Geography School Trip to Iceland

Reykjavik, Flyover Iceland and Perlan

You’ll waste no time once you land in Keflavik by heading straight to nearby capital, Reykjavik.

What better way to start your trip to Iceland that with its newest attraction Flyover Iceland. This innovative ride, simulates the experience of flying over all corners of Iceland. Students will learn about the history and creation of Iceland in this ideal introduction to the island.

You will then move on to a stop at Perlan Wonders of Iceland, the museum with the iconic glass dome in Reykjavik. Students will feel the chill in the ice cave of the museum as well as interacting with the state-of-the-art exhibits.

This compact city is bursting with culture as most of Iceland’s population live in Reykjavik and the surrounding suburbs. Students will have an opportunity to explore the streets and pick up a souvenir or some traditional Icelandic liquorice before heading to your accommodation outside the city.

Waterfalls, Glacier Walk, Black Beaches and Icelandic Lava Show

The second day of your trip will begin by seeing life outside of the city centre in the town of Hveragerdi. This town is a great geography case study of a changing place as the people of Hveragerdi take advantage of their geothermal setting for warmth and tourism.

You’ll then hop back aboard the coach for your next stop at Seljalandsfoss, one of Iceland’s most beautiful waterfalls. Students can follow the pathway behind the curtain of water (warning: you will get wet!) and have the opportunity to take some photos.

The next waterfall you will visit is the famous Skogafoss which is a staple of any Iceland school trip. Students can even fill their water bottles with fresh water from the River Skoga after visiting the waterfall.

One of the trips most memorable activities will be the glacier walk at Solheimajokull. You and your students will strap on your helmets and crampons and take to the ice to see the giant glacier up close as your experienced guides explain how the glacier is changing.

Your next stop on this busy day is a visit to the black beaches of Reynishfjara where geology and geography students can marvel at the tall basalt columns formed after volcanic eruptions.

You will reach your hotel and enjoy a group meal before heading back out for one last exciting activity – the Icelandic Lava Show! You’ll learn about life in close proximity to volcanoes like Katla, and witness an incredible molten lava display as it rolls over a huge block of ice. This activity is exclusive to Discover the World Education and is not to be missed!

LAVA Centre and Golden Circle tour

After last night’s live lava experience, students will be thrilled to visit the LAVA Centre. There are many things to do and exhibits to interact with including earthquake simulators, innovative displays of tectonic plates and more. It’s no wonder the LAVA Centre is our most popular activity in all our destinations.

You will then begin your Golden Circle tour at Geysir, the area which gave geysers their name. The most reliable of the geysers here is Strokkur, which erupts every 6 minutes so have your cameras ready!

Following this you will move on to visit Gullfoss, where the Hvita river falls 32 metres over two drops.

The last stop on your Golden Circle tour is Thingvellir. This national park is carved down the middle by the Mid Atlantic Ridge, and students can walk the boundary between the North American and Euroasian tectonic plates.

You will spend the night at countryside accommodation, giving your group another chance to see the northern lights, if you’re lucky!

Sights of West Iceland including Krauma Geothermal Pools

For your last full day in Iceland we’d recommend getting off the beaten track with a day in the West.

Start off in the old fishing town of Borgarnes, the gateway to Snaefellsness. It is a majestic setting and it will be evident why many Icelandic sagas were set here.

Journey to the geothermally active area of Deilartunguhver, Europe’s largest and most powerful hot spring. Enjoy the benefits of this activity in the most relaxing way possible, by soaking in the waters of Krauma baths (West Iceland’s answer to the Blue Lagoon) where you can also indulge in the sauna and hot tubs.

Of course, a day in Iceland is not complete without seeing some beautiful waterfalls. One of our favourites is Hraunfossar where the ribbons of water cascade over the lava formations into the Hvita river.

You will also see Barnafoss, a tumbling, white water fast flowing river and offers very different scenery and landscape to Hraunafossar.

Your journey through dramatic landscapes continues with a stop at Grabrok Crater. The crater rises 170m above the ground and from the footpath you will be able to gaze into what is left of the volcano