1. General overview 2. Route 3. What s included 4. What s not included 5. Training and difficulty - what to expect 6. Travel 7. Life on the trek 8. Food and Drink 9. Accommodation 10. Safety and Support 11. Health 12. Cancellation terms 13. Kit 14. Local laws and customs
1. General overview: When is the trek? 20 th 25 th September 2019 What are the key dates? Day Date Action Friday 20th September AM: Depart UK PM: Arrive Iceland Saturday 21st September Transfer to 1st campsite; training walk Sunday 22nd September Start trek Monday 23rd September Trekking Tuesday 24th September Finish trek and celebration dinner Wednesday 25th September AM: Sightseeing PM: Depart Iceland and arrive in UK How much does it cost? The entry fee is 425 to be paid in one payment on registration. This entry fee is not refundable. What is the fundraising target? The fundraising target is 3,500.
When does the fundraising target have to be reached? The full fundraising target must be reached by one month after the end of the event: 25 th October 2019. 50% of the target must be reached by at least 6 weeks before the event: 9th August 2019. Where do the funds I raise go? All funds raised by Vodafone employees that choose to #ShineALight for girls by taking part in an Epic Challenge will go to Vodafone Foundation s specially created Girl Fund to support programmes that improve the lives of vulnerable girls. Vodafone Foundation s Girl Fund is a restricted fund dedicated to supporting charitable programmes that use technology to improve girls access to education, informal learning and health services in countries where Vodafone operates. Money raised into Girl Fund will be allocated at the discretion of Vodafone Foundation Board of Trustees to existing and new partners. To find out more about the #ShineALight campaign, please visit Sharepoint. When do I have to register by? The closing date for registrations is midnight on Sunday 31 st March 2019, unless the event sells out beforehand. Is there a waiting list if the event sells out? We will operate a waiting list if the event sells out. You will need to sign up to the waiting list and will then be contacted if a place becomes available.
Do I need to take out insurance? Vodafone employees sign up as to Epic Challenges as private individuals supporting The Vodafone Foundation, not as Vodafone employees. You are therefore required to arrange your own insurance. Insurance is compulsory. We advise taking out cover when your registration is confirmed. Please ensure you have the correct cover for this type of challenge. We would recommend carrying a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) as this will allow access to state-provided healthcare in EEA countries. The EHIC, however, is not an alternative to travel insurance. 2. Route: What route does the trek take? The route follows the Laugavegar Trail, from Laugavegar to Thorsmörk. Known worldwide for it s astounding and breath-taking sceneries, you ll see glaciers, bubbling hot springs, fields of lava, multi-coloured mountains and more. Below is a day-by-day itinerary: Day 1 - Arrive in Iceland Day 2 - Transfer into the Highlands and set up camp in LandmannaLaugar Day 3 - Landmannalaugar to Álftavatn (24km) Day 4 - Álftavatn to Emstrur (15km) Day 5 - Emstrur to Thorsmörk and transfer to Reykjavik (15km) Day 6 - Visit Reykjavik city, the Blue Lagoon and transfer to the airport. Return to the UK 3. What s included? All meals in Iceland Accommodation please note, this will be tented camping with mattresses provided. Sleeping bags will not be provided Team Vodafone kit: 1 x hoodie, 1 x neck buff, 1 x beanie Visit to Blue Lagoon near Reykjavik
4. What s not included? Personal clothing and items of kit not provided by Vodafone Foundation, including a sleeping bag Flights and transfers Extra snacks/food you might require A tourist visa (where applicable) 5. Training and Difficulty what to expect What can I expect from the trek? How difficult is it? It s called an Epic Challenge for a reason! The trek is designed to be challenging - the most influential factor is the weather, which is unpredictable in September. The first day of the trek is the longest, with approximately 9 hours trekking covering 24km. Over the trek you will cover 58km (35 miles) over varied and, at times, uneven terrain. Is there a training plan to follow? Yes, we will publish a recommended training plan closer to the time. Are there other difficulties I should be aware of? Facilities: Accommodation will be 2-person tents (2 participants per tent) and includes good quality mattresses. Weather: The weather in Iceland can be unpredictable in September, so we recommend being prepared for all weather conditions. We will publish details closer to the time about the weather forecast and recommend kit accordingly. Early starts: The average time you will get up on the trip is 7.00am.
6. Travel arrangements: How do I get there? You will need to book your own flights. Further travel advice and information on timings will be released in due course. Vodafone employees may not book their travel to/from the Epic Challenges through CWT (Carlson Wagonlit Travel). Do I need a visa? UK passport holders do not need to obtain a visa to enter Iceland for less than 3 months. If you are not a UK passport holder, please seek the specific advice for your own country. Guidance from the Icelandic Directorate of Immigration can be found here. Each participant is responsible for arranging their visa if applicable. What do I do if I want to extend my trip? You are welcome to extend your trip. Please ensure you notify Threshold Sports if you do not require the internal transfers. 7. Life on the trek: What will a typical day look like? Each day on the trek will differ. The longest day of trekking will be 24km, with an overall distance of 58km covered. You ll wake up, have breakfast and then set off trekking each day. It will depend on the length of trekking that day where and when you will stop for lunch and then later set up camp.
