Lebor Tours

Gaya Tours

Iceland Land Tour

Frequently Asked Questions

 

One of the ways for us to continue having the best Kosher Touring program in Iceland is to provide you with the most accurate and up-to-date information that we can about our tour. Please let us know if you have any additional questions.

 

Traveling to Iceland

Is Iceland Safe?

Iceland has been rated the safest country in the world for many years. There is virtually no crime.

 

Do I need a visa to travel to Iceland?

If you have a US passport you do not need a visa to travel to Iceland.

 

Are flights included in the price of the tour?

No, the price of the tour does not include flights.

 

Does Lebor Tours arrange flights?

No, we do not arrange for your flights to Iceland, you must do that by yourself. It is best to use a good travel agent or you can purchase the flights directly online.

 

Which airlines fly to Iceland from the US and which airline is the best?

There are many non-stop flight options to Iceland. Icelandair, Delta, United, JetBlue, and others fly to Iceland. Icelandair has the most flights from the most cities and sometimes is a bit cheaper. 

 

What about the Icelandic Airline called Play?

Play is a low-cost airline that flies from several US cities. You can buy tickets from their website flyplay.com. They are somewhat cheaper than the other airlines but once you add the fees for the luggage and the seats there is not a big difference. Also, they fly at different times than the other airlines and usually land in Iceland around 4 in the morning which makes them very inconvenient for our tours.

 

What airport should we land in?

There is only one international airport in Iceland with flights from the US. All of the flights from the US land only there. It is near the town of Keflavik. The airport code is KEF. There is also an airport in Reykjavik, but that is only for domestic flights.

 

What flight times should I book to and from Iceland for the tour?

For the outgoing flight – Our tour starts at 10 AM on the first morning of the tour. Keflavik is a user-friendly airport. Any flight that arrives before 9:15 AM will give you enough time to make it to the meeting point in time. Due to the time difference the flights from the US leave the night before the tour. 

For the return flight – The tour ends on the last day after breakfast. Checkout is at 11:00 AM. It is advised to stay the day and enjoy some sites in and around Reykjavik. You are welcome to store your luggage in the hotel for no charge. A flight later in the day (afternoon or early evening) will enable you to do this. With a morning flight, your departure from the hotel might be a little rushed.

 

How long is the flight to Iceland from the US?

The flight to Iceland from the east coast of the US is about 5 hours.

 

What is the time difference between the US and Iceland?

Iceland is 5 hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time. 

 

Is there Kosher Food on the flights to Iceland?

Most airlines do not provide meals on the flight from the US to Iceland unless you are in Business Class.

 

Do I need to pack food for the first day?

Yes. Although we will greet you at the airport with some light refreshments and there will be refreshments in the hotel when we arrive there around 4 PM, the first meal that will be served will be dinner in the evening. You should pack some breakfast and a light lunch.

 

Packing List

We may not need all of the following but it is better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it. The rule is there is no such thing as bad weather, only improper gear. Properly prepared, all weather is good. 

Not included in this list are the obvious: regular clothing, underwear, socks, etc. Use your judgment on how much you need. The rule is casual clothing for all activities. Iceland is a very laid-back country and so is our tour. Clothing should be practical and comfortable. Of course, you can bring Shabbos clothes but the tuxedo and the high heels can be left at home.

Layers, Layers, Layers. That is the most important tip to keep in mind when packing for Iceland. Multiple layers of clothing, that you can take off as you need, will be the best things that you bring to Iceland. 

• A good warm sweater or two, and/or a fleece is a must. Recommended to bring two sweaters, one thin and one thick, and a fleece/hoodie.
• A lightweight puffy down jacket. They can be packed to a very small size and are very useful. This might be your go-to jacket.
• Water and windproof jacket or shell – to wear over the wool/fleece sweater ְand/or the down jacket, is essential for windy and rainy days.
• Completely waterproof Rain Jacket or coat for heavier rain. 
• Water and windproof pants – actual rain pants are a good idea for certain times. For instance, when we walk behind Seljalandsfoss Waterfall.
• Hiking shoes or boots – good sturdy hiking shoes (or walking shoes that grip well), preferably waterproof, are essential. 
• Hats. A ski cap that will cover your ears is also recommended.
• Buff or scarf for your neck.
• Gloves
• A Swimsuit for Spa Night 
• Sleep mask – it can be light at night in the summer 
• Reusable water bottle – Iceland has the most pristine and delicious water on the planet. The water from the tap is much better than bottled water.
• Thermos flask (optional) – for a hot drink during the excursions
• Sunscreen lotion 
• Moisturizer/ lip balm/ hand cream 
• Travel adapter – the plugs are European (like in Israel) and the voltage is 220V.
• Portable Battery Pack to charge your cellphone
• Any Medications and cosmetics etc. that you might need. They will be expensive and hard to obtain if you will need them in Iceland. Remember not to pack liquids in your hand baggage, only in your suitcase. 
• A siddur and a Chumash for Shabbat. We are not able to provide Siddurim or Chumashim. Everyone should bring their own.
• Sunglasses
• Any snacks that you are used to. Even though we provide all the food that you will need, we all have our favorite snacks which are not available in Iceland. 
• A small backpack for the excursions.
• Walking sticks (optional)

How much cash should I bring?

