Iceland (Lonely Planet, 7th Edition) - Fran Parnell [275]
Most of the newer buses on Reykjavík’s city bus routes have a ‘kneeling’ function so that wheelchairs can be lifted onto the bus; elsewhere, however, public buses generally have awkward steps.
In Reykjavík Hertz ( 505 0600; www.hertz.is; Flugvallarvegur) has a wheelchair-accessible minivan for hire. The company All Iceland Tours (www.allicelandtours.is; jmg16@mac.com) offers tailor-made trips around the country in adapted super-Jeeps.
The website www.whenwetravel.com lists which hotels in Iceland are wheelchair accessible. Once you’ve clicked on the destination, then on hotels, a Wheelchair Accessible option appears in the menu.
There are reduced admission fees for most museums, galleries and tourist attractions.
For more details on facilities for people with disabilities, contact the tourist office in Reykjavík or get in touch with Sjálfsbjörg ( 550 0360; www.sjalfsbjorg.is; Hátún 12, IS-105 Reykjavík).
The UK-based website Door-to-Door (www.dptac.gov.uk/door-to-door) is a good starting point when planning overseas travel, and has a helpful section on air travel and getting to and from UK airports. In the USA you’ll get similar, valuable information from the Society for Accessible Travel & Hospitality ( 212-447 7284; www.sath.org; 347 5th Ave, Suite 605, New York, NY 10016) or Accessible Journeys ( 610-521 0339; www.disabilitytravel.com; 35 West Sellers Ave, Ridley Park, PA 19078). Access Able Travel (www.access-able.com) has a worldwide travel forum where you can post questions about disabled travel.
Return to beginning of chapter
VISAS
Citizens of Schengen nations (Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain and Sweden) can enter Iceland as tourists for up to three months with a valid identity card. Citizens of the European Economic Area (EEA), including Ireland and Britain, can visit for up to three months on a passport that is valid for at least three months from their date of arrival. To stay longer you must apply for a residence permit, which is only available from Icelandic embassies or consulates overseas. See www.utl.is or www.mfa.is for more information.
Citizens from Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Canada and the US can travel without a visa for up to three months within any six-month period; this period is deemed to begin on the first entry to any Schengen nation.
Other nationalities should check www.utl.is to see whether they need to apply for a visa from an Icelandic consulate before arriving. The fee varies depending on nationality, and the visa typically allows a three-month stay. Officials will usually request proof that you have sufficient funds for your visit and an onward plane or boat ticket.
Return to beginning of chapter
VOLUNTEERING
A volunteering holiday is a good (and relatively cheap) way of getting intimately involved with Iceland’s people and landscape. For an overview of possible projects in Iceland, try Volunteer Abroad (www.volunteerabroad.com).
Iceland’s Environment Agency Umhver-fisstofnun (UST; http://english.ust.is/of-interest/ConservationVolunteers) recruits more than 200 volunteers each summer for work on practical short-term conservation projects around the country, mainly creating or maintaining trails in Vatnajökull National Park (incorporating Skaftafell and Jökulsárgljúfur), and in the Mývatn and Fjallabak nature reserves. Its programs are often run in conjunction with volunteer organisations from abroad:
British Trust for Conservation Volunteers (BTCV; UK 01302 388 883; www.btcv.org; Sedum House, Mallard Way, Doncaster, DN4 8DB, UK) Volunteers pay BTCV a fee for accommodation and food costs and must pay for their own transport to a designated pick-up point. Over 18s only.
Iceland Volunteer Trail Teams A home-grown conservation group, set up by the Environment Agency, which works on 11-week summer projects in Skaftafell. Over 20s only.
Working Abroad (UK 01935