ICELAND THREE PEAKS CHALLENGE

Transcription

1 A spectacular climbing holiday in Iceland, the Land of Fire and Ice Climb Hvannadalshnukur the highest peak in Iceland Exciting ascent of Hekla one of Iceland`s most active volcanoes Weird and wonderful Fjallabak landscapes See geysers, hot springs, waterfalls and a glacial lagoon HOLIDAY CODE ICC Iceland, Trek & Walk, Climb, 8 Days 5 nights mountain hut / refuge, 2 nights guesthouse, 7 breakfasts, 6 lunches, 5 dinners, max group size: 12, 3 days touring and sightseeing, 3 days trekking and climbing, max altitude metres VIEW DATES, PRICES & BOOK YOUR HOLIDAY HERE

2 PAGE 2 Introduction Classic volcano climbing holiday and adventure in Iceland, walking in the land of fire and ice. A simply breathtaking variety of Icelandic mountain scenery makes this one of the most unusual climbing expeditions on offer. From the exuberant city of Reykjavik, our walking and climbing adventure begins with the easy ascent of Vorduskeggi Peak (805m) overlooking Lake Thingvellir. On this first day we also get the chance to visit the geothermal area at Geysir and to see the mighty Gullfoss waterfall. The explosive volcano, Hekla, is our next climbing goal and involves a testing 1000 metre climb, across ash and snow, to reach its fissured, steaming summit. After Hekla, we then make the spectacular crossing of the wildly volcanic highland region of Iceland, the Fjallabak, with our 4x4 vehicles at times almost submerged as we ford several rivers en route. A stop-off at the famous Landmannalaugar hot pools is obligatory. Arriving at Skaftafell, we have 2 days during which our principal objective is to make the ascent of Hvannadalshnukur (2119m) the highest mountain in Iceland. With 24 hours of daylight, the long and straightforward climb to Iceland's high point certainly carries no risk of our being benighted! With our climbing objectives achieved, we then have the option to explore Skaftafell National Park and to make an excursion to Jokulsarlon, where the amazing, iceberg-filled glacial lagoon has provided the backdrop for more than one James Bond movie. This brilliant walking and climbing adventure in Iceland draws to a close with a visit to the Skogarfoss waterfall, as we complete our circuit and return to Reykjavik. Explore International. This holiday is part of our Explore International range. Participants on these trips can book through KE or through one of our international partners. This helps us to gather together sufficient numbers of like-minded adventurers to get your holiday up and running quickly. Led by an English-speaking guide, the cosmopolitan nature of these groups can be an important part of the experience! Is this holiday for you? This most unusual climbing holiday in Iceland, provides a mix of sightseeing, exploration and challenging day-hikes and climbs. We tackle our objective peaks in order of their difficulty and the terrain that we encounter will vary from good paths across open moorland, to rocky scree and wide snow slopes. While Vorduskeggi Peak will involve a straightforward hike of about 4 hours, Hekla will be a 7 to 8 hour day and Mount Hvannadalshnukur will involve an early start and at least a 12 hour day. The ascent of Hekla is across rough terrain, including recent lava flows and the upper slopes are snow-covered. Crampons and an ice-axe will need to be carried and may be used, depending on the prevailing conditions. On Hvannadalshnukur, the upper part of the ascent traverses the Oraefajokull Glacier and the group will climb roped together across easy-angled snow slopes. You do not need to be an experienced winter climber to join this holiday but you need to be a strong walker and have plenty of stamina. Ice-axe, crampons, helmet and harness are provided locally at no charge and some instruction on the basics of snow and ice walking techniques will be provided on Mount Hvannadalshnukur. Holiday Itinerary Day 1: Meet at the group's guesthouse accommodation in Reykjavik. Evening briefing from the guide. Rendezvous at the group's guesthouse accommodation in Reykjavik. KE Land Only package services begin with the overnight at this accommodation. You may have to wait until 2pm before being given access to your rooms. If you arrive significantly earlier than this, you can leave your bags at the guesthouse and do some exploring. Reykjavik is a modern city, home to 190,000 of Iceland's tiny total population of 280,000. Its centre is small and easy to walk around from our accommodation and there are several restaurants within walking distance for the evening meal.

