The global financial crisis of 2008 affected many countries, and Iceland was among those hit the hardest. While this could have been the start of a collapse of the country, Icelanders joined together, jailed bankers, and pulled themselves up from almost nothing. This phenomenon has created a renaissance in Iceland and as a result it is now attracting millions of tourists. In 2017 so far, there have been one million tourists from January to June alone, and I was fortunate enough to be one of them. Everything about this easy-going and culturally rich city drew me in, and my Icelandic experience became one of the favorite trips I’ve ever taken.
Read MoreWith Iceland’s popularity at an all-time high, finding a luxury travel company in the country can sometimes be a challenge. Luckily, Frontiers has a well-established relationship with Private Travel Iceland, the premiere luxury travel company in the country. I was fortunate to spend a fantastic week with PTI exploring the country alongside my colleague Leigh and three other advisors from around the United States. We had the opportunity to see most of the main attractions that bring people to Iceland, including the Golden Circle, South Shore, Thorsmork, and of course the city of Reykjavik.
Read MoreRichard Scrope and I headed to Iceland as guests for the opening of the Thvera River and decided that we would not have all of our tackle disinfected before our departure. Our motive was to test the process of having it done at the airport on arrival, something we have not tried for a while. So on landing, after collecting our bags, we presented ourselves at customs and let them know we needed to have tackle disinfected.
Read More“Don’t worry guys, it will be even sunnier tomorrow and the conditions will be epic” was the statement casually but clearly called out over a gusty breeze by Steve Banks, our guide for the day. That gave me pause. My hair still damp and skin still salty from a morning sea kayak outing, I was standing on the crest of a ridge high in the snow caped coastal peaks above the small fishing village of Siglufjordur, Iceland. The helicopter that had expressed me to this point was doing a classic maximum performance takeoff and was rolling out over the ridge back to sea level. Before me sprawled an untracked bowl that would rival – and perhaps exceed – any spot accessed by a chair lift in North America. On one knee in a neat line were three like-minded skiers whom I had just met but whom had all traveled the same road in life and were as eager as I was for first tracks. Seriously . . . this was going to get better? I found it hard to believe, but I stand corrected.
Read MoreFrontiers was proud to welcome Sarah Quigley and Jon Sigurbjornsson from Private Travel Iceland, our preferred on-site supplier for customized itineraries in Iceland. They have hosted dozens of Frontiers clients, always with rave reviews, with tailor made itineraries including Super Jeep safaris into the Highlands, hiking in Thorsmork, and even Game of Thrones themed bachelor parties (remember, the night life in Reykjavik is world class). We’re seeing unprecedented demand for travel to Iceland and Frontiers has 40 plus years’ experience in Iceland. It’s closer than you think and we have lots of creative ways for you to explore the country of “Fire and Ice.”
Fishing buffs, take note: Frontiers International Travel is rolling out its first comprehensive website dedicated exclusively to multi-sport and leisure travel in Iceland at www.frontiersiceland.com.
In conjunction with the launch, guides Barry and Cathy Beck will be hosting an extremely exclusive brown trout fishing tour of Iceland June 11 – 19. Guests will join the Becks for fishing on the 12,000-year-old Lake Thingvallavatn, where the prehistoric strains of brown trout grow large. Next, guests head to the sparsely populated Highlands where the rivers and lakes are lightly fished.
This eight-day tour starts at $7,256 per person.
Read MoreOur second go-around at the Sandholt Bakery was just as good as the first and we were collected at 9 AM for a 2-day “Super Jeep” safari with Jon from PTI exploring the hinterlands and some of the nature for which Iceland is so famous. We donned down coats and extra layers and climbed up into our snazzy vehicle – an SUV that has been specially modified for Icelandic “off-road conditions” with a higher suspension, wide tundra tires and a myriad of special equipment…talk about feeling like the “King of the Road!” We drove about 2 hours out of the city through every kind of weather imaginable and our destination was Landmannalaugar, in the uninhabited uplands. Our first stop was a beautiful waterfall, Hjálparfoss and funnily enough, Leigh, who was wearing a Frontiers hat, was stopped by a fishing guide on his way up from the river who‘d guided colleagues of ours earlier in the summer. Trust me, this is the last place you‘d imagine running into someone! Small world!
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