Fire & Ice: Iceland Geography and Culture

This trip explores Iceland’s dramatic landscapes, renewable energy initiatives, and cultural heritage. Students will visit a geothermal energy plant, hike active volcanoes, bathe in geothermal pools, and explore glaciers and ice caves. The itinerary includes witnessing the Aurora Borealis, studying tectonic activity, and chasing waterfalls. The trip highlights the Icelandic relationship with nature and sustainability.

Day 1 ~ 3/15

After a peaceful flight mid-way across the Atlantic (those awake and on the left side of the aircraft were treated to amazing Northern Lights views!) we arrived in Reykjavik ready to tackle the day. Our resident Icelander Dr. Adam Zimmer joined us to tour us through the highlights of the city with Hallgrimskirkja (the landmark church), Sun Voyager sculpture, and other cultural highlights were seen as we wandered the streets. One of the highlights was the Settlement Museum — an original long house that was discovered only 5 years ago during excavations and then preserved below ground. Dr. Zimmer's speciality is in forensic anthropology and he was able to give ua a deeper dive into what the pre-modern cultures may have looked like. After having an Icelandic hot dog (gotta do), we took a short ferry ride over to Videy Island — a former monastery and farm, it is now a wilderness park of sorts within the city boundaries offering expansive views of the city and the mountains beyond (and swings).

We ended the day with a birthday meal for Walker in the shadow of Hallgrimskirja at the amazing Cafe Loki where we tried shark, masticated fish, lamb shanks, and stew. The highlight was of course the chocolate cake which we ate the place out of! Needless to say after having been up for over 24 hours by that point — sleep was foremost in their minds.

Day 2 ~ 3/16

Woke up early and after devouring some croissants we headed out on the road — it was going to be a full day on the classic Golden Circle. Porufoss was first on the list and the first of many waterfalls on the trip — brave souls took to the wind and driving rain climbing down into the canyon for an up close and personal view of this thundering waterfall. With high spirits (and slightly damp), we head for Thingvellir National Park home to the founding of modern Iceland (a thousand-year old democracy - the oldest in the world) and where the North American and Eurasian plates split apart forming the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Adam was able to give us a history lesson while Ms. Gaffga helped to also put this into the context of current American politics and our own working Democracy — Mr. Thesenga jumped into the fray with a short geology lesson on what was happening around us and explaining the sagging land as the crust split apart at our feet.

Onward to Geysir Stokkur — erupting every 6 minutes — we were able to catch a few eruptions from this famous spot (the place of origin for the word). The onward to huge multi-tiered Gullfoss waterfall before finally breaking for a late lunch. We had to eventually turn back to Reykjavik, the road taking us past other geothermal hot spots of hot pools, bubbling mud pits, and swirling steam clouds. Whew! Tomorrow we head south along the coast to the cities of Vik and Hofn — more full days ahead!

Day 3 ~ 3/17

Travel day and time to chase some waterfalls! Leaving early from Reykjavik we headed over the Reykjanes Peninsula through the clouds only to drop down into the sunny skies of the Southern Coast. Though on paper this is just a four hour jaunt, it was a fun filled and very busy day (and for some ... very very wet). First stop along the way was the Lava Center, an educational museum of a sort that helped us get acquainted with the various eruptions that have happened in Iceland over the last 50 years and also about the geology underfoot that was making all this happen — all in the shadow of Iceland's most infamous volcanoes Katla and (Zach's favorite) Eyjafjallajökul. From there it was time to track down some waterfalls and first up was

Seljalandsfoss — a torrent of glacier meltwater hurtling off a cliff that sent spray in all directions, some students running for cover, while others got their first soaking of the day, but all were thrilled to walk behind the falls and feel the spray. A true "taste" of Iceland! Then it was onward to the massive Skógafoss which we climbed the stairs to the top of and some of the more adventurous students walked through the river to get to the base of the falls! Followed quickly by the more hidden and less well known Kvernufoss (another chance for a behind the scenes view of a waterfall). By this point, food was all anyone really wanted so we bee-lined it to the small town of Vik — a quintessential Icelandic town which has embraced itself as an adventure gateway for the Southern Coast. An excellent night was had a bit farther along at the Adventure Hotel Hof, a converted former farm not far from the glaciers we would soon be climbing.

