Umingmaq Paddle Touring Center has been commissioned by a friend to design the trip of a lifetime to the Land of Fire & Ice in the summer of 2020.
Thank you for considering joining us on our 2020 Iceland adventure. We will be spending 10 days in Iceland. We will explore two major regions of Iceland that include the fabled Westfjords and the rich Arctic Ocean waters of the Northern Fjords. This trip was designed to appeal to both paddlers and non-paddlers alike. There will be three day paddles, a few hikes and a myriad of opportunities for cultural exploration.
We will fly out of Chicago on July 23rd at approximately 7:45 PM. We will arrive in Iceland in the early morning of July 24. On the 24th, we will drive to Stykkisholmur about 2.5 hours northwest of the airport. We will stay in a hotel and explore the town. The next morning, July 25, we will take a day paddle that will include sea life, a myriad of skerrays and even a shipwreck.
The next morning, July 26, we will hop a ferry for a portion of our 5 hour travel day further to the Northwest to the village of Isafjordur. We will stay in a nice Hotel in the sea-side village. The following day, July 27, we will explore Vidur Island, which is a renowned wildlife refuge. Seals, Puffins and whales are all a possible paddling companions during the 5-7 hour paddle day.
The following day, July 28, we will travel 7 hours from Isafjordur to the Northern city of Akureyri. We will stay at a Hotel in the city center with ocean views and within walking distance to city attractions. We can explore the botanical gardens and the Art Museum. There is also hiking in the hills overlooking Eyjafjord. On July 29 we will take a paddle out onto the Eyjafjord and explore Hrisey Island, which is considered one of the premier whale watching destinations in Iceland. The day paddle to Hrisey includes lunch at a restaurant on Hrisey Island (Depending on group size, half the group will paddle on the 29th and half the group will paddle in the 30th). On July 30th, we will explore the area around Dalvik, a small fishing community further North on Eyjafjord.
On July 31, the group will experience an amazing day visiting the Arctic Circle. We will take a ferry across a portion of the Arctic Ocean out to Grimsey Island. On Grimsey Island, we will hike 2 miles to the Northern end of the island to a marker indicating the place where the Arctic Circle intersects the island. There will be opportunities to view abundant sea and bird life on this excursion. We will return to Dalvik the same day and spend the night at a small Hotel in the village.
Early in the morning of August 1, we will travel the 5 hours to Reykjavik where we will stay at a Hotel on the Harbor and within walking distance to shopping and cultural sites. The Saga Museum, The National Museum of Iceland, The Whales of Iceland exhibit, the famous Sun Voyager sculpture and restaurants will all be within easy walking distance from our Hotel in the Icelandic capital. After a lazy start in the late morning of August 2, we will drive to Keflavik airport to fly out of Iceland at approximately 8:00 PM. With the time change, we will be back in Chicago on Sunday, August 2nd at approximately 9:45 PM.
This will be the adventure of a lifetime for some.
Pricing*:
2 Adventurers (One Guide):
$5350 Each (Single Occupancy)
$4450 Each (Double Occupancy)
4 Adventurers (Two Guides):
$5150 Each (Single Occupancy)
$4250 Each (Double Occupancy)
6 Adventurers** (Two Guides):
$4750 Each (Single Occupancy)
$3850 Each (Double Occupancy)
*Pricing Includes
- Airfare
- Lodging
- Continental Breakfast (Lunch if you wish to pack one during Continental Breakfast)
- Three day paddle kayaking trips
- Hiking trips and entry to cultural sites in each community we visit
- The trip to the Arctic Circle on Grimsey Island
- A Reykjavik Card (Which gets you into many attractions)
- All transportation in Iceland
**This trip will be capped at 6 adventurers. We wish to keep the trip small and personal, with everyone as part of a small team.