Secret Iceland

The founders of Secret Iceland are the brothers Trausti Ísleifsson and Guðmann Ísleifsson.

They were born in the small southern village Vík í Mýrdal. They moved later to Reykjavík with their mother but always kept a strong bond to Vík and their aunts farm Efri-vík in Kirkjubæjarklaustur were they often spend the summers as kids.

In 1992 they started their successful business together as contractors working for Reykjavík City. The main work was to make roads and pavements. The business started small but soon grew to be quite big on Icelandic scale with more than 35 people on pay role.

In the year 2008 everything changed as the bank crisis started in USA. Icelandic banks had become too large and as a result collapsed all as one. The brothers had a bad feeling about the Icelandic banks and started to retracting the sails in their business two years earlier. Many companies got bankrupted and many families lost their homes and saving in the bank crisis. The brothers managed to keep their business but Reykjavík City, were they got all their work almost got bankrupted and stopped all constructions meaning the company lost all work. While waiting for things to get better something happened that changed everything.

On 20th March 2010 it started an eruption in Fimmvörðuháls between the glaciers Mýrdalsjökull and Eyjafjallajökull. The eruption was rather small and if you got a super jeep you could easily get there by crossing the glacier Mýrdalsjökull. People were eager get there to see the eruption so just few days later the brothers got the idea of taking tourists to the eruption using the specially modified super jeep they had together. This turned out to be great success and people loved to see eruption in progress. In general, most eruptions are dangerous but this one turned out to be quite “harmless” and “tourist friendly” were you could see it in close proximity and people even tried to barbecue food in the hot lava.

The brothers had found a light in the dark for their business. Going into tourist business with “tourist friendly” eruption in progress was a blast start. This eruption lasted for few weeks but slowly faded out and stopped. Only two days later, Eyjafjallajökull started to erupt. A totally different in size and power and was certainly not tourist friendly. The dark ash soon covered large part of Iceland and even caused problems in the international flight. The fun was over. Airplanes were grounded all over the world and people were stuck on airports everywhere just as in Iceland as well. Maybe going into tourist business would not be so good idea after all. Maybe people would hate Iceland for all the problem it caused.

It turned out to be the opposite. People were interested and wanted to visit this little volcanic Island in the north that caused all this problem, especially after seeing pictures of the landscape.

The brothers decided to proceed the project and started to offer guided tours to Lakagigar (craters of Laki) in summer 2010. They know the area of Lakagigar as their own hand as they started to go there with the farmers when they were only 12-13 years old. Icelandic farmers have put their sheep to the highlands since the settlements and must collect them back before the winter comes. In the tour they tell stories from the old days when they were helping to collect the sheep on their horse and the fact that their father and uncle made the road to Lakagigar in 1964. Today the the road is maintained by the Icelandic Road and Coastal Administration. It is still a rough track and is not suitable for smaller 4×4 cars.

Secret Iceland is a licensed tour operator, authorised by the Icelandic Tourist Board since 2010.
Access: The area around Lakagígar can be challenging to access without a super jeep due to the rough terrain and rivers to cross. Super jeeps are specially designed and modified in Iceland to handle difficult terrain, so they can take you to places that other vehicles cannot. This means you can explore more of the area, including some hidden gems that you may not be able to access otherwise. You have the option to start your hike on one spot and end at another as your guide will move the car and wait for you at the end of the trail.
Scenic beauty: The Lakagígar area is incredibly scenic, with vast lava fields, volcanic craters, and other geological formations. The unique landscape is of an almost breathtaking otherworldly beauty with its rugged beauty and barren landscapes. Your local guide will make sure you will not miss out any of the most beautiful and awe-inspiring spots in the area, making it an unforgettable experience.
Educational experience: The Lakagigar eruption had a significant impact on Iceland’s history and the world’s climate. A guided super jeep tour with Secret Iceland will give you the opportunity to learn about the eruption’s effects, the geology of the area, and Iceland’s volcanic history. You can also learn about the efforts of the locals to restore the area’s ecosystem after eruptions.
Personalised tour: Super jeep tour with Secret Iceland are with just a few people per vehicle, so you can get a personalised experience. The tour guides are locals and are knowledgeable and passionate about the area, so you can ask questions and learn more about the place you are visiting.
Adventure: Taking a super jeep tour with Secret Iceland to Lakagigar is an adventure in itself. Driving the narrow and bumpy track with several rivers to cross can be a tricky thing, especially if you are not experienced to the drive in the wilderness and landscape is unfamiliar. The ride in the super jeep is super smooth and safe thanks to both experienced driver and the modified super jeep with specially designed suspension system and huge 46″ tires with extra low air pressure that makes the ride super soft. You can relax and enjoy and explore some of the most remote and untouched landscapes in Iceland. It’s an experience that you will remember for a long time.
Overall, a super jeep tour to Lakagigar with Secret Iceland is a great way to explore the area, learn about its history, and experience the Icelandic wilderness in a unique and exiting way.