When my original plans to visit the Blue Lagoon were cancelled, I was left with a whole day to fill. I had already booked tickets for the Sky Lagoon instead. But that was in the afternoon leaving my morning free. I remembered reading a brochure at the airport about FlyOver Iceland, a virtual flying experience located in Reykjavik. A quick google showed us that it was only a 20 min walk from our hotel. So it was decided, that was where we would spend our morning.
Foolishly, we didn’t research enough to check the opening hours and ended up there a full hour before opening time. Another quick check on google found us a cafe nearby, The Kaffivagninn. A beautiful place which I would highly recommend going to before or after your visit to the FlyOver Iceland. So I sat down with a hot chocolate to keep me warm as I enjoyed the view.
An hour later we returned for opening time and bought our tickets to the FLyOver Iceland experience. We got there only to be told the waiting time to would be close to another hour. It was entirely our fault, we had not prebooked and the first show was full. But that was ok as they had another coffee shop inside with plug sockets so we had somewhere to wait. If I was to come back again I would definitely prebook online. Although I didn’t mind the wait so much, I would have preferred that time back to do other things. Or maybe just grab the one hot chocolate before instead of the two or three that I actually ended up drinking.
FlyOver Iceland: The Longhouse
Before we knew it our wait was over and we were being called up for our time. We had to pose for the customary tourist attraction photos. Which we knew they would try to flog us at some point later on. Before the flight, there are two preshow experiences included that talk to you about Iceland’s past. But then we were stepping through a big door into a darkended room, and our experience begun.
You begin your FlyOver Iceland experience by being welcomed into The Longhouse. As you stand infront of a virtual campfire, you are told the history of the first settlers. The Icelandic storyteller detailing tyhe hardships they endured, and the trolls they share the land with. The level of detail they have gone to really shows. Initially, I wasn’t too bothered when I heard it was part of the experience. I would have been content to skip straight to the flight. But as soon as I walked through those doors into the Longhouse I was just instantly drawn in. The use of virtual effects and shadowplay here was captivating. You really felt engrossed by what was happening and drawn into the longhouse around the fire. You really feel like you’re inside that longhouse and part of the story.
FlyOver Iceland: The History of Trolls
We then moved on to the next area, the well of time, where a troll named Sú Vitra took us through the history of the land. You learn all about how it was formed, the arrival of man and finally how the Icelandic people have made a life on this island. It was incredible to see and really had us engaged. Seeing the land projected on the rotating discs ignites a passion in the land you wouldn’t get from anything else. But before we knew it we were being ushered into the final room, the flyover experience.
FlyOver Iceland: Taking flight
I had ended up on the upper row, I quickly stashed my bag under the seat and strapped myself in. Before I knew it the gate ahead of us had dropped and we were suspended in the air. The FlyOver Iceland experience simulates a flight over some of the most beautiful wonders of Iceland. It’s an incredible experience using sight, sound, motion, wind and even scents to fully immerse you. The huge wraparound screen really places you in the centre of the action, and the motion of the chairs and the use of wind and sound really feel like you are moving along with the camera.
A lot of Iceland’s natural wonders are long day trips from Reykjavik, although it doesn’t compare to seeing the sights in person, if you are here for a short stay then this is an amazing way to see them. The FlyOver is a phenomenal experience, when I first heard read about it I added it to my list of places that it would be nice to go but wasn’t essential. Having actually now been there and done it I would urge everyone to try it.
Our next steps
What is so great about FlyOver Iceland is that it makes the perfect bookend experience, if you do it first you will find it the perfect introduction to Iceland, and it can really help you decide where you want to visit during your stay. However, if you decide to go last as I did, then it’s the perfect farewell and acts almost like a summary at the end of your story. It really highlights just how phenomenal a country Iceland is. You do build a genuine love and respect for the land. For myself, doing it on my final day filled me with the emotion that I would soon be flying home and still had so much left to see.
As our seats moved back into place and we gathered up our things, you could hear mutterings as everyone regained the ability to speak. I put on my jumper (whilst also trying to wipe the tear from my eye so my friend couldn’t see how emotional I had gotten) and we started to make our way downstairs, naturally, as with all tourist attractions we had to exit through the gift shop. But we did not have time to browse as we had to make our way to our booking at the Sky Lagoon for some rest and relaxation.
FlyOver Iceland FAQs
How can I book tickets?
The easiest way to book tickets and ensure you don’t wait around for hours like I did, is with Get Your Guide. By booking using the link below you won’t be charged any extra, but I may recieve a comission which helps support the blog.
How long is the experience?
The entire experience lasts around 35 minutes. That includes the 8.5 flight time on the simulator.
Will I see all of Iceland?
You wont be able to cover all of Iceland in the 8.5 minutes of flight. Buit you do see the majority of its highlights, including some that are further out and harder to reach.
