General Information
Photo tour in Iceland guided by Patrick Dieudonne, french professional photographer, specializing in north-west Europe, in partnership with Akaoka Voyages (www.akaoka.com).
PRICE: 4225/4075 euros w/o flight (less 150 euros for early bookings - more than 3 months in advance)
Single supplement: 200 EUR
Program: ( may be adapted according to the wishes of the group or weather conditions)
Day 1 Arrival at Keflavik Airport, transfer to Reykjavik, Iceland's capital (40 km). A visit of the town is possible, depending of time of arrival. Reykjavik is a beautiful city with colorful houses, and remarkable architectures like the Cathedral, the historic center, or the Solar Voyager overlooking Reykjavik Bay.
- Night in B & B, Reykjavik
- Dinner: restaurant
Solar Voyager, Reykjavik
Day 2 We begin our photo tour with the "Golden Circle". We shall not find here the solitude of the great outdoors of the rest of the trip, but these sites are among the most emblematic of Iceland. Morning visit of Thingvellir National Park, which housed the first Icelandic parliament, the Althing, since the tenth century. We will see the volcanic fissure of Almannagjá (the fault of the people), located on the Atlantic ridge. On either side of this fault continents drift away from each other. We then visit the famous hot springs of Geysir (hence the name "geyser"). Strokkur (the churn) erupts every 3 to 5 minutes, an impressive performer ! Finally, a few kilometers away, we will see our first waterfall, one of the most beautiful, Gulfoss (Gold Falls).
- Overnight near Geysir (hotel or B & B).
- Lunch: on the way (Picnic or restaurant)
- Dinner: restaurant
Thingvellir
Day 3 Now we enter the great outdoors, the Landmannalaugar area, one of the most spectacular regions of Iceland, on dirt tracks with our 4x4. We'll spend two days in this place, which presents an amazing variety of geomorphological forms and a fantastic color palette. From the yellow tones of rhyolithe mountains to fields of black obsidian through the turquoise blue of crater lakes, bordered with red ash, exceptional photo opportunities abound.
- Overnight in mountain hut.
- Packed lunch, dinner in mountain hut.
Day 4 Second day of exploration and photography in the Landmannalaugar area. We will benefit from different lights and visit lesser known places in the neighborhood, always with superb photographic opportunities.
- Overnight in mountain hut.
- Packed lunch, dinner in mountain hut.
Crater lake, Landmannalaugar
Day 5 We go even further into the interior, on a dirt track forgotten for centuries, in the Sprengisandur desert, using the F-26. This dirt road crosses the desolate empty spaces between glaciers Vatnajökull and Hofsjökull, which have their own beauty, less dramatic than the Landmannalaugar, but also moving. We will do the required photo stops. Then we arrive at Aldeyjarfoss waterfall, one of the great waterfalls of Iceland, a jewel in its setting of basalt columns. Arrival at Myvatn lake and overnight in the region (B & B).
- Overnight in B & B.
- Packed lunch.
- Diner: restaurant or B & B.
Interior desert, Iceland
Day 6 Photographic exploration around Lake Myvatn, a beautiful nature reserve, known worldwide for its birds, especially ducks. The whole surrounding area is a geological wonder, with volcanoes and areas of high geothermal activity, like Namafjall, a spectacular area dotted with bubbling sulfur springs. The program also includes Dimmuborgir, where one can wander through petrified lava citadels, or the big stratovolcano Hverfjall, 2500 years old, and the pseudo-craters at Skútustadir. Finally we will come close to the Krafla volcano, and lava fields dating back to 1984.
- Overnight near Mývatn (B&B).
