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Green
army in Reykjavik
Volunteer project: In Reykjavik you can
experience easily the pure energy at the heart of Iceland's capital city -
whether from the boiling thermal energy underground, the natural green energy
within the city and around it. Think of the qualities of a great city - fun,
space, clean air, nature, culture - and Reykjavik has them in spades. It has the
features of a modern, forward-looking society which are complemented by a close
connection to beautiful nature.
The volunteers in the project will be mostly involved in beautifying the city center and helping the local authorities to make it a better place to stay. This includes varied types of environmental tasks as well as e.g. cleaning tags and painting old houses. We will be working outside and will help also the environmental department to take care of all the parks and green spots in the heart of Reykjavík. In addition, we might also clean up the coastline in the city area. Language: English Leisure time: Free access to the swimming pool, excursions will be provided by our hosts. Accommodation: We will stay in an accommodation owned by the community. Mattresses will be provided. Location: Reykjavik Terminal: Reykjavík – Keflavík Int. airport. Age range: 18 and over
Extra fee: EUR 90,-
Organic
gardening
and forestry activities in the
Solheimar Eco-village Volunteer project: Sólheimar Eco-village, founded in 1930, is the first community of its kind in the world where so-called able and disabled people live and work together. Inspired by the theories of Rudolf Steiner, Sólheimar has focused on cultivating the individual and the environmental, and is the first community in Scandinavia to practice organic cultivation. Today, Sólheimar (The home of the sun) is a charming village of about 100 inhabitants, renowned for its international, artistic and ecological atmosphere, which prides itself on its varied cultural, social and sporting activities. The village is only one hour drive from Reykjavik.
The volunteers will mostly work in the Ölur Forestry Centre (the only organic reforestation centre in Iceland) and in the Sunna Organic Cultivation Centre. More environmental tasks may pop up according to the needs of the community. The work in Ölur and the other environmental tasks might consist of making paths and planting trees in the South Iceland Farm Forest. In Sunna we will be planting vegetables, digging weeds out and doing other kinds of gardening work. Language: English Leisure time: Free access to the local swimming pool and to the fitness centre. Excursions will be organized by the hosts. Accommodation: In a very nice house with double bedrooms, each with a private bathroom. The house is fully equipped with a big living room. Participants are asked to bring a sleeping bag. Location: Sólheimar Eco-village Terminal: Intl. Airport: Keflavík (Reykjavík), KEF. Distance from the airport to the project site: 140 km. Age range: 18 and over
Extra fee: EUR 90,-
"The project was an amazing experience for me. Everyone I worked with in Solheimar was great, volunteers and locals alike. The guy that led everything, Valgeir, was great to get to know and everything was incredibly organized. He showed us around on our first day there and gave us a detailed tour of the village. The first four days, I worked outside with Urn and did landscaping (painting, laying down turf, etc), the rest of the time I worked in the forestry area or in the organic cultivation area. The people in those 'departments' were also great and I learned so much. During my stay there the group was invited for coffee and tea at one of the lady's house, which was nice to see an Icelander's house. I think doing this workcamp was one of the best experiences of my life....getting to know people from all over Europe as well as learning about Icelandic culture while working cannot be beat. We also had the chance to do excursions on our free time which was organized by Valgeir as well as some that were organized by the group itself (the group of volunteers). I will definitely do a workcamp again in the future." Fatemeh B., Cadip volunteer 2007
Environmental
activities and tree planting
in the unique Hveragerdi hot spring area Volunteer project: Hveragerði is a small town of about 1,700 inhabitants that lies some 45 km east of Reykjavík. This friendly little community sits on top of a highly active geothermal field, providing heat to hundreds of greenhouses where fruit, flowers and vegetables are produced throughout the year; you can even find bananas growing in these houses. The name Hveragerði means ‘hot springs garden’. Geothermal energy is Hveragerði’s lifeblood, and it would be difficult to find such a natural wonder in the middle of a populated area anywhere else in the world. Very interesting is Gufudalur, the lovely ‘Steam Valley’ behind the town. The whole valley explodes with hot springs, geysers, mud pots, fumaroles and steaming vents. Most of the work will be related to the environment, such as fixing walking paths, cleaning and beautifying the hot spring area in the middle of the village and/or planting trees. The work available will depend on the weather condition and that’s why we have to be a bit flexible. Please keep in mind that the work might be physically hard and you should be prepared for unfriendly weather, even though it will be nice most of the time, hopefully. Language: English Leisure time: Free access to the local swimming pool. Excursions, such as guided hikes with locals, will be arranged. Accommodation: In the local theatre, on mattresses. Participants are asked to bring a sleeping bag. Location: The village of the hot springs Hveragerði Terminal: Intl. Airport: Keflavík (Reykjavík), KEF. Distance from the airport to the project site: 80 km. Age range: 18 and over
Extra fee: EUR 90,-
Beautifying
towns
and
coastline
areas
in the Eastfjords of Iceland Volunteer project: Neskaupstaður is a medium sized town by Icelandic standards, has the largest population (1420 inh.) of any of the towns in the East Fjords, is almost completely self-sufficient and has grown and prospered since the early 1900's, thanks to the fishing industry. Its remoteness has led to a necessary self-sufficiency, including the town having its own bakery, dairy, supermarkets, banks, post office, school, sports hall, swimming pool, church, hospital, harbour, airstrip, hotel, jazz club, rescue centre, etc. In fact, it seems to have all the services you would expect in a larger town except an optician! To the east of the town, facing the ocean, there is a nature reserve and recreational area. The lower section of it, called Hagi, is the location of the renowned Páskahellir (Easter Cave), which is essentially a rock vault over the shore. Holes left by thick, 10-12-million-year-old tree trunks may be seen inside the vault and, as is typical in Iceland, there are various folk tales associated with the cave. Neskaupstaður is only reachable after driving through a one-way tunnel. “Fjarðabyggð” is an association of different communities in the Eastfjords of Iceland. It includes the towns of Eskifjörður, Fáskrúðsfjörður, Mjóifjörður, Neskaupstaður, Reyðarfjörður and Stöðvarfjörður. The towns have a lot of things in common: They are all small fishing villages with steep mountains just behind the houses. In this area you will find most of the things that make Iceland a unique place on a global scale. The fjords are magnificent and the sea is full of life, the birdlife is very rich and you can find a great variety of hiking paths. You will get to know the area during your stay in the east and it depends on the tasks and the situation in Fjarðabyggð where you will be working during the project.
Most of the work will be cleaning and beautifying
the town and its surrounding area. We will also clean up the coastline, plant some
trees, weed and build hiking paths. Another task might also be to help getting a
community center in the neighbor village into a better shape for the following
volunteer groups arriving later this summer and staying at this place.
Language: English Leisure time: Free access to the local swimming pool, great places for hiking. Excursions such as a boat trip will be organized by the hosting partner. Accommodation: In a community house in Neskaupstaður. Mattresses will be provided and everyone is asked to bring his/her own warm sleeping bag. We will have showers at the local swimming pool and sports centre. Location: Neskaupstaður in Fjarðabyggð. Terminal: Intl. Airport: Keflavík (Reykjavík), KEF. Egilsstaðir airport is 40 km away from the project. Age range: 18 and over
Extra fee: EUR 90,-
Building
and maintaining hiking trails
in the Icelandic Western Fjords Volunteer project: Volunteers will be working on few different projects in two different towns, Bíldudalur and Tálknafjörður, located in the Icelandic Western fjords. The tasks are varied and will depend on the weather conditions and sailing conditions as one of the working sites need to be reached by boat; Geirþjófsfjörður. Volunteers’ tasks will be mainly building and maintaining hiking trails and pathways in the area. Additional tasks may include putting up signs and descriptive information charts for the trails, clearing old oil tanks from the abandoned farm lands in Geirþjófsfjörður and general clearing of the coast line in both fjords, Arnarfjörður and Tálknafjörður. Study theme: Environmental messenger in the project. S/he will be in charge of delivering ecological and global education messages to both, international volunteers and local hosts. Language: English Leisure time: Excursions in the area as boat trips and hikes will be arranged for volunteers. Accommodation: Volunteers will be hosted in a local house; sleeping on mattresses; therefore bringing a warm sleeping bag is highly recommended. Location: Bíldudalur and Tálknafjörður are small fishing towns, at Arnarfjörður and Tálknafjörður respectively; communities in the Icelandic western fjords, where the main trades are/were fishing and fish processing. However, during the last years and due to the introduction of the quota system in the Icelandic fishing sector, the towns lost their share in the fishing amounts to be caught and this has strongly hit the economy and living situation in the area, which will be one of the issues addressed during the project. In the past years the emphasis on alternative industries has been more visible, similar to other fishing villages. This area in the south of the Western fjords is famed for its beautiful landscape and good weather with warm and sunny summers with gentle breezes, conditions which are hospitable for fishing, swimming, hiking and a variety of other activities.
Langibotn in Geirþjófsfjörður is one of the places
where the story of Gísli Súrsson took place, which is one of the most famous
Icelandic sagas. Although the saga is only preserved whole in later manuscripts,
it was most likely written down in the early 13th century with action occurring
between 940-980 A.D. Gisli Sursson's Saga is a classic outlaw saga that is
centred on the internal struggles of Gisli, the saga's protagonist, a 10th
century settler who ends up outlawed - that is, being declared a person who
could be legally killed by anyone finding him - after he avenges the death of
his blood brother. Differing from the typical Icelandic Saga, it uses the common
theme of vengeance to divide loyalties within the family instead of
strengthening familial bonds. Bíldudalur and Tálknafjörður are located in the Icelandic Western Fjords, which are too often missed by visitors due to its distance (real and perceived) from Route 1, the circle road, and from other population centers. The West Fjords are a mass of fjords, mountains and isolated villages on spits of lands surrounded by water and mountains. The area includes its own glacier, the magnificent, remote Hornstrandir and Europe's westernmost point of land at Látrabjarg. There, millions of birds nest in the cliffs making it a must for bird watchers. Terminal: Closest International Airport: Keflavík (Reykjavík), KEF. Domestic airport is Bíldudalur (BIU). Age range: 18 and over
Extra fee: EUR 120,-
Viking
Festival
Volunteer project: Hafnarfjörður is a town
with population of 23.500 people. It is located 10 km away from the capital,
Reykjavík. Hafnarfjörður takes its name (meaning Harbour-fjord) from the area's
excellent natural harbour. The town is first named in the medieval "Book of
Settlements", and the earliest reports of voyages to Hafnarfjörður date from the
end of the 14th century. Today, Hafnarfjörður is one of the nation's largest
fishing centres and the site of Iceland's first fish wholesalers' auction
market.
