Follow Richard Hammond to Iceland for a Journey to the Centre of the Planet

Tonight at 9pm on BBC1 we will all be following Richard Hammond’s new two-part TV programme  Journey to the Centre of the Planet which features the wonders of Iceland. The island sits directly over the point where the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates meet, resulting in a geological fascination.   

Here you’ll find an amazing mix of active and dormant volcanoes, immense lava fields, spouting geysirs, powerful waterfalls, Europe’s largest glacier and bubbling mud pools.  Follow in Richard’s footsteps by visiting Thingvellir National Park, where you can walk, snorkel or even dive between the tears in the earth’s crust at Silfur.  Marvel at spouting Strokkur geysir on the Golden Circle Route. Iceland is where you will literally witness the earth breathing and the energy of the planet beneath our feet. 

If you’re interested in a holiday to Iceland then many of our tours will take in many of the aforementioned topography, however for those with a particular interest in volcanic features, we suggest you consider the following:

Journey to the Centre of the Earth - a self drive itinerary
Volcano Explorer combining Fire and Ice!

And to add to your knowledge and experience why not take a look at our guide to Iceland's volcanoes and geology here.

If you would like more options then do take a look at our range of trips - self-drive and escorted tours. 

Don't forget, if you are busy this evening and can't wait the programme on terrestrial television, then there's always the BBC iPlayer (for a limited time only).  

Jake Gyllenhaal in Iceland - Man vs. Wild on Discovery Channel

Tune into the Discovery Channel tonight to watch Hollywood actor Jake Gyllenhaal and home-grown British explorer and TV personality Bear Grylls battle against the elements in South Iceland.

Jake and Bear apparently had a wonderful time there - experiencing the geothermal wonders and astonishing landscapes that are so typical of the island.

Apparently the team stayed at the luxurious Hotel Ranga, near Hella, in the south, with Jake staying in the stunning North America suite (complete with brass bathtub and a brown bear's head framed over the bed!).  Now that's our kind of 'roughing it'!

 Find out more on the Discovery Channel's website and see some sneak preview clips - including Jake at the stunning Skogafoss waterfall.

Canada's Special Guests

This summer Canada is playing host to a couple of very special guests from the UK, as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge embark on their first Royal Tour of the country.

Their visit will coincide with Canada Day celebrations on 1st July, when the couple will be in the capital city of Ottawa. During their 9-day tour they will also be visiting Montreal, Quebec City, Prince Edward Island and Calgary. You can follow highlights of William and Kate's trip throughout the week of 27 June on ITV's Daybreak, daily from 6.00-08.30am.

Offering a totally different perspective on Canada, Charley Boorman will also be filming around the country during July. Best known as Ewan MacGregor's sidekick on their 'Long Way Round' and 'Long Way Down' adventures, Charley's latest epic motorbike journey sees him travel across Canada for a new series called Extreme Frontiers. In addition to some spectacular road trips and stunning scenery, Charley will also take time out of the saddle to go in search of icebergs, kayak with killer whales and meet with First Nations people.

Extreme Frontiers is scheduled to air on Channel 5 in early 2012.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Vacation, vacation, vacation in Iceland

Seeing the northern lights is a truly magical moment for most, and on this week's Vacation, Vacation, Vacation TV programme on Channel 4, it even brought a tear to presenter Phil Spencer's eye.   

Kirsty and Phil stayed at the lovely Hotel Ranga, near the small town of Hella, in the South West of Iceland.  The focus for this episode was on the Great Outdoors. Although they both had the luxury of indulging in the top suites no less, Hotel Ranga offers other reasonably priced accommodation, including superior and deluxe rooms.  A range of holiday options including Ranga are available from Discover the World.  We were pleased to see Ranga's famous polar bear also starring in the show - he certainly provides a talking point at the hotel's reception!