- Meals: restaurant/ B&B
Lake Myvatn
Day 7 Myvatn - Jökulsargljufur - Dettifoss
From Myvatn we head north, to Jökulsargjlufur National Park . The trail follows the river Jokulsa canyon, over 120 m deep in places and 500 m wide. This canyon is the result of catastrophic floods, themselves caused by subglacial eruptions, the last one 2000 years old. The river cuts into pre-existing craters, exposing spectacular rock formations, and we'll take a closer look. The views of the canyon are also impressive, from the left bank as from the right bank. Series of waterfalls were formed, the most powerful in Europe, Dettifoss (100 m width, height 45 m, flow per second 500 m3), and Selfoss. We will explore both sides, with a stop at Asbyrgi cliffs, shaped like an immense horseshoe, housing a preserved flora and a true forest, a rarity in Iceland.
- Night in the region south of Dettifoss (B & B).
- Packed lunch.
- Dinner B & B.
Jökulsargjlufur Canyon
Day 8 The East Fjords
We take N1 highway towards Egilstadir, the main town of the East Fjords. From this city we'll visit some of the most beautiful fjords of eastern Iceland. First Mjoifjördur, sparsely populated, and, further north, after a journey along the valley Lagarfjlot, the Borgarfjörður Eystri fjord. This area is well known for its hiking trails and spectacular mountains. From Borgarfjörður, we will take a dirt trackl which will take us to the innermost fjord of the East, Lodmundarfjördur, rarely visited due to its isolation.
- Overnight in guesthouse at Bakkagerdi (Borgarfjordur).
- Packed lunch.
- Dinner: Restaurant / guesthouse
Day 9 Herdubreid - Askja
We head west this time, then south, towards the tabular volcano Herðubreið (means "broad-shouldered mountain" - 1682 m) which dominates the surrounding landscape, visible over 100 km. At the foot of it, Herðubreiðarlindir is an oasis in the desert. The water which wells up from beneath the old lava encourages abundant vegetation and the presence of birds normally absent from a desertic area (geese, terns, etc.). Some arctic foxes also live there. Further south, we will come across an even grander spectacle, the volcanic giant caldera of Askja, occupied by lake Öskjuvatn (6 km in circumference, 220 meters deep, the deepest in Iceland) and the small green explosion crater lake Viti, in which it is possible to swim.
- Overnight at Askja.
- Packed lunch and dinner at the mountain hut.
Viti and Askja
Day 10 Back to civilization and on the N1. We head west, passing Myvatn and visiting another beautiful waterfall, Godafoss (Fall of the Gods). The name of the falls comes from
a religious leader throwing all its pagan idols, after conversion of Iceland to Christianity. We continue to Akureyri, the capital of the North, and cross the beautiful mountain scenery of Oxnadalsheidi, before arrival in the Skagafjörður fjord. If time permits we will visit the Glaumbaer historic farmhouse, but our main photographic goal in this area is the spectacular rock formation called Kvitserkur ("the white shirt"), which stands at sea on Vatnsnes peninsula.
- Night on Vatnsnes (Hvammstangi, B & B)
- Packed lunch and dinner B & B or restaurant.
Day 11 Snaefellsnes Peninsula (1)
We will finish this trip in style, after the deserts of the interior and the East fjords, with different landscapes and seascapes of Snæfellsnes Peninsula volcanic National Park, dominated by the majestic Snaefellsjokull (1446 m), a volcano that Jules Verne featured as the starting point of his famous novel "Journey to the Center of the Earth". The first day, we will explore the northern part of the peninsula, around Stykkisholmur, gateway to the fjords of the West, and the spectacular lava fields that surround it. Then we'll visit Grundarfjordur Bay and its famous mountain Kirkjufell (the church), and finally the northern part of Snaefellsjokull National Park, with breathtaking views of the great volcano, if the weather is clear. .
- Overnight in Olafsvik (B & B or hotel)
- Packed lunch and dinner B & B or restaurant.
Snaefellsnes peninsula
Day 12 Snaefellsnes Peninsula (2)
In the morning, we'll see that the basalt cliffs of Arnarstapi also offer many photographic opportunities. Then we continue our journey to the south-east, down to Reykjavik in the late evening, admiring and photographing on the way many views of the peninsula's magnificent mountains, which are bordered by green meadows with grazing Icelandic horses, and small lakes. Night in Reykjavik.
