PICTURING ICELAND Nordic Exploration: Sept. 14-21, 2015

Hosted by Oh, Ladycakes + The Year in Food An international culinary experience brought to you by Onward Travel

PICTURING ICELAND

Nordic Exploration: September 14-21, 2015

An international culinary experience brought to you by Onward Travel.

The scenery is just the tip of the iceberg. Inspired food. Hot Springs. Farms. Glaciers. Volcanoes. It’s a dazzling landscape of people, ideas, and panoramas, and the only thing missing is you. Ashlae of Oh, Ladycakes and Kimberley of The Year In Food invite you to join them in Iceland this fall for an immersive experience in Icelandic life, food, culture and geography. Come discover a place where spectacular details simply surround you. Join cuisine and culture lovers from across the country to experience the good life, Iceland style. From seasonal cuisine to fashion and architecture to food styling, Iceland is a hotbed of unique ideas and solutions expressed sincerely, and most everything is inspired by the country’s unrivaled geothermal landscape and climate. Who should go on Picturing Iceland? This adventure is perfect for anyone with an interest in food & food styling, farms and food culture, photography and design, breathtaking landscapes and hiking, or simply for those looking for an out of the box experience. It’s a week of cultural immersion complete with top-notch dining and excellent company. We are more than happy and able to accommodate any dietary preferences. The trip is limited to 14 travelers.

Katerina Clauhs 215.272.9968 [email protected] www.onwardtravel.co

Trip Inclusions • Most meals with alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages: daily breakfasts, 5 lunches, 5 dinners. • Airport transfers and ground transportation to/from all scheduled activities. • 6 nights accommodations at Kex Hostel or Fosshotel Baron. • 1 night accommodations at Hotel Budir. • Activities as outlined in the itinerary: Blue Lagoon, Reykjavik Walking Tour, Harpa Backstage Tour, cooking class with Ashlae & Kimberley and hands-on class with local Icelandic chefs, food and travel photography workshops, Cocktail party catered by Icelandic Top Chef winner, Golden Circle experience, GeoGourmet outing, Two-day tour of Snæfellsnes Peninsula, and more! •Travel suggestions, local interpretation, and dedicated Onward Travel guide.

Lodging We’ve selected two lodging options in Reykjavik that are well located and unique to our destination, but offer different price points. The whole group will stay at Hotel Buðir while visiting Snæfellsnes Peninsula. Kex Hostel - A stylish choice featuring clean, comfortable accommodations in an old biscuit factory. Count on a nice breakfast and a fun, lively common area (a popular local hang-out) with microbrews and tasty food. Unless noted, the facilities at Kex Hostel are shared. www.kexhostel.is Fosshotel Baron - Fosshotel means “Waterfall Hotel,” and this small Icelandic chain prides itself on its friendliness. It’s a three-star hotel just a block from Kex, with more upscale and inclusive accommodations (all rooms have en suite bathrooms), a nice breakfast and a hotel bar. www.fosshotel.is Hotel Buðir - One of the most famously adored hotels in the country, set at the western tip of Snaefellnes peninsula amid lava fields with glacier views. Its kitchen has been called “A Mecca of Icelandic Cuisine” due to its refined yet timeless approach to seasonal fresh preparations, and is a destination in its own right. All comfortable, stylish rooms are en suite. www.hotelbudir.is Trip Cost You get to Iceland and we do the rest. Cost is inclusive of all components of an amazing week in Iceland. Choose your price point based on your choice of accommodations, you can find more details on the registration form. $3225 four-bed dorm at Kex Hostel + double occupancy at Hotel Buðir $3250 double occupancy at Kex Hostel + double occupancy Hotel Buðir $3300 en suite double occupancy at Kex Hostel + double occupancy at Hotel Buðir $3425 double occupancy at Fosshotel Baron + double occupancy at Hotel Buðir $3900 single occupancy at Fosshotel Baron + single occupancy at Hotel Buðir Please note air travel is not included and a current passport is required for travel to Iceland and it must be valid for six months past the date of travel.

