Traveling to Iceland is once in a lifetime experience. The Nordic island country is one of the most beautiful places to visit and explore the wilderness. Iceland is known for its breath-taking natural attractions that enhance the aesthetic appeal of the winter wonderland. It embraces some of the most dramatic and majestic landscapes and sites, including gigantic mountain peaks, magical glacier lagoons, adventurous waterfalls, soothing rivers, thrilling hiking trails, and surprising hot-springs. Each element of this stunning European country is convincing enough to explore the entire place. You can visit the cities, towns, and villages in Iceland to experience its rich culture and awe-inspiring Viking history.
Iceland has been the top travel destination among travelers, campers, hikers, trekkers, explorers, and adventure enthusiasts from around the globe. Tourists look forward to the holiday season to visit this gorgeous country. But, the year 2020 has been a little different due to the noble coronavirus and its restrictions. Due to worldwide lockdown, quarantine, and other restrictions, the country witnessed zero or fewer travelers. The safety regulations by many countries led to the closure of borders; hence the beautiful northern country experiences fewer spectators of its breath-taking beauty. But, as things are setting down in the new normal world and many countries, including Iceland, are resuming to welcome tourists, here are few reasons to convince you to hit the country after COVID-19.
Coronavirus and Iceland
The country is dealing with coronavirus commendably, which means visiting it will be safe and sound. Iceland reported its first case of COVID-19 in February 2020, and so far, till November 2020, it had around 5,200 points, out of which more than 4,900 were cured. The officials, especially from the Icelandic biotech company, deCODE took care of the worldwide pandemic by adopting early precautionary measures. The northern country adopted testing and tracing approach to minimize the spread of the coronavirus. It has adopted early contact tracing and social distancing preventive measures, which helped the country limit positive cases. Earlier, unnecessary international and domestic travels were restricted by the health officials, but now as the conditions started to ease out, it is all set to welcome tourists with open arms.
For many countries, including Canada, Australia, Japan, Georgia, New Zealand, Rwanda, South Korea, and Thailand, Iceland has lifted the travel restriction. If you’re a citizen of these countries, you can freely travel to Iceland by clearing the requirements. Iceland has made several changes in the travel and accommodation plans to help you have a safe and enjoyable visit. Iceland is among the world’s safest countries to visit, which means you don’t have to worry about the virus if you take all the necessary precautions during your stay in the mesmerizing island country.
Important Things to Keep in Mind Before Planning the Visit
Remember that you are traveling at an unprecedented time, which means you need to take care of several things. Filling out certain forms, carrying various documents, and signing undertakings will be a new normal when you are planning to travel overseas or visit Iceland. As per the official guidelines, anyone visiting Iceland must choose to stay in quarantine for 14-days or agree to undergo a double COVID-testing procedure followed by a 5-6 days quarantine. Note that this is the situation in November 2020. You must quarantine between the time of these two tests, in which one is conducted on arrival at the border and the other after 5-6 days by the primary healthcare service of Iceland. Do not forget to download the Icelandic contact tracing app upon your arrival to remain safe in the country. The app will help you by informing about any coronavirus positive person around you and also will remind you to maintain distance from others at public gatherings.
You are required to cooperate with the authorities during screening and other formalities upon your arrival to Iceland. Many people recommend going through the travel advisory issued by the Icelandic government to know more about what is expected from you as a visitor in Iceland. As a post-COVID traveler, you are required to fill out few registration forms before your arrival, along with details related to your quarantine period and accommodation. This may sound a little hectic, but it will all get paid once you hit the ground in the magnificent and majestic wonderland. The beauty is so enchanting that it makes your travel worth it, especially after staying in a lockdown for months.
You’ll Be Visiting A Post-Pandemic Paradise
A lot of adventure enthusiasts and travelers remain skeptical about traveling to Iceland after COVID-19, but the place gives you thousands of reasons to get out of your homes and plan the most memorable visit. Understandably, the world pandemic is still persisting, but you can remain safe in Iceland by taking preventive measures. It will indeed be a win-win situation for you! You will experience the best of nature, weather, food, people, and the environment.
Fewer Tourists
Like you, many people are still not brave enough to travel across countries, making Iceland a lot safer than you would imagine. Iceland is experiencing fewer tourists due to the ongoing situation, making the place less crowded, secure, and exploring the gorgeous sites without much hassles and many people around.
Best Time for Solo Traveling
Iceland is a place that’s all about self-discovery; you can spend time with yourself and introspect your thought by staying away from chaos. Solo traveling is one of the trendiest ways to explore the magnificent country, which means you are the master of your journey. You can visit different places, camp amid mountains, rivers, and waterfalls, and stay far away from the crowded area. Thus, help you to stay safe and sound from any type of virus. You can enjoy your personal space by taking refuge in the mystical places of the country near mountains, hiking trails, adventurous forests, and riverside without caring for others. Fewer tourists mean less disturbance and more personal space.
