Geography Tour to Iceland with Equity School Trips
Equity – The School Travel People
Students studying geography have a wealth of attractions that are natural wonders when visiting Iceland. Give your students the opportunity to learn about educational elements such as plate tectonics, natural hazards, waterfalls and rivers, geysers, fault lines, glacial processes, volcanoes, earthquakes, geothermal energy, and tourism. Our suggested geography itinerary includes a full-day Golden Circle Tour where students will visit many of Iceland's greatest landscapes including volcanic features, glaciers, rift zones, and waterfalls. The South Shore Tour incorporates black sand beaches, Reynisdrangar rocks, and the calving Sólheimajökull glacier. Other notable locations include:
- The Blue Lagoon
- The Sky Lagoon
- Dyrholaey
- Great Geysir
- Gullfoss Waterfalls
- Gunnuhver Hot Spring Area
- Hellisheidi Power Plant
- Kerid Crater
- Krisuvik
- Seljalandsfoss and Skogafoss Waterfalls
- Þingvellir National Park
- Hekla and Eyjafjallajokull Volcanoes
- Sólheimajökull Glacier
- Peykjanes Peninsula Tour
- Glacier Walk
- Grindavik fishing town
- Lava Centre
- Reykjavik City
- Secret Lagoon
Teacher Checklist
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Example Itineraries
Þingvellir National Park
Students will be amazed by the natural geographic phenomena in this stunning UNESCO World Heritage site, like the rift valley formed by the Eurasian and North Atlantic tectonic plates.
Dyrhólaey
Dyrhólaey is the southernmost part of Iceland and a popular tourist spot. This promontory is of volcanic origin and the enormous arch is wide enough to allow boats to easily pass through.
Blue Lagoon
This famous geothermal spa is one of the most visited attractions in Iceland and is situated in a lava field. Students will learn about why so many people bath in the geothermal seawater and apply the silica mud to their skin.
Perlan - Wonders of Iceland
Understand Iceland's awesome natural forces with incredible displays and exhibits, including a 100-metre long ice cave, a virtual aquarium and an interactive glacier exhibition.
Gullfoss Waterfall
Engage your school group with the processes of waterfall formation at this stunning location where the Hvítá river dramatically down from the Langjökull glacier and drops in two separate stages.
Seljalandsfoss and Skogarfoss
Stunningly beautiful Seljalandsfoss waterfall is part of the Seljalandsá river and groups can walk behind it and through to the other side. Nearby is the more powerful Skógafoss waterfall with its 60m drop!
Kerid volcanic crater
At 3000 years old, this is one of the newer craters in Iceland. The slopes, which are red rather than a volcanic black is due to the iron deposits being geologically fresh.
Hellisheidi geothermal power plant
A visit to the largest geothermal power station in the world shows students how Iceland has harnessed its natural forces and powers itself completely with renewable energy.
Reynisdrangar rocks
These striking basalt sea stacks are situated under the mountain Reynisfjall, not far from Reynisfjara, a famous black sand beach on the south coast.
Myrdalsjokull and Sólheimajökull glaciers
The fourth largest glacier in Iceland, with an area of about 590 km², rests on an active volcanic mountain, which last erupted in 1918. Slowly carving down from main glacier is the Sólheimajökull glacier tongue, which is easily accessible and is perfect for an afternoon hiking on the striking blue and black ice.
Golden Circle Tour
The Golden Circle Tour is a famous loop which includes the following excursions; Hellisheidi Visit, Thingvellir National Park, Gullfoss, the Golden Waterfall, Geysir And Strokkur and the Kerid volcanic crater.
Great Geysir
Erupting relatively frequently, your students will be amazed by the power of the Great Geysir which is able to shoot hot water 70 metres into the air.
Gunnuhver Hot Spring Area
With its impressive colours, mud pools, and fumaroles, this geothermal field provides a unique look at how geothermal energy and hot springs produce unique landscapes and features.
Hekla and Eyjafjallajokull Volcanoes
Arguably the best-known volcanoes on the island, a visit to this volcanic region will introduce your students volcanic processes and hazards. This will also be a brilliant opportunity to discuss the 2010 eruption that closed European airspace for a significant period of time.
The Sky Lagoon
Located on Reykjavik's west coast, the Sky Lagoon is a spa experience like no other. Covering the traditional 7 steps ritual, you'll enjoy an infinity pool lagoon, a cold plunge pool, a sauna, a cold mist, a sky scrub, a steam room, and a shower.
Students will be amazed by the natural geographic phenomena in this stunning UNESCO World Heritage site, like the rift valley formed by the Eurasian and North Atlantic tectonic plates.
Dyrhólaey
Dyrhólaey is the southernmost part of Iceland and a popular tourist spot. This promontory is of volcanic origin and the enormous arch is wide enough to allow boats to easily pass through.
Blue Lagoon
This famous geothermal spa is one of the most visited attractions in Iceland and is situated in a lava field. Students will learn about why so many people bath in the geothermal seawater and apply the silica mud to their skin.
Perlan - Wonders of Iceland
Understand Iceland's awesome natural forces with incredible displays and exhibits, including a 100-metre long ice cave, a virtual aquarium and an interactive glacier exhibition.
Gullfoss Waterfall
Engage your school group with the processes of waterfall formation at this stunning location where the Hvítá river dramatically down from the Langjökull glacier and drops in two separate stages.
Seljalandsfoss and Skogarfoss
Stunningly beautiful Seljalandsfoss waterfall is part of the Seljalandsá river and groups can walk behind it and through to the other side. Nearby is the more powerful Skógafoss waterfall with its 60m drop!
