OVERVIEW

Experience the joys of a simpler rural life at a wilderness center at the edge of the most extensive highlands in Northern Europe. Even the journey there will be spectacularly scenic, as you will drive through a mountainous terrain of dense forests, thundering waterfalls and an enormous lake that a glacier created long ago. Upon reaching the Wilderness Center, you will browse exhibits that showcase the struggles of life on the farm where the center now stands. The museum dioramas are especially insightful, as they accurately depict the challenges of the area’s earliest settlers, who embraced the natural world rather than trying to control it. As you meander about, you may see adventurers returning from hiking through the wilderness and horseback riding and others simply enjoying the pristine setting. Later, you will pass through Iceland’s largest national forest, which contains indigenous trees and exotics brought from more than 175 locations around the world.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Browse a wilderness center that depicts the challenges that Iceland’s rural settlers faced.
• Enjoy delicious homemade refreshments in a unique countryside setting
• Drive through Iceland’s largest national forest, a protected natural wonderland.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Marvel at the spectacular natural beauty of east Iceland, a largely undeveloped but vast landscape where less than 4% of country’s entire population lives. Nature rules here, as you will discover while driving along the extraordinarily scenic coastlines and narrow fjords. During a photo stop at the mountain pass at Fjarðarheiði, it will be easy to imagine just how difficult travel once was in this remote part of Iceland. Not far away in Lagarfljót Lake, you will see where a Loch Ness monster-type creature has supposedly been sighted since the 1400s. For a more detailed and accurate look into the area’s natural history, you will browse the Snæfellsstofa Visitor Center within the Vatnajökull National Park. A cultural museum stands nearby in the former home of celebrated Icelandic author Gunnar Gunnarsson, which doubles as a retreat for writers. Other highlights include a 14th-century parsonage that holds a revered chalice and Hallormsstaður, Iceland’s largest forest.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Drive through the gorgeous, almost entirely undeveloped landscape of eastern Iceland.
• Pause for photos at elevated viewpoints where nature’s beauty is on full display.
• See the lake where a Loch Ness-like creature has supposedly been spotted for centuries.
• Visit a 14th-century parsonage and browse natural history exhibits in a national park.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Walk through the heart of Seyðisfjörður, a town of just 700 people at the innermost point of the fjord of the same name. As you proceed past the town’s characteristic chalet-style wooden homes, you will learn how Seyðisfjörður was settled in the mid-1800s by herring fishermen who prospered from the fjord’s sheltered, easy-to-fish waters. Upon reaching the iconic Blue Church, you will be treated to a recital of Icelandic melodies. Another landmark in town is the Avalanche Memorial, an intriguing outdoor sculpture created with mangled white girders from a local fish factory that a 1996 avalanche heavily damaged. Although no one was injured, dozens of residents were killed in the 1885 avalanche that the memorial honors. For a town of so few people, Seyðisfjörður has a thriving art community. You will pass the former home of beloved folk artist Ásgeir Emilsson on the way to the Skaftfell Center for Visual Art, where you will see a collection of modern multi-media works.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Enjoy a leisurely walk through Seyðisfjörður as the guide describes the landmarks.
• Attend a recital of Icelandic melodies at the architecturally distinct Blue Church.
• Visit a memorial that honors the residents that died in a 19th-century avalanche.
• View a modern collection of art at the esteemed Skaftfell Center for Visual Art.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Meander through a nature reserve and research center in Skálenes and learn about the flora and fauna that flourish in this extraordinary landscape. Chances are, you will see scientists and university students studying the various ecosystems and excavating archaeological sites such as the abandoned farm Thorarinsstaðir, one of more than 80 such sites in the reserve. As you might imagine, wildlife is abundant, especially coastal birds. You can expect to see golden plovers, black-tailed godwits and perhaps gyrfalcons, a magnificent but threatened species that is Iceland’s national bird. Be sure to ask how the fluffy down feathers of eider ducks are collected and sewn into duvets on site. It is a fascinating process that doesn’t impact the birds at all. If you are lucky, you may also spot reindeer and arctic foxes from the surrounding mountains. Regardless of where you wander, you will behold some of the most spectacular and pristine countryside in east Iceland.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Observe a huge variety of coastal birds at the Skálenes Nature Reserve.
• Discover why so many species of birds are attracted to this natural habitat.
