Adventures in Iceland

Where to buy Icelandic Lopapeysa?

Lopapeysa is typically hand-knitted using Icelandic wool, which is known for its exceptional warmth and insulation. The sweaters are usually patterned with a circular yoke design, featuring various motifs inspired by nature, folklore, or traditional patterns. The yoke is the part of the sweater that covers the shoulders and upper chest.

The wool used in lopapeysa is known for its water-repellent properties and breathability, making it suitable for outdoor activities and keeping the wearer warm even when wet.

Question – how to become the owner of the original lopapeysa and not pay a fortune for it? Here is a short, subjective list of where to find an Icelandic sweater:

The handknitting association of Iceland. It used to be a mecca for Erasmus students hungry for discounts. A place where you can buy wool and templates to make your own sweater, as well as ready-made products. They are quite expensive, but we are sure that they are handmade from Icelandic wool.

Puffin stores. These gift shops are everywhere and have the same assortment. What do you know about sweaters? They are not handmade and some are not even Icelandic wool. You also need to check if they were made in Iceland. The prices are not that high.

Internet shops. Eatsy is probably the most popular, mainly due to the lowest prices on the market for a made-to-measure sweater. By entering the website, you choose a pattern, enter your sizes, wait some time and … you have it 🙂

Kolaportid (flea market) and the Red Cross. The first has stands with both new (of course – more expensive) and used items. You can find sweaters there for as much as 10,000 kr. The Red Cross will have used sweaters at a lower price and we are also aware that the proceeds will go to charity.

The cheapest option is to make your own sweater. Where can you buy wool? The previously mentioned Icelandic Wool Association is one of the places with the largest selection in Reykjavik. Together with wool, you can find ready-made patterns and choose your favorite. And where to learn to knit? I recommend youtube.com and ready-made workshops. However, the best teacher is always grandma 🙂

Last but not least: Us 🙂 Paulina is always happy to prepare something beautiful and tailor made for you

Landmannalaugar jeep tour

Landmannalaugar jeep tour

In the morning we will pick you up from your hotel or designated bus stop downtown. A large part of visiting Landmannalaugar is the journey there. Small, gravel roads through untouched landscape is an attraction on its own. We will head towards Fjallabak Nature Reserve with a short stop at the Hjálparfoss waterfall on our way. Once in Landmannalaugar, the guide will take you for a hike around a beautiful lava field created by an eruption in 1477 and colorful rhyolitic mountains like Brennisteinsalda. After a 3 hour walk you will have an opportunity to take a bath in a famous geothermal hot spring and relax before heading back to Reykjavik.

Make an inquiry





Þórsmörk jeep tour

Þórsmörk jeep tour

In the morning we will pick you up from your hotel or designated bus stop downtown and we will head towards Þórsmörk valley. After crossing a couple of rivers we will reach a mountain hut Langidalur. From there we will hike up the mountain Valahnukur known for its magnificent views on the top of which we will eat lunch. On our way down we will visit Sönghellir, the Singing cave and famous Snorrariki cave. We will spend a couple of hours in the mountains surrounded by the birch trees. Next we will head to beautiful Stakkholtsgja canyon for a short walk that requires crossing a couple of rivers barefoot or with river shoes, that ends with a magnificent waterfall. On our way back to Reykjavik we will stop by famous Seljalandsfoss, a 60 meters tall waterfall that takes its origin in glacier Eyjafjallajokull. A small cave behind the waterfall and the pathway leading through it gives an amazing opportunity to take great pictures. Just next to Seljalandsfoss there is another fall called Gljufrabui – a waterfall hidden in a narrow canyon.

Make an inquiry





Custom Golden Circle

Custom Golden Circle

6 hours

THE BASICS

 

Þingvellir

Þingvellir is a UNESCO World Heritage site due to its importance to Icelandic history, culture and geology. It sits in a rift valley where the two tectonic plates can be seen drifting apart. In 930 it was the founding place of Iceland’s parliament, the worlds oldest still running parliament.