It is not necessary to bring cash in US dollars, except for the gratuities to our staff. Credit Cards are used for almost everything in Iceland, even small amounts. Therefore it is not necessary to change money into the local currency (Icelandic Krona). Many places will also accept US dollars in cash but you are usually better off with your credit card. Make sure that your card doesn’t have foreign exchange fees.

The tour is all-inclusive, so it isn’t necessary to do any extra spending unless you want to do some souvenir shopping.

 

Gratuities?

Although not mandatory, tips are appreciated. The recommended amount is $150 per person. The tips will be collected at the end of the tour and will be distributed to the entire staff. Please bring cash for this purpose. 

 

Will we see the Northern Lights?

We will see many amazing things on our tours, but we won’t be seeing the Northern Lights. They can only be seen on the very dark and long nights of winter, from November to March. Our tours are in the long days and very short nights of summer in July and August.

 

What is the weather in Iceland in the summer?

The summer months, June – August, are the warmest in Iceland, with many hours of daylight and the sun shining until late at night. But those beautiful summer nights can be cold and it can rain during the summer, so you still need to bring warm clothes and rain gear with you.

The average temperature during the summer in Iceland is around 10°C (50°F) but it can go as high as 20-25°C (68-77°F) and as low as 6-9°C (43-48°F). The weather is very unpredictable during the summer and the sun can be shining one minute but raining the next minute. 

It will rain at some time during our tour. If you are prepared for the rain, with the proper clothing, the rain is exhilarating and beautiful. It likely will be cold and windy at times. That is why it is important to pack the right gear for the trip. With almost no exceptions, as long as it is safe, we keep to our itinerary no matter what the weather. 

Do I need travel Insurance?

Yes, travel insurance is mandatory. In life, all kinds of things happen. Especially these days, it is imperative to have good insurance coverage, covering both travel and medical issues. You should order insurance as soon as you book your trip with us. If you haven’t arranged that already, now is the time.

If you don’t have a reliable Travel Insurance Agent, we recommend Travel Defend at 1-800-578-2871. We have found them to be very helpful to our guests in the past.

 

The Hotel

What is the name and address of the hotel?

The  Reykjavik Natura Hotel is part of the Berjaya Iceland Hotels Group.

The address is: 

Nautholsvegur 52

102 Reykjavik, Iceland

 

How far is the hotel from the airport?

Our hotel is in the capital city of Reykjavik which is 40 minutes away from Keflavik International Airport.

 

What type of electricity and plugs are used in Iceland?

The electricity is 220 volts and the plugs are the same as in all of Europe and Israel. Plan accordingly and bring adaptors if you need them.

 

Is there WIFI in the hotel? Is there a charge?

There is free WIFI in the hotel and also on the bus. Many places in Iceland have free WIFI. 

 

What facilities does the room have?

All the rooms have private bathrooms (most have walk-in showers, some have showers in the bathtubs), complimentary cosmetics (soap, conditioner, and hand cream), telephone, satellite TV, a Mini fridge, a safe, a desk and a hair dryer. Most rooms have a coffee machine. An iron and ironing board are available upon request. There is daily housekeeping and towels are changed daily.

 

What is the difference between the different room types?

The superior room is a nicer room than the economy room. It has nicer furniture and a real closet as opposed to just hanging space and shelves. They also have USB ports and newer furnishings.

 

There are a very limited number of king-sized rooms that are a significant upgrade to the Economy and Superior rooms.

The King Deluxe room is a beautiful room with a lot more space. It is almost 20% larger than the Superior room. There is also a large couch (that can sleep two children) and two easy chairs. 

The King Junior Suite and the King Suite are exclusive rooms with a lot more space. The King Junior Suite is more than twice the size of the Superior room and the King Suite is three times the size.  

 

What is the food like?

The food provided is excellent, plentiful, and delicious. Breakfast and Dinner are buffets, with many choices of salads, sides, and mains. There is always a choice of meat, chicken, and fish.

Lunch is prepared by the guests themselves from the breakfast buffet. 

