A couple of weeks ago I would have said Iceland was somewhere people went to see the Northern Lights in the winter, and that group tours were designed either for elderly people or backpackers. Last week I was fortunate enough to be invited on a trip around Iceland by Intrepid Travel, which I’m delighted to say, put my naïve misconceived ideas to an end.
Travelling in May meant there was almost no chance of seeing the Northern Lights, so what else could Iceland offer our group? The answer – geysers, natural hot springs, mountains, volcanoes, waterfalls, black beaches (pictured), glaciers, incredible landscapes, food, people, experiences to cater for all and so much more… And at this time of year Iceland boasts up to 22 hours of daylight, so there was ample time to fit everything in!
Our first few days consisted of more of the classic excursions, visiting Thingvellir National Park, visiting the geysers and vast waterfalls in the ‘Golden Circle’, spotting seals whilst sailing around the Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon and visiting the famous black beaches. We then headed away from the traditional tourist route and the next 3 days were spent traversing mountains, deserts (believe it or not), and spotting mud pools, hot spring caves and lava fields.
Our accommodation was a mix of guesthouses, farms and homestays; which allowed us to interact with locals, experience how they live on a day to day basis, and allowed us access to some of the most beautiful, remote parts of the island. The small group tour format allowed our group to all travel around the island together with an incredibly knowledgeable local tour guide, but there were plenty of opportunities for people to do their own thing and make sure their own individual ‘bucket list’ was ticked off.
I would not have one hesitation recommending this format of holiday, or Iceland as a destination to anyone. Described by people as being very similar to New Zealand, it is a haven for adventurers young and old, plus also people just wanting to relax in the most breath-taking surroundings!
