{"id":2030,"date":"2016-09-27T09:44:26","date_gmt":"2016-09-27T07:44:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.tatonka.com\/?p=2030"},"modified":"2026-01-28T10:21:17","modified_gmt":"2026-01-28T09:21:17","slug":"outdoor-paradise-iceland-travel","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.tatonka.com\/en\/outdoor-paradise-iceland-travel\/","title":{"rendered":"Outdoor Paradise Iceland"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Iceland is known for its fascinating landscape and nature shots from movies and television. Ever since blockbusters like \u201cThe Lord of the Rings\u201d or \u201cGame of Thrones\u201d have been released, the volcanic island made of fire and ice is the embodiment of adventures. And even the successful participations in the European Championship 2016 and World Championship 2018 extremely increased Iceland\u2019s awareness level and its likeable citizens. It\u2019s about time then to get to know the country and its people a little better. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the following we\u2019d like to give you a general insight on the country and its history as well as to emphasize some natural highlights. Besides the main topics \u201cSightseeing in Iceland\u201d, \u201cHiking in Iceland\u201d, and \u201cTrekking in Iceland\u201d we\u2019re going to publish several articles about that topic to give you lots of information about Iceland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Iceland \u2013 an Outdoor-Paradise<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Iceland\u2019s broad and fascinating nature invites outdoor-friends to explore the island in different ways. Whether by foot or with full outdoor equipment, on a horse\u2019s back or by car, there\u2019s a way for everyone. The most important thing, however, is an early and detailed planning, and nothing can stand in the way of an impressive adventure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Icland<\/a>
Gluggafoss waterfall on Iceland. Photo: Off the Path.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Important Facts about the Island State<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

With a total area of 103.000 km\u00b2, Iceland is the second biggest island state of Europe, the first is Great Britain. This number not only includes the main island, but also small surrounding islands. The total population counts 334.300 citizens and therefore not more people live there than in a medium sized German city. 90 percent of the citizens live in town areas next to the coast, mostly in the conurbation of Reykjavik, Iceland\u2019s capital.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Being located in the South of the Arctic Circle you can admire the impressive colors and lights of the Northern Lights, which contribute to Iceland\u2019s mystical character. The coast is shaped by striking fjords and has a total length of 4.970 km. Thanks to the so-called \u201cring road\u201d the coast can easily be accessed by car. The inland is characterized by periglaciated areas and glaciers. Because of this, this area is hardly habitable for humans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reading tip:<\/strong> Iceland Sights – An unbelievable variety of natural wonders and sights<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Iceland\u2019s Scenic Characteristics<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Iceland is known for its plateaus and mountain passes. Its highest point is located on Hvannadalsha\u00fakur in the volcanic massif \u00d6r\u00e6faj\u00f6kull (2.110 m). Due to its extraordinary location on the Mid-Atlantic-Ridge, Iceland is part of the North American as well as of the Eurasian Plate and therefore a perfect setting for many active volcanoes. With a total of 30 volcanoes, Iceland is the biggest volcano island of the earth; the most-known is Eyjafjallaj\u00f6kull. It erupted in 2010 and the ash cloud almost brought the whole air traffic to a standstill.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

\n\t
\n\"Trekking\n\t<\/div>\n\t
\n\t\tPerfect travel companion for Iceland<\/span>\n\t\t

Thanks to its adjustable carrying system and large case opening and other practical details, the Yukon<\/em><\/strong> is perfect for backpacking and trekking trips.<\/p>\n

Available in sizes 50, 60 and 70 liters, as well as in several colors and as unisex and special women’s version.<\/p>\n\t\t

Go to Yukon models<\/a><\/p>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n

Besides volcanic landscapes and deserts, Iceland\u2019s landscape is characterized by water formations and glaciers. During the ice age, Iceland was completely covered in ice. Today, however, only eleven percent of ice is left on the island. The Vatnaj\u00f6kull glacier is Europe\u2019s ice-richest glacier and has a 1.000 m thick ice cap. But the superlatives have still not ended. Also, the energy-richest waterfall Dettifoss can be found on Iceland. The waterfall is one of the many waterfalls and geysers which give the island its original charm back. Also lakes and rivers are broadly represented on the island.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Icland<\/a>
Glacier lagoon J\u00f6kulsarlon with ice chunks. Photo: Off the Path<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Despite the soothing impact of the Gulf Stream, Iceland\u2019s flora and fauna is characterized by arctic animals and plants and thus significantly less species-rich than other European regions. Besides lichen and mosses, the original flora was shaped by birch forests. In the course of the development, however, those forests have mostly been cleared. Today, wide grasslands with sheep and the world-known Icelandic horses characterize Iceland\u2019s appearance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whereas the search for endless forest landscapes is in vain, the outdoor-friend is being surprised by extensive panorama views and spectacular natural phenomena, which are definitely worth a camping adventure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also interesting:<\/strong> Trekking Tours Iceland – Three imposing trekking tours in the land of fire and ice<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Icelandic Climate<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The impact of the warm Gulf Stream (Irminger Stream) leads to a mild climate on the island with summerlike average temperatures of 12 to 15 Degrees Celsius and winterly temperatures of zero to three degrees. Therefore, you can anticipate cool summers and mild winters \u2013 perfect for extended hiking and trekking tours. However, when planning a tour, you should consider rainfall which is subject to great regional variations. Whereas Iceland\u2019s North has an average rainfall of just 600 mm, 4.000 mm are normal for the South, for example on top of the Vatnaj\u00f6kull. In order that the outdoor adventure is not going to be flop, appropriate functional clothing and weatherproof equipment is necessary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/a>
The Skogafoss waterfall on Iceland. Photo: Off the Path<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Recommendation:<\/strong> Hiking tours Iceland – The most beautiful hiking tours through Iceland<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Iceland is part of the UTC-time zone, which means you can admire the phenomenon of the false midnight sun. In this case, the date of the sunset is after midnight. This is especially popular on camping tours; however, it can distract the sleep rhythm a little. Those who are extremely sensitive to light should pack a sleep mask.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Iceland is known for its fascinating landscape and nature shots from movies and television. Ever since blockbusters like \u201cThe Lord of the Rings\u201d or \u201cGame of Thrones\u201d have been released, the volcanic island made of fire and ice is the embodiment of adventures. And even the successful participations in the European Championship 2016 and World […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":3641,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[53],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-2030","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-traveling"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.tatonka.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2030","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.tatonka.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.tatonka.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.tatonka.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.tatonka.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2030"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blog.tatonka.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2030\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.tatonka.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3641"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.tatonka.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2030"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.tatonka.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2030"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.tatonka.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2030"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}