About Sterna Travel

Sterna Travel was founded in 2002 and takes its name from Sterna paradisaea — the arctic tern, the animal that travels further each year than any other creature on earth. For a travel company rooted in Iceland, it felt like the right ambition. We're a fully registered agency operating out of Harpa Concert Hall in the city centre.

Our tours run in English — day trips, highland adventures, and multi-day expeditions — all departing from one of the most striking buildings on the Reykjavík waterfront. Every departure runs on our own coach fleet, from VIP Sprinters for intimate groups to 67-seat touring coaches for larger parties. We own the vehicles, which means we control the experience from the moment you board.

Tours are led by local Icelandic guides who trained at Leiðsöguskóli Íslands — the Icelandic Tourist Guide School. We keep group sizes deliberately small, because we believe the difference between a good tour and a great one is whether you actually get to talk to your guide. A microphone and a headset is not the same thing as a conversation.

We also try to keep an eye on the country we're showing you. Our approach to sustainability means favouring shared coaches over private hire, choosing locally owned hotels and farms along the Ring Road, and respecting the access and closure rules set by the Environment Agency of Iceland. Iceland is extraordinary precisely because it's been looked after — we intend to help keep it that way.