Katerina Clauhs 215.272.9968 [email protected] www.onwardtravel.co

We are more than happy to help you find a suitable air itinerary! Want to arrive early on stay on in Iceland? Great idea - Onward Travel is happy to help you plan. To Register Visit bit.ly/letsgotoiceland to complete the registration form and submit payment. $750 deposit due upon booking, balance due by July 15, 2015.

ITINERARY Tuesday September 14 ~ Travel Day

Today you’ll board a transatlantic flight from your home city to Reykjavik... Safe travels!

Wednesday September 15 ~ Welcome to Iceland!

Welcome to Iceland! Upon arrival, your Onward Travel guide will be waiting for you at Keflavik Int’l Airport along with Ashlae and Kimberley, a knowledgeable local guide and a private bus with professional driver. We’ll have a full brunch buffet at a quirky, acclaimed restaurant set on the water with lighthouse views in the heart of the Reykjanes Peninsula, open just for us. Then we’ll see a bit of the peninsula, known for its lava fields and geothermal activity. Let’s pause as we cross the bridge from North America to Europe for a mimosa toast to our adventure ahead! Mid-morning we’ll head to the Blue Lagoon’s famous, bright blue, wellnesspromoting-waters, to let the jetlag soak away. Body treatments and massages are available at the Blue Lagoon, Contact Onward for a list of services. We’ll check in at our accommodations early afternoon for some R & R. This evening we’ll meet for a photography happy hour hosted by Kimberley. Learn about visual storytelling around food, travel, and place. Whether you’re using a DSLR or your iPhone, we’ll cover the basics of photography away from home with an overview of composition, color, and light with the camera that we have in our hands. This hour-long class will give you photography fundamentals to practice throughout the week. Kimberley will be available to answer questions (and point out photo ops) during the trip. Tonight we’ll enjoy a gourmet six-course, beautifully styled Icelandic feast at one of Reykjavik’s best restaurants: Forrétta Barrinn. Get to know your fellow travelers and toast the week ahead. Meals: B, D

Katerina Clauhs 215.272.9968 [email protected] www.onwardtravel.co

Thursday September 16 ~ Touring The Golden Circle with a Twist

Don your hiking clothes and meet your Icelandic guide, Gudni. Our unique Golden Circle experience begins at Þingvellir National Park, the site of the oldest parliament in the world where the great Atlantic rift is clearly visible. We’ll walk through the national park and take in the phenomenal landscapes, and then we’ll make our way to a nutritious farm to table lunch at a gorgeous and remote family dairy farm

where one of Iceland’s most revered culinary exports, a type of yogurt called skyr, is out of this world. Don’t forget to say hello to the Icelandic horses grazing just outside. Then it’s off to the world famous Geysir geothermal area where we’ll watch geysers erupt and hike up a hill to breathe in the view. Our next stop on The Golden Circle is the magnificent Gullfoss waterfall where the power of the water can be felt through the air. After the day spent exploring nature, we’ll relax at the sleek Laugarvatn Fontana Steam Baths where locals have been enjoying the healing powers of the lakeside natural geothermal heated steam baths for nearly a century. But first, we’ll take a short trek to their geothermal bakery, where rye bread is baked underground, and have the opportunity to see how it's done and of course taste it (adorned with locally smoked salmon if you like.) Then hop in the pools with a complimentary adult beverage, find a temperature that suits you and enjoy the view. Tonight’s special group dinner honors Iceland’s dedication to healthy, high quality food. We’ll dine at Glo Laugardagur, one of several raw food restaurants owned by award-winning chef Solla Eiríks. The food is beautiful and makes you feel amazing, too. Meals: B, L, D

Friday September 17 ~ Reykjavik Immersion & Cooking with Ashlae and Kimberley

Today let’s really get to know Iceland’s vibrant, quirky and completely lovable capital city. We’ll start our day at Reykjavik Roasters, purveyors of the best coffee in Iceland, where one of their coffee experts will conduct a private cupping (industry lingo for coffee tasting) session for us. Just across the street is the stunning Hallgrimskirkja Church, where we’ll ride an elevator to the steeple to take in sweeping panoramic views of the city.

