Steve Spangler’s Science of Iceland Adventure

We’re starting the process by collecting a list of people who are serious about going on the trip. Click here

We are collecting a deposit of $1,000 per person to hold your spot on the trip.

This deposit (less a $50 processing fee) is fully refundable up until December 1, 2021. With only 50 spaces available, this deposit means that you are indeed serious about attending this experience. If we (Team Spangler) cancel the trip before December 1, 2021, no processing fee will be withheld and you will receive a refund of your full deposit.

The remaining balance of your registration fees will be automatically charged to the credit card used at registration on March 1, 2022.  

Due to advance planning of this trip, here is how the cancellation policy will work:

If you cancel between December 1, 2021 and February 28, 2022, you will be eligible for a 50% refund of your $1,000 deposit.

If you cancel between March 1 and May 1, 2022, you will be eligible for a 50% refund of the full payment collected.

No refunds will be issued after May 2, 2022.

We are aware that many unforeseen factors can result in the cancellation of a trip. We are working closely with the hotels, bus company and travel experts in Iceland to help ensure full refunds in the event of another outbreak similar to what we experience with COVID.

We’re excited that you’re interested in being a part of this new adventure. We also want to thank you in advance for your patience and understanding as we gather all of the interest forms.

The first step is to complete the interest form.

If we have more than 50 people who are seriously interested in moving forward by putting down the deposit, we will find a way to make the selection process fair – lottery, draw straws, or pull names out of a hat.

Everyone who completed an interest form will be notified about the outcome of the selection process on August 3, 2021 by email. Those people who were not selected will automatically be placed on a waitlist and contacted if space becomes available.

Those people whose names are drawn for the trip will be sent a link to complete an online registration form. The form must returned by August 10, 2021 along with the deposit to hold your space.

Please stay tuned to the news and check the Iceland Entry requirements website here. We anticipate these requirements will change numerous times between now and June 2022.

As of July 27, 2021, this is the Iceland entry plan:

No, you don’t have to, but most folks recommend doing so, especially when traveling overseas. First, your regular medical coverage/insurance may not cover you at sea/outside the US. Traveling without this insurance means you will have to pay for emergency medical treatment expenses up front if you become ill, injured or require minor or major medical attention, including the remote possibility of an emergency evacuation. If you are a Medicare beneficiary, you should purchase travel insurance because medical coverage does not exist outside of the US.

Plan on booking your flight to leave the United States on or before May 31, 2021 and arrive in Reykjavik on or before June 1, 2022 at 5:00 pm. Please note that many US flights fly overnight to Iceland and therefore arrive the following day with the time difference.

We have witnessed some issues when airlines cancel or delay a flight leaving the passenger(s) unable to arrive on time.

Our kick-off party is at 7 pm on Wednesday, June 1. Our final group event is late into the evening on Wednesday, June 8th. There are no planned events on June 9th, so your first departure flight opportunity is the morning of June 9th.

Keflavik International Airport (KEF) is the name of the international airport near Reykjavik. Visit www.isavia.is/en/keflavik-airport to find flights or learn more about the airport. The drive time from Keflavik Airport to Reykjavik is approximately 45 minutes.

It will vary tremendously depending upon a lot of factors (gas, oil and the airline industry are only the beginning). If you get your seats early (more than 250 days out) you will likely get your best deals as airlines typically sell their least expensive seats first…and they only have a couple at that “least expensive” rate. Also, your cost will vary depending upon where you live and even what time of day you choose to leave. I have seen tickets range from $550-$1500 per person (luggage fees may or may not be included). You may also have frequent-flyer tickets you can use…but book those quickly…they are usually the first seats to go! You also might check into using different airlines to come and go as that may save you some cash (using Icelandic Air to get there and United Airlines to return, for example).

There are several transportation options for getting from the airport (KEF) to the ______ hotel in Reykjavik. You will need to make your reservation for this transfer BEFORE leaving the US.

One suggestion is Flybus Airport Transfer at https://www.re.is/tour/flybus/.  This is a bus that costs about $38 USD per person. From what we have found so far, Flybus seems to have the most robust scheduling options available.

Gray Line Airport Express at https://grayline.is/airport-bus-transfer also offers a similar service, but has less schedule availability.  Their service will cost about $155 USD. I would recommend choosing the service that takes you to our hotel, not to the bus depot.

Taxi prices can run as high as $200-$300 USD from the research we have seen.

Uber is illegal in Iceland and therefore not an option.

A great blog post to learn more about airport transfers is at FullSuitcase.com.

First of all, please know that we are trying to be as fair as possible when it comes to planning this trip. We’re not sure if 5 people or 100 people are interested in going on this trip. Initial indications are that the 50 spots will fill quickly and we will set-up a waiting list.

First priority will go to people who have personally attended Science at Sea in the past along with their spouse, partner or significant other, (immediate family) or friend. We know that a number of people want to attend with their entire family… and we just cannot do that on this trip. It’s just not fair to everyone else who wants to attend. Our suggestion is to find one other person who you want to attend with you for this first-ever experience.

If space is available AFTER we have given past participants ample time to register, we will open up the remaining spaces to additional family members.

At the request of our travel guides and coordinators in Iceland, we are only accepting children ages 15 years old and up.