Gullfoss

A Waterfall running down the river Hvítá from the glacier Langjökull.

Geysir

A geothermal area with several hot springs, with one of them being Geysir, from which the english word “geyser” comes from. A magnificent sight, although not very active so the geyser Strokkur is the main attraction erupting about every five minutes.

 

ADDITIONS

 

+1 hour

Gljúfrasteinn

Gljufrasteinn – Laxness Museum. The museum is an old house that used to be the workplace of Halldór Laxness – Iceland’s only Nobel Prize laureate, for which he received for literature in 1955. Place hasn’t changed since Laxness and his family lived there for over 50 years and it was recently opened to the public.

+30 minutes

Efstidalur

Who doesn’t like ice cream? Take an example from Icelanders who love them equally in the summer or winter. Efstidalur is a farm on the way from Laugarvatn to Geysir. While you enjoy the local ice cream made from fresh milk you can watch the cows and small adorable calves, as the barn is separated from the store with a window.

+15 minutes

Bíó

One of the land owners next to Geysir decided to make tourists lives easier and prepared a parking lot where you can pet an Icelandic horse. You can also buy some horse candy in a booth next to the fence for 200 kronas (cash) and feed these charming animals.

+30 minutes

Faxi

Faxi is a waterfall hidden from the main road. After visiting Gullfoss it is not as impressive, but it’s a nice short stop before continuing the Golden Circle.

+30 minutes

Kerið

Kerið is a beautiful crater lake, created when volcanic eruption occurred in the Grímsnes area. The eruption drained the magma chamber causing the cone to collapse into the mountain. The crater is approximately 55 meters deep, 170 meters wide and 270 meters across.

+2 hours

Gamla Laugin

The (not so) Secret Lagoon is a geothermal area located next to the small town Flúðir. It’s the oldest natural swimming pool in Iceland, opened in 1891. The water in the main swimming area is 36°-40°C (96°-104°F) and is surrounded by numerous boiling hot springs. A perfect place to chill after a tiring day.

+1 hour

Friðheimar

Friðheimar is a farm close to Reykholt that specializes in growing tomatoes in an eco-friendly greenhouses. It is said that Friðheimar holds up to 18% of the Icelandic tomato market. Greenhouses are open for visitors and the restaurant inside offers a delicious tomato soup. Friðheimar also offers visits to the staples and Icelandic horse shows.

+2.5 hours

Reykjadalur

Didn’t have enough of hot springs? Reykjadalur is a valley located above the town Hveragerði. A hiking trail that takes one hour through beautiful mountains and geothermal areas leads to a hot river. The hot geothermal water mixes with a cold mountain spring and gives the perfect temperature for a hot dip in the natural beautiful surroundings.

+1 hour

Hellisheiðavirkjun

Hellisheiðivirkjun is the biggest geothermal power plant in Iceland producing over 303 MW of electricity. The power plant is placed on the active volcano Hengill that erupts every four to five thousand years. There are 50 boreholes around the whole area (not all working at once), going down to about 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) into the crust. At this depth rocks heat up the water and the pressure keeps water in a liquid state with temperatures above 100°C. That water, brought up to the surface turns into the steam and sources the turbines that start to spin. Right now Hellisheiðivirkjun is sourcing an aluminum processing factory in Hafnarfjörður.

 

 

Make an enquiry

Custom Golden Circle


Make an enquiryCustom Golden Circle

Northern Lights and Glacier Hike

Northern Lights and Glacier Hike

In the afternoon we will pick you up from your hotel or designated bus stop downtown and we will head toward the glacier Sólheimajökull. It is an outlet glacier fed by the Mýrdalsjökull ice cap – the 4th biggest glacier in Iceland. The glacier already catches the travelers eye from the main road. Leaving the bus you will put on harnesses and helmets and we will fit crampons to your shoes. Next you will walk along the path leading to the glacier for about 15 minutes to enjoy the beauty of nature. This distance shows how much the glacier melted since 1995, when the edge of Sólheimajökull was next to the parking lot. You will experience hiking on the glacier at night, your guide will take you safely through crevasses, moulins and ice caves to the best place to spot aurora borealis. You will learn how to take good pictures of the northern lights. On our way back to Reykjavik will stop by Seljalandsfoss, a magnificent 60 meter tall waterfall that is sourced from the Eyjafjallajökull glacier.

