23 Jul 2019
Tags: Iceland, Iceland Travel, Golden Circle Iceland, hot springs, Greenland, Ilulissat, Reykjavik, Aurora Borealis, aurora, Northern Lights, Northern Lights Tours, arts, Cultural travel, Local, Food, food travel, food and drink, traditions, Glacier, Glaciers, midnight sun, waterfalls, westman islands, Wildlife, wildlife travel, Andante Travels, Andante
Leading archaeological holidays expert Andante Travels (www.andantetravels.co.uk, 01722 713 800) has just unveiled an unforgettable new multi-centre tour for 2020. Its brand-new Greenland & Iceland itinerary offers 12 incredible days from £8,185pp of immersive experiences, natural wonder-touring and phenomenal sightseeing – all led by a fantastic local guide, who knows the history, heritage and culture of these countries inside and out.
Greenland is a destination rising in popularity with international visitors making their way there in greater numbers, and Iceland's tourism numbers have dipped over the past year, making now an ideal time to visit. Andante Travels created this particular tour due to demand for both destinations, and its itinerary is one that will showcase not only the myriad natural wonders of these evocative places, but will introduce guests to their culture, archaeology, heritage and individual histories. The tour has been designed responsibly, taking guests to places such as families' homes, an artisanal cheese school and even to independent markets, so there are plenty of opportunities to support the local economy and people throughout.
Guests will fly into Keflavík airport in Iceland, spending the first night in the vibrant city of Reykjavík and then taking another flight in the morning over to Ilulissat in Greenland. They will spend three nights here before returning to Iceland for the remaining seven nights of the tour. The trip will be led by an experienced local guide named Eyrún Björnsdóttir, who is a member of ICESAR, the Icelandic Search and Rescue team, so she has extensive knowledge about the forces of nature. Eyrún is also a certified Wilderness First Responder. Loving the Icelandic nature and geology, she inspires travellers with insightful information on geology, nature, folklore, and personal stories.
The cuisine, ingredients and flavours of a destination tell as much of its story as the buildings and history can. With this in mind, food will play a prominent role in the visits to both countries. In Iceland, guests will visit Búrið, a Cheese & Skyr School to learn about Icelandic cheese and the unique dairy product skyr. They will see how bread is baked underground at a hot spring and find out how the natural power of this country has been harnessed as a way to prepare foods throughout history. There will also be a visit to the greenhouse at Friðheimar, where they will enjoy a cookery demonstration and lunch of site-grown tomatoes and freshly baked bread. In Greenland, guests will be invited into the homes of local families for coffee and cake, and they will experience a local meal at the old trading station in Ilulissat.
Both Iceland and Greenland are renowned for their otherworldly landscapes, which range from the emerald green, bubble-like lava fields to lakes filled with glaciers of all shades of blue. In Greenland, there is a sunset cruise to the famous Ilulissat Icefjord and a full-day boat trip to witness the incredible calving Eqi glacier. Across the Denmark Strait in Iceland, guests will hike through stunning wilderness to bathe in a secret hot spring, they will visit the geothermal area of Haukadalur to witness the eruption of the Strokkur geyser, and there will be tours of the waterfalls Gullfoss and Seljalandsfoss. The Iceland part of the tour also features a visit to the stunning Þingvellir National Park and a stop at the volcanic black sand beach of Reynisfjara. The September departure includes a chance to hunt the elusive aurora borealis, whereas the June departure enables guests to experience a taste of the midnight sun.
With guided walks around both Ilulissat in Greenland and Iceland's capital of Reykjavík, the histories of both areas will be expertly explored. In Greenland, guests will contrast the relative 'metropolis' of Ilulissat (the country's third-largest town) with the smaller settlement of Oqaatsut. They will wander around the ancient UNESCO-listed settlement of Sermermiuit, where various Inuit cultures have lived over the past 4,000 years, and they can also learn about local life from families during a personal encounter in the comfort of their homes. Over in Iceland, there will be visits to the Harpa Theatre for a performance, the Nordic Cultural Centre, National Museum, one of the country's best folk museums at Skógar, the Aquarium & National History Museum on the Westman Islands, and time to experience an Icelandic 'lava show' at Vík í Mýrdal, where real red-hot lava can be encountered safely at close proximity. On the June departure, there will be time to enjoy the annual Reykjavík Arts Festival, which includes visual art, performance and participatory activities throughout this vibrant city.
A highlight on this particular tour is the chance to discover what is perhaps Iceland's best-kept secret – the Westman Islands. After a short ferry ride to the islands, guests will walk up a volcano crater, spot endemic birds such as puffins from the cliffs, and will also visit the “Pompeii of the North” volcanic excavation project. Back on mainland Iceland, there is also a chance to meet beautiful Icelandic horses at a horse farm. In Greenland, guests even might be able to spot whales during the boat trip to the Eqi glacier.
12 days from £8,195pp. Tour departs on both 8th June or 11th September, 2020.
The tour includes 11 breakfasts, 3 lunches and 10 dinners. It also includes return flights from London and all local travel, hand-picked accommodation throughout, and the services of an expert local guide.
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For more information, call Andante Travels on 01722 713800 or visit https://www.andantetravels.co.uk/
For further media information, contact: Martha Whatley, Content Marketing and PR Executive, martha@specialistjourneys.com
Notes to editors
Founded in 1985, Andante Travels – part of the Specialist Journeys group – has grown to become one of the UK's leading specialist tour operators. The company has previously won the 'Best Small Holiday Company for Customer Service' title at the prestigious British Travel Awards, and thanks to the wonderful support of its travellers, it won the Best Special Interest Holiday and Best Holiday Company to the Italian Peninsula & Malta categories at the 2018 British Travel Awards, and was also shortlisted for the Best Cultural Tour Operator in the 2018 Silver Travel Awards. In 2019, Andante made the shortlist for the Marketing Excellence prize at the South Wilts Business of the Year Awards. It is also currently a finalist for two prizes at the Luxury Lifestyle Magazine Readers' Travel Awards and the company is once again nominated in both the Best Special Interest Holiday and Best Holiday Company to the Italian Peninsula & Malta categories at the 2019 British Travel Awards.
Andante's tours have been named 'Trips of a Lifetime' by the National Geographic Traveler on five occasions and in 2018 it appointed Jackie Willis as its new CEO, who brought with her over 35 years of touring and travel experience. Over the years, the company has introduced thousands of people to the wonders of the ancient world. Its tours are all designed and led by renowned experts, who bring a unique, special insight to each site visited in every corner of the globe, and every one of its itineraries boasts exclusive access to either a museum or venue, a specific archaeological site or to a workshop. Andante's tours are peppered with hands-on, immersive experiences that offer an authentic taste of each destination and leave the guest with memories that will last long after they return home.
