Iceland is already a popular destination for winter adventures. Hiking on glaciers, walking through ice caves, sleeping beneath the northern lights and off the grid heli-skiing.
With today’s desire to escape other people and breathe the open air, there’s a new trend in travel: exploring Iceland in summer, with the whole family.
Plan My Iceland Holiday
Iceland makes adventure easy and accessible, for all ages. Throughout summer there’s almost 24 hours of daylight to enjoy the wilderness, safely. It’s a lot easier to have adventures when the kids don’t need to wear four layers of clothes.
With private guides your options are almost endless. Iceland’s famous experience is the Golden Circle. But Iceland will trend because there are still so many new experiences and destinations. Most of them are yet to dominate Instagram feeds.
It’s also the ideal destination as the pandemic rolls on. Wide, open spaces. Many private accommodation options. Very high vaccinated rates. And experiences that will help you escape. Here are just ten reasons to travel.
Glamping
A luxury camp, custom built every time, in a wild location somewhere in Iceland. Like on a mountaintop, glacier, or on the edge of the world. Perfect for a night of luxury inside the Arctic Circle, beneath the midnight sun. Perfect for an adventurous expedition with all the little comforts needed by your family.
Explore in a Modified Super Jeep
Over the mountains, across the rivers, up to glaciers and into a world beyond. Modified Super Jeeps can take you almost anywhere in Iceland, into landscapes where the only other person will be your private guide.
Fagradalsfjall Volcano
Watch a volcano erupt simply by transferring from the international airport to Reykjavik. Walk to the edge of the lava flow, helicopter above the eruption, or take a longer hike around Fagradalsfjall.
Horseback Riding
Popular all over Iceland, horseback riding is the classic family activity here. Local horses are pleasant and gentle. The trail can take you from black sand beaches to old lava fields and open meadows. Also consider mountain biking or fat biking across Iceland’s lunar-like landscapes.
Private Lodges
Iceland has a great selection of private lodges. Grand accommodation for the family, on wild landscapes far from other people. Almost all have hot tubs. Private chefs and sommeliers can be brought in. You can even spend the night in a traditional Viking house or Mongolian style yurt, where the owner cooks up freshly caught salmon from the river nearby.
Kayak in a Glacial Lagoon
Kayak between icebergs on Iceland’s South Coast. Then paddle alongside the front of a glacier. Or you can take a rib boat onto the Atlantic with your family. You’ll cruise past big icebergs, an experience that shows the frontline of climate change and crumbling Arctic ice fields.
Helicopter Experiences
Fly over geothermal flames. Soar above active volcanoes. Land on a glacier. Iceland is magnificent from above. Summer is best for helicopter trips as the weather is more predictable. Plus you can incorporate the aerial sightseeing into a transfer between remote destinations.
Reykjavik
How many capital cities offer whale watching, sea angling, cooking classes, horseback riding, volcano hiking and craft beer tasting? All on the same day. Reykjavik recently added the Sky Lagoon, an enormous natural infinity pool. Plus the Reykjavik EDITION just opened.
Swim Between Continents
Thingvellir National Park is home to the famous Gullfoss waterfall and Strokkur geyser. It’s a World Heritage Site on the Golden Circle circuit. With a private guide you quickly escape the tourist trail and have your own space. Then you can go snorkeling in the gap between two continents.
Glacier Walking
Glacier walking is an easy and fun activity, regardless of your age or the time of year. You can even walk through ice caves. Or try ice climbing, which is a lot easier than it sounds.
More Iceland Experiences
Iceland will be a trending summer destination because your experience will be different to the next traveller. Almost every visitor to Iceland wants to return for a second or third holiday. The variety is astonishing and you can always tailor a week or more to meet your family’s interests.
Yes, it’s an adventurous holiday. But this is a country where you’ll be looked after extremely well. Iceland makes adventure easy for people who not usually very adventurous.