 





The ice and fire

The ice and fire

In the morning we will pick you up from your hotel or designated bus stop downtown and we will head towards the amazing glacier hike on Sólheimajökull glacier. Sólheimajökull is an outlet glacier fed by the Mýrdalsjökull ice cap – 4th biggest glacier in Iceland. The glacier catches the travelers eye already from the main road. Leaving the bus you will put on a harness and a helmets and crampons will be fitted to your shoes. Next you will walk along the path leading to the glacier for about 15 minutes while enjoying the beauty of nature. This distance shows you how much the glacier melted since 1995, when the edge of Sólheimajökull was next to the parking lot. You will experience hiking on the glacier, your guide will take you safely through deep crevasses, moulins, ice caves and other wonders of the glacier.

On our way to Reykjavík we will stop by the walking path to the hot river in Reykjadalur valley. After a short walk we will explore hot springs in the Hengill area. The colorful boiling, steamy ponds will contrast beautifully with green grass. A half an hour walk will take us to the hot river. We will find a perfect spot, where the cold mountain spring mixes with hot geothermal water, giving us the perfect temperature to soak in.





South Coast and Glacier Hike

South Coast and Glacier Hike

In the morning we will pick you up from your hotel or designated bus stop downtown and we will head towards Skógafoss, one of the biggest waterfalls on the South Coast. It is 15 meters wide and about 60 meters tall. There is a staircase on the right side of the waterfall that leads to the view platform on the top. At the top of the staircase is the trailhead for the Fimmvörðuháls hike, a beautiful 25 kilometers hike to Þórsmörk valley. An old Icelandic folk story says that the first settler in the area Þrosi Þórólfsson has hidden a treasure under the waterfall. Many volunteers tried to find it in the river, but all they could find was a ring from the chest. The ring was fitted to the church door in Skógar. After demolishing the church the ring has been moved to a display in Skógar Folk Museum.

Our next stop will be the amazing glacier hike on Sólheimajökull glacier. Sólheimajökull is an outlet glacier fed by the Mýrdalsjökull ice cap – the 4th biggest glacier in Iceland. The glacier catches the travelers eye already from the main road. Leaving the bus you will put on a harness and a helmet and crampons will be fitted to your shoes. Next you will walk along the path leading to the glacier for about 15 minutes to enjoy the areas natural beauty. This distance shows how much the glacier has melted since 1995, when the edge of Sólheimajökull was next to the parking lot. You will experience hiking on the glacier, your guide will take you safely through deep crevasses, moulins, ice caves and other wonders of the glacier.

After the hike we will head towards the Black Sand Beach Reynisfjara where also we will get some lunch. Reynisfjara is a sandy black beach close to close to the town of Vík. The beach was created during a volcanic flood called jökulhlaup after an eruption in the Katla volcano. One of the more popular sites on the beach is a large columnar basalt cave called Hálsnefshellir. On the eastern side of Reynisfjara out in the sea we can find the 66 meter tall Reynisdrangar rock pillars. Legend says they used to be trolls turned to stone with the first ray of sunshine.

Our last stop on the way back to Reykjavik will be Seljalandsfoss, a magnificent 60 meter tall waterfall that takes its origin from the glacier Eyjafjallajökull. A small cave behind the waterfall and the pathway leading through it gives you an opportunity to take amazing pictures. Just next to Seljalandsfoss is another waterfall called Gljúfrabúi – a waterfall hidden in a narrow canyon.





