Adventure and relaxation on a Collette Iceland tour
It’s not all about seeing the Northern Lights when you visit Iceland. In fact, during late spring and summer months, it’s rare to catch them because there’s so much daylight. I loved the experience of having 20 hours of daylight during our visit in late May!
And there’s so much else to experience on an Iceland tour any time of year, including many outdoor activities. Some of these are even best to do in spring and summer. In this post, I’m sharing a few of the top outdoor excursions we enjoyed featuring whale watching, glacier exploration, bay cruising, and calm relaxation in natural mineral baths.
Whale watching in North Iceland
All smiles for whale watching
Among the activities we were looking forward to most on our trip was whale watching while in Húsavík on Skjálfandi Bay, recognized as the whale-watching capital of Iceland. It’s also often referred to as the whale-watching capital of Europe and is recognized as one of the top whale-watching places in the world. The bay is rich in plankton and krill which is why it attracts many species of whales, particularly in the best whale-watching months of May to September.
Mr. TWS gets ready for what watching
At Húsavík Adventures at the harbor, we were fitted with waterproof coveralls and life preservers and given basic instructions. As we approached the boats our local expert guide reinforced the rareness of the sunny day and the unusually calm, glass-like waters of the sea. The sight of patches of snow on mountains in the distance was breathtaking.
Húsavík Adventures guides heading to the RIB boats
The RIB (rigid inflatable boat) boats resemble larger Zodiac boats but are specialized for whale watching with vertical benches and raised hand grips that enabled us to stand securely during much of the entire trip. The RIB is perfect for whale watching due to its speed and stability even in rough seas. Our RIB held ten passengers plus a crew of three.
Zodiac whale watching boat on Skjálfandi Bay, Husavik
It was exciting as we started off on the search for whales and soon saw the first of many humpback whales. We were on our feet most of the time enjoying whale sightings. Several whales raised in the water very near the boat performing dives with their signature tail wave.
Mr. TWS captured this short video of a humpback whale in the beautiful surroundings of the bay.
Some of the whales performed various “stunts” such as rolling on their side and slapping their flipper on the water, breaching, and slapping their tails on the water.
Humpback whale tail seen on Skjalfandi Bay
The backdrop of the snow-covered mountains, blue calm sea on a beautiful sunny day with the expert and enthusiastic narrative of our guide made for a wonderful outing. The trip back to the harbor was exhilarating as our RIB pilot performed highspeed S’s and doughnuts which we all loved.
Into the glacier at Langjökull
Iceland is called the land of fire and ice because despite its small size it has more active volcanoes than all but seven other countries and about 11% of its area is covered with glaciers. We’d seen several of the largest glaciers from a distance during our journey across Iceland, which made us even more excited in anticipation of climbing to the top of Langjökull Glacier (Iceland’s second largest) and exploring its cave (the world’s largest glacier cave).
At the “Into the Glacier” tour base camp at the bottom of the mountain we were equipped with special waterproof footgear over our shoes for necessary good tread for our glacier exploration. Then we boarded the oversized mountain trucks, especially customized for reaching the glacier cave. Heading up the mountain, the skies became more overcast and the wind kept increasing, making the excursion seem even more adventurous.
Mr. TWS at Langjökull glacier base camp
During the ride, the glacier guide talked about Iceland’s deglaciation caused by climate change over the last few decades, and he indicated where the glacier had reached in previous years; the distances were long — dramatically making the point of the impact of climate change in Iceland. As we neared the top, the snow was quite slushy in late May. The need for the special vehicle was obvious when it bogged down requiring the driver to down-shift to a very low gear, and even then we were slow to move forward. When we stepped out of the truck at the top, we got to experience some of the cold Icelandic weather we’d so far avoided.
Mountain truck on top of Langjökull glacier in Iceland
Thankfully, Collette had prepared us to wear warm, waterproof clothing. The special footgear and the water-resistant pants (which I bought for the trip) I’m wearing in the photos above are musts for slippery icy surfaces and wet environment (including dripping water from the natural ice ceilings).
Entrance to Langjökull glacier
Entering the cave mouth, my first reaction was surprise at the height and width of the tunnel; it was larger than I expected and much longer as we could see a long way ahead of us. After a short walk down a narrow icy path, we entered a chamber with benches where we were equipped with grippers that we attached to our boots for even better traction on the icy tunnel floor.
Inside the Langjökull glacier chamber to put on gripping spikes for traction
As we proceeded on our one hour walk to the end of the tunnel and back, the guide stopped to point out key aspects of the glacier and tunnel, such as the horizontal lines in the wall that went the length of the tunnel which indicated certain warm years with an unusual melt.
Inside Langjökull glacier
We also stopped at a large crevice that developed and reached the surface. A lot of water dripped from the melting above forming a significant puddle on the floor and we appreciated the waterproof boots provided and the waterproof clothing we wore.
