I have to be honest and say I wasn’t sure about this new activity but our local partners were determined I should give it a try to experience it- and how right they were – such fun, and a great addition to your Northern Lights Holiday!
We were kitted up in waterproof arctic overalls and a helmet, and I was very pleased to see the design of the ATV’s with secure roll cages, though I should say at no stage did we ever feel we were about to roll!. After a short safety briefing we were led off first onto the road and then into the Porsmork Valley for our buggy adventure. We had a buggy between two of us which meant we could take turns having the fun of driving, and having time to sit back and watch the scenery. This is a great off roading adventure, but with you in charge driving a buggy, and a great one for the teenagers.
Our tour took us into Porsmork Valley and to the bottom of the Glacier. This dramatic valley is like stepping into Mordur from Lord of the Rings and is an eery experience as you journey across the black volcanic ash and grit, with towering black cliffs around you, and white Glaciers above. The track traverses rivers and streams and our guide showed us the safest, and driest, areas to cross.
Saeli, our guide, talked us through the history of the area in terms of the Glacial meltwater flood after the Eyjafjallajökull Volcanic eruption in 2010, and the increasingly rapid retreat of the Glacier. Such fun crossing streams, stopping whenever we wanted to take photos and enjoy this stunning wilderness. We all stopped at the same time and turned the engines off and the silence was majestic with just the wind whispering nonsense as we looked across the valley to the mountains and Glaciers.
So after a rather hesitant reluctant starter I became the enthusiastic and would definitely recommend it as a consideration as an addition on your Northern Lights Trips. It is a really fun way to experience the nature and stunning landscape of Iceland. For those who don’t feel comfortable on a Snowmobile this would be a great alternative consideration on your Northern Lights Trip.
Our tour was taken in the summer and is possibly a bit too long in the chill of a Northern Lights Tour trip, and so we would recommend the 2 hours “Little bit of everything tour” that explores waterfalls, drives on a mix of gravel tracks and the tundra sand fields, crosses streams and stops at a lovely viewpoint over the Seljandsfoss waterfall and Westman Islands in the Atlantic. This can only be taken from our Northern Lights Holidays with overnight stays in the South of Iceland
