iceland experience

ICELAND EXPERIENCE
”Land of Fire & Ice”
28th July – 09th August 2016 / 11th – 23rd August 2016
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”Conquering Hekla was just one of the many
adventures of the Iceland Experience. Brilliant
riding, stunning views and everything neatly
organized by Chris and Anna, I can’t think of a
better way to spend my summer holidays!”
Ellen / The Netherlands
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4 - 6
Welcome
8 - 9
Travel Information
10
General Route
11 Itinerary
13
Riding skills / Off-road
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Accommodation & food
15
Which type of motorcycle?
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Transport to Iceland
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Iceland 19
Tour package
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Contact
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welcome to explore360°!
Hi!
Welcome to Explore360°! My name is Chris, living in Sweden since
2011 and together with Anna my wife, I am running Explore360°.
I would like to share my two biggest passions with you: travelling
and driving a motorcycle: an unbeatable combination that has led
me to far-out corners of this world and more than 40 countries
the last ten years. The feeling of freedom and really being in the
present when my bike, the road and environment are in harmony
with each other, is what I enjoy most. Motorbike travelling means
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to me: experiencing a wide variety of scenery, cultures, lifestyles
and adventure, and off course to have fun and to go for a ride.
In this brochure I would like to inform you what the Iceland
Experience is all about and share the experience that I had in
this extraordinary country. Breath-taking scenery, great roads, a
pervasive culture and the instant feeling that this is a country that
moves your senses in all possible ways. Just awesome!
At last I would like to share some ideas, which we believe in here
at Explore360°, to give you a never-to-forget experience.
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our concept
• We believe in having a genuine experience with a healthy dose
of adventure. By exploring breath-taking landscapes, great
roads and maybe being a bit out of your comfort-zone or
undergoing a culture shock, but simply always having a good
time and fun will give you a once in a lifetime experience!
• We believe that motorbike travelling is for everybody! It doesn’t
discriminate age, gender, sexual preference or type of bike and
so on. You only need a flexible, open-minded attitude and the
rest will follow!
• We strive to make every Iceland Experience a unique one! So
no itinerary will be exactly the same. In this way it will also stay
fun and exiting for us.
• We believe in small intimate groups who want to have fun and
a great time together. Not only while driving but also when not
driving!
• We believe in having a support vehicle (≥ 5 participants). This
gives you the opportunity to drive your motorbike in most free
way possible and enjoy it to the max!
• We believe in stimulating the local economy by making use
of additional local guides and small local businesses and
accommodations to stay.
• We believe in creating a safety-net for our customers. That’s why
Explore360° has lodged security with the Swedish Legal, Financial
and Administrative Services Agency (“Kammarkollegiet”). So you
are protected under the Swedish law.
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Join us on this extraordinary journey. An experience of a lifetime!
Would you like to have a unique and exiting off-road experience
on two wheels? Iceland is one of the best countries in the world
for riding your adventure-bike. Driving is challenging and offers
a lot of variety through breath taking nature! Leave the tarmac
behind and explore not only the more known highlights but also
the desolate highlands of inner Iceland.
Driving a motorbike through Iceland is like an expedition through
different landscapes, which are truly unique in Europe. It’s an
exciting motorbike trip where you will experience different
aspects of great nature. On your own bike you’ll be driving on
gravel roads as much as possible, crossing the inhospitable and
deserted highlands of Iceland. An overwhelming environment that
is dominated by glaciers, waterfalls, volcanoes, black lava dessert,
wild rivers, hot springs and rainbow coloured mountains.
Will you continue even though the tarmac ends? Do you have a
positive attitude and are looking forward to an adventurous trip
through one of the most extraordinary countries in Europe? Do
you like to share your experience with others and help each other
out when the going gets tough? You are aware that Icelandic
weather conditions can quickly change which is part of our
adventure.
This trip demands an open mind, flexibility, endurance and
team spirit because we help each other when it’s needed. It’s
mandatory to have some experience driving on gravel roads or
you have been to an off-road course like the BMW enduro course
in Germany, Off-Road Skills (ORS) in Wales, or Touratech off-road
school in Sweden, etc. But you don’t need to be an off-road/
enduro expert to participate on this tour!
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“The landscape is desolate, barren and
stunning! Iceland gave me challenges,
adventure and driving pleasure which I
never experienced on a motorcycle before!”
