About Nature Explorer, Iceland

Nature Explorer was founded by experienced Icelandic wilderness experts who after years of using all their free time to go out and play in the wilderness, finally took the step and quit their day jobs to follow their dream. Together the guides of Nature Explorer have decades of experience in almost every field. Our team consists of mountain search and rescue volunteers, experienced hiking guides, bird enthusiasts, ice climbers, super-jeep experts and responsible adventurers.

Hawk and Finn with Nature Explorer Super-Jeeps in the highlands of Iceland

 
Volcanic eruption in south Iceland - only accessible by Super-Jeep or helicopter

Before joining our team, our guides have been guiding for trekking associations, driver guiding for other tour operators, leading private expeditions and even making adventure-documentary films. We only invite real experts with passion for nature adventures to join our team. That way, we can insure that you and other fun-loving nature enthusiasts will be satisfied with our services.

Haukur Parelius - 'Hawk' is our proprietor, driver guide & certified 4x4 instructor
Hawk is a certified International 4-Wheel Drive Trainer and member of Int. 4-Wheel Drive Trainer's Association. He has trained military forces and worked for ISAF in Afghanistan as well as having years of experience from the Icelandic wilderness and highlands. He claims he has the best view from his office - the front windshield of his modified Nissan Patrol.
Wilderness background:  At the age of 14 he was the first to bicycle from Reykjavik to Thorsmork and started guiding for The Iceland Touring Association at the age of 17. He has been guiding for them and Utivist Travel Association occasionally through the years, both on hikes and jeep safaris. For the past decade or so he has been a member of a voluntary Mountain Search & Rescue team, training younger members in ice climbing, winter travelling etc as well as adding to his own knowledge and skill. He is a certified Wilderness First Responder and regularly freshens up on his first aid skills.
Education: Business degree from University of Iceland and a Master's degree in International Marketing and Management from Copenhagen Business School.
Job experience: Business consultant, both privately and for IBM Business Consulting, Marketing Director for Husasmidjan (Large Icelandic DIY retailer) and Account Manager for the Icelandic Advertising Agency.
Past Adventures: He has successfully climbed 5 of the 7 summits and climbed in the Alps and the Himalayas. One of his proudest adventures is a rafting adventure/documentary film expedition with his mountain friends-group through the Dark Canyon (Dimmugljufur) in North-east Iceland. Haukur and his son learned to dive together on the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, he has rafted the Nile in Uganda, driven a Super-Jeep in Afganistan for the peacekeeping units (ISAF/NATO), and visited the mountain gorillas in Rwanda. See photos from the Dark Canyon and our other past private adventures on www.mountainfriends.com

Ársæll Hauksson - 'Asi' driver guide
Asi was born in Reykjavík in middle of the last century. He has lived in Iceland his entire lifetime.  He made driver guiding his main occupation 10 years ago after travelling extensively around Iceland for many years. As with all our guides, his love of Iceland's nature has set his path.  Asi's main interests are Icelandic history, geology, glaciers, and super jeeps. You're in good hands with Asi who has been travelling with tourists in Iceland for years and still enjoys sharing his knowledge and enthusiasm for our unique country which is full of lava fields, glaciers, hot springs, desert sands, volcanoes and black beaches. Asi's favorite ice cap is Langjokull and the number times he has visited that glacier is uncountable - but he still loves the adventure and you will benefit from both his knowledge, experience and enthusiasm. Asi is professional tourist guide from The Iceland tourist guide academy. Asi is married to Helga and they live close to Iceland's president, in the outskirts of Reykjavik.

Ingi Mar Gretarsson driver guide
Ingi was born and raised in Reykjavík but the summers were spent on a farm in the countryside. Early on he got to know Iceland. From the age of 20 Ingi has owned a 4x4 and since then always been around cars; modifying SUV's, consulting on modifications and in his free time taking part in the Icelandic Rally sport.
However, you don't have to worry about him - or any of our driverguides driving like in a rally - we're too fond of our Super-Jeeps (and usually our clients too :) We - and our clients - benefit from Ingi's experience in both tourism and 4x4's. For the last 12 years he has been working in the tourism in Iceland.

