HIGHLIGHTS

Join Photo Quest Adventures to explore and photograph the best of Iceland in just 8 days!

Explore and photograph Iceland’s most iconic natural attractions. This Quest is tailored to photographers who are looking to maximize their time by experiencing the full breadth of Iceland's unmatched diversity.

Discover glaciers, photograph numerous towns and coastal villages, scale glaciers, discover charming lakes, marvel at cascading waterfalls, photograph inside an ice cave, covered in otherworldly shades of blues and whites, making it a truly wondrous photo op.

Every night will conclude with a possible display of the celestial phenomenon, the Northern Lights.  Their appearance can never be guaranteed, but exploring the country in wintertime is your best chances of spotting them. So, don't delay – sign up on this fantastic Quest to capture some of the most indelible images of your lifetime.

December 3 – Depart USA for Iceland.

December 4 – Arrival in Reykjavík

Arrival in Iceland and check into your hotel in Reykjavik. In the evening, we meet for a group dinner in Reykjavik where we briefly go through the tour itinerary, safety instructions, and some practical things before we start our adventure in Iceland. If you arrive early, you can photograph some of the top attractions in the city such as the Harpa concert hall, Hallgrimskirkja, the Sun Voyager or Perlan.

December 5 – Þingvellir National Park & Vík

We start early in the morning from Reykjavík, and drive directly to our first shooting location in Þingvellir (Thingvellir) National Park and begin our photography adventure. From Þingvellir, we travel to the town of Vík along the South Coast where we will spend the night. This area has some of the most iconic waterfalls and dramatic seascapes in the country, such as Seljalandsfoss waterfall, Skogafoss waterfall, Reynisdrangar sea stacks, and Dyrholaey peninsula.

December 6,7– Glacier Lagoon, Ice Beach & Ice Caves

After breakfast at our hotel, we’re off to capture the sunrise on the famous ice beach along the south-east coastline of Iceland. We will photograph the Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon area for the next two and a half days and have a plethora of great locations to choose from. We lodge close to the Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon in order to be in prime locations during the best light, and when the sky is clear and the aurora is active, we shoot the northern lights dancing over the lagoon. We will explore at least two of the best available ice caves deep under the Vatnajökull glacier, for which we will provide all safety gear such as helmets and crampons. Never enter ice caves without an Icelandic guide and safety equipment.

December 8 – Höfn, Stokksnes, Vestrahorn

Stokksnes are where Vestrahorn is, a 454-meter high mountain and a fascinating geology site formed by unstratified plutonic rock, mostly gabbro as well as some granophyre. East of the mountain is a strange-shaped outcrop called Brunnhorn that stretches out to sea. Vestrahorn is a very picturesque mountain with black sand dunes in the foreground and a shallow beach with reflections. In winter, we can expect spectacular light on the mountain.

December 9 – Skaftafell Nature Reserve & Vík

We’ll pass through Skaftafell both on our way to and from the south-east. We’ll shoot some of the stunning landscapes there for at least one sunset. All of the Skaftafell Nature Reserve is surrounded by spectacular scenery such as glaciers, some of the highest mountains in Iceland, and waterfalls such as Svartifoss (Black Falls), to name a few.

December 10 – Vík – Finish in Reykjavík

After our breakfast and sunrise in the Vík area, we travel back to Reykjavík, visiting some excellent shooting locations on the way. We check into our hotel in the capital and say farewell as the workshop concludes here.

December 11 – Departure day

Transfer to Keflavik international airport.

*Itinerary is subject to change. We need to be flexible and adjust to the weather and aurora activity, as always when traveling in Iceland.

ABOUT

Despite the name, “ice” only covers about 10% of Iceland, yet this young, rugged country of natural extremes and every changing geological activity is home to the largest glaciers in Europe. An energy efficient and clean-air utopia, Iceland is a considered one of the greenest countries on earth and is a world model for renewable energy mostly due to its vast renewable energy resources. Home to some of the heartiest people in the world with a record high life expectancy, this progressive, modern society was ranked #1 in 2011 by the Global Peace Index as the most peaceful country on the face of the map.

