Saturday Tours for MATS 2013

1. Isafjordur – Courtesy of Air Iceland & Vesturferdir. Limit 50 guests – SOLD OUT

2. Siglufjördur – Costal Culture Courtesy of Air Iceland & Fjallasyn. Limit 30 guests

3. Lava Field Horseriding & Viking Lunch – Courtesy of Ishestar & Fjörukrain. Limit 25 guests

4. Essential Iceland Super Jeep Tour - Courtesy of Icelandic Mountain Guides, limit 30 guests. – SOLD OUT

5. Take a Walk on the Ice Side – Courtesy of Icelandic Mountain Guides

6. Blue Lagoon Experience Package – Courtesy of Blue Lagoon

7. Reykjanes Adventure - Courtesy of Iceland Excursions, ATV Adventures, and Restaurant Vitinn. Limit 50 guests.

8. Amazing cultural tour with Visit Reykjavik

9. Blue Ice - glacier hiking and ice climbing – Courtesy of Artic Adventures. Limit 16 guests.

10.Black & Blue - Snorkeling and caving - Courtesy of Artic Adventures. Limit 12 guests.

11.Gullfoss Geysir and Highland Truck Ride – Courtesy of ICE and Reykjavik Excursions. Limit 35 guests

1. Isafjordur – Courtesy of Air Iceland & Vesturferdir.

Your day trip to the beautiful Wesfjords starts with a 40 minutes flight fromReykjavík to Ísafjörður, the small capital of the Westfjords with about2.600 inhabitants inmidst of stunning high mountains.

After a short bus ride into the town, you‘ll go onto a guided walk that willmake you explore the towns lively history.

Before you will be served a nice lunch at Hotel Ísafjörður, there will be ashort reception in the Westfjords Heritage Museum with a leading member ofthe towns municipality.

After lunch you will get a bus ride to Súðavík village, a small fishingvillage at Ísafjörðurs neighbouring fjord. In Súðavík you will visit the villages church, a church that is said to be stolen from Hesteyri, an abandoned place in the Jökulfirðir area.

In the villages Arctic Fox Museum, a research center, museum and café all in one, you will be informed about the arctic foxes in Hornstrandir Nature Reserve, the onlynative land mammal to Iceland.

Before heading back to Ísafjörður to catch your flight to Reykjavík you will be served delicous waffles and coffee in the museum.Fligh Ísaförður – Reykjavík 16:35-17:15

IncludedFlight Reykjavík-Ísafjörður-ReykjavíkBus transfersGuided walk in ÍsafjörðurReception in ÍsafjörðurLunch in ÍsafjörðurChurch and Arctic Fox Museum Visit in SúðavíkCoffew break inc. waffles and coffee in Súðavík

Please note this trip has a limit of 50 guests.

2. Siglufjördur – Costal Culture Courtesy of Air Iceland & Fjallasyn.

 Siglufjördur is a very scenic and historic fishing village, situated on the magnificent peninsula "Tröllaskagi" that with its high mountains and deep fjords is renowned for its beauty. The Herring Museum in Siglufjörður is the largest seafaring and industrial museum in the country and is housed in three widely differing premises. The exhibition tells the tale of fishing and processing these "silver darlings".  The Herring Museum was the recipient of The Luigi Micheletti Award in 2004, the European prize for innovative museums in the world of industry, science and technics. From Akureyri we drive along the western shoreline of Eyjafjörður, the longest fjord in Northern Iceland. We will learn about the area and take a look at some places along the coast, like the fishing villages Hauganes, Dalvík and Ólafsfjörður. We will go through Héðinsfjörður, a small deserted fjord which has been isolated until recent road construction between Ólafsfjörður and Siglufjörður. Upon arrival in Siglufjörður, we will do a little sightseeing before visiting The Herring Museum where we will gain good insight into local coastal culture and heritage. A lunch time is planned in Siglufjörður.

Please note this trip has a limit of 30 guests.

