Iceland is awe-inspiring. The landscape, so newly formed, so refreshingly pristine, and so geologically active, defies portrayal with words and pictures, although it will inspire you to try! Steam rises from hot pools on volcanic mountainsides, and glacier-fed waterfalls tumble down to the lush lands below.
Cycling here can be both challenging and rewarding. Road surfaces vary, and the landscape is so open that headwinds are strong and tailwinds divine. We have combined the best scenery with the least used roads, and the most comfortable hotels, so that you can enjoy this uncrowded place as fully as possible. We provide thorough vehicle support, while you ride the wide open spaces, breathing clear air warmed by the Gulf Stream, and bathing in water heated by the earth. When the road beckons in front of you, and the sun illuminates the rivers, pastures, and icecaps all around, you will be humbled by the sheer magnificence of your surroundings. You may ponder, as you gaze into the Mid-Atlantic Rift, or soak in your hotpot beneath the midnight sun, the humbling power of the dynamic earth.
You will begin cycling in Hveragerði, not far from Reykjavik. by riding around the lake of Þingvallvatn to the ancient parliament at Þingvellir, then to Geysir and the impressive waterfall at Gullfoss. Skirting the mountains on fairly level roads at their base, you will cross the fertile Biskupstungur (“Fields between Rivers”) to the lava fields below Mount Hekla, and riding under the Mýrdalsjökull Glacier between Hvollsvollur and Vik before exploring the magical nature reserve at Þórsmörk - "Thor's Playground". You will rest in a charming combination of small inns, Scandinavian-style guesthouses, and comfortable hotels. You will be able to ride to your heart’s content, but will occasionally need to switch from your bike to a vehicle capable of carrying you across rivers. Please bring your sense of wonder and adventure!
Iceland just scored big in Conde Nast Traveler's 2004 Hot List of the hottest tables, bars and hotels in the world. Hotel Budir in Snaefellsnes and 101 Hotel in Reykjavik were judged to be two of the best in the world. The bar at 101 Hotel also received an award as one of the global hotbeds of nightlife. Iceland is not just for late-night action though - Sjavarkjallarinn, (The Seafood Cellar), in Reykjavik was rated as one of the world's Hot Tables by the magazine for its Viking history and Asian-influenced food.
Tour Highlights: black sand beaches, lobster feast, steaming earth, beautiful lakes, standing in the Trans Atlantic Rift, Geysers, waterfalls, volcanoes, Icelandic ponies, glaciers, puffins. Tour starts: 1:00pm day 1, Reykjavik, Iceland. (Loftleidir Hotel). Tour finish: late afternoon day 8, Reykjavik, Iceland. (Loftleidir Hotel).
2008 Guided Dates: Jun 20-27; Jul 11-18; Aug 3-10; or start a new departure.
2008 Self-Guided Dates: You Choose !
Best Months: Best months are Late July to Early August.
Best Combined With: West Scotland; Ireland: Connemara; Iceland: North; Newfoundland: Viking Trail or Avalon Peninsula.
Route Notes: 35 - 100 km/day on mainly paved with occasional gravel roads, with some rolling hills, and lots of level riding. The riding ease is often wind-dependent, but we endeavor to ride downwind in some cases. Come prepared to enjoy anything!
Tour Itinerary:
Day 1: Early afternoon pickup in Reykjavik/Hotel Loftleider, for transfer to your guesthouse in Hveragerdi. Owned by Knütur Bruun - a patron of Icelandic art, and the chairman of the National Gallery - your guesthouse is well appointed and decorated. Outdoors, you will enjoy the hot swimming pool and “hotpot” beside the river. Indoors, you will enjoy a geothermal sauna and the art Gnutur has collected. You will test your bikes, and depart early for dinner in a nearby coastal village, after exploring the greenhouse community, where tropical plants grow at the Arctic Circle, thanks to the unlimited hot water just beneath the earth’s surface here. Dinner included (guided trips only). Lodging: Guesthouse Frost og Funi (Frost & Fire), Hveragerði.
Day 2: 70 km/45mi. Ride on quiet gravel and paved roads around the shore of Þingvallvatn, to the site of the worlds oldest surviving parliament at Þingvellir. There you can stand on the edge of the Mid-Atlantic rift, and enjoy gazing into the depths of the clear glacial water of the lake, at the divergence zone of tectonic plates. Hotel Valholl, Þingvellir.
Day 3: 53 or 69km/32 or 43mi. Ride on paved and gravel roads to the namesake of all geysers, at Geysir. Stop for lunch options overlooking Laugarvatn, then ride the rolling road along its shore toward Geysir. Visit the magnificent waterfall of Gullfoss before relaxing at your hotel. Hotel Geysir, Geysir.
