Iceland Southern Highlands photography vacation

Planet

On this tour we mostly use mountain hut accommodation. These huts are run by the national park staff in a very eco-conscious way. The focus is on the efficient use of resources, minimising impact on the fragile eco system and reducing waste. All profits go towards maintenance in the national park.


OUT IN THE FIELD

We encourage you to travel responsibly and to consider the following guidelines:

• When out in wild places we encourage you to keep erosion to a minimum, keep to footpaths and avoid stepping on or picking native flora, Iceland is especially fragile environmentally and the country is currently embarking of many projects such as tree planting to reduce erosion.

• We encourage you to use water sparingly and to avoid buying plastic bottles of water; use your own metal or heavy-duty plastic bottle such as Nalgene to refill with water from a safe source as recommended. In Iceland water should never be bought from a shop as most water sources are exceptionally pure.

• River water could also be drinking water, do not contaminate water supplies by washing in it. Any washing products should be phosphate free.

• Respect local customs religion and traditions.

• Carry out some research about Iceland and being able to speak a few words of Icelandic is always appreciated.

• Don’t take photographs of local people and places of religious significance without permission.

• Keep promises! Send copies of photos to local people if this is what you have said you will do.

• Read the labels and buy local products such as food and souvenirs so that money directly benefits the community.

• Minimize pollution, and carry out all litter. Iceland has one of the lowest levels of environmental pollution in the world and it is good to keep it this way.


Wherever possible we work electronically, we are totally web based, our paper use is minimal.
We work from a home based office reducing car travel to a minimum.

People

Tourism, fishing, farming and local crafts such as knitting are seen as a viable and sustainable way of helping to restore economic stability to the country and also giving a sense of dignity to Icelanders. More than ever communities have to return to their roots and rely on traditional ways of making a living. We support local micro business by seeking out artisans and contemporary home made crafts during our stay. We always ensure that participants on our vacations get the opportunity to see and purchase local products.

In particular communities away from the central hub of Reykjavik are relying on visitors to boost their economy. We have been supporting these less visited areas for many years and we are rewarded with a very personal service, quieter locations, fresher home grown produce and insight into the lives and folklore of local people. We seek out small family run hotels and support local tourism enterprises such as eating at the small fish soup 'shack' down on the beach in preference to the rather more up-market restaurants, knowing that the fish will be freshly caught that day by local fishermen.

These local providers appreciate our on going commitment to their livelihoods and in turn we have built mutually beneficial relationships with our all of our hosts and local guides. All of our service suppliers are informed of our responsible travel policy which is clearly visible on our website. Local food can be obtained easily in Iceland, for example fish, lamb, dairy products, vegetables grown in geo-thermally heated green houses. Each day we buy local produce for our picnic lunches to be eaten on location and our accommodations pride themselves in introducing us to local Icelandic fare for both breakfast and dinner.

Our vacations are immersive and are designed for photographers by photographers. We pride ourselves on our research, interest and appreciation of the historical and cultural context of each country we travel through.