3 PAGE 3 There will be an initial meeting with the local guide at the guesthouse at 7 pm. He or she will give a briefing about the trip and advise you on your choice of restaurant for your evening meal. GUESTHOUSE Day 2: Drive to Vorduskeggi Peak (805m) and trek to summit. Drive via Gullfoss to a lodge on Mount Hekla. We meet our guide after breakfast and he or she will give us a briefing on what to expect over the next week. We will then board our private transport for the short drive to our first objective, Vorduskeggi Peak. Heading east out of Reykjavík, we soon reach the north side of the active volcanic massif of Hengill and the start of the track that will take us to the top of Vorduskeggi (805m). From the top, there are views of Lake Thingvellir, Iceland's largest lake, and of the icecaps, Langjokull to the north and Eyjafjallajokull to the east. We can also see the rugged Vestmann Islands, which are situated off Iceland's southern coastline. Hiking back down to our vehicle, we continue our journey with a drive to the world-famous Geysir goethermal area, where we can see the Geysir and its neighbour, Strokkur, which erupts every 5 minutes or so. A short drive away is the renowned waterfall, Gullfoss. After enjoying these gems of Icelandic nature, we head across to our mountain lodge accommodation on the north side of Mount Hekla. Our guide will prepare the evening meal at the lodge and will appreciate help from group members with the food preparation, serving and washing up. MOUNTAIN HUT / REFUGE MEALS BLD TIME 3-4 HRS WALKING HOURS Day 3: Short transfer and then climb of Hekla (1491m). Descend to lodge. Today we head out to climb one of Iceland s best known and most active volcanoes, Mount Hekla. With its classic (albeit flattened) volcano shape, Hekla was formed by repeated fissure eruptions over the centuries. In the last 50 years it has erupted 6 times, with the last eruption in February It is currently estimated that the mountain is 1491 metres high, although this height changes from year to year. After a short transfer, we start our hike from the craters of the 1970 eruption, which are at an elevation of approximately 500 metres. The walk takes us across a lunar landscape of black volcanic sand, rugged lava flows and craters - a landscape which was chosen as the training ground for the Apollo astronauts, prior to their lunar hike. The upper slopes of the mountain are snowcovered, but the top is usually ice free due to heat flux through the top crater. The view from the summit is superb, stretching from the Vestmann Islands in the south, to Mount Bardarbunga (Iceland s second highest peak) with its majestic ice dome, to the north. MOUNTAIN HUT / REFUGE ASCENT 700M DISTANCE 13KM GPS DATA VIEW NOW MEALS BLD DESCENT 700M TIME 5-6 HRS WALKING HOURS Day 4: Drive across the Fjallabak. Visit Landmannalaugar hot springs. Via the Eldgja Canyon to Skaftafell. Today, we will make the long drive across the volcanic wilderness of the Fjallabak (Backcountry). Our rugged 4-wheel-drive vehicle will be well tested on the rough road which heads eastwards into the steaming and colourful Landmannalaugar Nature Reserve. Here, we go for a short walk to the summit of Blahnukur (Blue Peak) which rises above the campground and lodge at Landmannalaugar and provides us with stunning views of some of Europe's most outrageous landscapes. This is a walk of around an hour and a half. Returning to our vehicle, we have lunch and also take the opportunity for a dip in the hot springs. Two rivers merge, close to a black lava flow and one of these is boiling hot. The trick is to find a spot where the waters mix to just the right temperature. We then continue

