Iceland Northern Lights

Most Inspirational Moment

The Glacial Walking was amazing. Such a brilliantt experience being able to walk on blue ice! The Blue Lagoon was also the highlight, though not included on the tour.It was snowy conditions and blizzard bombs, so white out's on the roads, and hit in the face with sleet in the lagoon. Some people wore bobble hats, but I kept putting my head under the water to warm up! the silica is not good for your hair though. We saw the Northern Lights from Lake in the East, but they were not green nor coloured, just very weak like whisky white clouds - it showed green on some people's phones and cameras. So a disappointment really.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Spot on. He was tops, knew in-depth interesting information about his country and was fun, energetic and charismatic. A great tour guide.

Advice for Potential Travellers

February is a dicey month to go. We landed after three attempts, the landings were a touch and go attempt and re-take off - given he incredibly strong blizzards, on arrival. The air stewardess said the previous week the aircraft doors could not be opened for 10 hours due to the winds, so something to bear in mind when you choose to go. It is amazing, but I was left disappointed to be honest. It's a lot of money for a bus tour manly of waterfalls. I asked the leader if it was possible to remove one of the three waterfalls and replace it with the Lava tunnels - to give more variety and he agreed it would be possible. So this is my suggestion.

Suggestions

Overall, weighing up the benefits of doing a tour or our own car rental was why we did the tour. It was much better to have an educated and interesting guide to see many different geological wonders and learn immense detail about the country, which we would not have had doing our own travels. It was more of a holiday having someone else driving too and changing locations.

Most Inspirational Moment

Seeing the Northern lights.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Jon was great, knew what he was doing, had an encyclopaedic knowledge of his country, and his Icelandic folk stories never ended!

Advice for Potential Travellers

Dont take any cash - Iceland is pretty much cashless now (and expensive). Do take lots of layers - it was minus 17 at Thingvellir after sunset. Be prepared to be in the vehicle quite a lot. Do go to the Blue lagoon on the way to the airport. Most flights are afternoon which gives time. (The taxi from Blue lagoon to Keflavik was 9000 kr, which we shared with someone else. There is a phone with direct line to a taxi firm in the blue lagoon) Consider adding a day or two in Reykjavik before or after the trip.

Suggestions

1. The glacier walk is described as "We head to Svinafellsjokull...where we go for a short walk.". What it doesn't say is that there is more than an hour's walk to & from the glacier...making this a 3-4 hour trek!! My wife and a fellow traveller found it too much and I accompanied them back - spoiling one of the highlights of the trip. 2. The preparation for the glacier walk (crampons, helmets etc) could be done in the warmth of the hotel, not standing still in a cold car park for 45 minutes. 3. The drive back on "day 4" is about 5 hours - meaning the visits to Gulfoss, Geyser and Thingvellir are far too rushed. These are the major reasons people come to Iceland and do not need to be rushed. (By the time we got to Thingvellir it was after sunset, so the temperature meant no-one wanted to stand outside for long listening to the guide). Doing this first on the first day with the long drive at the end of the day would have been better. 4. The trip notes also mention a refund on the Flybus return ticket if it is not used. This is great as some people want to visit the Blue lagoon on the way to the airport. However the guide was un-aware of this and had to spend ages wandering round Reykjavik finding an ATM to give people refunds. (Giving an option for a one way Flybus ticket when booking would help).

Most Inspirational Moment

Seeing the NL. Big surprise but magical

Thoughts on Group Leader

Good. Very passionate. Not short of facts!

Advice for Potential Travellers

Prepare for very cold and changeable weather in winter. Prepare for expensive food. Prepare for amazing landscapes. Enjoy!

Most Inspirational Moment

Seeing the NL. Big surprise but magical

Thoughts on Group Leader

Good. Very passionate. Not short of facts!

Advice for Potential Travellers

Prepare for very cold and changeable weather in winter. Prepare for expensive food. Prepare for amazing landscapes. Enjoy!

Most Inspirational Moment

Walking the glacier and seeing the Northern Lights

Thoughts on Group Leader

Very good. A really nice man

Advice for Potential Travellers

The weather can affect your itinerary so be aware.

Suggestions

A hotel we stayed at (i think it was Laki) provided a three course buffet but charged for all three even if you didn't want them all. It made a single course very expensive!

Most Inspirational Moment

The walk on the glacier

Thoughts on Group Leader

Orre was great. Really kind and thoughtful and his passion for Iceland was abundant.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Seeing the Northern Lights is a bonus!

Most Inspirational Moment

The glacier walk was the second 'wow' moment of the day, the first being the glacial lagoon earlier in the day. I hadn't quite anticipated how serious this was, and realised when we were being kitted up. The scenery, and sense of being so 'as one' with the forces of nature once actually on the ice, was awe-inspiring. This wasn't all though, with visits to various other natural wonders including the original geyser, and a number of waterfalls, plus, well, just the scenery. All this, plus tomato beer. What could go wrong?

Thoughts on Group Leader

Jon was an excellent guide, ready to fill us in on Icelandic sagas and the Icelandic way of life.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Definitely bring wet-weather gear (waterproof trousers a must). It can be a bit exposed out there and forecasts stating 2 degrees or whatever, do not take into account the wind chill. Layers is the answer.

Suggestions

I wonder if Exodus is missing a trick labelling this trip the Northern Lights? Although I knew beforehand there was a chance we might not see them, and had conditioned myself to this, there was never a chance we were going to see them given the weather, and I wonder how many groups do? What they all must do, is the glacier walk, and this more than made up for it. 'Glacier Walking with a chance of Northern Lights' might not be a snappy title, but probably more honest. Or just 'Natural Wonders of Iceland'?

Most Inspirational Moment

See above

Thoughts on Group Leader

See above

Advice for Potential Travellers

Take plenty of layers

Most Inspirational Moment

Walking on the glacier in crampons, ice axe and helmet and descending into its crevasses among 2000 year old ice was an amazing experience. The final morning was very well planned, starting out below ground in a lava tube then being taken straight to the Blue Lagoon prior to catching the flight home. Don't be put off by thinking that the Blue Lagoon is a tacky tourist trap - it's not, it's an amazing and relaxing end to the trip.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Orri was an exceptional leader, friendly, helpful and approachable, nothing was too much trouble for him. He kept us entertained with his stories of Icelandic history and folklore during the longer road sections.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Take plentry of layers and good quality warm and waterproof clothing, The weather is going to be both cold and wet and can change rapidly, if you are prepared for that then you will enjoy the trip all the more.

Suggestions

The northern lights may not make an appearance whilst there and some activities may be cancelled at short notice and another substituted due to the raw nature of the place, that is part of its appeal for me, keep an open mind and enjoy the experience.