Iceland Science School Trip

Iceland works across the sciences. Physics and earth science are covered by plate tectonics at Þingvellir, where students stand in the rift between the North American and Eurasian plates, and by the glaciology at the Sólheimajökull glacier snout. Energy and chemistry come from the geothermal field at Geysir and the greenhouses at Hveragerði, where crops are grown on heat pumped out of the ground. Volcanology runs through the whole trip, with Hekla and Eyjafjallajökull on the route south. The balance can be shifted towards energy, geology or the atmosphere to suit your specification.

Iceland is one of the few places where students can see geological and energy processes happening rather than read about them. The country generates almost all its electricity from renewable sources, mostly hydro and geothermal, so the energy topic is not theoretical. The plate boundary is walkable. The glacier snout is close enough to reach on foot. For a physics, chemistry or biology group, it turns several separate parts of the specification into things students have stood in front of.

Every trip is built around your group rather than sold as a fixed package. A typical Iceland science trip covers return flights, accommodation on a half board basis, coach transport throughout, entrance to the visits you choose, and guides where they are needed. The itinerary shown on this page is a suggestion, so you can add visits, drop them, extend the trip or shift the emphasis between energy, geology and the atmosphere. Travel insurance is available as an optional supplement rather than being built into the price.

Iceland works year round and the choice depends on what you want from it. Trips between September and March give the best chance of the Northern Lights, which brings in atmospheric physics and solar activity, and frozen waterfalls and winter conditions your students will not see at home. Daylight is limited in December and January, so early autumn or late in the spring term tends to balance conditions and daylight best. Spring and summer bring longer days and the option of whale watching, though the Northern Lights are not visible during the summer months because of the extended daylight.

Groups usually stay in or near Reykjavík, which keeps the Golden Circle and South Shore days within reasonable reach. We work with a range of group-friendly hotels and guesthouses rather than one fixed property, so what we put forward depends on your dates, group size and budget. Accommodation is half board as standard, with multi-bedded rooms for students and separate rooms for staff. Availability in Iceland is tight in peak periods, so we confirm the specific options with you at quote stage rather than listing them in advance.

Weather and terrain are the main factors. Conditions change quickly, ground can be icy or uneven, and sites such as the glacier snout, the coast at Dyrhólaey and the geothermal areas have their own hazards and marked routes that groups keep to. Guides are used where a site calls for one, and itineraries are built with contingency because Iceland is well practised at managing weather disruption. Every supplier we use is audited through TourTrust, our own safety management system, and you receive a risk assessment handbook and supplier safety information in one pack, along with a 24 hour support line while your group is away.

Senior leadership will usually want the curriculum rationale, the safety arrangements and the financial protection. Every supplier is audited through TourTrust and you receive a risk assessment handbook and supplier safety information in one pack, so most of what gets asked is already documented. Adaptable Travel is an ABTA member, membership number Y1241, flight-inclusive trips are ATOL protected, and we have been arranging educational trips since 1994. We are also a Certified Inspired by Iceland Specialist, certified by Visit Iceland. If your school needs something specific, ask and we will provide it.