The Vikings settled Iceland around 874 AD and the Icelanders are very proud of those brave people who had the courage to start a life here in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. In Hafnarfjörður there is a small Viking village where the volunteer project will take place. During the annual Viking Festival modern-day Icelanders and Vikings from abroad celebrate their heritage with appropriate style. The Vikings' wild and adventurous spirit lives on today, in the people of this unique country. The event is a lot of fun; there are displays of ancient arts and crafts, and large gruff men in full Viking attire demonstrate their ancient battle skills to anyone brave enough to challenge them.
The volunteers will help with the preparation of
the festival, the festival itself and after it has finished. During the festival
all volunteers will receive Viking costumes to wear and perform different tasks.
Different types of tasks will be performed as control at the venues, assistance
to visitors, and helping the other Viking volunteers in the kitchen or serving
the meals. Language: English Leisure time: Excursions and free time activities will be arranged for volunteers. The volunteers will have free access to the local swimming pool. Accommodation: Volunteers will stay in a local community center with the other Vikings, sleeping on mattresses. After the festival, the volunteers will be hosted in a house near to the area. Don’t forget to bring a warm sleeping bag. Location: Hafnarfjörður Terminal: Intl. Airport: Keflavík (Reykjavík), KEF. Distance from the airport to the project site: 35 km. Age range: 18 and over
Extra fee: EUR 120,-
Environmental
cleanup on the north-east coast of Iceland Volunteer project: To truly sense the remote beauty of the north-east, the charming little fishing village of Þórshöfn on the north-east coast is the right place to go. The town of Þórshöfn lies on the head of the Langanes peninsula and has 388 inhabitants. There's a variety of outdoor activity on offer, from hiking to salmon and trout fishing, and horse trekking in some of Iceland's most spectacular scenery. The Langanes Peninsula is also one of the best areas in which to enjoy Iceland's rich and varied birdlife. Þórshöfn is within driving distance of some of Iceland's most prized natural pearls, such as Myvatn, with its geothermal activity, and the waterfall Dettifoss, one of Europe's most powerful and spectacular waterfalls. This village has a good natural harbour and the inhabitants base their livelihood on fishing, fish processing and commerce.
The volunteer group will be working on cleaning up the shores and beaches in the area. Additional work will be undertaken as reforestation tasks, planting trees and taking care of those already planted. Language: English Leisure time: Free access to the gym and the local swimming pool with sauna. Excursions, such as guided hikes with locals, will be organized by the hosting partner. Accommodation: In the local school, sleeping on mattresses, participants are asked to bring a sleeping bag. Location: Þórshöfn in Langanes Terminal: Intl. Airport: Keflavík (Reykjavík), KEF. The closest national airports to the project are located in Egilsstaðir and Akureyri. Age range: 18 and over
Extra fee: EUR 90,-
Restoring and maintaining hiking
pathways
in the region of
Strandir Volunteer project: Strandir (the coasts), located on the north-eastern part of the western fjords of Iceland are a hiker’s paradise. Some of the most popular walking paths have not been maintained in a proper way for quite some time. Therefore international volunteers will be working on restoring and maintaining those hiking pathways. To maintain these pathways is very important in order to encourage people in the area to enjoy the beautiful environment they live in and so that they can do it in a way that does not spoil the nature around the pathways. Well maintained paths enable people to visit these amazing areas without damaging them and this important work also helps to improve safety for visitors. No previous experience of this work is necessary. The working day normally runs from 09:00 – 17:00 with breaks for lunch and coffee. However, please be prepared for some flexibility due to the nature of Iceland’s weather. Study theme: Environmental messenger in the project. S/he will be in charge of delivering ecological and global education messages to both, international volunteers and local hosts through organised activities such as workshops, presentations, simulations, discussions, games on topics related to the environment, nature protection and sustainability, use of resources, globalisation, millennium development goals, global warming, fair trade, recycling, consumption, etc. Language: English Leisure time: Free time activities will be organized for the group of international volunteers. Accommodation: Volunteers will be hosted in a local school; sleeping on mattresses; bringing a warm sleeping bag is highly recommended.
Location: The region of Strandir
was for centuries one of the most remote areas in Iceland, known for the
inhabitants' knowledge of magic and as a refuge for criminals and
outlaws. The landscape of Strandir is far from uniform, the low hills of
Hrútafjörður in the south gradually change to 700 m high mountains
rising straight from the coast in the northern part. Going to Strandir you will travel through the whole range of Icelandic flora from the shore and meadows, through birch and willow, to mossy moorlands with an exceptional view across Húnaflói bay and far into the interior. On a stroll amidst the driftwood on the shore one can see birds and seals and the occasional arctic fox around the deserted farmsteads. Strandir area is very popular among hikers. There are many beautiful hiking trails all over the region, some suitable for all ages and some for the hiking specialsts. It has often been said that the people of Strandir know a bit more about witchcraft and sorcery than others, and to underscore that claim The Museum of Sorcery & Witchcraft, which takes one on a magical tour into the mystical world of the supernatural, is to be found in the area. The museum covers magic practiced during the 17th century, as well as folktales, in a most informative and enjoyable way. Terminal: Closest International Airport: Keflavík (Reykjavík), KEF. Bus terminal: Hólmavík. Age range: 18 and over
Extra fee: EUR 100,-
Environmental
work and help in the
Viking village
in the
Western fjords
During this project, the volunteers will help to maintain and improve the area around þingeyri. The team will plant trees, build hiking paths, take fences down and do other environmental tasks needed. Some work in the Viking village will also be done. Icelanders are quite easy going, so take it easy too, even if we might not know what, when, where… we are going to work. It’s part of the Icelandic culture and part of the experience! Language: English Leisure time: The volunteers will enjoy the wild nature and hike a lot. Excursion or a boat trip will be organized by the hosting partner. Accommodation: In the local school. Mattresses will be provided and everyone is asked to bring his/her own warm sleeping bag. Location: Þingeyri in Dýrafjörður Terminal: Intl. Airport: Keflavík (Reykjavík), KEF. The closest domestic airport is in Ísafjörður. Age range: 18 and over
Extra fee: EUR 90,-
Creating a
family friendly place
and
promoting tourism
in
the north of Iceland Volunteer project: Volunteers will be working in the municipality of Grýtubakkahreppur in the north of Iceland on changing an old stall (sheepfold) into a family friendly place. In the stall there will be facilities to host lectures and seminars about art and environment and parents can have coffee and appreciate art while the children play. Besides from assisting in the renovation of the sheepfold the volunteers will be working on various projects, for example making and putting up benches around a fishing pond and natural hotpot which are in the area and marking hiking pathways. Tourism is becoming an alternative source of income for the area, due to its natural beauty and attractions. Volunteers will work on projects related to the promotion of tourism, making the area friendlier to visitors and with good facilities to welcome them. Study theme: Environmental messenger in the project. S/he will be in charge of delivering ecological and global education messages to both, international volunteers and local hosts through organised activities such as workshops, presentations, simulations, discussions, games on topics related to the environment, nature protection and sustainability, use of resources, globalisation, millennium development goals, global warming, fair trade, recycling, consumption, etc. Language: English Leisure time: Free time activities (such as hikes, excursions in the area and horse-back riding) will be organized for the volunteers. Accommodation: Volunteers will be hosted in a local house; sleeping on mattresses; bringing a warm sleeping bag is highly recommended. Location: The municipality of Grýtubakkahreppur is located in the north of Iceland. The biggest inhabited area in the municipalities around it is Akureyri, sometimes referred to as the capital of the north. Volunteers will be working about 30 km outside the town. The municipality of Grýtubakkahreppur has about 360 inhabitants. Around 100 people live there in the rural area and there is a strong agricultural sector, mainly growing potatoes. The largest town in the municipality is Grenivík, the village does not have a long history since it did not start to form until around the year 1900 and around the middle of last century the fishing sector started to form.
The volunteer project takes place in Fnjóskadalur,
which is about 40 km long, and flowing through it is the Fnjóská River, the
longest spring-fed river in Iceland. Ljósavatnsskard Pass stretches east from
Fnjóskadalur Valley, connecting it with Bárdadalur Valley and Kaldakinn. Lake
Ljósavatn lies in the mouth of the pass to the east. Djúpá River flows into
Skjálfandafljót on the east side of Mt. Kinnarfell. Kambsá River flows into Lake
Ljósavatn. Bárdardalur Valley is one of the oldest settled valleys in Iceland.
