I’m a student studying history with a particular interest in Nordic cultures. Ever since a young age, I’ve found myself consuming all sorts of information about countries like Finland, Denmark, and Norway. I’ve taken a few trips to places like Holland, Michigan to learn more about the Netherlands and Dutch culture in North America, but I’ve found myself missing out on a true Icelandic experience. I’ve enrolled in an exchange program to get to travel to Iceland and other Nordic territories, but don’t want to get caught up in large crowds that take away from the experience. Where can I explore Iceland tourist-free?
It’s understandable that you would want to avoid tourist traps if you’re already a big fan of a country’s culture and geography. After all, large groups can really taint an experience, especially if you have extra questions for a tour guide and feel like you can’t get a word in edgewise. Even a smaller guided tour can quickly be marred by a crying baby or child throwing a tantrum. As a result, it’s worth the extra effort to find tours and activities that are less well-known and less likely to be crowded.
If you aren’t in large groups or hurrying to the hottest destination in town, you’re far more likely to have an authentic experience on your trip. Living like a local can give you a much better impression of what day-to-day life is like for a normal resident in the country you’re visiting. Think about your own city. If someone asked you what the best things to do in your neighborhood were, you probably wouldn’t tell them to go to every last tourist trap on the block. Instead, you’d want to let them know which sites are worth their money and which are overpriced or bad value. You’d do the same for restaurants and museums, making sure that they maximize their time on their trip. When you arrive to Iceland, it’s a good idea to use this strategy, too. Talk to your hotel’s concierge, the cashier at the store you stop by for supplies, or your waiter or waitress and find out what they do for fun. Ask them what they think most tourists miss when visiting their town and which activities are an absolute must. Take note of anything that sounds interesting to you and ask them their opinion about the other activities you have on your list. This can help you to form a much better itinerary when it comes to experiencing the cities in Iceland that you visit like a true local.
There are plenty of Iceland Adventure Tours that allow you to see more of what the country has to offer while avoiding large crowds. A business like Katlatrack specializes in offering tourists an experience that goes far beyond traditional tourist fare. Their unique offerings are custom tailored to you so that you can experience Iceland in a much purer, more unadulterated way. From ice cave tours on the south coast departing from Reykjavik to an opportunity to experience Iceland’s hidden mountains with the guidance and experience of a local guide with generations of knowledge, it’s easy to find memorable excursions off the beaten path if you know who to ask.
Having a great trip in Iceland ultimately comes down to putting in the work. If you want to take a trip that eschews typical tourist destinations, you’ll need to do some extra research in order to weed out the good from the bad. Talking to locals and working with a tourism company are two ways to get a leg up in this regard, ensuring that you have a vacation that meets your needs.
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