3. Lava Field Horseriding & Viking Lunch – Courtesy of Ishestar & Fjörukrain

An adventurous ride from the Íshestar Riding Centre into the lava fields surrounding Mt. Helgafell volcano to the old Kaldársel sheep corral or to Lake Hvaleyrarvatn through lava fields and across beautiful hillsides. View rough lava fields and look for different formations in the lava, maybe you will be able to spot a troll or two. The beautiful Bláfjöll Mountains tower above on the horizon. All riding is on excellent riding paths.

We will also enjoy lunch at Fjörukráin the Viking Restaurant www.fjorukrain.is after our Lava TourIncluded: riding helmets, rubber boots, and rainwear or a warm outfit during the ride. Please note that you cannot take any backpacks or bags with you on the ride but there are safety boxes at the Riding Centre where you can store your valuables.

Please note this trip has a limit of 25 guests.

4. Essential Iceland Super Jeep Tour - Courtesy of Icelandic Mountain Guides

Classic Iceland 4x4 tour to Kaldidalur, Langjökull Glacier, Lava Caves, Hot Springs and Waterfalls.Enjoy an amazing tour through a landscape of extreme contrasts, full of history and geology. Our day begins in Þingvellir National Park, the site of the ancient Viking parliament dating back to the 10th century. From there we head into the highlands, through the barren mountain pass of Kaldidalur to the Langjökull for an unforgettable discovery of this enormous glacier. The lava field of Hallmundarhraun is our next destination where you will explore one of Iceland's biggest and most spectacular lava caves. After caving we visit the unusual waterfalls of Hraunfossar and Barnafoss and take a look at one of the world's largest hot springs before returning to Reykjavík. In winter and spring we might have to alter the itinerary due to road conditions.

Please note this trip has a limit of 30 guests.

5. Take a Walk on the Ice Side – Courtesy of Icelandic Mountain GuidesThe most popular tour in the book! On this Iceland day tour you will be guided through the labyrinth of a glacier tongue extending down from the fourth biggest glacier in Iceland.

Only two hours from Reykjavík you find the Eyjafjallajökull massif, and just a little further east the Sólheimajökull glacier tongue extends down from its mother glacier, Mýrdalsjökull, Iceland’s fourth largest. This is a safe and easy glacier walk on crampons up on to the ice field where a wonderland of ice sculptures, ridges and deep crevasses await your discovery.

An Iceland glacier walk is a great way to experience nature and the Sólheimajökull glacier is an ideal way to spend the day.  Our experienced mountain guides will teach you how to use the basic ice equipment necessary for this tour. On the way back there’s a stop at the picturesque waterfalls of Skógafoss and Seljalandsfoss.

Included : Transport, guiding, services, glacier gear and safety equipment.Note : Bring warm clothing, rain gear, hiking boots and lunch (it is also possible to buy lunch on the way. Boots can be rented and we lend rain coats to those who need.

6. Blue Lagoon Experience Package – Courtesy of Blue Lagoon

A visit to the Blue Lagoon Iceland geothermal spa is an important part of your stay in Iceland. Guests renew their relationship with nature, soak up the scenic beauty and enjoy breathing the clean, fresh air while relaxing in the warm geothermal seawater. It is no surprise that the readers of “Conde Nast Traveller” voted Blue Lagoon as the best medical spa worldwide.

This package includes transport and entrance to the Blue Lagoon, use of towel and bathrobe. A mask or scrub at the Lagoon Bar as well as a complimentary drink at the bar.

Also included is a light refreshment at the LAVA Restaurant located at the Blue Lagoon or at the Blue Cafe after your spa trip.

7. Reykjanes Adventure - Courtesy of Iceland Excursions, ATV Adventures, and Restaurant Vitinn.

First stop on the tour is the charming fishing village of Grindavik on the Reykjanes Peninsula. There we will go on an exciting ATV ride with ATV Adventures on Lava fields and black sand beaches, on the surrounding hills and by the coast. Helmets, coveralls, gloves & covers for shoes will be provided.

