Adventurer of the Week: Grace and the Winter Wonders

Winter is behind us now, more or less, although you never know in Iceland, and the Northern Lights disappearing into the endless day, we wanted to see it out with one last winter themed feature.

Grace wanted a tour with all of the Icelandic Winter Wonders, so she called in the experts, and we took her out there. What do the Icelandic winter wonders include? Ice caves, glaciers and Northern Lights, of course! Grace was in from Taiwan, and she is this week’s Adventurer of the Week!

What motivated you to visit Iceland?

After I saw the movie “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty” and the Korean entertainment TV show “Friends over Flowers”, I knew that Iceland must be on my must-go list!

How long was your stay? Did you travel solo or with a group?

It’s about 3 weeks of my winter vacation and my friend, Liya, and I planned to spend 10 days in Iceland.

Which tour did you take and why did you choose it?

Our car was stuck in the mud when my friends and I traveled to “The Wave”,USA. It’s not a good experience to wait for a long time till someone helped us out, so we decided not to drive by ourselves this time. We searched on the internet and lots of people recommended “Icelandic Mountain Guides.”In the end we took the “Northern Lights and Ice Cave Adventure” tour, because it covered everything we wanted.

What is one thing you will always remember about your tour?

The absolutely incredible scenery! I am from Taiwan, and we have a great mixture of urban metropolis and nature, but I have never seen such the scenery as I have in Iceland. The Glacier Lagoon, ice cave and glacier, they all make me feel like Iceland is a totally different planet.

What is something that you learned about Iceland that surprised you?

I was surprised by the number of visitors in the small country. It’s five times of the population. Although we can see the glacier, but the weather in winter time is not as cold as I thought.You can’t find and buy the booze in the supermarket, so try get the cheap ones in duty free shop when you arrive in Iceland.

If you had more time in Iceland, what else would you like to see and do?

I was here in winter time, so I want to come here again in a different season. Maybe drive by myself and go to the places that I have never been to. I did the horse riding this time, and it’s a good experience. I also want to do more outdoor activities next time.

What tips do you have for people who want to visit Iceland?

It may rain really hard now, but after 5 minutes you may see the sunshine again. The weather here is variable. If you don’t like the weather now, try to wait 5 minutes!

If you describe your tour in two words, what would they be?

Absolutely amazing.

What adventure are you off to next? What is your next dream adventure?

I’m planning to go to New Zealand next winter vacation. It’s summer there, so I can do as many outdoor activities as I want and enjoy the sunny days. Travel to South America is my dream adventure, and I hope this dream will come true ASAP.

Grace’s adventure is only one of the many features that make for an unforgettable experience. Book your tour and join us for an excursion that is guaranteed to make memories that last a lifetime.

Have you been on a tour with us in Iceland and would like to be featured as an “Adventurer of the Week”? Feel free to email Jewells at jewells@mountainguides.is.