trip mid September 2016 was a small slice. This was a travel agent FAM trip in the real sense, to familiarize myself with a new destination, one that has experienced a large increase in visitation over the past 5 or 6 years.

It was comprised of an initial 3 days in Reykjavik, followed by a land/sea tour of a week with Icelandic Pro Tours and Cruises, and followed up with a five day self guided touring of the South coast with a rental vehicle.

Of course-waterfalls. Everywhere, it seems, there is a 'foss', spilling water, creating rainbows, and drawing lots of people like us snapping endless pictures.

And mountains.  Though the highest peak is only about 7000 feet, there are more mountains than seem possible, some flat top peneplanes,  others near perfect volcanoes, and finally the great icecaps the 'jokulls' with unpronounceable names like the infamous Eyjafjallajökull which blew its top in 2010 and interrupted airline flights for weeks on end. The locals considered that eruption a minor one, noting the Hekla could go anytime and Katla is overdue. Either would have impacts dwarfing the 2010 event.

And sheep and horses. Nowhere on earth is there such high ratio of sheep to people- even New Zealand, and the Icelandic people have an immense love affair going with their horse, which are seen on virtually every farm. Usually unbridled and unsaddled, they mill around in groups of up to a dozen, and will take off around their meadow, manes and tails dancing as they high step with the unique gait of their breed.

The architecture. From the brand new Harpa concert hall and convention centre in Reykjavik, to honest Icelandic vernacular homes in both town and country, what they build is a perfect reflection of the people. The lines and decor often minimalist (particularly the hotels), but warm and functional and perfect retreats during the 21 hours of darkness each winter day.

And finally, just the 'ordinary' scenery

All adding  up to simply spectacular!

The Tour/Cruise for agents was organized by Emerging Destinations out of Atlanta, using the Iceland Pro Tours packaging. Here was the itinerary:

Description: Iceland in September – a special month for a special voyage! Get to know the island of fire and ice – aboard and ashore! As the lazy days of summer slowly come to an end, the island landscape transforms and is reborn into the vibrant colors of autumn. Days become shorter, and the Midnight Sun bids farewell to make room in the sky for a spectacular display of dancing Northern Lights. Many are familiar with the term, “Aurora Borealis,” but few have experienced this natural phenomenon with their own eyes. By night we hunt for the magical Northern Lights, all from the vantage point of the open sea. This unique itinerary begins with a motor-coach trek through the Central Highlands and ends with a 3-day-cruise along the North Shore and West Coast with distinctive shore excursions and lectures by local experts back to our final destination of Reykjavík. During the first four days, we toured Reykjavik, took in the Blue Lagoon (along with a fabulous dinner at the restaurant there), went by coach along part of the Golden Triangle route, visiting Pfingillir, Geyser, Gulfoss, a night in the lovely town of Selfoss, then over the central highlands to Akureryi. The next day was a trip to Myvtan, before returning to Akuryeri for boarding of the Ocean Diamond. The Ocean Diamond used to be Le Diamont, and before that Song of Flower. Well known and regarded as an expedition vessel, she sails for Quark Expeditions all winter in Antarctica, and since 2015, does Iceland in the summer and early fall. She carries about 200 passengers and boasts a fleet of 17 zodiacs and a 1D ice-rated hull. Not the fanciest or most sea kindly ship, but with excellent large staterooms and several lounges- including a top deck forward observation lounge and a fourth floor presentation lounge which was perfect for the daily lectures and orientation. Meals were primarily served in the main dining room, with a private venue a deck above for small groups. Food was fresh and plentiful, featuring local lamb and fish purchased in Isafjordur right at the wharf. The cuisine was not to be compared with what you might expect on a luxury cruise ship, but again, this is an expedition ship, and in Iceland! Each day, there were coach tours of the Westfjords and Snaefellsnes areas, taking in yet more spectacular scenery, stopping at small museums, tasting fermented shark! We climbed up to waterfalls, had a birding tour in zodiacs, saw humpback whales and endured a couple of pretty rocky nights with winds abeam. The combined land/cruise concept was excellent, but the pace and weather conditions made it a bit of a challenge for some of the older participants. Driving over the central Highlands was a definite high note, but made for a long day over difficult terrain. Plus it was very windy and about freezing at the top, where we stopped in a geothermal active area. An extra day would have helped... For 2017, the itinerary has been modified to take in the more popular Southern Coast: While it is unfortunate to lose the highland crossing, to take in Vik and other highlights of the area is a real plus:  Cape Dyrholaey – Jökulsarlon – Skaftafell Cape Dyrholaey offers a chance to hike along a black sandy beach to sea cliffs where many seabirds nest. Just offshore are towering sea stacks that are constantly pounded by the heavy North Atlantic surf. Continuing along the south coast from Vik, we eventually reach Jökulsarlon, an expansive glacial lagoon that lies at the foot of Vatnajökull, the largest glacier in Europe. Both of these natural wonders are protected within the confines of Skaftafell National Park, one of the island’s oldest and largest nature reserves. An amphibious vehicle takes us on a cruise, weaving around the iceberg-filled lagoon that has appeared in numerous Hollywood movies. Lunch on the way and dinner at the hotel. Prices start from just $1895 for an outside stateroom with porthole (triples run from $1525)  . A luxurious 300 square foot newly renovated suite will cost $3845. These prices in effect until Dec. 30, 2016 This is a unique offering. Alternately there are a number of departures of full circumnavigations of Iceland, and a couple which even venture over to Greenland. Please don't hesitate to contact CruisePlus for more information. Combining structured travel with a few days on your own has a lot of advantages. Certainly the guides provided by Pro tours were fantastic, and you simply don't get the depth of information or perspective when driving yourself and staring at maps. But the flexibility of self-drive AFTER the orientation and exposure you will receive with Pro Tours is a good complement. Oh, and bye the way- we did see Northern Lights! Belatedly, on our last two nights the weather miraculously cleared and right from our window at the Selfoss Hotel we saw the chimeras quite handily. And we caught our last sunset. Peter Frinton Specialty Cruise/Luxury Travel CruisePlus Management