2026 Fordham Iceland Explorers Program
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Blog 6
Today we visited the Lava Center first to learn about the volcanic activity and how Iceland was formed. We learned about the hot spot at the center of the island and how the mantle plume affects it.
After going to the roof of the museum to see spectacular views of the nearest volcanoes, we traveled to the Raufarhólshellir lava tunnel. As we listened to the tour guide and walked further into the cave, we learned about the different types of rocks formed by the lava and how the lava beneath the cooled down surface layer creates chambers. The lava tunnel is an example of one of these chambers and we were able to learn a lot from them.
In the afternoon we went to a geothermal power plant. There we learned how electricity and hot water is harnessed and how with that single power plant gave electricity to 300,000 people. Afterwords we went to downtown Reykjavík to explore the city. We went sightseeing, going to places like the rainbow road, trying the famous Icelandic hot dogs, and the concert hall. We then ended the day with seeing the Hallgrimskirkja and seeing the giant pillars and hearing the organ when we went inside.
– Rafael & Pablo
Blog 5
Today we had an early wake-up so we could hit the road and drive to a couple of waterfalls named Seljalandsfoss and Skogafoss. These waterfalls were amazing and a once-in-a-lifetime chance to see. The first waterfall we went to was inside a cave. We hopped rock to rock on a river to finally reach a waterfall with a boulder right in front of it. After taking turns taking pictures, we stumbled upon another cave outside the waterfall that went deep inland. Lastly, we went to the main attraction. It was a giant waterfall the size of maybe a football field. We were able to walk around it, and as we did, mist from the high-pressure water would fly onto us and get us soaked.
After the waterfalls, we took a drive to see some puffins at Cape Dyrholaey. It was a very windy and cold beach with hundreds of rocks. At the cliff of it all was where the puffins lived. Some were sitting, some were flying, and some were swimming. This Icelandic bird was a sight to see. Its exotic colors and weird-looking beak made this bird sightseeing a priceless stop.
Our last event of the day was hiking one of Iceland’s biggest glaciers. The process to hike this glacier was very long, and we didn’t even climb 1/3 of the mountain. This mountain was called Solheimajokull. To start our experience, we all had to get high-top hiking boots. These will support our ankles on the climb up. Once we received our boots, we then got out bright orange helmets and our very own harness.
Finally, to top it off, we got crampons, which we put under our boots to dig into the ice, making it easier to walk on. Once we were ready, we split into two groups of 11, and we started our hike. At the start of the hike, we had to walk through a huge lake. This was because every winter the ice shrinks by 1 centimeter every single day, and in the summer more. The lake was the size of maybe 3 football fields, so it felt bad to see how much ice has been lost in the last hundred years. Hiking the mountain was very easy. The crampons kept us right side up so none of us fell. We walked around 10 mins untill we reached a giant hole. The hole was almost like a mini Grand Canyon. It was created by the abundance of water that flows down the glacier each and every day. After that, we stumbled upon a decently large stream of water. Our glacier guide taught us what Vikings used to do back in the day with the stream of water. Using a pickaxe, he connected the river and taught us how to do a “Viking Push-up”. Doing this allowed us to drink the water from the melting ice, which was surprisingly good for you. We then continued up the mountain and ran into a device used by the Icelandic government. This device drove a sting into the device twice a year to estimate how big the glacier is.
From there we headed back to the hiking center to return our boots, harness, and other gear. The hike down was much more difficult than the hike up. Our front spike from our crampon occasionally got stuck in front of us, causing us to trip if we didn’t watch our step. To conclude our day, we drove to our new hotel, which was a cozy cabin with some great food.
– Chris
Blog 4
Today, we started off the day by going to Thingvellir National Park, where we got to see and walk between two tectonic plates. North America and Eurasia. At the park, we also got to see a beautiful man-made waterfall. Next, we headed down the road to see geysers. When we went to the first geyser, it exploded and got everyone wet, which was totally unexpected but incredible, showcasing the wonders of nature. Next, we went on to Gullfoss waterfall, which was wonderful and huge.