 

Do you provide for diets with special needs?

Yes, we can accommodate almost all special needs diets including gluten-free, vegetarian, etc.

 

Is all the food Mehadrin?

Yes, all of our food is Glatt-Mehadrin, the milk and milk products are Cholov Yisrael and the bread is all baked by our bakers on our premises and is Pat Yisrael.

 

Is there set seating in the dining room? 

Yes, you will be assigned a seat in the dining room. We do our best to group guests that booked together (family, friends) to also sit together in the dining room at the same table. Even so, we might have missed something. If you have another couple or two you would like to sit with, please clear it with them first, and then write back your request. We can seat 2-10 guests at one table upon request.

 

Is there a tea room in the hotel?

Yes. There is a 24-hour tea room exclusively for our guests with coffee, tea, drinks, cookies, cake, and fruit.

 

Will we need to purchase bottled water? 

Iceland has the most pristine and delicious water on the planet. The water from the tap is much better than bottled water. There is no need to buy bottled water.

 

Is there a swimming pool and a spa in the hotel?

The hotel has a very beautiful spa, with a geothermal swimming pool, a very large hot tub, a steam room, a sauna, and lounge chairs. 

Unfortunately, it is only open from 9 AM to 7 PM and there is a separate charge for it. 

Since our daily tours take place during these times, we have rented the spa exclusively for our group for “Spa Night”, which will be on Thursday night. 9 PM-10 PM for Women, 10 PM-11 PM for Men. There is no charge for this activity and all are encouraged to attend.

 

What kind of phone service plan should I arrange?

Your cell phone provider probably has an International plan that you can order. Since WIFI is freely available, a phone plan from your cell provider may not be necessary. Don’t count on buying a local sim card, because it might be a couple of days before you get the opportunity to purchase one. If you have an iPhone look into an esim option. 

 

Do you have daily minyanim?

Yes. Since our groups are around 50 couples per week, we have plenty of men for daily minyanim.

 

Is there an Ezrat Nashim in the Shul?

Yes, of course.

 

Are you sensitive to the halachic times issues in Iceland?

On our tours, we are very careful about all aspects of Halacha including the Halachik Zmanim. We have much experience dealing with this and it is not as difficult as it might first seem. 

During the Summer the sun shines for many hours. In late June it hardly sets at all. This presents Jews in Iceland with numerous halachic issues, especially the times of Shabbat and davening. Even though August is more in line with what we are used to, it still will be quite different. Since sunset and Tzeit Hakochavim are very late we will always daven Mincha before Plag Hamincha and Maariv after Plag Hamincha. 

We will accept Shabbat at the earliest time possible, Plag Hamincha. Even though we will daven Maariv earlier, Shabbat ends only at Tzeit Hakochavim which is quite late. For those who prefer not to wait up, there will be another Havdala said on Sunday morning.

 

The Tour

What do we do when we land in Iceland?

Since the guests are arriving from many different places at different times, the schedule for the first day will be different than all the other days. The vast majority of our guests arrive on the morning of the first day, most between 6 AM and 9 AM. Those arriving before 7 should daven in the airport after having landed, getting their luggage, and exiting border control. This is also an opportunity to eat some breakfast etc. 

Those who are landing around 9 should daven and eat on the plane because, by the time you get out, it will be too late to daven. 

 

What is the schedule for the rest of the first day? 

We will meet the group at Keflavik Airport at 10 AM on the first day to start our half-day tour of the Reykjanes Peninsula. Everyone should proceed to the exit of the terminal by that time. Please do not go outside, but wait inside near the doors without blocking the doors. When we are all assembled we will walk together to the bus.

 

All of your suitcases and hand luggage will be loaded on the bus by the driver. Please don’t try to load the bus by yourself. The driver is an expert in making sure that there is room for all of the luggage.

 

After loading the baggage compartment you will not have access to your bags until we reach the hotel. Therefore everyone must have a day bag/backpack for everything they might need from the time we leave the airport until we arrive at the hotel. You will need good walking/hiking shoes for that day. The walks are short but they are not meant for casual or dressy shoes. Please remember to put in that bag any medications that you might need during the day, sunglasses, a camera, rain gear, a warm jacket, hat, gloves, any snacks or food that you will want during the day, etc. This small bag will go with you on the bus, your rollaway/trolley will not. Please understand that we will not be able to open the baggage compartment at all until we reach the hotel.  

 

The plan is to arrive at the hotel between 3&4 PM for light refreshments and check-in. Afterward, you will have some time to get settled in your rooms and rest a little before Mincha and dinner. After dinner, we will have a short group orientation meeting where everyone will get to know one another, followed by Maariv. 

