Iceland offers students a massive in-your-face raw landscape to experience and learn about nature’s geological and physical forces, and to interact with a culture over 1,000 years old!

The focus on our 6 day (plus 1-day for travel) Iceland science student tour is a learning journey to gain an understanding of Iceland's environment, conservation and culture.  From our base in Reykjavik, each day is a new adventure as we explore from the country's capital to the north, south, east and west to discover popular treasures, iconic natural phenomenon, and experience detours for special educational experiences not found on most tours to Iceland.

Highlights & Inclusions

• Whale watching trip to look for humpback whales, minke whales, and dolphins. 
• Learn how technology converts geothermal energy to power the nation on a tour of the Hellisheidi power plant. 
• Explore a volcanic lava tube to learn how volcanoes have shaped Iceland above and below the surface. 
• Discover the amazing geology of the south coast known for its huge waterfalls, glaciers, volcanoes, basalt columns, and black sand beaches. 
• Have lunch at a greenhouse that is also a restaurant and learn how a family turned a small farm into one of the largest producers of tomatoes in Iceland using renewable energy. 
• See the geysir that names all geysir's and watch it explode 100ft into the air every 10 minutes.
• Visit Gullfoss Waterfall, and learn how a young farm girl saved it and became the first environmental activist in Iceland. 
• Take a tour in Thingvellier National Park to learn about Iceland's first parliament and see where the North American and Eurasian plates meet. 
• Visit an Icelandic horse farm and learn about these famous horses and their contributions to Icelandic immigration and modern history.
• Go inside the second largest glacier in Iceland to learn about glaciers and how they are formed. 
• Visit the site of the most recent volcanic eruption and see lava rock that was born in 2023! 
• Soak in the famous Blue Lagoon and learn about how this man-made wonder was discovered and is not one of the most unique places in Iceland. 

This tour will cover various places throughout Iceland. Click here for map points and  to see the locations of activities.

1. Geographical Understanding: Students will gain an understanding of Iceland's geography, including its iconic geological features, such as volcanoes, geysers, glaciers, and fjords. They will be able to identify and explain the formation and significance of these natural wonders.

2. Icelandic Culture:  Through first-hand interaction with Icelandic people, museum visits, and personal inquiry, students will learn about Icelandic heritage, language, and contemporary Icelandic way of life, fostering cultural awareness and appreciation.

3. Environmental Stewardship: Students will learn about and see evidence of environmental issues in Iceland that have local and global implications. They will observe ways that Iceland has been successful in protecting their natural resources including innovative ways to combat climate.  Additionally, one of Iceland's environmental issues is soil erosion. 

+Optional add on based on availability: Students will participate in 4 hours of community service helping to reforest and stabilize soil in Iceland by planting trees in partnership with local agencies or private landowners.

4. Scientific Investigation: The tour will provide students an opportunity to learn about and observe the ways that science is being used to investigate geology, climate, and environmental science in a real-world context. They will gain insights into the ongoing research and environmental monitoring efforts in Iceland.

Next Generation Science Standards that align with the described learning objectives:

1. Geographical Understanding:

   - Disciplinary Core Idea: Earth and Human Activity

     - MS-ESS3-5: Ask questions to clarify evidence of the factors that have caused the rise in global temperatures over the past century.

   - Disciplinary Core Idea: Earth's Systems

     - MS-ESS2-2: Construct an argument supported by evidence for how forces responsible for plate motion cause changes in the lithosphere.

   - Disciplinary Core Idea: Earth and Human Activity

     - MS-ESS3-3: Apply scientific principles to design a method for monitoring and minimizing a human impact on the environment.

   - Crosscutting Concept: Patterns

     - MS-ESS2-3: Analyze and interpret data on natural hazards to forecast future catastrophic events and inform the development of technologies to mitigate their effects.

2. Icelandic Culture:

   - Disciplinary Core Idea: Earth and Human Activity

     - MS-ESS3-4: Construct an argument supported by evidence for how increases in human population and per-capita consumption of natural resources impact Earth's systems.

   - Disciplinary Core Idea: Human Impacts on Earth Systems

     - MS-ESS3-3: Apply scientific principles to design a method for monitoring and minimizing a human impact on the environment.

3. Environmental Stewardship:

   - Disciplinary Core Idea: Earth's Systems

     - MS-ESS2-5: Collect data to provide evidence for how the motions and complex interactions of air masses result in changes in weather conditions.

   - Crosscutting Concept: Systems and System Models

     - MS-ESS2-6: Develop and use a model to describe how unequal heating and rotation of the Earth cause patterns of atmospheric and oceanic circulation that determine regional climates.