Located on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge between the US and Europe, Iceland is a hot spot of volcanic and geothermal activity: 30 post-glacial volcanoes have erupted in the past two centuries, and natural hot water supplies much of the population with cheap, pollution-free heating. Rivers, too, are harnessed to provide inexpensive hydroelectric power.

Luggage

Fitting your luggage in one medium/large suitcase or duffel bag per person plus camera gear bag will be greatly appreciated. No hard case suitcases if possible, please.  During the days when we travel between hotels, your suitcase will not be easily accessible in the trunk. Before we head out each day we kindly ask you to pack so that the things you need during the day like extra clothing are with you on the bus, or in your camera bag. Such as a warm hat, gloves, extra socks, tripod, etc.

MEALS

Breakfast will be served by each place of accommodation, a buffet. Lunches will mostly be a pick nick style in the field or we’ll prepare sandwiches from the breakfast buffet to make the most of our time. This way, we are much more flexible during the day. Sometimes we might stop for a light lunch at a restaurant or a cafe. Dinners will be served at our place of accommodation or at a local restaurant.

Climate

Despite it’s close proximity to the frigid Artic Circle, Iceland has an overall milder climate with the Gulf Stream and the Irminger Current flowing along the southern and the western coasts. Although we will be in Iceland during the driest and warmest time in summer when the midnight sun glows 24/7, Iceland weather can be erratic where you may occasionally experience four seasons in one day. These rare but extreme weather shifts are due to the location of Iceland at the border between Arctic and temperate seas, and between cold air masses of the Arctic and warm air masses of lower latitudes.

packing Must haves

Base layer: Wool base layer top and bottom (Merino Wool does not smell unlike synthetic fibres after several days’ use).
Mid layers: 2 fleeces (thick and thin) or other mid layer
Top Layer: Insulated water-resistant Hardshell/Softshell jacket/parka
Waterproof Hardshell pants, like Gore-Tex or similar. REI sells great waterproof pants for cheap.
Waterproof hiking shoes/boots are a must
Wool socks & regular socks
Underwear, wool or fleece
Warm gloves & hat
Bathing suit
Sunglasses
Pair of street clothes
Headlight or flashlight

Voltage

Iceland uses 220V, 50Hz AC. Most modern chargers accept both 110V and 220V. Make sure yours does and remember to bring outlet adapters if needed. Iceland uses the two round pole outlets common in Europe.

CURRENCY

The local currency is ISK and is about $USD 1 = 120 ISK. However, if you spend over Ikr4000 in a shop offering ‘Iceland Tax-Free Shopping’, you can claim back up to 15%. Shop staff will give you a tax-refund form: hand it in at the tourist office, the airport or the ferry terminal for a rebate.

ATM’s & Credit Cards

You can withdraw cash from any bank using MasterCard or Visa; and from Íslandsbanki using Diners Club. Exchange rates for ATM cards are usually good. MasterCard and Visa are accepted every­where; Diners Club and American Express are less commonly used.

Safety

Iceland can be a dangerous country to travel in, and we’ll need to be cautious of various things on our tours, such as weather, wind and snow, big waves on the coastline, ice and slippery surface. On the first day of the tour your guide will go through basic parts of safety rules you’ll need to undergo on your tour, and on each location, we’ll have a safety share and point out the dangers. On the tour, we will provide spikes under your shoes and also helmets when needed. (such as for ice caves).

Cell phone/wifi

You can purchase prepaid sim card on Icelandair flights, or you can purchase at the airport on arrival. If using your home service, be sure to check for deals for using data and voice while in Iceland. All of the places we stay at have wifi internet access. A couple of places might charge for internet access but otherwise, it is free.