Tour Information
Note: The information presented here is an abbreviated version of our formal General Information for Tours to Iceland. Its purpose is solely to give readers a sense of what might be involved if they take this tour. Although we do our best to make sure that what follows is completely accurate, it should not be used as a replacement for the formal document sent to all tour registrants, whose contents supersedes any information contained here.
ENTERING ICELAND: U.S. citizens will need a passport, which is valid for at least three months beyond the intended length of stay. A visa is not required for stays up to 90 days. Citizens of other nations should contact their nearest Icelandic consulate for entry requirements.
COUNTRY INFORMATION: You can review the U.S. Department of State Country Specific Travel Information at http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/country/iceland.html the CIA World Factbook background notes on Iceland at https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ic.html.
PACE OF TOUR: This is not a strenuous tour, but the plentiful hours of daylight can mean long days. With one exception (see below) there is no rough walking on this trip. If the ferry schedule allows us to visit, the day spent on Flatey island is all on foot, but the island is flat and smooth (walking on fields and dirt road) and those who get tired can always rest in the local restaurant. The walk to the great Dettifoss waterfall is however a bit rough (large rocky steps). Normally the whole visit takes 20 minutes each way and even people with walking difficulties can make the trip, with patience. Then again, one can stay in the bus. In reality, this tour has very little walking so those used to getting their daily steps in may opt for some personal walks during breaks.
We will return to our hotel in plenty of time to shower before dinner.
On some days there will be long drives; on one day in particular there will be a 500km (310 mile) drive, but the scenery will be spectacular.
Bathroom breaks are well planned out along the itinerary. There may be a couple remote areas that would require a nature stop. If a comfort stop is ever needed during any drive, just let the guide know and they will plan to visit the next available stop, typically a gas station.
HEALTH: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that all travelers be up to date on routine vaccinations. These include measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis vaccine, varicella (chickenpox) vaccine, polio vaccine, and your yearly flu shot.
They further recommend that most travelers have protection against Hepatitis A.
The most current information about travelers’ health recommendations for Iceland can be found on the CDC’s Travel Health website at http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/traveler/none/iceland.
Smoking: Smoking is prohibited in the vehicles or when the group is gathered for meals, checklists, etc. If you are sharing a room with a non-smoker, please do not smoke in the room. If you smoke in the field, do so well away and downwind from the group. If any location where the group is gathered has a stricter policy than the WINGS policy, that stricter policy will prevail.
Miscellaneous: Midges can be a nuisence at Lake Mývatn. It is recommended to bring a headnet to keep them from flying into your eyes, nose and mouth. They don‘t bite however.
If you suffer from motion sickness then appropriate pills/wrist bands/patches are strongly advised for the whale watching trip.
CLIMATE: Generally the weather is changeable throughout the year and you should be prepared for the unexpected. Summers are usually cool and cloudy with periods of sunny weather (June/July average 10.6°C /51°F, maximum 30°C /86°F).
ACCOMMODATION: At the time of writing, all our hotels will have private facilities (toilet, shower, etc.) in the room. However, guaranteeing accommodation in some places can prove difficult, and we may end up moving to accommodation other than we originally planned to use. Should this happen, we may find that some bathroom facilities are shared. If you have difficulty sleeping at night because of the natural light, you may want to bring an eye-mask for total darkness.
Internet Access: All of our hotels offer WIFI and mobile phone service is very good all around Iceland.
FOOD: We will have breakfast at our hotels usually in a buffet format, lunch will normally be sandwiches bought from local bakeries or excellent soup of the days from local restaurants. Dinner offers the perfect opportunity to try many of Iceland’s delicious meals where you can have anything from fresh-caught Arctic Char and Atlantic Cod, Plokkfiskur, to locally raised Lamb. American style food such as burgers and pizza are widely available as well. Vegetarian food is available on request. Generally, the standard is very high often being the highlight of many!
Drinks: Water and/or a soft drink is provide at lunch and water, a soft drink or a beer is provided at dinner, as is coffee or tea. Please note the minimum drinking age in Iceland is 20 years. Bottled water will be provided in the vehicle during the day. All other drinks or ‘personal’ drinking water for use in your room is the responsibility of the individual. Despite the occasional smell of sulphur, tap water is safe to drink in all our hotels and is some of the cleanest tap water in the world.
Food Allergies/Requirements: We cannot guarantee that all food allergies can be accommodated at every destination. Participants with significant food allergies or special dietary requirements should bring appropriate foods with them for those times when their needs cannot be met. Announced meal times are always approximate depending on how the day unfolds. Participants who need to eat according to a fixed schedule should bring supplemental food. Please contact the WINGS office if you have any questions.
TRANSPORT: We will be using a standard minibus throughout the tour driven by the leader. This comprises of two rows of 3 seats in the rear and a passenger seat. The leader will arrange a seating rotation system. Participants must be willing to ride in any seat in tour vehicles.
Updated: 17 July 2024