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7 extraordinary ways to enjoy a luxury adventure in Iceland

Extraordinary landscapes have already cemented Iceland’s place as an adventurer’s paradise. But while plenty of countries have glaciers and mountains, or even active volcanoes, there are few destinations that can boast as many incredible and rare experiences, all in one place. From heli-hopping across unreachable mountaintops or walking in lava chambers, to diving between tectonic plates, here are seven of the most extraordinary activities Iceland can deliver for the adventurous luxury traveller. Mountain hopping in a helicopter Few roads and large swaths of unreachable wilderness mean there’s only one way to truly travel in Iceland—by helicopter. Up in the sky, your options are limitless. Just ask your pilot and within minutes of leaving Reykjavik you can be enjoying a glass of bubbles beside your own secret waterfall or alone on a remote mountaintop surrounded by a breathless panorama of cloud-tickling peaks. Magical memories come guaranteed. Helicopter-Nordurflug-Tour Heli-skiing If just walking on a mountaintop isn’t enough, then try skiing down it. Iceland is a heli-skiing paradise—where miles of untamed snow beckons from isolated summits and pristine valleys that you can ski right down to the ocean—it’s enough to set any powder hound’s pulse racing. But Iceland’s stable snowpack means it’s an easy ride for any intermediate skier. Just get your helicopter to drop you off in the northern Troll Peninsular, a wintery playground bound to satisfy your adventure cravings. Heli Skiing Iceland Go into a glacier Glaciers entrance even the most seasoned explorers. They’re fragments from a long-lost age, ever-changing. But the chance to go under the ice in the fleeting caves and tunnels is one of those once-in-a-lifetime experiences. And in Iceland, you’re never far away from a glacier to explore. Whether the ice-tunnels of Langjökull or the maze of brilliant blue caves in Vatnajökull, the largest glacier in Europe, just hop onto your snowmobile to go enter their glittering, transient world. Vatnajokull Glacier Iceland Dive between tectonic plates Diving between two continents is another wow-factor Iceland experience. Thingvellir National Park is where the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates meet and are slowly drifting apart, and you can dive between them in the underwater Silfra fissure. Fed by pure glacial waters, the visibility is incredible, casting everything in a mesmerising electric blue. The truly adventurous should don their dry suit and try a winter dive, when the surrounding landscapes are dusted with snow. Diving in Silfra Iceland Enter a volcano magma chamber This is one experience that you can’t find anywhere else on the planet. Time your Iceland trip between May and October and the dormant Thrihnukagigur volcano opens its chamber doors. Here you can channel your inner Jules Verne and be one of the daring few to actually walk under the surface of the earth in the volcano’s mammoth magma chamber. A moment that will stay with you forever. Thrihnukagigur Volcano Hike in the wilderness A true wilderness—a place with no trace of humanity for miles—is something that only a handful of countries can claim today. But Iceland isn’t like other places. The heart of the country is still largely uninhabited. Its inner highlands are an untouched hinterland, only accessible in summer when the ice melts. Then you can leave modern life (and human contact) completely behind, hiking and wild camping in pristine green valleys and mountain passes beneath the glow of a midnight sun. An experience that will resonate with any true adventurer. Iceland Highlands Unwind in the Blue Lagoon By now you’ll be in need of some R&R, so make sure to squeeze in another one of Iceland’s unique experiences, the Blue Lagoon. Iceland is a land filled with colourful geothermal landscapes, but it’s the striking turquoise pools of the Blue Lagoon which deservedly makes it onto all of the postcards and Instagram feeds. A few nights spent in chic surroundings soaking in the healing waters is the perfect end to your extraordinary adventures. Blue Lagoon Iceland Tom Marchant is Co-founder of Black Tomato. If you would like to be a guest blogger on A Luxury Travel Blog in order to raise your profile, please contact us.

Tom Marchant

Tom Marchant is a co-founder of the award-winning tour operator Black Tomato, a luxury tailor-made travel company organising bespoke experiences round the world. Part of the Black Tomato Group, Black Tomato is an award-winning luxury travel company that delivers imaginative and cutting-edge travel experiences around the world. We create inspiring itineraries in up and coming and remote destinations, providing clients with the inside track. Whilst our group and prize incentive agency, The Black Tomato Agency , produce creative, award-winning incentives, prizes and events, Studio Black Tomato, was born as the in-house marketing and content creation agency. From initial clients including tourist boards and hotel groups, we now produce internationally acclaimed content and media campaigns for some of the biggest brands in the world.

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