Glacier Extreme Super Jeep Tour

Cruise across Europe´s largest glacier
Take a sauna on top of an active volcano
See the Northern Lights, ice caves, glacier lagoon

Day 1:  Tuesday April 8, Departure from Reykjavik
10:00 AM. We pick you up at your hotel and we head out of Reykjavik and straight for Jökulheimar, a mountain hut at the base of Vatnajökull glacier. Vatnajökull is Europe´s largest glacier and the largest glacier outside the arctic regions in the world. Jökulheimar means "glacier world" and is truly a winter kingdom; rugged and raw in the middle of nowhere. The last 50km (30miles) are off-road on snow so the adventure begins immediately. Instead of ploughing through the snow, our Super-Jeeps will float on the snow by deflating the big tires. We might get stuck and you might have to shuffle some snow but we´ll get there - and have lot´s of fun doing it. In Jökulheimar, the complete silence, the crisp clean air and the remoteness is pure soulfood. But that´s not the only food you´ll get - Once there, the guides will chill the wine and grill delicious Icelandic salmon. In the evening, if skies are clear we might see the Northern Lights dance across the skies. The Northern Lights, also called Aurora Borealis are one of the most spectacular shows on this earth and can frequently be seen in Iceland from September through April on clear and crisp nights. Travelling through the Icelandic highlands and glaciers in mid winter is an adventure for people who want something different and unique. 

Day 2:  Wednesday April 9, Volcano in middle of Vatnajökull glacier
At daylight we start making our way up the glacier. We´ll climb on our Super-Jeeps 40 km into the center of Vatnajökull glacier, up to 1700m.a.s. were we stay in a warm hut owned by the Iceland Glaciological Society. The hut is on top of a volcano, Grimsfjall and is always warm since it is geothermally heated by the volcano. Cruising across the vast glacier is just cool and fun. Our expert drivers are equipped with gps connected to computerized maps on laptops, vhf-radios and have years of experience so you are quite safe. Just north of - or below Grimsfjall is lake Grimsvötn, which is Iceland´s most active volcano. It has erupted more frequently in the past 1100 years than any other volcano in Iceland and is also one of the most powerful geothermal areas in the world. In fact, the geothermal heat beneath the glacier melts the ice from the bottom up creating the lake underneath the iceshelf. How long it takes to get there depends upon weather and snow conditions but once there, we´ll get our stuff in and have something to eat before going out to play. Being in the center of the glacier gives us plenty of exciting options. We might to the south end of the glacier and take the high view of the south coast. Those who like can be pulled on skis, snowboard or a giant tube - or just enjoy the comfort of our Super-Jeeps . After dinner we´ll go for a the most extraordinary sauna you will ever take in your life - on top of a volcano in the middle of Europe´s largest glacier. And after that we might enjoy the Northern Lights - or a snowstorm - with a glass of champagne...  Sounds like and adventure? It is. 

Day 3: Thursday April 10, Kverkfjöll: hot springs and icecaves
We have a whole day on the glacier and we plan to make the most of it. If conditions allow we´ll cruise the glacier to the north edge of it, to the mountains of Kverkfjöll. There you´ll find Ice caves and warm lakes surrounded by the thick icecap which are formed by countless hotsprings under the volcanoes in Kverkfjöll. This makes the Kverkfjöll area unique in the world. By normal means of travel, Kverkfjöll are only accessible about two months a year in summer time and from below and requires hours of hiking to get to. If our plans succeed, we´ll approach them from the glacier and from the top on our Super-Jeeps and deliver you right into the center of this wonderworld. Who knows, perhaps you´ll be taking a warm footbath in lake created by melted ice and hotsprings in Europe´s largest glacier... or maybe explore an icecave. In the evening the guides will grill a traditional Icelandic lamb which you´ll enjoy in the warm hut with some red wine. After dinner you might want to relax in the sauna or we might see the Northern Lights.

Vatnajokull glacier is 8.086 square kilometers = twice the size or Rhode Island and perhaps 6x times the area inside M25 around London.
The glacier is up to 800 meters thick, over 2600 feet.
It´s about 80 km long from north to south and over 100 km from west to east. 
It´s a big ice cube and a big adventure.

Day 4: Friday April 11, Iceland´s highest peak and Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon
This day we depart from the hut on Grimsfjall but the adventure is far from over. We drive south and east across the glacier, go close to Iceland´s highest peak, Hvannadalshnjúkur before making our way down the glacier tongue that ends in the spectacular glacier lagoon Jökulsárlón, where a large part of the last James Bond movie was filmed. Driving across and down a glacier, from 1700m.a.s. to sea level is a long and adventureous day with some spectacular scenery. It´s a black and white world with steep black rocky mountains rising through the white glacier.  You´ll see crumbling ice and crevasses and if weather permits, enjoy a fantastic view of Iceland´s south shore. We´ll aproach the glacier lagoon Jökulsárlón from above, something few other than James Bond (in You Only Live Twice) have done. Unfortunately the icehotel from the last James Bond movie is not still there but we´ll stay in more comfort at a country hotel on the south shore.

Day 5: Saturday April 12, South shore; black sanded beaches & waterfalls
We head back to Reykjavik along the south shore, go off-roading on a black sanded beach, walk behind the Seljalandsfoss waterfall, visit Dyrholaey and Skogarfoss waterfall. When in Reykjavik we drop you off at your hotel. In the evening you have the option of joining us for a last dinner (not incl.) and maybe go clubbing (we´ll provide VIP-status to the best pubs & clubs) - or you choose to enjoy the last night in Reykjavik on your own.

Day 6: Sunday April 13, Departure Day
Or you can choose to extend your stay in Reykjavik.

Price per person: USD 4000

Included:

• Super-jeep with driverguide for days 1-5
• All food & drinks (incl. wine & beer) for days 1-5
• Accommodation (mountain huts and hotels)

Optional:

• Snowmobiling for an hour on day 5 on Myrdalsjokull glacier
• Extended stay, before or after the tour
• Upgrading to a 4* hotel in Reykjavik

Excluded:

• Dinner on day 5 in Reykjavik
• Flights to and from Iceland

Assumptions:

• Only 2-4 passangers in each Super-jeep
• Minimum level of fitness and mental ability to cope
• No dangerous allergies or medical conditions that make it dangerous for you to travel in the wilderness or on a glacier.
• All you need to bring are clothes, camera and adventureous spirit

Disclaimers and/or common sense explanations:

• No lawsuits please. We don´t have a team of lawyers to write a 20 page disclaimer so we need to appeal to your common sense and accept that travelling across Europe´s largest glacier is not like processing tourist through Madame Thussauds. We know what we are doing, we have done this for many years but there are a number of things beyond our control.
• We can´t control the weather.
• The glacier and the snow conditions vary greatly, we can´t say how long it takes to get from A-B, or even if we can get there in most extreme cases.
• The Northern Lights are a a natural phenomenon and therefore cannot be guaranteed.
• Something unexpected will come up and we need to be able to keep our heads and good spirit, have some patience and enjoy the adventure.

Do you want to be the first in the world to join this new Glacier Extreme Adventure?
Only 9 seats available on this virgin tour in April 2008.

At Nature Explorer we share your passion for travel and we would love to share a great winter adventure in Iceland. We specialize in small groups and big adventures for active people. Our guides are expert mountaineers, knowledgeable about Iceland but first and foremost they take pride in providing personal service.