Iceland

When and where do we meet in Iceland?

• On the first day of the active trip to Iceland, we will meet at Keflavik International Airport (KEF). We will pick up our rental cars there and depending on the arrival times of the participants, we will depart from the airport towards the vacation house between approximately 3 PM to 5 PM. Therefore, the latest arrival time should be 4 PM. If any of you arrive earlier, you can join us in the city center.

Can I communicate with my Crew before the Tour starts?

• Yes! After booking, you'll receive login details for the website, and access to the Crew-Chat 
• Here, you can chat with your Crew, get to know them, and even plan your flights together

What if I need to leave early?

• Of course, it's nicer for the whole group and the team spirit, if you can stay until the end of the Tour and not head home sooner - but if for any reason you need to leave the Tour early, just let us know

What is a "self-catering" Tour?

• We'll take care of cooking ourselves during the week
• Preferably, 2-3 of the group will arrive earlier on Day 1, meet up with your JTC Guide, and get food for the week for the Crew
• You will have already planned this out, long before Day 1, in the Crew-Chat
• Normally, we'll have breakfast in the holiday house, have food on the go while we're out and about, and in the evening, eat together at the home, grill in the garden, or eat out at a local restaurant

What should I do if I have an allergy/special dietary requirements?

• Don't worry, you'll be fine on this Tour!
• Let your Guide and Crew know, and you'll be well taken care of for the week

Is tap water drinkable in Iceland?

• Water from the tap is safe to drink in Iceland - it's actually some of the purest water in the world!
• In order to reduce plastic waste, we recommend that you bring a reusable bottle

How physically strenuous is this Tour?

• The physicality of the Tour is really up to you and your Crew
• The Iceland Tour is one generally of the more relaxed in terms of difficulty - so don't stress!
• Most of the coastal walks have an altitude climb between 300-600 meters and last 2-4 hours
• If necessary, we can split into two groups, to make sure everyone can enjoy the activities they're looking forward to

What should I pack for this Outdoor-Mix Tour?

• You shouldn't need to bring any special equipment for this Tour to Iceland
• The equipment for the glacier hike is provided by out partner and will be provided for you
• Please feel free to bring a dishcloth and reusable bag, to reduce plastic waste during the Tour
• We've put all the most important things together in our Summer Packing list and Winter Packing list

How good is the phone signal? 

• Iceland has a good signal network, but of course in the highlands and rural areas it can be weak
• Check with your provider however about roaming/call costs

Do I need a plug adapter?

• Yes - Iceland uses Type F sockets, which means you'll need a Type F or a Type C (standard European) plug adapter

Currency & Prices

• The currency of Iceland is the Icelandic Krone (ISK) - you're best (and cheapest) bet is to exchange currency when you arrive, not before
• Paying by card is quite easy in Iceland, but credit cards are more widely accepted than debit cards
• All cards can be used at ATMs to withdraw money
• Price examples: cheap meal, £14 ; local beer, £6.50, cappuccino, £3.20

Tips

• There is no tipping culture in Iceland, meaning that no tip is expected 
• If you regardless wish to leave a small tip for good service, it will be accepted with a smile
• As tourism from countries where tipping is common is becoming more common in Iceland, accepting tips is becoming more normal

Driving

• A UK driver's license is accepted for tourism purposes, making driving legal during the Tour
• Watch out though - Iceland has incredibly high speeding charges, to the extent that permission to drive can be removed!

Culture 

• The locals are both courteous and perceptive - should you ever need help in a tricky situation, you can always expect hospitality and help 

Climate

• The climate is oceanic, meaning summers stay cool, with temperatures around 13°C
• However, thanks to warm ocean currents, winters are mild, temperatures sticking around 2°C 
• Most of the snowfall comes between October and March

Safety

• Crime rates in Iceland are very low, but you should still be careful with you tickets, wallets and legal documents
• It's a very safe country, but as with anywhere, it's never a bad idea to keep a healthy distance from others in a crowd
• The biggest dangers in Iceland come from nature: active volcanoes, snowstorms, heavy rainfall and frost are common
• But not to worry - the country and inhabitants are very prepared, and Iceland has excellent crisis and evacuation plans for all possible events
• Should you however, before or after the Tour, head off on your own, it's always best to check the weather before hand, and let someone know where you're heading

Entry Regulations 

• When entering the country you need a valid identity card or passport with German citizenship. There is no visa requirement for stays of up to 90 days within 180 days.
• If you have another nationality, inform yourself about the current entry requirements on the pages of the Foreign Office of your country or e.g. at sherpa (third party provider, information without guarantee). 

Vaccination Regulations

• There are no mandatory vaccinations for entry
• Make sure that the standard vaccinations are up to date according to the vaccination calendar of the Robert Koch Institute.

How do I book?

• Reserve a place: by clicking "Book" and heading to the booking form, you can reserve place on a Tour for 5 days (non-binding), up until 6 weeks before the start date.
• Book a spot: immediately after completely the online booking process, you'll receive a confirmation. Free spaces on Tours are always up to date on the website. 
• Only pay 30 % upfront: when you book, you only pay 30 % of the total cost - this can be via PayPal or Bank transfer. The remaining amount is payable up until 6 weeks before the Tour begins.
• Crew-Chat: as soon as you've booked, you can get to know your Crew in the Crew-Chat - you can even plan your flights together, if you want. 
• First meeting: meet your whole group in person at our private accommodation. On Day 1, we'll go grocery shopping - and once everyone is together, we'll plan the adventures for the coming week. 

