Íslandssaga (Islandic Saga)

This is our Íslandssaga, our journey, and our story.  We came, we saw and have the patches to prove it!

Subpages:

Day 1 Iceland PreTour South Coast
Day 2 Iceland PreTour South Coast
Day 3 Iceland PreTour South Coast
Day 4 Iceland PreTour South Coast
Day 5 Iceland PreTour Golden Circle
Day 5 Icelandic Whitewater Rafting
Day 6 Iceland PreTour Golden Circle
Day 6-13 Icelandic Jamboree 2024
Day 8 Blue Lagoon
Day 13-14 Iceland PostTour

Icelandic Jamboree 2024 - Debrief
Icelandic Jamboree 2024 Prep 

Day 0
6 July 2024

We flew out of Seattle on June 6th in the middle of the day and would arrive early Sunday morning in Keflavik Iceland.

Day 1
7 July 2024

After arriving in Keflavik, we picked up vehicles and headed to Reykjavik to gather supplies for our 2 week saga.  We headed east along the South Coast to our first camp and journeyed to some of the most iconic waterfalls in the world. 

We ended the day with a 3-mile hike to Seljalandsfoss and Gljufrabui Falls and spent the night at the Lucky Guesthouse.

See our Day 1 Iceland PreTour South Coast Page

Day 2
8 July 2024

We had a full day of adventures complete about 12 miles of hikes, exploring of caves and more waterfalls as we head east on the South Coast.  Our Day included:

• • Paradísarhellir - Paradise Cave 1-mile hike and climb

  • Rútshellir (Cave of Rutur)

  • Seljavallalaug Hot Springs Swimming Pool 1-mile hike and swim

  • Gamla fjósið - Lunch

  • Skógafoss - 6-mile hike

  • Sólheimasandur Plane Wreck with 5-mile hike

  • Grand Guesthouse Gardakot

See our Day 2 Iceland PreTour South Coast Page

Day 3
9 July 2024

We continued east along the Southern Coast of Iceland to Vik and beyond.  This included:

• Dyrhólaey - looking out at coast and puffins

• Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach 1-mile hike

• Gýgagjá Yoda Cave

• Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon 2-mile hike

• Lunch and 1-mile hike at Systrastapi (Sister's Rock) with canceled climb

• Resupply at Kirkjubæjarklaustur

• Diamond Beach and Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon

• Tjaldsvæðið í Skaftafelli - Vatnajokull National Park Campsite

See our Day 3 Iceland PreTour South Coast Page

Day 4
10 July 2024

For Day 4, we planned to mostly head back west to the Golden Circle for brief sightseeing there prior to Jamboree.  Day 4 included:

• Skaftafellsjökull Glacier 4-Mile Hike

• Svartifoss - Magnúsarfoss - Hundafoss Waterfalls 3-Mile Hike vs Swimming in Vik

• Consideration for Secret Lagoon if time allowed for this

• Kerid Crater

• Transportation to Villa for 2 nights of lodging in Golden Circle

See our Day 4 Iceland PreTour South Coast Page

Day 5
11 July 2024

We made it to the Golden Circle.  A night indoors with laundry was really nice.  The main focus for the day was Whitewater Rafting.  We filled the rest of the the day with obligatory Golden Circle sites that had to be seen.  Day 5 included:

• Gullfoss ("Golden Falls")

• Drumboddsstaðir -Drumbó River Base - White water rafting 

• Lunch at Efstidalur II - barn café

• Faxafoss - waterfall hike

• Geysir - thermal springs and geysers

See our Day 5 Iceland PreTour Golden Circle Page and See our Day 5 Icelandic Whitewater Rafting Page

Iceland Day 6 / Jamboree Day 1
12 July 2024

Check in was in the afternoon, but it was felt that the group, or at least an advanced party should check in early to make sure we had a site and all the equipment needed for a successful event.  After discussing options, we sent two adult leaders to check in to Jamboree while the rest of our team went to Þingvellir National Park.

Following the visit to Þingvellir National Park, the rest of our crew joined the advance team at the Jamboree site and started our Jamboree experience.

See our:

• Day 6 PreTour Page - visit to Þingvellir National Park

• Day 6-13 Icelandic Jamboree Page

Day 8
14 July 2024

We set 2 of our crew to check out the Blue Lagoon.  They reported back that their 6-hour stay was enjoyable and a great break from camp. 

See our Day 8 Icelandic Jamboree 2024 - Blue Lagoon Page

Day 13-14
19-20 July 2024

We left Jamboree right after the closing ceremony on Thursday and headed for Reykjavík.  We had a hotel on the east end of Laugavegur Street, giving us easy access to the popularly visited venues in Reykjavík.

Some of what we did and saw:

• Pósthús Food Hall & Bar

• Ísbúðin litla Valdís Ice Cream

• Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur - world famous hotdog stand

• Sundhöll Reykjavíkur - oldest purpose-built indoor swimming pool in Reykjavík

• Hallgrímskirkja is a Lutheran (Church of Iceland)

• Alþingishúsið - Iceland’s Alþingi parliament  house

• Reykjavík Harbour

• Laugavegur street - shopping and sites

• Harpa - Reykjavík Concert Hall

• Sun Voyager is a sculpture by Jón Gunnar Árnason

• Drove by the home of singer Björk and author Magnús Scheving (the creator of the LazyTown)

• Grótta Lighthouse and hot spring bath on the beach

See our Day 13-14 Iceland PostTour Page