Iceland 5-Day Geography School Trip

The Blue Lagoon is one of Iceland most famous and visited attractions. It is located on the Rekjanes Peninsula just 15 minutes from the international airport but it is not, as many believe, a truly natural feature. In fact the history of the Blue Lagoon dates back to 1976 when it began forming from run-off water from the adjacent Svartsengi geothermal power station. The first Icelanders who tried bathing in these geothermally-heated waters did so as recently as 1981 and the first organised public bathing commenced in 1987, mainly in the belief that the milky, silica-rich waters would aid skin conditions. The rest, as they say, is history and today the Blue Lagoon incorporates a Spa and luxury hotel. The water temperature stays at around 39°C year round, making it the perfect bathing temperature and the ideal visit on your final day in Iceland.

At the Fridheimar Greenhouses you gain an insight into the process where tomatoes are grown under glass using geothermal heat in an environment close to the arctic circle. The tour includes an informative talk, and you can then enjoy the special experience of entering a greenhouse with its fragrance of tomato plants. You can also try the delicious Fridheimar tomato soup.

The Hellisheidi Power Station is the largest geothermal power station in Iceland and the third largest in the World. It provides both electricity for Iceland’s national grid and hot water for space heating in Reykjavik’s industrial and domestic sectors. During the tour you can learn about the electricity generating process and see the huge turbines that are powered by steam generated from geothermally heated water extracted from depths of more than 2km.

At the Solheimajokull Glacier the glacial landscape combines with the volcanic and you hike to the snout of the glacier. Its snout has been retreating by around 100 metres a year and as the glacier retreats and thins, many features of both glacial erosion and deposition are revealed and can clearly be identified. At the glacier you put on crampons, helmets and other specialist equipment and embark on an exciting hike on the glacier surface, in the company of experienced and qualified guides.

The volcanic island of Heimaey is situated off the south coast of Iceland and is home to a small community whose principal occupation is fishing. The ferry crossing takes about 35 minutes and on arrival you can explore the Eldheimar visitor centre which includes an interactive exhibition focusing on the catastrophic eruption of 1973. There is also an exhibition about Surtsey, the new volcanic island which started rising from the sea in 1963 in a lengthy series of eruptions. You will be able to climb Eldfell Volcano to see the cinder cone and for a spectacular view out to see, and also the chance to see the puffin colonies.

Lava caves or lava tubes are created when magma from a volcano vent flows beneath the surface of a lava flow and creates a conduit. Iceland has many such lava tubes and The Lava Tunnel is located only 30 minutes from Reykjavik. No special caving skills are required to explore the cave although some crouching is necessary. All protective equipment including helmets and torches are supplied and the activity is led by qualified local guides.

Spend an afternoon in Reykjavik where you will be able to explore some of the city along the central street of Laugavegur with its fashionable shops, cafes and restaurants. You can also see the cathedral of Hallgrimskirka, the famous Sun Voyager sculpture and the iconic Harpa Building, Reykjavik’s main concert hall.

The Golden Circle tour takes in some of the most famous sights in the country. The first stop is at Thingvellir, situated on the Mid-Atlantic ridge where you are able to see where the two continental plates are moving apart. We continue to explore the volcanic cinder cone of Kerid with its small lake. You can take a hike to the crater rim for a spectacular view. At the Geysir area you can see Strokkur erupting every few minutes. The final visit is to the huge waterfall at Gullfoss, one of the most popular and recognisable attractions in the country.

The Lava Centre near Hvolsvollur is an interactive, high-tech educational museum that reveals the epic forces of nature that have shaped our planet. The exhibition depicts tectonics, volcanic activity, seismic activity, earthquakes, and the creation of Iceland a mere 20 million years ago.

Situated on the outskirts of Reykjavik, the Perlan consists of six huge water tanks built to contain geothermally produced hot water to supply the city. Each tank can hold up to five million litres of hot water. More recently an observation deck, restaurant and arts centre has been constructed here and the Perlan offers a wonderful panorama across the Reykjavik and the mountains in the distance.

Explore the volcanism and geothermal activity on the Reykjanes Peninsular. Your first stop is at the Bridge Between Two Continents where you can see evidence of tectonic movement where the North American and Eurasian plates are moving apart. You then see the Hot Steam Outlet at Gunnuhver. The final visit is to Krysuvik where you see the hot bubbling mud pools.

The South Shore tour starts with two spectacular waterfalls at Seljalandsfoss and Skogafoss. We then continue to the Solheimajokull Glacier where you can walk to the glacier snout. In the afternoon, the tour continues to the region west of Vík where there is an extensive black sand beach at Reynishverfi and a most impressive outcrop of columnar basalt on one of the cliff faces. Looking westwards from Reynishverfi you can see Dyrhólaey, a headland on which classic coastal erosion features of arches, stacks and stumps can be seen.