ICELAND. International Trips EDUCATION PROGRAMMES. Taking learning beyond the classroom ORGANISED AND LED BY NORTH STAR

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1 EDUCATION PROGRAMMES ORGANISED AND LED BY NORTH STAR Taking learning beyond the classroom International Trips HVANNADALSHNUKUR - ICELANDS HIGHEST PEAK ICELAND February 2019

2 ICELAND THE LAND OF ICE AND FIRE

3 ICELAND Iceland is an island in the North Atlantic. Widely known as The Land of Fire and Ice Iceland is home to some of the largest glaciers in Europe, and some of the world s most active volcanoes. Iceland gives students a unique glimpse into how our global landmasses were formed, it is still an island in the making, born of the incredible forces of nature which are on display before the very eye of the visitor. A mere 20 million years old, it is an infant in geological age. Iceland is also the land of light and darkness. Long summer days with near 24-hours of sunshine are offset by short winter days with only a few hours of daylight. ACTIVITY ROTATION PROGRAMME With a population of 350,000 inhabitants, ancestors of Viking settlers, it is home to a progressive and peaceful nation that has formed a modern society where freedom and equality are the most important qualities. Iceland continuously ranks near the top of measurements for quality of life, gender equality, and democracy, and is one of the highest ranked countries in the world regarding health care, education and internet availability. Iceland is a country of extreme geological contrasts. The cornerstone of Icelandic culture is the Icelandic language, which has spawned a literary tradition that dates back to the ancient Icelandic Sagas. These are tales of violent blood feuds, traditions, family, and character. Iceland also boasts a prospering music scene, a burgeoning film industry, and Icelandic design is coming of age.

4 ITINERARY DAY 1 ASSUMING LATE ARRIVAL TRANSFER TO THE HOTEL VIA BRIDGE ACROSS THE CONTINENTS DINNER AT THE HOTEL - OVERNIGHT IN THE HOTEL VOGAR DAY 2 BREAKFAST AND CHECK OUT WITH PACKED LUNCH BLUE LAGOON (OUTDOOR THERMAL BATHS) PERLAN, REYKJAVÍK CITY OVERLOOK. PERLAN IS SET ATOP GEOTHERMAL HOT WATER TANKS PACKED LUNCH FREE TIME TO EXPLORE THE CITY CENTER REYKJAVÍK CINEMA 2 TO VIEW FILMS ABOUT ICELAND S VOLCANOES HÓTEL ORK CHECK IN 7PM LATE DINNER DAY 3 HELLISHEIÐI POWER PLANT VISIT THE HVERAGERÐI OVERLOOK (TIME ALLOWING) TO ASSESS THE LANDSCAPE WHERE THE 2008 EARTHQUAKE OCCURRED LUNCH A LAVA TUBE EXPERIENCE HOTEL ORK. DAY 4 DEPART HOTEL VISIT KERIÐ GULLFOSS WATERFALL, TAKE WALK TO THE OVERLOOK AT THE UPPER LEVEL OF THE WATERFALL BRUÁRHLOD TO VIEW SOME UNUSUAL RIVER STACKS LUNCH AT GEYSIR THINGVELLIR & WALK DOWN STEKKJARGJÁ FISSURE (SEA FLOOR SPREADING) HÓTEL ORK DAY 5 URRIDAFOSS FALLS SELJALANDSFOSS WATERFALL THORVALDSEYRI FARM THREATENED BY THE EYJAFJALLAJÖKULL ERUPTION LUNCH SKÓGAFOSS REYNISFJARA HOTEL ORK PACK KIT/SUITCASES DAY 6 EARLY BREAKFAST & CHECK OUT (LONG DRIVE) ELDHRAUN SKAFTAFELL GLACIER WALK INFO CENTER VIDEO & WALK TO SVINAFELLSJÖKULL GLACIER FRONTS LUNCH HÓTEL SMYRLABJORG DAY 7 GLACIER LAGOON JOKULSARLON LUNCH BLACK SANDS BEACH/DYRHOLAEY BEACH FORMATIONS DINNER OVERNIGHT AT HOTEL/GUESTHOUSE DRANGSHLID DAY 8 RETURN TO REYKJAVIK LUNCH REYKJAVÍK CITY TOUR NATIONAL MUSEUM OF ICELAND/FREE TIME DINNER OVERNIGHT AT HOTEL VOGAR DAY 9 CHECK OUT HÓTEL TRANSFER AND FLIGHTS