Snæfellsnes – Iceland in a nutshell

Snæfellsnes – Iceland in a nutshell

During this tour we will leave Reykjavik and drive to the north. After a short breakfast stop we will head to Snæfellsnes, which means “snowy mountain peninsula”. Our first stop will be the line of amazing basalt columns at Gerðuberg. Next, will drive towards Rauðfeldsgjá. After a short hike we will go into a narrow canyon, mentioned in old Bárðar saga Snæfellsáss – a late saga of Icelanders. In this place we might get wet and we have to be careful on the slippery rocks. From there we will drive to Arnarstapi, where from the town center we will be welcomed by the statue of Bárður Snæfellsás – the protector of the Snæfellsjökull. The incredible coastline includes basalt columns, basalt caves and popular hollow cliff – Gatklettur. Leaving Arnarstapi, we will enter “Snæfellsjökull National Park” – the youngest national park in Iceland. Snæfellsjökull, thanks to Jules Verne, is one of the most famous Icelandic mountain, as “The Journey to the Centre of the Earth” begins inside. This glacier-covered volcano has been quiet for the last 1800 years, but it’s not considered dormant – in the past 10 000 years Snæfellsjökull has had three major eruptions. We will stop by the beautiful basalt columns Lóndrangar, where we will have an incredible view over the glacier and the sea. Our next stop will be a wonderful hike to the top of the volcanic crater Saxhóll, which gives us panoramic view around the magnificent lava fields. The last stop on our tour will be on the northern part of the peninsula, by the “Church Mountain” – Kirkjufell. This lonely narrow mountain in the middle of the fjord is the main destination for many photographers. From there we will head back to Reykjavik, where we will drop you off to you hotels or designated bus stops.





Reykjanes peninsula

Reykjanes peninsula

In the morning we will pick you up from your hotel or designated bus stop downtown and we will head towards Bláfjöll or Blue Mountains, just 30 minutes from Reykjavik. We will put on helmets and after just a 5 minute walk we will enter an underground world. Leiðarendi is one of many volcanic caves in Iceland. It was formed during an eruption, when a river of lava flowed through the terrain and the ceiling cooled down faster than the inside, around 2000 years ago. The name means “End of the road” and it is a 900 meters circular tunnel. Inside we can find amazing rock formations such as stalagmites and stalactites. Walk through the cave takes about an hour and leads through narrow tunnels at parts, where crawling is necessary. Your guide will explain the geology and history of this amazing place. We will spend about an hour underground and afterwards we will head towards the geothermal area Seltún, a part of a much bigger geothermal area Krýsuvík. On our way there we will stop at the viewpoint next to the beautiful lake Kleifarvatn – the largest lake on the Reykjanes peninsula. Our next stop is the Gunnuhver geothermal area, with a beautiful view. You can take a short hike to the lighthouse at Reykjanesviti and further towards the coast, where you can admire amazing sea cliffs and Eldey island on the horizon. Our last  stop will be a bridge between continents. You will have a unique experience of walking between two continental tectonic plates. From there we will head back to Reykjavik, where your guide will drop you off to your hotels.





Northern lights and caving

Northern lights and caving

In the afternoon we will pick you up from your hotel or designated bus stop downtown and we will head towards Bláfjöll or Blue Mountains, just 30 minutes from Reykjavik. We will put on helmets and after just a 5 minute walk we will enter an underground world. Leiðarendi is one of many volcanic caves in Iceland. It was formed during an eruption, when a river of lava flowed through the terrain and the ceiling cooled down faster than the inside, around 2000 years ago. The name means “End of the road” and it is a 900 meters circular tunnel. Inside we can find amazing rock formations such as stalagmites and stalactites. Walking through the cave takes about an hour and leads through narrow tunnels at parts, where crawling is necessary. Your guide will explain the geology and history of this amazing place.

After sunset we will start the second part of our tour – The Northern Lights hunt. Your guide will take you to the best location with the highest chance to spot the aurora borealis. In the evening you will be dropped off to your hotel/bus stop at around 00:00.