Conservation volunteering in Iceland
| country: | Iceland |
| departures: | 2010: 8 Aug |
| price: | From £375 (13 days) excluding flights. We can arrange flights from the UK |
| vouchers: | Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday |
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| Holiday Details |  3 reviews |
Conservation volunteering in Iceland
Europe, Iceland boasts some of the most stunning National parks anywhere. We're living and working in the heart of the Skaftafell, Vatnajökull National Park - building and repairing mountain trails and camping out in the midnight sun. This is conservation at its most adventurous...
Hiking Trails and Glaciers, Iceland
Living and working in the heart of Iceland's stunning National Parks you'll amaze yourself with your own achievements. Our holidays in Iceland are the ultimate adventurous conservation experience!
Who we're working with: Iceland Conservation Holidays are run in partnership with the Icelandic Environment Agency, Umhverfistofnun (UST). The Agency operates under the Ministry of Environment and one of their key responsibilities is the management and protection of the country’s national parks and conservation areas. Iceland Conservation Holidays are managed by UST’s own team of local staff and international volunteer leaders. For 30 years, our volunteers have played an important role in this work. Volunteer teams work closely with local staff on a variety of practical management tasks, focussing on trail building and wilderness management projects. We stay in tents and live and work in these amazing areas throughout the summer months. The country’s harsh natural environment and unpredictable weather make our projects in Iceland both an adventure and a challenge.
Where we're working: Skaftafell National Park in southeast Iceland has been described as a green oasis surrounded by a landscape of snow-capped mountains, glaciers and vast black sand plains. This amazing scenery makes it one of the most beautiful and most visited places in the country. The area has been included in the new Vatnajökull National Park, which has recently been established and is the largest National Park in Europe.
What we'll be doing: This summer we will be working a variety of hiking trail construction and maintenance projects throughout the Skaftafell area. Our work may include building stone drains, resurfacing paths with gravel and the construction of timber bridges and boardwalks. We'll be focussing on repair work to a popular woodland trail overlooking the Skaftafell Glacier. No previous experience of this work is necessary as training will be provided by experienced leaders. The working day normally runs from 09:00 – 17:00 with breaks for lunch and coffee. However, please be prepared for some flexibility due to the nature of Iceland’s changeable weather.
Hiking Trails and Glaciers, Iceland
Living and working in the heart of Iceland's stunning National Parks you'll amaze yourself with your own achievements. Our holidays in Iceland are the ultimate adventurous conservation experience!
Who we're working with: Iceland Conservation Holidays are run in partnership with the Icelandic Environment Agency, Umhverfistofnun (UST). The Agency operates under the Ministry of Environment and one of their key responsibilities is the management and protection of the country’s national parks and conservation areas. Iceland Conservation Holidays are managed by UST’s own team of local staff and international volunteer leaders. For 30 years, our volunteers have played an important role in this work. Volunteer teams work closely with local staff on a variety of practical management tasks, focussing on trail building and wilderness management projects. We stay in tents and live and work in these amazing areas throughout the summer months. The country’s harsh natural environment and unpredictable weather make our projects in Iceland both an adventure and a challenge.
Where we're working: Skaftafell National Park in southeast Iceland has been described as a green oasis surrounded by a landscape of snow-capped mountains, glaciers and vast black sand plains. This amazing scenery makes it one of the most beautiful and most visited places in the country. The area has been included in the new Vatnajökull National Park, which has recently been established and is the largest National Park in Europe.
What we'll be doing: This summer we will be working a variety of hiking trail construction and maintenance projects throughout the Skaftafell area. Our work may include building stone drains, resurfacing paths with gravel and the construction of timber bridges and boardwalks. We'll be focussing on repair work to a popular woodland trail overlooking the Skaftafell Glacier. No previous experience of this work is necessary as training will be provided by experienced leaders. The working day normally runs from 09:00 – 17:00 with breaks for lunch and coffee. However, please be prepared for some flexibility due to the nature of Iceland’s changeable weather.
traveller reviews for Conservation volunteering in Iceland
Most memorable was completing our path project, and having people walk on it and compliment us on it. (more)
volunteer travel - what's it all about?
Are you looking for an adventurous trip with a purpose, or on a gap year or career break? If you want to make a difference in some of the world’s most important conservation areas - and in community projects - then volunteer trips are for you! Volunteers tend to have a sense of adventure, and come from a range of different backgrounds and from all over the world. Edward Abbey said 'sentiment without action is the ruin of the soul'.
how this holiday makes a difference
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Now one of the coolest holiday destinations in Europe, Iceland is receiving ever increasing numbers of visitors. As tourism grow, the pressure on Iceland’s fragile natural ecology increases. The challenge is to protect both vegetation and geological formations from damage and this is done through the construction and maintenance of hiking trail networks. Well maintained paths enable people to visit these amazing areas without damaging them and this important work also helps to improve safety for visitors.
As the UK's biggest environmental volunteering charity, our aim is to make the maximum contribution to the communities and places we work in and we always work with a local partner organisation. These are unique holidays in a unique place. Working directly with the Environmental Agency staff, volunteers and local people you'll have the chance to experience Iceland in a way no other holiday can offer. Living, laughing and working as a group, you're not only changing the world, you'll change your life. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |
 Reviewed 20 Aug 2008 by Hannah Howard | |
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Completing our path project, and having people walk on it and compliment us on it.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Go for it, and don't worry about the meeting point or the food, which is plentiful and good quality with lots of biscuits. And prepare for any weather.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
It benefited tourists to the area, but they are mostly Icelandic, so yes. It made it easier for people to hike without affecting the environment.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Brilliant.
| Reviewed 02 Sep 2006 by Kathleen Murphy | |
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Staying at Skaftafell for 2 weeks - most people would stay at the campsite for a few nights. We were able to see the park at times when other visitors had left. Mostly it felt like our private playground! Also - on our day off, project leaders took us to parts of the park that maybe not otherwise see. A real joy.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Work was hard - and when they say physically fit they mean it. However, we were encouraged to do what we could and I believe the group worked well to help improve access in the national park. Working, and living, in close proximity for some time means that people need to be able to get on with others and leave egos at home. All good on our group and really enjoyed meeting diverse group of folk. Take time out at beginning or end of holiday to travel a little to see sites beyond the park and Reykjavik - Iceland is a thrilling country and good to get to other parts as all so varied.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
We got excellent feedback from the park manager about our work, and the project leaders were very clear about minimising impact of our work eg. where we walked when searching for stones or gravel, how we left sites etc. I believe it did benefit local people insofar as their national park is a better place after we left it.
4. Any other comments?
As to how I rate the holiday - maximum stars. Learnt a lot, enjoyed the work, met new people and felt we did something that mattered. The Iceland UST should be proud of how they are engaging volunteers - and it really was a 'win-win' type of holiday for all. Thanks for putting the opportunity on your website.
| Reviewed 12 Aug 2006 by Nicola Fenton | |
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
The most memorable part was going to an open air concert in one of the national parks and also travelling overland for 2 days and staying in a mountain hut by a lake fed by 2 glaciers and watching the moon rise on one side and the sun set on the other.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
The work is strenuous, but you can take it at your own pace. Working gloves definitely help against splinters.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?
Yes, the work was in collaboration with local people (the environment agency of Iceland) and worked in harmony with the landscape.
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