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Thank you! ❤️
Jon Heidar, Editor of Stuck in Iceland Travel Magazine

Before you start pinning waterfalls and booking tours, it helps to listen to people who actually know Iceland from the inside. Over the past year, Stuck in Iceland spoke with locals, guides, artists, scientists, and adventurers who all experience the country in very different ways — yet keep repeating the same lessons. This isn’t about ticking off sights; it’s about how to travel smarter, slower, and with more respect. If you’re visiting Iceland for the first time in 2026, these takeaways will help you avoid rookie mistakes and get more out of your trip — without overplanning or overthinking it. In 2025, I interviewed a great bunch of people who were gracious enough to share their unique perspectives on Icelandic culture, people, and nature. I am grateful for them taking the time to share their insights and stories.

Katharina Kneip enjoys a hot beverage on a cold morning in Iceland.
Katharina Kneip enjoys a hot beverage on a cold morning in Iceland.

Katharina Kneip Went on a Timeless Adventure

Katharina Kneip continued her Round:Motion journey through Iceland, living and working locally while moving slowly and without flying. Her story reinforced the value of mindful travel, resilience, and deep connection to place.

María Ester Guðjónsdóttir gives expert tips for sustainable travel in Iceland.
María Ester Guðjónsdóttir gives expert tips for sustainable travel in Iceland.

María Ester Guðjónsdóttir Advocates Sustainable Travel in Iceland

In my interview with sustainability travel professional María Ester Guðjónsdóttir emphasized that traveling better in Iceland means off-season visits, respecting nature, supporting locals, and making small choices that protect fragile landscapes.

Bryndís Fossdal with a happy thrill seeker.
Bryndís Fossdal with a happy thrill seeker.

Brynja Fossdal Invites you on a Rip-Roaring Adventure in Iceland

Brynja Fossdal from Safari Quads showed how guided off-road adventures can balance adrenaline with responsibility, giving visitors safe access to wild terrain without harming the environment.

Unnur Máney shows her incredible fire-fan skills!
Unnur Máney shows her incredible fire-fan skills!

Discover Icelandic Culture With Guide, Activist, and Artist Unnur Máney

Unnur Máney blended guiding, performance, history, and activism, proving that Icelandic culture is lived, layered, and best shared through storytelling.

Rebecca Kent demonstrates the incredible amount of lava generated by one of the recent eruptions on the Reykjanes peninsula.
Rebecca Kent demonstrates the scale of lava generated by a recent eruption on the Reykjanes peninsula.

Rebecca Kent Highlights Authentic Small-Group Experiences

Rebecca Kent from Gravel Travel highlighted how small-group travel, local knowledge, and thoughtful pacing create more meaningful Icelandic experiences, especially beyond the usual routes.

Going to Reykjavik, travel author Stephen Brown has published a new essential guide book.
Going to Reykjavik, travel author Stephen Brown has published a new essential guidebook.

Reykjavik Guidebook Author Stephen Brown Reveals the Capital of Cool

Stephen Brown reminded travelers that Reykjavík rewards curiosity—wandering neighborhoods, noticing street art, and slowing down reveal the city’s true character.

Silke Freudenberger
Silke Freudenberger

Silke Freudenberger Leads the Way to Langjökull Glacier

Silke Freudenberger, the General Manager of Sleipnir Glacial Tours (my partners), described the humbling scale of Iceland’s ice caps and the importance of knowledgeable guides in accessing these extreme environments safely.

Alice Lehir.
Alice Lehir.

Alice Lehir Teaches You to Appreciate Icelandic Whales

Alice Lehir is the head guide at Special Tours, the whale-watching company (and my partner). She shared how respectful whale watching combines education, conservation, and awe, turning encounters at sea into lasting awareness.

Paulina Hersler fights hard in the Lion's Den in Njarðvík.
Paulina Hersler fights hard in the Lion’s Den in Njarðvík.

Basketball Star Paulina Hersler Entered the Lion’s Den

Paulina Hersler’s move to Icelandic basketball revealed the strength of local sports communities and how competition quickly turns into belonging.

A man with short dark hair and a beard, wearing a black jacket, smiles at the camera while standing in front of Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon in Iceland. Behind him, the lagoon’s calm, icy blue waters are dotted with floating icebergs of various shapes and sizes. Some of the icebergs have streaks of black from volcanic ash. In the background, rugged mountains and a massive glacier stretch across the horizon under a partly cloudy sky. A small boat is visible in the distance on the water.
Chris Hobson at the Glacier Lagoon on the southeast corner of Iceland.

