The Local Guide to winter driving in Iceland

The Local Guide to winter driving in Iceland Driving in Iceland can be an unexpected cultural experience for tourists visiting for the first time. Winter in Iceland is often more unpredictable, snowy and icy than people anticipate. Winter driving in Iceland can be a challenge on its own. There are a few things to keep in mind when driving the south coast to visit the ice caves, Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon and Diamond Beach, so we’re here to give you the local heads up.  You can find standard winter driving tips from SafeTravel.is. This blog gives you a handy list of websites to check to avoid running into trouble, local tips for bad weather, advice on what to do if you need to get towed, and some details on gas stations in the south of Iceland.   Websites to check when winter driving in Iceland Safetravel.is – you can follow their updates on their website, but the best way is to follow them on Facebook and then turn on Notifications and “See First” in your feed so you don’t miss any updates about storms or windy, snowy conditions. They do a really good job of putting the weather data and road updates in context for you. Road.is will give you details on the conditions of the winter roads. If you look at the legend beneath the road map photo, you’ll see the colour code for the lines and symbols that tell you how severe the snow storms are. Make sure to keep checking this a lot when siging up for winter driving in Iceland. Vedur.is – the weather website for all of Iceland will give you the temperature, wind and rain (snow) forecasts. You can change the website to English in the top right corner on mobile or desktop, and by selecting “South East” you’ll see the map for Kirkjubaejarklauster to Hofn. If you’re driving to/from Vik, you’ll need to check the “South” map.  Grapevine.is – The Reykjavik Grapevine is a newspaper available in English throughout Iceland. They were also great at updating tourists regularly on weather warnings. Best thing to do is follow them on Facebook and Follow so you see the weather updates when they appear.  What am I looking for in the forecast? If the temperature on the road is between 0-3 degrees celcius, any precipitation may be snow or sleet. This means you could have very slippery roads or poor visibility. Add wind (especially gusts over 15 m/s) and the roads could be quite dangerous. If it’s not possible to wait until better weather, drive slowly. This is very important to do when winter driving in Iceland. Road plows Within the Reykjavik area the streets are almost fully plowed and salted. From the town Hvolsvollur (1.5 hours from Reykjavik) onwards, you need to wait until the plows start work from around 7am-8am. Every major town or area (Vik, Kirkjubaejarklauster, Skaftafell, Hofn) will have someone operating a plow, but they need to drive in both directions, and it’s at least an hour between the towns. This means the road can be very difficult to drive early in the morning as sometimes the snow clumps on the black ice and people need to take turns driving on the plowed sections. Cleaning of the roads can simply take a bit of time so make sure to plan for extra time when being on a car and winter driving in Iceland. It’s a good idea to add at least 15-20 minutes more per hour you have to drive when planning. This way, if you’re staying in Svinafell and need to go to Jökulsárlón (40 mins), leaving 60 mins would be a reasonable amount of time to allow you to drive around 50-70km/h instead of 90km/h.   Gas stations Always try to have a full tank of gas in winter! You have to fill it up before you give it back anyway, right?  Your car rental company may give you a discount keyring, but only taking gas from these stations to “save money” will cost you more than 5c a litre if you run out.  There is always a chance that the unmanned gas stations will run out of fuel and it might take an evening or a day to refuel them. Special note for friends from the US: You need a 4 digit pin code on your cards. Arrange this before you go. Consider buying a 10.000 ISK ($90 USD) N1 card at the first manned station you see, as many of the unmanned rural pumps are N1. Here’s hoping if you get stuck you meet a friendly person you can PayPal cash to if all else fails! There are gas stations at: Kirkjubaejarklauster – N1 (manned, 8am-10pm), Orkan (unmanned) Skaftafell “Freysnes” – Orkan (manned 9am – 8pm) Fagurholsmyri – N1 (unmanned, but you can buy gas cards from Cafe Vatnajokull when it is open) Nes – N1 (unmanned) Hofn – N1 (manned 9am – 10pm), Olis (manned 9am – 10pm) This blog is also a great summary of how gas stations work in Iceland and the Visit Vatnajokull site will give you up to date opening times as they change between summer and winter. What to do when you run off the road in Iceland Uh-oh, you’re off the road. Legally people in Iceland have to stop at an accident and see if people are okay, so you won’t be alone for long. Try to only drive in unpopulated areas (like between Kirkjubaejarklauster and Hofn) in daylight or reasonable hours that people might be driving by, just in case you get stuck and don’t have cell reception. Getting towed Unfortunately, new rental car rules mean only licensed tow trucks are allowed to pull you back on the road. Any damages from pulling with a private car will fall on you and are not covered by insurance. SADCars have a very handy map of tow trucks around Iceland. Kirkjubaejarklauster: UniCars – 649-4979 and Pálmi – 897-0090. Hof: Sigurður – 893-1150 Hofn:

Why an Ice Cave Tour should be on everyone’s bucket list

Why an Ice Cave Tour should be on everyone’s bucket list Chances are you chose to visit Iceland in the wintertime because of Northern Lights. As beautiful as they are they can be quite unpredictable and there is another natural phenomenon you should not miss: ice caves. Formed by the rivers running underneath our glaciers, most ice caves are only accessible in the wintertime. When the rivers change their paths and temperatures drop Local Guides head out scouting on the outlet glaciers of Iceland’s biggest glacier Vatnajökull. Ice caves come in all shapes and sizes. Some are big and have very blue ice, others are twisty and you can see layers of volcanic ash or trapped air bubbles in the crystal-clear ice. When the caves are safe to explore, Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon is a great meeting point to start off on the glacier. You will get all suited up with safety equipment and jump into a super jeep. These cars are modified with extra big tires getting you as close as possible to the glacier. The ride might be bumpy but for sure an experience on its own. You will get to travel through a landscape shaped by the glacier that is not easy to access otherwise. All tours with Local Guide are carbon neutralized by planting trees.  Ice cave tour – what to expect? After a short hike through the old glacier bed where you can see firsthand how the glacier is retreating you will approach the glacier. What looks just like a deep black hole from afar is your door into another world. Ice caves change every year and even during the season. A famous Ice cave that you get to visit on the Ice Cave Tour with a Local Guide is the Sapphire ice cave. You will get to learn about the glacier and explore the different features a cave has to offer. Opportunities for beautiful photos are all around and you can take your time enjoying this special moment. Ice caves deserve a place on everyone’s Iceland road trip bucket list. But that can mean the caves get busy during some periods in the winter. We at Local Guide have many years of experience and schedule our ice cave tours to depart at less busy times. We can never promise you to be alone in an ice cave during the ice cave tour, but we will always make sure to give you the best possible experience. When your cameras and hearts are full, we start heading back to another adventurous super jeep right back to our meeting location. Don’t forget to have a look around the glacier lagoon and diamond beach and if you are lucky, you might even see Northern Lights in this area without any light pollution. And if you can’t get enough of ice caves there are also full day adventures that include glacier hikes and more remote ice caves like the Ice Cave Discovery! Why is it worth to join the ice cave with Local Guide? An ice cave tour in Iceland is one of the most unforgettable adventures you can add to your travel bucket list. Hidden beneath Vatnajökull, Europe’s largest glacier, these natural wonders showcase vivid blue ice formations sculpted by time and seasonal change. Each winter, new caves are formed, making every ice cave tour a completely unique experience. Joining an ice cave tour allows you to explore safely with experienced local guides who know the terrain and conditions intimately. The journey itself—often beginning near Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon—is as breathtaking as the destination, with snow-covered landscapes and the chance to walk inside a living glacier. Whether you’re a photographer, thrill-seeker, or nature lover, an ice cave tour offers awe-inspiring beauty, fascinating geology, and memories that last a lifetime. Don’t miss the chance to witness one of Iceland’s most magical sights—an ice cave tour is truly a must for any adventurer.   OUR RECENT POSTS