4 PAGE 4 our drive, heading eastwards on the Fjallabak Route, one of the most scenic drives in Iceland. The road is a winding track, across canyons, unbridged rivers and mountain passes and takes us through a surreal landscape, coloured red, yellow, black and vibrant green. We stop off at the Eldgja Canyon, a 30 kilometre long fissure, which in 934 AD discharged the biggest volcanic eruption in historical times. This cataclysmic event is known to have caused a long period of 'winter' and famine across the whole of the northern hemisphere. From Eldgja we drive south to the green pastures of Skaftartunga and then cross the moss-covered lava fields which date from the eruptions of Laki in At that time, these eruptions led directly and indirectly to the death of one third of Iceland s population. Further east, we drive across the black floodplains of Skeidararsandur, the scene of major flooding in 1996, when a subglacial eruption melted 3 cubic kilometres of the Vatnajokull Icecap. It is very apparent how these dramatic events, some of them very recent, have given rise to the weird and wonderful landscape of this part of Iceland. Arriving at Skaftafell National Park, we check in at our mountain lodge accommodation. (Please note that early in the season, the road through the Fjallabak can be blocked by snow. If this is the case, we will take an alternative route west of the Fjallabak and then eastwards on the coast road to Skaftafell, stopping off at Vik en route for a hike up onto the long ridge of Reynisfjall which provides great coastal views if the weather is clear). MOUNTAIN HUT / REFUGE MEALS BLD TIME 1-2 HRS WALKING HOUR Day 5: Trek across the Oraefajokull Glacier and climb Hvannadalshnukur (2119m). Descend to Skaftafell. We have allowed 2 days in the vicinity of Mount Hvannadalshnukur, to give us a good chance of getting to the summit of Iceland s biggest peak. Our itinerary is flexible and we will keep a close eye on the weather. If it makes sense to go for the ascent of our number one objective today, then we will do just that. Alternatively, if we have to wait until Day 6 for a window in the weather, then we can leave the big climb until then. We have an early start and make a short transfer of approximately 20 minutes to the start of our route on the peak. Starting out just a few metres above sea-level, we are faced with 2100 metres of ascent and likely 12 to 15-hour round trip. Of course, with the benefit of 24-hour daylight, we will not face the risk of being benighted on the peak. But, good weather is needed if we are to be successful on what is a tough undertaking. There are two possible routes on the mountain, known as Sandfell and Virkisjokull, and we will choose between them, depending on the weather and the prevailing conditions. The Sandfell track starts out across steep moorland on the north side of Kviarjokull, a glacier which flows down from the icecap and almost reaches the sea. We hike up for about 1000 metres to reach the permanent snowfields of the Oraefajokull Glacier. Here, we stop to rope up for the remainder of the ascent. Hvannadalshnukur is an eroded volcanic crater on the rim of the huge ice-filled caldera of the Oraefajokull Massif. The caldera itself, which we have to cross, is a relatively smooth snowfield. But, on three sides there are steep ridges and countless outlet glaciers and icefalls which cascade down towards Iceland s flat south coast. We take our time over the ascent, stopping for a picnic lunch on the glacier. Finding a route through the crevasses of the upper slopes can also take time. The views from the summit are simply fantastic and include the Arctic Ocean to the south and the huge Vatnajokull Icecap to the north. We return via the same route to the base of the mountain and from there make the short drive to our accommodation at Skaftafell. A long day, but incredibly rewarding - the ascent of Hvannadalshnukur is an unforgettable experience. MOUNTAIN HUT / REFUGE MEALS BLD TIME HRS WALKING/CLIMBING HOURS Day 6: Trek to Ingolfshofdi seabird colony and Jokulsarlon glacier lagoon. Return to Skaftafell. Today, one of the options we have is to visit the bird reserve at Cape Ingolfshofdi. To get there we have to cross a huge wet sandy area on a haycart towed by a tractor. This is the kingdom of the great skua, a huge and predatory seabird which nests on the top of the cape. Ingolfshofdi is also a busy nesting ground for hundreds of thousands