It is about 45 km long, and Skjálfandafljót flows along its bottom. Terminal: Closest International Airport: Keflavík (Reykjavík), KEF. Closest bus stop: Akureyri. Age range: 18 and over
Extra fee: EUR 100,-
Various
environmental projects
in the Land of elves and fairies Volunteer project: The northernmost Fjord in the Eastfjords is called Borgarfjörður Eystri, where also the small fishing village with the same name is situated. It is located in a dramatic spot, in between rhyolite peaks and the Dyrfjöll Mountains (1136 m). The area is very famous for stories of elves. Locals even believe that the queen of Icelandic Elves lived in the town. Álfaborg (Elf Rock), a small nature reserve, is a tourist highlight of the area. Close to the town, you can also find the Islet Hafnarhólmi, a puffin colony with 10,000 pairs. Iceland’s best known artist Jóhannes S Kjarval grew up close to Borgarfjörður Eystri and took much of his inspiration from the area. There are many hiking trails in the area. We will walk all the trails, fixing the sticks during the hikes. We will also help the locals with all kind of small projects in the local community and will clean the coastline. Language: English Leisure time: Hiking trips will be arranged by the local partner. Accommodation: In a house owned by the local community, participants are asked to bring a sleeping bag. Location: Borgarfjörður Eystri Terminal: Int. airport is Keflavik airport. Next national airport is Egilsstadir. Age range: 18 and over
Extra fee: EUR 90,-
Beautifying
towns
and
coastline
areas
in the Eastfjords of Iceland Volunteer project: Eskifjörður is a major fishing town (population: 972) and an export harbour with direct sailing to Europe, which is located at the northern shore of the fjord Eskifjörður. It is built on a small sand spit and up the slopes of the mountain which rises above the town. Its main industries are fishing and small-scale farming. Eskifjörður became an authorized trade port in 1786 and has been a commercial center since 1798. One of the several shops in Eskifjörður, Gamlabúð, built in 1816, houses the Maritime Museum Of East Iceland. Eskifjörður town faces the mountain Hólmatindur, from the top of which you can view some of the tallest mountains in the Icelandic interior. One of the favored sights in the area is the Helgustaðanáman mine, which is one of the world’s best-known sources of Icelandic spar. The area, which is just a ten-minute drive from the town, is a nature reserve and open to all, free of charge. A swimming pool with hot pots (geothermal pools) and a sauna are located in Eskifjörður, as well as a gallery and a crafts shop.
In this time of the year, there is almost no night in Iceland. Be ready for the daylight all around the clock. Most of the work will be cleaning and beautifying the town and the surrounding area. We will also clean up the coastline, plant some trees, make hiking paths and take old fences down. The work available will depend on the weather conditions and that’s why we have to be a bit flexible. Please keep in mind that the work might be physically hard and you should be prepared for unfriendly weather, even though it will be nice most of the time, hopefully. Language: English Leisure time: Free access to the local swimming pool. Excursions, such as guided hikes with locals or a fishing boat trip, will be organized by the hosting partner. Accommodation: We will be staying in a nice community center. Mattresses will be provided and everyone is asked to bring his/her own warm sleeping bag. We will have showers at the local swimming pool and sports centre. Location: Eskifjörður in Fjarðabyggð Terminal: Intl. Airport: Keflavík (Reykjavík), KEF. Egilsstaðir airport is 40 km away from the project. Age range: 18 - 35 years old
Extra fee: EUR 90,-
Volunteer project: A team of international volunteers will work this year again in the natural protected area of Þórsmörk. Volunteers have been working in the reserve since 2006 and this year marks the 4th in a row of collaboration with the administration of the site. International volunteer groups will support the administration of the reserve running the visitors’ area, the mountain huts, the housing facilities and the surrounding areas in the vicinity.
Volunteers will support the rangers in all
different types of activities in order to ensure the proper running of the
visitors’ area including the services in the accommodation huts, the camping
site, the geothermal pool, the sauna, the canteen and reception building. Tasks will be diverse, therefore flexibility and open-mindedness is expected from the volunteers. The work will amount to 35 hours a week, which are to be planned with the rangers and the group coordinator depending on the needs. Weekends are usually busy as this is one of the most beautiful sites of the country and therefore very popular among local and foreign visitors, hikers and nature lovers. Language: English Leisure time: Remote places located in natural reserved areas of extreme beauty. Hikes and free time activities in the area will be arranged for the volunteers. Please bring your swimwear to enjoy the geothermal pool and the sauna! Accommodation: Volunteers will stay in the ranger’s huts and will sleep either in bunk beds or on mattresses. A warm sleeping bag is strongly recommended. Location: Þórsmörk is situated in the south of Iceland, about 160 km from Reykjavík, between 3 glaciers in a place of surreal beauty. The only access to this wondrous place is by a powerful or altered jeep/truck to cross the treacherous rivers. The Þórsmörk natural reserve is one of the most beautiful places in Iceland, surrounded by natural boundaries like mountains, ice caps and Glacier Rivers & lagoons. The area is bounded by Krossá River to the south, Markarfljót River to the west, Ljósá River to the north and the ice cap Mýrdalsjökull to the east; it is one of Iceland’s pearls, surrounded by rugged and beautiful mountains, glaciers and glacial rivers, decorated with small birch woods and silver lined with humming brooks. Þórsmörk is an idyllic place of exceptional meteorological conditions hidden in the embrace of glaciers and mountains and was a fjord from the ocean 12.000 years ago. The weather here is known to be better and less windy than in the surrounding areas - making it a great destination to go to when it is lousy elsewhere. The glacier lagoon is very popular as well. Þórsmörk is a place of breathtaking landscapes and a fauna of great variety. It is the home of 170 seminiferous plants as well as a variety of trees, moss and fern. The main reason for the variety of plants and trees is probably attributed to the fact that the area has been exempt from sheep and horsegrazing for over 100 years - sheltering them from their apparent negative impact on the flora.
Þórsmörk is famous for spectacular nature
and is very popular to visit and go hiking. There are many hiking trails
in Þórsmörk, one can hike inside the area or hike over the unique trail
“Laugavegur” to Landmannalaugar. During summer many people come to
Þórsmörk to begin the journey/trail/hiking or to relax after the 2-3
days journey/trail/hiking from Landmannalaugar. There is also a special
trail from Skógar to Þórsmörk “Fimmvörðuháls” so it is a perfect place
for nature lovers and those who enjoy being outdoors. Terminal: Closest International Airport: Keflavík (Reykjavík), KEF. Closest bus stop is Hvolsvöllur. Age range: 18 and over
Extra fee: EUR 120,-
Various environmental and
renovation activities in the
Icelandic highlands Volunteer project: Volunteers will be working on few different projects: general cleaning of the area after winter, building and maintaining hiking trails and pathways and putting up signs and descriptive information charts for the trails. There is a camping site in the area that has to be fixed and marked properly to prevent unnecessary damage to the nature. Volunteers will also have the opportunity to discover new hiking or tracking pathways and mark them. In the area there is an old house that has become a danger hazard; the house needs to be demolished so it can be built up in its original form. Depending on the advance of the mentioned tasks, this first group will start demolishing the house and taking the different materials apart in order to be taken to the recycling centres. Study theme: Environmental messenger in the project. S/he will be in charge of delivering ecological and global education messages to both, international volunteers and local hosts. S/he will arrange and organise few activities that intend to raise awareness and to encourage the participants to undertake simple but easy-to-implement actions which will affect the way we use our resources and deal with the environment and the world we live in. Language: English Leisure time: Remote places located in natural areas of extreme beauty. Outdoor activities as hikes in the area will be arranged for the volunteers. Accommodation: Volunteers will be hosted in a local mountain house; sleeping on mattresses; bringing a warm sleeping bag is highly recommended.
Location: The Icelandic highlands
or “the interior” are a true pearl to all nature lovers and outdoors
people. It is accessible all year round on 4WD cars and most Highland
routes involve crossing unbridged rivers. Travellers between north and south sometimes had to cross the highlands: for instance for the assembly of Alþingi (parliament) each summer, delegates had to ride from every corner of the country to Þingvellir in the southwest. Journeys across the interior were never undertaken lightly; such travel was risky and lives were often lost. Today the interior is crossed by two mountain roads, via Kjölur and Sprengisandur, which are only open in summer, after the snow has thawed in spring. Volunteers will be staying close to the glacier Hofsjökull and near to the rivers Hvítá and Þjórsá. The mountains in the area - reaching up to 1500m - were formed during a volcanic eruption in the later part of the ice age. The area is still dynamic and great geothermal activity takes place in the surroundings. The environment is very diverse, both in shape and colour. The mountains are very weathered and have very little continuous growth, as the forces of nature, like glaciers, water flow, ice bursts etc. have been fast working in these mountain highlands. Terminal: Closest International Airport: Keflavík (Reykjavík), KEF. Age range: 18 and over
Extra fee: EUR 120,-
Music
festival in
Isafjordur
Volunteer project: The “Westfjords”,
located on the North West tip of Iceland, stretch almost all the way to
South-East Greenland – therefore they represent the most westerly part of
Europe. Here the landscape takes a majestic tone: countless fjords, each with
its distinctive traits, rise above the sea, quaint fishing villages nestle at
their feet. It is an ideal area for hikers and nature lovers all year round.
Seals bask on the rocks, huge colonies of seabirds gather on the shores, and the
king of the skies, the white-tailed eagle, may be watching over.
The annual classic music festival and the summer
courses Við Djúpið grant a series of concerts and master music classes during
the Summer solstice in the West Fjords.
