Iceland Motorcycle Adventure

This is a 12 day, 11 night itinerary and includes between 40 – 50% graded gravel roads.  It is the ultimate Iceland Motorcycle Tour, taking you into the interior, out to the Westfjords and still allowing time for the traditional Icelandic tourist highlights.

Day 1: Arrive Reykjavik
On arrival into Reykjavik, take the Airport Bus or taxi to reach the group hotel.  Depending on the timing of the shipment, we will go to the docks to collect your bike or it may already be at the hotel.  In the afternoon, there is a Tour Briefing and then we go out for a group Welcome Dinner.

Day 2: Reykjavik to Vik (180 miles)
Ride by Iceland’s geothermal pipeline and visit waterfalls, geysers and glaciers along the way.  You will see Pingvellir  – see the continental drift and the ancient place where Iceland’s chieftains first met to create what is now the oldest existing parliament.  Wonder at the stunning waterfalls of Seljalandsfoss and Skogafoss.  Visit the most southern point of Iceland and the Dyrholaey Reserve.

Day 3:  Vik to Hofn (185 miles)
Amazing views as you ride towards the largest glacier in Europe, Vatnajokull and the Skaftafell National Park. Get up close to Svinafellsjokull and hear it cracking and grinding as it moves and melts. Cross vast glacial plains and head to Glacier Lagoon and Iceberg Beach, where chucks of the glacier break off and float down to the ocean.  Already you see how little traffic is on, making riding an utter delight.

Day 4: Hofn to Hallormsstadur (220miles)
A great section of gravel road as we head to Egilsstadir, and then another lovely dirt road through a beautiful valley before we take the Ring Road again. Overnight in lakeside cabins.

Day 5: Hallormsstadur to Husavik (253 miles)
This is an great days ride on of Iceland’s beautiful dirt roads.  The twisty 915 overlooking the bay en route to Vopnafjodur.  We ride on the eastern dirt road to see Dettifoss (the most powerful waterfall in Europe) enjoying the quieter views on this side of the waterfall.  Further north, you can also visit the Asbyrgi Cliffs.

Day 6: Husavik to Akureyri (118 miles)
A short morning ride via Lake Myvatn, to Iceland’s second city, and time to go whale watching in the afternoon.

Day 7: Akureyri to Geysir (193 miles)
We take the famous F-35, also know as the  Kjölur highland gravel route, which crosses between two glaciers, Langjökull and Hofsjökull through the interior of Iceland.  Time to visit the mighty Gullfoss Waterfall.

Day 8: Geysir to Heydular  (295  miles)
Early morning is the perfect time to view the original “Geysir” before we turn north to Husafell on another great dirt road, the 550.  Then we continue to the Westfjords, travelling on wonderful coastal routes on part dirt, part tarmac roads.

Day 9:  Heydular to Patreksfordjur (195 miles)
A fabulous days ride in and out of the coastal fjords – stop for a fantastic fish buffet in Isafjordur, before continuing through the single track tunnel and along more dirt roads to the massive Dynjandi Waterfall.  Patreksfjordur has incredible views across the bay to the cliffs.

Day 10:  Patreksfordjur to Stykissholmur (263 miles)
There’s an option to ride out to the Latraberg Bird Cliffs and spot puffins at the start of the day, which is a along a stunning cliff side dirt road to the westernmost point of Iceland.  Then return back along the southern coast roads and head across old lavafields to the north side of the Snaefellsnes Peninsula.  This section can be very windy!

Day 11:  Stykissholmur to Reykjavik (174 miles)
Drop by the Shark Museum at Bjarnarhofn.  After, there is a small gravel road that take us up to the Snaefellsjokul glacier, but we need to check conditions and that it’s open.  We continue to Borganes (where you can see the Settlement Centre), and back into Reykjavik. Drop your bikes off at the freight depot and then our for the evening and our group Farewell Meal.

Day 12: Depart Reykjavik
Transfer to airport for flight home.

