Iceland Explorer

Most Inspirational Moment

I loved the glacier lagoon that went to the sea where the beach was covered in chunks of smooth ice, with seals popping up along the way. Frozen waterfalls were so picturesque. All the opportunities to soak in the thermal baths were well received. I could've spent all day at the natural springs near lake Myvatn, so relaxing.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Jon was a brilliant leader, full of enthusiasm and energy and obviously has a great love of his country, entertaining us with his stories from trolls to eurovision! Always cheery and when weather stopped us visiting somewhere, he found something else for us to see.

Advice for Potential Travellers

If visiting in winter, be prepared for cold, biting wind, a glove you can use a phone without taking it off would be handy! I'm very glad I had a thermos flask. Some rooms don't have kettles, but hot water and tea/coffee are freely available in hotels restaurant. Cards taken everywhere, so no need to take spending money.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Fantastic.

Most Inspirational Moment

The fact that Icelanders were very resilient and have caring, close communities with a relaxed way of life. This is very refreshing, coming from a pressured western lifestyle. A small example is that cars are very likely to stop if they see you looking to cross the road.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Jon was well-organised and very caring, looking to the needs of each individual. He had a great sense of humour and relaxed delivery. He was very enthusiastic, obviously enjoys guiding and shared a wealth of knowledge about Iceland, the country and its people. It was lovely how he shared snippets of his own family life to illustrate how life is like for people living in Iceland. He told endless entertaining stories relevant to where we were travelling at the time. He saved me from eating fermented shark from a buffet and shattering my taste buds at the start of the meal! We really enjoyed his company.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Take walking shoes/boots as the terrain is quite rough in places and don't be afraid to use walking poles. We did use waterproof trousers, especially near waterfalls. As you move on every day, clothes that easily dry out are handy and also small laundry bags to group stuff in your suitcase. A waterproof cover for the back pack would have been handy and plastic or waterproof carrier bags. A large refillable water bottle is essential for the journeys. Keep your window shut at the Hotel near Lake Myvatn to keep out gnats.

Suggestions

If you want to see Reykjavik book an extra day there.

Most Inspirational Moment

Jokulsarlon lagoon with its icebergs and the associated Diamond Beach is unique whatever the weather. The many huge waterfalls never failed to impress, while a long soak one afternoon in a 30c-40c geothermal pool was delightful. Walking the basalt column cliffs on the Snaefellsnes Peninsular was particularly enjoyable as there was at last warm sunshine and plenty of unusual birds for the bird watchers in the group to appreciate. The whale watching trip from Akureyi was successful as we saw several humpbacks, probably the same whale repeatedly diving but still exciting to see their blows and flukes

Thoughts on Group Leader

Jon was an excellent leader, always attentive to our needs, ensuring that there were plenty of toilet and photo opportunity breaks during our travels. He educated us with many stories of folklore and life in Iceland, with his constant chatter and humour during the day always welcome. The few changes of itinerary due to the weather were made without drama, and we were always kept informed.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Be prepared for rain and wind and pack accordingly. Overtrousers are advisable (probably essential) with a rainproof coat, plus layers for clothing to easily remove if/when warm or put on on colder, windier days. Cash is not necessary, everything was paid for by credit card

Suggestions

Iceland is a fascinating country with a unique landscape and attractions, and is highly recommended to visit. This tour covers a lot of ground and is an excellent introduction. It was sufficiently inspiring that several of the group were planning to revisit in Winter on a shorter, more selective, trip

Most Inspirational Moment

The volcanic geology and associated landscape and the glaciers. These showed the power of nature and that people settling and living in Iceland have had to adapt to the environment and make use of it where possible, but not conquer it.

Thoughts on Group Leader

He was excellent. He was full of information about Iceland and its people, I learnt as much about modern day Iceland as I did about the the attractions summarised in the Trip Notes. He was resourceful, adaptable, humorous and looked after the group and individuals.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Be prepared for any weather, the group motto was have layers of good clothing, some days were warm, most days were cloudy, it was windy most days. Wear sturdy walking shoes or boots, walks were usually short but often on uneven ground and there were some steep steps. The food was very good and catered well for vegetarians, restaurants were also very accommodating for customers with food allergies or intolerances. Iceland is bigger than I expected so be prepared for long journeys in the bus. Accommodation was different each night on this trip but the standard of food, customer service and was good throughout.

Suggestions

I was not able to see the sights in Reykjavik because of my flight times to and from the UK, so check this before you finalise your booking in case you need to add some time before or after the set dates for the trip.

Most Inspirational Moment

The glacier lagoon and diamond beach. Seeing icebergs and hearing them crack was a first for me. The sun was shining on this occasion, so added to the beautiful spectacle.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Sadly, our group leader was not as good as others we’ve experienced. He was rather repetitive, especially about being a vegan, and spoke too much. Moments without his voice were rather nice. He was inclined to “bloody » too much and by the end of the tour, the group all expressed the same sentiments. He was, though, very helpful and quite informative.