Chris Hobson Found Iceland and Rescued Its Puffins

Chris Hobson’s puffling experience in the Westman Islands showed how visitors can actively participate in Icelandic conservation traditions.

A group of six people pose indoors around a seated figure made of cardboard resembling a person in a suit and bow tie. Five women stand behind the cardboard figure, all smiling, dressed in winter clothing and casual attire. One man wearing glasses, a red beanie, and a plaid shirt kneels in front of the group. The setting appears to be a cozy, warmly lit cafe or lounge with wooden walls and framed windows in the background.
Óskar, Speak Viking, with a group of his students who are learning to speak Icelandic.

Óskar Bragi Stefánsson from Speak Icelandic

Óskar Bragi Stefánsson demonstrated that learning a few Icelandic words isn’t about perfection, but about respect and connection.

Freyja Rut Emilsdóttir has made it her mission to bring the history of Iceland to life through VR.

Entrepreneur Freyja Rut Emilsdóttir Recreates Icelandic History

Freyja Rut Emilsdóttir uses virtual reality to bring Icelandic history to life, proving technology can deepen — not dilute — cultural storytelling.

At the helm of the Icelandic Seal Center is General Manager Örvar Birkir Eiríksson.
At the helm of the Icelandic Seal Center is General Manager Örvar Birkir Eiríksson

Örvar Birkir Spearheads the Icelandic Seal Center

Örvar Birkir Eiríksson, who leads The Icelandic Seal Center, highlighted how patient, respectful wildlife observation supports research, education, and conservation.

Elliot at Landspitali on his 26th Birthday. Zak had already been discharged, but Elliot's journey was going be much longer.
Elliot at Landspitali on his 26th Birthday. Zak had already been discharged, but Elliot’s journey was going be much longer.

Travelers and Survivors Zak & Elliot

Zak Nelson and Elliot Griffiths returned to Iceland after a life-threatening accident to express gratitude, turning trauma into a story of resilience and kindness.

Photographer Kévin Pagès is showing Iceland in new light.
Photographer Kévin Pagès is showing Iceland in a new light.

Artist Kévin Pagès Unveils the Beauty of Iceland

Kévin Pagès showed that great photography in Iceland comes from patience, respect for nature, and understanding light — not chasing locations alone.

Portrait of Finnish author Satu Ramö standing in a blooming lupine field by the sea in Iceland, wearing a bright red sweater and smiling at the camera — a vibrant and natural setting reflecting her Nordic roots and literary connection to Iceland.
Author Satu Ramö surrounded by blooming lupines in coastal Iceland — a perfect blend of literature and nature.

Writer Satu Rämö Brings Crime to the Westfjörds

Acclaimed author Satu Rämö explained how Iceland’s Westfjords shape both daily life and crime fiction, where isolation and community coexist.

Kári Viðarsson, community visionary and creative force behind the Iceland Eclipse 2026 festival in Hellissandur.
Kári Viðarsson, community visionary and creative force behind the Iceland Eclipse 2026 festival in Hellissandur.

Kári Viðarsson Organizes an Epic Festival Celebrating the 2026 Eclipse

The Iceland Eclipse project positions Hellissandur as a future meeting point of science, art, and shared wonder during the 2026 solar eclipse.

Eyþór Guðmundsson, an Icelandic book collector and restorer, wearing a red plaid shirt and glasses, sits thoughtfully in a cozy setting. He is known for preserving and restoring rare Icelandic manuscripts and books.
Eyþór Guðmundsson, Iceland’s passionate guardian of rare books, takes a moment to reflect on his mission to preserve the country’s literary heritage.

Eyþór Guðmundsson Rescues Icelandic Cultural Heritage

Eyþór Guðmundsson’s work rescuing old books underscored the fragility — and importance — of Iceland’s written heritage.

Magnús Guðrúnarson, a young man with glasses and dark hair, smiles and gestures while sitting behind a fantasy-themed game master screen featuring a red dragon. He appears to be running a tabletop role-playing game, seated indoors near a window.
Magnús Guðrúnarson, Senior Writer at Myrkur Games, during a tabletop RPG session.

Magnús Guðrúnarson Wrote the Epic Game Echoes of the End – Myrkur Games

Magnús Guðrúnarson and Myrkur Games transformed Icelandic landscapes into living fantasy, showing how nature continues to inspire new creative industries.

Kaśka Paluch recording natural sounds during the Fagradalsfjall volcanic eruption in Iceland. Wearing protective gear, she captures raw Icelandic soundscapes for her Noise From Iceland project.
Sound artist Kaśka Paluch records the Fagradalsfjall eruption—capturing the rare voice of flowing lava for her acclaimed project, Noise From Iceland.

