Iceland | The Best Travel Destinations

Dettifoss Waterfall – Iceland

Dettifoss Waterfall – Iceland

Dettifoss is Iceland’s greatest and most majestic waterfall. It is also rated as Europe’s most powerful waterfall, based on its magnitude. Dettifoss is 45 metres in height and 100 metres wide and its force is such that the bedrock trembles when hit by the weight of an immense column of white-foaming water. The average flow is 193 cubic metres per second but during floods it reaches up to 600 m3/s. Continue reading Dettifoss Waterfall – Iceland

Activities in Iceland

Iceland is an ideal destination for today’s active tourist. The following is a list of some of the many activities available.

Activity Vacations
Activity vacations are offered all over Iceland. These vacations may feature river rafting, hiking, glacier tours, fishing, horseback riding, boat tours, whale watching and swimming.

Whale watching
The cool clear North Atlantic encircling Iceland is teeming with whales of various sizes and species. Already thousands of tourists have enjoyed whale watching from various sites around the country. The whale watching ports are all around the coastline.

Bird Watching
Some places in Iceland are a paradise for bird-watchers. Látrabjarg in the West Fjords is the largest birdcliff known in the world. A great variety of cliff-nesting species can be found there, including the largest razorbill colony in the world. The Westman Islands are known for many kinds of seabirds, and are home to Iceland’s largest puffin population. Lake Mývatn in the north has more species of breeding ducks than any other place in Europe. The great skua colony on the sands in south Iceland is the largest in the world. Seabirds such as puffins can be seen in many places, as well as eiders, Arctic terns, waders and passerine birds. Some tour operators organize tours for bird-watchers in early summer.

Hiking
More than half of Iceland is over 400 m above sea level, and a large part of the island is covered by lava, glaciers, lakes and sand. Few places in Iceland have marked walking paths, but hiking is a favourite pastime for Icelanders and tourists alike.

Horse Riding
Numerous farms and tour operators throughout Iceland offer horse riding tours from 1 hour up to 10 days.

Skiing
Winter skiing is available in many parts of the country. Skiing resorts with both cross-country and downhill skiing are found throughout Iceland.

Cycling – Mountain biking
Bikes can be rented in Reykjavík and in various places around Iceland. For further information on biking tours please contact travel agencies or tourist information centre.

Fishing and Hunting
Iceland is famous for its salmon and trout fishing. The main season for salmon fishing is from around June 20th to mid-September. Trout fishing varies from one river/lake to the next, but the normal season is from April/May until late September/October. During winter, ice-fishing is quite popular. For salmon fishing, permits must be reserved well in advance, but trout fishing permits can be obtained at short notice, often the same day.

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About Iceland

The Country
Iceland is an island of 103.000 km2 (39,756 sq.miles), about one-third larger than Scotland or Ireland. Its highest peak, Hvannadalshnjúkur, rises to 2.119 m and over 11 per cent of the country is covered by glaciers, including Vatnajökull, the largest in Europe.

Energy
Situated on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, 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.

People
Out of a population numbering more than 300.000, half live in the capital Reykjavík and its neighbouring towns in the southwest. Keflavík International Airport is located about 50 km from the capital. The highland interior is uninhabited (and uninhabitable), and most centres of population are situated on the coast.

Language
Iceland was settled by Nordic people in the 9th century – tradition says that the first permanent settler was Ingólfur Arnarson, a Norwegian Viking who made his home where Reykjavík now stands. The Icelanders still speak the language of the Vikings, although modern Icelandic has undergone changes of pronunciation and, of course, of vocabulary! Iceland is alone in upholding another Norse tradtion, i.e. the custom of using patronymics rather than surnames; and Icelander´s christian name is followed by his or her father´s name and the suffix -son or -dóttir, e.g. Guðrún Pétursdóttir (Guðrún, daughter of Pétur). Members of a family can therefore have many different “surnames”, which sometimes causes confusion to foreigners!

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