Jens Mårtensson / SWEDEN
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Travel information
Date: 28th July – 09th August 2016
11th – 23th August 2016
Duration:
13 days
Participants:
Min. 5 and max. 11 motorbikes
(max. 2 persons in the support vehicle).
Pillion:
On this tour it’s possible to bring a pillion (drive two-up), not. not all roads are suitable. We have limited place in our support vehicle (2) for those who want to bring their partner.
Motorcycle:
Rental bike: BMW GS (650 GS, 800 GS, 1200 GS/LC or 1200 GS/LC adventure. Prices see page 15.
Own: Dual-sport bike/all-road motorbikes like Tiger 800XC, BMW GS, Yamaha Ténéré, KTM 990, Honda Transalp, Africa Twin, etc.
Transport own MC:
Your bike will be shipped by sea in a sealed container from UK, Sweden, The Netherlands, Norway, Denmark or Germany to Iceland and back.
Support-vehicle:
A 4WD car incl. an experienced chauffeur, transport of food, luggage and extra gasoline and with a trailer in case a bike brakes down.
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Insurance: Transport- (own bike) and medical / travel insurance is mandatory, - and cancellation insurance is highly recommended.
Accommodation:
At guesthouses and hostels, twin-rooms (if available), or rooms of two or four persons. Cabins/
mountain huts: rooms of four up to 12. Only during our stay in Reykjavik is a single room available (at extra costs).
Food:
When staying hostels and cabins we create a common “food-pot” for food and drinks and we will prepare dinner & breakfast ourselves (when needed). Breakfast is included when staying in guesthouses/
hostels when available.
Clothing:
A full motorcycle suit (with knee and back protection, and gloves) and helmet are mandatory.
We strongly recommend to bring a camel-bag to carry water supply with you on your back.
Equipment:
After you’ve booked the Iceland Experience, you’ll receive a detailed list with what to bring.
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General route
We will cross Iceland two times through its interior and its
desolate lava-desserts and snow capped glaciers to experience
all sides that Iceland has to offer. This is only possible by a
4WD car or an adventure motorbike. From the green rolling
hills in the North, the fairy-tale coloured Rhyolite mountains of
Landmannalaugar to the many impressive waterfalls, like Dettifoss,
Gullfoss and Godafoss. We stay often in simple mountain cabins,
and many of them are on really special places, so there will be no
camping. Regardless the choice of routes we will of course see
some of the highlights which Iceland is known for like Vatnajökull,
Dettifoss, Reykavik, Geysir, Gullfoss, lake Myvatn and whalewatching in Husavik.
The roads we will drive offer a great variety, they can be
challenging but lead us to some extraordinary scenery! The
majority will be on good well-prepared gravel roads but the road
surface can be from tarmac to stones and lava sand. The rivers
that runs through Iceland’s interior are mostly not bridged which
means we’ll have to drive trough them. Depending on the water
level it will be a small or a big challenge, but always a special
experience!
We’ll have a support vehicle where we can take your luggage,
food, extra gasoline, 1st aid equipment and tools along in it.
Meaning more fun while riding! To increase our security we’ll
have a trailer too, where if needed, we can take a motorcycle in
case it brakes down.
You can drive your own tempo, take an alternative route (when
available) or drive together with the tour guide, that’s up to you.
We’ll adjust our tempo to you and during the day we will have
enough time to take pictures and coffee brakes while we enjoy
the magnificent views.
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Itinerary
DaY
from - to:
Accommodation:
1
Home - Reykjavik
Guesthouse/hostel
2
Reykjavik – Sellfoss
3
KM.
offroad
rivers*
-
-
-
Hostel/Cabin
220
30%
0
Selfoss - Vik
Cabin
190
40%
0
4
Vik - Laki
Cabin
185
70%
4
5
Laki - Landmannalaugar
Cabin
170
85%
8
6
Landmannalaugar - Nýidalur
Cabin
185
95%
3
7
Nýidalur - Myvatn
Guesthouse
140
95%
2
8
Myvatn (resting day)
Guesthouse
(100)
(0%)
0
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Myvatn - Laugafell
Cabin
165
75%
2
10
Laugafell - Kjölur
Cabin
190
95%
3
11
Kjölur - Geyser
Cabin
180
75%
(2)
12
Geyser—Reykjavik
Guesthouse/hostel
150
50%
0
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Keflavik airport - home
-
-
-
-
Adventure
Level riding
Comfort
Culture shock
Days
Price
*amount of river crossings/day.
Places, routes and distances are preliminary and can be adjusted according to weather conditions, customer’s
wishes/capabilities and requirements.
