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Get ready for a backcountry skiing and snowboarding adventure on Iceland’s varied and untouched mountains from the comfort of a state-of-the-art van! Brush up on your turns, either on steep mountains or mellow terrain, and head to sleepy Icelandic villages in your fully-equipped 4×4 vehicle. Enjoy wintry vistas as you settle for a night’s rest into campsites, prepare fresh meals with your group, and, as a reward, treat yourself to a hot tub soak—your body will thank you.
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After your arrival in Iceland, your adventure begins at 10 am at your guiding service’s offices in Keflavík. You’ll meet your guide and the rest of the group here, get a briefing on the journey you’re about to embark on, and hit the road up north once all the equipment has been prepared. There will be two skiers per van with one of you driving it.
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Kick off the day by checking the weather forecast. Set course to the best spots for ski mountains. You’ll make your way to Brúnastaðir in Fljót, Skagafjörður, a farm and community center positioned beneath a mountain.
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Start off your day once again with your weather assessment ritual. Depending on the forecast, head deep into the mountains to reach higher summits and great skiing and snowboarding spots. Continue on your expedition towards Ólafsfjörður, a skier’s paradise located at the mouth of the fjord Eyjafjörður. Soak up far-reaching views and watch how still waters of the lake mirror the small town and its surrounding mountains. As you grow tired, settle into a camping site.
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After assessing the weather, choose a mountain for the day together with your group. Explore a great new location where you’ll work on your skiing and snowboarding skills. After a full day of skiing, make your way to a cabin close to Hauganes, a tranquil small village on the coast. Reward your skiing efforts by jumping into a hot tub on the black beach of Hauganes and unwind while gazing at the ocean. Make yourself at home in the cabin camp on the coast, you’ll stay there for two nights. You’ll get dinner ready and make a bonfire.
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Repeat your weather forecast routine. After selecting the finest spots together with your expert guide and depending on the weather, opt for a local ski line in the scenic ski valley of Skíðadalur at the Karlsárfjall mountain. Retreat back to your cabin camp close to Hauganes and, once again, soak in hot tubs and treat yourself with a hearty meal.
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End your van expedition with some more skiing in new sceneries. The mountains around you offer steep ski lines where you can practice carving turns. After checking the weather forecast, head for whale watching in Akureyri, dubbed as the “Capital of North Iceland.” Relax as you make your way back to your guide’s base.
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57hours is committed to providing safe outdoor adventure experiences. We require all guides using our platform to have a COVID-19 safety plan and to make the details of that plan accessible to travelers. In most cases, group sizes will be reduced, guides will avoid overcrowded locations, and other safety measures will be met depending on the location and activity.
We also expect clients to respect local regulations and take measures to protect themselves, guides and the communities they’re traveling to. For more information on COVID-19 measures in Iceland, please refer to Iceland’s official COVID-19 travel guidelines.
Please contact us if you have any questions or require further information. We are happy to provide you with the most up-to-date information!
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To enjoy this backcountry adventure, you need to have a reasonable level of fitness. You will be on your feet for multiple hours a day for the duration of your tour, covering several miles of terrain every day. The difficulty level of the tour itself easy to moderate. The tour is not recommended for clients with back problems, pregnant clients (although this is their own personal decision) and for clients with heart problems or other serious medical conditions.
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Backcountry skiing isn’t just for pros looking for the ultimate thrill ride, it’s also beginner friendly, meaning anyone with solid blue level resort experience can have fun in the backcountry. If you’ve never backcountry skied before, heading out with a guide is your best bet. They’ll take care of the planning, introduce you to the basics, and teach you how to manage the terrain. They also have the experience and avalanche training to keep you safe.
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For technical backcountry ski touring gear, you will need to bring:
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- Touring gear
- Skis or split board
- Skins
- Poles
- Ski boots or snowboard boots
- Avalanche transceiver (beacon)
- Avalanche shovel
- Avalanche probe
- Helmet
- Crampons (optional)
For personal items, we recommend bringing:
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- Base-layer top and bottom (merino wool or synthetic)
- Mid layer puffy or insulated jacket
- Top layer top and bottom (Gore-tex or water-resistant shell)
- Hiking shoes
- Slippers
- Wool sweaters
- Fleeces
- Fleece pants
- Synthetic or merino wool tees
- Synthetic or merino wool beanies
- Snow gloves (2x minimum)
- Wool socks (4x minimum)
- Synthetic socks
- Mountain or avalanche backpack
- Sunglasses or ski goggles
- Water bottle and 1L of water
- Thermos with a warm beverage — optional
- Food you can eat on-the-go
- First aid kit
- Sunscreen
- Headlamp
- Camera — optional
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All mandatory gear can be rented if you don’t have your own. Please let us know if you are missing something so we can help make arrangements.
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Age requirement for the driver is 20 years of age. Upon picking up the van at your guide’s office, the participant must show a valid international driving license, valid for the vehicle, and valid for a minimum of 12 months at the time of pick-up for the tour. All driving licenses issued from the U.S.A, Canada, and the European Economic Area (EEA) are valid in Iceland.
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Your guides will ask you to provide them with your full names, date of birth, weight and height. They also kindly ask you to send them the arrival and departure flight details for the pick-up and the drop-off service.
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Group sizes and pricing:
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- For this adventure, the max. client-to-guide ratio is 3:1.
- Two people will be sharing a van.
- Cost is per person and it doesn’t decrease as the group grows.
Ski touring in Iceland can be arranged for larger groups. Contact us to make arrangements.
Min. age requirements:
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- If you are older than 18, you’re good to go.
- Minors may be permitted to join private tours on a case-by-case basis.
If your group has skiers under the age of 18, contact us prior to booking to make arrangements.
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To get to the ski van expedition in Iceland, most people fly into Keflavík Airport (KEF) 5 minutes away from your guiding service’s office by car. Your guides offer a free pick-up and drop-off shuttle service from and to hotels in the Reykjanesbær area and from and to Keflavik Airport.
Your adventure starts at 10 am at the guide’s offices in Keflavik.
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The fuel price changes a lot so it’s better to check out the current prices and do your own calculations based on current fuel prices: GSMbensin.is
The cost of fuel for this tour (1070 miles/ 1719 km) is somewhere around $330/ 45.000 ISK.
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What you get in this adventure:
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- An experienced, certified ski guide with extensive knowledge of the area
- Six days of backcountry ski and snowboard touring
- Pick-up and drop-off at the airport or any hotel in the Keflavik area at the beginning and end of the adventure
- 4×4 camper-van equipped with kitchen, heater and a comfy bed
- Accommodations in a van
- Campsite fees
- Premium insurance
- Professional photographer
- Easy-guide tablet
What’s not included:
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- Transportation before and after the trip
- Driver
- Fuel
- Meals and drinks
- Technical backcountry ski touring equipment
- Personal expenses and extra activities
- Swimming pool and hot tub fees
The vans have the option to add a travel toilet. Gas stations, shops, and restaurants are still abundant, but a travel toilet during winter can be worth the extra space it takes up. None of the vans have a shower but there is plenty of campsites with shower facilities and all the swimming pools are open, available in every town for a very small fee.
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