Renewable Energy in Iceland

Catch a glimpse of Reykjavik’s colorful tin roofs from above on your descent into Iceland. Upon arrival you will be transferred to your hotel and invited to gather for a welcome dinner to sample some of Iceland’s staple dishes. Begin your journey with a crash course in Icelandic culture. Learn greetings, thank you’s, and basic cultural customs. Hear the stories of your guides and their families.

Begin your morning with a hearty bowl of Hafragrautur, oatmeal, or possibly some skyr, a local yogurt. Today you’ll learn how to order your favorite snacks in Icelandic. How is the skyr made? What’s the story behind these traditional meals?

Get ready for a deep dive into Iceland’s unique story as we visit University of Reyjavik’s Iceland School of Energy. Here you’ll gain an understanding of hydro-power, geothermal energy, as well as the impact that these primary solutions have had upon the local economy.

Experience the energy yourself in one of Reykjavik’s many geothermal heated pools. Spend the afternoon relaxing before an evening of cultural activities in Iceland’s capital city.

Depart Reykjavik and begin your journey around Iceland’s Golden Circle. Make a short stop at Althing, also known as the oldest existing parliament structure in the world dating back to A.D. 930. Further along the Golden Circle route, you will stop in the Geysir Geothermal Area where you will get to experience the original hot water spout that all other geysers in the world are named after. After 5-10 minutes, see an impressive stream of water shoot 15m-40m in the air. Learn about the science behind such forces as well as the environmental impacts.

Add an adventure: Hike 4 miles to Gullfoss, also known as Iceland’s Golden Falls to view the incredible 100-foot double cascade waterfall.

Continue your route on the Golden Circle as you drive towards the looming Eyjafjallajokull Volcano. You’ll stop to visit the Seljalandsfoss waterfall for a photo opp before checking into your quaint hotel in the village of Vik.

The Lakagígar crater located in the Southern Highlands will be your first stop on day 5. Get a glimpse of the tremendous devastation of the volcano eruption that occurred in the 18th century. It killed thousands of Icelanders and animals, and destroyed much of the surrounding farmland at the time. The amount of lava generated at this site was the third largest on Earth since the last Ice Age. During your visit at Laki crater, get the chance to walk across the Eldhraun lava field and even climb to the top of Mt. Laki itself!

Venture to the vast, varied and spectacular Vatnajökull National Park– Europe’s largest national park! Today you can expect to see some more of Iceland’s extremes, beginning with a trek across the glacial ice caps. While in the park, you will also have the opportunity to explore Europe’s largest glacier.

Today we’ll visit Kárahnjúkar, the largest Hydropower plant in Iceland. This plant takes energy from five dams, including Kárahnjúkar Dam. This dam is one of the most extensive construction projects in Iceland history. A highly controversial project, listen to multiple sides of the story to understand the impact. We’ll hear stories of the plant workers, both local and foreign.

You’ll continue on for an over night in Höfn, which translates to Harbor. From this small harbor town you can see Vatnajökull, the largest glacier in Europe.

Enjoy your morning strolling through the harbor city. Soak up one last visit to an Iceland bath in Höfn before heading back to Reyjavik.

With a deeper understanding of the Land of Fire and Ice, bid farewell as you head to the airport for your flight home.