Iceland School Trips

Your questions answered regarding volcanic activity in Iceland.

Q. How has Iceland been affected since the recent volcanic eruption?
The Icelanders' long-standing ability to manage the forces of nature which shape their incredible country has ensured a safe and speedy return to normality. At the time of the eruption we had eight school groups in Iceland, read about their experiences here. Visit Iceland now and your students will uncover what makes it so extraordinary - there really has never been a better time to go.

Q. Is it safe to travel to/within Iceland?
Yes, absolutely! The situation is 'as normal' for the island. The Icelanders have been dealing with volcanic eruptions since the island was settled - more than 1100 years ago. With the advent of modern science there is now adequate warning of new eruptions, and no one has been hurt due to volcanic activity for well over 200 years. There have been well rehearsed evacuation measures put in place within the vicinity of all active volcanoes in Iceland and this was well illustrated by the smooth evacuation of local people living close to the two eruptions at Eyjafjallajökull. There has been a certain amount of speculation regarding the eruption of the larger Katla volcano. The fact is there is little sign what so ever that this volcano is about to erupt. However, if Katla were to erupt, the situation will be dealt with in the same smooth and efficient way as such incidents always have been handled in Iceland. Katla is closely monitored by scientists. In their expert opinion there is no indication of an eruption since there is no movement in sites to the west and east of the glacier Myrdalsjokull. Eyjafjallajokull and Katla are two separate volcanoes - with two separate magma chambers - and are not connected. Here are some facts to consider:

• Keflavik International Airport was the only airport in northern Europe that operated, almost uninterrupted, throughout the time there were flight bans impacting much of the rest of Europe.
• Eruptions happen in Iceland on average once every 5 years. The Eyjafjallajokull eruption is the first one which has affected international air traffic, due to a number of unusual circumstances.
• Discover the World has been operating travel to Iceland for 27 years and during that time we have taken many hundreds of lucky people to Iceland specifically to view volcanic eruptions, which is one of nature's most impressive spectacles.

Q. What happens if our flights are disrupted due to volcanic ash?
On all our future educational visits, to all our destinations, we are leading the way in offering you reassurance by introducing our Volcano Customer Charter. It is our aim to ensure that you have complete peace of mind. Please click here to read about our Disruption Charter.

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Find out more about Iceland's volcanic features, click here »