Katerina Clauhs 215.272.9968 [email protected] www.onwardtravel.co

Next, let’s pop into Reykjavik Letterpress where each day its two female owners Hildur & Olof produce lovingly crafted paper goods - from invitations, to coasters, to napkins, to postcards. See the printing press in action and take home a souvenir postcard. Then we’ll make our way through the city, stopping by City Hall with its adorable famous ducks, to the harbor where we’ll have a private tour of the absolutely stunning concert hall called Harpa, with its gorgeous facade designed by artist Olaffur Eliasson. By this time we’ll certainly be hungry, so let’s enjoy lunch on the water at Saegriffin, or the Sea Baron: lobster soup and grilled fish kabobs that are as fresh as it gets. Spend this afternoon continuing to get to know Reykjavik however you like…

visit the Hafnarhus Art Museum, take a dip at heated Laugarvardur Pool with its one-of-a-kind waterslide, or simply enjoy a solo stroll. Ashlae & Kimberley will go shopping for ingredients for tonight’s class, so if you’d like to pop into the local Icelandic grocery store with them feel free to tag along! Tonight we will reconvene at Salt Eldhus, a beautifully appointed teaching kitchen, for a cooking and food styling class taught by Ashlae & Kimberley. The ladies will prepare four dishes for you, and explain the thought process that goes into the creation of each of their wonderfully delicious, healthful recipes. Then they will demonstrate the best way to stage a freshly-prepared dish for photo documentation. Afterwards, we will feast on the meal they have prepared. Meals: B, L, D

Saturday September 18 ~ Appreciating Geothermal Energy

After a leisurely morning we’ll head east of Reykjavik into the countryside where we’ll enjoy lunch at Fridheimar, a large tomato growing greenhouse. Due to the volcanic soil, the vast majority of Iceland’s crops are grown in greenhouses and this makes it possible to enjoy fresh, sustainably grown produce all year long. The energy to run the greenhouses is harnessed from the region’s geothermal activity, today on our way to the greenhouses you will learn a bit about this renewable and inexpensive energy source. At Fridheimar, we’ll receive a tour of the operations before sitting down among the vines to enjoy the freshest tomato soup possible, along with Bloody Marys and an assortment of delicious, fresh baked rustic breads. A little more geothermal fun is in order this afternoon as we stop next at the nearby Secret Lagoon, an outdoor hot spring where we’ll soak surrounded by natural, unique scenery. Our last stop of the day is Braginn, an adorable ceramics studio and cakeshop. Take a look at the lovely pieces of art for sale, enjoy your cake and coffee, and find simple delight in this charming place. This evening you are on your own in Reykjavik. Meals: B, L

Sunday September 19 ~ Cooking Class & A Cocktail Party Katerina Clauhs 215.272.9968 [email protected]

After breakfast we’ll head back to the kitchens at Salt Eldhus for their signature cooking class, “Local in Focal.” Icelandic chefs will teach us about Icelandic cuisine and the seasonal cycles of their ingredients, as we work together in this hands-on cooking class to prepare our lunch.

www.onwardtravel.co

After lunch, spend your last afternoon in Reykjavik as you wish.