Advice for Potential Travellers

ICELAND - the clue is in the name. It’s cold …. and windy, so windchill makes it colder still. Do take your thermals, even in May. It’s a big island so if you circumnavigate, like us, be prepared for some long, tedious journeys. Having said that, Icelandic roads are very good. If you use Flybus for airport transfer, you must wait OUTSIDE your hotel ( no matter how cold it is) or the bus won’t stop - as happened to us. The taxi fare to airport was 20,000 Kr ( £115).

Suggestions

We’re very pleased we visited this beautiful country. Exodus has it pretty well organised. Probably wouldn’t go again though.

Most Inspirational Moment

Just the scenery, different all around the island.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Jon was hugely knowledgeable about every corner of Iceland and went out of his way to make everyone happy. Even awkward sods like us who wanted to disappear off and look for plastic tubs under rocks (If you know, you know!)

Advice for Potential Travellers

If you're going in March, dress warm. Really warm. Really really warm. I've never been so cold in my life, and I've done a weeks dogsledding in Sweden which included camping when it was -45C. Don't know what other seasons are like but the clue's in the name - Iceland. Be prepared to spend lots of dosh on lunch, dinner and beer. For two of us, food + drink was another £750 on the price of the holiday, Take cards, no one uses cash. WiFi is good at all hotels and mobile reception was consistently better then we've got in Surrey.

Suggestions

I was surprised at how crowded the sites were - especially in the 'Golden circle' area. Some places were just teeming with people. I would guess that in 'high season' it would be really uncomfortable. Getting a coffee or visiting the toilet meant getting on the end of a long queue. Food was always good - no problems there. Group members with special requirements (e.g. Gluten-free meals) were easily coped with. Hotels varied from 'basic' to 'excellent'. You only stayed one night in each so it didn't really matter. There were no real problems anywhere. The 'flybus' service to/from the airport works very well.

Most Inspirational Moment

Many. The views as we travelled around this snow-covered isle were magnificent. As the road wound its way along the south coast, mountains were on one side and the sea with its black sand beaches on the other. The lightening at the Valley of Thor was just on-cue. Next the road wound round the eastern fjords, with the sun-lit sky gleaming off the snow-white mountains and deep blue water. Then it was through our first tunnel to Egilsstadir and, that night, our first and best view of the Northern Lights. The next day we journeyed across the plateau to Lake Myvatn, with its complete range of geological wonders – mudpots, steaming vents, lava towers, volcanic craters, psedo-craters and a thermal swimming pool.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Jon was an excellent group leader, as well as being the driver of our minibus. He always had a story to tell and alternative sites to visit when necessary. His restaurant recommendations were always excellent (I was very impressed by the quality of food at all our stops). Jon regularly monitored the weather and Northern Lights conditions, so that we missed the worst weather and got to see the Lights. He kept us safe when we ventured out, ensuring we wore the chains provided on our boots. And being February, all vehicles had studded tyres, making driving safe on snow covered roads

Advice for Potential Travellers

Dress for the weather you may incur, with lots of layers in winter. Waterproof over trousers and jacket are essential in February, as are a sturdy pair of walking boots. The chains provided are excellent, they have a rubber surround that fits them to your boots. A couple of the people brough anti-slip grips which proved to be inadequate. The day length obviously varies depending on when you go. Sunrise was nearly 10am in early February. The weather and temperature is also very variable. Check these out before deciding when to go. You might also want to check out the midge situation, if you don’t want to be bitten. Going in February did provide the possibility to see the Northern Lights and we were lucky. The Northern Lights are dependent on the solar activity, a cloudless sky and little light pollution from local lighting or the moon. For photographs, you need long exposure (15 seconds on my camera), which needs a tripod or something similar. Check your requirements before you go. The best photos on our trip were taken by someone with an iPhone. Also get a water cover for your camera, others have reported their cameras being damaged by the rain or spray from the waterfalls. A Pro camera, as used by cyclist or cars, may be an alternative if fitted with a waterproof container.

Suggestions

None of the days was too onerous, so recent changes to the itinerary must have solved a criticism made by a previous traveller. Iceland is on UK time, although geographically it is one and a half hours west of London. However, as it is very much a European community, they are discussing moving Iceland onto the same time as much of the EU, adding a further hour to the difference.

Thoughts on Group Leader

He was a good guy, but he was working alone - doing logistics, driving and guiding - and was clearly very tired by the end of the trip.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Check on safety issues and the time of year - some things don't happen in November despite what it says in the itinerary.

Most Inspirational Moment

Walking among the icebergs on the black beach. Entering Hallgrimskirkja and being blown away by its beauty.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Jon is amazing, singlehandedly driving, portering, organizing, commentating......always full of energy and enthusiasm. I loved that, as well as information about Iceland, he also treated us to tales from the sagas, norse mythology and folklore.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Bring lots of clothes and be prepared for all weather types in one day.

Suggestions

Maybe the itinerary needs reviewing. We struggled to fulfill the schedule on some days because of road/weather conditions, resulting in very long days and late hotel arrivals. That's why I gave this tour 4 stars, not 5.