• Learn about what’s being unearthed in the dozens of archaeological digs in the area.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Enjoy an adventurous ride in a 4x4 vehicle through some of east Iceland’s most beautiful countryside to the miniscule town of Brekka. To reach this municipal curiosity, you will travel inland, stopping along the way atop a mountain pass to take in the magnificent scenery. Not far away, you will find Egilsstaðir, the largest town in east Iceland. Its population is only about 2,500, so you can imagine the size of Brekka, the country’s tiniest town. It overlooks the narrow fjord Mjóifjörður and is just a few small buildings clustered around the waterfront. Even so, it is well worth a visit because of the pristine setting, which boasts a spectacular row of waterfalls nearby. Brekka perches on a part of the fjord that is home to an abundance of birds, particularly the powerful Great Northern Diver, which is known elsewhere as the Common Loon. It is thought to be the world’s oldest species of bird.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Drive through wonderfully picturesque eastern Iceland in a 4x4 vehicle.
• See Brekka, Iceland’s smallest town, which perches on the edge of a narrow fjord.
• Look for seabirds such as the Great Northern Diver, which thrive in this remote setting.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Behold a deep sheer-walled canyon that volcanoes and glaciers have shaped over the eons that amazingly was completely unknown until 2009. How could a natural wonder so majestic and magnificent go unnoticed for so long? It wasn’t until a hydroelectric project lowered the volume of water in the Jökulsá River that flows through Stuðlagil Canyon that this stunning natural phenomenon was exposed. The source of the river is glacial and the water so brilliantly blue-green that it looks otherworldly. The towering volcanic basalt columns that line the canyon only add to the surreal setting. You will gaze out over the gorge from viewing platforms, stairs and a network of paths, giving you a look from several different vantage points. The scenery on the way to and from Stuðlagil Canyon is breathtaking as well. You will travel through the picturesque Fjarðarheiði mountain pass, dense conifer forests and farm-dotted valleys that epitomize Icelandic rural life.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Drive through a primeval volcanic landscape where nature reigns supreme.
• Behold the depths of stunning Stuðlagil Canyon from various vantage points.
• Be awed by the vertical basalt columns lining the canyon and the river at the bottom.
• Learn about the canyon’s geological formation and how the canyon was discovered.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Sail from Seyðisfjörður toward the open seas of the North Atlantic Ocean, an extraordinarily picturesque route known for its natural wonders and bountiful wildlife. You will hug the fjord’s southern coast on the way out, passing a largely undeveloped landscape of dramatic waterfalls and unusual geological formations. Commentary will include stories of the people who lived and worked along these remote shorelines. Still, it is the natural beauty and wildlife that steals the show. You may spot humpback whales breaching the water’s surface and pods of dolphins racing alongside the boat. Seabirds are particularly abundant, so keep an eye out for black-legged kittiwakes, arctic terns and fulmars. Thousands of nesting birds can be seen at the towering Skálenes cliffs, especially puffins, which are easy to identify by their bright orange beaks and feet. The return cruise will take you along the fjord’s northern coast and the remote lighthouse on the Brimnes Peninsula.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Admire the stunning natural beauty while cruising Seyðisfjörður’s namesake fjord.
• Look for marine life such as whales, dolphins and seals.
• Observe thousands of seabirds, including an enormous colony of nesting puffins.
• Cruise out on southern side of the fjord, cruise back on the northern side.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Settle in for a scenic ride toward the summit of Mt. Bjólfur in a 4x4 mountain bus that makes it easy to view the natural wonders that loom above Seyðisfjörður. The scenery will be spectacular the entire way and the higher you go the more dramatic the views. On the ascent, you will pass stunningly beautiful waterfalls, drive through heather-covered hills and perhaps see hikers along the steep trails that wind up the mountain. Once you reach about 2,100 feet above sea level, you will continue foot to the Baugur Bjólfs viewing platform. The 0.5 mile walk on a gravel path will be well worth the effort as the lookout perches high above the narrow fjord and Seyðisfjörður. The platform’s ring shape is meant to symbol the silver ring worn by the Viking Bjólfur, who first settled the area and is supposedly buried with his jewelry somewhere on the mountain.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Ride a 4x4 bus designed for rugged terrain up Mt. Bjólfur, which looms over Seyðisfjörður.
• Admire the gorgeous natural beauty, especially while pausing at the viewing platform.
• Gaze out over the fjord country and the deep-blue fjord that cuts through it.
• Learn about the symbolism of the platform’s circular shape and the Viking who inspired it.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.