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Tag: Iceland Trip Guide

5 Tips to Hire a Private Tour Guide When Planning a Trip to Iceland

5 Tips to Hire a Private Tour Guide When Planning a Trip to Iceland

Planning a trip to Iceland is more complicated than in many countries. It is an island of amazing natural forces that can easily mess up your plans.  If you only have a few days to spare in Iceland, we always recommend hiring a local guide that will make the most of your time and knows what to do in unexpected situations.

Here are 5 Tips to Hire a Private Tour Guide If You are Planning a Trip to Iceland 

While Iceland is a country that is mostly focused on preserving nature and its charm, there are still many things that have been created to give every tourist the level of comfort and luxury that they want. From accommodation options to luxury trips and luxury modes of transportation, you will find everything that you can possibly need or want to kick start your lavish travels in the country of ice and fire – Iceland.

Choose Wisely If you are just coming to see the main attractions, the cheapest way to do that is just to buy the bus tours. There are many companies that offer such tours to the most visited attractions.

If you, however, want to see something more or want to get a more personal experience of Iceland, I would always recommend hiring a local guide.

A great, private tour guide will not only give you an excellent overview of an island but also help you plan the whole trip in a way that makes the most of your time according to your personal wishes. But be sure you are hiring a highly recommended guide.

Check Referrals Referrals based on past experience are the very best option for making decisions when you are planning to hire a guide for your personalized tour. Finding your guide is perhaps the most nerve-wracking part of the process, but luckily, you’re already in the right place. We offer private day tours to the most amazing stops in Iceland such as Golden Circle, south coast, etc. In our luxury SUV or minibus, you will have the day of a lifetime.

Online Review There are many reviews and travel community portals that help you to make decisions while searching for the best private tour guide in Iceland like TripAdvisor, Google My Business and others give you real user-generated content that helps you to make decisions.

Email for Quotes Once you’ve narrowed your search down to one or two top guides, start sending emails. In your initial contact, you’ll want to state the date that you’ll be in Iceland, how many people you are traveling with, and tell them what kind of tour you are looking for. (Guides also often have set tours, which you can then customize.). You can also check some travel agency websites in Iceland for the best quotation and email them to customize the tours.

Enjoy the Flexibility One of the best things about having a private guide is that you aren’t hampered by set times and schedules. Take advantage of this and allow yourself to go with the flow a bit. 

How to Plan a Personalized Family Trip to Iceland

How to Plan a Personalized Family Trip to Iceland

As a travel destination, Iceland stands out as one of the most family-friendly places you can visit. The local culture offers an attitude of general safety, and it is common for native kids to play outside, even after dark, when the cold winter months provide only limited sunlight each day.

Exploring Iceland with loved ones makes for one of the most memorable, fun, and exciting family vacations imaginable. Personalized Family vacations in Iceland are perfect for adventurous families who love to explore the outdoors, dine on delicious local cuisine, and experience some of the most dramatic landscapes, waterfalls, and wildlife on the planet.

Visiting Iceland with family means exploring one of the safest countries in the world. And there are few other places where you can hike a glacier, bask in the spray of waterfalls, ride Icelandic horses down the coast, or take a super-jeep tour to the rim of an active volcano.

Iceland is also a place where the warmth of the locals is almost as powerful as the volcanoes that fuel the geothermal baths that dot the country. The Icelandic people are generally quiet and reserved, but many have a deep love for children and tourists.

Is Iceland Family Friendly?

Iceland is one of the safest countries in the world. The crime rate is exceptionally low, the education rate is among the highest in the world, and Iceland is consistently rated in the top 5 on the World Happiness Report.

While you’re traveling Iceland with your loved ones, you’ll also learn about Iceland’s tremendous Viking heritage. From the explorers to the Viking legends, the myth and history in Icelandic tales offer stories for kids to get lost in. They are filled with adventure, passion, and mythical creatures.

Is It Easy To Travel Iceland With Family?

Iceland has an absolutely rock-solid tourism industry. This north-Atlantic country sees a massive influx of visitors who are focused on the Reykjanes Volcanoes to Golden Circle tour. You can check and research best Private and Personalized Day Tour online and through trip advisors website.

The roads in Iceland are fantastic. And, unless you are looking to explore the Icelandic Highlands that are found on the rough F-Roads (which certain rentals will not be allowed to travel on), you’ll be just fine with a two-wheel drive vehicle. But, if you want to truly get off-the-beaten-path, you’ll want something with 4-wheel-drive.

Grocery stores in Iceland are well stocked with supplies such as formula, milk, diapers, pureed food and more. You’ll find two types of milk on the shelves. One is shelf-safe and can be stored, refrigerated for a few days. The main benefit of hiring local operators is they know all things very well and have good exposure and give you personalized tour experience.