4. Scientific Investigation:

   - Disciplinary Core Idea: Earth's Systems

     - MS-ESS2-1: Develop a model to describe the cycling of Earth's materials and the flow of energy that drives this process.

   - Disciplinary Core Idea: Earth and Human Activity

     - MS-ESS3-1: Construct a scientific explanation based on evidence for how the uneven distributions of Earth's mineral, energy, and groundwater resources are the result of past and current geoscience processes.

These NGSS standards cover various aspects of Earth and environmental science, aligning with the learning objectives related to Iceland's geography, culture, environmental stewardship, and scientific investigation.

Students will stay in guesthouses or hostels in Reykjavik. There will be 2-6 students per room in their own beds, sharing the room only with students of the same gender from their own group. The toilet and bathroom facilities are shared.  Beds could be twin beds or bunk beds. 

The package price does include an estimated airfare budget of $950-$1100 per person from North America to Keflavik, Iceland. 

Once we know your group’s travel dates,  we will assist your group with booking round trip airfare for $50 per person booking fee.

The cost of airfare and service fees will be added to your official booking link.  Price does not include baggage fees, special travel or additional costs due to airline imposed surcharges and taxes prior to ticketing.  Nor does it include extra costs associated with cancellations or missed connections. Once booked, the ticket is the property of the named ticket holder and it is non-refundable and non-transferrable.   

Airlines release their schedules and prices 9 months before travel dates. The prices listed are estimates only and could be less or more. Holidays and high demand travel dates have higher prices. Green Edventures will provide you with a best guess estimate based on your actual travel dates, departure city, and our experience. We try to estimate high so that families are not surprised. Airline prices can not be locked in until your group is confirmed with the minimum number of students. At that time, the prices will be updated on your booking link, they could be less. If the price is significantly more, we will address this with the group and give participants options.

Click here for the packing list

All participants must have a passport valid for travel 6 months beyond the date of departure. 

As of 10/23 Iceland does not required US Citizens to pay a Visa fee. This could change in 2025. Green Edventures will provide Group Leaders with information and updates as it become available.

This trip is being organized by:

Name of Teacher

School Name

Teacher Email

Teacher Phone

Click on link to review:

Terms & Conditions

Cancellation Policy

Fee: Starting at $5045 + gratuity. Please contact us for price and availability.

Duration: 6 +1 days

Comps: 2 teacher free with 15-paying students

Max Group Size: 15 students plus 2 chaperones

Grades: 5-8th and 9-12th, college

Dates: Late May -August

Includes estimated airfare: $950  per person plus $50 booking fee.

All Participants:

A Travelex Insurance Services Student Group Essentials plan is paid and provided by Green Edventures as part of your trip package. This plan includes post-departure benefits only. See the attached flyer for more information. Click here and select your state of residence  from the dropdown to view a copy of the policy.

At Green Edventures, we recommend you purchase a travel protection plan with additional benefits to help protect you and your trip investment. In today’s changing travel environment, it’s important to protect your travel investment and well-being so you can relax and enjoy your trip. 

Unforeseen events such as flight delays, baggage loss or even a sudden sickness or injury could impact your travel plans.

For your convenience, we offer a travel protection plan through Travelex Insurance Services. For more information on the available plan please review the Student Group Plus flyer. If you would like to enroll in the plan, please click below:

https://partner.travelexinsurance.com/index.aspx?location=28-0108&go=PSPCZ&navigation=off&groupname=GreenEdventures 

Green Edventures does not charge a service fee. We use a third party merchant service called WeTravel and they use the credit card processor Stripe. 
   

Credit Card

WeTravel will add a service fee to the total amount of your trip if you pay with a credit card. Credit Cards fees: 2.9% (Amex 3.9%). This is a bank fee not a Green Edventures fee. 
   

ACH / Checking Account 

If you set up your payment method to be withdrawn from your checking account there are no fees.     

You can change your payment method at any time in your WeTravel Account. 

Mailing Address:

Green Edventures, LLC. 5348 Vegas Dr. #1102 Las Vegas, NV 89108

888-622-4911
info@greenedventures.com

For General Questions & Reservations:

Tara Short 

Founder & Director

715-252-1238
tara@greenedventures.com

For Billing & Payments:

Carrie Zygowicz 

Administrative Assistant

715-222-9874
contact@greenedventures.com

Flights depart North America in the evening and arrive in Iceland the following morning.

Meals: N/A

Morning: Meet your guide at the Keflavik Airport and then take a 45 minute drive to Reykjavik. Breakfast is in town, then a fun whale watching tour in search of humpback, minke and fin whales. Learn about the history of whaling in Icelandic culture and the "meet us, don't eat us" movement to protect whales from being listed on the menu at restaurants and on the dinner plates of locals. 

