ICELAND: FIRE AND ICE, AND YES, GARDENS!

Iceland: Fire and Ice, and Yes, Gardens!

With Sara Williams                        July 11 - 22, 2020     CANCELLED                                  

Itinerary

SAT, JULY 11      ARRIVE REYKJAVIK
An early morning arrival! We will be met at the airport and transferred to Reykjavik for a light breakfast followed by a two to three hour city bus tour. Enjoy a welcome dinner with a presentation by Vilhjálmur Lúðvíksson, president of the Icelandic Rose Society and our garden guide in Reykjavik. (BD)
Iceland
SUN, JULY 12    GOLDEN CIRCLE
Today we’ll tour the national shrine of Iceland, Þingvellir National Park, now a UNESCO World Heritage site of the oldest existing parliament in the world. In Friðheimar, we’ll gain insight into the processes of greenhouse horticulture and the use of geothermal heating. And then enjoy lunch in a greenhouse filled with hot house tomatoes. We’ll also enjoy the show “A Meeting with the Icelandic Horse”. En-route back to Reykjavik we’ll visit the massive Gullfoss Falls (raincoat recommended) and Geysir, a geothermal area full of hot springs, steaming creeks, and multi-coloured mud formations. Strokkur, “the churn”, spouts every 5 to 10 minutes. (B)
Iceland
MON, JULY 13 REYKJAVIK GARDENS
This morning we’ll tour public and private gardens with Vilhjálmur Lúðvíksson, including the Reykjavik Botanical Garden, the Meltunga arboretum, the Garðheimar (garden world) nursery along with one or two private gardens. In the afternoon, we head west to Borgarnes with stops at the Alafoss Woolen Mill and the Hvanneyri Agricultural School. (BD)  
Iceland
TUE, JULY 14 WEST ICELAND
In Borgarnes, we’ll visit the Settlement Centre, a museum illustrating the Sagas and Iceland’s early history. We continue to the Snæfellsnes Peninsula with its Glacier, made famous by Jules Verne’s Journey to the Centre of the Earth. If time and weather conditions are good, we’ll walk along the coast from Arnarstapi to Hellnar, viewing an amazing number of Icelandic native flowers. Optional theatre evening at the Freezer Theatre (if in English). (BD
Iceland
WED, JULY 15 WESTFJORDS
A ferry to the Westfjords, an area visited by less than 10% of Iceland’s tourists. We’ll visit the Látrabjarg Cliffs, Iceland’s largest sea cliff, 14 kilometers long and 441 meters high. It is the westernmost point in Europe and hosts Iceland’s greatest concentration of seabirds. (BD)
Iceland
THU, JULY 16 WESTFJORDS GARDENS
Visits to two of the most northerly botanical gardens in Europe: the Skrúður Botanical Garden and Bolungarvík Botanical Garden. In Ísafjörður we’ll join Helga Hausner for a nature walk and insight into Icelandic vegetation. We’ll end in Helga’s private garden for refreshments and a chat. (BD)
Iceland
FRI, JULY 17 FARMS, WITCHES AND SHEEP          
We’ll begin the day at Heydalur Farm where vegetables are grown hydroponically using geothermal heat. Then, the Museum of Sorcery & Witchcraft in the village of Holmavik with its tragic history of witchcraft, witch-hunting and sorcery. Next, Hólmavík’s Sheep Farming Museum dedicated to Icelandic sheep and sheep farming. Our day concludes at the Þingeyri church, where monks once transcribed the Bible and the sagas. (BD)
Iceland
SAT, JULY 18 TURFHOUSE AND HERRING
Today we’ll visit the Glaumbaer turf farmhouse and Herring Era Museum. Inhabited since the time of settlement in the 900s, Glaumbaer is typical of the type of homes lived in by rural Icelanders until World War II. Herring played an enormous role in Iceland’s economy until its collapse in 1969. The museum includes a dramatic re-enactment of a segment of the fishery. Our day ends in Akureyri. (B)
Iceland
SUN, JULY 19 NORTH ICELAND
This morning board the bus for a city tour of Akureyri including a stop at the Lystigardurinn Botanical Garden. In the afternoon head to Lake Myvatn with a stop to view Godafoss. In Lake Myvatn visit Dimmuborgir, Grjotagia hot spring and the Sigurgeir Bird Museum, before heading to Húsavík. Optional whale watching at 8pm. (BD) 
Iceland
MON, JULY MONDAY, JUL 20 WILDFLOWERS, WATERFALLS AND ROCKS
Our day begins at the Tjörnes Peninsula with great views, high cliffs, lava and fossils, some that date from two million years. Next to Jokulsargljufur National Park where we’ll enjoy a guided wildflower walk in Asbrygi Canyon and view Dettifoss, Europe’s largest waterfall. End the day at Petra’s Garden, a collection of rare rocks and minerals collected by Petra Sveinsdóttir beginning in 1946. (BD)
Iceland
TUE, JULY 21 GLACIERS!
This morning take a boat tour of the Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon. Then an hour’s walk to the edge of a glacier in Skaftafell National Park. Travel along the southern shore passing Kirkjubæjarklaustur village, stopping at the “kirkjugólf“ basalt pavement. If time permits we’ll visit the Skogar Folk Museum and/or Vik Wool Factory. This evening enjoy a farewell dinner while trading memories of a wonderful tour. (BD)
Iceland
WED, JULY 22 FAREWELL
On our last day in Iceland, we’ll visit Hveragerði, a town that harnesses geothermal activity. It has the highest concentration of greenhouses in Iceland, and provides the country with much of its homegrown produce, including bananas. Visits include the Garðyrkjuskólinn í Hveragerði horticultural college (or the Nátthagi plant nursery), the Geothermal Park where you may try your hand at boiling an egg in a hot spring and tasting rye-bread baked in the hot ground. We’ll then continue to the airport in time for your flight home. (B)
Iceland

Our Host

Sara Williams

Retired as the Horticultural Specialist of the University of Saskatchewan, Sara Williams has been hosting garden tours for over 20 years - to Great Britain, Europe, Ireland, and further afield to Turkey, Hawaii and Morocco. She is author of many gardening books, including Creating the Prairie Xeriscape and The Saskatoon Forestry Farm Park & Zoo: A Photographic History and has written hundreds of articles for various publications.

Tour Information

Tour Length: 12 days / 11 nights
Date: July 11-22, 2020
Land Price Based on Double Occupancy: $6823 per person based on double occupancy
Land Price Based On Single Occupancy: $8463 per person 

These prices are based on a minimum of 18 participants. Prices quoted are effective as of January 2020. The final price although not expected to change, may be modified if the minimum number of people (18 people) is not met.
Iceland: Fire and Ice, and Yes, Gardens! Includes:
  • Transportation by motorcoach 
  • 11 nights accommodation
  • 12 breakfast and 1 lunch and 9 dinners
  • Visits and activities per itinerary
  • Entrance fees for visits and activities per itinerary
  • English-speaking guide
Iceland: Fire and Ice, and Yes, Gardens! Doesn’t Include:
  • International Airfare
  • Travel Insurance 
  • Accommodation not included in the itinerary
  • Meals not included in the itinerary
  • Alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks
  • Excursions, activities, and entrance fees not included in the itinerary
  • Gratuities to guides
  • Personal Items
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