5 PAGE 5 of puffins, fulmars, gannets, kittiwakes, guillemots etc.. The richness of the sea in this area means that this wealth of bird-life can find good feeding close offshore. Seals and minke whales are often seen here, feeding from the same source as the birds. Next on our check-list of sights to see today, is the Glacier Lagoon at Jokulsarlon, where one of Iceland s biggest glaciers calves huge icebergs into a 5 kilometre-wide lagoon. The lagoon is almost 200 metres deep. The scenery is something you would expect to see in Greenland, the Antarctic, or maybe in a James Bond movie (at least 2 of them have been filmed here). We will also have the chance to visit the national park information centre to learn about the catastrophic eruptions and floods that are frequent in this area. The last one happened in autumn 1996 and is quite well documented. In the afternoon, we return to Skaftafell. MOUNTAIN HUT / REFUGE MEALS BLD Day 7: Drive past Eyjafjallajokull, and visit the impressive Skogarfoss waterfall on the way to Reykjavik. Today, we make the fascinating drive through the scenic coastal strip of southern Iceland. The south coast is mostly a level plain, created by ash fall, lavas and river discharge over the last 10,000 years. We drive over the outwash area of the 1996 flood, which for half a day is estimated to have had a greater flow than the Amazon. North of the ancient sea cliffs (which are now far inland), the glacier-clad volcanoes of Katla and Eyjafjallajokull rise over 1500 metres into the sky. Although most of this long coastline consists of black sand beaches, there are several rocky capes which continue to fight the sea. One of them is Dyrholaey, where there is a natural arch big enough for planes to fly through. Dyrholaey is another place which is swarming with seabirds in the early summer. The views from here, of the coastline and of the Myrdalsjokull Glacier, are truly spectacular. The road passes close beneath the volcano Eyjafjallajokull (1666m), which recently erupted, of course, causing much disruption to air traffic in the northern hemisphere. Continuing our journey westwards, we visit the impressive Skógarfoss waterfall and walk behind the 60 metre high Seljalandsfoss waterfall, where we can watch the thundering stream hit the pool below and admire the fulmars that nest in the misty cliffs on both sides of the flow. There is also the chance to take a dip in a geothermal pool somewhere en route. This will ensure that we are steam cleaned before our arrival in Reykjavik. Returning to our accommodation, we will have plenty of time to get washed and changed and then go out on the town, to celebrate the end of a superb holiday. Reykjavik is quite an experience on a Saturday night. Young Icelanders go out late and stay up until morning. GUESTHOUSE MEALS BL Day 8: Departure day. KE Land Only package services end with breakfast at the hotel. MEALS B Holiday Information What's Included Professional English speaking Icelandic guide(s) All accommodation as described Meals as detailed in the Meal Plan Ice-axe crampons helmet and harness Vehicle support throughout the trip

6 PAGE 6 What's Not Included Travel insurance Airport transfers between Keflavik Airport and Reykjavik are not included Some meals as detailed in the Meal Plan Miscellaneous expenses - drinks and souvenirs etc Meal Plan All meals whilst on trek are included in the trip price. While staying in Reykjavik, there is a wide range of dining options and here it makes sense to leave the choice of meal and budget to you. In practice, this means you will have to pay directly for your evening meal on Day 1 and on Day 7. We recommend you allow 80 to cover the cost of these 2 meals. Food All food is purchased in Reykjavik, with the emphasis on fresh produce and easily-prepared meals. The local guide will prepare the group s evening meals and he or she will appreciate the help of group members in the kitchen - preparing vegetables, serving the food and washing up, for example. Local specialities predominate, including excellent sea-fish and Icelandic lamb, as well as the chance of fresh Arctic char. Breakfasts will consist of porridge, muesli, bread, jam, cheese, ham, plus tea and coffee. At breakfast, snack items and sandwich materials will be made available so that group members can make up their own packed lunches. Joining Arrangements & Transfers Transfers between Keflavik Airport and Reykjavik are not provided. The Flybus provides the best airport transfer service. The Flybus ticket office is situated just inside the terminal and is clearly signposted. When you buy your ticket let them know which hotel you need to be dropped of at. The Flybus leaves the airport following each incoming flight, minutes after each arrival. The Flybus will take you to the bus station in Reykjavik and you will need to ask the bus driver which bus takes you on to your hotel (the cost of this 'second' bus is included in the Flybus ticket). For the return journey to the airport, your guesthouse reception will assist with booking your ticket and advising you where you will board the bus. For more information please visit ( the cost is around each way. Accommodation During this trip you will spend 2 nights in basic hotel or guesthouse accommodation, situated within a short walk of central Reykjavik. The accommodation here will be based on twin room sharing although it may be possible to book a single room at an additional cost. Some of this accommodation has shared, rather than en-suite facilities. We cannot guarantee that group members will all be booked into the same Reykjavik accommodation, or that you will be booked into the same Reykjavik guesthouse at the start and end of the holiday. On our journey across Iceland, we will stay in a mix of simple lodge and mountain hut accommodation. The accommodation at these establishments is in shared rooms with shared facilities. This can be twin-share. But it can also be dormitory style with no segregation of the sexes. Sleeping bags are needed at the accommodation we use outside of Reykjavik. Group Leader & Support Staff An experienced English speaking mountain guide will lead the trip and will also do the driving. A second mountain guide will accompany groups of over 8 clients on the ascent of Mount Hvannadalshnukur.