Before reaching our next destination at the Fridheimar greenhouse, we stopped on the side of the road to feed horses. At the greenhouse, we got to see how they grow produce in Iceland’s unforgiving climate. Lastly, we went to Kerid crater and got drenched by the rain.
– Shane
Blog 3
In the morning, we woke up to clouds covering the Icelandic sky. We ate a lovely breakfast with tasty traditional pastries. We made sure to say goodbye to the cat that lived in the hotel lobby.
The bus rides today were extra long, but they provided valuable time to sleep. We first visited Arnarstapi, which consisted of beautiful mountain ridges and rock formations. It provided great views of the mountains and even better views of the sea. Next, we visited Djupalonssandur, which is one of the many black sand beaches in Iceland. Its shores were a mix of rocks and black sand with a historical shipwreck resting on the shore. This place provided beautiful views of the seas with even better rock formations. Lastly, we visited Kirkjufell, which is the most photographed mountain in all of Iceland. Unfortunately, the clouds blocked the top portion of the mountain, yet its magic was still present.
Following our sightseeing journey, we visited the infamous shark museum. It is family-owned and filled with historical pieces relating to the seas of Iceland. The taxidermy of numerous birds was exciting to see and allowed us to see the biodiversity Iceland holds. Next, we tried the fermented Greenland shark. In my opinion, it was not as terrible as everyone made it out to be. It tasted like very salty fish with a bad aftertaste of ammonia. Despite this, I had two pieces to enjoy the full experience!
Lastly, we made our way to Hotel Örk. The dinner was lasagna, and the rooms are really modern and comfortable. They even had a swimming pool where we played TAPS and American football. We even met other schools from Scotland and England! All in all, today was filled with seeing and experiencing the joy and wonder of Iceland’s story. Still 4 more days to go!
– Diego Huitzil
Blog 2
We started our day with breakfast at Hotel Cabin before checking out of our rooms and loading onto the bus. From there, we headed into Reykjavík for a sightseeing tour of Iceland’s capital city, where we saw historic things such as their famous church. Personally, it was a great way to see the city and learn more about Icelandic culture and daily life.
After the bus tour, we visited Perla, Wonders of Iceland. This was one of the most interesting stops of the day because we learned about Iceland’s wildlife, geography, and natural environment. One of the highlights was walking through an ice cave, which gave us a glimpse of what Iceland’s glaciers are like, and the cool part about this was that it was actually below zero. We also experienced a volcano exhibit that simulated being close to an eruption and showed how lava flows through the earth. Another memorable part of the visit was the Northern Lights show, where we learned how the lights are created and the history and stories connected to them.
Following our visit to Perlan, we stopped for lunch before continuing our journey to Deildartunguhver, Europe’s most powerful hot spring. When we got there we saw tons of steam, and we could see bubbling water and powerful bubbles coming from the rocks and earth. It was impressive to witness the natural forces that help shape Iceland’s landscape.
Next, we traveled to Hraunfossar, a beautiful waterfall that flows through a lava field. The scenery was incredible, and everyone took plenty of pictures to remember the view. Further upstream, we saw Barnafoss (or “Children’s Fall”), which has a tragic Icelandic myth about children falling down it. I think that the clear water and unique surroundings made it one of the most scenic locations we had visited so far.
Later, we visited a historic church in the Snorrastofa museum, where we were able to see an old church and learn about the Icelandic history of a man named Snorri Sturluson. We learned about how it was supposed to be torn down, but the town rallied to prevent it. Overall, it was interesting to see how much history could be connected to a single building and the wonders we could find that we weren’t even supposed to see.
At the end of the day, we arrived at our hotel, settled into our rooms, and enjoyed fish and chips for dinner. We spent the rest of the evening relaxing and enjoying our free time before another day of adventures. Day 2 was filled with a continuation of amazing sights and experiences that helped us learn even more about Iceland and its unique natural wonders.
– Soren and Matthew