The volunteers will help the festival’s
coordinators carry out different tasks, prior to and during the festival. Our
group of international volunteers will work with the team of Icelandic
volunteers which are in most cases students from the local schools. Language: English Leisure time: Excursions and guided hikes will be organized by the hosting partner. We will have free access to the swimming pool in Ísafjörður. Accommodation: In a house owned by the local community. Everyone is asked to bring his/her own warm sleeping bag. Location: Ísafjörður Terminal: International Airport: Keflavík (KEF), Reykjavik. The national airport in Ísafjörður is close to the project’s site. Age range: 18 - 30 years old
Extra fee: EUR 90,-
Research project on invasive
species
and
building a pathway to a bird
watching house
in the south of Iceland Volunteer project: The volunteers in this project will have the unique opportunity to work at the largest National Park in Europe, the Vatnajökull National Park and in the community of Kirkjubæjarklaustur. Half of the time will be spent in the National park and half of the time working in the vicinity of Kirkjubæjarklaustur, in the South of Iceland. The volunteers will support a research project on invasive species conducted by a team of scientist from the University of Iceland and the Soil Conservation Service of Iceland (Landgræðsla ríkisins). The Lupin plant (from Alaska) has been used in Iceland in order to control soil erosion and re-vegetate eroded areas. But in some places its spread is more than desirable and being a foreign specie endangers the native habitat in the National Park. The research project focuses on the use, management and control of invasive species in Iceland. The work with the community at Kirkjubæjarklaustur supports the creation of alternatives ways of income through tourism in the area. Volunteers will be working on few different projects in the rural area of Kirkjubæjarklaustur, few kilometres outside of town. The main task will be building a walking pathway to a bird watching house, and if time allows, the volunteers will also plant trees alongside the path. Volunteers will also work on additional tasks that need to be worked on for the summer before the largest amounts of visitors come to the area in July and August. Well maintained paths enable people to visit these amazing areas without damaging them and this important work also helps to improve safety for visitors. The working day normally runs from 09:00 to 17:00 with breaks for lunch and coffee. However, please be prepared for some flexibility due to the nature of Iceland’s changeable weather. Study theme: Environmental messenger in the project. S/he will be in charge of delivering ecological and global education messages to the international volunteers and local hosts. Language: English Leisure time: Remote, isolated places of extreme beauty! Hikes and free time activities in the area will be arranged for the volunteers. Accommodation: Volunteers will have two different types of accommodation. In Kirkjubæjarklaustur volunteers will be hosted in a local house; sleeping on mattresses; therefore bringing a warm sleeping bag is highly recommended. In the National park volunteers will sleep in shared tents provided the by the National Park. If volunteers want, they can also bring their own tents. Location: The volunteers will work in 2 of the most beautiful places in Iceland! Part of the project will take place at the largest National Park in Europe, Vatnajökull N.P., stretching from the south coast to the north coast of the island. It is the largest protected wilderness in Europe. It covers around 15.000 km2 (15% of the surface of Iceland), including all of Vatnajökull glacier, the former Skaftafell N.P., Jokulsargljufur N.P. and surrounding area. Due to the size of Vatnajökull National Park it is established and operated under special law, it is an autonomous government agency that requires cooperation between nine municipalities. The other part of the project will take place in Kirkjubæjarklaustur, in the south of Iceland. The scenery is truly spectacular, with the glacier Myrdalsjökull to the west and Europe's largest glacier Vatnajökull, containing Iceland´s highest peak, to the east. The area is welcoming with mountains that stretch proudly towards the sky and to the south there is the infinite beauty stretching out from the sky to the sea. Terminal: Closest international Airport: Keflavík (Reykjavík), KEF. Age range: 18 and over
Extra fee: EUR 100,- Transport between the 2 places is included.
Coastline
cleaning up activities
and preparation of a festival on
the island of Videy Volunteer project: Volunteers will be living and working on the island of Viðey. The city of Reykjavík will be our host again and we will work on environmental or nature related matters. Most of the project will be dedicated to coastline cleaning. The island is located not far out of the capital’s coast and sea currents bring considerable amounts of trash to its shores. Volunteers will also play a crucial role for the preparation of the Viðeyjarhátið, the island’s festival to commemorate the summer solstice. The festival will be held on the weekend on June 27 & 28th. Depending on the advance of the project, volunteers may have other possible tasks as maintenance and marking of hiking paths or bicycle trails, help in summer events, putting up signs in noteworthy places; as well as works on common and green recreational areas, gardening and painting works, etc. Study theme: Environmental messenger in the project. S/he will be in charge of delivering ecological and global education messages to both international volunteers and local hosts; organising few activities on topics related to environment, nature protection and sustainability. Language: English Leisure time: Whale watching, puffin boat excursions and free time activities in the area will be organised free of charge for the volunteers. Volunteers will also have free rides in the boat/ferry to the city of Reykjavík during their free time. Accommodation: Volunteers will be lodged in a local house, sleeping on mattresses; a warm sleeping bag is suggested. If wished, some volunteers may stay in tents. Location: Viðey or “Wood Island” is the largest island of the Kollafjord Bay (1,7 km²) with its highest point rising 32 m above sea level. It is divided by a short isthmus and the western part is called The West Island (Vesturey). The large part, with the church and Viðeyjarstofa (Viðey House), is called The Home Island (Heimaey) and the south-eastern part is called The East Island (Austurey). The island is of volcanic origins and was formed about 2 million years ago. Several spots on the island depict beautiful basaltic columns, while it is well vegetated and boggy in places. About 156 species of higher plants have been found on the island and the avifauna is highly interesting. At least 30 species of breeding birds have been counted, the most common ones are eiders and the lesser black backed gull. Archaeological excavations have disclosed the fact, that the island was inhabited already in the 10th century. In the 12th century a church was built on the island and in 1225 an Augustine monastery was established there, which was a centre for pilgrimage in the Middle Ages until it was abolished in 1539 after the reformation had started in Iceland. The Viðeyjarstofa house was built in 1755 and is thus the first construction made of stone and cement in the country. The church was consecrated in 1774 and is the second oldest one still standing. The island became the seat of the first Icelandic treasurer and later the first Icelandic sub-governor, Mr Skuli Magnusson. In the beginning of the 20th century the country's first harbour for ocean going vessels was built on the eastern part of the island and a hamlet developed there. The last inhabitant left it in 1943, when the harbour of Reykjavik had taken over. There are hiking and cycling paths around the island and there is no motor traffic allowed. It also inhabits intriguing sculptural art work, amongst them all nine pairs of basalt pillars that comprise Richard’s Serra’s work Áfangar and Yoko Ono’s peace column. The island has been subject of interest lately, regarding the potential moving of open air folk-museum Arbaejarsafn to the island. Other places of interest on Viðey are related to archaeological research, the village. At the eastern end of the island is the site of the abandoned fishing village and Viðeyjarnaust, at the southwest of the island, it is a memorial to the twenty men who lost their lives when the cutter Ingvar sank off Viðey in 1906. Dramatic formations of columnar basalt may be seen on the shore. Terminal: Closest International Airport: Keflavík (Reykjavík), KEF. Closest bus terminal in Reykjavík. Age range: 18 and over
Extra fee: EUR 120,-
Coastline
clean-up, tree planting and building paths in the East of Iceland Volunteer project: The long, calm, deep fjord of Seyðisfjörður twists and turns 17 kilometres from its mouth to the head of the fjord, where the town of the same name shelters beneath Mt. Strandartindur and Mt. Bjólfur. In the valley above the town, the river Fjarðará cascades from the edge of the heath above in innumerable beautiful waterfalls, down to Lón (the lagoon) at the head of the fjord. A road leads up from the fjord, along by the river, to the Hérað district, 26 km away across Fjarðarheiði heath. Once a hazardous place to travel, the heath is now crossed in a mere half-hour by a high-quality road, commanding splendid views of the surrounding area. The route (Stafirnir) down into Seyðisfjörður by the Fjarðará river is one of Iceland's most spectacular roads. Most of the work will be cleaning and beautifying the town and the surrounding area. We will also clean the coastline, plant some trees and even make hiking paths. The work available will depend on the weather conditions and that’s why we have to be a bit flexible. Please keep in mind that the work might be physically hard and you should be prepared for unfriendly weather, even though it will be nice most of the time, hopefully. Language: English Leisure time: Free access to the local swimming pool, guided hikes with locals. Excursion will be organized by the hosting partner. Accommodation: In a house owned by the local community. Mattresses will be provided and everyone is asked to bring his/her own warm sleeping bag. We will have showers at the local swimming pool and sports centre. Location: Seyðisfjörður Terminal: International Airport: Reykjavík - Keflavík (KEF). The closest national airport is located in Egilsstadir. Age range: 18 and over
Extra fee: EUR 90,-
Beautifying
towns
and
coastline
areas
in the Eastfjords of Iceland Volunteer project: Fáskrúðsfjörður was the main port for French fishermen in the 1900s in East Iceland both prior to and well after the turn of the century. At Fáskrúðsfjörður there was a French consul, a French hospital and a French chapel. The street names are still in Icelandic and in French. The mountain slopes in Fáskrúðsfjörður are partially grown with bushes, including wild aspens on the north coast. Sandfell mountain, very near to Fáskrúdsfjörður is a cone-shaped, rhyolite mountain on the south side of the fjord, rising to a height of 743 meters. When molten rhyolite lifts older layers of lava, so-called laccolith is formed. Sandfell, about 600 m thick, is a famous example of this and is in fact one of the best visible examples of the Tertiary period in the northern hemisphere. A hike to the top of Sandfell is extremely enjoyable and takes 2-3 hours. Skrúður is a grassy but rockbound island east of Fáskrúðsfjörður. It has an abundance of bird life, including puffins, kittiwakes, various black birds from the Alcidae family, gannets, storm petrels and Leach’s petrels. Skrúðshellir cave at Skrúður is the largest "puffin cave" in the world. “Fjarðabyggð” is an association of different communities in the Eastfjords of Iceland. It includes the towns of Eskifjörður, Fáskrúðsfjörður, Mjóifjörður, Neskaupstaður, Reyðarfjörður and Stöðvarfjörður. The towns have a lot of things in common: They are all small fishing villages with steep mountains just behind the houses. In this area you will find most of the things that make Iceland a unique place on a global scale. The fjords are magnificent and the sea is full of life, the birdlife is very rich and you can find a great variety of hiking paths. You will get to know the area during your stay in the east and it depends on the tasks and the situation in Fjarðabyggð where you will be working during the project. Most of the work will be cleaning and beautifying the towns and the surrounding area. We will also clean the coastline, plant some trees and even make hiking paths. The work available will depend on the weather conditions and that’s why we have to be a bit flexible. Please keep in mind that the work might be physically hard and you should be prepared for unfriendly weather, even though it will be nice most of the time, hopefully. Language: English Leisure time: Free access to the local swimming pool, guided hikes with locals. Excursions will be organized by the hosting partner. Accommodation: We will be staying in a house owned by the local community. Mattresses will be provided and everyone is asked to bring his/her own warm sleeping bag. We will have showers at the local swimming pool and sports centre. Location: Fáskrúðsfjörður / Stöðvarfjörður in Fjarðabyggð Terminal: Intl. Airport: Keflavík (Reykjavík), KEF. Egilsstaðir airport is 60 km away from the project Age range: 18 - 35 years old
Extra fee: EUR 90,-
Learn
Icelandic and help improve the environment in Reykjavik
Volunteer project: In Reykjavik you can
easily feel the pure energy at the heart of Iceland‘s capital city - whether it
springs from the underground boiling thermal energy or radiates from the green
scenery surrounding the city. Think of the qualities of a great city - fun,
space, clean air, nature, culture - and Reykjavik has them in spades. Reykjavik
offers both the features of a modern and innovative society and the marvelous
traits of a unique natural landscape. Our work, during the project, will consist mostly in embellishing the downtown area and helping the local authorities improve the city’s look and atmosphere. Tasks will include cleaning tags and painting old houses. We will be mostly working outdoors giving a hand to the environmental department in taking care of the parks and green areas in the heart of Reykjavík. We will most probably split the day in order to have time for our Icelandic language course. Study part: Learn the Viking language! A language course with a professional teacher will be offered during the project. Language: The language of the project is English and of course Icelandic. Leisure time: Free access to all the geothermal pools in Reykjavik and excursions will be provided by our hosts. Accommodation: We will stay in an accommodation owned by the community. Mattresses will be provided. Location: Reykjavik Terminal: Reykjavík – Keflavík Int. airport Age range: 18 and over
Extra fee: EUR 150,-
Beautifying
towns
and
coastline
areas
in the Eastfjords of Iceland Volunteer project: Eskifjörður is a major fishing town (population: 972) and an export harbour with direct sailing to Europe, which is located at the northern shore of the fjord Eskifjörður. It is built on a small sand spit and up the slopes of the mountain which rises above the town. Its main industries are fishing and small-scale farming. Eskifjörður became an authorized trade port in 1786 and has been a commercial center since 1798. One of the several shops in Eskifjörður, Gamlabúð, built in 1816, houses the Maritime Museum Of East Iceland. Eskifjörður town faces the mountain Hólmatindur, from the top of which you can view some of the tallest mountains in the Icelandic interior. One of the favored sights in the area is the Helgustaðanáman mine, which is one of the world’s best-known sources of Icelandic spar. The area, which is just a ten-minute drive from the town, is a nature reserve and open to all, free of charge. A swimming pool with hot pots (geothermal pools) and a sauna are located in Eskifjörður, as well as a gallery and a crafts shop.