Treat Your Eyes
Due to coronavirus restrictions, nature got a chance to revamp itself. Many countries experience wildlife coming out of the woodwork and nature healing with traces of blossoming flowers and smiling surroundings. Even in Iceland, nature is seen smiling and shining brighter than before due to less population, pollution, and exploitation of natural resources. This unleashes your opportunity to consume the best of mother nature by exploring every corner with a photographic lens. The dramatic landscapes look even more breath-taking and eye-captivating, which means you get a chance to see untouched beauty and natural attractions that have bloomed immensely during the past few months. The natural surroundings keep intact the freshness that you would be missing while staying at home during the lockdown or in self-quarantine.
Social-Distancing is Easier
You don’t have to constantly worry about maintaining a significant distance from other people while in Iceland as the country is experiencing fewer tourists. Another reason is the availability of a greater area for everyone to isolate themselves from the population. You can select any part of the country, north, west, east, and south, and get lost in the entrancing beauty of this stunning European country without taking care of being around more people. You can hit any place, from roads to mountains, and spend your must-needed vacation in the wilderness.
Budget Travelling
Iceland is normally considered an expensive country, but the country witnessed a fall in its economy due to the noble coronavirus. The main source of income of the country is the tourism sector, but due to travel restrictions, the holiday or peak season experienced a dry spell. So, the stay has become a lot cheaper than earlier to attract more tourists. The hotels, restaurants, and taxi owners give discounts to lure tourists to come to Iceland and stay on budget. You can have a pleasant stay in Iceland and enjoy the great natural attraction without burning a hole in your pocket.
Opt for Self-Driving Tours
If you don’t want to be around a lot of strangers/people, you can choose the self-driving option. Do not forget to pre-book everything so that you can access the facilities and guided activities upon your arrival. You can book a rental car and download the Iceland map on your smartphones for easy navigation while driving. This way, you can remain self and enjoy a fun and exciting travel experience in Iceland. You would require to meet the eligibility and sign up with different facility providers to avail of some of these services.
You Will Remain Safe and Protected
Iceland always remains one of the safest countries to travel to; even during the ongoing situation, it has managed to maintain its safety standards. From comprehensive testing units to healthcare services to ultimate hygienic procedures, the island country is working impeccably to create a safe place all around. You will find restaurants, local businesses, and hotels following specially curated COVID-19 rules to help you have a safe and sound stay.
Measures to Adapt in The New Normal World
Do not forget that you are visiting this mesmerizing country in very strange times, which means you would require to follow unusual measures and keep others safe and secure. No matter where you’re traveling and what you’re doing, there are certain standard practices that you must follow as part of the new normal:
Note that this is written in November 2020.
- Wearing your masks has become more important than anything else nowadays. Remember always to wear your mask whenever you’re visiting a public place. Please put it on as per the given instructions to restrict the spread of the virus. Try to opt for masks that are medically proven to add to your immune circle.
- Thanks to the worldwide pandemic, carrying a sanitizer has become more important than carrying money. Do not forget to carry along your hand wash and sanitizer to remain protected against the virus. Try to sanitize and wash your hands after every 10 minutes, especially after touching or coming in contact with an exposed surface. Try to carry an alcohol-based sanitizer as recommended by health officials because they’re more effective.
- Do follow 2-meter social distancing practices while visiting crowded public spaces. Try to avoid visiting restaurants, hotels, and natural attractions that witness heavy footfall to remain safe.
- Respect all rules and regulations stated by the city and respective places. If you’re staying in a hotel and they have their restrictions and conditions, do follow them religiously as they are trying to keep the guests safe to restrict the spread of the virus.
- As per the rules by Icelandic authorities, social gatherings are restricted to only 100 or below people. So, try and avoid visiting such places to remain safe from contracting the virus.
- Do visit the official coronavirus website by the Icelandic government to remain updated with all the latest information and news related to COVID-19 cases in Iceland.
- While in quarantine upon your arrival, make sure you do not travel in any public transport as per official rules.
- Do not form any direct contact with anyone during the quarantine. You have to inform the government at the time of registration, details related to your accommodations, and how you’ll be getting your essentials.
- You can contact special quarantine homes made specifically for tourists to stay for 14-days. You can pre-book the rooms while self-isolating for the period. These homes will take care of your essentials and help you have a great time before your real journey to the Icelandic wilderness.
A lot of practices are similar to what you’re following back home, so you are pretty much familiar with how things are going in the new normal world. It would be best to stay patient as that will help you remain healthy and safe while you can enjoy a great time in stunning winter land. You can enjoy the best natural surroundings and experience some of the most incredible landscapes in Iceland. All your patience will get paid off once you plan everything as per stated rules and regulations. Remember, we all are together in this, and getting a chance to move out of your home after months and spending a great time in Iceland is worth the wait. The global pandemic has given all of us a tough time, but spending time amid mother nature can help you recuperate and rejuvenate. Iceland promises an incredible time that you will cherish for the rest of your time; just follow your heart, think about the safety of others, stay responsibly, and go by the rules. So, get set ready for your most memorable journey to an aesthetically appealing place that embraces the dramatic landscape, adventurous hiking trails, exciting mountain peaks, thrilling campsites, warm natives, drool-worthy food, pleasant environment, and breath-taking natural beauty.
