Ride the Airwaves & Tour Iceland

The first week of November is a special time for Iceland: it’s Iceland Airwaves time!

What started off as a one-off concert in an airline hangar in October 1999 has grown to feature over 200 artists. With concerts spread out all over the city, is 2016 being the biggest year yet. 

This is the largest event in Iceland and is one the greatest and newest showcases of new music in the world, lasting 5 entire days from November 2nd-6th. This years highlights are Björk and PJ Harvey, and the streets of Reykjavik will be alive with the sound of music.

You might be wondering what to do with your time, either during the festival days or if you have extra time after Airwaves is over. If you have come to Iceland for Iceland Airwaves, the music is going to be the main draw for you; but what if you want to see some of the magnificent nature Iceland has to offer before heading out to hear the beautiful music (besides the wind) that Iceland has to offer?

What Else is Happeneing?

Because we want you to know what else is going on, we at Icelandic Mountain Guides put together this post to give you some travel inspiration for your short break in Iceland over airwaves and this fall.

Glacier Walk and Ice Climbing 

Ever walked on a glacier? Ever ice climbed? No? Well now is your chance! You can easily swing down to a glacier on the south coast of Iceland  from the capital for a little wander on a glacier before heading back for Airwaves. Consider a Walk on the Ice Side  on Sólheimakojökull and, if you want to visit one or two epic waterfalls and an ice climb, take a day to see the south shore, step on a glacier and do an ice climb.

The Golden Circle, with extra ice for good measure!

On this winter getaway, you can spend three days checking out the classics of Iceland on a Golden Circle Tour and then top it off with the black sand beaches, basalt columns and a glacier walk! This will give you a great overview of Iceland, and the land that has inspired many of the musicians you will have heard over Airwaves.

Why not adventure longer?

How about tacking on an extra few days after all is said and done (and sung) at Airwaves and hitting the road to explore Iceland more in-depth? You can step into a magisterial ice cave and gaze up at the northern lights over 2 days, or for something longer we have the Treasure trail, a feast of a journey that is all inclusive and full of natural wonders and attractions. 

Natural Meets Cultural

So when you come over to Iceland for Airwaves, why not merge nature with culture? We hope this post has given you some suggestions as to what to do!

If you have any questions about any of the activities mentioned here, or any others you have heard about, don't hesitate to ask us and email on [email protected], reach out on our Facebook page or send us a DM on Instagram.