ICELAND, cycling with a folded bike "Tern, Verge, P10" towards Askja, biggest volcanic caldera on Iceland, through deserted volcanic Highlands

Aug-Sep, 2017

My 3rd Icelandic Expedition nicknamed "Askja"

I started my expedition in Seydisfjordur, a small Icelandic Eastern fishman town, where I came with a "Smyril Line" cruise-ferry called “MS Norröna II” from Denmark (2 days sail). At the same day I crossed fjord ridge by the road 93 towards the biggest city in the rigion Egilsstaðir; it took me ~4 hr, 30 km (6-7 km steep uphill, then ~10 km a plateau with a foggy lake, and then ~7 km downhill), most of the way up I could not cycle, just walked, it was too heavy load (~30 kg) I had on my cargo trailer (Burley, "Travoy") In Egilsstaðir there is a nice camping site, I stayed there for 2 days, to get food supplies and to prepare for long-distance cycling tour heading to dangerous and isolated Highlands.

My next camping "Hofdavik" was near the lake called "Lagarfljot", a deepest (112 m) glacial lake on Iceland, and in the most forest-reach rigion "Hallormsstadur". The lake is very famous for a misterious "Loch Ness" alike monster, a sea-worm "Wyrm" or "Lagarfljótsormur", which might be living here in the lake's milky waters since prehistoric times. It was one of the best nights I spent on Iceland, although I was disappointed a bit, "Wyrm" did not visit me during the night, despite I was sleeping very close to the misterious Lagarfjot's water with the open tent (no mosquitoes)... :)

Next day I continued my bike tour along the lake towards South-East, and after about 12 km I reached a starting point, where there's a trail uphill to see a very tall (128 m) and beautiful waterfall called "Hengifoss". The trail is 2 km one way. I left my bike and the trailer and went for 2 hr hiking. That day I stayed at the nice Fljotsdalsgrund camping site, ~10 km farther along the lake from Hengifoss by the road 933.

Next day was supposed to be a very tough day, I had to climb at the altitude of ~650 m through a very long (~5 km) zig-zag road with many hairpin turns (8x). It took me about 2 hr of very difficult and steep walking uphill and pushing my bike with the heavy trailer. Almost at the top of this mountain ridge, or better to say the beginning of Highlands (this is why they are called "Highlands"), a big white-and-blue Jeep stopped by my side, and two rangers from the Vatnajökull National Park, which I was about to enter, had a chat with me, asking me a few questions about my trip and giving me a lot of advices on the road conditions, safety measures and some rules in the park farther in Highlands, it was a nice conversation.

...to be continued, and also soon it will be in a book...

PATAGONIA, hiking and trekking in South America's National Parks

Mar-Apr, 2017

My 1st Patagonia Expedition to the Peninsula Valdes, Tierra del Fuego and Torres del Paine National Parks

I started my expedition in Buenos Aires, where I flew with a 13 hr non-stop night flight from Frankfurt (Germany) by Lufhansa, which costed me ~€1300 (both ways). I stayed for 2 nights at a small but pleasant (with a pool) local hostel/hotel called "Circus" (~€45 per night, single room), just in the center, a district "San Telmo", and then drove with a bus ("Andesmar", 18 hr ride, ~€70-80, semi cama) to the Peninsula Valdes National Reserve, to the biggest city nearby Puerto Madryn (Chubut). The bus tickets you can buy online, either in www.omnilineas.com or www.platforma10.com.ar, both work well and accept major credit cards. In Puerto Madryn I decided to stay in the big municipal camping site "ACA" (~€8 per night), which is located at the seashore and surrounded by high cliffs with caves, a very nice place, the only drawback, it was a bit too far from the shopping center of the city and the bus station "Terminal".

I stayed in Puerto Madryn for about a week, visited many places in the Peninsula Valdes Natural Reserve and in the Punta Tombo, the biggest in South America Magelanic penguins rookery. You can do it in your own, or with tour agencies. I give all the details "how" in my book.

...to be continued...

ICELAND, cycling with a mountain bike "CUBE LTD Pro 29", and Burley "Nomad" cargo trailer towards Western Fjords

Aug-Sep, 2016

My 2rd Icelandic Expedition nicknamed "Western Fjords"

This time I decided to fly to Iceland (for the first time). I used an Icelandic low-cost airline called "Wow" from Berlin to Reykjavik (~4 hr). It costed me in total ~ €550 including my bike, the trailer and overweighted (10 + 20 kg) luggage, otherwise it would be less than €300. My backpack became overloaded on my way back, since all my hiking gears, tent and clothes were wet, it was raining like cats and dogs last few days before my departure (early September).

...to be continued...

ICELAND, cycling with a mountain bike "CUBE, 

Aug-Sep, 2015

My 1st Icelandic Expedition nicknamed "Detifoss, Myvatn and Husavik"

I started my expedition in

...to be continued...