Iceland...an island in time, presenting a panorama of surreal landscapes, rich history and the struggle between man and the environment; it is a destination whose breathtaking beauty invites exploration.
Iceland is at once a primordial world and a technical conundrum. It has been a place that demonstrates the dichotomy of the wildness of nature, its taming and harnessing by humanity. These qualities have sparked the imaginations of explorers, adventurers, writers and artisits from the four corners of the world...and in so many ways, it is indeed the earth's center.
Take the voyage with H2Outfitters' staff, and cross the seas to the island Republic of Iceland. We'll land in this small country's capitol, Reykjavik, the place of Norseman Leif Erikson and his Viking explorers made landfall centuries ago. His statue stands beneath the church towers of Hallgrimskirkja. Leif's era was a time of epic Viking sagas, discoveries, and battles with the gods and demons that inhabited the geo-thermal nooks and crannies scattered across the surface of the island. These "super-natural forces" have since been tamed by the local population and now support the people and the land as alternative energy sources while at the same time providing recreational and therapeutic resources as an added bonus. From hiking, skiing, and boating to the relaxation of soaking away the stresses and strains in the plentiful hot springs, the land in and of itself is unequaled as an adventures' paradise.
We'll paddle into the country's deep fjords, visit small villages, and get to know the people on an intimate level of culture-to-culture. The locals are self-sufficient, welcoming to voyagers from the sea like ourselves, and always curious about the ancestry of the new friends they meet. Remember, these are people with surnameslike Sigurds-son or Olafs-dottir and they want to know who you belong to this in this world! This is their land where the mountains meet the sea, a land that is in a constant state of flux with seismic volcanic action and slow-moving glaciers. The metaphor of fire and ice holds so true in this dynamic environment and is the driving force behind the hospitality and generosity of its people.
We'll trek to, and stand on, the surface of a glacier underway, breath air whose crispness will quickly become an acquired taste, and savor the magical light in a land that is for half the year bathed only in shades of twilight. This is the atmosphere of adventure, and discovery, and there is no place like it on this Earth. And so, it might be said that Iceland is an all-encompassing wilderness that not only transcends the conflict between man and nature, but also offers visitors an opportunity to become participants in its daily give and take.
Please join us for an exciting journey to this magnificent land of fire and ice, another on our list of Adventures for a Lifetime.
