Adventurer of the Week: Gon on a Glacier Adventure!

Svínafellsjökull Glacier Walk
Gon Granja
Svínafellsjökull Glacier Walk

Gon may have travelled the furthest (and hardest: 4 flights and all the way from Argentina) since we started running the Adventurer of the Week series. Indeed, when you have a dream, and enough is enough, you have to act on it! So, he did! After 3 years, the dream was made real. Gon spent a whole month here in Iceland  and came out on a glacier walk on Svínafellsjökull with us. Look at his beautiful pictures and remarkable video! 

What motivated you to visit Iceland?

To be totally honest, on my bucket list for three years, and It's a long way from Argentina so I started watching documentaries about Iceland on the Discovery Channel, getting really interested in the culture, listening to Icelandic bands, reading the Sagas. All this things, were like pieces that made a big puzzle in my head. One day, I decided to go for it, so I bought four plane tickets (38 hours flying) to make a dream come true. It was totally worth it.

How long was your stay? Did you travel solo or with a group?

I was in the country for a month, covering the entire ring road solo. I made really good friends on the way!  We work with a lot of companies to put the whole experience in a short film that you can see here:

Discovering Iceland

Which tour did you take and why did you choose it?

I was making this short film “Discovering Iceland: a travel deep inside of a dream” and we decided to go with Icelandic Mountain Guides that was a great idea to include the Svínafellsjökull glacier adventure tour as part of it. For sure, it was such a unique moment in my life out there that I will never forget.

Man in a red jacket in an Ice Cave In Svínafellsjökull Glacier
Gon Granja
Ice Caving In Svínafellsjökull Glacier

What is one thing you will always remember about your tour?

To be under the glacier, walking through this ice caves, stopping for a minute, putting my camera down and admiring the beauty of nature.

What is something that you learned about Iceland that surprised you?

How life could be in remote areas and to be more concerned about the preservation of wild places everywhere, definitely is something you take home from this country.

Northern lights in the sky over a man in a red jacket in Iceland
Gon Granja
Northern Lights Hunting

If you had more time in Iceland, what else would you like to see and do?

I really would like to go to the Westfjords, I heard so many amazing stories about this place. In some way its good to have something to go back for 

What tips do you have for people who want to visit Iceland?

  • Just sit and plan… don't run spot to spot.

  • The road its part of the experience and one of the beauties of the country.

  • Take your time to make nice pictures, but take at least the same time to just put your camera away and be in the place, seeing in it with the naked eye.

Sunset on Icelandic Beach
Gon Granja
Sunset on Icelandic Beach

If you describe your tour in two words, what would they be?

Mind Blowing

Fireworks over a crowd at Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon
Gon Granja
Fireworks on Glacier Lagoon

What adventure are you off to next? What is your next dream adventure?

In the last 3 months I came back and have been living in Vik, a town in the south of Iceland, filming a new video about the village and the surrounded areas.

The plan for the next months its to go back to Argentina, to edit all the stuff and then decide a new country to go for a new adventure (I'm open to any suggestions!)

Do you have a suggestion for Gon as to where he might go on his next adventure? Drop a comment below this post if you do!

 

Bio

Gon Granja is a professional filmmaker and photographer. 

Born in Cordoba, Argentina, Gon’s work is influenced by his experiences exploring nature, travelling the world and storytelling. 

In 2016, Gon released Discovering Iceland: Travel Deep Inside of a Dream, a short movie and series of images that reveals the natural beauty found only in Iceland.

Gon’s work has been celebrated by the press and various media outlets in his homeland of Argentina. The feelings of awe and wonder audiences experience when viewing Gon’s pieces inspire his frequent trips to the tiny, remote island nation where he continues his life’s work.

Currently, Gon resides in Vík í Mýrdal, Iceland where he is producing a tourism video for the local populace.

Gon has obviously down some fantastic work out here in Iceland. If you want to see more, check out his website, his instagram and his Facebook page for more of his great work! 

Gon’s adventure  is only one of the many features that make for an unforgettable experience. Book your tour and join us for an excursion that is guaranteed to make memories that last a lifetime.  

Have you been on a tour with us in Iceland and would like to be featured as an “Adventurer of the Week”? Feel free to email Jewells at [email protected].

About the Author

Joseph Mattos-Hall

Joseph Mattos-Hall

Hailing from London and born into a British/Brazilian/Italian household, Joseph came to Iceland originally to complete a master’s degree in Environment and Natural Resources from the University of Iceland: the rest is history.

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