Flights are liberating. That is a statement that most people agree, of course apart from those who are afraid of heights. Jokes apart, from movies to real life, we all have enjoyed heights, especially when the location is exotic and breathtaking. It seems from the air as if you are witnessing the entire world in one instance. Similar is the effect of helicopter tours in Iceland which is a country filled with cliffs and riffs and rivers and caves that can capture your heart with their renaissance like beauty. Helicopter tours are quite popular in Iceland. A landscape described by its spectacular natural attractions, marked by rough coastlines, smoky mountains, creeping lava fields, and glaciers- these lines best define Iceland. Almost at every corner, every turn of the road, Iceland is ready to surprise its admirers with stunning beauties. Tours in Helicopters can make your sightseeing experience in Iceland wholesome.
Travelers around the world want to experience helicopter rides in Iceland but there is always so much confusion and questions around it. What if we get too expensive rides? What if something happens in the air? There are too many what-ifs surrounding it.
Not only can helicopters deliver a spectacular aerial view over some of the most loved natural attractions in Iceland, they also fill you with a massive rush of adrenaline into the system, bringing a new level of excitement to the day with their intensity and thrill. Starting from a one-hour turnaround to a full day’s adventure in the middle of the clouds, there are a plethora of options for helicopter flights in Iceland. It is precisely this array of options when it comes to helicopter tours that travelers are attracted to fly in the skies of Iceland. Many of these flights tend to specialize on some routes and that is because those routes are famous and are much more in demand than other routes. For instance, the Golden Circle. This also depends on multiple other factors that you will get to know about in this article. On the other hand, if you like to extend your experience for a long while, there are flight tours that come with a broader appeal, soaring across an open landscape with the possibility of making a landing on a mountain summit.
Why Helicopter Tours in Iceland?
Land tours are great but how does one pave their way through the crowds? The answer is helicopter rides. You swing over in the skies without having to deal with crowds that might block your way. Imagine you are on one edge of a beautiful riff wanting some calm, ahead of you is a wonder of nature that your eyes will not forget but you cannot stay that way for long because there are people all around that. That problem is solved by helicopters. The views by helicopter are boundlessly stunning and stay fresh in your memories for ages. Also, helicopters have an advantage over aircraft which fly quite high above sea level. In comparison to that, helicopters keep low to the ground, which means you are getting to experience a sight from an appropriate distance, away from crowds and bustling while still appreciating ravishing sights. Helicopters also enable you to witness sights that can be easily missed on the land and that’s because an aerial view makes multiple things accessible to the eye that is impossible for a hiking trail or land tour to witness. You can also experience sights such as a smoothing volcanic caldera or an untouched canyon, deep in the highlands that are not visible from the road. In this way, you discover the Iceland that is undiscovered.
Sightseeing by helicopter rather than by minibus, coach, or self driving also saves you from stress finding a place to park which is often a massive task in peak seasons. Another crucial thing is that some people are hesitant to drive in rough terrains. Helicopter rides take away those driving blues too and if you compare the excitement of car rides and flights, though they are drastic, flights take preference undoubtedly. A car or a bus cannot render the same accomplishment of the thrill as helicopters, at least not with the intensity of helicopters.
Helicopters can also land almost anywhere, be it in front of a waterfall, on a glacier, or even a sloping hill. They give you complete liberty to choose where you want to land. For example, if you want to make a longer stop in front of a waterfall, you can do it. In this regard, helicopter sightseeing is definitely the most versatile and open way to get to the countryside in Iceland. Helicopter rides are a truly privileged experience where you reach and immerse in incredible panoramic views inaccessible to almost everyone else. You can truly explore Icelandic beauty through helicopters.
Choosing Places To See In Helicopter
There are a plethora of options from which you can choose where to sightsee in Iceland by helicopter. Many times, flights are split by their operators into different categories such as Glacier flights, Reykjavik flights, tours to volcanoes and mountains and geothermal valleys and highland canyons. This is because there is ample in Iceland to see and discover. There are set places where helicopters fly daily onset timings. Tours leave from Reykjavík, Akureyri, and Skaftafell daily.
