Walking holidays in Iceland – where every day is a new adventure
In Iceland every drive, every walk is an adventure. Not only is the scenery on a grand scale, but you never quite know what to expect around the next corner. Indeed, there’s a slightly surreal quality to the landscapes, be it a mountain rising suddenly out of the coastal plain, or a powder-blue iceberg that has floated downriver only to become stranded on a beach of black sand. The highlands, with their bubbling hot lakes, brooding volcanoes, velvety green valleys and deep canyons, are reminiscent of a Tolkein novel, while the glacier-topped volcano of Snæfellsjökull in the west looks so forbidding and fearsome that Jules Verne thought it was the perfect starting point for the zealous Professor Lidenbrock’s journey to the centre of the earth.
The more you explore, the more you’ll understand why Icelandic culture is full of stories of huldufólk (‘hidden people’ such as elves, dwarves and spirits) who live in the eerie lava fields or who have been forever petrified and now form weird and wonderful rock formations. Add to all this the sagas of the Viking settlers – stories of bloodshed, feuding and overcoming hardship – and you have a truly fascinating country in every sense.
Our captivating holidays represent the slow way to see Iceland, focusing on two different areas – the south coast and the Snæfellsnes Peninsula in the west – which you explore at leisure on our easy-to-moderate walking routes. For the ultimate adventure, combine the two holidays with a stay in Reykjavík in between so that you can experience the famous Golden Circle as well – the frothing waterfall of Gullfoss, the hot springs of Geysir and the site of world’s first democratic parliament in Pingvellir.
Whichever holiday you choose, don’t be surprised if a relatively short walk or drive takes all day: this is a land that will never cease to amaze you.
For more information about our walking holidays in Iceland, please call our friendly team on 01653 617001.