Day 4: 44 or 98km. A downstream ride along the banks of the Hvita River. Afternoon optional ride to Skalholt, a church with stained glass mosaics, on the site of the first Christian bishopric in Iceland. This spiritual centre has been a theological powerhouse since 1000A.D. In 1953 foundations were laid for the new church. During excavation, the remains of a 1309 cathedral were found, including the carved coffin of Pall Jonsson, a hard-as-nails bishop whose death in 1211, according to Pals Saga, was greeted with an earth tremor and deluge. When excavators opened the coffin in ’53, there was a downpour again – the biggest in many years. Meals included: Self-guided: breakfast. Guided: Breakfast and dinner. Lodging: Hotel Hekla, Selfoss, Hotel Fludir, Fludir.
Day 5: 44 or 95km. Afternoon hiking option. Afternoon hiking option Today’s long ride takes you up the banks of the Pjorsa River, by the newly constructed hydroelectric facility at Stöng, and downstream to a uniquely Scandinavian retreat in the middle of the volcano Hekla’s lava fields. Along the way, you will visit a homestead abandoned in 1104, during an eruption of Hekla, and will have the choice between a 4-hour hike to Iceland’s second highest waterfall - Háifoss, or simply riding another 50km downstream in the shadow of the snow-capped Mt. Hekla volcano. Meals included: Self-guided: breakfast. Guided: all meals. Lodging: Leirubakki Guest House, Landsveit.
N.B. Tonight’s lodging does not provide private bathrooms. Please be prepared for dormitory-style lodging, with excellent food, in a very remote setting and views of Mount Hekla.
Day 6: 66 or 69km. Following mountain roads through lava fields, farmlands, and around the volcano range of Hraun, you will ride to Hvollsvöllur, near the valley of Þórsmörk. You will stop on the way to visit Keldur, a prime example of later homesteading featured in Njal’s Sagas. When you arrive in Hvollsvöllur, you can visit the Njal’s Saga museum for enlightenment about this integral part of Icelandic culture. Meals included: Self-guided: breakfast. Guided: all meals. Lodging: Hotel Hvolsvollur, Hvollsvollur or Hotel Ranga, Sudurlandsvegur.
Day 7: 80km. Ride along the coast under the Glacier Mýrdalsjökull. The wind blows here, and we adjust the days plan to take advantage of a tailwind. It is flat except for a couple of good climbs near Vik. Picnic lunch beneath the waterfall Skogafoss, where distractions include a very interesting folk museum. Additional options include visiting the glacier and seeing the puffin colony at Dyrholaey. Meals included: Self-guided: breakfast. Guided: all meals. Lodging: Same as last night.
Day 8: A morning of exploration by 4WD and on foot up the Þvera valley to Þorsmörk. Enjoy uncountable waterfalls as they cascade off the volcanic plateau. Cross the river to two spectacular waterfalls in your 4WD transport to the hidden paradise of Þorsmörk (“Thor’s Forest”) nature reserve – one of Iceland’s most spectacular but inaccessible wildernesses. Sealed off by three glaciers, two rivers, and a string of mountains, it reveals glaciers, wildflowers, and bird-filled willow woods. Van transfer at day’s end, back to Reykjavik. Breakfast included. Lunch also on guided trips.
Testimonials:
"I was thrilled with how thoroughly the trip was researched, so that every little detail was taken care of. Even our accommodations before and after the trip were carefully taken care of."
(Jim and Anne Jesse)
"Day 6, almost all off road and through the river, is a dream ride and is the reason I returned to Iceland."
(Janice Kretchman)
"Iceland is another planet, a primeval near-arctic island of glacial mists and intermittent volcanic eruptions made temperate by the Gulf Stream. The modern world doesn't have many places as strange and beautiful as this, and over the past decade Iceland has captured the imagination of adventurous travelers, approaching a mythical status alongside places like Patagonia and New Zealand. In fact, when I returned from Iceland, I felt like a minor celebrity. Everyone I knew demanded a thorough debriefing: Was Iceland as great as they'd heard? Should they plan their trip right now? … Iceland, where a scant 300,000 people live in coastal towns and hamlets (the interior is uninhabitable), is still marvelously unspoiled."
(Joseph Hooper, Departures Magazine, January/February 2005)
Notes:
Airfare is not included in the tour price.
Guided: $3995 (per person, includes 8 days, 7 nights, 7 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 7 dinners, van & guide support, maps & route notes, taxes)-
Self-Guided Cost: $3595 (per person, includes 8 days, 7 nights, 7 breakfasts, luggage handling, maps & route notes, taxes)
Mountain bikes with smooth tires: $195
Also see tour packages in:
Europe
Iceland
Outdoor: Land Rambler
Bicycle Touring
Horse Riding
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