There are quite a few accommodation choices for the South West of Iceland - from the superb Hotel Ranga, to summerhouses and log cabin-style cottages, guest houses and small and cosy hotels.  The area around Hotel Ranga is a great spot to explore, being only a few hours from Reykjavik and within easy reach of the 'Golden Circle' route which takes in Thingvellir National Park (where you can walk between tectonic plates), Geysir geothermal area and two-tiered Gullfoss waterfall.  The milky waters of the Blue Lagoon are just ten minutes from the main international airport of Keflavik; making a relaxing swim at the start or end of your holiday an absolute 'must'.  

Iceland is an adventure playground - with snowmobiling, horseriding, sightseeing flights, rafting, superjeep tours, glacier hikes and ice climbing all on the menu!  Kirsty and Phil travelled in what looked like the winter months (the northern lights are only visible from early October to mid-April), but this area comes alive with birds, running streams and lush green farmlands in the summer months.  Iceland is easily accessible, with the Ring Road number 1 circling the island and good tarmac roads throughout the country.  A self-drive holiday is the most popular way of seeing the natural wonders for yourself, ranging from just a few days to over two weeks!  Either take one section of Iceland at a time, or combine a round-tour over 9-16 days. Alternatively, indulge yourself in a Luxury Iceland holiday and let an Icelandic guide show you the hidden secrets and highlights of this spectacular country. What's for certain, is that you too will be bitten by the Iceland bug - once is not enough!

Nightshift - Icelandic Comedy

The BBC4 focus on Iceland this week is going well and we hope you have managed to see some of the feature programmes. From Monday – Wednesday a comedy called Nightshift, which takes place in a petrol station could be viewed. The programme received mixed reviews here in the office however the star of the show has to be Reykjavik’s Mayor Jon Gnarr.

Originally a punk rocker, who got a bit tired of the demands it commanded, that he fathered five children and became a very successful comedian. Fed up with the government and political system – he thought it would be a great laugh to set up his own political party called the “Best Party”. Throughout his campaign he promised to put a polar bear in the zoo, open a theme park and make the government drug-free within 10 years. To his absolute shock, he managed to win and was elected the Mayor of Reykjavik.

Gnarr seems to be doing well despite all the joking around, in a poll in March the citizens of Reykjavik named him the ‘most honourable politician with the most charm’. And on September 1^st, his first official act was to introduce “Hello Day” which is when all residents must greet each other in a very cheerful way.

Catch the episodes here, to meet this quirky character of Iceland.

Last days of the Arctic: Capturing the faces of the North

I hope you managed to catch the Iceland documentary on BBC4 last night called “Last days of the Arctic: Capturing the faces of the North. Ragnar Axelsson is a photographer for Iceland’s largest paper and this programme follows him as he captures the people of the north on film. The focus is to highlight the effects of climate change and their vanishing livelihoods.

Through his work, Ragnar has had the privilege of gaining an insight to some of the most remote settlements in the world. His pictures showcase the immense bird and wildlife, landscapes and people that he meets over his lifelong journey. It all began with him spending time working on farms in very remote areas of Iceland, which stimulated his passion for these people who lived in isolation and where life is about survival. The remoteness felt in these first memories like “a freedom you couldn’t imagine, it’s like you owned the whole world”. He spent time with “natural scientists, self-educated, spending weekends climbing all over to discover their paradise” and in the best imaginable classroom.

Throughout the documentary, Ragnar emphasises the importance of living in harmony with your homeland, a lesson gained from his subjects yet he feels is diminishing in today’s society. This programme sheds light on the era of the Arctic people which is slowly disappearing and he hopes will be preserved. He clicks away as they hunt and interact with nature, paying particular attention to those who have seen their lives become more difficult – whether due to climate change or new government regulations.      

To watch this documentary, simply log on to BBC i-player.

BBC4 Iceland Week

This week tune into BBC4, which will be focusing on Iceland from May 9 – 15, featuring documentaries on the Icelandic Sagas, an Icelandic comedy called ‘The Night Shift,’ the Icelandic film ‘Jar City’ as well as documentaries on Scandinavian crime fiction and Ragnar Alexsson’s ‘Capturing the Faces of the North.’