Team Spangler includes Steve, his wife, Renee, Carly Reed and Bryan Higgins. Steve and Renee traveled to Iceland in 2019 to scout locations, visit hotels and to pull together a team of naturalists, geologist and other experts to lead the adventure. The duo will return to Iceland in September 2021 to put the final touches on everything.

Everyone will travel together in a luxury motor coach (okay, that’s a nice way of saying big bus). This is the best way of seeing the country. We have planned plenty of stops during each day’s journey. We will rotate the seating each day to insure each person is guaranteed a great view while traveling along the beautiful scenic landscape of Iceland. We even have a system to ensure everyone gets a chance to sit in different seats on the bus each day. Trust us… it works.

We have selected 5 different hotels for our accommodations during the 8 nights of the trip. Nights one and two are at the same Reykjavik hotel. Nights three and four are at the same hotel near Selfoss. Nights five and six are in the same hotel in Vik. Night number seven is near Skaftafell National Park and our culminating hotel is back in Reykjavik.

This experience is limited to 50 participants. This number is based on the size of the motor coach and the available rooms at each of the hotels.

No, but a lot of your time will be scheduled.  This will not be like Science at Sea where there were blocks of time for you to roam the ship on an “at sea” day.  We are leaving each hotel right after breakfast and packing in a lot of activities and driving each day.

You are HIGHLY encouraged to pack light. According to the tour bus guidelines, you are allowed to bring one suitcase per person with the dimensions of 30.5 x 22 x 12.5 inches (77.5 x 56 x 32 cm) and weight not exceeding 66 pounds (30kg). You are allowed one personal sized carry-on bag which must be small enough to store in overhead bins or under the seat in front of you on our motor coaches. Carry-on bags should not exceed the dimensions of 12 x 11 x 6 inches.

The tour bus company will not be able to make accommodations for a second suitcase or any luggage exceeding these limits. For safety reasons, wheeled carry-on bags are not suitable as hand luggage on motor coaches.

Daily life is casual and relaxed, so dress for comfort and pack layers, much like you did for Alaska. It will likely rain during our trip. Bring your swimsuit as we have an excursion the first day to one of the amazing thermal spas in Reykjavik. You will also want to bring good hiking shoes. A more specific packing list will be provided later.

Yes, as we are at several hotels for 2 nights. You should be able to hand wash your items in the sink upon arriving and hopefully they will have time to dry before we leave.  Make sure to pack your own laundry soap.

As you know from your Science at Sea experience, we will have a photographer with our group.  Bryan Higgins is our staff photographer and will get photos of our journey.  He will share his photos in a gallery for all of us to use.  So, if you would rather not travel with a larger SLR camera, something like the newest iPhone that fits in your pocket, will do a great job for you.  Cameras are a very personal preference item.

Electrical plugs differ so you will need a universal travel adaptor suitable for Iceland. Iceland uses the standard “Europlug” socket with two round prongs. For these plugs, you can use adapter types “C” or “F.” Electricity in Iceland is 230 volts with alternating electric currents of 50 cycles per second. Be sure to check each device you wish to bring as each will list its voltage range. You may need a voltage converter as well as the plug adaptor.

YES. You must have a valid passport. Your passport should be valid for at least six (6) months beyond your planned date of departure from Iceland. However, you do not need a Visa.

We do not know the answer to this question just yet. We have asked numerous times and cannot seem to get the same, consistent answer. We will keep you posted.

Iceland luckily has one time zone.  We all live in different states, so to make things easiest, I will answer for the Mountain Time Zone. Iceland is 6 hours ahead of the Mountain Time Zone. If the current time in Denver is 8:21 pm, the time in Iceland is 2:21 am. Click here for a time zone map.

The average high temperature in June is 48°F (9° C) but can go as high as 59°F (15°C) or more. The average low temperature is 42°F (5.5°C). Always be prepared for rain in Iceland, however June generally has the lowest rainfall of the year. Just so you know… sunrise is approximately 3:30 AM and sunset is approximately 11:30 PM.

No problem. By all means, make whatever plans you wish before June 1^st and/or after June 8^th.  Remember that our final event is the evening of June 8^th.  We will drive you back to a hotel in Reykjavik for the evening of June 8^th as part of our experience.  We have no plans for the group at all on June 9^th because flights back to your home can leave at any time that day and it is difficult to plan for varying itineraries.

You obtain Icelandic Krona, the local currency, at exchange bureaus, banks, airports and major hotels in Reykjavik, or use your ATM/Credit/Debit card to obtain local currency. Most of the areas we will travel accept major credit cards. If you want some foreign currency before you go, call your local American Express office, larger bank chains, or an international bank and take cash for the exchange.

As this is not a cruise ship, food will not be available 24/7, sadly. Breakfast will be provided at each hotel location. We have stayed at most of the hotel locations and experienced great breakfasts. They all provided a vast selection of choices.  We will give them all dietary needs for our group well in advance.

Lunch will be on our own in most locations as that is just the easiest way to feed the group while on excursions. There are a few locations where lunch is provided, and that information will also be given to you in advance.

Dinners will typically be served at the hotel where we are spending the night. In our experience, there is usually a meat, seafood and vegetarian option.  At a few of the hotels, it was more of a buffet style dinner.  We will have more details on this as time passes with the epidemic and more.