The next stop is Magma – house of culture and natural resources which exhibits Iceland´s history of processing and selling dried salt Cod and the significance of this industry to Iceland´s economy. Also at Magma house is the Earth Energy exhibition about the diversity of Earth´s dynamic processes such as volcanism and geothermal heat.

After an adventurous morning the tour continues to Sandgerði, another fishing village on the peninsula. There we will go for a delicious lunch at Vitinn Seafood Restaurant, which brings the freshest seafood straight to your plate!

Please note this trip has a limit of 50 guests.

8. Amazing cultural tour with Visit Reykjavik

Visit Reykjavik invites guests to explore five beautiful museums in Reykjavik were they will see the latest trend in Icelandic art, the biggest Open Air Museum in Iceland, relics from the ninth century and the magnificent harbour area were guests will be invited on board of a patrol boat.

Lunch and refreshments are included. The tour is from 10:00 -16:00

9. Blue Ice - glacier hiking and ice climbing – Courtesy of Artic Adventures

Here is your chance to visit a glacier and not just any glacier. This trip will take you to the frozen glacial tongue that is Sólheimajökull. It is a magnificent phenomenon, a rugged, raw and ever changing hub of ancient frozen water. We will explore the crevasse riddled outlet glacier with its amazing ice formations, sinkholes and jagged ridges. Along the way we will find an ice wall on the glacier and try our hand at ice climbing. We will provide you with all the tools you need: ice axes, crampons and safety lines. A packed lunch will be served on the glacier. On our return journey to Reykjavik, we will stop at the beautiful waterfall Skógafoss.

On this trip you get to see and do what most of the population will only dream about and very few ever try. Why not be adventurous and explore the amazing crawling glacier.

Please note this trip has a limit of 16 guests

10.Black & Blue - Snorkeling and caving – Courtesy of Artic Adventures.

We start with the black as we explore the Leiðarendi cave in the hidden world under the lava field in the Blue Mountains area. The cave is a perfect example of an Icelandic lava tube where you have the opportunity to discover the marvels created by past volcanic activity. This is an adventure that everyone can undertake. After the cave we have lunch before moving into the blue...

Snorkeling in Silfra is our second adventure. The Silfra fissure is one of Iceland’s best-kept secrets, an otherworldly scene that is world famous for its heavenly shades of blue. The crystal clear water in the deep fissure gives you a feeling of being weightless as you float along with the lazy current. The snorkeling is a relaxing but exotic trip in an environment most will only encounter in their dreams.

The Black & Blue is an amazing trip, a true journey to the borders of reality and dreams.

Bad eyesight? Since you are wearing snorkeling / dive goggles to see underwater there can be nothing in the way of the seal to keep them from filling up with water. That is, you can not wear glasses underneath the goggles. You will have to go without them, wear eye lenses or bring your own goggles with prescription.

PLEASE NOTE: Although you don´t need to "swim" while snorkeling, we recommend that you can. The reason for that is people that can't swim tend to panic when they are in the water. You have to be comfortable with floating in water.

Please note this trip has a limit of 12 guests.

11.Gullfoss Geysir and Highland Truck Ride – Courtesy of ICE and Reykjavik Excursions.

All in one day. Full day excursion to many of the wonders of nature for which Iceland is justly known for. This tour includes the great Geysir, the beautiful waterfall Gullfoss, Europe's second largest ice cap Langjökull and Thingvellir.

Early morning bus departure from Reykjavik exploring all the magnificent places heading for the highlands and the glacier. We will board the Ice Explorer at Gullfoss and drive through mountain track to the edge of the glacier.

We will explorer the glacier and take a light glacier walk from the edge on snow or ice according to the conditions on the glacier. If necessary you will be provided crampons for the glacier walk.

Please note this trip has a limit of 35 guests.