Julia Bradbury’s hour long Walk documentary is being screened on May 11th at 9pm and is based on her hike to reach the volcanic crater at the centre of the Eyjafjallajökull glacier. Follow Julia as she takes you on Iceland's most famous hiking route through impressive yet challenging landscapes.  

To take a look at the full BBC4 programme click here or for information on Iceland Hiking and Walking experiences, click here.

First Life: Australia & Canada with Sir David Attenborough

If it looks like your fireworks are going to turn into a bit of a damp squib in tonight's showers then why not opt for Plan B - stay home and tune in to some sunshine instead!  

Tonight on BBC2 is the first part of Sir David Attenborough's First Life series, in which he goes back in time in search of the very first animals. Not literally of course, that would require a tardis, but his exploration of the world's ancient history and the incredible evidence of early life make compelling viewing.

Some of our favourite places star in the 2-part series - from Alberta's Rocky Mountains and the wild coastline of Newfoundland, Canada, to the lush rainforests of Queensland, Australia, Attenborough shares with us the story of the first appearance of animals in our oceans half a billion years ago.

"From the first eyes that saw, to the first predators that killed and the first legs that walked on land, these were creatures that evolved the traits and tools that allow all animals, including us, to survive to this day."

You can follow in Attenborough's footsteps and discover your own piece of natural history with a stay in Queensland - remote Mungumby Lodge is the ideal place in which to transport yourself back in time and immerse yourself in Australia's rainforests, whilst on the other side of the world a driving holiday through Newfoundland offers a different pace of life and a wealth of Canadian wildlife to uncover. 

First Life starts at 9pm tonight on BBC2.

Hot Air Down Under

Watching Stephen Tomkinson’s Australian adventures on tv last night took me back to my own first experience of a hot air balloon, just a couple of years ago…

We were up well before dawn, on a cold winter’s morning up on the Atherton Tablelands, Queensland – and were so grouchy we had to stop for some very strong coffee to kick-start us for the day! But as soon as we arrived at a remote field, in the dark, in the middle of nowhere, my bleary eyes opened wide and a massive grin crept across my face. There before us were a number of balloons, which suddenly lit up in the darkness as the flames roared to inflate them – quite an awe-inspiring sight! We clambered inelegantly into our basket with a mixture of excitement and anticipation. I am actually terrified of heights, and as the balloon left the ground I realized that leaning right over the edge was not such a great idea – although once we were up and away all my worries dissolved. We floated gracefully over the Tablelands, watching ‘roos and cows below us as the sun came up. I will never forget watching the sun rise that morning, in the company of good friends, with the occasional blast of the fire into the balloon on an otherwise near-silent morning… It’s such an incredibly peaceful and moving way to travel, but still provides an adrenalin kick too as you float high above the landscape.

By the time we landed the sun was fully up, the day was warm and a full fried breakfast with champagne was the only possible way to round off what had been a truly memorable experience – one we can’t recommend highly enough!

Follow Stephen Tomkinson’s Australian Balloon Adventure on Sundays at 8pm on ITV1, or contact our team of specialists to find out how to incorporate your own hot air balloon adventure into your holiday to Australia or New Zealand.

Joanna Lumley's Search for the Northern Lights

Yes, if you missed the wonderful (previously aired) programme, In the Land of the Northern Lights, that follows Joanna Lumley’s search for the aurora borealis then you’ll be pleased to hear that it is being shown again on Wednesday 13 January on BBC 4 at 8pm.

For me, this programme captures the magic and enchantment of the north as Joanna travels to Lapland and Svalbard for her chance to witness the incredible northern lights. If you have been lucky enough to observe natures own light show I am sure you will agree it is a memory that will stay with you forever…

So tune in, be inspired and make your own journey there. Find out more >>