Iceland holiday, small group

Planet

In Iceland we only use locally owned and run guesthouses. When travelling the Icelandic countryside, we tend to stay in converted farm houses, some of which are still working farms such as horse farms. Our stay contributes to the local economy and helps the families living in this pretty inhospitable terrain.
Our guesthouse in Hvolsvollur is a leader in responsible tourism and sustainability. It’s a working family farm comprising of around 300 hectares. About 30 cows, 30 horses, 80 sheep, plenty of ducks, rabbits and goats are kept here, as well as landnámshænan, a rare ancient Icelandic chicken. All the animals on the farm are free-range but have access to a house in winter. Berries, turnips and potatoes are also grown here, and all the farm’s produce is used in the hotel restaurant. The guesthouse is committed to their sustainability policy, and the accommodation and restaurant are eco-labelled by the Nordic Swan. Since the arrival of the first settlers in Iceland, deforestation has taken place to make space for pastures and overgrazing has led to soil erosion. The farm owners then had the idea of starting a tree planting project on their land to contribute to lowering CO2 and counteracting soil erosion. Our travellers will have the option to join the effort and head out into the surrounding hills to plant trees themselves.
On this Iceland trip we use a private minibus throughout. However, our local operator has recently purchased a brand-new fleet of vehicles all of which meet the European emission standards.

People

All our Iceland trips are run by our local Destination Management Company (or DMC), which is based out of Reykjavik. They share our values in terms of responsible travel, and relay this onto our leaders who impart their wisdom on our travellers. Our DMC is run by locals and employs mostly local leaders from Iceland.
Many of the areas surrounding Reykjavik receive large numbers of day-trippers, mainly staying on cruise ships. This style of travel doesn’t benefit the local communities living in the countryside, which is why our itinerary takes the road less travelled. Staying in farmhouse accommodation and guesthouses brings benefits and understanding of adventure tourism to the local communities.
We support local businesses and use local suppliers for all our included activities and optional services. This means that our travellers experience local culture and that money stays in the area to benefit the local community.