Most of the work will be planting trees, taking old fences down and beautifying the town and the surrounding area. We may also clean up the coastline and even make hiking paths. The work available will depend on the weather conditions and that’s why we have to be a bit flexible. Please keep in mind that the work might be physically hard and you should be prepared for unfriendly weather, even though it will be nice most of the time, hopefully. Language: English Leisure time: Free access to the local swimming pool. Excursions, such as guided hikes with locals or a fishing boat trip, will be organized by the hosting partner. Accommodation: We will be staying in a nice community center. Mattresses will be provided and everyone is asked to bring his/her own warm sleeping bag. We will have showers at the local swimming pool and sports centre. Location: Eskifjörður in Fjarðabyggð Terminal: Intl. Airport: Keflavík (Reykjavík), KEF. Egilsstaðir airport is 40 km away from the project. Age range: 18 and over
Extra fee: EUR 90,-
Environmental
work and construction
of hiking paths along the spectacular south coast of Iceland Volunteer project: Vík in Mýrdalur is Iceland's most southern village, bordered by the glacial river Jökulsá to the west and the river Blautakvísl to the east. Its northern border is the Mýrdalsjökull glacier, which caps the volcanic Mt. Katla, while its southern limits are black sands and the rolling Atlantic waves. The district lives mainly by agriculture. Although this community of 600 inhabitants faces the open Atlantic, Vík is the only seaside settlement in Iceland left without a harbour due to natural circumstances. The natural beauty of the area is spectacular. Just east of the village's outskirts lies one of Europe's biggest arctic tern breeding grounds. South of Vík, there is a beautiful beach, which an international magazine named one of the world's ten best island beaches in 1991. A short hike within the close vicinity of Vík is sure to satisfy all serious nature lovers and bird watchers. Vík and its surroundings is one of the main bird life areas in Iceland. Volunteers' tasks include constructing walking and hiking paths, cleaning the coastline, weeding, taking down old fences in the surroundings of the town. The work available will depend on the weather condition and that’s why we have to be a bit flexible. Language: English Leisure time: Free access to the local swimming pool. Great place for hiking. Accommodation: In the local community centre. Mattresses will be provided and everyone is asked to bring his/her own warm sleeping bag. Location: Vík í Mýrdal. Terminal: Intl. Airport: Keflavík (Reykjavík), KEF. Distance from the airport 200 km. Age range: 18 and over
Extra fee: EUR 120,-
Improving
the environment in a small fishing village in the
West Fjords
During this project, the volunteers will have
different environmental tasks to do, such as cleaning up the coastline, planting
trees, making or repairing hiking paths, helping the locals to beautify the
village and the surrounding area, etc. Language: English Leisure time: Free access to the local swimming pool, excursions like a boat trip will be organized by the hosting partner in addition to guided hikes with locals. Accommodation: In a house owned by the local community. Participants are asked to bring a sleeping bag. Location: Flateyri, West Fjords Terminal: Intl. Airport: Keflavík (Reykjavík), KEF. If you want to fly from Reykjavik to the project site, than the next terminal is Isafjordur. Age range: 18 and over
Extra fee: EUR 120,-
Clean
up the coastline
of Iceland
Volunteer project: Do you want to travel around Iceland and at the same
time participate in a very important project? The location of the project is Iceland. The places that we will visit are Vík in Mýrdalur , Hornafjörður, Stöðvarfjörður, Eskifjörður, Seyðisfjörður, Akureyri and Hvammstangi. We will also visit some of the most beautiful places in Iceland while doing the trip around the island.
The volunteers will do a survey for monitoring of
marine litter in several places on the coastline. We will clean certain areas
(position recorded by GPS on our “map“) in different parts of Iceland and
collect all the trash on the beach and classify it in a standard form. We will
make photos of the coastline, The marine area around Iceland is regarded as one of the cleanest of the world. Nevertheless, marine litter such as persistent organic pollutants, heavy metals or hydrocarbons is constantly contaminating Iceland‘s shore. A large-scale surface of the Icelandic coastline is concerned by this pollution and some beaches are even fully covered by trash, mainly caused by poorly managed landfills close by. Special requirements: Volunteers with good computer skills, interested in scientific work and/or photographing are very much welcome to this project. Language: English Leisure time: We will do some hikes in different areas in Iceland. In some places we will have a free entrance to the swimming pools. Accommodation: The group will be stay in the accommodation of the workcamps where possible. In Hornafjörður and Akureyri we will most likely stay in tents. Location: Iceland Terminal: International Airport Reykjavík - Keflavík (KEF) Age range: 18 and over
Extra fee: EUR 180,-
Environmental
work in the area of the majestic Dynjandi waterfall Volunteer project: Dynjandi is one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Iceland. It is situated in the large fjord of Arnarfjordur in the Western fjords. It is the biggest waterfall in the area and without a doubt one of the most impressive ones in the whole of Iceland. The waterfall consists of 7 waterfalls, Dynjandi means “thunderous”. The total height of the waterfalls is about 100 m.