It is important to understand that other than Akureyri (18,000 popn) and Greater Reykjavik (200,000 popn), all other settlements in Iceland are very small. Places marked in large, bold writing may be villages of 200 – 1,500 people. Places marked on a map can look as if they will be towns, but they are only a family homestead or a ranch. Some hotels are shown on the map in their own right, as they consist of a hotel, a restaurant (maybe a petrol pump) and that’s it. Outside the greater Reykjavik area in the South West and Akureryi, everywhere is Iceland is remote and quiet, dominated by farms and fishing activities.

International hotel chains only exist in Reykavik; outside of this area there are some small Iceland hotel chains such as Centerhotels, Fosshotel and IcelandAir (with 8-10 hotels), but after that, pretty much all accommodation is family run and does not have an official star ratings.

In Reykjavik, we stay at an excellent 3* hotel. However, once we leave Reykjavik, the accommodation varies between hotels and family guesthouses and it has been chosen to reflect the area we are in; sometimes it is the only accommodation available in the area that can accommodate a group of our size.  You should note that in guesthouses, sometimes rooms do not have televisions and on occasion,  there are shared bathroom facilities (which is very common for Iceland), but often we have a guesthouse just for our group.  Wifi is available at all accommodation, but in remote locations, you need to expect it to be slow and not consistent.

Just a note about the sleeping arrangements and what is the norm in Iceland. Beds are often single beds which are pushed together (for a double bed) or pulled “apart” (for two single beds), depending on the type of bed you have requested. Two single beds for people who are sharing, may be in a hotel room pushed close together. Please feel free to pull the beds away from each other! You should also note that it is normal to have two separate sleeping duvets for a couple using one large bed (one large duvet is just not the way it is done in Iceland).

Rooms will be on a double occupancy shared basis, unless you have booked for a Single Room. You should note that it is normal for a single room to be a smaller room with a single bed (not double sized). Peak season in Iceland means a single room needs to have been requested at the time of making your booking to ensure availability.

Finally, a note about the showers.  Iceland’s hot water is supplied by geothermic pipelines and the hot water is straight from the ground.  It can be scorching hot immediately you turn a tap on (so beware!) and also it can smell of sulphur, which can be off putting the first time you get in the shower.  Please don’t complain about how the water smells, it is what it is and is considered perfectly normal in Iceland!

Before you go

• Access to the GlobeBusters Team for one to one meeting about preparing for the tour and what to expect.
• Motorcycle Tour Travel Pack, including Tour Specific Guidance Handbook & hard copy Michelin / Reise Know How Maps, marked with route.
• Daily hard copy route notes with GPS co-ordinates and information about the hotels, the roads and the sights
• Loan SD Card with open source GPS mapping for the region (suitable for Garmin units), downloadable routes and custom waypoints for hotels, lunch stops, viewpoints etc

En Route

• Hotel bed and breakfast accommodation on a shared basis (unless Single Room booked).
• Standard of accommodation is either hotels or guesthouses of mainly 3* (or equivalent) and some 4* standard.
• 6 evening meals, including your Welcome & Farewell Meal.
• Local overnight hotel parking charges.
• Entrances to National Parks are free.
• Team Tour Shirt

Support Crew

• Motorcycle Tour Manager on motorcycle to accompany the group.
• GlobeBusters Support Vehicle, equipped with mobile phone, spare fuel, water, tools, selected spare parts and emergency first aid kit, acting as a sweeper vehicle
• Support Driver, with motorcycle mechanical experience and first aid qualifications

Motorcycle Freight

• Sea freight of your motorcycle from UK to Iceland return, with all Customs formalities done on your behalf.
• In transit marine insurance for your motorcycle (but not personal belongings) during freight, subject to £500 excess.

Motorcycle Rental (if selected)

Where you have chosen to rent a motorcycle, this is organised by us with the local motorcycle rental provider, Biking Viking, who is the Approved BMW Travel Partner for Iceland. Your rental fee includes:

• 11 days of motorcycle rental of the model as chosen by you (or equivalent model)
• Motorcycle is supplied with side cases / panniers
• Rider/passenger injury insurance, 3rd party damage insurance and a full damage insurance with deductible self risk of EUR 2,000:- held on a credit card.

