Westfjords, Iceland

Westfjords-Iceland

Guess which country is consistently cited as one of the best places in the world to be a woman (and, we believe, is also one of the best places to visit in general)? Here is a clue—it is not the U.S., nor the U.K. Based on the World Economic Forum’s 2015 Gender Gap Index, it’s the land of the Vikings—Iceland! (The U.S., on the other hand, is ranked number 28, right behind Mozambique).

This seafaring nation that leads many social well-being indicators is also one of the far North’s most incredible places to experience the wonders of nature. In fact, although Iceland is a small island nation straddling the Arctic Circle, few countries are bigger when it comes to natural wonders. Glaciers and geysers, hot springs and waterfalls, unique vegetation and wildlife (on land and in the water), basalt pillars and black sand beaches, frigid fjords and flowing lava…travel to Iceland to experience all this and more!

Puffins, Westfjords, Iceland

Puffins, Westfjords

Uninhabited until it was settled by Norse Vikings in the 9th century, today, Iceland is the most sparsely populated country in Europe. Along its rugged shores, you can find yourself outnumbered by whales, seals and Arctic puffins, which you can go in search of on private boat excursions. Inland, walk atop raw terrain born of fiery volcanoes and sculpted by ice. Here, where the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates collide, geothermal forces create a dynamic and dramatic landscape. This is truly a pure experience of nature at its most powerful!

Reykjavik, Iceland

Reykjavik, Iceland

And to top it off, the super fun capital of Iceland, Reykjavík, plans to be the first carbon-neutral city in the world, with a goal of being carbon-neutral by 2040. It doesn’t hurt that the region is blessed with so much geothermal energy, which is possibly even more alluring when contemplating a dip in the island’s amazing hot springs!

Discover hidden corners and highlights of this Nordic realm of fire and ice on a wild Iceland nature tour that circumnavigates the entirety of the world’s favorite Arctic island.