 

What should we wear on the first day? What kind of footwear?

The first day’s tour is shorter than other days but it is similar in other aspects. Therefore you need to be prepared for the elements just as you would any other day. You should have a day bag that includes what you would on any other day and wear clothing and shoes that you would on any other day of the tour.

 

What is Shabbat like? 

We look forward to our Shabbat in Iceland being both an inspiring and a restful and relaxing experience. We will have wonderful Shabbat meals with Zemirot and Divrei Torah. During Shabbat day we will have Shiurim, lectures, and a Shabbat walk. Some guests have expressed that Shabbat was their favorite day of the tour. 

We have good solutions and alternatives for all of the Shabbat issues in the hotel. We will explain all of the details before Shabbat.

 

What is the group like and what kind of crowd can I expect? 

One of the most gratifying aspects of group travel is the opportunity to meet new people and make new friends. Each group is around 100 people, divided into 2 buses, which is a perfect size for accomplishing this. We have been blessed with an amazing clientele of accomplished and wonderful people and we are sure that everyone will enjoy each other’s company.

Everyone in our groups is a shomer Torah and Mitzvot. They are looking for Glatt Kosher food that is of the highest standard in all aspects and 3 minyanim a day. The group includes members of the entire spectrum of Orthodox Jews from all kinds of communities who get along beautifully and often make life-long friendships.  

 

Are the buses of a high quality?

We travel in excellent, modern buses. Each bus is a large bus with plenty of room and to enhance our group dynamics and build a cohesive chevra we will be traveling together in one bus. 

The buses have lavatories and WIFI.

 

Are there assigned seats on the bus?

As we wrote on the reservation form, seating on the bus is assigned in the order that people sign up and pay in full. To save time and prevent running to the bus to try and save seats, the seats that are assigned to you are your set seats for the entire time. Another advantage of this is the peace of mind knowing that you have a set seat and knowing exactly where it is.

 

Are there any COVID restrictions in Iceland? 

There are no COVID restrictions whatsoever in Iceland today, incoming, outgoing, or while in Iceland. It is recommended to have your COVID certificate or records with you just in case.

 

What is the last day like? 

The tour officially ends on the last morning after breakfast. Guests are to check out of their rooms no later than 11:00 AM. On some days we will be driving to the airport to pick up the next group at around 10 AM. Guests are welcome to join us if that is a convenient time for them to arrive at the airport. Depending on the time of their flights, other guests are free to explore other activities on their own in or around Reykjavik. Return to the airport at other times can be done by bus from the bus station or by a shuttle bus that will pick you up at the hotel. Sharing a taxi with others is also an option. We will give details towards the end of your stay.

 

What is the Itinerary for the tour? 

The basic itinerary can be found on our website, lebortours.com. There will be one day when the buses will do different things and will switch the following day.

 

Is there a Whatsapp group for the tour?

Before your tour, we will form a Whatsapp group for all the guests for each week. During the tour, we will be providing important information for the entire group. Before the tour, this could also be useful for arranging rides to the airport, group davening, or general questions. 

 

What is a typical tour day like?

In order to maximize your time in this amazing country, the excursions are full-day tours. After davening and breakfast we depart at 9:15 AM and return around 7:15 PM for Mincha, dinner, and Maariv.

 

Is there a lot of walking/hiking?

Although this is not a hiking tour there is walking on the tours. Even so, almost all of the walks are short and not strenuous. As with all parts of the tour, the walks are optional. We will never put you in a position where you are forced to participate in an activity that you can’t or don’t want to do.

 

Finances

How do we make payment?

Payment is preferably made by bank transfer or wire to our US bank account:

Lebor Tours LLC, Mishol Haganim 105, Shaalvim, Israel, 9978400

Bank Name: Choice Financial Group, 4501 23rd Avenue S, Fargo, ND 58104

Routing #091311229

Account #202327591559

 

Payment can also be made by credit card but incurs a 4% service charge. 

This is the link for payment by credit card:

https://buy.stripe.com/6oE5kIf5GeHJ9445kk

 

There is no charge for bank transfers and therefore that is the preferred method of payment.

 

What is the cancelation policy?

Company cancelation – Thank G-d, in all of our history, we have never had to cancel a tour that has been ordered. If such an event would occur we would refund the entire amount that has been paid.

 

Customer cancelation – depends on the date of cancelation.

From time of payment until April 15th – 25%, (75% of the amount paid will be returned).

From April 15th until June 1st – 50%,  (50% of the amount paid will be returned).

After June 1st – 100% (0% of the amount paid will be returned).

 

For this reason it is important to purchase travel insurance as soon as you book the tour.