localtravelplanner.is
Backpacking tours
We offer ambitious backpackers a variety of choice in landscapes and surroundings, which one can hardly find similarities to. Be it the remotest areas - we will take you safely there and back to civilization. Quite thorough descriptions of the area close to Sidujokull glacier (with lots of good photos, too) can be found at http://floatingmyboat.com/iceland-vatnajokull-trekking-off-path-day-one/ (and following pages)
2019
5 days backpacking tour from Nyidalur to Kerlingarfjöll - in July. This one is in the "extreme" category, mainly because of glacier-river crossings. Grown-ups only.
New in 2019
I am heading (again) to Kyrgyzstan, 29. June to 6. July. If you find the high mountains and deep valleys of Kyrgyzstan interesting, why not check if our timetables match? Kyrgyzstan is safe, inexpensive and boast mountainous landscape beyond compare. The plan includes backpacking in an area with altitudes of 1500 m - 4200 m.
Another gem on the horizon is the Russian part of the Altai-mountains. Backpacking, starting 15. June, leading through valleys and across mountain passes and day hikes to nearby mountains. The altitude is a bit lower than in Kyrgyzstan: most of the time under 2500 m. Last day of the backpacking in Altai is 27. June.
A VISA is needed when travelling to Russia - and this means one needs a "confirmation from an authorized Russian travel agency or hotel. It should contain the agency´s six-digit reference number and registration number. Hotel reservation alone is not valid for obtaining a tourist visa. The hotel should be fully prepaid for the whole period of stay in Russia before applying for VISA. Please not we do not accept "booking.com" or "Airbnb", etc."
(I like the part of not accepting booking.com, Airbnb and alike exploiters)
What I pack is almost the same as for backpacking in Iceland. One thing though: I expect better weather (in terms of strength of winds), than we have in Iceland.
Travelling light . . . but not ultralight.
What I carry will be like this:
Backpack, Lowe Alpine Eclipse, 45-55 l of 1140 grams,
Sleeping bag, Rei sub kilo , 15° Fahrenheit, ca 995 grams,
Mattress, Naturehike, 3 cm, 193 x 60 cm. 375 grams,
Tent: Eureka! Spitfire. 1250 grams - or a new 730 grams 3F tent, which I bought on Aliexpress (90 USD, freight incl.). I will take the 730 g tent to the test in the interior of Iceland, later this winter. I hope I can do this late February. The days now (2nd January) are much too short for backpacking, I am afraid.
I will not use my home-made ultralight tent, even if it is only 485 grams as it does not have mesh to keep bugs out. I will not use my ultralight Gossamer Gear G4 54L backpack of 468 grams either, as the food we carry with us on the 12 days tour in the Altai might be too much for it. So - light but not ultralight.
Total weight: 3760 grams - or possibly 3240 grams.
Gas canister (220 g gas) 370 grams
Kettle (500 ml), 100 g
Burner, 15 g,
Lighter 12 g.
Cup, 35g
Knife, 25 g
Spork, 10 g
Total weight for kitchen utilities: 567 grams.
I will carry this with me in the Altai-tour, even if full board is included in the tour. It is simply so nice to be able to make one´s own coffee where and when one finds the urge . . .
Rain jacket: Marmont (gtx active) 350 g
Rain pants, Rei eVent, 250 g
2 x pair of socks, 110 g
1 x boxers 50 g
Trousers, Quechua, ca 350 g
Mittens/gloves ca 65 g
Long-sleeve merino shirt 400 g
Total weight of clothes-to-carry 1465 g
Rain is to be expected, especially in the Altai
Compass 80 g
Gps 200 g
Extra batteries, 25 g
Total weight of navigation gear 305 g
Even if I walk with a local guide, I take my gps with me.
Camera 140 g
First aid* 220 g
Anti-bug ointment 50 g
Phone 75 g
Wallet 150 g
Keys 30 g
Total weight 665 g
I might take with me a Sony Cyber Shot camera of 650 grams. Then this lot would weight 1175 grams.
Towel and a cloth to dry feet after river crossings 100 g
River crossing sneakers 320 g
Total weight 420 g
This I will not carry in Kyrgyzstan
Food for a 4 days tour
3x freeze dried dinner **), total 475 g
3x oats for breakfast (+salt, cinnamon, some raisins, nuts), total 160 g
4 x snack during the day 200 g
5 x 2 sandwiches with ham, pepperoni, cheese, etc. 700 g
Total weight 1535 g
I don´t know how much food I need to carry on the Altai-tour - but I know that it will (of course) weigh a lot more than the food I will carry in Kyrgyzstan.