How to Get to Iceland With Family

Iceland is very conveniently located right between Europe and North America. In fact, it is literally the dividing point between the two countries. You can actually swim, snorkel or even SCUBA dive between the two tectonic plates in an area of Thingvellir National Park called the Silfra Fissure.

Because of this and a large tourism push in the country, flying into Iceland is relatively inexpensive from countries such as Canada, the United States, and most of Europe.

You can research online and hire private tours for your family for your Iceland trip to enjoy the time in a very secure and personalized way.

With endless nature and epic views surrounding you, it’s easy to get caught up in the madness and want to try something exciting! Luckily, many of these adventurous activities can be done with children. Well, at least children of a certain age. There are some of the most exciting activities in Iceland for kids.

We value your time as much as you do, which is why we offer customized tours tailored to your specific needs. If you want to personalize your trip to Iceland, we are ready to plan the tour according to your request and select the best attractions and activities for your family or friends’ trip.

Traveling to Iceland? 5 Covid Protocols You Should Know

Traveling to Iceland? 5 Covid Protocols You Should Know

Iceland is the top travel destination for vaccinated travelers. On this page, you can find up-to-date information regarding COVID-19 in Iceland and what impact it may have on your travel plans when visiting Iceland.

Driving along Reykjavik’s windswept roads on a cold March morning, Kári Stefánsson turned up the radio. The World Health Organization had just announced that an estimated 3.4% of people infected with SARS-CoV-2 would die — a shockingly high fatality rate, some 30 times larger than that for seasonal influenza.

Make sure you can show proof of one of two things: a full COVID-19 vaccination—be it Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca, or Johnson & Johnson (Janssen)—via one of the official accepted forms, or an accepted document that shows prior COVID-19 infection (for example, a positive PCR test that’s older than 14 days). Note that for proof of prior infection, you need documented laboratory results; clinical diagnoses and rapid diagnostic tests (antigen or antibody tests) are not accepted.

While both vaccinated and unvaccinated travelers without proof of prior infection can visit, the vaccinated and those who had COVID previously won’t have to quarantine. The unvaccinated face a host of other tests and restrictions (see below).

Do I need to quarantine on arrival?

Vaccinated travelers: If you’re vaccinated or can provide proof of a previous COVID infection, you won’t have to quarantine.

Unvaccinated travelers: However, unvaccinated travelers without proof of prior infection must present negative PCR test results on arrival and take another PCR test upon arrival then quarantine for five days at an approved accommodation and test again at the end of quarantine to be released.

What are the COVID counts and vaccine rates in Iceland?

As of 2019, Iceland has 356,991 residents; according to official Iceland vaccination statistics updated in early August, more than 255,322 residents have been fully vaccinated, and more than 275,173 have received at least one dose. That means roughly 71 percent of Iceland’s population has been fully vaccinated—one of the highest rates in the world.

On August 9, 2021, the CDC added Iceland to its “Avoid Travel” list and issued a Level 4: Very High Level of COVID-19 in Iceland alert. The U.S. State Department also issued a Level 4: Do Not Travel advisory to Iceland on the same day “due to COVID-19 related restrictions,” indicating a “very high level of COVID-19 in the country.”

Being fully vaccinated doesn’t ensure you can’t catch or spread variants of the virus, so heeding the country’s social-distancing and masking rules remains paramount.

The Icelandic government reimposed social-distancing rules again on July 25. They will remain in effect until at least August 27, when they’ll be updated on the country’s official COVID-19 page. You must keep one meter (roughly three feet) between people who are not “closely linked” to you and wear a mask when social distancing isn’t possible.

How much is actually open (museums, bars, restaurants)?

From museums to outdoor tours, expect to find most things open and operating across Iceland, albeit under new COVID-19 norms, with reservations often required and reduced hours and capacity possible.

Bars, nightclubs, and restaurants that serve alcohol are open but have an 11 p.m. curfew and allow a maximum of 100 guests. While mask use isn’t mandated at these venues, all guests are required to leave their tracing information including name, ID number, and telephone number. Swimming pools and hot springs, including the famous Blue Lagoon attraction, are open but operating at a 75 percent limited capacity.

What airlines have flights to Iceland right now?

Icelandair flies year-round from Boston daily, and it restarted daily service from New York (JFK and EWR), Washington, D.C., Chicago, Denver, and Seattle last May through this December. You can also book flights from Minneapolis (five times a week) or Orlando (four times a week) now through December. Seasonal flights four times a week depart from Portland, Oregon, now through October 31.

