Two national parks, Þingvellir and Vatnajökull, provide looks at both the natural and cultural sides of the country. These UNESCO World Heritage sites are featured on many itineraries offered by Guðmundur Jónasson Travel, an Iceland-based tour operator.
During a visit to Þingvellir National Park, travelers can see the spot where, between 930 and 1798, Icelandic leaders would gather to make laws and settle disputes. The remains of this open-air assembly place include parts of more than 50 stalls that were used during the meetings. The cultural site is located just east of Reykjavik.
Vatnajökull National Park, which encompasses a massive area in southeastern Iceland, is the largest glacier in Europe outside of the Arctic. It is known as the park of fire and ice because of how the molten lava and magma interact with its frosty cryosphere. One of the park’s signature features is Svínafellsjökull, a glacial area that was used as a filming site for episodes in Season 7 of “Game of Thrones.”
In addition to covering all regions of Iceland, GJ Travel, which has been in business since 1929, offers a number of tours to Greenland. Travel planners can book combo tours featuring both destinations or Greenland-only excursions covering the west and/or east coast of the icy Danish territory.
For more information, contact GJ Travel’s Renato Grunenfelder or go to gjtravel.is.
Top photo: Svínafellsjökull area of Vatnajökull National Park
Photo by CC Flickr/apasciuto: bit.ly/2JZvbte
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