This afternoon, we’ll convene at the adorable office headquarters of Pink Iceland, Onward Travel’s local tour partner. We’ll enjoy a one-of-a-kind cocktail party, catered by Top Chef Iceland winner Gunnar Helgi. Champagne will be flowing, as well as cocktails using Icelandic spirits and ingredients. The founders of Pink Iceland will be in attendance, as will Chef Gunnar, so feel free to ask them any and all questions about this country and its cuisine. We’ll raise our glass to the wonderful time we’ve had in Reykjavik and the adventure still to come! Meals: B, D

Monday September 20 ~ A Picturesque Peninsula, A Destination Hotel

This morning our transportation will be waiting for us bright and early and we’ll head to the northwest to spend our final days in Iceland exploring the Snæfellsnes Peninsula, often called “Iceland in Miniature” for its high concentration of important sights, including a national symbol: the Snæfellsjökull Volcano. The area around the volcano is one of the country’s four National Parks, a meaningful indication in a country bursting with gorgeous scenery. The peninsula is home to a plethora of jaw dropping scenery and unusual wildlife as well as some very interesting architecture. Today and the next we will travel between the sights, taking it all in. Tonight we’ll spend our final evening in Iceland at one of the most acclaimed hotels in all of Europe, Hotel Budir. Situated on the western tip of Snæfellsnes, this country inn boasts a breathtakingly picturesque panorama just beside the Snæfellsjökull Glacier. You'll be inspired and invigorated by the beauty of the landscape that surrounds you. The hotel has also long been a sought-after culinary destination, and tonight we'll toast to our amazing week in Iceland over an unforgettable and thoughtfully prepared gourmet meal in the dining room. Meals: B, L, D

Tuesday September 21 ~ Departure

After breakfast at Hotel Budir, we’ll grab packed lunches for the road and set out to continue exploring Snæfellsnes Peninsula, as we make our way back down south towards KEF airport for early evening departures.

Katerina Clauhs 215.272.9968 [email protected] www.onwardtravel.co

This legendary region was the setting and/or inspiration for a wide range of works of art and literature: from classic Icelandic Sagas, to Jules Verne’s groundbreaking 19th-century science fiction masterpiece Journey to the Center of the Earth, to recent cult classic Ben Stiller film The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. There’s no doubt that this final excursion in Iceland will leaving a lasting impression of the magical week you experienced here. Meals: B, L

About Ashlae Warner, Kimberley Hasselbrink & Onward Travel Ashlae is the Denver-based blogger behind the award-winning food site Oh, Ladycakes. The blog is a combination of her successes in the kitchen (accompanied by personal narratives) and in-depth travel guides to some of her favorite countries, Iceland included. Ashlae has been to Iceland twice before and is over-the-moon to be returning on what will be a thrilling culinary adventure through one of the most stunning and geographically diverse landscapes in the world. Kimberley Hasselbrink is a food and travel photographer and the voice behind the site The Year in Food. She is based in San Francisco, and is a lover of long hikes, strong coffee, colorful vegetables, and window seats. Last year, she released her first cookbook, Vibrant Food. Onward Travel was started by two sisters, Kat & Molly, who grew up watching their mother and grandmother start and run a cooking school and travel the world with the community of food lovers that grew around the school. We seek to create unique, engaging small group tours that root travelers to the place, inspire new ideas and friendships, and are of course super fun and delicious! Air Travel Flights are not included with the tour package but Onward Travel is happy to assist. Icelandair offers convenient, direct flights from the following cities: Denver, Washington D.C. (Dulles), Seattle, Boston, New York (JFK), Orlando (Sanford) and Atlanta. Reasonable options with connections are available from all U.S. cities. All international flights to Iceland arrive between 6-7am so the group will convene at Keflavík International Airport the morning of Tuesday, September 15. About Iceland in September September is shoulder-season in Iceland, meaning the crowds are thinning but it is still an excellent time to visit. The days are getting gradually shorter but there is still lots of daylight. Average temperatures are in the low fifties. Plan to wear layers and bring rain gear. The early autumn landscape is invigorating. Sunrise: 7am | Sunset: 7:40pm

Katerina Clauhs 215.272.9968 [email protected] www.onwardtravel.co

Other Travel Information Passports are required for American citizens to travel to Iceland. Visas are not required. To apply for a passport, visit http://travel.state.gov/passport. Note your passport should be valid for at least six months beyond the date of travel. To determine the current exchange rate, Google “USD to ISK.” Onward Travel will issue travel insurance information to all travelers. It is highly recommended that you select travel insurance.