Chasing the Northern Lights in Iceland!

Chasing the Northern Lights in Iceland!

Our Icelandic adventure has been nothing short of breathtaking—from steaming geysers to the Aurora Borealis. The girls have braved glaciers, soaked in geothermal lagoons, gone whale watching, and marveled at Iceland’s wild terrain. This trip isn’t just about the beautiful sights; it’s about stepping out of comfort zones, building friendships, and gaining a deeper respect for nature’s power and beauty.

The girls enjoyed an unforgettable adventure in Iceland! Below, you can read some of the best memories shared by our Grade 8 and 9 students, as well as creative writing pieces inspired by the landscapes and culture of Iceland from the older girls. Dive in and enjoy the journey!

Our Best Memories

My trip to Iceland was not just a journey through stunning landscapes; it was an amazing experience filled with unforgettable moments with my friends and peers, witnessing the wonders of nature and the beauty of the world.

During this trip, I encountered many wonderful experiences that have now become unforgettable memories. Spending time with my friends, witnessing the Northern Lights, admiring the stunning waterfalls, seeing a real glacier, spotting whales, spending time in the famous Blue Lagoon, visiting the black beach, and so much more! This trip was truly a dream come true. One of my favorite moments was witnessing the Northern Lights. Although there was no 100% chance we would see them, we still saw them; it was an incredible moment that I got to share with some dear friends. They didn't look as great in person; you could still notice them, and they were still beautiful, but on camera they looked absolutely extraordinary; they appeared as if you had found a photo of them on Google.

Another moment that was truly special to me was the stunning waterfalls. Words can hardly describe the beauty of the waterfalls we saw this past week; they were simply perfect. It felt like a true fantasy.

Visiting the Blue Lagoon was another dream of mine. As a place that's super famous and often appears on my social media, it felt almost impossible to visit, yet I finally got to go! The experience was amazing—applying face masks, feeling hot and cold at the same time, and just floating with my friends made this experience unforgettable.

Of course, if I could, I would love to write about our entire trip to Iceland, as there are so many wonderful moments and memories to share. However, it would take a lot of time and pages to tell you everything. In conclusion, this trip has truly been one of the best experiences of my life, and I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity that I had to go because it was definitely worth it.

I had so much fun on this trip, going with all my friends to so many amazing places and having really fun adventures. It’s difficult to decide what was my favorite thing on this trip because we went to so many incredible places. We went to the Blue Lagoon, the waterfalls, the craters, ice caves, a glacier, and I lived so many different experiences that were so much fun, like going whale watching. I also really liked this trip because we went to a museum where we learned about the culture of Iceland and how people used to live in the past, which was, for me, so interesting and fun.

I think my favorite part of the trip was seeing the Northern Lights; they were amazing, and we were so lucky we got to see them. This was my first time watching the Northern Lights, and when I saw them, I was astonished and I was almost crying tears of happiness. It was also a really fun night because we were all outside taking pictures, watching the lights with their beautiful colors and the stars, with all of my friends laughing together and having a great time.

Another thing that I really enjoyed was the glacier; it was pretty cool even though we didn't get to climb it or go on top of it, which I was so upset about in the beginning. I think it was a really fun experience to be able to see the glacier, and I also feel like this is kind of a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity because the glacier is starting to melt due to global warming, so probably if I go back to Iceland again, I would not be able to see it as big and amazing as it was now.

The trip to Iceland was an unforgettable experience. One of the best parts was seeing the Northern Lights. The sky it up with bright green and purple colours, I have never seen anything like that. It felt like a dream, and I couldn't believe I was watching the northern lights. Everyone was excited, taking pictures and sharing the moment together.

I also gut to see a huge glacier. It was massive and I took lots of pictures. Even though we didn't walk on it, being so close to something so incredible felt amazing. We also got to visit some hot springs. It was interesting to learn how the earth naturally heats the water, you are able to use it as an oven. It was cool to see how the heat comes from deep within the Earth.

Another fun part was the Blue Lagoon. It was really refreshing because the water was warm and the air was cold. It was really nice after being in the cold for a few days. The steam rising up around us added to the experience, making it feel like a spa. We also visited a black sand beach, which was really unique and different from any beach I had seen before. In conclusion this trip was filed with amazing adventures and memories that I'll always cherish.

A message from the girls

As the trip to Iceland came to a close, the girls surprised the teachers who accompanied them with a heartfelt message that brought tears to their eyes, leaving a profound impression of gratitude and camaraderie.

Dear teachers,

Thank you so much for your time and dedication on bringing us to this amazing trip that is Iceland!! We are extremely grateful for the wonders we’ve been able to experience throughout the course of these 5 days. We’ve bonded as a group, we’ve visited extraordinary places, and most importantly we’ve had fun!! We are super grateful Surval was able to provide such a fun, exciting trip for all of us!!

As the emotional farewell wrapped up, it became clear just how impactful this trip had been for both the girls and the teachers. The journey through Iceland had not only been an adventure but also a powerful bonding experience, filled with unforgettable moments and personal growth. Ms. Barrett, our English Teacher and Trip Leader reflects on this incredible journey:

What an incredible opportunity to be able to lead a group of 20 girls on a week-long tour of Southern Iceland this half-term break! There are many perks to my job - but this has been one of the most memorable by far (so far…).

From seeing northern lights to humpback whales, from relaxing in natural thermal spas to climbing glaciers; being able to get to know students outside of the classroom is always so rewarding and I can’t think of a better place to have had the opportunity to do that.

I was so impressed by the positivity, grit, and openness of our amazing students who faced new experiences, some very early mornings and all weather conditions imaginable over the course of our busy six days.

Being trip lead gave me a glimpse into the logistical masterminding behind a trip of this size and for that I am so grateful to Ms. Pullinger and the team at Surval Montreux.

Creative Writing Inspired by Iceland