Guide inside Langjökull glacier beneath a large crevice
At one of the wider openings in the glacier, our guide stood in one of the caves where the acoustics are just right. There he recited for us a classic Icelandic lullaby, Sofðu Unga Ástin Mín (Sleep, My Little Love).
Collette tour manager Luciana Belviso on top of Langjökull as a storm brews
Exiting the cave, the weather had gotten even more wintry, and descending the mountain the winds and blowing sand became more intense; we could feel the bus shake in the wind. What a great adventure!
Nature cruise excursion on Breiðafjörður Bay
On a beautiful sunny day, we transferred from our hotel in Laugarbakki to the town of Stykkishólmur on the Snæfellsnes peninsula, enjoying the diverse countryside and picturesque views. Arriving at the quiet town, we had time before our nature cruise to take a short walk along the pretty harbor protected by Súgandisey Island with its commanding cliff face topped with a small red light house.
Harbor and clifftop lighthouse in Stykkishólmur
Breiðafjörður Bay is very shallow with perfectly clear water. It is the second largest bay of Iceland with the most beaches, largest tide, and greatest tide current. All of these factors contribute to creating an environment that makes the bay an excellent source of food for the many birds that inhabit the area, making it a good spot for birdwatching while we cruised.
Boat cruise on Breiðafjörður Bay
As we cleared Súgandisey Island, an amazing vista of smooth blue water, and innumerable (literally) islands and fjords. Snow-topped mountains and a glacier in the background created a picturesque scene.
Islands on Breiðafjörður Bay
We closely and slowly passed several islands as we watched the abundant bird life — flying, in the water, and just sitting on rock ledges. We stopped at one of the islands to see the wild birds up close, particularly fulmars and cormorants (shown below). We saw one puffin but we weren’t quick enough to take a photo. When not in flight, the fulmars were nestled in pairs. We learned that they mate for life — which can be very long as fulmars live up to 44 years. Though they look like seagulls, they are more closely related to the albatross. There are many more types of birds which we weren’t able to identify.
Fulmars and a cormorant on an island cliffside in Breiðafjörður Bay
The wildlife of the cruise wasn’t just above the water but below. Some of the same conditions that lead to the plentiful food supply for the birds also provide good food for the shellfish and other fish below. (All of the birds around Breidafjordur Bay are fish eaters.) It was a treat to sample raw scallops and sea urchin roe (as an early lunch appetizer), which were netted by the crew directly from the sea while we watched. The large nets were dropped onto a long table where workers deshelled the fish to be eaten and tossed back starfish and the other sea life.
Fresh scallops, sea urchins pulled up from the sea on a cruise of Breiðafjörður Bay
The lighthouse of Súgandisey island appeared all too soon but we were provided a great view of the town as we reentered the harbor. It was a wonderful morning and a highly recommended activity.
Time to relax in geothermal waters
For health, relaxation, and fun we enjoyed the geothermal waters of Iceland. There are many nature baths and spas, large and small, throughout Iceland. Theses two are included in the Collette Best of Iceland tour.
Mývatn Nature Baths
Mývatn Nature Baths are located in a scenic area of vast landscapes on the ring road (Road Number 1) of North Iceland. This experience was such a relaxing treat after a day of exploring some of Iceland’s natural beauty. We luxuriated in the warm waters from natural hot springs while chatting with our new friends on tour. As you can see from the photo below, we also were able to enjoy refreshing beverages from the swim-up bar in the pool. That’s one for me and one for Mr. TWS, by the way!
Enjoying drinks from the swim-up bar at Lake Myvatn Nature Baths
Sky Lagoon
We returned to Reykjavik on the final day of our Icelandic adventure with time to visit Sky Lagoon. The lagoon has a wonderful setting on the water just outside of the city. Besides relaxing in the warm geothernal waters and enjoying the spectacular views, some in our group had the lagoon’s signature spa ritual to enhance the experience. You might also want to do a cold plunge while you’re there!
Sky Lagoon in Reykjavik — Photo credit: Sky_Lagoon_by_Pursuit
Weather tip: The weather can change quickly and can vary across the island. Collette and the tour manager will provide you with helpful information prior to the trip. Plan on wearing layers and come prepared with a rain jacket, waterproof pants, hat, and gloves. We happened to visit during a period of unusually warm and sunny weather so wore our lightest clothes. (Mr. TWS regretted not packing at least one pair of shorts.) No coat was necessary much of the time, until the last two days when we layered up. The locals were thrilled with the great weather! They said it’s not unusual that they would have warm and sunny days, just not so many days in a row. I was actually happy that our final two days got quite windy and cool — so that I could experience the dramatic unpredictability of Iceland’s climate.
Stay tuned for more about our tour and Iceland’s cities, culture and cuisine.
Thanks to Collette for sponsoring our memorable adventures in Iceland.