Your contract for motorcycle rental is with Biking Viking and not with us and you must comply with their terms and conditions for rental. We act as agent for Biking Viking, and on arrival you will be required to sign the local motorcycle rental contract. You can request a copy of these terms and conditions from us by contacting us in advance. You must provide the local provider with valid credit card details with sufficient credit limit as a guarantee against damages up to the agreed insurance excess of EUR 2,000.  Please note that on rare occasions the local provider may need to substitute your choice of motorcycle for something equivalent.

Not Included

• Transfers to / from the airport at the start and end of the tour.
• Return passenger airline flights to get to the start and from the finish point for the tour.
• Personal travel, accident and medical insurance (covering matters such as medical expenses, repatriation, cancellation, curtailment, loss or damage to property)
• Entrance fees to sights and parks, optional excursions, meals (all except where stated).
• Personal spending money, tips, souvenirs or other extras.
• Personal documentation (eg visas, passport), vaccinations, motorcycle documentation
• Fuel, oil & other motorcycle consumables
• Toll road fees, traffic fines or other charges relating to breach of the law
• Any travel, subsistence & hotel costs to and from the freight depot when you drop off or collect your motorcycle.
• We do not supply riding gear; you must bring a minimum of your own helmet, jacket, trousers, boots and gloves.
• Any other item not specifically included in the price.

Flights
For clarity, we do not include your passenger flights.  It is your responsibility to organise your own flights to and from the destination.  You need to book an outward flight to our start point, Reykjavik to arrive no later than midday on the official start date.  The earliest leave date is any time on the official end date.   However, do not book your flights until the tour is designated as a Guaranteed Departure.

Should you wish to arrive before the official start date or stay after the official end date, please simply request extra nights at the time of booking and we can make the reservation at our group hotel.

Please also refer to our Booking Conditions.

What type of bike do I need?
We recommend that you use a dual purpose / adventure style bike.  We support any make and model.  Our Support Crew normally ride the Triumph Tiger 900 Rally or Tiger 1200 Rally.  We also have extensive experience with the BMW GS motorcycle range, having ridden them for over 15 years.  What is important is that you have a reliable and robust bike that you are comfortable riding and that it has been properly prepared and fully serviced prior to the start and has new tyres.

What riding experience do I need?
This is a 65% paved road tour, with sections of around 35% unpaved roads, including the F-35 across Iceland. There are also some river crossings. Traffic levels are extremely low with good driving standards. Iceland can have changeable weather conditions all year; however we consider that the end of August is the best time for motorcycle touring.  We recommend this tour for riders who have experience of riding on unpaved surfaces, such as gravel or dirt.  All roads used are public highways and shown on maps.  Gravel roads are normally well maintained, but you do need to be aware of deeper gravel or ruts on bends and possible river crossings.

If you need to improve your off road riding skills, attending a training school such as Adventure Bike Training www.adventurebiketraining.co.uk, Triumph Adventure Experience https://www.triumphmotorcycles.co.uk/adventure-experience or BMW Off Road Skills is highly recommended.

It is your responsibility to ensure your motorcycling skills are up to the requirements for this tour.

How does the motorcycle freight work?
Your tour price includes the freight of your motorcycle from the UK to Reykjavik.  You must bring your bike to our shipping depot (close to Grimsby, UK) for sea freight out to Iceland.  The drop off for you motorcycle is normally around 10-12 days prior to the start date.  Our shipping agent will load the container and once it arrives in Iceland, we facilitate the Customs procedures.  Depending on timing, we may take your bike to the hotel so it is waiting for you or you may be required to collect your own bike from the port with us.  The port is only located 3 miles from our hotel.  At the end, on the final day, we all ride the bikes back to the shipping depot in Iceland for sea freight back to the UK.

Can I hire a bike?
Yes, please select this option on booking.  Where you have chosen to rent a motorcycle, this is organised by us with the local motorcycle rental provider, Biking Viking, who is the Approved BMW Travel Partner for Iceland.  The amount that we charge for motorcycle rental is a net price having deducted your credit for motorcycle freight.  Your price includes

• 11 days of motorcycle rental of the model as chosen by you (or equivalent model)
• Motorcycle is supplied with side cases / panniers.  No other equipment is available to rent.
• Rider/passenger injury insurance, 3rd party damage insurance and a full damage insurance with deductible self risk of EUR 2,000:- held on a credit card.