Best Blue Ice Cave in Iceland

Best Blue Ice Cave in Iceland What pops up when you research a winter activity in Iceland? Blue Ice Caves! Ice Cave photography has gained huge popularity during the last years and there are so many breathtaking photos of ice caves out there that it can be a bit overwhelming to know where to go and what to expect. Let ‘s start at the beginning. Ice caves in Iceland are mostly formed by rivers underneath the glacier that leave beautiful formed caves, tunnel systems or canyons in the ice. This means ice caves always change and never look the same. Some are bigger than others and not all are blue. Sometimes you can see layers of volcanic ash or air bubbles trapped in the old crystal-clear ice. What brings us to the next question: When can I visit the Ice Caves? Most natural ice caves are only available in the wintertime, usually from the beginning of October until the end of March. The rivers get smaller, and the Ice is the most beautiful with the colder temperatures. This also means you should never visit an ice cave without a professional guide and safety equipment. The local guides know the caves very well and are trained to spot any areas that are not safe. Also, if something happens you need someone with the right training to rescue you out of any situation. And glacier guides can tell you all about the secret spots and favorite glacier knowledge. But what is the best Ice Cave in Iceland? With the caves changing every year it is hard to determine on one favorite ice cave. Even though some glacier outlets have the prettiest caves year after year. Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon is not just a famous sight on its own, it is also an ideal location to get to a natural ice cave on Iceland’s biggest glacier. Some famous ice caves you might have found online from this little corner of the world were the Crystal Ice Cave or Treasure Island Ice Cave. In recent years the Sapphire Ice Cave has made an appearance year after year and is a beautiful big blue ice cave in the Southeast of Iceland. To make sure you will get to see the best ice cave out there, local guides head out in the autumn for ice cave scouting. They cover many kilometers of glacier and jump into every black hole they see. So we can be sure the best ice cave tours are starting on the south side of Vatnajökull Glacier. Superjeeps transport small groups closer to the glacier. You can choose the adventure that suits you the best: ice Cave tours are for families, professional and hobby photographers or you and your friends. There are public ice cave tours or private options. Some are specific photography tours, others you can try ice climbing and combine it all with a glacier hike. This winter activity in Iceland is one you should not miss. OUR RECENT POSTS

A guide to wildlife in Oræfi

A guide to wildlife in Oræfi When you come to visit us to take our tour, you might be staying in the area, taking a hike in the national park or just driving through. Here is a guide to the seasonal wildlife found in this area that you might be lucky enough to spot whatever your itinerary: Summer Sheep – Okay so these might not be wild as they are owned, however in the summer they get everywhere! Sheep are put to roam the countryside for the summer before being brought back in during the winter. They love to head up into the mountains however you will definitely find them along the road , I’ve found them in the middle of the night eating my vegetable garden and last summer one particular group favoured one of our guide´s font decks for their daily hangout so don’t be surprised if you wake up at your guesthouse with a  sheep looking back through the window. Puffins – These beautiful and slightly clumsy birds come back to the island in late April/Early May and are here until mid-late August. Whilst you have to go on a specialist tour to see one (due to their cliffside location) it is pretty inexpensive and one of the more unusual and traditional tours you can do in this area. Summer Birds – The summer in Iceland brings back the birds, just open the window and you will hear a chorus of bird song. The Arctic Terns come back to nest, as do the Great and Arctic Skua. Both of these birds are very protective over their nesting grounds and young meaning they can be a bit spiteful and swoop so watch your heads! The Loa, or Golden Plover in English is the sign that summer has come, so once the first bird is spotted on the island everyone knows that summer is on the way here in Iceland. The Snipe (Hrossagaukur) is one of the nosier birds with a comical warble as it flies around, and the Oyster Catchers (Tjaldur) have the prettiest call as they wander around in pairs although often by the main road! Foxes – Not hugely common in this area, but as a wild animal they are around. We sometimes find their footprints in the snow during winter, and they’ve been seen up on the glacier’s edge. These creatures have very camouflaged fur so blink and you´ll miss them but you might be lucky enough to see one scampering around in the lava fields. Winter Reindeer – In the autumn and winter months the reindeer come down from the mountains to the lower ground. Often, we see them towards Höfn but this year they all decided to come and graze just next to Jökulsárlón. There is nothing prettier than a snow-covered landscape and a herd of reindeer standing proudly looking like something from a Christmas card, and they are so photogenic.  OUR RECENT POSTS

