Iceland - Winter: Trip Preparation & Destination Information

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Iceland - Winter: Trip Preparation & Destination Information

About Iceland

Overview

Step into a world where in summer, the sun never sets and in winter the Northern lights deliver their spectacular aurora display. Take in the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and straddle the rift between the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates. Volcanoes, hot springs and geysers, ice caves, glaciers and towering waterfalls, are the dramatic features that make Iceland the Land of Fire and Ice.

 

Disclaimer: Space is a precious commodity in Europe, especially in its most dense cities, be prepared for smaller hotel rooms. The same goes for bathrooms and elevators, don’t be surprised if they feel cozier than those in the US.

 

Capital City: Reykjavik

Population: 366,425 (2020 est.)

Currency: Icelandic Krona - ISK

Time Zone: Greenwich Mean Time - GMT 

Emergency Number: 112

Outlet: Type C/F

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Packing List

Speak the Language

Language: Icelandic is the official language, many also speak English.

 

  • Hello - Hallo’ (hah-low)
  • Goodbye - Bless (bleh-s)
  • Thank you - Takk (tah-k)
  • Do you speak English? - Talar pu’ ensku? (ta-lar thoo en-sku?)
  • I (don’t) understand - Eg skil ekki (yeh skil eh-ki)
  • How are you? - Hvernig hefur pu’ pao’? (kver-nik her-wer thoo thahd?)
  • Fine, thank you - Ég segi allt gott, þakka þér fyrir. (Yeh sey-i atlt goht, thah-ka thyer fi-rir)
  • What’s your name? - Hvao heitir pú? (kvath heytir thoo)
  • My name is… - Ég heiti _____ (yeh hay-tee)
  • Where is... - Hvar er _____ (kvar er...)
    • the bathroom - klósett (k-low-seht)
    • ATM - hraobanka

Google Translate: Google Translate: Download the Google Translate app or click here 

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Fun Facts

  • Iceland is one of the most volcanic places on earth and is made up of nearly 200 volcanoes, active and dormant. On average, a volcano erupts in Iceland every 4-5 years.
  • The eruption of the Grímsvötn Volcano and its infamous 'ash cloud' closed the majority of European airspace from April 15-21, 2010 causing a whopping 100,000+ flight cancellations in total.
  • Around the year 800, the Norwegian Vikings settled and misnamed Iceland and Greenland to mislead their enemies to follow them to 'ice-covered' Greenland instead of their 'green-covered' colony, Iceland.
  • The Icelandic do not have last names/surnames, rather they use the traditional Nordic naming system: the father or mother's first name plus -dottir (daughter) or -son (son).
  • Thingvellir National Park is 1 of only 2 places in the world where you can see 2 of Earth's tectonic plates above the world's surface, the divide between North America and Eurasia.

Tipping

Tipping Suggestions: Tipping is uncommon in Iceland as a 15% tip is built into most restaurant tabs. For your Guides and drivers, tipping is appreciated but not expected.

Guides USD $10-20 per person/per day
Drivers USD $10 per person/per day

 

FAQ

Where can I find information on travel safety? Check out the US Department of State's website for the most up-to-date information on safety while traveling 


Is the water safe to drink? Tap water in Iceland is recognized as some of the cleanest in the world. In fact, 95% of all drinking water in Iceland comes from natural springs.


Do I need a Visa? For Visa information, click here. Make sure your passport is valid for at least six months after you return home and has two or more blank pages. Otherwise, some countries may not let you enter.

 

What about vaccines? For vaccination information, click here.


Do you recommend travel insurance? While not required, we highly recommend all travelers get travel insurance for their trip to protect themselves from the unknown! Check out travel insurance options from our partner, worldnomads.com or from a provider of your choice.

 

How much should I pack? As we will be using shared transfers and spaces throughout our tour we recommend all travelers pack as lightly as possible. Please review our luggage restrictions below.



What does public transportation look like? Bus and taxi services operate between Reykjavík and Keflavík International Airport. Buses depart to and from Keflavík every 45 to 60 minutes. Currently Uber or Lyft do not operate in Iceland but there are many taxi companies in Reykjavík.

 

What about Wifi? Most hotels, restaurants, and cafes in Iceland offer wi-fi access, which is usually free to use. Rural and remote areas have less internet access.

Luggage Restrictions

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1% Promise

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In partnership with The Cool Effect, 1% of Trova's revenue will be donated to reduce carbon emissions through community-based initiatives around the globe.

Book With Confidence

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