B5) The Wondrous World of  River Jökla 
and Kringilsárrani “Peninsula”
The Highlands at Snæfell

5 days – full board + provisions by car

 Departure 6th July 2006 

Glúmsstaðasel – Jökulsá á Dal – Eyjabakkar – Snæfell – Sauðá Tröllagilslækur – Jökla -–  Rauðaflúð – Töfrafoss – Kringilsá – Kringilsárrani -  Hraukar – Hafrahvammar – Kárahnjúkar

-- Itinerary --

DAY 1:
EGILSSTAÐIR – KÁRAHNJÚKAR – DIMMUGLJÚFUR - HAFRAHVAMMAR - SAUDAFELLSALDA
Departure by car from Egilsstaðir village at 09:15. En route to Kárahnjúkar-area via Fljótsdalur valley. Close to the site of the planned dam, those who want to can participate in a protest stand. From there we will drive to Dimmugljúfur canyon, crossing Jökla river over a bridge. We will get to see greatest canyons in Iceland: Dimmugljúfur and Hafrahvammagúfur. We will visit Töfrafoss the magnificent waterfall and Kringilsá before camping at Sauðafellsalda, where we will stay for two nights. 

DAY 2: 
KRINGILSÁRRANI
We will walk to the juncture of rivers Jökla and Kringilsá There we will see the magnificent canyons of Kringlisá, with its raging and terrifying rapids. We will get to know the unique sanctuary of Kringilsárrani. We will spend the day enjoying serenity, natural beauty and a surprisingly varied fauna. We will take a look at the geology of Brúarjökull glacier which sediments and moraines probably offer the most visible, best-known history of any outlet-glacier in the world. We will inspect the feeding area of reindeer and the pink-footed geese, rare highland vegetation, canyons, rapids, waterfalls, sediment terraces, terminal moraines and other glacial vestiges.

DAY 3: 
SAUÐAFELLSALDA – JÖKLA – RAUÐAFLÚÐ – TRÖLLAGILSLÆKUR  – SAUÐÁ –EYJABAKKAR
We will walk down to the banks of Jökla river, by the great sediment plateaus. From there we will walk downriver by Jökla, due north, enjoying its canyons and grown banks, to look at the impressive columnar basalt formations and nests of pink footed geese. We will see the „red“ rapids in Jökla, the so-called „Rauðuflúðir“. We will head for Tröllagilslækur stream to the junction of Jökla river og Sauðá river. We will follow Sauðá upstream to inspect the particular forms in the rock formed by eddies and currents. Siggi will meet us and drive us to our night camp at Snæfell Mountain.

DAY 4
EYJABAKKAR 
This day is dedicated to the unique Eyjabakkar wetlands, formed by the fine silt deposited by glacial river Jökulsá á Fljótsdal. An unparalleled oasis of vegetation, 650m above sea level, habitat of most of the known species of highland vegetation, some of them very rare. We will take the direction of Eyjabakka-glacier and will inspect Hraukar, magnificent examples of terminal moraines, and the neighbouring tarns, in an area where reindeer and pink footed geese feed and roam. We will trek on to our camp in the neighbourhood of the planned site of Eyjabakkar dam. This is where a group of artist and other lovers of nature enacted a performance to protest against the destruction of the site.

DAY 5: 
EYJABAKKAR – JÖKULSÁ Á FLJÓTSDAL – GLÚMSTAÐASEL – EGILSSTAÐIR
We will get an early start to the day with a walk down by the series of 15 waterfalls, and numerous rapids, in the glacial river Jökulsá á Fljótsdal. Extra shoes for wading may come in handy as the wetlands brooks and streams feeding Jökla are liable to grow in the summer. Sibbi and Brynhildur will greet us in Glúmstaðasel, a deserted farm in Norðurárdalur valley. From there we will drive to Egilsstaðir in time for our evening flight.

Our journey starts at Egilsstaðir airport, where passengers will be picked up at 9:15. By the end of the journey they will be dropped off at the same place in time for the late-afternoon flight.

Full board including breakfast,  hot evening meals and travelling provisions. Tents and such will be transported by car. It is therefore only necessary to carry light daypacks, with day provisions and protective clothing.

Some of the day-journeys are short while others are longer. Our pace however will be comfortable and not too difficult.

Price: IKR 42.000

Included in the package: guided tour, full board, transport of luggage and travel by car. Yoga sessions in the mornings and evenings.

Guides: Ásta Arnardóttir and Ósk Vilhjálmsdóttir
Driver: Sigurbjörn Árnason
Catering: Brynhildur Þorgeirsdóttir
Yoga teacher: Ásta Arnardóttir

Note that the outlined itinerary is subject to change, at the discretion of the guides.

Bookings: Þuríður Einarsdóttir: augnablik@this.is
Tel:  (354) 8644012

Confirmation fee IKR 5.000 payable into Augnablik account 0306-26-883 SSN. 670793-2499. Please remember to state full name. Confirmation fee non-refundable. 
Introductory meeting to be announced.