Arnarfjörður is one of the most rural areas in Iceland and the beauty of the pure nature is unique. It is well situated for exploring the southern part of the West fjords and the contrasting and interesting sights the area has to offer. It is close to the huge cliff Látrabjarg, which is more than 14 km long (the largest in the North Atlantic) which goes up to 448 m high and is located in the western-most post of Iceland (and Europe!). One million birds, puffins, guillemots, seagulls and alcas live in the cliff. The West Fjords are an ideal place for hikers and nature lovers, in summer and winter alike. We will help our hosts to make the area around the waterfall nicer, we will plant trees, make hiking paths and do other tasks needed. The work available will depend on the weather conditions and that’s why we have to be a bit flexible. Language: English Leisure time: We will enjoy the wild nature and hike a lot. Excursion or a boat trip will be organized by the hosting partner. Accommodation: In a house in the area. Mattresses will be provided and everyone is asked to bring his/her own warm sleeping bag. Location: Dynjandi waterfall, Western fjords Terminal: Intl. Airport: Keflavík (Reykjavík), KEF; the closest domestic airport is Bildudalur. Age range: 18 and over
Extra fee: EUR 120,-
Help
organizing a
Heavy Rock Festival in Iceland Volunteer project: Neskaupstaður is a medium size town by Icelandic standards. With its 1.420 inhabitants, it has the largest population in the East Fjords. The town has been growing and prospering since the early 1900s and is almost completely self sufficient thanks to the fishing industry. Sitting in the middle of nowhere, away from other villages and communities, the town is equipped with all the necessary facilities and stores: a bakery, a local dairy, supermarkets, banks, a post office, a school, a sports hall, a swimming pool, a church, a hospital, a harbor, an airstrip, a hotel, a jazz club, a rescue centre, etc. As a matter of fact, it has all the services and professionals you would expect in a larger town, with the exception of an optician! On the east side of the town, there's a wildlife reserve and a large recreational area facing the ocean. In the lower section of the reserve, called Hagi, lies the famous Páskahellir (Easter Cave), a rock vault over the shore. Holes left by thick, 10 to 12-million-year-old tree trunks can be seen inside the vault and, in true Icelandic spirit, various folk tales are associated with the cave. Neskaupstaður can be reached only driving through a one-way tunnel. Eistnaflug is a Heavy Rock Festival which this year will present its 5th edition. More than 40 bands will perform for an expected public of about one thousand visitors. It will take place July 9-12. The volunteers will help the organizers of the festival to carry out different tasks. For example, we will take care of the venues before and after the concerts, control the area and prepare the camping site. We will assist the local organization in keeping the area clean during the festival. Language: English Leisure time: Free access to the local swimming pool, great places for hiking tours. Excursions such as a boat trip will be organized by our hosting partner. Accommodation: In a house owned by the local community in Neskaupstaður. Mattresses will be provided and everyone is asked to bring his/her own warm sleeping bag. We will take showers at the local swimming pool and sports centre nearby. Location: Neskaupstaður, East Iceland Terminal: Intl. Airport: Keflavík (Reykjavík), KEF. Egilsstaðir airport is 40 km away from the project. Age range: 18 - 30 years old
Extra fee: EUR 90,-
Beautifying
towns
and
coastline
areas
in the Eastfjords of Iceland Volunteer project: “Fjarðabyggð” is an association of different communities in the Eastfjords of Iceland. It includes the towns of Eskifjörður, Fáskrúðsfjörður, Mjóifjörður, Neskaupstaður, Reyðarfjörður and Stöðvarfjörður. The towns have a lot of things in common: They are all small fishing villages with steep mountains just behind the houses. In this area you will find most of the things that make Iceland a unique place on a global scale. The fjords are magnificent and the sea is full of life, the birdlife is very rich and you can find a great variety of hiking paths. You will get to know the area during your stay in the east and it depends on the tasks and the situation in Fjarðabyggð where you will be working during the project. Most of the work will be cleaning and beautifying the towns and the surrounding area. We will also clean the coastline, plant some trees and even make hiking paths. The work available will depend on the weather conditions and that’s why we have to be a bit flexible. Please keep in mind that the work might be physically hard and you should be prepared for unfriendly weather, even though it will be nice most of the time, hopefully. Language: English
Accommodation: In a community center. Mattresses will be provided and everyone is asked to bring his/her own warm sleeping bag. We will have showers at the local swimming pool and sports centre. Location: Fjarðabyggð, Eastfjords Terminal: Intl. Airport: Keflavík (Reykjavík), KEF. The closest national airport is Egilsstaðir airport, 40 km away from the project site. Age range: 18 and over
Extra fee: EUR 90,-
Lunga
youth arts festival Volunteer project: The long, calm, deep fjord of Seyðisfjörður twists and turns for 17 kilometres from its mouth to the end of the fjord, where the town by the same name finds shelter under Mt. Strandartindur and Mt. Bjólfur. In the valley above, the river Fjarðará falls from the edge of the heath above in innumerable beautiful waterfalls, down to Lón (the lagoon) at the end of the fjord. A road starts at the fjord and runs along the river until the Hérað district, 26 kilometres away, across the Fjarðarheiði heath. Once a hazardous place to travel, today the heath can be crossed in just half-hour on a pleasant and scenic road. The route (Stafirnir) that goes down into Seyðisfjörður by the Fjarðará river, is one of Iceland's most spectacular roads.
LungA is an art-festival for young people. With
unique artistic ambition and thanks to the participation of domestic and foreign
artists, it offers an eclectic program which draws much attention to the town.
Visual arts, music, circus and outdoor events create a lively event that appeals
to the large crowd of locals and foreign visitors. The volunteer group will help the local people with the preparation of the festival and with many activities during the hectic time of the festival, in some stage of the project we will work on shifts. The volunteers will have the opportunity to participate and help with the workshops. During the festival we will setup the venues before and after the concerts, and control the entrances if needed. There are many other chores awaiting us and we should be flexible and willing to give a hand whenever necessary. Language: English Leisure time: Free access to the local swimming pool. Excursions will be organized by the hosting partner. Accommodation: In the local community center. Mattresses will be provided and everyone is asked to bring his/her own warm sleeping bag. Location: Seyðisfjörður Terminal: International Airport: Reykjavík - Keflavík (KEF). The closest national airport is located in Egilsstadir. Age range: 18 - 30 years old
Extra fee: EUR 150,-
Green
army in Reykjavik
Volunteer project: In Reykjavik you can
experience easily the pure energy at the heart of Iceland's capital city -
whether from the boiling thermal energy underground, the natural green energy
within the city and around it. Think of the qualities of a great city - fun,
space, clean air, nature, culture - and Reykjavik has them in spades. It has the
features of a modern, forward-looking society which are complemented by a close
connection to beautiful nature. The volunteers in the project will be mostly involved in beautifying the city center and helping the local authorities to make it a better place to stay. This includes varied types of environmental tasks as well as e.g. cleaning tags and painting old houses. We will be working outside and will help also the environmental department to take care of all the parks and green spots in the heart of Reykjavík. In addition, we might also clean up the coastline in the city area. Language: English Leisure time: Free access to the swimming pool, excursions will be provided by our hosts. Accommodation: We will stay in an accommodation owned by the community. Mattresses will be provided. Location: Reykjavik Terminal: Reykjavík – Keflavík Int. airport. Age range: 18 and over
Extra fee: EUR 120,-
Planting
trees, repairing walking trails and maintenance of green spaces in
Hvammstangi
Volunteer project: Hvammstangi is the most
densely populated area in the west Húnaþing County. It is a service centre for
the surrounding neighbourhood and also a school site and an administrative
centre (Bank, Post Office, Health Institute). It has a population of 580 people.
Most of the volunteer activities consist of cleaning and beautifying the town and the surrounding area. The tasks can be for example: planting trees, cutting grass, weeding, painting, sweeping, fixing walking paths… We might also clean the coastline and help removing old fences. Sometimes we might also join the local youngsters (about 40 aged 15 to 25) working for the community during their holidays in different nature conservation- and environmental-oriented activities such as planting trees and construction of hiking paths. Language: English Leisure time: Possible activities could be hiking, visiting sites of interest and generally having fun and enjoying Iceland’s fantastic nature together. We will have free access to the local swimming pool and the opportunity to go bathing in an Icelandic hot tub. Accommodation: In an accommodation owned by the community. Mattresses will be provided. Location: Hvammstangi, Húnaþing County Terminal: Intl. Airport: Keflavík (Reykjavík), KEF. Age range: 18 and over
Extra fee: EUR 120,-
International
Swampsoccer tournament in Iceland
Volunteer project: Isafjordur is the
principal town of the Westfjords peninsula, in the North-West corner of Iceland.
The town itself has some 3.000 inhabitants, but the larger Isafjordur
municipality, which also includes the villages Hnifsdalur, Sudureyri, Flateyri
and Thingeyri, has around 4.000 inhabitants. The community stretches over 2400
square kilometres, from the beautiful waterfall Dynjandi in the south, to the
Hornstrandir Nature Reserve in the north, where, amongst other things, one can
find the famous cliff Hornbjarg which is one of the largest colonies for
seabirds in the North Atlantic. What is swampsoccer? The first swampsoccer event was held in late summer 2004 by amateur players in Ísafjörður. After the great success and good media coverage, it was decided to hold a bigger tournament in 2005. The event in 2005 was a hit and in November 2005 the Icelandic Swampsoccer Association was founded. The Swamp soccer in Isafjordur is a non-profit organisation that is organised by a group of local people willing to donate their hard work to develop an international event in the town of Isafjordur. All entry fees and money from sponsors is used to make the event bigger and better.
There will be two kind of tasks for the volunteers in this project. The participants will take down old fences, which is very much needed in this area and than they will help with the preparation and execution of the international Swampsoccer tournament which will take place in the beginning of August. If the volunteers want to participate in the tournament, they can do so. Language: English Leisure time: Excursions and free time activities will be arranged for the volunteers. The group will have free access to the local swimming pool. Accommodation: In a community center. Mattresses will be provided and everyone is asked to bring his/her own warm sleeping bag. Location: Isafjörður, Westfjords peninsula Terminal: Intl. Airport: Keflavík (Reykjavík), KEF. The closest domestic airport is Ísafjörður. Age range: 18 and over
Extra fee: EUR 120,-
Help
preparing and running the most popular Icelandic festival on
Westman Islands
Volunteer project: This is the sixth time
that we host this project and it has been one of the highlights each year.
