Unlock a travel hack for a short vacation in Iceland

Over the past two years, I have been fortunate to have gained many top-quality partners in the Icelandic travel industry. I have done this in my free time (weekends, evenings) by emailing them and asking if they are interested in offering my readers exclusive discount codes. The positive response and the trust my partners have shown me have, quite frankly, been heartwarming. I have been especially gratified to have my friends at Reykjavik Sightseeing on board. They enable me to offer my subscribers to get to and from Keflavik Airport at a reduced price with Airport Direct. Furthermore, they have offered my subscribers generous discounts on their acclaimed guided tours. These are perfect for a short vacation in Iceland. Let’s face it: many of us have only a few precious days for our holidays.

How to travel in Iceland when you have a short vacation

Many people who visit Iceland have limited time. In those instances, Reykjavik Sightseeing Tours provides a travel hack to see the essential landmark destinations comfortably in one go. Having a quality partner like Reykjavik Sightseeing enables me to enable my readers who have a short vacation in Iceland to land at the airport, zoom to Reykjavik in no time. They then join Reykjavik Sightseeing on their brand new coaches and experience Iceland in a nutshell. You don’t have to worry about getting to their starting point; you can just be picked up at your hotel.

All their guides are certified, the bus has a USB charger and free Wi-Fi, and you can choose ten languages from their audio guide. If you are traveling with children, they can enjoy playing games on a touchscreen tablet with every seat. On the tablet, you can also read about the sights you will see on the way.

My readers and subscribers are a global bunch, and I love that!

I love that they make Iceland accessible for people who speak a different language than English with the audio guide. My mission is to make Iceland more accessible for people, which seems to be happening gradually. For the past few weeks, I have noticed an influx of readers and subscribers from outside the English-speaking world. People are clever. They use Google Translate to read my content, and subscribe to my newsletter to get the discount codes. If you think that they need better translations, think again. In 2017, I used Google Translate to automatically translate information on an app my team created when I was working in the travel industry. Native speakers reviewed all this content, and the amendments they had to make were minimal. Things have certainly improved since then.

But I digress. Here is a key advice for guided tours in Iceland. Book tours that have certified guides. Avoid those that don’t Certified guides are people who have invested in an education that enables them to give their guests the best possible experience.

How to see the entire Icelandic south coast on one day?

Reykjavik Sightseeing recently launched the epic South Coast, Diamond Beach, and Jökulsárlón (glacial lagoon) tour. This tour enables you to see the entire Icelandic South Coast in one day (!).

But what is it like to be a tour guide catering to the needs of different people worldwide? Fortunately, Karen Sigurðardóttir, a certified tour guide with Reykjavik Sightseeing, was available to give us insights into this and more.

Hey Karen, thank you for making yourself available for this interview. Please give my readers a little background information on you.

So my name is Karen a 40 year old Icelander. I grew up in the northwest of Iceland and have been living in the city of Reykjavík for over 20 years. I love nature and basketball and get to do both through my jobs. Since the pandemic I have been working as a guide in Iceland. It is the best job in the world!

What made you interested in guiding, and what steps did you have to take to become a certified tour guide?

It had been a childhood dream of mine to become a guide, but I was always a little bit too shy. After changes in my life, I got a bus driver’s license. Then I started driving to the airport for Reykjavík Sightseeing. One day, they needed a guide for an afternoon tour of the Golden Circle, and my supervisor said, hey, you are Icelandic so that you can do this with no problem. Well, after that, there was no turning back. When I lost my job during the pandemic, I enrolled in Menntaskólinn í Kópavogi which has the longest-running guide school in Iceland and then graduated last spring. This was the best decision I have ever made; I learned much more about my country and met many amazing people.

How can your guests best prepare for your guided tours?

Well, it all depends on which season they are traveling in Iceland.

Fall, winter, and spring are when you need to be ready for any weather, so the most important thing is to wear layers.

Even though the weather is milder, it’s always good to be prepared for anything.

It’s also always good to be sure that you have charged your devices to the max, and it’s a good idea to bring your charger or charging bank with you since taking pictures and videos will always drain your battery more than you expect.

What can those joining a guided tour with Reykjavik Sightseeing expect?

They can expect a fun mix of history, nature, Icelandic humor, and a great experience. We always strive to make everyone comfortable. Moreover, we cater to people who don’t speak English. We are the only company offering an audio-guided tour in Iceland in 10 languages.

Video from Reykjavik Sightseeing

What is your favorite Reykjavik Sightseeing tour, and why?

It’s tough for me to choose, but both South Coast tours we do are my favorite because of a personal family connection to the area. My Grandfather was born in Kirkjubæjarklaustur in 1926, which we drive through on our way to Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon. My great-grandmother was born in Vík in 1903, and I use the stories I heard from my childhood in my tours.

What are your favorite places or activities in Iceland?

I have a few favorite places in Iceland. One of the most fun experiences I have had is the Katla Ice Cave expedition. Two of my favorite places have to be Nauthúsagil, a hidden waterfall on the south coast, and Seljavallalaug, the oldest swimming pool in Iceland, hidden in a mountain valley.

What advice do you have for those visiting Iceland for the first time?

I would always recommend for people to do at least one tour if not two, with a tour company. You are going to learn about the history, nature as well as Iceland and its inhabitants. Then it’s also good to rent a car to get to some of the more off the beaten path places. Also, do not miss out on the excellent public swimming pools, though the nature lagoons are incredible for that Instagram shot. The public pools are a big part of our culture and should be noticed. Also, they are the best place to see Icelanders in their natural habitat.