Your contract for motorcycle rental is with Biking Viking and not with us and you must comply with their terms and conditions for rental. We act as agent for Biking Viking, and on arrival you will be required to sign the local motorcycle rental contract. You can request a copy of these terms and conditions from us by contacting us in advance. You must provide the local provider with valid credit card details with sufficient credit limit as a guarantee against damages up to the agreed insurance excess of EUR 2,000.  Please note that on rare occasions the local provider may need to substitute your choice of motorcycle for something equivalent.

What about flights?
We do not include flights in your tour price.  Once we tell you that this motorcycle tour is a Guaranteed Departure, you must book your own passenger flights to arrive / depart Reykjavik.  From the UK, there are direct flights from London, Aberdeen, Belfast, Manchester with a combination of Iceland Air, British Airways, Easyjet.  Airport transfers are not included – you can use an airport taxi or the coach transfer.  Details about this are provided in our Tour Guidance Handbook prior to departure.  Do not book any flights until we confirm that the tour is a confirmed departure.  When you do book flights please make sure that you arrive no later than midday on the official start date.

Do I have to ride in a group?
No!  We do not make you ride in convoy.  We offer you the freedom to decide how you would like to ride.  We give you a road book, with recommendations for lunch or coffee stops, fuel stops and hotel information.  You also get an SD card with mapping, custom routes & GPS co-ordinates to download to your GPS.  You can use these tools to self-navigate.  Most riders prefer to have this freedom, so they can stop where they want and for how long they want without feeling under pressure.  However if you prefer to ride with our Motorcycle Tour Manager, then you can do this.  They will give you a time to start in the morning, so please be prompt and ready to ride with them.  Each day you can change between riding on your own, or with a small group of other riders or with the Tour Manager.  We like to have a very flexible approach.

What is the average group size?
Our groups are normally 8 – 12 riders (some riders will have passengers).  The majority of customers are from the UK, but we also get riders from North America and other European countries.

Is this ride suitable for a passenger?
Absolutely.  This is mainly a paved road motorcycle tour, with a good standard of accommodation.  Your passenger must ride the motorcycle each touring day – there is no option to sit in the support vehicle as this is for participants who are ill or injured, unless the road conditions are too difficult for a rider and passenger to attempt two-up.

Is there a support vehicle?
Yes, this tour operates with a GlobeBusters Support Vehicle and Driver.  It is capable of carrying two motorcycle and two passengers.  Our support vehicles carry a mobile phone, medical bag and spinal board, spare fuel, water, tools, some spare parts, some spare tyres.  Our support vehicle provides temporary assistance to you if you have a mechanical problem or an accident and are injured.  It will carry one small piece of luggage per person (maximum 60 litre bag), which must be waterproof and dustproof. Suitcases and wheelie trolleys are not suitable and can be left in the hotel in Reykjavik.

What will the weather be like?
Iceland is a long way north, so it is never going to be hot and weather can be unpredictable, even in peak summer season.  We have chosen to travel just before the height of the summer season, so that there is less crowding at the key sights and temperatures are normally between 10 – 16C.  It will rain at some point during the tour, so make sure you have rain gear.  But there is also the possibility of it being quite chilly and sea mists, so you need to make sure you have extra layers with you.  Think of riding in Iceland a bit like, riding in the UK on a day in Spring.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather
http://www.worldclimate.com/

How expensive is Iceland?
So it comes as no shock to you once you are there, and so that you can budget, we estimate the following approximate costs for food & drink in Iceland – don’t be surprised to spend a minimum of £60 per night per person on a three course evening dinner.