Day 4 ~ 3/18

Departing Hof, we headed further east to the famous Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon where the massive glacier calves icebergs and ice floes into the lagoon and eventually out into the Atlantic Ocean. The bobbing icebergs end up being tossed back onto Diamond Beach where they glitter and shine in the warm sun of the day. Dodging waves and boot sucking sand, we explored the beach and watched the bergs jam up at the exit of the crowded lagoon.

Heading still further east to Hofn — the southern coast's primary fishing village — for lunch and feeling refueled we headed to our farthest east point for the trip, Hvalnes Lighthouse. Standing 38 feet tall, this bright orange colored tower is a landmark for southeastern Iceland and truly stands out! We explored the headland, took some amazing photographs as the breakers smashed into the rocks and sent spray high into the air. Then it was back west to our hotel for the night, Fosshotel Glacier Lagoon, and another amazing dinner — with the hope of seeing the Northern Lights tonight!

Day 5 ~ 3/19

After the tease of seeing the glaciers yesterday, today was the day, as one student put it "this is getting real now". An expansive breakfast buffet started our day since this was going to be a busy one with 7 hours on the glacier ice. We took the short drive over to Vatnajokull National Park HQ where we got outfitted with crampons, helmets, ice axes, and harnesses before a safety briefing by the excellent guides from Arctic Adventures. We all boarded the specially outfitted bus with massive tires to bump ourselves over the terminal moraine of the Virkisjokull Glacier spilling out of the high mountains above.

Once we arrived at the base, we quickly started to climb through the moraine and arrived onto fresh ice where you donned our crampons and set out heading higher up. The majestic and imposing icefall with 140 ft blocks all around came ever closer as we climbed about 2000 feet up. Exploring crevasses, ice caves, arches, and the undulating surface of the glacier, the students had a chance to learn about the geology and physics of glaciers from Mr. Thesenga and the guides — real world examples of the power of these slow moving ice behomenths grinding away at the mountains (and retreating — all glaciers in Iceland are retreating due to anthropogenically accelerated climate change).

The day ended with enjoying the hot tubs at our hotel overlooking the outwash plain created by the very glaciers that we were just hiking on as the sun set on a very very busy day.

Day 6 ~ 3/20

Another big travel day as we headed back along the South Coast — we leave tomorrow so Reykjavik is in our sights! Torrential rains and winds off the coast encouraged us but so did our destination — today was the day we got to hike out to the volcano! In 2021, Fagradalsfjall on the Reykjanes Peninsula erupted signaling the start to the latest series of eruptions. Iceanders quickly jumped into action and tested out a variety of land berms not to stop the magma flow but redirect it. Four years later, we arrived on the scene — one of the successful berms was our destination and the still steaming valley venting sulfur dioxide and slowly cooling down. We walked out onto the solidified magma field in the valley and felt the hot rocks with our hands and the evidence of what had happened here only a short time ago.

Then it was off to the Hellisheiði Geothermal Station — the largest in Iceland and the largest single station power generating facility in the world (303 MW). Not only does it provide all the electricity for Reykjavik but also all of the hot water via 26 km of hot water pipes that feed a central facility in town. Students were able to get a look inside the turbine hall and gain an understanding of this world-class facility (they were surprised to learn that the largest geothermal facility in the world (multi-station) is The Geysers located just north of San Francisco, California. With a better understanding of geothermal energy, it was only appropriate to finally enjoy a geothermal bath of our own. Off to the Secret Lagoon, the oldest geothermal bath in Iceland and very traditional — they got to experience a geothermal bath as a social experience as Icelanders do.

A busy day ended with ice cream on the evening streets of Reykjavik as we prepare to say goodbye to our adopted island tomorrow.

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