7 PAGE 7 Altitude The altitudes on this holiday are not extreme and the maximum altitude attained is no more than the equivalent of a pressurised cabin on an international flight. You may feel the altitude the first time you trek above 2000 metres but all that is required is a slower pace to compensate. You should pay particular attention to your hydration levels while trekking above 2000 metres. Spending Money Approximately (in local currency) should be allowed for miscellaneous expenses, including the 2 dinners in Reykjavik that you will pay for directly. You can withdraw cash from ATMs in most towns in Iceland using a credit or debit card. If you wish to bring your travel money in cash this can be changed into Icelandic Krona at the airport. Guidance On Tipping Tipping is not really expected in Iceland, but if your guide has done a good job, it would not be unreasonable for the group to invite him or her to your final meal, pay for their meal and offer a small token of your appreciation. Free KE Gift We give you a free gift as a way to thank all our clients who book a KE holiday. Choose from KE T-shirts, buffs, KE trek bags* (where applicable) plus many more. Alternatively you can choose to make a 10 donation to the Juniper Trust Charity. You can make your selection in your My KE account after booking. * A trek bag is not required for this holiday. You can however purchase a KE trek bag for Delivery outside of the UK will be charged. Baggage Allowance Your baggage on trek will be carried in the support vehicle. Clients should restrict themselves to a single trek bag. There is no weight limit on this bag other than that imposed by your international carrier. Group Size & Holiday Status For each holiday there is a minimum number of participants required to enable it to go ahead. Once the minimum number is reached, the trip status will change from 'Available' to 'Guaranteed to run'. You can check the trip status for each departure in Dates and Prices table. Other than in exceptional circumstances, we will not cancel a trip once it has achieved this guaranteed to run status and so you are free to proceed with your international flight booking and other travel arrangements. General Information Passport & Visas A passport with 6 months remaining validity at the end of your stay is generally required for visits to countries outside the EU. The information that we provide is for UK passport holders. Please check the relevant embassy or consulate for other nationalities. It is your responsibility to ensure that you have the correct travel documents and visas for your holiday. Visa requirements and charges are subject to change without notice. If you are travelling outside the EU you should have at least 2 blank pages in your passport for each country that you visit.

8 PAGE 8 Visa Iceland UK and USA passport holders do not require a visa for short stays. Health & Vaccinations You should contact your doctor or travel clinic to check whether you require any specific vaccinations. UK residents should obtain a free European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). This entitles you to state provided medical treatment, but is not a substitute for medical travel insurance which is still vital when travelling overseas. Currency The unit of currency in Iceland is the Icelandic Krona. Electricity Supply & Plug We recommend you check if you require an adaptor for your electrical items at: Preparing For Your Holiday It makes a lot of sense to spend some time before coming on an active holiday getting some additional exercise. The fitter you are, after all, the more enjoyable you will find the experience. The best training is in the hills, long hiking trips are good for building stamina, and a regular exercise regime (jogging, squash, swimming etc.) is good for developing and maintaining cardio-vascular fitness. Travel Aware As a reputable tour operator, KE supports the British Foreign & Commonwealth Offices' Travel Aware campaign to enable British citizens to prepare for their journeys overseas. The 'Travel Aware' website provides a single, authoritative source of advice for all kinds of travellers and we recommend that prior to travel, all KE clients visit the official UK Government website at travelaware.campaign.gov.uk and read the FCO Travel Advice for their chosen destination. North Americans can also check out the U.S. Department of State website: for essential travel advice and tips. KE treat the safety and security of all clients as the most important aspect of any trip we organise. We would not run any trip that we did not consider reasonably safe. Should the FCO advise against travel for any reason, we will contact everyone booked to travel to discuss the situation. We receive regular updates direct from the FCO and are in constant touch with our contacts on the ground. If you have any questions about government travel advice, please call our office. Climate The weather in Iceland in the period that we run this holiday (June and July) is generally fairly good. We can expect daytime temperatures anywhere from 10 to 20 degrees centigrade, dropping to just above freezing in the evenings. High on our climbs, we can also expect to encounter cold conditions. At any time of year in Iceland, there is a chance of poor weather, with wind, rain and even snow. But, equally, we can also encounter good days that are clear and sunny. In short, you need to be prepared for English Lake District walking. Bring your waterproofs!

