Profile photo for Guðmundur Óli Pálmason
7508 messages
active 6 hours ago

Guðmundur Óli Pálmason

Born in Reykjavík, Iceland in 1978, from a young age I was already travelling all over Iceland with my parents.
After a short stint as a driver guide on modified suv's in 2004, I pursued a career as a touring musician in Europe and North America for a decade, coming back to the field of driver guide in 2015 and working full time as such ever since.
in 2020 I co-founded Location Scouting Iceland, a company that specializes in finding locations and providing location service for all kinds of productions. So far we have worked on tv shows, editorial photo shoots, fashion shoots, commercials etc.. As of 2022 we are expending our services to take customers on privatized photography tours.

What places and activities do you specialize in?

"I believe an all immersive travelling experience includes having a taste local culinary and cultural experiences.
I specialize in places off the beaten path. I find that the most enjoyable travel experiences are usually had out in "nowhere", as opposed to the tourist places you'll find on the maps. This is especially true in summer when access to the country's back roads is easier and daylight lasts 24/7. I find it more enjoyable, especially as a photographer, to travel at night, when nobody's around and the land is locked in perpetual twilight under the midnight sun.
"

How did you get involved in travel?

"I started travelling with my parents around Iceland at an early age and I guess that's where I picked up the travelling bug. In my early 20's I stared travelling around Iceland on my own and with friends. My biggest interest was always finding out what was at the end of the unmarked gravel road. What unexplored treasures would I find that weren't on the map.
In 2004 I worked for one summer as a driver guide on a modified Land Rover Defender for the first time. That's when I started to gain experience in offroad driving on glaciers and mountains. I came back to that job in early 2015 and have been working as a driver guide full time ever since. "

Please share a unique travel experience you will never forget.

"Travelling around the vast Icelandic highlands, the biggest untouched wilderness in Europe, under the midnight sun is something I'd list as my absolutely favorite pastime, with clients or alone."

Guðmundur Óli is part of the following groups: Iceland Travel Agents, Iceland Family Travel Agents
Top itineraries and travel advice
Family itineraries
Luxury itineraries
Road trip itineraries

Favorite experiences

South Highlands Helicopter Tour

See Iceland from a completely different perspective by flying above the county's serene, diverse, and breathtaking landscape. This half-day journey brings you the ultimate sample of Iceland's natural and cultural highlights. From stunning glaciers, volcanoes, and waterfalls to marvels of human...

Jeep Tour of Askja Northern Highlands

Deep in Iceland's Northern Highlands is the Askja area, where Mount Herðubreið, a majestic table mountain of a truly peculiar shape, acts as the gateway to the wild region. The peak's dark silhouette is unmistakable, even from very far away. Still, the area's most precious gem is Askja itself,...

Northern Lights Hunt in a Super Jeep

Hop aboard a Super Jeep (a special vehicle made specifically to navigate icy and off-road terrain like Iceland's) and enjoy a thrilling hunt for the Northern Lights. With a Super Jeep, you can ditch the crowds, tourist buses, and light pollution and get off-the-beaten-path to reach exclusive...

The Arctic Henge in Northern Iceland

Set in Northern Iceland near Raufarhöfn—one of the country's most remote and northernmost villages—is the Arctic Hedge. Known as Heimskautsgerðið, this huge sundial is similar to Stonehenge, its ancient predecessor, as it captures the sun's rays and cast shadows in precise locations. A two-hour...

Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon & Diamond Beach

You'll find the Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon between the towns of Hof and Höfn on the country's famed South Coast. Here you'll have the chance to see one of the unique sights in Iceland: icebergs floating out to sea, resting and shimmering upon a black-sand beach. Once you reach the lagoon, you can...

Skaftafell Blue Ice Cave & Glacier Hike

Combine two of the most popular excursions in Iceland: glacier hiking and exploring the electric-blue ice caves. Skaftafell Nature Reserve sits within Vatnajökull National Park, home to Europe's largest glacier. So, lace up your hiking boots and get ready to experience an incredible journey along...

Recent trip reviews for Guðmundur Óli

Awesome trip to Iceland led by Gummi!
Iceland | May 18 - May 28, 2024

Barbara
Barbara P.
Seattle, WA | Reviewed on Jun 04, 2024

Gummi was friendly, thorough and knowledgeable lending a hand when necessary and taking care of business in a professional manner. He and his wife Yara are a fantastic team! We would not hesitate to recommend them to our friends.

Local specialist: Guðmundur Óli Pálmason

An enjoyable tour around the circumference of Iceland
Iceland | May 18 - May 28, 2024

H
Howard S.
Seattle, WA | Reviewed on Jun 04, 2024

Our KimKim local specialist, Gummi , put together a wonderful tour for us, that was comfortably paced. The hotels and restaurants were all enjoyable. I particularly liked the food at Hotel Kria in Vik and the Hotel Budir on the peninsula near Reykjavik.

