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Travel to Iceland with ski insurance from Essential Travel

Surprisingly, Iceland does not get very cold and the mountains are not very high for skiing. However, there are still a few good ski resorts open between November and March (high season in Iceland lasts from June through August). Even if you come here for the skiing, you will want to take advantage of all the outdoor splendours offered by this magical wonderland, including excellent river rafting, snowmobiling, horseback riding, kayaking, ice-climbing, driving over glaciers, and even scuba diving. Hiking, camping and fishing are especially popular.

Blafjoll, Iceland’s largest ski resort, is just 30 minutes away from Reykjavík. The ski resort caters for all abilities from beginners to experienced competitors. The main slopes here are illuminated for night skiing; while summer skiing available on the nearby glaciers. Blafjoll has a large number of groomed pistes, which cater mainly for novice and intermediate skiers, with some advanced runs for the more experienced. For nightlife, the numerous pubs, bars and restaurants in the greater Reykjavik area are easily accessible from the resort.

Nestled seven kilometres from the city of Akureyri and situated between 500 and 1,000m above sea level, Hlidarfjall is one of the Iceland’s premier ski resorts. It has 12kms of superb pistes for beginner to upper intermediate level skiers, as well as good cross-country trails and off-piste skiing. Night-time skiing on illuminated pistes is also provided. Snowboarders have access to a terrain park with jumps, slides and tables. Nearby Akureyri offers good visitor services, shops, accommodation and recreational opportunities.

Only two airlines fly to Iceland: Icelandair flies to Reykjavík from many international destinations, including cities in the USA, while Iceland Express runs flights twice-daily from London and Copenhagen to Reykjavík. Flybus transfers passengers into Reykjavík in about 45 minutes. From May to September, Smyril Line ferries link Seyðisfjörður in western Iceland to Tórshavn in the Faroe Islands, and thus Hanstholm, Denmark or Lerwick, Shetland and Bergen, Norway.

Winter activities, such as skiing, snowboarding, bobsledding or ice-skating can result in injury. Additionally, driving in unfamiliar surroundings or taking part in some of the many other outdoor sports available in the region can pose a danger. To have peace of mind during your holiday, we recommend you take out travel insurance for yourself and your family when visiting ski resorts in Iceland.

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