9 PAGE 9 Books The Rough Guide to Iceland Lonely Planet. Iceland, Greenland and the Faroe Islands The Insight Guide to Iceland Iceland. Photo Book. Colin Baxter Maps Fjallabak. Hekla - Laki. Covers Hekla And The Fjallabak. 1:100,000 Scale. The Icelandic maps published by Mal og Menning are good. There are several series. Island (The whole island) 1:600,000 scale. Flight Information Flight Inclusive Or Land Only? On our website we display a UK Flight inclusive package price and Land only package price for the majority of our holidays. Land Only Notes We sell this holiday on a Land Only basis and recommend that you book your flights to Reykjavik (Keflavik) Airport Please refer to Joining Arrangements and Transfers for further details. Flights SHOULD NOT be booked until you have received your booking confirmation and the departure is showing 'Guaranteed to Run' or 'Limited'. If flying from the UK, there are a number of low cost airlines offering flights to Reykjavik. These include Easyjet, who have flights from Gatwick Luton, Manchester and Edinburgh and WOW Air, who have flights from Gatwick, Stansted and Edinburgh. If you would prefer to book a 'Flight Inclusive' package using scheduled airlines from the UK please contact our flights department for a quote. Whilst flight prices are likely to be more expensive you will benefit from full financial protection. Why Choose KE Adventure Travel? Why Choose KE Adventure Travel? Experience KE has 34 years experience of adventure travel worldwide. All of our holidays are accompanied by an experienced leader, some of whom have worked with KE groups for many years. Many are professional guides and instructors with an unrivalled knowledge of the areas in which they work. In many parts of the world, we recruit local guides with appropriate training and experience. In addition to having the technical skills to ensure your safety, KE expects its leaders to be active members of the group. A leader should be fun to travel with and ready to share with you their enthusiasm for adventure travel and their knowledge of the area. Alongside the group leader, there

10 PAGE 10 will be a local support crew, which could be just a driver, or a complete team of guides, drivers, porters, muleherders and cooks. The hard work of our support crews, along with the fascinating insight they can offer into their local culture, is integral to providing you with the very best adventure travel experience. The team of KE office staff is amongst the most experienced in the business, with the proven ability to set up and operate a worldwide programme of adventures. Every one has adventure travel at heart and joins at least one trip a year. It is this depth of experience that makes KE stand out from other adventure travel operators. When you contact KE, by phone or , or visit our office, you will find the help and advice you need, from someone who has actually done the trip and can give you the benefit of their first-hand experience. KE can guarantee the very best in trek support, excellent food, a good standard of hotel and camp accommodation, plus the back up of one of the most respected companies in the business. Client satisfaction is at the top of our agenda and almost 50% of our bookings each year come from repeat business. If you are looking for adventure then look no further than KE. RESPONSIBLE TOURISM AND AWARDS Responsible Tourism has always fitted naturally with KEs travel ethic. It is important to us that our clients are not the only beneficiaries of the travel experience, but that we share a two-way relationship with the areas that we visit. We make sure that our local staff are well treated and well paid, we respect indigenous cultures, take care to protect the environment and make the most of every opportunity to make a positive contribution wherever we travel. In addition to holding an AITO 5-star Sustainable Tourism rating, we are recipients of AITO s Achievement in Sustainable Tourism Award in recognition of the work carried out over the past 20 years, giving back to the communities and areas we visit. We have been awarded Highly Commended status in the Best Tour Operator category of the Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards, and were named Best Trekking Operator on Earth by National Geographic Magazine, whose criteria included commitment to responsible tourism. We continue to travel responsibly, and more information on our policy, practice, and specific projects can be found at and on the website of our partner charity the Juniper Trust: KEs Mountain Code is issued to our staff, trek leaders and overseas agents, and we recommend it to our clients, too! Your Complete Financial Protection KE Adventure Travel is a fully licensed and bonded tour operator. We are a member of the Association of Independent Tour Operators (AITO), bonded with the CAA (ATOL 2808) and ABTA licensed (W4341). You can book your trip with KE Adventure Travel in complete confidence that all monies you pay for a trip are fully protected. BOOKING YOUR HOLIDAY Making a Booking The easiest way to make your booking is online. You will need to pay a deposit at the time of booking. This is normally 200 but for some holidays with special permit fees or internal flights, this may be more. The amount of deposit required for an individual holiday is given on the dates and prices page of the holiday. Late bookings will require full payment. We cannot confirm any booking until we receive your fully completed booking form.