• Cup of coffee – £5 + (although with some meals, coffee is provided free)
• Starter – £15 +
• Main course – £25-£35 + (sometimes soup is provided free of charge with a main meal)
• Dessert – £12 +
• Bottle of wine with dinner – £35 +
• Bottle of beer in bar or restaurant – £12 +

What documents do I need?
You will need your original documents as follows:  Passport, Motorcycle Registration Document or Title, Driving Licence from the country of your residence, minimum 3^rd Party Motorcycle Liability Insurance Certificate,  Travel Insurance Certificate (see below).  Visas are not required for UK/EU, USA or Canadian citizens.

You should note that we need to request copies of some of the above documentation, which we have to send to suppliers such as Icelandic hotels, freight forwarder / shipping line, customs authorities in Iceland and the UK.  Please refer to our Privacy Policy.

What about my health when I am abroad?
You need to be physically fit and healthy and also take the necessary health precautions.  It is essential for you to consult your doctor or travel clinic for up-to-date medical travel information prior of travel, particularly if you have a pre-existing medical condition. For up-to-date medical advice you may wish to use the Medical Advisory Service for Travellers Abroad “MASTA”  https://www.masta-travel-health.com/ , the NHS website  http://www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk/home.aspx   or NaTHNaC https://travelhealthpro.org.uk/ .

You will be obliged to disclose any medical condition or medication that you are taking to GlobeBusters in advance and to your Tour Manager at the start of your Tour, for health and safety purposes. We provide you with our Emergency Details Form for this purpose and to collect information about who to contact for you back home in the event of an emergency.

Do I need Travel / Medical Insurance?
It is a condition of you travelling with us that you are adequately insured.  Your insurance policy must cover you for the costs of any medical expenses, medical treatment or repatriation needed, due to injury or illness on this trip, including those that occur whilst motorcycle touring, either as the rider or a passenger.  It is important that your insurance company understands that the MAIN PURPOSE of your trip is motorcycle touring, using your own large capacity cc motorcycle or a rental motorcycle.  Your insurance must cover you for the full duration of the trip and for all countries we travel through.  Your policy must also cover you due to cancellation of curtailment due to COVID-19.

In addition, we strongly recommend that your insurance policy has cover for loss or damage to your personal belongings, delay at your outward or homeward point of departure, personal liability, overseas legal expenses and cancellation and curtailment.

We also strongly recommend that you take out your travel insurance at the time of booking your trip as cover will commence for pre-departure cancellation from the policy issue date. This will therefore provide cover should you have to cancel your trip for an insured reason such as illness or serious injury. We do not refund your deposit simply because you failed to take out insurance in sufficient time.

Is Iceland safe?

There are no COVID-19 travel restrictions in place for travel to Iceland.

The Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) (www.fco.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice ) monitors overseas destinations and provides destination travel advice for UK nationals. GlobeBusters monitors the advice from the FCO and any decisions taken regarding a Tour’s safety and security will use the vast experience of the company’s 16 years of operating as well as the FCO advice. In the interests of your safety and security, changes may be made to your Tour based on any FCO warnings given.

We strongly recommend that you read the information about the country you are planning to visit to be fully informed – each country has a summary and general information as well as advice on safety & security, local laws & customs, entry requirements and health, and road conditions.  Currently the British FCO states “Approximately 298,000 British nationals visited Iceland through Keflavik airport in 2018. Most visits are trouble-free”

If you are not a UK national please make sure you have checked your own country’s travel advice for your destination/s: The US Department of State: http://travel.state.gov  Canadian Foreign Affairs: www.voyage.gc.ca  Australian Government Travel Advice: www.smartraveller.gov.au  NZ Government Travel Advice: www.safetravel.govt.nz .

What about local currency?
The local currency in Iceland is the Iceland Krona.  Pounds, Euros and Dollars are readily exchangeable.  However you should note that Iceland is largely a cashless society with the use of credit/debit cards on a chip and pin basis being very common and can be the only way to pay for fuel at remote petrol stations. Make sure you bring debit/credit cards with you.  Websites below will give you the current rates of exchange.

http://www.oanda.com/
http://www.travelex.co.uk/

Minimum Numbers
We require a minimum number of 8 riders on this tour.  If we do not have this number of bookings, then we reserve the right to cancel the tour. If we have to cancel the tour we will provide you a minimum of 84 days notice prior to departure.