Lady’s FlyOver Iceland Review

Today I want to bring you an advertising feature in partnership with Pursuit about FlyOver Iceland in Reykjavik. This immersive flight ride takes passengers on an epic tour of the country’s natural and urban landscapes. It’s a great way to see more of Iceland’s dramatic scenery than most people ever see.

FlyOver Iceland

I’m in Reykjavik for a few days to take in the sights and experience two of Pursuit’s experiences: FlyOver Iceland and Sky Lagoon.

I’m excited to see what each one has in store for visitors (and locals, among whom they’ve both been popular since they opened).

FlyOver Iceland is located in the historic Grandi area of the city. It’s a convenient walk from my accommodation, the hip Reykjavik Marina hotel.

My press group heads over one morning to experience the ride, which opened in 2019 and features unique footage of the country’s hard-to-access areas and unique cultural celebrations.

When we arrive, we find ourselves in a contemporary space with a cafe, gift shop, and ticket counter. We head up a staircase to board the ride, which starts with two pre-shows that prepare us for the experience.

The first show is a film of an Icelandic storyteller in an ancient Viking longhouse. He tells tales of the magic of the country.

The second is the Well of Time, which is led by an animated troll named Su Vitra. It’s a three-act immersive exploration of Iceland’s history through stories of people, land, and the natural forces at work.

From the Well of Time we enter the main FlyOver Iceland experience. Featuring the latest in simulated fight ride technology, it suspends us in front of a 66-foot (20-meter) spherical screen while our feet dangle below us.

Soon we’re soaring over Iceland’s stunning landscapes and through its cities. Special effects like wind, mist, and scents combine with the movement of our seats to create a travel experience that feels authentic.

We exit the ride in awe of the country’s landscapes and find ourselves in front of a map of Iceland with all the filming locations pinned on it. From Godaland to Gjain, it makes us want to stay longer and see more of the amazing scenery in person.

From the map, we walk through the gift shop to get to the cafe, which is called Kaffi Grandi. There we sit for a lunch of bagels with some of the creators of the ride.

From Brian Pilkington, the illustrator who designed Su Vitra, to Kjartan Holm, the composer who scored the ride, to Jon K. Bjornsson, the pilot who flew the helicopter to get the footage, we learn all about how FlyOver Iceland went from concept to reality.

Highlights include the conceptualization of the troll, the recordings by musicians from the Iceland Symphony Orchestra, and the 100 hours of flying over 18 months to get 27 scenes filmed in 3 sections across spring, summer, and winter.

It’s great to meet some of the people who created FlyOver Iceland, and to hear how each one brought his expertise and creativity to the project.

After we finish lunch, we wave good-bye to them and the ride. We continue our time in Reykjavik with a winter walk around the Grandi area, which has great shops, restaurants, museums, and views of the city.

We also get a chance to experience the Icelandic capital’s food and drink scene at restaurants like Fiskmarkadurrin and HNOSS at Harpa, the famous concert hall. We even take a food-themed walking tour of the city with Wake-up Reykjavik.

But the thing I’m really looking forward to is the Sky Lagoon spa. I can’t wait to tell you all about it. To be continued…

Find this post helpful? Buy me a coffee!

New here? Join thousands of others and subscribe to the A Lady in London blog via email.

Some of the links in this blog post are affiliate links. At no cost to you, I earn a small commission when you click on them and make a purchase. It doesn’t affect the way you shop, and it’s a great way to support the A Lady in London blog.