From plate boundaries to skyscrapers
Few trips let students stand between two tectonic plates one day and gaze up at the Manhattan skyline a few days later.
Our 8-day geography school trips to Iceland and New York begin in the Land of Fire and Ice, where students walk through the Almannagjá fault at Þingvellir, watch Strokkur erupt, explore Sólheimajökull glacier and see how geothermal power supplies almost all of the country’s energy.
They then fly on to New York to study the human side of geography: mass migration at Ellis Island, urban regeneration on the High Line, and the forces that shaped one of the world’s great financial centres.
Trip Highlights
The erupting Strokkur geyser and stunning waterfalls of Gullfoss
Visit to the impressive Sólheimajökull glacier
A cruise around the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island
High Line urban renewal project
Itinerary suggestion
1 Flight to Keflavik approximately 3 hours
2 Coach transfer to enjoy the Blue Lagoon
3 Coach transfer to Reykjavik
4 Evening meal. Overnight in Reykjavik
1 Breakfast and pick up packed lunch
2 Visits to Hellisheið Power Plant, Þingvellir National Park and the Almannagja fault
3 Spend the afternoon at Kerið crater, Gulfoss waterfalls and Geysir area
4 Evening meal. Overnight in the Hvolsvollur area
1 Breakfast and pick up packed lunch
2 Take in the Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss waterfalls
3 Explore the Sólheimajökull Glacier and Vik beaches
4 Evening meal. Overnight in Reykjavik
1 Breakfast and pick up packed lunch
2 Reykjavik city sightseeing
3 Coach transfer to Keflavik airport. Flight to New York
4 Evening meal (own arrangement)
1 Breakfast
2 Statue Cruise taking in the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island
3 Visit 9/11 Memorial Plaza, Financial District, and Skyscraper Museum
4 Evening meal (own arrangement)
1 Breakfast
2 Explore the Tenement Museum
3 Walk the High Line and head for Midtown shopping district
4 Evening meal (own arrangement) before visiting the Empire State Building
1 Breakfast
2 Museum of the City of New York
3 Explore Central Park before picking up your airport transfer
4 Overnight flight to the UK
1 Arrive UK – Welcome home!
Extras
New York Meals
Travelbound can arrange great value breakfast, lunch or evening meals in a variety of group friendly restaurants to suit your touring programme. Restaurants include Hard Rock Café, Planet Hollywood, Bubba Gump, Heartland Brewery, Mama Sbarro, John’s Pizzeria and typical breakfast diners.
Recommended excursions
Blue Lagoon
Students can experience the unique and invigorating waters at the Blue Lagoon geothermal spa. Set in the middle of a black lava field on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge’s Western Volcanic Zone students can enjoy a dip in the mineral-rich waters. This is a man-made spa using the naturally heated water created as a by-product of a nearby geothermal power station. It is Iceland’s most popular visitor attraction. (NB: Minimum student age is 14 years).
Hellisheiði Geothermal Power Plant
Stop at the largest geothermal power station in the world allowing students to witness Iceland’s pioneering work into sustainable energy. Over 99% of Iceland’s energy comes from renewable sources such as geothermal power, producing over 300MW of electricity. Boreholes drill down to 3000m, where temperatures are at 300°C.
Þingvellir National Park
Þingvellir is a tectonic rift valley occurring at a constructive plate boundary formed from oceanic crust. Here the Eurasian plate moves eastwards at approximately 7mm per year and the North American plate moves westwards 3mm per year. A lake fills much of the valley. Walk through the Almannagjá fault towards Europe’s oldest national legislative assembly, the Icelandic Parliament dating from 930. Trek through the rugged scenery and explore this site of geological and historical importance.
Kerið Crater
Kerið lies on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge’s Western Volcanic Zone, where the plate boundary has divided into eastern and western sections. The crater was formed almost 3000 years ago when volcanic activity caused magma to drain out of the volcanoe and the cone collapsed. The level of the lake inside the crater rises and falls with changes in the water table and the lake freezes over in winter.
Gullfoss, ‘Golden Falls’
Known as the ‘Golden Falls’, Gullfoss is Iceland’s most famous waterfall. A sight of natural beauty, students will notice the brownish colour of the glacial water caused by the sediments carried in the flow.
Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss
Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss are two of the most noteworthy waterfalls in Iceland. These picture postcard waterfalls have a drop of around 60 meters and are a must see addition to your trip. Both Falls are from cliffs which are a former coastline, today the coastline is several kilometres away.
Sólheimajökull Glacier
See the expansive Sólheimajökull Glacier which stretches for approximately 8 kms with a maximum width of 2 kms. This valley glacier is a tongue descending from the Mýrdalsjökull ice cap. A guided walk on the glacier with specialist equipment allows students to truly experience this natural formation. Students will be able to recognise the scent of sulphur reminding them of the volcanic nature of this area.