Heidrun Klara , Travel planning & incentives
Heidrun Klara is our newest member, she will normally be your first contact with us and she will help you find the best tours, the right hotel and create the perfect holiday for you in Iceland.  She has a degree in tourism from Norway and has experience in tourism in Norway and in Iceland.
Heidrun Klara is our co-ordinator and travel planner, making sure that all the little details of your holiday and our work goes as smoothly as possible.
Her biggest hobbies are dogs and dog training, and she spends most of her free time walking around Iceland’s beautiful countryside with the dogs.

Finnur P. Frodason -  photo- hiking- & driver guide
Finnur is our "grand old man" and is Haukur's father. Born and educated in Denmark as an interior architect he moved to Iceland immediately after receiving his degree. He has always been interested in anything Nordic and Arctic and feels most alive in the wilderness - so the Icelandic highlands fit him perfectly. Finnur soon joined Air - Ground Search & Rescue and started hiking with The Iceland Touring Association where he has been guiding on various hikes for years ("decades" would be a more appropriate unit of measurement - sorry dad :) On his own he has travelled across most of Iceland, hiking and or driving in his 4x4 and often with way too much photo gear. Finnur has been an avid photographer since the age of 15 and he´s had 3 photo exhibitions in Reykjavik. Finnur is our most experienced hiking guide and the natural choice when we plan our photo tours in Iceland. He has had a 4x4 for years and like all of our driver guides he has a commercial driver's licene. His photo equipment consists of a Mamiya 645, Hasselblad X-pan, Canon EOS 5D II, printing on a Canon IPF 5000.
Finnur has a degree as a guide from University of Iceland.

Ludvik Sigurdsson - 'Lulli'  driver-guide  
Lulli has the longest experience as a driver guide of all our guides and is still just as enthusiastic about his job. Lulli is the son of a  country school's headmaster and grew up in Fljotshlid, the area of Iceland's most famous Saga, Njalssaga. Perhaps this is why Lulli is such a good story teller.
The Fljotshlid area is on edge of the southern highlands and soon the wilderness and the adventures were calling. At the age of 15 he had already gone across the mighty glacier river Markarfljot on horseback. He got his first 4x4 in 1990 and hasn´t stopped since.
As if driving them wasn't enough, Lulli has also worked in a garage specializing in modifying normal 4x4's into Super-Jeeps or trucks. This experience together with his education and experience as a marine engineer has given him a third ear, tuned in to the mechanics of the Super-Truck he´s driving.
Lulli's motto: "Work WITH the situation, even if they can be a bit tricky"
Lulli's attitude: "There has never been such a storm that hasn´t been followed by the calm"

Don´t hesitate to contact us at: info@NatureExplorer.is

Nature Explorer guides use Cintamani clothing, an Icelandic top brand of outdoor wear. If you need the right gear for Iceland, please check: www.Cintamani.is

Our 4x4 Super-Jeeps
We take pride in our 4x4´s which we use all year round on both professional and private tours. Therefore they are very well maintained and equipped – and being guys, of course we have a weakness for gizmos. All the jeeps are equipped with a VHF-radio and a Global Positioning System (GPS) which many of us connect to a laptop computer. That way you can see your position accurately on a full screen computerized map.

The jeeps are modified for difficult conditions, to cross fast flowing glacial rivers, driving on the rough mountain tracks, in deep snow and cruising glaciers. The most noticable modification is of course the big tires. These big tires have several advantages; they elevate the vehicle from the ground so when crossing rivers, most of the water flows under the body of the car. They also help climbing steep river banks and other obstacles. Another important benefit of large tires is that when deflated they provide great flotation on snow. A 4x4 Super Jeep with 2psi air pressure in the tires actually weighs less per square inch than a man walking.

Other important but less obvious modifications include reinforced suspension and steering, raised chassis, differential locks and more. If you are interested, don´t hesitate to ask your driver guide about the Super Jeep modifications.

Nature Explorer Super-Jeeps for your adventure tour in Iceland