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REQUIREMENTS
Intermediate level
Off-road / gravel riding experience required.
Previous participation in an off-road training is recommended.
Conditions
Please bring your complete motorcycling gear (helmet,
motorcycling boots, gloves, goggles, motorcycling suit with
protectors, back protector).
Sorry, no rental of motorcycling gear possible.
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RIDING SKILLS / Off-road
On all our trips are fun and safety our main goals. With the
classification 1 track up to 3 tracks, we would like to give you
an indication to evaluate your off-road riding skills, for the tour
required.
Self-evaluation is not easy – but the final decision is made by
you only. Don`t hesitate to contact us if you have any further
questions or you need suggestions for an off-road course. We are
also at your disposal for further questions about the trip or special
information about the routes.
= Off-road beginners
Driving on asphalt, even on passes with narrow switchbacks are
no problem for you. The off-road part is mostly under 30 % of the
total distance. The tour is easily manageable also for beginners.
Recommendation:
If you have no off-road and /or gravel riding experience at all,
we recommend a 1- or 2 day training course. After that training
course it is much easier for you to evaluate your skills and to
figure out whether you have fun riding off-road tracks.
= Intermediate off-road riders
Driving on asphalt as well as on gravel, passes with narrow
switchbacks (paved and gravel) are no problem for you. Off-road
(gravel) riding experience is mandatory. The off-road part is mostly
over 30 % of the total distance. Challenging sections with bigger
stones, steep climbs/descents and/or sand are possible.
Recommendation:
This tour is not applicable for participants without any off-road/
gravel riding experiences. You are experienced with off-road/
gravel riding, and/or have had a 1- or 2-day training course.
= Advanced off-road riders
This tour is suitable for drivers with advanced off-road experience
and good fitness. The daily routes can be pretty long. The tour
consist mostly of off-road parts including demanding and difficult
routes with single-tracks, sand, big stones, mud and water
crossings
Recommendation:
This tour is not recommended for participants without any offroad experiences. You must have an extensive experience with
off-road / gravel riding and/or have had an advanced off-road
course.
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Accommodation & food
During the Iceland Experience we’ll stay at different types of
accommodation, which will include hostels, guesthouses, cabins
and mountain-huts. Because there are no hotels, gasoline stations
or restaurants in Iceland’s interior we’ll bring our own sleeping
bags and food to cook ourselves. The mountain cabins are well
equipped and some of them have a “hot-spring” (natural warm
water well) where you can relax and enjoy after a long day in
the saddle. When staying in a hotel or guesthouse, breakfast is
included.
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Which type of motorcycle?
We ride the Iceland Experience on our own motorcycle or on
a rental bike (BMW GS’s). Adventure / all-road bikes like Tiger
800XC, BMW GS (all types), Yamaha Ténéré, KTM 1190/990, Honda
Transalp, Africa Twin, etc. are very suitable for this trip. If you’re
unsure whether your bike is suitable, just ask us!
Own bike The age of your motorcycle is not that important. It
should be in a good technical state, with appropriate tires (TKC
80, Karoo 3, Heidenau K60 Scout or likewise). The following bikes
aren’t suitable for the Iceland Experience due to the terrain, roads
and planned routes such as: motor-cross and enduro-bikes (125250 cc), choppers, custom-, tour- and sport-motorbikes.
We ship your bike to Reykjavik from:
- Hamburg / Germany
- Rotterdam / The Netherlands
- Immingham / UK
- Aarhus / Denmark
- Fredrikstad / Norway
- Helsingborg / Sweden
Rental motorcycles. We make use of BMW GS motorcycles. This
great all-rounder is perfect on tarmac and can handle the tougher
sections in the Highlands without a problem.
Prices (incl off-road tires):
BMW 650/700 GS
BMW 650 Sertau
BMW 800 GS
BMW 1200 GS
€ 175 / day
€ 175 / day
€ 215 / day
€ 245 / day
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Transport to Iceland
You can fly directly from many international airports in Europe
and the USA to Keflavik International airport, which is lying 50 km.
from Reykjavik, Iceland’s capital. You are responsible for booking
your flight ticket yourself. Make sure that you arrive latest on day
1 (arrival day). There are good means of transport between the
airport and Reykjavik (airport coach).