Who's coming on the Tour?
Our Tours are enjoyed by relaxed, open people who love nature; you'll be part of an English-speaking group. You'll be helped by your personal JTC Guide, who speaks English and knows the area. The majority of people who book for Tours are women, making up about 70 % of each group.

How old are the participants?
Normally, our Tours get booked by people between 20 and 39 years old, with 80% of participants aged between 27 and 33. But as long as your love the concept, and you're up for the adventure, anyone between the ages of 20 and 39 can book onto a Tour. 

Is this a solo trip?
Although the majority of your Crew will be made of individual travellers, we do not offer solo trips. For us, it's all about the group dynamic made by open and friendly people. Couples and smaller groups (3-4) are more than welcome to book and join a Tour.

Is my group gonna be cool?
Obviously, we can't tell you that in advance, but we've only ever had positive experiences with all participants. What we offer, a trip lasting 1-2 weeks for like-minded strangers enjoying the adventure together, always catches the attention of people with open, warm-hearted personalities, who are excited for a shared experience with new friends. 

Please see our updated Corona Policy for full details of or current cancellation policy due to the pandemic

Since our Tours involve groups and pre-brooked activities and accommodation, we cannot cancel individual places on a Tour for free. Depending on the date of your cancelling (and how close this falls to the starting date of the booked Tour), there will be a cancellation charge of up to 90% of the total price of the Tour (see our Terms & Conditions for more information). There however many options for changing your booking which won't cost you a thing: 

Free cancellation with flexi-cancellation

• When booking your place on a Tour, you can opt for the flexi-cancellation 
• This will allow you to cancel your place up to 21 days before the Tour begins
• Flexi-cancellation always costs 10 % of the Tour price (Tour price of 750 €, flexi-cancellation costs 75 €). 
• Should you do this and then cancel you place, you'll receive a full refund of the Tour price, and we keep the contribution

Free cancellation on fully booked Tours

• If a Tour is full booked, then your cancellation is free!
• We usually have long waiting lists, which means that there is a very chance your now open place will be booked by someone else once your cancellation has been processed

Free booking switch

• Switching your booking to a different date (or even a different Tour) follows similar rules to cancellation
• As long as you do this more than 3 weeks before the start of the Tour, there shouldn't be a problem, and if your Tour was fully booked, this will be processed for free

Should you need to cancel or make amendments to your booking, give us a call or drop us an email, and we'll find the best solution for you.

You can count on us: 

• All the accommodations that you can see on our website have been booked with our local parts in the various destinations, usually a year in advance
• From our experience, 95 % of all our Tours are able to take place

Minimum number of participants:

• At Join The Crew, we're all about the group experience
• Each Tour, for each of it's dates, is guaranteed to go ahead as soon as a minimum of 4 people have booked a spot - but normally all our Tours end up fully booked
• If, once it's 1 month before the Tour is set to begin, less than 4 people have booked on to a Tour, then it's possible that the Tour will be cancelled
• If a Tour is cancelled for this reason, you'll immediately receive an email from us, and you'll get a full refund
• Good to know: often our Tours have enough participants several months before the start date, and then fill up closer to the date - this quickly results is long waiting lists, due the popularity of our Tours

When is the best time to book? 

• You can book as early as you like - we've noticed that most of our participants book 1-3 months before the beginnings of the Tour
• As mentioned above, Tours fill up very quickly the closer it gets to the start date - if you wait too long to book, it's possible you'll miss out
• You can always add yourself to the waiting list, but very few people cancel close to the start date
• In order to ensure you place on a Tour with dates that best suit you, we recommend booking as soon as you know you'll have the time off

When should I book my flights? 

• As above, you can book your flights whenever you want, but the safest bet is to wait until 3 other participants have booked the Tour with the same dates, so you know that the Tour is guaranteed to take place

Do I need travel insurance? 
We highly recommend that you are insured for your travel and holiday, for the following reasons:

• In the case of a participant cancelling their place on a Tour, there is a cancellation fee - depending on the date of cancellation - of up to 90 % (see the Terms of Service for conditions)
• We therefore recommend that you have travel and cancellation insurance for your Tour and flights - it's easy to find an insurance policy that covers both
• In the unlikely case you should need medical care during the course of your Tour, travel insurance that covers medical treatment is highly recommended
• So make sure, if you already have travel insurance, that the destination country for the Tour is covered - and if you aren't already insured, it's a safe bet

Making our Tours sustainable
If, like us, you care deeply about natural beauty and the environment, then sustainability is a topic close to your heart. That's why we've put together some tips below, for how you can make your JTC adventure for environmentally friendly:

• To significantly reduce the about of plastic waste we generate, bring along a water bottle and a lunchbox (ca.20x13x10cm)
• When we're out on the adventure, be mindful to not leave behind any waste, and be equally respectful towards to the locals and local wildlife, in order to protect the local environment (natural and cultural)
• In the accommodation, use the resources like water and electricity carefully and sparingly, to minimise emissions
• During our trips and activities, support local businesses. That way it's the locals, not huge, international corporations, that benefit from our tourism
• After your Tour, leave us a review or rating on Google, and we'll together we'll plant a tree in Mexico through ReviewForest

Mobility and health

• If your mobility is limited, participation is not possible, as we want to conduct a safe tour
• If you have any other illness/restriction, participation must be discussed in advance with your family doctor
• If there is any doubt about fitness, Join The Crew must be notified before booking