11 PAGE 11 Adventure Travel Insurance IMPORTANT - It is a condition of joining any of our trips that you are insured against medical and personal accident risks (to include repatriation costs, air ambulance and helicopter rescue services). We also strongly recommend that you take out holiday cancellation insurance, as all deposits paid are non-refundable. Please ensure that your insurer is aware of your KE Adventure itinerary and can agree to cover the activities being undertaken. You will then need to advise us of your policy details and complete an Insurance Declaration Form. CAMPBELL IRVINE DIRECT travel insurance is available to EU residents and will cover the majority of KE Adventure holidays. It has been designed to provide cover for activities normally excluded by other insurers such as trekking, mountain biking and climbing. Please note that certain activities may attract a higher premium. In addition Campbell Irvine Direct cannot provide cover for KE climbing trips above 6000m. Cover for these can be obtained through either the British Mountaineering Council (BMC) or Snowcard. TRAVELEX is a USA based insurer offering travel insurance, which can be used by US citizens and US residents only. KE recommends the "Travelex Select" package for our holidays. If your holiday involves using mountaineering equipment (ropes, harness or crampons), for climbing or glacial travel, you should consider the "Adventure Plus Pak" optional upgrade on the Travelex Select Plan. Please refer to the 'Description of Coverage' for a summary of the terms, conditions, exclusions and limitations of the applicable Protection Plan. This policy will also cover KE climbing trips above 6000m. We hope that this trip notes has answered most of your questions. Please feel free to contact us and speak to one of our experts.

12 PAGE 12 Equipment List The following checklist should help you with your packing. As a general rule, you should always try to keep the weight of your equipment to a minimum. You Must Bring The Following Items: Sleeping bag (comfort rated +5 C) Daypack 30 to 40 litres Water bottles 1 litre (x2) Hiking boots** Gaiters Socks Trekking trousers Waterproof overtrousers Underwear Thermal baselayer shirts (2 short sleeve, 2 long sleeve) T-shirts and/or casual shirts Fleece jacket Waterproof jacket Sunhat Warm hat Lightweight balaclava or facemask Sunglasses Ski goggles Warm and waterproof gloves or mittens Headtorch and spare batteries Sun protection (including total bloc for lips, nose etc.) Washbag and toiletries Small towel Basic First Aid Kit including: antiseptic cream, throat lozenges, diarrhoea treatment (Imodium), painkillers, plasters and blister treatment.?mountaineering Equipment: Ice-axe *

13 PAGE 13 Crampons (with anti-balling plates fitted)* Climbing harness* Karabiner (1 x screwgate)* The Following Items Are Optional: Thermal baselayer - leggings Travel clothes Trainers for use in the huts Trekking poles Sleeping bag liner Swimwear (for hot springs) Camera Spare laces Notes **Boots: You need to take a pair of warm and reasonably substantial hiking boots. The crampons provided are designed to fit hiking boots and you do not require rigid mountaineering boots for this trip. *Crampons, ice axe, helmet and harness with karabiner are all provided locally in Iceland. If you wish to take your own crampons, ice axe and harness you are welcome, but it is not necessary. PHD Gear Advisor PHD specialise in cold weather equipment, from the world s lightest right up to the most protective for Everest or the Poles. It s a large range. So to help you choose what you need to keep you warm, PHD have listed the gear that is appropriate for this expedition. >> Click here to go to the PHD Gear Advisor for Three Peaks Challenge Needle Sports (Specialist Mountaineering Equipment Shop) Needle Sports is the English Lake District's foremost specialist climbing shop supplying mountaineering, rock, ice, alpine and expedition equipment worldwide. Internationally recognised as among the very best of the UK's top technical climbing gear retailers. They have a good range of equipment appropriate for this trip and offer knowledgeable advice both on their website and in store. View >> Please note: This document was downloaded on 1 May 2018, and the trip is subject to change.