Joint IGA and BGS Excursion to Iceland: 20th-28th May 2026
Leader: Dr Graham Andrews (Seequent)
Graham Andrews is a semi-retired volcanologist and structural geologist based in Donegal. He studied GCSE (Junior Cert.) and A-level (Senior Cert.) Geology at Regent House School in Newtownards, Co. Down, before going to the University of Leicester for his Batchelor’s and PhD degrees. After that he was a researcher for the Geological Survey of Canada and at University of British Columbia and University of California Santa Barbara. He became a lecturer at California State University Bakersfield in 2011 and moved to West Virginia University in 2016 until 2021. In this time, he studied volcanic flow processes in lavas, caldera-forming eruptions, basaltic eruptions under ice, and CO2 storage in basaltic lava piles. He visited Iceland about half-a-dozen times in this period. Since 2022, Dr. Andrews has continued research part-time and works for Seequent, a software company specialising in subsurface geoscience.
Introduction to Iceland’s Geology.
Iceland is a geological wonderland for several reasons:
- Tectonic Activity: Iceland sits on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, where the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates meet. This results in a lot of volcanic and geothermal activity.
- Volcanoes and Lava Fields: The island is dotted with active volcanoes, such as Hekla and Katla, and has extensive lava fields, offering a unique look at volcanic processes.
- Geothermal Features: Iceland has hot springs, geysers, and mud pots, especially in places like the Haukadalur geothermal area.
- Glacial Geology: Iceland is covered with glaciers, and you can see glacial landforms like moraines, outwash plains, and glacial valleys.
- Tectonic Rifts: Places like Þingvellir (Thingvellir) National Park showcase the rift valleys where the continents are literally pulling apart.
- Accessible Field Sites: Many geological features are easily accessible, making it a fantastic destination for field trips.
Number of Participants – capped at 30. Graham/Karen.
Preliminary Itinerary (8 days – Wednesday to Thursday).
1st and 2nd nights (20th – 22nd) – hotel in Reykjavik (Laugavegur area)
3rd, 4th, and 5th nights (22nd -25th) – hotel in Vik or Skogarfoss (less choice)
6th night (25th – 26th) – hotel in Hofn
7th and 8th night (26th – 28th)- hotel in Reykjavik (Laugavegur area)
Day 1 (20th) – arrive and get settled, sightseeing in Reykjavik
Day 2 (21st) – Reykjanes Peninsula & recent eruptions
Day 3 (22nd) – Golden Circle (Þingvellir, Geysir, Gulfoss, Lava Centre – Holsvollur – https://lavacentre.is – & Hekla volcano.
Day 4 (23rd) – Sólheimajökull glacier hike (guided tour) followed by Dyrholaey puffins.
Day 5 (24th) – Boat trip (foot passangers) to the Vestmannaeyjar islands (1973 Heimey eruption).
Day 6 (25th)- south Iceland plains (views of Katla and Grimsvotn volcanoes), Vatnajökull, Jokulsarlon – https://icelagoon.is/
Day 7 (26th)- drive back to Reykjavik region (via Jokulsarlon again, and Dyrholaey (if not visited before), visit Hellisheidi geothermal power plant – https://www.on.is/en/jardhitasyning – and CO2 sequestration site (entrance fee).
Day 8 (27th) – free day in Reykjavik (recover from drive); perhaps try to see recent eruption
Day 9 (28th) Morning return flight
(Option to come home a day early if desired but it is a long drive from Hofn and the flight on the morning of the 27th is at 7.30am!!)
Flights.
Direct flights from Dublin (Return €240-ish plus baggage). OUT Wed 20th May Dep DUB 12.15, RET Thur 28th May Dep KEF 09.40. Journey time 2hr 40min. Only Icelandair fly Dublin to Reykjavik direct but it is a daily service both ways.
Controlling Costs.
The trick to cutting costs is to get self catering accommodation and buy your booze at Keflavik duty free shop on entry to Iceland. Eating and drinking out is very expensive (60-80% over typical Irish prices), but Supermarket prices are similar to Ireland. Sharing a room will also save a lot. 1 euro equals about 145 krona. The ISK has recently been falling with respect to the Euro, but this could change by next year. Please note, that you are advised to ensure that you have travel insurance, and a current EHIC card.
Accommodation.
The second half of May is the shoulder season in Iceland (full season starts in June). The accommodation costs are a bit lower but the day length is reasonably long. Most tourist facilities have opened by then.
Most apartments have one, two or, (more rarely) 3 rooms, and a kitchen. These can be found on Air B&B and Booking.com. Hotels, which vary a lot in price and lack cooking facilities can be found on Booking.com and equivalent sites. However, these may be a good option for the less cost conscious who are relaxed about the expense of eating out.
Hostels can be a good option as some have 2 person en suite rooms that would be OK for a person wanting a room to themselves. Most have 2 person rooms with shared bathrooms. They also have access to cooking facilities.
Reykjavik – https://www.hostel.is/en/hostels/hi-reykjavik-dalur
Vik – https://www.hostel.is/en/hostels/hi-vik
Skogarfoss – https://www.hostelworld.com/hostels/p/330898/skogar-hostel/
Hofn –
https://www.hostel.is/en/hostels/hi-skyrhusid
https://www.hostel.is/en/hostels/hi-vagnsstadir
https://www.hostel.is/en/hostels/hi-hofn
As a rough guide (per night price) shared room in multi occupancy AirBnB €50-80. Double this for your own room. Double or twin room in a hostel (ensuite available but share bathroom is cheaper) €90-140. Hotels are typically €150 -200. for a twin or double room (single or double occupancy). There a tourist tax of about €6 per night.
Weather.
In Late May, the weather is variable. Daytime temperature is 8-12 °C.
Car Hire.
Car hire is 30% more expensive than Dublin. We propose to hire seven seater minivans if possible. 2 volunteer drivers are required for each vehicle. The drivers are responsible for booking the hire unless they nominate someone else in the travelling group.
Costs.
Minimum conservative estimate, in euro, p/p:
- flight and baggage ~300
- hotels ~800 based on two sharing
- vehicles, fuel, parking fees ~250
- food – always hard to estimate but for reference the EU per diem rate for Iceland is 275 compared to Ireland at 254. So imagine hotel and eating out in inner city Dublin to get a rough idea. If you go for self catering accommodation and buy from supermarkets the costs will be substantially reduced but will depend on dietary preferences (€250 if you self cater?).
- Guided tours, ferry, and entry fees. ~250
- Contribution to leaders costs. This will depend on the number of people signing up ~100-150 (?).
- Overall €2K if you share a room and feed yourself from a supermarket.
To register, Click HERE. Demand is expected to be high, so you are advised to register ASAP, and ensure that your membership is up to date. The deadline is 30th November. The cap on numbers is 30, and we require a minimum of 10 participants to proceed with the excursion. Please wait until your registration is confirmed before booking anything.
Some images to give a flavour of the scenery are below.
