Guide Training And Qualifications

Every adventure begins with trust, and trust begins with the guide leading the way. That’s why every Arctic Adventures guide, whether behind the wheel, on the ice, or underwater, undergoes rigorous, internationally recognized training to keep you safe, comfortable, and confident in every environment.

Before each summer season, we make sure every guide and driver-guide holds current Emergency First Response (EFR) certification, the standard set by the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR). EFR certification lasts two years, so guides renew on a rolling cycle. Our in-house instructors run these courses each spring, traveling to our bases and partner hotels around Iceland to train guides and support teams on-site. 

Guides who renew elsewhere do so with the Icelandic Red Cross or the Icelandic Association for Search and Rescue (ICE-SAR), both of which run certified first aid training year-round. In 2026, around 70 team members renewed their certification across courses held at sites around the country.

The training includes: 

• Primary Care (CPR): Covers life-threatening emergencies, including CPR, choking, bleeding, shock, and AED use. 

• Secondary Care (First Aid): Teaches how to treat injuries and illnesses, such as fractures, burns, allergic reactions, and more.

Additionally, many of our guides, especially those working on glaciers, remote trails, and highland expeditions, are certified Wilderness First Responders (WFR). This internationally respected certification prepares guides to respond to medical emergencies in backcountry environments where outside help may be hours away. 

WFR training is hands-on and scenario-based. It goes beyond basic first aid to cover patient assessment, trauma care, environmental emergencies (such as hypothermia or altitude sickness), splinting, evacuation techniques, and improvised medical response with limited gear. 

Our guides train to stay calm, make smart decisions under pressure, and keep guests safe and stable until help arrives or until the group can safely evacuate. This kind of preparation is essential for the wild landscapes we explore.

Our trekking guides renew this certification together before each season. In late May and early June 2026, 13 of our trekking guides, both seasoned and new, completed an eight-day Wilderness First Responder course built on the standards of Wilderness Medical Associates International, one of the field's leading wilderness medicine training bodies.

We ran the course with the Icelandic Rescue School (Bjorgunarskolinn), the training arm of the Icelandic Association for Search and Rescue (ICE-SAR). Training alongside Iceland's volunteer rescue community keeps our guides current on the same backcountry medicine and evacuation methods used in real rescues here.

Driver-Guides (Sightseeing & Multi-Day Tours)

• Licensed commercial drivers
• Trained in EFR protocols
• Deep knowledge of Icelandic nature, history, and culture

Glacier Guides

• Certified in glacier safety and crevasse rescue
• Regularly assessed for technique and risk management
• Comprehensive in-house training based on the Hard Ice Guide certification from the New Zealand Mountain Guides Association
• Wilderness First Responder certification
• Hard Ice 1 (Jökla 1) – basic glacier guiding skills, required for summer tours
• Hard Ice 2 (Jökla 2) – advanced glacier travel and crevasse rescue, required for winter tours
• Hard Ice 3 (Jökla 3) – expert-level guiding and complex rescue techniques, required for senior guides

Snorkeling & Diving Guides

• Certified PADI Divemasters or PADI Instructors
• Experienced in both cold-water diving and tectonic plate snorkeling

Silfra Team Safety Workshop

Our Silfra guides take part in a dedicated safety workshop every year before the season opens. We run it with Þingvellir National Park and local paramedics, which keeps the team sharp on the rescue and response skills cold-water guiding demands. Silfra is a glacial spring inside Þingvellir National Park, where guests snorkel and dive between the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates in cold, clear water. Every guide on the team is a trained first-aid responder, and several are certified first-aid instructors who help lead the workshop.

Hiking & Trekking Guides

• EFR-certified (Emergency First Response) for single-day hiking tours
• WFR-certified (Wilderness First Responder) for multi-day trekking tours
• Experienced in navigation, route planning, and safety in Iceland’s varied terrain

Caving Guides

• Trained in first aid and cave navigation
• Begin as assistant guides and must pass assessments to lead trips

Safety is the foundation of every tour we operate. In remote and sometimes unpredictable environments like Iceland’s glaciers, highlands, or lava caves, it’s critical that guides are prepared to respond to a wide range of situations. That’s why we invest in internationally recognized certifications and hands-on training that goes beyond the basics. 

Our guides are trained to assess risk, manage changing conditions, and make informed decisions in the field. Many hold advanced certifications like Wilderness First Responder (WFR) and Hard Ice Guide credentials, with experience leading in challenging terrain. When you travel with Arctic Adventures, you’re exploring Iceland with a team that takes safety seriously, every step of the way.