You can devour the landscape of Reykjavík that has been shaped by multiple glaciers, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions over the years. Peninsulas, coves, straits, and islands; the coastline of Reykjavík is decorated by various natural marvels that you do not want to miss out on while flying. You can take a flight over Mount Esjan, which is the highest mountain in Reykjavík and the most distinguishing feature of the coastline. Depending on atmospheric conditions, and the whims of your pilot, these flights mostly land either on Mt. Esjan or within the Blue Mountains, in the Reykjanes Peninsula where you can absorb the calm of mesmerizing clouds.
A trip to the Diamond circle in North Iceland can fill you with tranquility for a lifetime with stops like Goðafoss, which means the Waterfall of the Gods. Twelve hours flight tour is peppered with such beautiful highlights. This waterfall has lush historical value related to old pagan Nordic gods. So you unmask this beauty dipped in some ancient anecdotes. This historical waterfall has a drop of 12 meters and a width of 30 meters, storing in itself a treasure of green and white waters. Other beautiful attractions on the Diamond Circle are Dettifoss waterfall, the most powerful waterfall in Europe, Ásbyrgi Canyon and Jokulsargljufur.
Helicopter tours to the Golden Circle are one of the most popular tours you can find. Visiting Þingvellir National Park from above is magical. Þingvellir is the only UNESCO World Heritage site on the mainland of Iceland. Combined with two other stops on the world-famous Golden Circle sightseeing route, Þingvellir National Park is loved by visitors for its sheer aesthetic beauty. You can just imagine how beautiful Gullfoss waterfall is from the helicopter, and Geysir geothermal area is also breath taking.
Other particularly popular helicopter trips include trips to geothermal valleys, craters, and volcanic calderas in Iceland. Helicopter rides are fantastic means of reaching these naturally formed areas.
If you wish to explore a particular site, ensure that that site is included in the category of the tour you pick. Since there are categories divided if you are not careful about your preferred site you might miss it. If you want to discover the frozen plateaus of one of Iceland’s breathtaking glaciers, then a helicopter tour will keep you from the hassle of not just driving to it, but also hiking it. Helicopter tours provide you the vacation feel with much less efforts and much more exciting vacation feels.
Equipment And Cautions For A Trip In Helicopter
Thriller and exciting, helicopter rides require a certain amount of courage from its riders. No matter how much a person claims to be a courageous one, flights can often disintegrate anyone. The feelings and sensations that come over one after lifting off of a helicopter are inevitable because it is not daily that we take a flight. People with motion sickness are strictly recommended to be extremely careful with or avoid helicopter rides. The experience of traveling is contrastingly different from that of the roads as cars and other mobile vehicles can stop midway but flights lack that. Packing your essentials is another crucial step to undertake helicopter rides. Most significant is the proof of purchase of the tour and your ID, so the tour operator knows who you are. Warm clothing and your camera are a must. Make sure you pack something sturdy for mid-air travel. Take your best boots along for wherever you land, mostly they are mountain tops that have uneven and sloppy terrains.
There is also a difference among different helicopters which operators can tell easily since they are professionals. Although all helicopters are equally safe and sound. Suppose you could be riding in an AS365N Dauphin, a double-engined chopper capable of taking the load of up to eight passengers and reaching speeds of up to 275 km/155 knots an hour or you might be seated in an AS350 B2 Ecureuil–Astar, a smaller helicopter that holds 5 people, both are equally equipped and comfortable. There are even smaller Bell 206 Jetranger, also known as “The Bell”. This helicopter accommodates up to four people, but only takes three for longer flights to provide a greater level of comfort during the trip. Make sure you make the most of your trips and click some exquisite shots that will remind you of this awesome time throughout your life.
