The Holt School's Trip to Iceland
What was your main objective for this trip?
Awe and wonder - for GCSE and A level students to see the things they are learning about! We want to fuel their interest in the natural world and see geography come to life.
Why did you choose this destination?
Historically, we have visited Iceland many times over the past 20 years. We try to run it every 2 years, as it is the perfect destination for seeing geography come to life. We are able to see a lot of different landscapes and geographical features in the short time we have there.
Can you briefly describe the visits and activities you participated in during this trip?
On day 1, we saw the Bridge Over the Continents and visited a town that was destroyed by lava from a recent eruption. We also visited some hot springs.
On day 2, we travelled along the coastal road, taking in a couple of waterfalls, the beach at Vik, a lava show and a walk up to a glacier.
On day 3, we visited another waterfall, bathed in the lovely warm waters of the Secret Lagoon, and took a walk in Thingvellir National Park, where we could see the two tectonic plates come together.
On day 4, we visited Fly Over Iceland, a virtual reality tour. We also visited Reykjavik, where students were able to do a bit of shopping.
Why did you choose these visits and activities?
These are the places we had visited before and, on discussion with Halsbury, were the ones which fitted best into our itinerary, allowing us to see the maximum amount and variety in the time we had. We wanted to give students a range of experiences of what Iceland has to offer, with a mixture of seeing the sights, walking in the landscape and sampling highlights such as the geothermal pools.
What will be your lasting memories of this trip?
The stunning landscapes that we drove through and to, and the expressions of delight from the students as they saw the incredible scenery and realised that their geography lessons had come to life!
Why did you choose Halsbury for this trip?
We compared the prices and itineraries of several companies, and Halsbury seemed to offer the best value and could offer the dates we wanted.
Were there any extra benefits Halsbury offered to support you with this trip?
The Vamoos app was excellent. In terms of destination knowledge, I think we had what we needed, but they did offer us advice on what to add to our itinerary, such as Fly Over Iceland.
How would you describe the process of working with Halsbury on this trip?
A very smooth process, everything was well organised, and communication was excellent. Any queries in the build-up to the trip were addressed immediately.
Would you recommend Halsbury to your friends and colleagues?
Yes, definitely. They took a lot of the work out of organising the trip, in particular, in coordinating and booking the different activities and arranging the itinerary. I could not fault Halsbury.
What did your students think of this trip?
"Iceland was a stunning, informative and jam-packed experience that has given me the most amazing memories!" Year 13 student
"The trip was a once-in-a-lifetime experience with memories and beautiful sights that I will remember forever." Year 11 student
"It was the most brilliant place I have ever been. Our tour guide Andy was fabulous and taught us so much about this amazing country!" Year 11 student
