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Iceland

Land of fire and ice

DATE: 20 – 28 April 2012 (winter tour)

GROUP: minimum 6, maximum 12

A must do tour for your bucket list

“Die avontuur is te gou verby. Ons het vir ‘n week deur ‘n land van vuur en ys gery waar die aarde sy warm asem uitblaas, maar ook sy skoonheid in oorvloed wys. Dit is tienvoudig mooier as wat ek verwag het.” Dolf Els!
“This tour is just a cut above the rest and a brilliant experience - I will be back” – Dirk de Jongh!

Introduction:

Iceland is in all senses surprising with an educational level of 99% and the highest per capita readers in the world. The infrastructure is good; the food of the highest order and the beauty and variety makes for unforgettable images in your mind. Life underneath the surface of the earth, however, is the thing that will mesmerize you the most. Imagine, hot water of 100 degrees ejecting 40 meters into the air every 10 minutes, steam bubbling out of the earth, a drive through a 32 km crater … the world’s longest, or standing on the edge of the volcano responsible for the ash cloud over Europe in 2010, or driving on a glacier with an 800 m thick ice layer beneath you. It is impossible to leave Iceland untouched. There are two ways of exploring Iceland – driving the highways or driving the back roads. In true Live the Journey spirit, we will be taking the back roads to ensure the best possible experience, still including the highlights and sleeping in great accommodation. We have compiled the programme in such a way as to allow enough free time to explore Reykjavik at your own pace and time, before departing to the more remote parts. There are great shops, beautiful little streets, top restaurants and lots of history. Then an adventure of a lifetime begins when we drive our converted 4 x 4 vehicles on mountain trails that are not accessible to everyone. You drive your own converted vehicle with big wheels, 38 to 44 inches. On this tour we visit all major attractions of the south including, Þingvellir, Gullfoss, Geysir, the Glacier Lagoon, Skaftafell National Park, Eyjafjallajökull area, Þórsmörk and many other interesting places. This is a perfect way to cover all these major sites in a relatively short time with a knowledgeable guide in a comfortable vehicle where everything is taken care of and the only thing you need to think about is enjoying the incredible scenery.

Includes

• Transfer from Keflavik Airport to hotel in Reykjavik
• 2 night’s accommodation in Reykjavik pre the Arctic Truck expedition
• Accommodation, vehicle (self-drive), fuel, 3 meals daily, guide, communication radio’s and entrance fees during Arctic Truck expedition.
• 1 night’s accommodation near Keflavik Airport post the Arctic Truck expedition.

Excludes

• International flights - estimated return flight costs: R14 000.00 pp
• Transit visa for the UK (application takes 10 days)
• Schengen visa for Iceland (application takes 3 weeks)
• Travel, medical and luggage insurance
• Drinks
• Meals not specified
• Porterage and gratuities
• Things of a personal nature

ITINERARY

Day 1: 20 April 2012

20:10 Depart on BA58 from Cape Town to London Heathrow, Terminal 5

Day 2: 21 April 2012

06:45 Arrive in London at Heathrow, Terminal 5. Proceed to Terminal 1
13:00 Depart on FI 451 from London Heathrow to Keflavik Airport in Reykjavik, Iceland
15:00 Arrive in Reykjavik. Transfer from the airport to a hotel in the city. Rest of the day at leisure. Explore the beautiful historical streets, the new state theatre and visit the place where Presidents Reagan and Gorbachev discussed the end of the Cold War. O/N Hotel in Reykjavik (dinner)

Day 3: 22 April 2012

Breakfast at your hotel. Your Live the Journey tour leader will accompany you while exploring Reykjavik in your own time for sightseeing, shopping or a visit to the Blue Lagoon by using the regular bus transfers from the city centre. O/N Hotel in Reykjavik (breakfast)

Day 4: 23 April 2012

Breakfast and check-out. You will be met by your Artic Truck guide and will depart in specially modified 4x4’s, designed to handle Icelandic conditions. We will start by visiting the Þingvellir national park where the parliament was established in 930 AD. This is also a place of great geological interest, since it’s one of a few places where you can see an actual rift valley above sea level where land is torn apart by the great forces of tectonic plate movements. We will then head on to visit the geothermal area of Geysir and the majestic Gullfoss waterfall before heading eastward to our accommodation for the next two nights in the area of Kirkjubæjarklaustur. O/N Mountain Huts with shared facilities (breakfast, lunch, dinner)