Kerid volcanic crater
At 3000 years old, this is one of the newer craters in Iceland. The slopes, which are red rather than a volcanic black is due to the iron deposits being geologically fresh.
Hellisheidi geothermal power plant
A visit to the largest geothermal power station in the world shows students how Iceland has harnessed its natural forces and powers itself completely with renewable energy.
Reynisdrangar rocks
These striking basalt sea stacks are situated under the mountain Reynisfjall, not far from Reynisfjara, a famous black sand beach on the south coast.
Myrdalsjokull and Sólheimajökull glaciers
The fourth largest glacier in Iceland, with an area of about 590 km², rests on an active volcanic mountain, which last erupted in 1918. Slowly carving down from main glacier is the Sólheimajökull glacier tongue, which is easily accessible and is perfect for an afternoon hiking on the striking blue and black ice.
Golden Circle Tour
The Golden Circle Tour is a famous loop which includes the following excursions; Hellisheidi Visit, Thingvellir National Park, Gullfoss, the Golden Waterfall, Geysir And Strokkur and the Kerid volcanic crater.
Great Geysir
Erupting relatively frequently, your students will be amazed by the power of the Great Geysir which is able to shoot hot water 70 metres into the air.
Gunnuhver Hot Spring Area
With its impressive colours, mud pools, and fumaroles, this geothermal field provides a unique look at how geothermal energy and hot springs produce unique landscapes and features.
Hekla and Eyjafjallajokull Volcanoes
Arguably the best-known volcanoes on the island, a visit to this volcanic region will introduce your students volcanic processes and hazards. This will also be a brilliant opportunity to discuss the 2010 eruption that closed European airspace for a significant period of time.
The Sky Lagoon
Located on Reykjavik's west coast, the Sky Lagoon is a spa experience like no other. Covering the traditional 7 steps ritual, you'll enjoy an infinity pool lagoon, a cold plunge pool, a sauna, a cold mist, a sky scrub, a steam room, and a shower.
Which Curriculum Subjects do we cater for?
Science
Whether it's studying the physical processes that form volcanoes and waterfalls, or how the heat and geothermal energy gives rise to unique biological habitats in an otherwise cold and desolate landscape, Iceland provides a great case study to study all disciplines of Science. If you have a particular part of the curriculum that you'd like to focus on, or if you have any excursions that you'd like to visit in particular to aid your learning outcomes, be sure to let us know!
Geography
Whether you want to focus on human geography aspects, such as renewable energy generation and sustaining a population in an isolated area of the world, or you want to focus on the huge variety of physical geography case studies and locations around the island, we can create a bespoke tour that meets your desired learning outcomes.
Geology Click to expand
Sitting atop a mantle plume at the boundary of the Eurasian and North American plates on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, Iceland provides a phenomenal opportunity to learn about Geology and its processes.
To study igneous processes, your students can study volcanic depositional stratigraphy close to the volcanoes that formed this island and understand how differing eruptions produce different rocks, gasses, and hazards. With a focus on plate tectonics, your students can look at how the two plates are pulling apart and how the subsequent fault zones from this rifting have shaped the various landscapes across the island, including rivers, waterfalls, and volcanoes.
For a rare insight into glacial processes, your students can study glacier distribution and how glacial runoff transports material and sediment from the island's interior to the coast where it will then interact with coastal erosional processes, forming the unique coastal landforms and black beaches.
Design Technology
Physical Geography
What size groups do we cater for?
We have a minimum number of 10 paying passengers but no upper limit. We can split large groups across multiple coaches and hotels as required, and larger groups will benefit from additional free supervisory places.
Access for visitors with disabilities?
With prior knowledge to booking we can arrange a tour that takes into consideration any students with disabilities.
Visitors with Special Educational Needs (SEN)?
With prior knowledge to booking, we can arrange a tour that takes into consideration any students with special educational needs.
Anything else?
There are many more amazing destinations for your students to discover more Geography trips with Equity:
- Vesuvius and the Bay of Naples
- Volcanic islands of Tenerife
- Human Geography in Barcelona
- Urban expansion and human geography in New York
- The Grand Canyon and deserts of West Coast USA
- Field studies and Yorkshire Dales in York
- Mt Etna and Sicily
Get in touch with us for more details about any of these destinations.
- Vesuvius and the Bay of Naples
- Volcanic islands of Tenerife
- Human Geography in Barcelona
- Urban expansion and human geography in New York
- The Grand Canyon and deserts of West Coast USA
- Field studies and Yorkshire Dales in York
- Mt Etna and Sicily
Get in touch with us for more details about any of these destinations.
Who are Equity – The School Travel People?
At Equity we deliver specialist educational tours, music and performing arts experiences, ski trips and sports tours. Our aim is to support teachers to motivate and engage their pupils through active learning outside the classroom. By providing great learning experiences our trips will inspire students at school and in everyday life.
For over 90 years we've been working alongside teachers to enhance the lives of young people with life-changing trips. Learning is at the heart of our company. Every tour is developed with this aspect as its core, whether it's a performing arts trip to New York, a geography trip to Iceland, or a Battlefields tour to France.
One of the finest locations for a geography trip, this breathtaking and always-changing landscape will give students a lot to discover and learn. Whether that be uncovering why so many people bathe in the geothermal seawater of the Blue Lagoon, or working out how the 3000-year-old Kerid volcanic crater was formed, your students will be in awe of this country's natural beauty and stunning landscapes.
Teacher Checklist
Risk Assessments Inspection Visits Free Places for Teachers Resource Packs LOtC Quality Badge ABTA Licence ATOL Licence School Travel Forum Assured Tailor your trip
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