Iceland and Greenland

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AURORAS, VOLCANOES & GLACIER LAGOON WINTER SHORT BREAK TO EXPLORE HIGHLIGHTS OF ICELAND Iceland is the perfect place to enjoy a winter trip full of adventure, icy landscapes and the chance to see the elusive Northern Lights. You visit Iceland's most popular sites such as the Golden Circle route, the South Coast and Vatnajökull National Park. You see cascading waterfalls, smoking geysers, colourful volcano craters, a spectacular ice lagoon with floating icebergs and black lava beaches, all set against a backdrop of glistering glaciers and restless geology. There is always a thrilling potential for the night sky to be decorated with the jewels of the amazing Aurora Borealis. Imagine the excitement to search for the most spectacular - and natural - light show on earth. HIGHLIGHTS and EXPERIENCES: Winter tour with 2 nights in Reykjavik and 2 nights in the countryside Visit Vatnajökull glacier, Jökulsárlón ice lagoon and the Diamond beach Explore hot springs, lava fields, waterfalls and volcano craters Visit the Icelandic lava show in Vík 2 evenings of lectures, presentations, film and guided searches for Northern Lights Optional Northern Lights fjord cruise and ice cave tour 12 Jökulsárlón glacial lagoon BORGARNES REYKJAVÍK DURATION: 5 days / 4 nights DEPARTURES From October to April a total of 26 departures are offered. See details on www.gjtravel.is LANGUAGES English ACCOMMODATION Simple tourist-class hotels and cabins, in rooms with shower/wc MEALS 4x breakfast ALSO INCLUDED • Arrival & departure airport transfer by FLYBUS • Fully escorted 3-day bus tour with an English speaking guide or driverguide • Visit to Icelandic lava show in Vík • Entrance to Kerið volcano crater • Northern Lights program during 2 evenings with a combination of lectures, presentations, film and guided searches for the Northern Lights • Use of winter explorer equipment: snow & ice gripper spikes and a flashlight GROUP SIZE Maximum 30 persons TOUR CODE GJ 27 NORTHERN LIGHTS The Northern Lights are visible in the northern sky from September through April when the sky is clear and free of clouds. The tour is dependent on weather and therefore sightings are not guaranteed. Like many natural wonders, it is an ephemeral spectacle – the Northern Lights may be visible, they may appear for a bit and then be gone (it is not a TV show that you can just turn on and off). But it is worth the patience which is much required. Because they are a winter event, you need to be prepared to wait outside while looking for them. It is best to dress very warmly, in layers, with good footwear, gloves, hats and whatever else makes you comfortable while you await this truly outstanding event. For the best photos we recommend using a tripod. AKUREYRI GULLFOSS & GEYSIR VÍK HÚSAVÍK MÝVATN VATNAJÖKULL SKAFTAFELL HÖFN EGILSSTAÐIR ICELAND ITINERARY Day 1, SUN: WELCOME TO ICELAND FLYBUS shuttle to Reykjavík. Day 2, MON: THE GOLDEN CIRCLE ROUTE Meet our tour guide and start the escorted tour program with a short city tour around Reykjavík. We explore the Golden Circle route. The first stop is at Þingvellir National Park, a UNESCO world heritage site. Þingvellir is one of Iceland's most fascinating historical and geological places. The site is situated on the boundaries of the tectonic plates of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. The faults and fissures of the area make the rifting of the earth's crust evident. Exploring the hot springs at Geysir is like watching a geography lesson in real life: natural springs bubble away in the ground until the pressure becomes too high and explode spectacularly. Geysir and Strokkur are the two biggest of the geysers there. While Geysir no longer is active, Strokkur still spouts every 5 to 10 minutes to the delight of visitors. Next we travel to Gullfoss, a double waterfall that tumbles 34 meters into a canyon. Kerið is a caldera with a crater lake at the bottom and which resembles an ancient amphitheatre. In the evening, you hear about the Northern Lights from our tour guide. Naturally, once darkness falls, we