On the first weekend of August, Icelanders celebrate the 1874 grant of Icelandic sovereignty with a huge festival in the town on Heimaey. The population moves into a tent city in the Herjolfsdalur, a short distance west of town, for an extended weekend of bonfires, dance, and song. This festival is the most popular one in Iceland. The volunteers will help with the preparation of the festival, helping to run it and of course taking part in it and afterwards help to clean the area. Language: English Leisure time: Free access to the local swimming pool. Excursion or a boat trip will be organized by the hosting partner. Accommodation: In the Community and Sport center of Heimaey. Participants are asked to bring their sleeping bags. Location: Heimaey, Westman Islands Terminal: Intl. Airport: Keflavík (Reykjavík), KEF. Age range: 18 - 35 years old
Extra fee: EUR 150,-
Green
army in Reykjavik
Volunteer project: In Reykjavik you can
experience easily the pure energy at the heart of Iceland's capital city -
whether from the boiling thermal energy underground, the natural green energy
within the city and around it. Think of the qualities of a great city - fun,
space, clean air, nature, culture - and Reykjavik has them in spades. It has the
features of a modern, forward-looking society which are complemented by a close
connection to beautiful nature. The Gay Pride festival in Reykjavík will take place in the last days of the project from August 6 until August 9. During those days Reykjavík is full of life, a huge, merry and colorful Gay Parade goes through the centre of town and a grand outdoor concert attended by over seventy thousand people - lesbians and gay men, bisexuals and transgender people, friends, relatives, fellow citizens and numerous foreign visitors - showing solidarity with the gay cause. The volunteers in the project will be mostly involved in beautifying the city center and helping the local authorities to make it a better place to stay. This includes varied types of environmental tasks as well as e.g. cleaning tags and painting old houses. We will be working outside and will help also the environmental department to take care of all the parks and green spots in the heart of Reykjavík. On August 8th we will help the organizers of the Gay pride festival. Language: English Leisure time: Free access to all the geothermal swimming pool, excursions will be provided by our hosts. Accommodation: We will stay in an accommodation owned by the community. Mattresses will be provided. Location: Reykjavik Terminal: Reykjavík – Keflavík Int. airport. Age range: 18 and over
Extra fee: EUR 150,-
Week
of Love in Bolungarvik Volunteer project: Bolungarvík is a village in the North-West of Iceland, located at the Vestfirðir peninsula, approximately 13 kilometers from the village of Ísafjörður and 473 km from the capital city Reykjavík. It has 957 inhabitants. Bolungarvík has a long and interesting history, being one of the oldest fishing towns in Iceland, and one of the few mentioned in the Sagas. For centuries it was the greatest fishery town in the West Fjords and at the turn of the last century, the greatest in Iceland. The quiet countryside attracts some tourists, mainly in summer. There is an indoor swimming pool, a museum of natural history and an open air fishing museum. The surroundings of Bolungarvík are quite popular destinations for hiking, horse riding and bird watching. Bolungarvik was the shooting location for Nói Albínói, a movie by Dagur Kári depicting the life of a teenager in a remote Icelandic village.
The yearly "Week of Love" in Bolungarvík will take place on August 10-16th
and offers a rich and entertaining program.
The goal of the Week of Love is to encourage new births in
Bolungarvík and by doing so increasing the number of residents and at the
same time to encourage
people to love one another. The volunteers will be helping with the preparation and during the festival. Other tasks will include some forestry work, making hiking paths, beautifying the area around the village, cleaning the coastline. Language: English Leisure time: Free access to the local swimming pool, excursions will be organized by the hosting partner. Accommodation: In the local community center. Mattresses will be provided and everyone is asked to bring his/her own warm sleeping bag. Location: Bolungarvík. Terminal: Reykjavík - Keflavík. The closest national airport is located in Ísafjörður. Age range: 18 and over
Extra fee: EUR 150,-
Like
in the old days !
The group will be divided in different teams and tasks will be rotated. One of the sub-groups will be in charge of catching the fish, collecting berries and gathering the ingredients as Icelanders used to cater themselves some decades ago when the country and this region in particular were very isolated and transport of “foreign” goods and products was almost non-existent. Fishing gear, boat, as well as needed equipment and training will be provided by our local hosts. In case of unsuccessful journeys to “catch our food”, we will have at our disposal a boat to sail to the nearest convenience store, on the other side of the fjord in the town of Tálknafjörður. Study theme: Environmental messenger in the project. S/he will be in charge of delivering ecological and global education messages to both international volunteers and local hosts; organising few activities on topics related to environment, nature protection and sustainability. Language: English Leisure time: Excursions in the area will be arranged for volunteers by our local host. Please expect plenty of Icelandic cod and haddock in the menu and loads of fun sailing and catching your own food! Accommodation: Volunteers will be hosted in a local house at Suðureyri, will sleep on bunk beds in shared rooms and are asked to bring their own sleeping bags. Electricity will be available for short periods of time a day (with a diesel generator), but a fully equipped kitchen running on gas is at disposal. Geothermal hot pots are easy to be reached by boat on the opposite side of the fjord, as well as the swimming pool, convenience store and additional facilities in the town of Tálknafjörður. Location: Suðureyri is located in the district of Tálknafjarðarhreppur in the Icelandic Western Fjords. Tálknafjörður is the main and only “considerable-sized” town in the district with around 300 inhabitants. Suðureyri, on the opposite –western- side of the fjord was the location of an old whaling station built at the end of the 19th century by Norwegian whale hunters, which was on and off operation for around 50 years until the year 1939 and is now deserted. During its busiest times around 110 people lived and worked at the station. Today the great buildings are grand monuments of times past. Nearby is the valley of Suðureyri, Suðureyrardalur, the biggest valley on the south-west side of Tálknafjörður. The town of Tálknafjörður, sometimes referred to as Sveinseyri, lies near the head of the Tálknafjörður, the fjord, and the main sources of income are fishing and farming. It differs from the other so-called Western Fjörds in the fact that there is geothermal activity and the water is used for heating and in the swimming pool. Tálknafjörður is located around 400 km from the Icelandic capital Reykjavík and around 160 km from Ísafjörður, the biggest town in the Western Fjords. Terminal: Closest International Airports: Keflavík – Reykjavík (KEF), and closest bus stop is in the town of Tálknafjörður. Age range: 18 and over
Extra fee: EUR 150,-
Organic
gardening
and forestry activities in the
Solheimar Eco-village Volunteer project: Sólheimar Eco-village, founded in 1930, is the first community of its kind in the world where so-called able and disabled people live and work together. Inspired by the theories of Rudolf Steiner, Sólheimar has focused on cultivating the individual and the environmental, and is the first community in Scandinavia to practice organic cultivation. Today, Sólheimar (The home of the sun) is a charming village of about 100 inhabitants, renowned for its international, artistic and ecological atmosphere, which prides itself on its varied cultural, social and sporting activities. The village is only one hour drive from Reykjavik.
The volunteers will mostly work in the Ölur Forestry Centre (the only organic reforestation centre in Iceland) and in the Sunna Organic Cultivation Centre. More environmental tasks may pop up according to the needs of the community. The work in Ölur and the other environmental tasks might consist of making paths and planting trees in the South Iceland Farm Forest. In Sunna we will be planting vegetables, digging weeds out and doing other kinds of gardening work. Language: English Leisure time: Free access to the local swimming pool and to the fitness centre. Excursions will be organized by the hosts. Accommodation: In a beautiful house with double bedrooms, each with private bathroom. The house is fully equipped with a big living room. Participants are asked to bring a sleeping bag. Location: Sólheimar Eco-village Terminal: Intl. Airport: Keflavík (Reykjavík), KEF. Distance from the airport to the project site: 140 km. Age range: 18 and over
Extra fee: EUR 120,-
Culture
and nature in Reykjavik
Volunteer project: In Reykjavik you can
experience easily the pure energy at the heart of Iceland's capital city -
whether from the boiling thermal energy underground, the natural green energy
within the city and around it. Think of the qualities of a great city - fun,
space, clean air, nature, culture - and Reykjavik has them in spades. It has the
features of a modern, forward-looking society which are complemented by a close
connection to beautiful nature.
The volunteer work during this project will mostly
be beautifying the city center and helping the local authorities to make it a
better place to stay. This includes varied types of environmental tasks as well
as e.g. cleaning tags and painting old houses. In addition, we might also clean
up the coastline in the city area. Language: English Leisure time: Free access to the swimming pool and excursions will be provided by our hosts. Accommodation: We will stay in an accommodation owned by the community. Mattresses will be provided. Location: Reykjavik Terminal: Reykjavík – Keflavík Int. airport. Age range: 18 and over
Extra fee: EUR 150,-
Building
and maintenance of hiking paths in Akureyri - Iceland's northern capital
Volunteer project: Akureyri is situated in
north-east Iceland, in one of the longest fjords in the country and is
surrounded by mountains reaching 1000-1500 m. The Arctic Circle in only 60 km
north of Akureyri but still the climate is mild, with summer temperatures up to
25°C. The project participants will build and maintain hiking paths, and will help cleaning up the coastline. The work available will depend on the weather conditions and that’s why we have to be a bit flexible. Please keep in mind that the work might be physically hard and you should be prepared for unfriendly weather, even though it will be nice most of the time, hopefully. Language: English Leisure time: Free access to the local swimming pool, museums and the local bus. Excursions will be organized by the hosting partner. Accommodation: In the local school, on mattresses, participants are asked to bring a warm sleeping bag. Location: Akureyri Terminal: Reykjavík - Keflavík Age range: 18 and over
Extra fee: EUR 120,-
Renovation
and environmental works in the
Westfjords of Iceland Volunteer project: The “Westfjords” are situated in the Northwest part of Iceland, reaching out almost to Greenland – therefore the most westerly part of Europe. The landscape here is majestic, with fjord after fjord, towering above shore and sea, each and every fjord has its own distinctive character and tiny fishing villages nestle at their foot. It is an ideal place for hikers and all nature lovers, in summer and winter alike. Seals bask on the rocks, huge colonies of seabirds are seen and the king of the skies, the white-tailed eagle may be watching over.
