Travelling Through the Land of Fire and Ice

What does Farfuglar ses mean?

The story of HI Iceland started in 1939. The Icelandic name for it is Farfuglar ses which means “migrating birds” and talks about travellers who leave each winter and then come back again in the summer. The organisation’s main goal is to promote travelling and to encourage people of all ages to travel and teach them something new about culture and nature.

What is the Icelandic Youth Hostel Organisation’s vision?

There are more than 30 HI hostels in Iceland, two of them in Reykjavik that belong directly to the organisation, while others have various owners, but still co-operate with HI Iceland and meet all the required HI standards. The organisation’s mission is to support sustainable and responsible tourism and cultural diversity. It wants to become the first choice of travellers who travel with environment protection on their mind, but also respects other travellers and hosts. It tries to preserve the balance between its needs, the expectations of guests, the local community and the environment. Its main values are respect, hospitality and embracing everyone. The team, too, is very international. Its members constituted people from 19 different countries in 2019. Each year the organisation hosts a few trainees.

Where to stay in Reykjavik

The Reykjavik City Hostel was built by volunteers and it was the only HI hostel in the capital in the land of fire and ice ten years ago. It’s surrounded by greenery and located in Laugardalur neighbourhood, right next to the largest geothermal pool in the town of Laugardalslaug. It’s situated two kilometres from the centre to which it is linked by a bus line. Next to the hostel is the largest city camp that can be found in a large green meadow with separate basic infrastructure. Another hostel located in the capital is the LOFT that is famous for miles around for its terraced bar from which one can enjoy a wonderful view of the city. It’s located in the city’s main street with its shops and bars. Many events take place in LOFT, such as clothes exchanges, concerts and yoga. You can visit the guest kitchen where you can relax while singing karaoke. But there are also books and social games available at any time. There’s scented soap in each room and it’s produced in the eco village of Sólheimar. During the coronavirus pandemic, both hostels were left almost without guests, so they turned to other contents. A family coffee shop opened in the City Hostel in June, its feature being a playground for children that is cleverly arranged each day and which children use to play with while parents enjoy a cup of coffee and a slice of cake. The coffee shop tries to attract mainly locals, creating a place where both locals and travellers can meet. Some hostel rooms are rented out to tenants, while others have been changed into offices that are suitable to rent by a motley crew of people, from artists to architects. Rooms in the LOFT can be rented for various private events, from yoga to poetry readings.

Caring for the environment in the hostels

Both hostels in Reykjavik boast the SWAM certificate, which is a Scandinavian eco certificate that helps consumers choose environmentally friendly products and activities. More than 25,000 different Scandinavian products, from accommodation to the products themselves, boast this certificate. In the hostels, you can find everything, from cleaning products to furniture, all chosen in accordance to the standards. The certificate focuses on four main areas – waste, water, energy and the use of cleaning products. Hostels must regularly monitor the values and include them in the report. They use a lot of LED and automated lights. The amount of water that can be used per night is limited and the hostels take good care of waste sorting. Another very important aspect is educating staff.

Things to do in the HI hostels across the country

Both hostels are open year round, but since frost, darkness and wind reign during winter in Iceland, many other hostels close their doors during that time. That’s why it’s a good idea to always check before visiting on of them. One of the most interesting hostels is definitely the Fljótsdalur HI Hostel as it’s located in a renovated farm house with a thatched roof. From the hostel, you can enjoy the magnificent view of the Eyjafjallajökull and Mýrdalsjökull glaciers. If the weather is poor, you can still choose among the 2,000 books. In another old-fashioned farm house surrounded by beautiful and remote natural area of western fjords one can find the Korpudalur HI Hostel. Just stepping outside one cannot help but be astounded by the nature since it feels like being at the edge of the world. And if you want an even deeper experience of living in the Icelandic countryside, head to the Árbót HI Hostel, east of the Laxa river. Together with the locals you can take care of cows, horses and sheep. However, there is no Wi-Fi signal there nor will you be able to take a hot shower. The surroundings also have so much to offer, from waterfalls to hot springs and volcanic craters. Half way between the two largest towns in Iceland, between the north and the south, there’s the Sæberg HI Hostel where you can stay in a renovated farm house or a private cabin. The hostel also has its own hot bath. The HI Blönduós Hostel is located right next to the Blance river, one of the glacier rivers in Iceland and a river that is legendary when it comes to catching salmon. Take a relaxing walk down the black sand beaches by the river and take in all the views. The surroundings offer plenty of opportunities for bird and seal watching.

The best sightseeing

As your first trip you can choose the classic Golden Circle tour that will take you to the famous geyser that gave its name to every other geyser in the world and to the mighty Gullfoss waterfall and Þingvellir National Park, and then of course also to the world’s oldest parliament building. Finally, you can also visit the greenhouses where tomatoes are grown. If you’re visiting in the colder half of the year, you can go on hunt for the northern lights with an experienced guide. You’ll get a chance to see the phenomenon away from the city lights and with the help of professional guides. If you’re interested in best whale watching, you should head to Húsavík , the best town for spotting these majestic animals. And when you feel like walking the glaciers, take a five-hour walk across the largest glacier in Iceland, Vatnajökull. In eastern Iceland, I recommend taking a dip in the Vök pool with water that comes directly from hot springs right next to a lake. And, of course, a trip into the heart of Iceland is a must and it’s a place where only the forces of nature reside. Landmannalaugar offers a chance for wonderful hikes across the hills of thousands of colours. You can leave from Vik to go and explore the snow cave under Katla, one of the most dangerous volcanoes in Iceland. And many more experiences await you in southern Iceland as part of a full-day guided tour from Reykjavik, where you’ll get a chance to see the wonderful waterfalls, glaciers and the famous black sand beach. If you crave more sports activities, you can go on a kayak trip from the fishing village of Stykkishólmur located on the wonderful Snaefellsnes peninsula. Visit the Perlan Museum that will introduce you to the story of the Icelandic nature, the unusual natural processes as well as the animals and plants that live there.

Guide to choose

Lonely Planet has some guides to Iceland equipped with beautiful photos. You can go on a trip using a guide that covers the whole country or the one that focuses on Reykjavik and southwestern Iceland. Using the special language phrasebook, you can teach yourself a few Icelandic words.