are out in the garden waiting for the Northern Lights. We stay for one night in South Iceland. Day 3, TUE: VATNAJÖKULL NATIONAL PARK & GLACIER LAGOON A long drive brings us to a world of glaciers, ice and icebergs. We travel to Jökulsárlón, a glacial lagoon filled with floating icebergs. We explore this extraordinary site and perhaps see some seals swimming in the arctic waters. You can walk on the black sands of the so-called Diamond beach where large icebergs get stranded. The Vatnajökull National Park is about 12,000 square kilometers and it is the second-largest national park in Europe. In this area we find Iceland’s highest mountains, an alpine environment and Europe's largest glacier. After dinner we show a movie about Northern Lights as part of the Northern Lights educational program. Be careful not to go to bed too soon in this remote and quiet location, or you may just miss out one more chance of seeing the Northern Lights shimmering and dancing across the night sky. We stay for one night in the Vatnajökull region. From mid-November to mid-March an optional ice cave visit at Vatnajökull glacier is offered; which can only be booked and paid with the tour guide on day 2 of the tour. Day 4, WED: SOUTH COAST & ICELANDIC LAVA SHOW We head across the Eldhraun lava field to the village of Vík where we attend the stunning Icelandic lava show; the only exhibition in the world where you can experience actual flowing lava! By melting lava and pouring it on ice in a room full of people, you’ll be able to see the lava flowing, hear it sizzling, and feel the heat that radiates from it. In the afternoon we take a stroll on the black lava beach and along the bird cliffs at Reynisfjara in South Iceland. We pass the glacier Mýrdalsjökull and the infamous volcano Eyjafjallajökull and continue to Skógafoss waterfall which is 62 meters high and belongs to the most impressive waterfalls in the country. Further west we reach the high but narrow Seljalandsfoss waterfall. In the evening you return to Reykjavik. An optional Northern Lights bus tour or fjord cruise can be booked on the spot, if the weather conditions are ideal. We stay one night in Iceland's capital. Day 5, THU: DEPARTURE HOME FLYBUS shuttle to Keflavík airport. NEW: We offer an optional ice cave visit at Vatnajökull glacier on day 3, between November 15th and March 15th. VISIT US AT www.gjtravel.is
New tour Northern Lights Iceland ICELAND HIDDEN GEMS UNDISCOVERED ICELAND A common theme among those coming to Iceland is to find a sense of solitude, to experience the diverse Icelandic nature and avoid the tourist crowds. As more and more people visit must-see sights, and trips are influenced by social media and travel bloggers, true solitude may be hard to find. Here, we offer you a trip to take the roads less travelled, discover Iceland´s hidden gems and enjoy meaningful cultural experiences. We won’t reveal the name of the locations and hotels, as we aim for discoveries, but promise hot springs, volcanic landscapes and craters, awesome coastlines and impressive cliffs, open wide spaces, waterfalls and fjords away from the crowds and in any sequence. Our small group tours bring you closer to nature, closer to interesting local people, closer to domestic food and closer to authentic Iceland. It’s about seeking out the unknown and pure Iceland. HIGHLIGHTS and EXPERIENCES: Experience true & authentic Iceland away from the crowd Slow-travel and time to enjoy every stop along the way Explore gorgeous destinations that are still relatively off-the-beaten track Meet the locals, taste local food and participate in Icelandic activities Search for the Northern Lights BORGARNES REYKJAVÍK DURATION: 3 days / 2 nights DEPARTURES From February to mid-April a total of 2 departures are offered. See details on www.gjtravel.is LANGUAGES English ACCOMMODATION Hotels & guesthouses, in rooms with shower/wc MEALS 2x breakfast ALSO INCLUDED • Fully-escorted 3-day bus tour with an English speaking driver-guide • All entrance fees and activities • Northern Lights programs during 2 evenings with a combinations of lectures, presentations and guided searches