activ4 - Sports travel, tours & tournaments for schools, groups & teams

ICELAND school sports tours: This unique and quirky country is a fascinating destination for sports groups with great excursion opportunities! Performing Arts groups click here

Icelandic people are very active and sports oriented so school sports tour facilities are very good - football is the most popular sport in Iceland, the current top player being national team captain Eldur Smari Gudjohnsen, Barcelona and Iceland's Athlete of the Year is Margret Lara Vidarsdottir. There is the Rey Cup - the Reykjavik International Football Festival played in July for U13 - U16 boys and girls.

Things to see and do!

Vatnajökull National Park is Iceland’s largest wilderness area (13,000 km²) and includes Vatnajökull - Iceland's largest glacier!(8,000 km²) a large part of the glacier lies in an active volcanic zone. Here the forces of volcanic fire, glacial ice, water, and wind create a fascinating landscape of lava beds, sand flats, mountains, and glaciers.

WATERFALLS. Iceland has over 10,000 waterfalls and many of the largest waterfalls are power plants. Many are open to tours by local schoolchildren and they are spotless, high tech, with huge generating rooms and giant silver pipes carrying water it looks like the set of a James Bond movie!

Jökulsá á Fjöllum is the second-longest river in Iceland and host to Selfoss, Dettifoss, Hafragilsfoss, and Réttarfoss waterfalls. Dettifoss is considered the most powerful waterfall in Europe. Ódáðahraun – In the Ódáðahraun area are barren lava expanses, desert sands, and vast clusters of mountains. Skaftafell – This area boasts the biggest valley glacier, the most extensive sand flats, and more fertile ground and varied vegetation than most other areas in the country.

MINERAL RICH BLUE LAGOONS. Mineral Springs Rise to the Top – Bathtub-warm and odor-free geothermal seawater fills a large pool lined with black lava. Last year, 400,000 bathers took restorative dips in these mineral-rich waters – or out at sea you could even try whale watching!

SCUBA DIVING IN ICELAND? Imagine diving into a giant glass of mineral water:  it’s cool, perfectly clear, and absolutely untainted—there are no additives, preservatives, or artificial sweeteners, and no calories either.   That’s what diving in Iceland feels like! It might be the Arctic but the diving is exceptional and dressed in a comfortable and warm dry suit, the cold water only touches your mouth - like sucking on an ice cube in the summer!

SMOOTHEST RIDING IN ICELAND To demonstrate the famously smooth tolting gate of the Icelandic horse, riders tolt by with steins of beer in their hand, without spilling a drop! Visit the Fridheimer Farm near Selfoss (June to October) and if you are there at the right time visit the adjacent geothermal tomato greenhouse to enjoy Akavit in a tomato cup!

WHALE AND SAIL One of the quietest ways to view whales and puffins in the waters off Iceland - tripsavailable from June 20 to Aug 15 from Husavik with the only traditional gaff rigged sailboat in Iceland.

CONDE NAST HOT TABLE LIST 2009! Reykjavík’s Orange restaurant has made it to The List as "One of the most exciting restaurants in Europe" with its innovative menu, original service and ' fun-through-dining experience' packed with playful surprises! A deer and goose terrine appears amid a cloud of dry ice! A slushie machine dispenses neon cocktails named after glaciers and 'coconut-crusted' prawns arrive via a helium-filled balloon! 29-year-old chef Thorarinn Eggertsson deftly incorporates a menu of locally sourced ingredients like gray duck, reindeer, and salted cod.

Reykjavik City Hostel

The Reykjavík City Hostel is located in the Laugardalur area, next to the largest thermal pool in Reykjavik. It is about 15 minutes by bus to the city centre. The hotel is very green and serves fabulous organic breakfasts!