Delta’s daily service to Reykjavík–Keflavík from JFK started back up on May 1 and resumed from Boston on May 20 and from Minneapolis/St. Paul on May 27.

United started daily service from Chicago to Reykjavík July 1 to run through October 3. United’s daily flights from Newark to Reykjavík resumed June 3 through October 29.

A recent search on Google Flights for nonstop round trips from New York were about $350, about $430 from Boston, and about $650 with one layover from Los Angeles.

Travellers who will be under quarantine can go for outdoor walks but are not allowed to visit tourist destinations.

The country is often appreciated and praised for its handling of the pandemic, the country followed a tough regime of tracking and tracing to contain the virus. And now after a month, the country is giving cautious relaxation on gatherings, leisure activities.

If you need any help while planning for the Iceland Volcano Tour, please connect with us by visiting our website.

Iceland Volcano Tours: 5 Things You Should Know

Iceland Volcano Tours: 5 Things You Should Know

Iceland is known as the land of fire and ice, with the country’s many spectacular volcanoes give it the ‘fire’!  Among the many natural wonders of Iceland are the beautiful volcanoes and the landforms that they cause. Even though Iceland is icy cold on the outside, many spots are full of hot lava just beneath the surface. The diversity makes this chilly nation a very hot destination for visitors from around the world.

Since volcanoes are such an important part of this exiting country, we put together a “must know” guide to Iceland’s volcanoes so that you do miss a single bit when planning your holiday. We want you to get the most out of your trip so explore the ins and outs of Iceland’s volcanoes before you’re wowed with their wondrous beauty in real life.

The Ultimate Guide to Iceland’s Volcanoes

Iceland is known for its magnificent landscapes that call for adventure seekers and lovers of beauty from around the world. From lava fields to caves, volcanic activity is responsible for much of this beauty.

Fortunately, while Iceland travel has been growing rapidly, the country has managed to avoid becoming a mass tourism cliché. The country emphasizes preserving and protecting its fragile environment and has successfully achieved a delicate balance between maintaining the authenticity of its wild and untouched landscapes while still making them accessible to tourists.

If you’re planning to travel to Iceland, here are 5 things you should know before you go:

1. New: The eruption at Fagradalsfjall

You could see recent molten lava in Iceland on the Reykjanes peninsula.

On 19 March 2021, there was a minor volcanic eruption at Mount Fagradalsfjall in the Geldingadalur valley. A fissure appeared, of around 200 metres (656 feet), spouting hot lava and creating one of Iceland’s newest volcanoes.

But don’t worry about air traffic and the like. This eruption wasn’t as significant as Eyjafjallajökull in 2010 due to the nature of this specific volcano. The lava is slowly snaking its way down a closed valley rather than ejecting a column of ashes into the sky.

Because it is located close to Reykjavík and Keflavík International Airport, it means you may be able to visit the volcano on a short break or on a road trip.

You can take guidance and hire local guide for Private or Half Day Tours while searching locally.

2. Be Flexible! The weather can change

In Iceland, if you don’t like the weather – you only need to wait a minute! The weather can easily go from a cold, foggy morning to a brilliant sunny afternoon or a day full of snow landing on the ground at a startling speed. Make sure you’re prepared for both and don’t despair if the day doesn’t start off too well, you will need to be flexible on your itinerary.

3. Drive carefully

If you are driving a hire car in Iceland in the winter, it goes without saying that you need to drive carefully, observing the speed limits and road signs, and keeping a close eye on the (possibly changing) road conditions. The roads are kept clear of snow and ice by snowploughs from early in the morning, and your car will be a four wheel drive (4WD) with studded tyres, so you shouldn’t run into any problems, but it is better to be safe than sorry. If you aren’t experienced with driving in the snow, we can also advice some escorted or privately guided options so you can still explore.

4. Make use of the hot springs

It can be cold in the winter in Iceland, but this land of natural contrasts has an answer to that: the geothermally heated water that is so readily accessible. You are never too far from warm water to defrost in, whether one of the many hot swimming pools you will find in almost every village in Iceland, the hot tubs that most hotels offer, or even one of the country’s natural hot springs. And most of them are outside, too, so you can enjoy the fresh air and stunning scenery while you have a soak!

5. Buy local produce

 A number of farmers have started selling local farm products such as organic fruit, fish and meat at an affordable cost. It is a good idea to purchase freshly produced products from them rather than the stores if you are planning to cook your own food.

Some additional points what you should try and avoid:

  • Leaving your coat at home even in a sunny weather
  • Driving too fast
  • Assuming alcohol to be available everywhere
  • Buying plastic bottles instead of carrying and refilling only one wherever you go

Get the true authentic experience by booking a local guide to Iceland.