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ICELAND
Iceland is volcanic and the landscape varies enormously and
has astonishing views! It is not a coincidence that so many films
like Prometheus, Tomb Raider, Die Another Day, and Batman
Begins have been shot in this magical place. With a surface of
103,000 km2 and only 319,000 inhabitants, of whom 200,000
live in Reykjavik and its surroundings, there is plenty of room to
explore this enchanting country. Europe’s largest glacier is on
Iceland: Vatnajökull, which measures 8100 km2, and also Europe’s
largest waterfall, Dettifoss (in volume). We will combine fantastic
motorcycle riding with these magnificent nature experiences!
Iceland has only a short motorbike season, which starts in July
and ends in early September. Not only in terms of temperature,
but also with regard to the likelihood of gravel roads in the
highlands are open and passable. Summer in Iceland means
long days and short nights. Rain, strong winds and even snow
could be part of our adventure when we drive in the mountains
in the interior of Iceland. With active volcanoes, massive glaciers,
vast lava deserts, countless waterfalls, exquisite scenery and
fantastic off-road paths, Iceland has everything the adventurous
motorcyclist wishes for!
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Gasoline
There are enough gas stations along the coast (ring-road no. 1),
but not in the interior of Iceland. Because of this, we’ll bring extra
gasoline in our support vehicle. Gasoline costs an average of €
1,50 per litre (Sep 2014).
Mobile phone / Internet
You have coverage virtually all over Iceland (depending on the
operator). Some of the hostels, guesthouses have Wi-Fi (not in the
interior of Iceland). It’s possible to buy a pre-paid card with 3G
connection.
Payments in Iceland/ATMs
You can pay with credit card almost everywhere (VISA,
MasterCard) and nearly every village has an ATM. Currency: 1000
ISK is approximately € 7,10 / $ 7.60 (November 2015).
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tour package
when /
Not included:
28th July – 09th August 2016
×× Flight tickets
11 – 23 August 2016
×× Food (besides mentioned above). We’ll create a “kitty” (a common pot
for food & drinks) and cook our own food and we’ll bring lunch and
snacks.
th
th
Price /
Price rider: SEK 31.900 (incl .transport own bike)*. A limited amount of
people can join this tour the support-vehicle (SEK 21.900).
Rental bikes:
BMW 650 GS: € 175 / day
BMW 800 GS: € 215 / day
BMW 1200 GS: € 245 / day
×× Gasoline
×× Additional excursions/entry fees like whale watching, visiting “the blue
lagoon”, etc.
×× Travel-insurance (mandatory), transport- and cancellation insurance
(recommended)
×× Transport to/from the harbor in country of origin (when riding your
own bike)
Included:
✓✓ 13 days holiday
It is your responsibility to:
✓✓ 11 days adventure riding
•
Arrange your personal travel-insurance, (European) health-insurance,
etc.
•
Check if your motorbike insurance covers Iceland (including recoverycosts)
•
Make sure you have got a valid motorcycle driver’s license and a valid
passport
•
Make sure you are in a good physical state and do not overestimate
your own (riding) capacities
•
Follow the (local) traffic rules, laws and regulations as well the tour
leader’s instructions.
•
Maintain your own equipment and motorcycle. Explore360° will
whenever possible help, but cannot be held responsible for any costs
for recovery and such.
✓✓ Transport of your motorbike by sea-container
✓✓ Accommodation
✓✓ Experienced MC-guide on Iceland
✓✓ Support-vehicle, 4-WD with trailer
✓✓ Emergency equipment: repair-kit for punctures, tools, 1st Aid kit.
✓✓ SPOT-(GPS)emergency system and staleite phone
✓✓ Jerry cans for extra fuel
✓✓ Meals as described above
✓✓ GPS-waypoints/routes and (waterproof) Iceland map
✓✓ Guided tour on a glacier
✓✓ Transport from Keflavik Airport – Reykjavik by airport coach
All prices are per person and are subject to change depending on accommodations, shipping
and applicable taxes, currency changes or VAT.
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Taste of iCEland
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“Iceland is not just a country. For many reasons
I have left some of myself up there, and when
it all happens in a group of wonderful people
with the same attitude, then you return home
feeling richer inside”.
Jes Buus / Denmark
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© Explore360° 2014 (Pictures by / Kyle Johnson, Stefan Jonsson, Jes Buus & Chris Wilthuis)
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Explore360°
Motorcycle Adventures
Chris Wilthuis
Brochure / design by Laya
www.designbylaya.com
M: + 46 (0) 72 015 05 70
E: info@explore360.nu
W: www.explore360.nu
F: facebook.com/explore360degrees
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