Creator Kaśka Paluch Records Icelandic Soundscapes

Kaśka Paluch invited us to listen to Iceland, preserving disappearing soundscapes as cultural and environmental records.

Portrait of Sigurjon Fridrik Gardarson, Emmy-winning compositing supervisor at Stormborn Studios, with long blonde hair, wearing a black shirt, standing in front of green indoor plants.
Sigurjon Fridrik Gardarson, Icelandic VFX artist and Emmy-winning compositing supervisor at Stormborn Studios.

Sigurjón Fridrik Garðarson Won an Emmy

Sigurjón Fridrik Garðarson proved that world-class visual effects — and even Emmy wins — can come from Iceland through skill and collaboration.

Director Ugla Hauksdóttir gives direction to actor Samuel Blenkin on the set of Alien Earth, inside a futuristic control room setting.
Ugla Hauksdóttir on set directing actor Samuel Blenkin, who plays the sinister tech billionaire Boy Kavalier in the sci-fi series Alien Earth.

Director Ugla Hauksdóttir Breaks Through to the Big Time

Ugla Hauksdóttir’s international directing career showed Icelandic stories reaching global audiences without losing authenticity. She directed a few episodes of Alien Earth, and her film The Fires is a hit.

Rico de Jong, Dutch volcanology student and photographer, at Iceland waterfall - interview about documenting Reykjanes Peninsula volcanic eruptions
Rico de Jong at Gljúfrabúi waterfall in South Iceland. When he’s not documenting volcanic eruptions or working as a Lava Master, the Dutch photographer explores Iceland’s dramatic landscapes—the same raw beauty that drew him here in the first place.

Lava Master and Photographer Rico de Jong

Rico de Jong bridged science and art, capturing volcanic eruptions with accuracy and respect — reminding us that beauty and danger often coexist.

Sævar Helgi Bragason, Iceland's Stargazer-in-Chief, smiling with his arms crossed, wearing a dark green sweater, against a dramatic backdrop of bright green and purple Northern Lights (Icelandic Aurora) over a dark landscape.
Sævar Helgi Bragason, Iceland’s Stargazer-in-Chief, has a new mission: helping you Crack the Icelandic Aurora Code with his website, Iceland at Night. We caught up with him to discuss solar flares, the crucial Bz value, and the 2026 total solar eclipse.

Iceland Sky-Gazer in Chief Sævar Helgi Bragason Unlocks the Icelandic Aurora

Sævar Helgi Bragason demystified the Northern Lights, giving travelers practical tools to read the night sky like locals. His new site, Iceland at Night, is an essential tool for seeing the elusive northern lights.

Top 10 Takeaways for First-Time Visitors to Iceland in 2026

Drawn from a year of my 2025 interviews with locals, creators, scientists, artists, and guides

Slow down — Iceland rewards patience

Nearly every interview pointed to the same truth: rushing misses the point. Whether in Reykjavík, the Westfjords, or the Highlands, give places time and let moments happen naturally.

Respect nature like a local, not a tourist

Stay on marked paths, never drive off-road, keep a distance from wildlife, and follow local guidance. Iceland’s landscapes appear resilient but are fragile.

Travel off the beaten path (and off peak)

Popular sites are beautiful, but deeper experiences often come from quieter regions, smaller towns, and shoulder seasons where Iceland feels more personal.

Learn a few Icelandic words — it really matters

You don’t need fluency. A simple takk or góðan daginn shows respect and often leads to warmer, more genuine interactions.

Let locals guide you — literally and figuratively

From glacier guides and whale experts to artists and writers, Icelanders add depth and context that no guidebook can replace.

Prepare for nature, not against it

The weather changes fast. Dress appropriately, check forecasts, and stay flexible. Accepting Iceland’s unpredictability is part of the adventure.

Wildlife encounters should be earned, not chased

Whales, seals, puffins, and birds are best experienced patiently and responsibly — not as guaranteed attractions, but as privileges.

Reykjavík is more than landmarks

Reykjavik shines when you wander neighborhoods, visit pools, notice street art, and experience everyday life beyond postcard spots.

Technology can enhance — not replace — experience

Tools like aurora forecasts, VR history, and sound maps help you understand Iceland better, but they work best when paired with real presence.

Iceland isn’t just scenery — it’s people

The strongest stories weren’t about waterfalls or glaciers, but about humans: resilience, creativity, community, gratitude, and care for place.

One Final Thought for 2026

If you come to Iceland treating it as a living country—not a checklist destination—you will get far more than photos. The interviews made one thing clear: how you travel here matters as much as where you go.