The project will take place in Nupur which used to
be a boarding school in the past but now it is a hotel and a University. The
cozy school buildings are surrounded by beautiful mountains with a view over the
Alps of Westfjords and the blue seas of Dyrafjordur. The international volunteers will be helping with the maintenance of the oldest building in Núpur, cleaning the coastline and beautifying the area around the center. Language: English Leisure time: Excursions and a boat trip will be organized by the hosting partner and guided hikes as well. Free access to the swimming pool in Þingeyri. Accommodation: In the dormitories in Núpur, everyone is asked to bring his/her own warm sleeping bag. Location: Dýrafjörður Terminal: International Airport: Keflavík (KEF), Reykjavik. The national airport in Ísafjörður is close to the project’s site. Age range: 18 and over
Extra fee: EUR 120,-
Flower
festival and environmental activities in the blooming town Hveragerdi Volunteer project: The Flower festival in Hveragerði is a mixture of art and culture with a taste of the flower power in the area. Hveragerði is a small town of about 1,700 inhabitants that lies some 45 km east of Reykjavík. This friendly little community sits on top of a highly active geothermal field, providing heat to hundreds of greenhouses where fruit, flowers and vegetables are produced throughout the year; you can even find bananas growing in these houses. The name Hveragerði means ‘hot springs garden’. Geothermal energy is Hveragerði’s lifeblood, and it would be difficult to find such a natural wonder in the middle of a populated area anywhere else in the world. Very interesting is Gufudalur, the lovely ‘Steam Valley’ behind the town. The whole valley explodes with hot springs, geysers, mud pots, fumaroles and steaming vents. The international volunteer group will be helping with the preparation and during the Flower festival. The volunteers will be also involved in forestry work, making hiking paths, beautifying the area around the village, fixing walking paths, cleaning and beautifying the hot spring area in the middle of the village and planting trees. Language: English Leisure time: Free access to the local swimming pool. Accommodation: In the local theatre, sleeping on mattresses, participants are asked to bring a sleeping bag. Location: Hveragerði Terminal: Intl. Airport: Keflavík (Reykjavík), KEF. Distance from the airport to the project site: 80 km. Age range: 18 - 35 years old
Extra fee: EUR 120,-
Preservation
and restoration of the natural heritage in one of the most famous Saga
regions of Iceland Volunteer project: Hvolsvöllur is a small town in the south of Iceland, about 106 km to the east of Reykjavik. It is a young community whose development began in 1930 when a large cooperative store was opened there. The town is located in a fertile region amid pleasant surroundings with the snow-capped Mt. Hekla rearing above the horizon. The inhabitants base their livelihood mainly on services rendered to the agricultural surroundings, the manufacture of meat products for the domestic market and tourism. The town is situated in one of the most important Saga regions of the country, with some of the main stages of the renowned Njal's-Saga. Those who are interested in the Icelandic Sagas should not miss visiting the Njala Centre in town. Salmon and trout fishing in the nearby rivers is very rewarding.
The international volunteers will clean and help the locals to rebuild old beautiful caves in the area. We will also plant trees, maintain old trails, mark footpaths and help the locals to beautify the surrounding of Hvolsvöllur. We will also do a little bit of work around the great waterfalls “Seljalandsfoss” and “Skógafoss”. Language: English Leisure time: Free access to the swimming pool in Hvolsvöllur, guided hikes with locals. Excursions will be organized by the hosting partner. Accommodation: In the local community centre. Mattresses will be provided and everyone is asked to bring his/her own warm sleeping bag. Location: Hvolsvöllur Terminal: Intl. Airport: Keflavík (Reykjavík), KEF. Distance from the airport to the project site: 150 km Age range: 18 and over
Extra fee: EUR 120,-
Volunteer project: The volunteers in this project will have the unique opportunity to work at the largest National Park in Europe, the Vatnajökull National Park and in the community of Kirkjubæjarklaustur. Half of the time will be spent in the National park and half of the time working in the vicinity of Kirkjubæjarklaustur, in the South of Iceland. The main tasks of the volunteers will be trail management and conservation work in the hiking areas, including trail maintenance work and path marking. Volunteers will work together with the leaders and trail teams of Umhverfisstofnun (The Environment Agency of Iceland). Work will be physically demanding and may involve long hikes to reach the working sites. Well maintained paths enable people to visit these amazing areas without damaging them and this important work also helps to improve safety for visitors. No previous experience of this work is necessary as training will be provided by experienced leaders. The working day normally runs from 09:00 – 17:00 with breaks for lunch and coffee. However, please be prepared for some flexibility due to the nature of Iceland’s changeable weather. The work with the community at Kirkjubæjarklaustur supports the creation of alternatives ways of income through tourism in the area. Volunteers will be working on few different projects in the rural area of Kirkjubæjarklaustur, few kilometres outside of town. The main task will be renovating and reconstructing a wall from the Viking area, Bjarnagarður, which was originally constructed around the year 1100 to keep livestock intact. Originally the wall was 10 km long, but the volunteers will only be working on a small part to preserve it. The remains of this wall are very visible but worn down. Study theme: Environmental messenger in the project. S/he will be in charge of delivering ecological and global education messages to the international volunteers and local hosts. Language: English Leisure time: Remote, isolated places of extreme beauty! Hikes and free time activities in the area will be arranged for the volunteers. Accommodation: Volunteers will have two different types of accommodation. In Kirkjubæjarklaustur volunteers will be hosted in a local house; sleeping on mattresses; therefore bringing a warm sleeping bag is highly recommended. In the National park volunteers will sleep on bunk beds in shared dorms within the National Park. If volunteers want, they can also bring their own tents and camp. Location: The volunteers will work in 2 of the most beautiful places in Iceland! Part of the project will take place at the largest National Park in Europe, Vatnajökull N.P., stretching from the south coast to the north coast of the island. It is the largest protected wilderness in Europe. It covers around 15.000 km2 (15% of the surface of Iceland), including all of Vatnajökull glacier, the former Skaftafell N.P., Jokulsargljufur N.P. and surrounding area. Due to the size of Vatnajökull National Park it is established and operated under special law, it is an autonomous government agency that requires cooperation between nine municipalities. The other part of the project will take place in Kirkjubæjarklaustur, in the south of Iceland. The scenery is truly spectacular, with the glacier Myrdalsjökull to the west and Europe's largest glacier Vatnajökull, containing Iceland´s highest peak, to the east. The area is welcoming with mountains that stretch proudly towards the sky and to the south there is the infinite beauty stretching out from the sky to the sea. Terminal: Closest international Airport: Keflavík (Reykjavík), KEF. Age range: 18 and over
Extra fee: EUR 160,- Transport between the 2 places is included.
Reykjavik
International Film Festival
Volunteer project: In Reykjavik you can
easily feel the pure energy at the heart of Iceland‘s capital city - whether it
springs from the underground boiling thermal energy or radiates from the green
scenery surrounding the city. Think of the qualities of a great city - fun,
space, clean air, nature, culture - and Reykjavik has them in spades. Reykjavik
offers both the features of a modern and innovative society and the marvelous
traits of a unique natural landscape.
We will help the organizers of the Reykjavík
International Film Festival with different tasks before and during the festival.
Our group of international volunteers will work closely with the team of
Icelandic volunteers who are in most cases students from the Universities in
Reykjavik. The festival is one of the most important cultural events in Reykjavik and the work of the volunteers is a crucial contribution to the event. It is interesting for the volunteers to be a part of this international project and have the opportunity to experience its amazing atmosphere. It is very important that the volunteers are interested in the topic of the festival. Language: English Leisure time: Free access to all the geothermal pools in Reykjavik will be provided by our hosts. Excursions will also be organized. Accommodation: In an accommodation owned by the community. Mattresses will be provided. Location: Reykjavik Terminal: International airport Keflavik (KEF), Reykjavík Age range: 18 - 30 years old
Extra fee: EUR 150,-
Iceland
airwaves music festival
Iceland Airwaves is an annual music event that
started out in 1999 as a talent show for foreign record executives. Since then,
Airwaves has grown and blossomed and is now an integral part of the cultural
life in Reykjavík. The fruits of the festival's labour have been ripening and
today many Icelandic artists such as Quarashi, Minus, Sigur Ros, Apparat Organ
Quartet, Trabant, Leaves and others have made their way to the international
music scene.
We will help the organizers of the festival carry
out many tasks, such as preparing the venues before and after the concerts,
helping with the controls outside of the festival area and assisting guests at
the venues’ entrance: for example, we’ll serve them hot drinks while they stand
in line in the cold Icelandic night, a gesture that will be greatly appreciated.
Those of you with driving license will most likely be asked to pick up some of
the international guests at the airport. Language: English Leisure time: Free access to all the geothermal pools in Reykjavik will be provided by our hosts. Excursions will also be organized. Accommodation: We will stay in a house owned by the local community. Please, bring your sleeping bag. Location: Reykjavik Terminal: International airport Keflavik (KEF), Reykjavík Age range: 18 - 30 years old
Extra fee: EUR 150,-
Iceland projects slideshow:
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Volunteer project: Þingeyri at Dýrafjörður is a beautiful village that is
located on a spit of land bearing the same name. The village is a part of the
Ísafjörður town municipality that includes also Hnífsdalur, Flateyri and
Suðureyri. Þingeyri is 49 km away from Ísafjörður on a paved road. Þingeyri is
409 km away from Reykjavík when driving the southern part of the Westfjords and
then passing the heaths Hrafnseyrarheiði and Dynjandisheiði. 
Running
of the visitors’ area and 
Volunteer project: Flateyri is a small
village with 300 inhabitants, located at the north side of Önundarfjörður, in
the Icelandic West Fjords, where the landscape is majestic, with fjord after
fjord, towering above shore and sea. Each and every fjord has its own
distinctive character and tiny fishing villages, as Flateyri, nestle at their
foot. The West Fjords are an ideal place for hikers and nature lovers, in summer
and winter alike. Seals bask on the rocks, huge colonies of seabirds are seen
and even the king of the skies, the white-tailed eagle, may be watching over.
Leisure time: Free access to the
local swimming pool, great places for hiking. Excursion or a boat trip
will be organized by the hosting partner.
Volunteer project:
International volunteers will once again join a project in the community of
Tálknafjörður and its surrounding area. Volunteers will specifically be working
at the old whaling station in Suðureyri. Volunteers’ work will mainly be focused
on renovation and reconstruction works in the old buildings and former
facilities of the whaling station, and continue the work of the other groups in
the last two years.
Volunteer project:
In Reykjavik you can easily feel the pure energy at the heart of Iceland‘s
capital city - whether it springs from the underground boiling thermal energy or
radiates from the green scenery surrounding the city. Think of the qualities of
a great city - fun, space, clean air, nature, culture - and Reykjavik has them
in spades. Reykjavik offers both the features of a modern and innovative society
and the marvelous traits of a unique natural landscape. In October you can also
see the northern lights glow when the sky is clear in the chilly night.
click
here for
volunteer programs in other countries