My name is Rúnar, your local guide in Akureyri.
My family moved around when I was young so I can not claim to be a “born and raised” local in any one place, I am simply an Icelander. I did however live in the fjord of Eyjafjörður (where Akureyri is located) from the age of 10 and spent my formative years on the island of Hrísey. I grew up in the island's only village, a fishing village of less than 150 people. Eyjaförður is also where my heritage mostly originates and I can trace my family history back to the very first settlers of this fjord. I lived in Akureyri for ten years and still consider it my hometown. My work and social life is still tied to Akureyri, but I currently live a short drive east of town, enabling me to easily offer tours from the nearby tourism hubs of Húsavík and lake Mývatn as well.
Guiding is my primary job as well as my biggest passion, but like most Icelanders I do a little bit of everything; I am a guide, a local journalist, and occasional grappling coach. When it comes to free time I usually don't have much of it, but when I do it tends to get spent on training, reading, bird watching or travelling within Iceland.
Throughout my 27 years of life, I have worked a myriad of jobs. I have been a fast-food worker, a postman, a landscaper, a journalist, a student and so much more. In the spring of 2023 I went as a trainee on one guided tour, mostly as a courtesy to an old friend. That same afternoon I handed in my notice at my other job, knowing that I had found my passion and my future career. Despite being fairly new to the industry, I would say that I have gained more experience in my short time in this career than most. I have guided all sorts of tours in every region of Iceland and during all seasons.
As a tour guide, my main goal is very simple: I want my guests to see Iceland the same way I do. Iceland is the love of my life and I try my best to pass this love on to my guests. Unfortunately, some visitors leave Iceland with mostly a visual impression. They see the country as a series of beautiful and photogenic places, as a highlight reel.
I want my guests to leave with an understanding and appreciation of Iceland as a country, with its rich culture, interesting history, fascinating geology and of course, an endless supply of beautiful places.
Here on ToursByLocals, I offer a variety of tours from my hometown of Akureyri, primarily focusing on three regions: The town itself, the surrounding fjord and valleys, plus the Lake Mývatn region to the east. Each of these regions has their own charm and offers a different experience: if you want to see some of North Iceland’s most famous and beautiful nature spots, I'd say a tour around lake Mývatn is for you. If you're interested in finding hidden gems and getting a feeling for the local life, you should consider a tour in the Eyjafjörður area around Akureyri. If you're more interested in art, history and architecture, take a look at my city walk!
Lastly, if none of my tours are exactly what you’re looking for, just get in contact! As these are private tours, they can be tailored exactly to your liking. I am always down to make changes and try new things to make sure that each guest has the North Iceland experience of their dreams.
Look forward to seeing you up north!
My qualifications:
- University of Akureyri: BA, Media studies
- Certified tourist guide diploma from Continuing Education at the University of Akureyri
- Fulfills ÍST EN 15565:2008, European standard for professional tourist guide training.
- Licensed Professional Driver and Bus Driving License
- Licensed Day tour provider by the Icelandic Tourist board
- First Aid Certification, Icelandic Red Cross
- Experience in guiding various types of tours, including:
- Big bus sightseeing tours
- Small bus sightseeing tours
- Private sightseeing tours
- History walks and city walks
- Super jeep tours
- Northern lights hunting
- Winter hikes, including snowshoe hikes