for the Northern Lights • Use of winter explorer equipment: snow & ice grippers spikes and a flashlight GROUP SIZE Maximum 19 persons TOUR CODE GJ 28 NORTHERN LIGHTS On 2 evenings this program offers a combination of presentations, lectures, film and guided searches for the northern lights in the garden of the hotels/guesthouses in the countryside. The tour is dependent on weather and therefore Northern Lights sightings are not guaranteed. The Northern Lights are in the northern hemisphere from September through April but are only visible when the sky is clear and free of clouds. Like many natural wonders, the Northern Lights are ephemeral – they may be visible, they may appear for a bit and then be gone (it is not a TV show that you can just turn on and off). But it is worth the patience which is much required. Because they are a winter event, you need to be prepared to wait outside while looking for them. It is best to dress very warmly, in layers, with good footwear, gloves, hats and whatever else will make you comfortable while you patiently await this truly outstanding light show. For the best photos we recommend using a tripod. AKUREYRI GULLFOSS & GEYSIR VÍK HÚSAVÍK MÝVATN VATNAJÖKULL SKAFTAFELL HÖFN EGILSSTAÐIR ICELAND ITINERARY Day 1, THU: ICELAND HIDDEN GEMS At 09:30 meet your fun, interesting and super knowledgeable driver-guide and fellow travellers at BSI bus terminal and start with a tour of hidden gems in Reykjavík. After Iceland’s capital, we venture out to enjoy glorious landscapes that aim to leave you in awe. Truly look, communicate and enjoy; it is a unique tour of Iceland, a visit apart from others and avoiding the must-see places. It’s an active, involved and engaging discovery; a trip out into the unknown and a tour to get a real feel for Iceland. Overnight in the countryside and looking out for Northern Lights. Day 2, FRI: ICELAND HIDDEN GEMS Today, we continue exploring beautiful places off-the-beaten track but still accessible to the landscape photographers and world travellers. Many gems are yet to be discovered, and when we find them, we would also like to keep them a bit private so they can be enjoyed for a while before they become overly popular. We visit small towns, tiny villages, rural countryside and Mother Nature. We go slow, we stop where others rush by, because these hidden places and gems are everywhere; we just make that extra effort to find them for you. Overnight in the countryside and in the evening we require patience, warm clothing and the excitement of “maybe there could be Northern Lights”. Day 3, SAT: ICELAND HIDDEN GEMS Again, a day full of stunning scenery, incredible nature and authentic Icelandic experiences. We take you to places fewer people get to visit, places where real people live and amazingly have survived the harsh climate and nature over the centuries. Light walks are the perfect speed to enjoy the landscape, and experience the subtle changes in scenery, culture, menus, weather and everything else that makes Iceland brilliant. Bring along an open mind, lots of curiosity, a bit of adventure spirit, walking boots, a photo camera, a swimsuit and a towel. NOTE: This tour program skips the “must-see” locations such as Blue Lagoon, Golden Circle, the South Coast and Vatnajökull national park with the glacier lagoon. If you like to extend your stay and visit some of those “must-see” places, GJ-Travel offers a Sunday to Wednesday pre-tour program; tour GJ 27, Auroras, Volcanoes and Glacier Lagoon. VISIT US AT www.gjtravel.is 13
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Page 3 and 4: Puffins in the West Fjords GRAND TO
Page 5 and 6: Eldhraun lava field, South Iceland
Page 7 and 8: New tour Greg Mortimer polar expedi
Page 9 and 10: Hótel Skógafoss The Hotel and res
Page 11: Vík in South Iceland (photo courte
Page 15 and 16: Happy New Year NEW YEAR’S EVE IN
Page 17 and 18: Ilulissat Icefiord Eqi Glacier Ilul
Page 19 and 20: Ilulissat Icefiord HIGHLIGHTS OF IC
Page 21 and 22: Seljalandsfoss waterfall in South I
Page 23 and 24: Hvítserkur, Vatnsnes Icelandic hor

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