Five things you might not expect to find on a glacier

Five things you might not expect to find on a glacier When you plan to visit Iceland’s glaciers, you might have conjured images of large icy waves creeping down the mountains. A myriad of colours including blues, whites and greys and dramatic cracks in the ice. However, there are a few other things you might not expect to find up there that you might be surprised to find. Mice: Okay so not what you or I know as a mouse but a glacier mouse. These are round furry stones that have collected moss as they have travelled along the ice and are home to hundreds of tiny organisms. The internal temperature of this mini ecosystem is warmer than the temperature on the ice and makes the perfect home and breeding ground for all these microscopic bugs. You can find these scattered on the surface of the glacier so keep your eyes peeled. Ravens: Here in Iceland there are a lot of Ravens around. A large group together is called a conspiracy or unkindness and you might become suspicious if you see a lot of them all gathering in one place as this can be considered a bad omen. If you come on a tour with us to Falljökull you will very likely see some ravens who have cheekily identified that tourists often drop the odd crumb or two as they have their lunch. These ravens are curious and very clever, and you’ll probably be able to see them very close up as they browse the menu and decide who´s scraps they want for lunch that day! Volcanic Ash: You might not think that a large icy scape such as a glacier would hold so many secrets within, however beneath the surface of the ice you can find layers of ash from each volcanic eruption in Iceland. After each eruption thick layers of ash would cover the glacier, as more snow falls and compresses on top of the ice then this layer is locked inside. In certain caves and tunnels, you can be lucky enough to witness the layers running horizontally through the wall making stripes in the ice. Running water. Not just a frozen block of ice, on the glaciers you can find fresh running water. Natural melting of the ice surface and snow high up in the mountains makes channels and waterfalls on the glacier. You can often find somewhere to grab a mouthful of icy cold water or ask the guide to show you how to do the drinking challenge using your ice axe and upper body strength for that refreshing gulp. Hollywood actors. So, this one is perhaps a bit far-fetched as it will not be a daily occurrence, however many Hollywood films and series have been filmed on Icelandic glaciers such as Interstellar and Game of Thrones. The glaciers lend themselves to interpretation of large lunar landscapes or a cold icy no-man’s land meaning they are a popular filming location. You never know who you might find up there filming their next blockbuster!   If you would like to experience any of these up on the glacier, why not join one of our hiking tours. Here you can see a list of summer hiking tours. OUR RECENT POSTS

Ice Caves: What? Where? How?

Ice Caves: What? Where? How?​ The chances are, if you have stumbled across our website it is because you are looking for an ice cave tour and perhaps you would like to know a bit more about where the caves are and how they are formed.  What are they? Ice caves are chambers that form in the ice within the outlet glaciers.  How are they formed? Ice caves are formed during the summer months when rivers and channels run through the ice, they carve tunnels and chambers among other formations within the dense glacier ice. Once the colder winter weather arrives and the rivers retreat we can access the caves and explore the icy blue underworld of the glaciers. Where can I find them? Ice caves can be found within any glacier in Iceland, there are many that will never be discovered in the more remote parts of the country.The most popular place to visit the caves is in the South East of Iceland in the outlets of the Vatnajokull glacier. Here there are caves that are often accessible within 1 hour from the main Route 1 making them a popular attraction with tourists in Iceland.  When can I visit them? Ice caves are normally accessible from late October to late March however the weather conditions play a big part in this and we have to monitor the caves constantly, perhaps we can visit them a bit earlier or perhaps we have to end the season early.  How can I get to them? You can visit Ice caves on organised tours. At Local Guide we offer daily tours both short accessible yours and longer tours aimed at the fitter more adventurous client. We use specially modified superjeeps to access the caves and highly experienced guides from the local area. Our meeting point is at the main parking area next to the Glacier Lagoon Jökulsárlón. It is very easy to see our big black van with the Local Guide logo on.  Can I go alone? No. It is very important that you visit the cave with a trained guide. They use their years of experience to monitor the conditions of the cave, know which areas are safe/unsafe to visit and they carry safety equipment with them at all times. Weather can change very quickly in Iceland and can lead to unpredictable and uncomfortable conditions if you do not have the correct vehicle to access the caves. OUR RECENT POSTS

