Iceland 2025: Land Of Fire & Ice
Workshop Information Packet

Contents:

I. General Information

II. To Do Checklist

III. Daily Itinerary

IV. FAQ’s

Iceland 2025: Land Of Fire & Ice
General  Information

Welcome!
Thanks again for joining our Iceland 2025: Land of Fire and Ice Photography Adventure! We know you’re as excited us to begin our adventure! But first, a bit of planning is needed to make sure everything goes smoothly. This document contains important information to help you prepare for our journey. Please take the time to read it carefully.

Workshop Dates: October 11-21, 2025

Workshop Overview
The workshop begins when we meet you upon your arrival at Reykjavík–Keflavík Airport (Airport code: KEF) in Reykjavik, Iceland on October 11, 2025 (or earlier) and ends when we drop you off at the same airport on October 21, 2025 to begin your homeward journey.

In between we will explore and photograph many of Iceland’s natural attractions including including spectacular waterfalls, ice-filled black sand beaches, and hopefully, multiple opportunities to capture the northern lights.

Take a look at the Daily Itinerary in this packet or on the workshop page of our website for more details about the locations we will visit and the things we can expect to see and photograph throughout our journey.

Balance of Fees

The balance of your workshop fees are due as follows:

• Final Payment:  due June 11, 2025. Remainder of all fees - the exact amount of your final payment depends on options selected such as single lodging and any extra hotel nights.  

You will receive an invoice by email approximately 4 weeks before the due date. Payments can be made online by credit card. Please contact us if you wish to use another form of payment. Your on-time payment is much appreciated.

Health/Medical

Immunizations – there are no specific immunization requirements to enter Iceland, but you should consult with your doctor or travel clinic about any recommended vaccinations. The U.S. CDC website also contains general information which may be useful.

Prescription Medications – pack an adequate supply of any prescription medications (and supplements) you take, as they may not be available in India. I also always carry a course of antibiotics when traveling, just in case. You can request a prescription for ‘traveler’s diarrhea’ from your health provider or travel clinic. 

Allergies – please let us know about any allergies you have AND the severity of your reactions. It is your responsibility to carry appropriate medications (e.g. Epi Pen) in case of accidental exposure.

Travel Logistics & Documents

International Flights –

Inbound – Book your flights to arrive in Reykjavik (KEF) by 1pm on October 11.

Outbound – Book your departing flight from KEF for after 4:00PM for October 21. Most flights to the US leave in the evening.

Extra hotel nights -  if you are arriving in Reykjavik before October 11, just let us know your itinerary specifics and we will book the additional hotel nights for you as needed (~$185/night including breakfast).

Passport – now is the time to double-check the expiration date of your passport. Your passport must be valid for at least 3 months past the date you will depart Iceland.

Visas/ETA’s

American citizens – US Passport Holders do NOT need a visa or ETA to visit Iceland.

Note: the planned implementation of  European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS) has been pushed back to late 2026

  Other Nationalities– Please check here to determine if a visa is required

Travel Insurance –  a policy which includes coverage for medical evacuation is mandatory for workshop participants. Please forward us a copy of your travel insurance policy (summary page is fine). The primary purpose of this requirement is in case of medical emergency, cost should not be a consideration in getting you quality medical care. Policies that cover medical evacuation as well as other things like trip cancellation, travel delays, lost luggage, theft/loss, etc. are widely available and reasonably priced.

Notify Banks & Credit Cards – notify your financial institutions about your travel plans to prevent problems using credit cards or ATM’s while traveling.

Phone Carrier – look into your phone carrier’s international roaming policies and rates BEFORE leaving home or you may return to an extremely expensive bill. You may want to pre-purchase a data plan from your carrier.

WhatsApp – is a free communications app that is used widely outside of the US. We will be using this for inter group communications. Please download & install WhatsApp and create an account before arriving in Iceland. You may also want to have your loved ones at home install this app also.

What to Pack

Weather Note – October is a transitional month in Iceland, characterized by increasing rainfall and the possibility of early snowfall. The weather can be quite variable, so it’s advisable to pack layered, waterproof clothing to stay comfortable during our outdoor photography sessions 

Historical averages for our dates in Iceland:

Daytime Highs: 37°F – 46°F

Overnight Lows: 27°F – 36°F

Clothing & Personal Items  – as always, layering is the key to staying warm, dry, and comfortable as conditions and activity levels change. The following are general recommendations for the essentials and not intended to be a complete packing list.