Here is an itinerary of the trek: Day Trekking Description Day 1: International travel N/A You will arrive in Reykjavik. The capital is completely smokeless and so one of the cleanest cities in the world. In the evening there is a welcome dinner where the guides will brief you about the trek ahead. Day 2: Transfer to Landmannalaugar N/A After breakfast you will leave the city and travel to the Highlands 150 miles east from Reykjavik. You will pass the slopes of Hekla, Iceland s most famous volcano. You will then arrive in Landmannalaugar where you will camp for the night. In the afternoon there will be a training walk around the camp. After dinner you will have the opportunity to bathe in the hot springs. Day 3: Landmannalaugar to Àlftavatn Approx 9 hours trekking / 24km The trek starts in Landamannalaugar at 500m. You will follow a gentle trail with a short steep climb up to and through a rough lava field named Laugahraun and cross snowfields. This will involve low undulating colourful rhyolite mountains, steady ascents, and at times steep climbs. Prepare for fog, wet and windy conditions, especially around the highest point Hrafntinnusker. After lunch you will hike through fields of sparkling black obsidian rock. At the end of the day there is a long steep descent over scree and a river crossing to finish on a flat trail to Àlftavatn Swan Lake. Day 4: Àlftavatn to Emstrur Approx. 7 hours trekking / 14km The elevation will decrease by 40m today. You ll walk through a hilly landscape of black sand to Emstrur. Emstrur lies at the bottom of a slope at the edge of the desert and offers beautiful views of the glacier Myrdalsjökull. You ll then walk along a dirt track to join a mountain track, experiencing river crossings by both wooden bridges and also wading through.
Today the elevation will decrease again by 300m. The scenery will change as abundant vegetation characterises this stage. You ll go down into the canyon on a short, very steep sandy path using a rope down to a bridge. Day 5: Emstrur to Thorsmörk and transfer to Reykjavik Approx. 7 hours trekking / 15km You ll then enter the area of Almenningar, which involves river crossings either by bridge or on foot. Rivers are glacier-fed, wide and ankle/knee deep. From here you ll see views of Markafljót canyon and the bridged Ljorsa fissure. In the afternoon you ll descend into the main valley in Thórsmörk and the landscape changes again. You ll then leave the barren river plains and join trail into birch woods, ending with a gradual incline up a hill and then descend to the finish. From Thórsmörk you ll be transported back to Reykjavik (about 3.5 hours) where you ll have the opportunity to experience late-night bars before retiring to bed. Day 6: Reykjavik and return to UK N/A You ll have some time to stroll around the capital before being transferred to the famous Blue Lagoon one of Iceland s pools of pure, mineral-rich, geothermal seawater, set amongst fields of lava against a spectacular backdrop of green rolling hills. After this you will return to Keflavik airport for your afternoon flight back to the UK. 8. Food and Beverages: What sort of food can I expect? You will have three freshly prepared nutritious meals each day and access to an unlimited supply of treated water and a variety of snacks while trekking. A cook, who accompanies you on the trek, will prepare meals for the group. When it comes to nibbles, although there will be plenty to keep you going, we d recommend you bring some of your favourite dry and package snacks e.g. cereal bars, nuts or biscuits.
Can dietary requirements be catered for? We can accommodate most dietary requirements so please advise us in good time if you have any specific considerations. There will be a section on the registration form for you to provide dietary details, but if you have any specific requests and would like to talk about this, please get in touch on epicchallengeseries@thresholdsports.co.uk. Please be aware that if you have specific dietary requirements, there may not be as much variety as you would have access to at home. If there are many foods you cannot eat, we would recommend bringing some extra snacks just in case. 9. Accommodation What is the accommodation like? The accommodation is camping with mattresses provided. There will be designated camping areas and good quality 2-man tents provided, which participants will put up and take down themselves. You will be sharing a tent with one other, but there is the option to upgrade to a single-man tent for an extra fee of 2000 ISK (approx. 12.80). You will be in a hotel on your first night and also your last night in Iceland. Please note this hotel will be twin accommodation. What facilities will there be on the trek? Alongside sleeping tents there will be a kitchen tent, dining mess tent for mealtimes and private toilet tents at each evening camp. There are also showers at each campsite. Please note a shower for 5 minutes costs 500 ISK (approx. 3).
10. Safety and Support What support is provided? You re in safe hands during your journey. You ll be accompanied by our Trip Leader(s) and an expedition medic. This is in addition to an expert local team compromised of guides, camp staff, cooking staff and 4x4 support vehicles. Please note the number of crew looking after you will depend on the group size. What emergency support is there? Guides will have VHF radios and the ability to communicate with the team on the ground as well as our 24-hour contact in the UK if needed. Crew will also be equipped with first aid kits and the guides are first aid trained. There are 4x4 vehicles available in case of emergencies. Can I use my mobile phone? There is intermittent phone signal on the trek so please tell your loved ones that contact will be infrequent. You will not necessarily be able to charge your phone, so in order to save battery it is best to text friends and family at home, not call them. We would recommend bringing a power pack with you to charge your phone if needed. You will be given an emergency contact list to share with your friends and family before you leave the UK. 11. Health Do I need vaccinations? Travellers should be up to date with routine vaccination courses and boosters as recommended in the your home country. No other vaccinations are required or recommended to enter Iceland.
12. Cancellation terms: What if I can no longer take part? 13. Kit If you can no longer take part in the trek, you must tell us at Vodafone Foundation as soon as possible by emailing connectingforgood@vodafone.com. Please note your registration fee is nonrefundable. What kit do I bring? You will be provided with a detailed kit list closer to the event. We do not recommend you bring any valuables (e.g. jewellery, gadgets etc.) Do I have to carry my own kit? You will not have to carry your overnight bag. Please see below for more details on this. However you will have to carry your small day rucksack during the trek. Is there a baggage allowance? Two bags are allowed on the trip: 1 large overnight bag (100L 120L approx.) This will contain your overnight kit and will be carried in the 4x4 support vehicles each day. 1 day rucksack (30-35 L approx.) This is a small rucksack which you will carry as you trek and will typically contain anything you need access to during the day between camps. 14. Local customs Should I tip the local guides? It is customary for a tour group of this size to offer the local crew a cash gratuity at the end of the trip. This will be covered by Vodafone Foundation.