Afternoon: Students will explore the city on their way to a local swimming pool. Swimming is a big part of Icelandic culture and it's a way to be a tourist and hang with the locals. 

Evening: Dinner in Reykjavik and overnight at a guesthouse or hostel (TBA)

Meals: BLD

Morning: Breakfast at our accommodations in Reykjavik, and then we drive south east for a big day exploring the south coast of Iceland. This will be one of the most scenic days of the whole tour and one of the most memorable. 

The group will take a tour of the power plant to learn about the technology used to convert Iceland's geothermal energy (the source of its 130 known volcanoes) into green power for the country.

After, students will explore a 4,000 ft lava tunnel to learn about how volcanoes have shaped the landscape above and below the surface. Student will learn about how lava tunnels are formed, and be able to take photos of formations like stalactites and stalagmites and be wowed by how colorful the minerals are when exposed to light.

Afternoon: We continue the journey east toward to the black sand beach of Reynisfjara to learn about the formation of basalt columns. You might even see puffins here!!

Returning west, you will have an impressive view of notable volcanoes including Eiyafjayajokull, whose eruption in 2009 interrupted flights to Europe and gained worldwide news coverage. Students will also see some of the glaciers that formed the impressive landscape of Iceland. 

Along the way we stop at Skógarfoss waterfall, one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Iceland, and then Seljalandsfoss waterfall where the students can walk behind the cascade for 360 degree views.

Lunch and dinner on route. Overnight at a Reykjavik guesthouse or hostel (TBA).

Meals: BLD

Morning: After breakfast, we head out to visit sites on the Golden Circle. 

First stop if Thingvellier National Park. This is site is a World Heritage Site because of its historical, cultural and scientific significance. It was a meeting point for the chieftains of Iceland before they established a parliament and a place were laws were made and disputes settled.  Geologically, this is a fault line where one can see the Eurasian and North American plates above sea level giving scientists a laboratory to investigate and measure plate tectonics. 

Afternoon: We visit a family farm that produces tomatoes in greenhouses powered with renewable energy (solar, water, geothermal) and learn about the technology used to control their state of the art greenhouses while enjoying some homemade tomato soup.

Later, we head over to the Geysir geothermal area and witness the spouting spring Strokkur that erupts up to 100 feet, and walk around the other hot springs and fumaroles. 

Close by is the majestic Gullfoss Waterfall. At Gullfoss learn about the a local farm girl who saved the falls from being turned into a hydroelectric dam. Today she is revered as Iceland's first environmental activist. 

Dinner and overnight in Reykjavik guesthouse or hostel (TBA).

Meals: BLD

Morning:  We drive toward the north west of Iceland for two more experiences that will introduce students to the landscape of Iceland. .

Into The Glacier Langjokull: Experience a man-made ice cave in the second largest glacier in Iceland. Students will learn about why glacier ice is blue, how glaciers are formed, and the future of glaciers in Iceland. Watch here. 

Afternoon: We visit an Icelandic horse farm to learn about the unique characteristic of these animals including their special gate called the Tölt. Participants will have a chance to meet these Icelandic locals up close. 

 Dinner in Borgarnes. Overnight at a Reykjavik guesthouse or hostel (TBA).

Meals: BLD

Morning: We journey south west of Reykjavik to explore the Reykjanes Peninsula. For over 800 years this stretch of land has been quiet with no volcanic eruptions until March 2021. The eruption brought people from all over the world to see the fresh lava flowing onto the surface. The active eruption is no longer taking place but there is still plenty to explore. We will hike in the area where the eruption took place and students will see lava rocks from 2023.

Afternoon: We will spend a full day exploring the area and the Brimketill lava rock pool by the ocean, the Gunnuhver hot spring and the bridge between the continents and tiny towns of the peninsula.

Dinner in Keflavik. Overnight in Reykjavik guesthouse or hostel (TBA).

Meals: BLD

Morning: On the last day the group will visit the magnificent Blue lagoon that has been named one of the natural wonders of the world.  Students will soak in the blue water that is from superheated ocean water deep in the volcanic rock. It gets its blue color from a bluegreen algae that can only be found in Iceland and Japan! Students will learn how this manmade attraction accidentally became one of the most visited places in the world due to its physical features and healing properties. 

After a 2-hour soak in the Blue Lagoon, we  make our way to the airport and say goodbye to all the wonders of Iceland we learned about.. 

Lunch is not included and teachers can choose to get lunch at the Blue Lagoon or at the airport. 

Meals: B

This itinerary is a guide and may be modified as practical considerations arise including the time and order of activities, lodging, and guides. Prices are subject to change until deposits are received due to limited availability and currency fluctuations.