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Zeynep Sidal Snævarr

Iceland is a country to surprise you. I had no idea how it would struck me from the first moment I set foot on Iceland even though I had been in love with this country since I was a little kid. No photo will ever do justice about how Iceland will make you feel and inspire you in different ways, as it inspires me every single day that I spend on this lovely island full of contrasts.

I am originally from Turkey and the difference between my own culture and Icelandic culture and way of living changed me a great deal and enriched my life in the direction of appreciating the nature in a lot of different ways. When I plan trips, I can look both from the perspective of a foreigner, and a local at the same time, which makes my trip plans interesting and unconventional.

Iceland is a special country, and it takes a different approach to fully celebrate and unlock the full potential of what you can get from Iceland in return. It also requires a different kind of preparation than many destinations, which is one of the benefits of letting a local organize your trip to prepare you fully for your Iceland adventure.

I take pride in my love to progress and my thirst for learning new things which means that I keep my information always up to date and my approach to the trips I organize are modern and fun. Currently I am educating myself about Nature Interpretation to develop my relationship with the mother nature and started training with Icelandic Search and Rescue Team in order to experience the extremities and to help those who are in danger.

What places and activities do you specialize in?

"I specialize in customized tours all around Iceland. I go often on trips myself to check out new and old accommodations, try activities and discover new destinations to satisfy my curiosity and to keep myself up to date about what is available in each region to create perfect, tailor made itineraries. I enjoy myself the most glacier related activities, e.g. ice cave tours, glacier walking and ice climbing. I go on and try most of the activities in order to have better insights about which activity suits what kind of traveler, and I am in active communication and close cooperation with local tour operators. "

How did you get involved in travel?

"I love travelling, I feel restless if I do not leave town every other weekend. After working in different sectors which were connected to tourism, I have chosen to immerse myself in Tourism Studies and got a BS degree from University of Iceland which taught me a lot about multifaceted world of travelling.

Travel planning is a way of storytelling for me. When I was little, probably I was the only person who loved it when there was a power shortage so I could use the time to tell stories to my family under dim candle light. Now, I implement my story telling in my trip plans, and the beauty of Iceland helps it a big deal to create something special. "

Please share a unique travel experience you will never forget.

"It was during a long weekend road trip with some friends around the west fjords. I knew that this place was special, but I had no idea that after driving strenuous gravel mountain roads, I would encounter with a golden sand beach appearing gradually on a beautiful sunny day between the mountain and the fjord, giving an exotic feeling after a cold wet day! After visiting most of the black sand beaches which are commonplace in Iceland, it felt like it was a mirage what I was seeing. After reaching to the beach, we made sure we took some photos to testify that this place was 100% real, a mind blowing secluded place of serenity in the rugged landscape of the beautiful west fjords."

Zeynep is part of the following groups: Iceland Travel Agents
Top itineraries and travel advice

Recent trip reviews for Zeynep

Iceland itinerary
Iceland | Sep 26 - Oct 4, 2019

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Jim M.
Marlborough, MA | Reviewed on Oct 06, 2019
We were a group of 4 people visiting Iceland and we took several tours - the South Coast, Golden Circle, Silfra, Snæfellsnes, and the Blue Lagoon. Zeynep built our itinerary and gave us very clear instructions on the time and place to be for these tours. I will even give her credit for arranging for the terrific weather. When our return flight got changed, Zeynep was right on top of it and updated our return trip to the airport. Thorough, organized, and friendly! We were more than happy... Read more

We were a group of 4 people visiting Iceland and we took several tours - the South Coast, Golden Circle, Silfra, Snæfellsnes, and the Blue Lagoon. Zeynep built our itinerary and gave us very clear instructions on the time and place to be for these tours. I will even give her credit for arranging for the terrific weather. When our return flight got changed, Zeynep was right on top of it and updated our return trip to the airport. Thorough, organized, and friendly! We were more than happy with the excellent service Zeynep provided and very grateful for her plans that allowed us to have a first rate visit. Thank you very much!

Local specialist: Zeynep Sidal Snævarr

Travel
Iceland | Sep 27 - Oct 2, 2019

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Colleen L.
Cross Plains, IN | Reviewed on Oct 06, 2019

We enjoyed the guest house. First opportunity to see northern light. Also diamond beach. And glacier. And black sand beach. Everyone was helpful. And all accommodations where great.

Local specialist: Zeynep Sidal Snævarr

Iceland Highlight tour
Iceland | Aug 11 - Aug 18, 2019

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Bill A.
Kirkland, WA | Reviewed on Aug 22, 2019

Our guide Kristjan was knowledgeable, efficient, and tremendously flexible. All necessary attributes in dealing with our family!

Local specialist: Zeynep Sidal Snævarr

Trip to Iceland
Iceland | Mar 24 - Mar 29, 2019

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Jessie Jewel C.
San Francisco, CA | Reviewed on Apr 03, 2019
My partner and I planned a six day trip to Iceland without really knowing much about the country or its culture besides the blue lagoon and fermented shark. Zeynep was very patient and very accommodating, and so informative. She helped us book a six day trip where we went on a foodie/golden circle tour, horseback riding, blue lagoon, and a two day south coast tour. She also gave us many resources for finding great places to eat and explore, and a very detailed itinerary. We asked her to give... Read more

My partner and I planned a six day trip to Iceland without really knowing much about the country or its culture besides the blue lagoon and fermented shark. Zeynep was very patient and very accommodating, and so informative. She helped us book a six day trip where we went on a foodie/golden circle tour, horseback riding, blue lagoon, and a two day south coast tour. She also gave us many resources for finding great places to eat and explore, and a very detailed itinerary. We asked her to give us a memorable trip, and boy did she deliver. We fell in love with Iceland in less than a week, and are already planning a trip back. Thanks to Zeynep for such a wonderful vacation!

