As a photographer, I’ve always been envious of guys with their feet dangling out of helicopters, strapped in and shooting stunning aerials. After getting a taste of the compositions achievable from the air with a drone, I knew the aerial landscapes in Iceland couldn’t be missed. However, no drone on this non-photo trip. Time to pull out the big guns and bring in the experts. It turns out, the big guns don’t come cheap. Chartering a helicopter with the doors off can run upwards of $2,000 an hour. Certainly not envious of that price tag. As this wasn’t a photo trip and we were finally celebrating our honeymoon, I had to reel it in, and Nordurflug had the answer. The Geothermal Tour. One hour, a landing at a hot springs, and the chance to take a few photos from above. They had two seats available, and we were scheduled to fly the next day.
Even with the weather threatening rain throughout the morning, the opportunity to fly over hot springs in a helicopter just doesn’t come up ever day. A quick pre-flight meeting with our pilot Gudjon and Asbjorn before heading out to the tarmac aboard our A-Star 350. This is when we remember Brittney is terrified of heights. No turning back now.
A smooth flight, a landing in the Hengill Geothermal Area, a bottle of champagne courtesy of the kind team at Nordurflug, a pilot full of passion and knowledge for his country. On the return trip, Gudjon let me crack the window and get some incredible images as we circled the mountains. Words will never do this experience justice, and it may very well have been the highlight of the trip for me. Be sure to check out the video at the bottom of the page and go along for the ride.
