June 6 Excursions: Akranes & Hvammsvík Hot Springs
1: Musical walk and a lighthouse visit in Akranes
- Departure time & from
- 13:00 - from University of Iceland, car park Sæmundargata
- Duration
- approx. 7 hours
- Min
- 20 pax
- Price
- ISK 30.000
- Included
- Bus, guidance, entrance to Hvammsvík hot springs, lunch box
- Bring with you
- Warm clothes, sturdy shoes, swimsuit, and towel!
Akranes is a small, seaside town only 40 minutes away from Reykjavik capital. It has wonderful sand beaches and accessible walking trails alongside the ocean. We will be taking a stroll along the west side beach called "Krókalón." Our guides will be local musicians, singer Vala, her husband Doddy and their daughter Sylvía. They will tell us stories related to the ocean and Akranes town, Icelandic culture, history, and traditions. They know many wonderful, old songs from Iceland, and we will listen to a few along the way. If the weather isn't too cloudy, we can expect spectacular mountain views and hopefully get a glimpse at the "Snæfellsjökull" glacier on the other side of the bay. Our walk ends at Akranes lighthouse, which has drawn attention from all over the world for its great acoustics and scenery. There we will hear more music and have some Icelandic pastry and coffee.
From Akranes you go to Hvammsvík Hot Springs, where you experience eight natural hot springs of various sizes and temperatures in spectacular unfiltered nature right on the edge of the ocean.
An exploration of Hvammsvík Hot Springs will leave you both relaxed and invigorated.
You can enjoy all of the eight natural hot springs, the steam bath, the outdoor & indoor facilities & jump into the ocean. Water levels of some of the natural pools fluctuate with the tides and the temperatures of those pools vary greatly between high and low tide.
After a soak in the Hot Springs, you will head back to Reykjavík, on the way you will enjoy the beautiful landscape of Hvalfjörður.
2: Golden Circle - Friðheimar - Secret Lagoon
- Departure time & from
- 10:00 - from University of Iceland, car park Sæmundargata
- Duration
- 9 1/2 - 10 hours
- Min
- 18 pax
- Price
- 26.000 ISK
- Included
- Bus, guidance, entrance to the Secret Lagoon and lunch at Friðheimar
- Bring with you
- Warm clothes, sturdy shoes, swimsuit, and towel!
First stop is at Geysir geothermal area in Haukadalur where you can see geysers, hot springs, steam vents and eerie blue algae. Strokkur is one of the largest and most powerful geysers and erupts almost every five minutes. The next stop will be at Gullfoss waterfall, which many consider to be the queen of Icelandic waterfalls as it is both high and mighty and stumbles dramatically in a deep gorge.
Next stop will be at Friðheimar greenhouse. Friðheimar will welcome you with a small introduction of their work. Followed by a delicious lunch (tomato soup w/chicken stick, home baked bread, green tomato, and apple pie).
At Friðheimar you gain some insight into the processes of greenhouse horticulture, as it is quite remarkable that it is possible to grow vegetables in the cold climate, by creating warm Mediterranean conditions, all year round.
After lunch you will have a nice bath at Gamla laugin (Secret Lagoon,) authentic lagoon just by Flúðir village. The Secret Lagoon consists of natural hot springs which have been kept natural and unique so guests can get the true Icelandic feeling. The natural surroundings of the pool and the steam rising into the air gives the place a magical feeling. The warm water holds 38–40 degrees Celsius (100–104 Fahrenheit) all year. In the area there are several geothermal spots and a little geyser which erupts every five minutes, showing off for the guests relaxing in the hot spring.
Final stop will be at Þingvellir National Park where the Icelandic Parliament was founded over 1000 years ago. At Þingvellir you will see how the earth is ever so slowly pulling apart along the North America and Eurasian tectonic plates and you will be able to stand where the Viking settlers stood centuries ago to edict national laws.
From Þingvellir you will be heading back to Reykjavík, arrival time around 20:00.
