Vatnajökull National Park - Ásbyrgi (1:2)

WORK/PROJECT: SEEDS volunteers will have the unique opportunity to work at the largest National Park in Europe, the Vatnajökull National Park. Volunteers will take part in a project with the Environmental agency of Iceland (Umhverfisstofnun).

SEEDS Iceland has been working with the Environmental agency of Iceland (Umhverfisstofnun) since 2007 in diverse projects in the national parks and protected areas of the country.

Work will include cleaning up the camping grounds after the summer season and preparing it for the fall; clearing trees from walking paths; clearing trees from riding paths; placing gravel in paths. Volunteers should be prepared for all kinds of weather.

The work is physically demanding and volunteers need to be motivated to work outdoors.

ACCOMMODATION: SEEDS volunteers will be staying in tents at the camping ground and will be provided with a tent for cooking and eating. Shower facilities are at the camping grounds. Volunteers will receive food and be in charge of the cooking and cleaning activities.

Volunteers will have to bring their own warm sleeping bag.

Do not forget some traditional/typical food from your home country for the international evening.

LOCATION: Volunteers will get an extraordinary chance to stay at Ásbyrgi located in Vatnajökull national park, the largest in Europe. The national park, which was established in 2008, stretches around the Vantajökull ice cap from the south coast to the north coast of the island and it is the largest protected wilderness in Europe. It covers around 15.000 square kilometres, which is roughly around 13% of the surface of Iceland.

Vatnajökull is Europe’s largest glacier with the surface of 8100 square kilometres. The glacial ice conceals a number of mountains, valleys and plateaus. It even hides some active central volcanoes. The icecap rises at its highest to over 2000 metres above sea level making it the highest peak in Iceland.

Due to the size of the park it is established and operated under special law, it is an autonomous government agency that requires cooperation between all the municipalities involved.

The work camp is located in Ásbyrgi which is one of the wonders of nature, a wide, horseshoe-shaped canyon with sheer cliff faces up to 100m high. It is 3.5 kilometres long and over 1 km wide. At the innermost ends lies Botnstjörn, a small pond surrounded by luxuriant vegetation. A distinctive rock formation rises up from the centre of Ásbyrgi, up to 250 m wide, known as Eyjan.   

The Vatnajökull national park boasts of extreme beauty with rough landscaping and unique nature. The uniqueness of the park is primarily because of the great variety of landscape features, created by the combined forces of rivers, glacial ice, and volcanic and geothermal activity. 

LANGUAGE: English will be the language in the camp; basic conversational skills are needed.

TERMINAL: Closest international Airport: Keflavík/Reykjavík (KEF).

SEEDS organises the 'minibus option', a shared transport from Reykjavík to the camps and vice-versa, which apart from being cheaper and more convenient, allows volunteers to meet fellow campers and have a relaxed trip, while stopping on the way for interesting and tourist sites.

EXTRAS / SPECIAL REMARKS: Participation fee EUR 180 (Euros).

Remote and very isolated site located in natural areas of extreme beauty. Countless opportunities to discover the area by foot or to hike in the surroundings.

Volunteers need to be prepared for physical work, free time activities are mostly outdoors, like hikes in the area.

AGE: 18+