Holidays In Iceland - Anyone been?
Holidays In Iceland - Anyone been?
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jagdpanther

Original Poster:

19,633 posts

248 months

Sunday 3rd February 2008
quotequote all
Ive always fancied a holiday in Iceland (the country, not the shop wink) and was wondering if anyone on PH had been and whether it was good value/resonably priced?

Paulle

31,888 posts

232 months

Sunday 3rd February 2008
quotequote all
Just watched Motorworld which was in Iceland bunch of nutters!smile
Riding a snowmobile on water! silly
Not been myself but a mate did say it's expensive there.

jagdpanther

Original Poster:

19,633 posts

248 months

Sunday 3rd February 2008
quotequote all
Paulle said:
Just watched Motorworld which was in Iceland bunch of nutters!smile
Riding a snowmobile on water! silly
Not been myself but a mate did say it's expensive there.
Actually, we were watching the exact same thing which is partly responsible for reigniting my interest biggrin

Catz

4,863 posts

240 months

Sunday 3rd February 2008
quotequote all
We went last Easter, booked through this lot http://www.arctic-experience.co.uk/iceland/

We did an independent holiday so drove and stayed at different lodges for a week. The scenery was amazing!
The lodges we stayed in were highly rated so dinner was a bit pricey, but very tasty. Alcohol is very expensive though. Want a bottle of wine with dinner? Expect to pay around £40! A beer in Reykavik was a fiver. You can buy alcohol in govt licensed shops and it's a bit cheaper though.
No wonder it's a credit card culture!

We really enjoyed it though and would go back again. Can't resist posting some pics.

























Gruffy

7,212 posts

288 months

Sunday 3rd February 2008
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A stunning place. We're working on something special for an Icelandic Tour next year.

Hooli

32,278 posts

229 months

Sunday 3rd February 2008
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those pics wow. its one place i will ride across oneday, always wanted to go.

Workshy Fop

761 posts

296 months

Sunday 3rd February 2008
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It's not reasonably priced, but it is good value. There's only one Iceland.
We spent about two grand for 4 days there. Flights were 200 each, rented an apartment for 200 a night and the rest on food, drink and tours.
Beer is a fiver a pint, wine is forty quid for the cheapest house wine. But an all day 4x4 tour up a glacier inc. snowmobile action was about £170 which is good value. You can do a bus tour of the Golden Circle for about £40 which takes in a lot of the good stuff, including Gullfoss waterfall (in your 4th pic.) which is awesome.

Fatboy

8,268 posts

301 months

Sunday 3rd February 2008
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I went 3 weeks ago - nice place, but frighteningly expensive!

Food is really expensive (think £35 for a steak!)

The scenery is amazing, but I would recommend going in summer, as we couldn't do a lot of things due to the weather being poor.

If you go, I really recommend the guided jeep tours of the south coast - the scenery is amazing, and you get to see a lot of it, as well as a trek on the glacier!

Liokault

2,837 posts

243 months

Sunday 3rd February 2008
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Always wanted to go, but can't bring my self to do it until they stop killing whales....I know, I know but I just like whales ok!

Also the beer is ridiculously expensive!

But to make up for it the women are already hot even before the beer, not like in the UK where their only hot after the beer!

jmorgan

36,010 posts

313 months

Sunday 3rd February 2008
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Workshy Fop

761 posts

296 months

Sunday 3rd February 2008
quotequote all
jmorgan said:
That's basically putting you on the Golden Circle bus tour and dropping you at the blue lagoon on the way back to the airport. So about forty quids worth of tour.

NickXX

1,647 posts

247 months

Sunday 3rd February 2008
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Been twice now - absolutely love the place. They're building a new racetrack there which will have a geothermically heated surface - near the Blue Lagoon.

Food and Drink is very expensive. but well worth a nose.

phlap

563 posts

281 months

Sunday 3rd February 2008
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Thoroughly recommended! Catz has some stunning photos.
We were astounded by the spectacular scenery and the fact that the place is unspoiled and almost deserted. We went in August and it was pleasantly warm and sunny. We had 2 days in Reykjavik, flew up to Akureyri then drove a jeep back round to Reykjavik over 10 days staying in hotels and geust houses. Stunning!

The Ice Lagoon at Jokulsarlon

Dettifoss - Europe's Biggest Waterfall



sstein

6,249 posts

283 months

Sunday 3rd February 2008
quotequote all
Paulle said:
Just watched Motorworld which was in Iceland bunch of nutters!smile
Riding a snowmobile on water! silly
Not been myself but a mate did say it's expensive there.
I've recently read the book of the series, Iceland sounds amazing!

-

Stuart

jmorgan

36,010 posts

313 months

Sunday 3rd February 2008
quotequote all
Workshy Fop said:
jmorgan said:
That's basically putting you on the Golden Circle bus tour and dropping you at the blue lagoon on the way back to the airport. So about forty quids worth of tour.
Live and learn. Still in looking stage at the moment so not dug any deeper than the shiny brochure.

crmcatee

5,805 posts

256 months

Sunday 3rd February 2008
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I'm planning on going this year in the Landy touring the island. Just about to book the ferry.


cottonfoo

6,050 posts

239 months

Sunday 3rd February 2008
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I recommend the local lamb smile

D_Mike

5,301 posts

269 months

Sunday 3rd February 2008
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Catz are some of those photos from around Vatnajokull??? looks like it...

I went last March and I enjoyed it a lot. Most of what I would have to say has already been written, but I just wanted to recommend this guy:

http://www.hofsnes.com/

who does mountaineering/ice climbing/general tours.

We went on an ice climbing/glacier hiking trip with him and he was great. very friendly, very good, reasonably priced. also got to see first hand what a landrover can do smile I'd recommend him if you want to do anything active, and the national park in that area is spectacular.

there was a massive storm when I went there (snow storm). driving on icy gravel roads is fun!

SimonV8ster

13,003 posts

257 months

Sunday 3rd February 2008
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Agree with eveyrthing said so far, fantastic place !! The 4*4 trip was the best for me, an excellant guided tour that lasted a full day well into the evening. The guide was previously a member of the volunteer rescue service so we felt in safe hands when he drove across a frozen lake, drove through a blizzard and then on to the top of a glacier refusing to give up when we were getting stuck in deep snow.

http://www.arcticsafari.is/ 

A half day tour on the snowmobiles is also brilliant just outside of the Reykjavik.

satans worm

2,464 posts

246 months

Sunday 3rd February 2008
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Im looking to go end of May, has anyone been at that time?

What can you see at that time of year (and what do you miss out on?)

Is it best to book the excurions when your out there or before?

Sorry for the slight thread hijack, hopefully might help the original poster too smile