Geography School Trip to North and South Iceland
Iceland
6 days from £990pp
Based on 36 students and 4 free teacher places travelling Sep-Oct 2023 excluding key school holiday peak dates
You might think you know Iceland but think again. There are boundless treasures to be discovered beyond the popular South West region. The North of Iceland is a collage of untouched, rugged landscapes and geographical phenomena.
There are a few different options when it comes to including the North in your next geography school trip. The itinerary below uses a route which goes through the impressive West region without missing out some highlights of the South including a visit to Reykjavik. Talk to our travel specialists about other routes that you might enjoy.
This itinerary also includes a visit the Europe’s more powerful waterfall, Dettifoss and the north’s answer to the Blue Lagoon, Myvatn Nature Baths.
Perlan, Borgarnes, Hraunfossar, Barnafoss, Deildartunguhver Hot Springs
Begin your trip with a visit to one of Reykjavik city’s most memorable landmarks, Perlan. Explore the museum and head to the observation deck to admire the views of Reykjavik’s colourful houses below.
On the road again you will drive through the beautiful region of Hvalfjordur which was once a prominent whaling area. There are many quiet towns to explore in this area including Borgarnes.
Now you are in the West you must see one of our favourite spots; the cascading blue waters at Hraunfossar. Formed as water carved its way through lava fields and emerges to join the river below.
You will also see Barnafoss, another waterfall, which offers very different scenery and landscape to Hraunafossar.
The West of Iceland is home to Europe’s largest and most powerful hot spring, Deildartunguhver and is used to heat many of the houses in this area. Ideal for Geography students interested in geothermal energy.
Grabrok Craters, Hvammstangi, Akureyri
En route to the north of the island you will first visit Grabok Craters. These giant volcanic craters were formed approximately three thousand years ago from a fissure eruption.
It is time to experience some culture at the Hvammstangi wool shop and factory famed for producing its own line of knitwear from Icelandic wool.
You will later arrive in Akuryeri, named Iceland’s second city and one of Lonely Planet’s best places to visit in 2015.
Whale Watching in Husavik, Tjornes peninsula, Asbyrgi Canyon and Dettifoss
In the morning your students will embark on an exciting boat trip to go whale watching. There are 24 species of whale who frequent Husavik’s waters and it is often called one of the best places in the world to spot whales.
Geologists will rejoice as you reach the Tjornes Peninsula. This area is known for dramatic cliffs and green hills and fossils.
Your next stop will be the magnificent Asbyrgi canyon, a horseshoe shaped canyon which is deep routed in Norse Mythology. It was originally thought to be the hoof print of Odin’s eight-legged horse.
This incredible day concludes with a visit to Dettifoss, the most powerful waterfall in Europe.
Skutustadir, Dimmuborgir lava formations, Namaskard, Krafla Geothermal Power Station and Myvatn Nature Baths
When you begin your journey on day 4 your students will witness a lunar landscape of large pseudocraters at Skutustadir.
Continuing on the theme of dramatic scenery, your trip will head to Hofdi and then Dimmuborgir, both areas where lava formations have created unusual silhouettes and provide an excellent opportunity to discuss physical geography.
You will also visit Hverfall, a large crater which is part of the Krafla system, which you will learn more about later on day 4.
One of our most memorable stops on day 4 is Namaskard geothermal area. The hot springs and bubbling mud pools are a powerful (and pungent) reminder of the power beneath the ground below.
This power is harnessed by the Icelandic people at sights like Krafla geothermal power station. At this stop students will learn about the benefits of living so close to geothermal activity.
After a short visit to Viti Crater Lake, your students will have a chance to experience another benefit of geothermal energy first hand by soaking in the milky blue waters at Myvatn Nature Baths. These authentic hot baths are the North’s answer to the Blue Lagoon and provide the perfect end to a busy day!
Godafoss, Glumbaer turf farm and Glanni
Iceland is not short of waterfalls but there is one that is hard to beat when it comes to beauty. Godafoss literally means waterfall of the gods and it is easy to see why. This horseshoe shaped waterfall is certainly a photogenic attraction.
You will then visit Glumbaer turf farm. Wandering through the maze of tiny rooms and passages in one of Iceland’s best-preserved turf farms you’ll get a feel for how life used to be for centuries. The buildings are packed with original artefacts from a self-sufficient lifestyle where nothing was wasted – an interesting comparison with contemporary consumerism.
No geography school trip is complete without studying coastal formations! Your next stop is at Hvitserkur where your students can study the large monolith and which in folklore was known as a petrified troll.
Finally you will have a chance to stretch your legs on a forest trek to Glanni waterall before heading on to Borgarfjodur for your overnight stay.
Reykjavik City / Reykjanes Peninsula and Home
You will head back to the capital of Reykavik and to enjoy some free time to explore before heading to Keflavik for your return flight.
While in Reykjavik we’d recommend browsing in the quirky boutiques, admiring the street art or sheltering in a quaint coffee shop.
For geographers eager to take every opportunity to explore Iceland’s rugged landscape, you could swap a Reykjavik visit for a tour around the Reykjanes Peninsula, a geologically fascinating area with bubbling mud pools and lava fields.
Trip Notes:
The price for this trip is based on a group of 36 students travelling with 4 teachers (free places) in Oct 2023. To get an accurate price for your group and dates contact our team directly.Curriculum links
geography
- Tectonic processes, landforms & hazards
- Weather processes & hazards
- Climate change
- Ecosystems
- Coastal processes, landforms & management
- Water & river processes, landforms & management
- Glacial processes, landforms & management
- Geological processes & landforms
- Urban change & growth
- Population
- Economic change
- Food resources
- Water resources
- Energy resources
If you loved South Iceland, discover the North East
We've collected North and East equivalents to your favourite sights in the South West to prove there are just as many geographical wonders beyond the Golden Circle.
School Trip Planning Hub
We know that the real job of selling a school trip is down to you and your colleagues so we've collated some helpful resources for you to use to make sure you not only get the buy in from your students and their parents, but also that you have all the details you need to ensure a simple planning process.
Get Started!
Enquire now
Why choose us?
Links to resources
View all resources
GIS Iceland
Use our new interactive GIS Map to navigate around Iceland with videos of some of the most geographically fascinating sites.
North East Iceland Highlights
The North East of Iceland remains one of Iceland's most spectacular and lesser visited regions even as the South grows in popularity.
Thinking Skills Resource: Perspectives on Sustainability in Iceland
We asked four people with unique experiences of the changes in Icelandic tourism and sustainable development to answer questions about the effects that the tourism boom has had on the environment, local people and visitors.