What to do with young kids in and around Skaftafell in the summer

What to do with young kids in and around Skaftafell in the summer  If you are coming to visit our little corner of Iceland in the South East and you are traveling with young kids you might wonder if there will be enough for them to do, and activities you can enjoy as a family but here is a guide to some of the adventures you can take in this area.  A glacier hike at Local Guide We are proud to offer private glacier tours suitable for children as young as 5 years old. Not only do we have a lot of experience as many of our guides have been taking their own children up on the ice, but we also have all of the necessary safety equipment in the smallest of sizes to allow your little ones to experience the glacier. Private tours are bookable on request and we encourage you to get in touch if you would like to have more information about these tours.   Walk in Skaftafell National Park   There are a number of hiking trails in the National Park and some of them are on flatter ground and accessible for all. A visit up to Sél is also very interesting, it is a small uphill hike to get there but rated easy/moderate. Sél was an old working farm, and there is still a traditional turf house in this location that you can visit and see how people lived in the past in these traditional Icelandic houses. If your children don’t fancy a hike, you can also just pack up a picnic or buy an ice cream from the café and explore the grassland around the campsite where you might even find sheep hiding in the bushes and friendly birds hoping you will drop a crumb or two.   The playground in Hof   In Iceland it is possible to use the playgrounds of schools and kindergartens on evenings and weekends. This means that after 4.30 on a weekday and all day during the weekend you are able to enjoy the playground in Hof that has some swings, slides, climbing wall etc as well as some football goals and grass area for running around and burning off some energy.    Puffin tour with From Coast to Mountains   This puffin tour is sure to appeal to all ages, you head out onto the black sands in a tractor and trailer before arriving at the cape where you will explore, learn about the history and geography, encounter birdlife and see puffins too. The minimum age online is 5 years old however it is possible to take younger children if the weather conditions are suited so make sure to get in touch with the office and check the weather forecast before booking a tour with children as it can get blustery down by the sea.   OUR RECENT POSTS

VISIT VATNAJÖKULL

VISIT VATNAJÖKULL Of all the beautiful glaciers in the Skaftafell region of Vatnajökull, Falljökull is the one many locals in the area are privileged to call their workplace. Falljökull is famous for its steep, flowing ice fall and dramatic mountains. You´ll find many photos of the icefall and the undulating waves of ice in travellers’ holiday albums, because who could come to Iceland without checking out its namesake? Falljökull or the ‘falling glacier’ stems from the main ice cap Vatnajökull, which itself is around 8% of Iceland´s total landmass. Falljökull is what we call a ´glacier tongue´ in that it´s a smaller glacier that comes off the larger ice cap, like a stream coming from a lake. The glacier was first formed high up above the mountains in the ice cap, where the yearly snowfall compressed down over time to become the special glacier ice, which melts much more slowly than regular ice that develops at freezing point. The ice that we hike on in the Vatnajökull national park ranges anywhere from 400 to 1,000 years old since it was last snow! A glacier hiking or ice climbing tour onto Falljökull begins from Freysnes gas station, located just a 5 minute drive from the glacier carpark. You catch your first glimpse of the glacier after heading past the Svínafell settlement, and can watch the tallest peak of Iceland, Hvannadalshnjúkur rising up at 2,110m tall, right until we dip deeper into the Falljökull valley.We drive as far as we can into the valley along an old sheep track that was put in by the local farmers, before the area was made into a national park. The track is still in use today to round up all the sheep that call the valley home during the summer, during the annual réttir. Our super jeep makes light work of the rough terrain, and within just 15 short minutes we´ve made it from the meeting point to the terminal face of the glacier. Before putting on our crampons and stepping onto the hard glacier ice, we need to ascend one of the many hills of ´dead ice´at the end of the glacier. These hills are made of hard glacier ice, and due to being covered by a thick layer of ash and rocky debris, they are protected from melting away in the sun. We reach the edge of the ice, have a quick lesson in walking in crampons, a small safety briefing, and then we´re off.  Taking your first, crunching steps on a glacier is a vivid sensory memory to store away for decades to come. The crunch, crunch, crunch of crampons biting into crusty white ice, the trickle of the refreshingly cold glacier melt water flowing over the surface and the feeling of the cool wind coming off the ice cap. OUR RECENT POSTS