- Packed lunch and dinner B & B or restaurant.
Day 13 Morning transfer to Keflavik, departure to France.
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What is included
• Land transportation (4x4).
• Full board
• Accommodation, in hotels B & Bs and mountain huts (3 nights)
• Your guide, a professional photographer
• Technical advice
What is not included
• Insurances (compulsory). Optional insurances available from Akaoka) (more details in the travelogue)
• Photo Equipment
• Alcoholic beverages and items of personal nature.
Photo Equipment
• SLR digital or film
• Stable tripod, ball head, etc.
• Lenses for landscape: a wide-angle (below 24 mm), a transstandard 24 or 28-70 mm, a medium telephoto zoom lens (70-200). A longer focal length can sometimes be useful for details (300 mm). For more tips download our technical brochure below.
Fitness
A reasonable level of fitness is required.This trip to Iceland is more physically demanding than our other trips (Tuscany, Scotland). In Iceland, travel conditions and weather are often harder, with longer trips, often on dirt tracks, and changes in accomodation almost every day. Three nights will be spent in a mountain hut with basic comfort. Breaks at the hotel are usually not feasible and the days are long. Walks of moderate level are possible. You should therefore be able to adapt to these conditions and be in good general fitness for a duration of 12 days ..
Weather / clothing
Clothing: The climate in Iceland in summer can be everything, from sunny weather for long periods, to cool and wet weather for days. On the plateaus of the interior, temperatures are always cooler than on the coast, because of the altitude. Snow can appear even in summer in the Landmannalaugar, so take windproof and breathable Goretex and one or two layers of warmer clothes. Wool hats and gloves may be useful, as waterproof and breathable pants. Generally it rains much less in the north of Iceland than in the south. Do not forget to bring a sleeping bag for nights in mountain huts.
We will not walk long distances with equipment. However access to the best views in areas such as the Landmannalaugar for example, suppose walks of access and exploration. You must be physically fit and able to carry your gear and tripod for a few hours. Bring good walking shoes (all leather shoes are recommended), a pair of gaiters can be useful.
Accommodation and food:
• Accommodation: Accommodation will be in B & B / guesthouses for the most part, with three nights in mountain huts when we are far from tourist infrastructure (2 nights in the Landmannalaugar and 1 night at Herdubreid / Askja). Mountain huts accommodate from 5 to 30 people, with shared facilities, and meals prepared by us. The huts are heated. For nights in a shelter, you must take your sleeping bag, we do NOT provide them.
• Meals: When we are at the hotel or B & B, breakfasts and dinners are taken on site or nearby (restaurants, etc.). Lunch will often vba a packed lunch pr pivnic in the wild.
Transportation:
• Transportation: We'll use a 4x4 Toyota Hiace 9 seater or equivalent; with a very small group limited to 5 photographers plus guide, to be comfortable. Please try wherever possible to limit the size of suitcases, for comfort on board, given the fact that we will take also foos with us in some areas ...
Bookings
Pre-booking on this site (please use the form above), then we will arrange booking deposit and final payment with our partner Akaoka.
Airfare:
Included in the package. From Paris. Contact us if you want to travel otherwise.
Any other questions?
Contact us using the form above or call if you need further information.Thank you.
Contact
Patrick Dieudonne Photo
9 rue de Sampigny
55300 Han-sur-Meuse
FRANCE
Tel: + 33 (0) 3 29 92 08 89
Mobile: +33 (0) 6 79 63 27 25
We speak French and English.
DOCUMENTS TO DOWNLOAD
Iceland Photo Tour 2013 pdf (Tour description and more photos - in french but all important info is here in english)
Photo equipment Iceland 2013 (more specialized advice on landscape photography equipment - in french)
Booking form Iceland 2013 (pdf)
Booking form Iceland 2013 (Word)
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