All counted,
8297 grams (18lb and 4.7oz) or 7777 grams (17lb and 2oz) with the lighter tent on the Kyrgyzstan tour + 500 grams if I take the heavy camera and
7182 grams (15lb and 130z) or 6662 grams (14lb and 11oz) with the lighter tent in Altai + 500 grams if I take the heavy camera + food.
*) The ingredient of my first aid bag: Sports tape, cotton crape bandage, some patches, leukostrips, haemostatic granules, 3 x needles, 3 x thread (also for fixing textiles) , tweezers and alu-splint (arm/leg size)
**) Brands Adventure Food, Mountain House, Fuel your preparation, Travellunch, Expedition foods; If I had to choose one rather than the other, Travellunch would be my choice.
River crossing sneakers: Formerly for running, my old Saucony Virrata, which I have removed the insoles from, have proven fine in river crossing.
What I wear on the walk:
Boots: Meindl Vacuum GTX or my Adidas Fast X - if they will last into the summer. Like all other boots with synthetic upper, the upper seems to be giving in. The soles are o.k.
Gaiters (knee high) 105 g. To avoid water leaking down my legs into the boots in extreme conditions and/or sand or plants getting into the boots.
Light Quechua trousers. Dry fast. Pocket for the gps.
Sleeveless merino shirt (tank), ca. 200g
Long-sleeve, thick ¼ zip merino shirt, ca 400g
TNF fleece jacket.
This should do, but if it is cold/windy I simply put on my rain jacket and in extreme conditions, also my rain pants.
Simple, woolen hat.
The socks, trousers and boxers are of synthetic material, the shirts are merino. The raingear contains eVent and have proven to meet my expectations.
All this packs nicely into my 45 - 55 liters backpack. I might take with me a larger camera and a hiking pole which can be used as a monopod for the camera. Time will tell . . .
Trout fishing tour
Trout fishing – only being observed by the Eiriksjokull glacier (and some birds and perhaps an arctic fox). A four days package with two days (and nights) of fly fishing brown trout and arctic char in small creeks and lakes up on the remote heath.
All included: pickup from Keflavik airport, transport, all food from breakfast the first day to lunch on the last day, fishing permits, rods, reels, lines and flies. A night in civilization in double rooms, two nights in a mountain hut (with a shower) and the drive back to KEF airport.
Hiking, camping and some fishing in the open backcountry with no others around, for two - three days can also be arranged for individuals / 2-3 people. From beginning of June to Mid-August.
Example: Price for a three days hiking/fishing-tour, pick up/drop off in Reykjavik (two nights camping: tent, mattress, sleeping bag, food, backpack, cooking gear provided + fishing gear (9 feet, 6 weight rod with 8 weight lines and a good variety of flies (40+) for the area) and permits) from 1120 US$ pr. person, group size 2 - 3 persons. And of course a single person option . . .
The troutfishing
The trout in the uncountable lakes on the heath and in the creeks and small rivers zig zagging slowly for many kilometers count on the incredible production of food in the shallow lakes and creeks during the short summer. The main source of food being midges larvae and pupa and small molluscs – and of course the big brown trouts are only happy to swallow a smaller one of its kind or a stickleback. The tadpole shrimp (Lepidurus arcticus) is also on the trouts´ menu.
The brown trout fights fiercely while the arctic char fights in a more stubborn way of long, tight pulls.
The heath
The summer on the heath is short as frost remains in the ground into summer. Some years the ground does not thaw at all. The heath plays quite often a role in the Sagas, one of the Sagas being Heidavigasaga (the saga of the slaying on the heath) and the Saga of Grettir the strong refers repeatedly to the heath where this most famous outlaw of Iceland spent so much time. Not to mention the numerous trolls who were living there, according to the younger Sagas and of course folklore. Did I mention the ghosts from ancient times, up there?
In general: a choice of various sites. In a lake – where the creek flows in – or out of the lake. In a long, deep pool in a creek – or in the shallow places where the water runs faster – or by the bank with high sedge where the big brown is luring for its pray.
Some fishing and a lot of relaxing. Whole days out in the open, followed up by three course dinners. And of course, one can enjoy the super-slow sunset and sunrise and see the sky change from light blue to dark blue to change again into pink colour when the sun emerges from almost exactly the same spot as where it went under the horizon.