• Base layers (top & bottom) – A good set of merino wool or synthetic base layers will help preserve body heat, especially during times we are standing in one spot for an extended time (e.g. night photography).

• Mid Layers – down jackets/vests, wool sweaters, soft shell or fleece are good options for your mid-layers. Lined pants made for cold weather or heavyweight corduroy on top of your base layer are the best option to keep your legs warm. Jeans are NOT a good choice.

• Outer Layers – a well-insulated parka and ski pants/bib (or similar). Rain is possible so waterproof materials or a separate rain jacket are recommended.

• Warm socks – merino wool again or synthetic.  A very thin pair next to the skin with a thicker second pair on top work best.

• Waterproof boots –We will be walking in muddy, marshy terrain at times. A pair of over-the-calf muck boots will work well

• Gloves - a pair of thin gloves that will let you work camera controls without removing them should be enough, but those whose hands get cold easily may want a pair of mittens as well. There are also several options photography-specific gloves/mittens also, but we don’t have any particular recommendations. Ask our friends Google and Amazon, and do your research

• Heated clothing (optional) –there are many options now for heated jackets, vests, and gloves powered by rechargeable batteries. Most work quite well but may not last an entire day, and you must recharge batteries nightly. Make sure to pack the batteries in your carry-on luggage, as they are not allowed in checked baggage.

• Warm hat or beanie

• Balaclava, scarf or buff – to protect your face and neck

• Polarized Sunglasses

• Hand & Toe warmers – optional but handy, especially if your extremities get cold easily.

Photo Gear – it’s tempting to bring everything you own, but that usually works against you. If you decide to bring the kitchen sink, we strongly recommend bringing a smaller camera bag/backpack that you are comfortable carrying all day as well.  We’re happy to give more specific brand/model recommendations for specific items. Just ask.

• Camera Body – 1 or 2 camera bodies. Mirrorless cameras, especially models that have animal eye-tracking are truly game changers for wildlife photography – highly recommended. Bring a paper or electronic copy of your camera’s operating manual. Your smartphone is also a great camera – don’t forget it.

• Lenses:

  • Long telephoto - A zoom like a 100- 400mm range will be useful for possible arctic fox and reindeer sightings but not absolutely critical for this workshop.

  • A medium telephoto like a 70-200mm zoom will also be useful for isolating landscape details and creating compression.

  • Wide-angle(s) (24mm or less, 15mm ideal) will likely be your workhorse for this trip, as we will be shooting a lot of landscapes and night photography

  • Drones- You can bring and fly a drone in Iceland, but there are regulations, including a 120-meter altitude limit and maintaining visual contact. You are responsible for knowing the rules and flying competently and responsibly. There are a few areas where we cannot fly but a lot of other great options!

• Filters – a polarizer and ND filter can be nice to have with varying lighting situations.

• Extra Batteries and Memory cards – you will be shooting a lot, maybe more than you ever have. Bring PLENTY of memory cards and batteries. You should NOT erase/overwrite any memory cards until you get home, even if you have downloaded the images to your laptop or hard drive.

• Tripod – sturdy, but light with a ballhead is ideal. Your tripod should be tall enough WITHOUT the center column extended that you don’t have to bend over uncomfortably. Hand holding extreme telephoto lenses is not ideal for best results

• Small Camera bag/daypack – you don’t always need all your gear. A small bag for personal items and a few photo essentials is very handy and a back-saver.

• Headlamp – MUCH better than a flashlight because it leaves both hands free. Make sure yours has a red light option for night photography

• Remote release (optional)

• Cleaning Kit – nothing fancy,  a lens cloth, cleaning fluid and a small brush/toothbrush are all you need

• Accessories – make sure to pack critical accessories like your camera battery charger, memory card reader, data cables and tripod quick-release plates!

Other Gear

• Laptop or tablet –highly recommended. Your photography will improve if you review your images daily. Doing preliminary selects and ratings also makes the mountain of images more manageable when you get home. We will also have several sessions on post processing and image management in Adobe Lightroom.

• Portable hard drive - ideal for image storage/backup. If you are purchasing one, look for a solid-state (SSD) type that is   “bus powered” – a drive that gets its power from the computer and does not require a separate power cord (most SSD’s are bus powered).  1TB capacity minimum, 2TB is better.

