Conservation volunteering in Iceland

COUNTRY:
Iceland
DEPARTURES:
2013: 30 Jun, 14 Jul, 28 Jul
PRICE:
From £360 (14 days) excluding flights
MORE INFO:
Varies dates available
VOUCHERS:
Gift vouchers can not be used with this holiday
Make enquiry
Conservation volunteering in Iceland
photo gallerysee previous photo1of3see next photo

Conservation volunteering in Iceland

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 Conservation volunteering in Iceland makes a difference

Environment

Now one of the coolest holiday destinations in Europe, Iceland is receiving ever increasing numbers of visitors. As tourism grows, 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, enjoy and learn about these unique areas in safety and without damaging them - helping to ensure their preservation for the future.

Community

In Skaftafell, we will be staying at the UST volunteer base, set in the Skaftafell Campsite alongside other ICV volunteers working in the park. At the base-camp we have a fully equipped hut where we prepare meals and relax in the evenings. The campsite has hot showers, laundry facilities and a small gift shop.

You'll need a sturdy tent that can withstand wind - pop-up festival tents just don't cut it! You can hire one of our well tested Vangos which will be available, just ask when booking.

Throughout the project there will be plenty of opportunities to explore Skaftafell and the surrounding areas.

Beyond the work project and in our time-off, the National Park visitor centre is located at the campsite and local companies organise guided trips including ice climbing and expeditions onto the glaciers. All of these can be easily arranged at the time depending on your preference.

At Skaftafell we're already part of the way around the country's circular main driving route. Buses are the easiest and best way to get around Iceland and from here you can travel onwards and explore even deeper into the country.

Conservation volunteering in Iceland

Make enquiry

How we choose the provider of Conservation volunteering in Iceland

How we choose providers

Conservation volunteering in Iceland

Reviewed 20 Aug 2008 by Hannah Howard5 star rating

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 Murphy5 star rating

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 Fenton5 star rating

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.
Make enquiry

Holiday Reviews

You can trust responsibletravel.com reviews because, unlike many other schemes, reviews can ONLY be written by people who we have verified have been on the holidays. In addition, we don't run these holidays ourselves - our only interest is giving you the best independent advice.

Read our review policy

Convert currencies