Day 5: 24 April 2012

Breakfast and then a day full of excitement will commence. On our menu for today is the magnificent Glacier Lagoon (Jökulsárlón) as well as the Skaftafell National Park and Svinafellsjökull Glacier. In early morning we drive eastward across the floodplains of Skeiðaraársandur with a view of Iceland’s biggest volcano, Öræfajökull with its summit, Hvannadalshnjúkur 2113 meters above sea level, which makes it the highest in Iceland. After about two hour’s drive we reach the Lagoon where you can see many amazing blocks of ice that have broken off Europe’s biggest glacier, Vatnajökull. They sail slowly towards the ocean which is only a kilometre away. Then we head back to Skaftafell National Park, where we spend the afternoon hiking on some of the great hiking trails in the area, among them is one which leads us up to the stunning Svartifoss waterfall. If possible, we try to end our day in the swimming pool at Kirkjubæjarklaustur and relax among the locals in the “hot pot” O/N Mountain Huts with shared facilities (breakfast, lunch, dinner)

Day 6: 25 April 2012

Breakfast. In the morning we start heading west again and our first stop will be Vík í Mýrdal a small charming village surrounded by beautiful high bird cliffs. Depending on season, this place can be very lively as countless numbers of birds hover gracefully above you. We go for a thrilling drive along the black coast of the Atlantic Ocean and then there are two optional activities to choose from: (i) Snowmobile ride (Euro 90 pp) on Myrdalsjökull glacier or (ii) a Glacier hike on Sólheimajökull glacier. Last but not least we visit the majestic Skógarfoss waterfall and the museum at Skógar

Day 7: 26 April 2012

Breakfast and check-out. Today we learn all about the 2010 Eyjafjallajökull eruption. Þórsmörk is a natural paradise named after the pagan God Thor and lies just behind the now famous Eyjafjallajökull volcano. We head towards the valley and visit the outlet glacier where the glacier floods came rushing down with an incredible force during the eruption under the icecap. The recent eruption has altered the appearance of the landscape but at the same time created a unique opportunity to witness how the elements of ice and fire constantly shape and reshape the surface of our planet. The area is shaped by a series of deep valleys, surrounded on three sides by glaciers and intersected by numerous fast flowing glacial rivers. Owing to considerable access difficulties the average foreign traveller seldom gets to see this jewel of the Icelandic landscape. Once there, we discover a nature reserve full of geological wonders, rich birdlife and magnificent contrasts, glaciers, forests, Tuff Mountains and ruthless glacier torrents, everything at your fingertips. There are countless possibilities for hiking and exploring in the area, into Stakkholtsgja river canyon or up to top of Valahnukur Mountain for a fantastic view. On our way back we stop at the Seljalandsfoss where the brave ones can walk underneath the waterfall as it cascades down from the cliff. After a refreshing day out in Þórsmörk, we head back to Reykjavik. Check-in at your hotel near the airport. O/N Hotel near the airport (breakfast, lunch, dinner)

Day 8: 27 April 2012

Transfer from the hotel to the Airport.
07:40 Depart from Reykjavik on FI 450 for London Heathrow, Terminal 1
11:45 Arrive at London Heathrow. Proceed to Terminal 5.
19:30 Depart on BA59 from London Heathrow, Terminal 5 for Cape Town.

Day 9: 28 April 2012

08:00 Arrive in Cape Town

END of service

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Cost per person sharing:  

Land arrangements: Cost per person based on 2 people per Arctic Truck: Euro 2680.00 pp

Special notes:

If you make your own flight arrangements and arrive at a different time than the given time on the itinerary at Keflavik Airport, the airport transfer will be for your own account as is not included in the quoted rate. Clients are responsible for their own visa applications. Live the Journey will provide guidance and information, but clients must apply in person. Take into account that you first need to apply for a UK Transit visa (takes 10 days) and then for a Schengen visa for Iceland via the Danish representation in South Africa. The application for the Schengen visa takes 3 weeks.

Bookings:

Deadline for bookings: 1 MARCH 2012

It is important to book immediately to finalize numbers and to obtain the best possible flight ticket rates – the sooner flights are booked, the cheaper the rates.

Payments:

~ A 10% tour deposit as well as the full flight costs are required at time of booking
(contact us for a booking form),
~ 40% payable 3 months prior to departure,
~ 50% 6 weeks prior to departure