• Power adapters – Iceland runs on 230-volt electricity with Type C or F outlets.

  • We recommend simple adapters like this or this

  • A ‘universal’ adapter like one of these will also work

  • A small power strip is also handy for charging multiple devices simultaneously but make sure it is specifically designed for travel or rated for 230+ volts. Here are some options

  • Voltage converters are not needed for most devices - phones/tablets, laptops, camera battery chargers and most other electronics have built in voltage transformers and work just fine with a simple adapter.

  • Check higher power devices like hair dryers and shavers to make sure they are compatible with 230-volt power.  Here is a link to a good article on travel adapters if you need more info.

• Chargers and cables for your mobile phone and other electronics

• Power bank – extremely handy when traveling. You can even use it to charge a camera battery in a pinch (USB battery charger required)

• Phone Leash  - optional

MISC

• Gratuities – we will have a guide on 1 or 2 occasions. A tip in the $10-$20 range (per person)  is customary

  • Tipping at hotels and restaurants is not expected, but small gratuities are appreciated.

•  Credit/debit cards are accepted almost everywhere but you may want to convert some cash to Euros for small purchases and tips. .

If there’s anything we’ve missed or you have questions, please contact us via email, text/WhatsApp or phone.

We look forward to meeting you in Iceland!

Ken Lee
+1 949-282-9660 mobile/WhatsApp
ken@artofseeing.com

Leighton Lum
+1 808-398-7689 mobile/WhatsApp
photographybyleighton@yahoo.com

Iceland 2025
To Do Checklist

___     Book Inbound/Outbound flights and forward a copy of your flight itinerary to us.

___     Let us know if you need any extra hotel nights

___     Purchase Travel Insurance and forward copy of your policy

___     Notify Banks & Credit Cards of your travel plans

___     Check mobile phone carrier’s international roaming policies and plans

___     Make personal packing checklist (click here for a downloadable Photo Trip Packing List template you can customize to your own needs)

Daily Itinerary

FAQs

Q: How should I book my international flights?
A: Book your inbound flight to arrive at Keflavik International Airport (airport code: KEF) in Reykjavik, Iceland before 1pm on October 11, 2025.
Book your homeward flight to depart KEF after 6pm on October 21, 2025.

Additional information to help plan your travels will be provided to registered participants.

Q: What if I want to arrive early or stay after the workshop dates?
A: No problem, let us know your arrival/departure details and we will book the additional hotel nights on your behalf (additional cost).

Q: Where will we stay?
A: We will stay in small hotels in each of our 8 locations. Nothing fancy, but clean and comfortable

  Q: Is there an extra fee for a private room?
A: Yes, prices are based on double occupancy. Single lodging is available at extra cost (+$1400).
If you don’t have a travel partner, we will be pairing you with a same-gender roommate. If a same-gender roommate is unavailable, you will be charged the single lodging rate.

Q: Are meals included?
A: Meals are not included. Some hotels may provide free breakfast.

Q: What are the physical fitness requirements?
A: This trip is rated Easy overall, but you must be able to walk through sand and some possibly rocky or slippery terrain.

Most of the photo locations are easy to reach for people of average fitness. There are a few short optional hikes the group may do that may require an uphill hike of 1-2 miles.

Q: Can my non-photographer friend/partner attend?
A: Absolutely, travel partners who may not share your passion for photography are very welcome. Just make sure they can handle being part of a group that wants to do nothing but eat, sleep and talk about photography. Unfortunately, due to limited space, we cannot offer a discount for non-photographer partners.

Q: What is the weather like in Iceland?
A: Weather in Iceland is highly unpredictable and can change suddenly. You must be prepared for everything, including rain, snow, and strong winds. The saying in Iceland is there’s no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothes.

Additional guidance about appropriate clothing and other items to pack will be provided to registered participants

Q: Can I bring a drone?
A: Yes, you can bring and fly a drone in Iceland, but there are regulations, including a 120-meter altitude limit and maintaining visual contact. You are responsible for knowing the rules and flying competently and responsibly. There are a few areas where we cannot fly, but a lot of other great options!

Q: Will we see active volcanoes and lava?
A: Maybe - Iceland is famous for its active volcanoes; we will keep an eye on the activity as we get closer to the trip, and we can plan accordingly if an eruption is happening. Fingers crossed!

Something we missed? Send us an email or schedule a phone call. We’re happy to address any questions