5 A BRIEF HISTORY OF ICELAND THE HISTORY OF ICELAND IS ONE OF SURVIVAL AND PROSPERITY. SETTLED BY NORSEMEN FROM SCANDINAVIA AND CELTS FROM THE BRITISH ISLES IN THE 9 TH AND 10 TH CENTURIES ICELANDIC HISTORY HAS ALWAYS BEEN SHAPED BY EVENTS ON THE LARGER POLITICAL STAGE OF THE NORDIC COUNTRIES 7-8 th centuries: Celtic monks sail to Iceland. 860s: Norsemen discover Iceland. 871: Ingólfur Arnarsson, a Norse nobleman, settles in Reykjavík (Smokey bay). 930: POPULATION at 30,000 40, : Christianity adopted. 1264: Chieftains accept the sovereignty of the King of Norway. 1402: The Black Plague infects Iceland. 1/3 POPULATION WIPED OUT 1387: The Kalmar Act of Union unifies Iceland and Norway with Denmark. 1703: POPULATION at 50, : Bubonic plague 1/3 POPULATION AGAIN WIPED OUT : Volcanic activity destroys Icelandic farmland and leads to widespread starvation. 1870s Mass emigration to North America up to : Union Treaty grants Iceland full sovereignty in a royal union with Denmark. 1926: POPULATION at 100, : The Republic of Iceland is formally established. 1968: POPULATION at 200, : Iceland joins the European Economic Area, an economic arrangement with the EU. 2008: Economic crisis, near total collapse of Iceland s banking system. 2010: POPULATION at 318,200 INCLUDES 21,500 GUEST WORKERS.

6 ICELAND is a young island. About 20 million years old Volcanic eruptions formed Iceland from a hotspot on an elevated portion of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge called the Reykjanes Ridge THE HOTSPOT is called the Iceland hotspot which itself lies over a mantle plume called the Iceland plume ICELAND lies between the North American and Eurasian plates, the plates spread about 2.5 cm annually forming a rift valley that is clearly visible in places THE YOUNGEST ROCK STRATA in the southwest of Iceland and the central highlands are only about 700 thousand years old, geologically very young and visibly so. THE ICE AGE Formed Iceland's icefalls, fjords and valleys.

7 AREA OF INTEREST REYKJAVIK IN WINTER THE BRIDGE BETWEEN THE CONTINENTS THE FIRST ENCOUNTER WITH THE TECTONIC PLATE DRIFT!

8 VOGAR HOTEL DAY THE BLUE LAGOON GEOTHERMAL BATHS PERLAN GEO THERMAL WATER TANKS, REYKJAVÍK CITY OVERLOOK 2.

9 I CITY HALL RELIEF MAP OF ICELAND TI THE ORK HOTEL, HVERAGERDI NERARYDAY 1 DAY 3 HELLISHEIÐI POWER PLANT (FEED FOR THE PERLAN TANKS)

10 LAVA TUBE CAVING EXPERIENCE KERID VOLCANIC CALDERA

11 GEYSIR (GEO THERMAL GEYSERS) GULLFOSS WATERFALL

12 PINGVELLIR RIFT VALLEY (TECTONICS) URRIDAFOSS FALLS (GLACIAL RUN OFF) ICELAND S MOST VOLUMINOUS RIVER CUTS THROUGH THE LARGEST LAVA FIELD CREATED ON EARTH SINCE THE ICE AGE WALK BEHIND SELJALANDSFOSS WATERFALL (Summer)

13 THORVALDSEYRI FARM (2010 ERUPTION OF EYJAFJALLAJOKULL) SKOGARFOSS DAELDHRAUN LAVA FIELD (550 SQ KM) LAKI FISSURE ERUPTION 1783

14 WALK TO SVINAFELLSJÖKULL GLACIER FRONT SKAFTAFELL GLACIER WALK

15 JOKULSARLON PRO GLACIAL LAKE

16 BLACK SANDS BEACH/DYRHOLAEY BEACH FORMATIONS EUROPE S LARGEST GLACIER