Local specialist: Zeynep Sidal Snævarr

Trip to Iceland
Iceland | Dec 23 - Dec 28, 2018

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John P.
Beaverton, OR | Reviewed on Jan 02, 2019
This was our first time planning our trip through kimkim (or any online booking service) as it was our first time planning an international trip. Sometimes the communication was a little delayed, but some of that was due to our learning curve to online international travel planning. The trip Zeynep put together for us was AMAZING. Everything was organized for us in a folder with our vouchers and itinerary ready to go. IcelandAir Hotel Marina (king attic room) was a great place to stay. Our... Read more

This was our first time planning our trip through kimkim (or any online booking service) as it was our first time planning an international trip. Sometimes the communication was a little delayed, but some of that was due to our learning curve to online international travel planning.

The trip Zeynep put together for us was AMAZING. Everything was organized for us in a folder with our vouchers and itinerary ready to go. IcelandAir Hotel Marina (king attic room) was a great place to stay. Our Game of Thrones tour with Gray Line was fantastic. The 2 Day South Coast Tour (with waterfalls and ice caves!) and Snæfellsnes tour (with beautiful lava fields, glaciers, and volcanoes) were outstanding—both of which were recommended to us. She also recommended some awesome book stores and local spots for our day in Reykjavik and none of them disappointed.

We only had 2 hours at the blue lagoon, and I would recommend at least 3 hours or so if you get premium admission like we did. The restaurant takes a while so we only got less than 30 minutes in the lagoon and had to rush to shower and dress before our driver came to take us to the airport. Thanks for encouraging us to go Zeynep, even though we weren’t sure...it was definitely worth it!!

Zeynep and kimkim did a great job putting our honeymoon together...thank you!!

Local specialist: Zeynep Sidal Snævarr

Trip to Iceland
Iceland | Nov 2 - Nov 7, 2018

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Heather C.
Ponte Vedra Beach, FL | Reviewed on Nov 12, 2018

This was the trip of a lifetime. Thanks to Zeynep's planning, I was able to experience much of Iceland's must-see-list in my five days there. From start to finish, everything was planned perfectly and allowed me to enjoy my time visiting without any stress.

Local specialist: Zeynep Sidal Snævarr

Trip to Iceland
Iceland | Oct 5 - Oct 12, 2018

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Michele S.
New York, NY | Reviewed on Oct 14, 2018

Zeynep helped plan our wonderful adventure. The map she provided was highlighted with sights to visit and was our bible.

Local specialist: Zeynep Sidal Snævarr

Trip to Iceland
Iceland | Oct 5 - Oct 12, 2018

Kimiko
Kimiko K.
West Sacramento, CA | Reviewed on Oct 14, 2018

Zeynep created a fantastic trip for us. The accommodations were all very nice; the detailed map was very, very helpful; and the suggested sights were mostly spectacular and unique. Our experience of Iceland was just fantabulous. I enjoyed most the west and south coasts. Although the 'golden circle' was nice, it was not as interesting and the west coast and the glaciers to the south.

Local specialist: Zeynep Sidal Snævarr

Trip to Iceland
Iceland | Oct 5 - Oct 12, 2018

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Josephine M.
New York, NY | Reviewed on Oct 13, 2018
I had spent weeks trying to plan a trip to maximize time in Iceland for 5 people. I stumbled across the kimkim site and was assigned Zeynep as our specialist. She crafted our trip the way we wanted and from there the arrangements fell into place (meaning Zeynep did all the work!). With my busy schedule, I did not have the time to investigate each selection - I trusted Zeynep and she did not let us down. Everything about the trip from the moment we landed exceeded our expectations. We... Read more

I had spent weeks trying to plan a trip to maximize time in Iceland for 5 people. I stumbled across the kimkim site and was assigned Zeynep as our specialist. She crafted our trip the way we wanted and from there the arrangements fell into place (meaning Zeynep did all the work!). With my busy schedule, I did not have the time to investigate each selection - I trusted Zeynep and she did not let us down.

Everything about the trip from the moment we landed exceeded our expectations. We were pleasantly surprised that Zeynep had mapped out our route and hand wrote the particular sites that she thought we would want to see. Every day worked out perfectly. We even saw the Northern Lights which was the much hoped for point of the trip.

We especially appreciated the private transfers from the airport (Christian), the hotels (especially Skuggi - fantastic breakfast!), the car rental and the Blue Lagoon excursion. None of my group had any complaints and the only bad part of the trip was leaving Iceland. It is such a beautiful country and we were so happy with our experience there!

Jo Ann

Local specialist: Zeynep Sidal Snævarr

Trip to Iceland
Iceland | Aug 19 - Aug 29, 2018

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jana v.
Thomasville, PA | Reviewed on Sep 07, 2018

When my friend and I decided to tour Iceland on our own, we knew we needed a bit of guidance. We found that with Zeynep. First, she is a great listner. Second, she is a great planner. Zeynep took what she heard and presented back to us a great road tour, identifying points of interest along the way. Throughout the trip, our pre-book rooms and side excursions were flawless, all of which allowed us to experience Iceland and its beauty to the fullest. Thanks to all who made this trip such a memorable one and especially to Zeynep!

Local specialist: Zeynep Sidal Snævarr