Sólheimajökull Glacier Edge Walk
Join an expert glacier guide on this 2.5–3 km walk through one of Iceland’s most dramatic glacial landscapes. With a helmet and poles, follow a mostly flat gravel route past a meltwater river to the lagoon, learning about the glacier’s history and why the lagoon keeps changing as the ice retreats. Get close to the glacier’s edge, spot icebergs and discover the story of the volcanic ash trapped in the ice, then enjoy hot chocolate or coffee and cookies on a black-sand beach.
The Glacier Edge Walk does not include walking on the ice.
Strokkur Geyser
This is a geothermal area on the mid-Atlantic Ridge’s western volcanic zone with geyser, mudpools and hot springs. This is one of the most visited sites in Iceland. The rhyolite bedrock one kilometre beneath this site is at temperatures of 240°C. The famous Strokkur geyser erupts water and steam every few minutes reaching heights over 20m. The Icelandic word geysir has been adopted into the English language as geyser.
Vik Beaches
The small isolated settlement of Vik is a vital commercial centre for the rural communities of southern Iceland and is also a tourist hub. The dramatic coastline here is formed from sediments washed out from the mountains in subglacial eruptions eroded by powerful Atlantic waves. The cliffs are a nesting site for various birds including puffins, and the Katla volcano lies to the north.
Reykjavik
Reykjavík is home to 130,000 people, and attractions include the harbour zone, distinctive Harpa concert hall, the hilltop modern Hallgrímskirkja (Hallgrím’s Church), a range of sculpture and art installations, and shops in characteristic architecture. The city is a great place to study tourism, urban planning and transport management, sustainability, coastal defense management and migration.
Perlan – Wonders of Iceland
Perlan serves as a learning laboratory where visitors can explore Iceland’s astonishing natural wonders through the lens of science and human perception. Highlights include a 100m-long indoor ice cave, a life-size bird cliff, a show about volcanoes and a Northern Lights show in the Planetarium.
‘Into the Volcano’ also allows you to experience what a volcano looks like from the inside. This fully immersive environment, with its kinetic glass platform and 3D sound, surrounds you with the raw forces that shape the planet.
The LAVA Centre
The Iceland Volcano and Earthquake Centre, LAVA, provides school groups with an interactive and educational centre dedicated to the unique volcanoes and geology of Iceland. Explore the history of eruptions on the island and experience a simulation allowing students to gauge the impact of volcanic activity.
The Lava Show
A unique opportunity to experience real, flowing superheated molten lava in a safe environment. See, feel and smell the lava which enters the showroom at a temperature of 1100 C. The lava used in the show is created from basaltic tephra originating from the 1918 Katla eruption. Offering a mix of education, cultural insights and entertainment the show can be experienced in two locations, Reykjavik or Vik in the Katla UNESCO Global Geopark.
Ellis Island Immigration Museum
Between 1892 and 1954 over 12m people passed through the Ellis Island gateway in search of American citizenship. People came for religious and economic opportunity in America and freedom of speech. This is a culture-defining landmark and the museum has three floors of exhibitions and audio-visual displays telling the history of this significant time.
Lower East Side Tenement Museum
America’s first living-history museum dedicated to the life of immigrants, aiming to promote tolerance and awareness of the variety of migrant experiences on Manhattan’s Lower East Side. At the ‘gateway to America’, the partially restored 1863 tenement building runs guided tours focusing on specific character stories related to work and family life.
National 9/11 Memorial
The memorial quadrant is a poignant reminder of the 9/11 devastation and an inspiring testimony by citizens to honour those who died. Twin reflecting pools and manmade waterfalls mark the spot where the Twin Towers stood, with the names of everyone lost inscribed into bronze panels around the outside.
9/11 Memorial Museum
Documenting September 11, 2001, the museum examines the implications of the events and commemorates the nearly 3,000 men, women and children who died on 9/11 and in the 1993 World Trade Centre bombing. Using multimedia displays, narratives, archives and artefacts, the museum presents powerful accounts of the monumental struggles faced by a nation and the legacy of that day.
United Nations Headquarters
An icon of global alliance, the 18-acre stretch on the East River is an ‘international zone’. Visitors are welcome to explore the space that benefits from a 1,400 specimen rose garden. Tours take in the council chambers and General Assembly, corridors of diverse artwork and displays on the organisation’s concerns such as peacekeeping and human rights.
Top of the Rock
With views to rival those of the Empire State Building, Rockefeller’s multi-floor observation deck is 70 floors high. A thrilling Plexiglass screen installation shows the construction workers hanging on the high beams, with a chance for you to ‘walk’ across one too, far above the city streets. Exhibits include the history and a model of the building.
