The stay

Indeed, you will be led to discover, then practice scientific research Scientific Research Participate in scientific research research programs. Help advance research on oceans to help us understand them better. Do this on our nature courses on dolphins and whales. methods and techniques, in the field, using measurement tools, comparing data from past expeditions concerning the observation and evolution of a glacier. Also by studying meteorological archives and conducting surveys among local populations.

All this field work will be reported in the form of articles, with the aim of advancing the GEOCLIM research and science Science La science est désormais l’affaire de tous. Découvrez la science d’une manière ludique et active. Nous vous proposons d’en découvrir plus sur nos expéditions à la voile, découverte du plancton. education programme. In this way, you will participate in the advancement of sustainable development solutions for the management of climate change on the Planet!

Organising movement

It is possible to travel accompanied from all major cities in the world (Rome, Geneva, Tokyo, Montreal...). In order to take advantage of this system, please follow the following directions; to take part in this trip you must go to Reykjavik airport. If you live in Europe, we recommend a departure from Paris, Geneva or better yet, London. For all other parts of the world, it is best to choose flights managed with an American company. In any case, please contact the Europe Centre team organizing this trip in order to choose the right flight schedule.

© OSI : Celine Giroir

Organisation sur place

The trip will be done in stages with Icelandic buses, and on daily walking stages on the field, with one educator for every 5 participants. We will also use a 4x4 vehicle to access the tracks in the centre of the island, especially to go to Landmannalaugar. While the public transit bus will allow us to move effortlessly from one point to another of the circuit the material planned for the expedition (backpack, tents and scientific equipment such as thermometer - computers - binoculars - cameras...), the personal equipment of each participant (clothing, cameras...) and food (reserves and fresh produce).

The Icelandic buses being a reliable mode of travel, because of the speed limits, and flexible when stopping at campgrounds, it will be our preferred mode of travel.
Accommodation will be in campgrounds. We provide tents for sleeping and the necessary equipment for cooking: pots and pans and stove.
Please note that bad weather in Iceland is quite common: rain, wind, coolness, and sometimes fog. It is thus advisable to equip yourself accordingly, to respect the list of clothes which was provided to you.

The expedition

The expedition will take place in the southern part of Iceland. We will start with a visit to the capital, Reykjavik, then we will do the famous Golden Circle tour where you will discover the Pingvellir National Park, the impressive Gulfoss waterfall, and the geothermal site of Geysir which has many hot springs and geysers including one active, the Strokkur.

© OSI : Julien Beaugheon/Celine Giroir

A large number of walking excursions will be organised, including two successive days of camping in the Fjallabak reserve at Landmannalaugar, and will be devoted to day or half-day hikes (all levels). This reserve offers a grandiose spectacle: obsidian mountain, slopes made up of ancient lava flows such as rhyolite which is coloured yellow, ochre through green and grey.

You will be able to discover and enjoy the geothermal zones, peculiarities of Iceland, some of which offer the possibility of bathing in the middle of nature, in hot springs, as is the case near the Landmannalaugar campsite!

Then, we will leave for a 4 days trekking in the Fjallabak reserve, from Landmannalaugar to Thorsmork, in the south. This trekking will be done in complete autonomy, and the accommodation will be in a campsite. It is the Laugavegur trek, whose route is 55 km long. It is divided into 4 stages of 12-15km each. This trek does not present any real technical difficulties, there is little difference in altitude, but some passages are steep, and the succession of ascents and descents can be tiring. Note that bad weather in Iceland is quite common: rain, wind, coolness, and sometimes fog, so it is advisable to equip yourself accordingly, and...to keep your morale up despite the weather vagaries!

After these few days of walking, our itinerary will lead us to the Skaftafell National Park, where we will stay 3 days, in order to continue the study of the glacial tongue of the Skaftafelljökull. This glacier belongs to the huge ice cap, the Vatnajökull. Further east of Skaftafell, we will make a day trip to observe a magnificent sight: the Jökursarlon lagoon. This is a glacial lake dotted with icebergs that have calved. As the glacier melts, the lake increases its capacity.

Finally, on the way back, we will stop for a day in the small town of Vik in order to discover geological beauties such as Basaltic Organs, cliffs, and perhaps puffins that nest for part of the year on these cliffs.

Your mission if you accept it

Carry out scientific field research on the theme of glaciers, water, rocks and climate change, thus contributing to the advancement of the GEOCLIM Science Science La science est désormais l’affaire de tous. Découvrez la science d’une manière ludique et active. Nous vous proposons d’en découvrir plus sur nos expéditions à la voile, découverte du plancton. Research and Education Program.

This will involve taking photographs, GPS measurements, placing temperature sensors, retrieving data from the past year, researching and studying meteorological archives, making some surveys among the population about global warming in this part of the island: are glaciers retreating, are you observing instability of the slopes, changes in hydrological phenomena, as well as migration of animal and/or plant species?

© OSI : Celine Giroir

The approach of your teams will require you to ask questions based on observations of natural phenomena observed during the excursions and to be able to take the concept further.

Science educators will be present to explain the most remarkable natural mechanisms or to accompany the teams in an equitable way in their investigations. The way of writing and transmitting discoveries and observations will be developed on a day-to-day basis in the form of groupings and speaking time.

The Island

Iceland is a land of fire and ice, a promontory island of the mid-Atlantic ridge that is spreading with an average speed of 2cm/year, located on two different tectonic plates: the European plate in the East and the American plate in the West.
Iceland represents a fifth of the surface area of France, it has the largest glacier in Europe, the Vatnajökull, the size of Corsica. This ice cap covers a part of the south-east of Iceland and whose surface area is around 8400 km². It thus covers about 8% of the country’s surface. The thickness of the ice cap can reach up to 1000 meters. And under this ice cap there are several volcanoes, some of which are still active, such as the Grimsvotn, which erupted in 1996.
The existence of five types of volcanoes as well as under-ice volcanism gives a unique atmosphere and landscape that makes it a geological exception.

© OSI : Celine Giroir/Julien Beaugheon

© OSI : Celine Giroir/Julien Beaugheon

Natural parks are well preserved and are being developed so that summer tourism does not destroy the fragile soils of this Earth. The exploitation of geothermal energy for heating and electricity production gives Iceland almost complete energy autonomy. Prototype hydrogen-powered vehicles are already on Icelandic roads.
An extraordinary ornithological fauna coexists with sheep, reindeer, Icelandic horses, polar foxes and seals. Puffin nests can be seen on the cliffs of the small town of Vik.

Program

 Day 1: Departing Paris and arriving in Reykjavik
 Day 2: Day in Reykjavik.
 Day 3 : Circle of Gold Tour
 Day 4 and Day 5 : Landmannalaugar and the Fjallabak Reserve.
 Day 6 to Day 9: Trekking Laugavegur
 Day 10 and day11: Skaftafell Park
  Day 12 : Jökursarlon.
  Day 13 : Vik.
 Day 14: Return to Reykjavik.
  Day 15 : Departure from Reykjavik and arrival in Paris.