Empire State Building
Built at the peak of the skyscraper craze in 1931, the 1250ft Empire State Building is an Art Deco symbol of NYC. A ride in the express lift to the observatory floors gives students an unrivalled view of the city with outdoor decks and restored original interiors. A handheld device acts as an audio and visual companion with engaging videos, image galleries, quizzes and maps. An immersive Exhibition Gallery also explains the history of the site, the construction, sustainability and how the building has achieved its iconic status.
Statue Cruises
Take the Statue Cruise from Battery Park to the Statue of Liberty, one of the world’s most iconic structures and a symbol of freedom and democracy. Continue to Ellis Island and be inspired by the history and stories of the immigrants entering America between 1892-1954. This hop-on, hop-off service allows you to explore at your leisure.
High Line
This innovative park has been built on an elevated section of a disused railway line in Manhattan’s West Side, 30 foot above street level. This successful urban renewal project saved the railway line from demolition and the surrounding area is now being renovated and gentrified. The High Line offers great views of the Hudson River
Skyscraper Museum
Enchanting, hand-carved miniature wooden models of Manhattan’s skyscrapers are a novel way to appreciate New York’s architectural background – both how the colossal buildings are erected and their impact upon people’s lives. Skyscrapers are intrinsic to the city’s identity, and exhibitions explore the influence of history, economy and individuals on the skyline. Photo © Shinya Suzuki.
The Museum of the City of New York
New York is explored through its very particular modes of fashion, architecture, politics, and history. Engaging exhibitions, films, lectures and walking tours make the most of the Colonial Revival building and always make an impact on student’s understanding of NY culture. Across the street is an entrance to Central Park’s little-known but enchanting Conservatory Gardens.
One World Observatory, One World Trade Center
The One World Observatory is located within the One World Trade Center providing unmatched views stretching across Manhattan to New Jersey. Groups will be able to learn about the history of the Trade Center in New York, its history and construction. Free educational material is available for the following subjects: Economics, History, Science, Math and Value Diversity.
The Edge, Hudson Yards
Complement your visit to the Edge with REACH FOR THE SKY, a virtual STEM education Programme. Students take a behind-the-scenes look at amazing innovations of architecture and engineering and learn about the STEM, history, and social impact of this gravity-defying structure through digital resources and a Virtual Field Trip.
SUMMIT One Vanderbilt
This unique visitor attraction offers three levels of multi-sensory immersive experiences on the top of the fourth tallest building in Manhattan. Visitors will experience a blend of art installations and technology against the backdrop of the Manhattan skyline. Amazing photo opportunities during the day or at night!
Learning outcomes
Subject focus
Students can:
- Develop a deeper understanding of human and physical geography, sustainability and the effects of tourism
- Explore Iceland’s geothermal activity and renewable energy
- Develop an understanding of the USA’s economic and political role in the modern world
- Consider the location and development of the city of New York
- Understand the growth of the city and the US through mass migration
Student outcomes
Students will have had an opportunity to:
- Learn about the effect of tourism on the communities and natural environment of Iceland and compare the effect of tourism in New York.
- Understand aspects of Iceland’s model for ecological sustainability
- See examples of nature’s wonders and other outstanding geological features in Iceland and a world financial centre and leading world city of New York.
- Consider a range of issues around migration and citizenship in New York
Typical accommodation
Hotel Cabin, Reykjavik ★★
Why groups like it:
- 20-minute walk to the Reykjavik city centre
- Views over the nearby bay and mountains
- Group evening meal available on-site
Facilities:
- Modern rooms with en-suite facilities
- Breakfast room and bar/lounge area
- 24-hour reception
Hellishólar Cabins and Eyjafjallajokull Hotel
Why groups like it:
- Welcoming holiday complex located in the heart of Njalssaga countryside
- Spacious grounds
- Views over Vestmannaeyjar Archipelago & the Katla volcano
Facilities:
- Comfortable sleeping areas
- Buffet breakfast
- On-site restaurant
West Side YMCA
Why groups like it:
- Steps away from the Lincoln Centre, Broadway & the American Museum of Natural History
- Close to Central Park
- Brilliant access to public transport
Facilities:
- Twin-bedded bunk rooms; Shared facilities
- Large health facility including two indoor pools
- 24-hour security & free Wi-Fi in lobby
The New Yorker Hotel
Why groups like it:
- Large iconic Art Deco style building
- Great location in Midtown West
- Just a few minutes from Penn Station and Madison Square Garden
Facilities
- All rooms with private facilities
- TV, hairdryer and flat-screen TV
- Breakfast and dinner can be arranged at a diner next door (on request)
“
Very good service and personalisation of our trip
Kelvinside Academy
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