Local specialist: Guðmundur Óli Pálmason

Our guide Gummi - knowledgeable warm kind and humorous!!
Iceland | May 18 - May 28, 2024

M
Marilyn G.
Newark, NJ | Reviewed on May 31, 2024
We absolutely loved our visit to Iceland and our guide Gummi was amazing!! What a dramatic, beautiful and constantly changing country. So much to experience that picking a favourite thing is hard, but for me I would likely say it was the beaches, for my husband those beautiful little fishing villages. I can't imagine a better person to have shown Iceland to us than Gummi and his assistant Yara. He obviously loves Iceland and that made everything we explored more special. His stories were... Read more

We absolutely loved our visit to Iceland and our guide Gummi was amazing!! What a dramatic, beautiful and constantly changing country. So much to experience that picking a favourite thing is hard, but for me I would likely say it was the beaches, for my husband those beautiful little fishing villages. I can't imagine a better person to have shown Iceland to us than Gummi and his assistant Yara. He obviously loves Iceland and that made everything we explored more special. His stories were informative and very entertaining. And his ability to balance the whole trip, troubleshoot any glitches or necessary changes and do so seamlessly was admirable. But mostly what we appreciate was Gummi's warmth, kindness and humour in showing us his beautiful country and making us welcome.

Local specialist: Guðmundur Óli Pálmason
Guðmundur Óli
Guðmundur Óli Pálmason
Local specialist in Iceland | Replied on Jun 02, 2024

Thank you Marylyn! You and Al are so sweet and we miss you guys so much already!!
It was such a pleasure to get to show you guys around.
I do hope we'll see you in Iceland again, or maybe in Canada, who knows :)

Gummi was amazing on our 10 day Ring road tou...
Iceland | May 18 - May 28, 2024

J
Jerry L.
Seattle, WA | Reviewed on May 30, 2024

Gummi was amazing on our 10 day Ring road tour. More than once he handled unexpected hiccups in our plan. When a restaurant cancelled dinner for our 21 person group he found us a new restaurant within 24 hours. He also had to get us back a hotel room that was cancelled without notice. He achieved that perfect balance between stopping at all the impressive natural wonders and allowing us time to appreciate the beauty we seeing. His great planning was exceeded only by his outstanding execution - he is a good driver, as well as funny and informative.

Local specialist: Guðmundur Óli Pálmason
Guðmundur Óli
Guðmundur Óli Pálmason
Local specialist in Iceland | Replied on Jun 02, 2024

Thank you so much Jerry! We really miss you guys already! What a great trip this was and such a pleasure to get to show you around Iceland!
We really hope to see you soon on either side of the pond!
Give our love to Rhonda!

Gummi was an absolute gem. Nothing was too mu...
Iceland | May 18 - May 28, 2024

Gill
Gill M.
United Kingdom | Reviewed on May 29, 2024
Gummi was an absolute gem. Nothing was too much trouble for him and he made sure that each and every person in the group was comfortable with the excursions that we had. His wife Vara came with us too as we were a big group and she added another dimension and took care of the admin.
Gummi's knowledge of Iceland was great and we enjoyed his Trolls and Elves stories on long segments of our travels although I'm not sure we believed all his tales!
Gummi's passion for Iceland was evident as was...
Read more

Gummi was an absolute gem. Nothing was too much trouble for him and he made sure that each and every person in the group was comfortable with the excursions that we had. His wife Vara came with us too as we were a big group and she added another dimension and took care of the admin.
Gummi's knowledge of Iceland was great and we enjoyed his Trolls and Elves stories on long segments of our travels although I'm not sure we believed all his tales!
Gummi's passion for Iceland was evident as was his pride in his country. That came through loud and clear on many occaisions.
A busy trip but a wonderful one.
Thank you to the Kim Kim team and especially thanks to Vara and Gummi
Gill and Maurice

Hotel Review
Hótel Kría
Vík

Excellent food and helpful staff

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Lunar Landscapes & Healing Waters – Blue Lagoon Immersion
Lunar Landscapes & Healing Waters – Blue Lagoon Immersion
Iceland

Much better than I was expecting! It was busy but didn't feel crowded. The drinks from the swim up bar were great!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Katla Ice Cave
Katla Ice Cave
Iceland

Quite a long walk to the cave but the staff made sure that I was ok. I have two knee replacements so I am not as agile as i used to be! Cave was good but with our large group was a bit full of people

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Guðmundur Óli Pálmason
Guðmundur Óli
Guðmundur Óli Pálmason
Local specialist in Iceland | Replied on Jun 02, 2024

Thank you so much for the lovely words Gill, you and Maurice are too nice!
It was absolutely an honor to get to show you around Iceland. What a great group and what a great trip!
We do hope we'll see you guys again, either in Iceland or maybe we'll run into you in the Uk

We and 19 friends had a SUPERLATIVE experienc...
Iceland | May 18 - May 28, 2024

J
J. Tayloe W.
Seattle, WA | Reviewed on May 29, 2024
We and 19 friends had a SUPERLATIVE experience with Gummi. I cannot say in words how effective he was in all respects, as was his assistant Yara. He was great at the outset working with me on agenda. The customized attention he and his team gave from the moment welanded to the last cab ride to airport heading home was great. H em masterfully navigated the bad things that every trip involves, ie Covid case hotel and restaurant reservations that broke down etc. He also has a great... Read more

We and 19 friends had a SUPERLATIVE experience with Gummi. I cannot say in words how effective he was in all respects, as was his assistant Yara. He was great at the outset working with me on agenda. The customized attention he and his team gave from the moment welanded to the last cab ride to airport heading home was great. H em masterfully navigated the bad things that every trip involves, ie Covid case hotel and restaurant reservations that broke down etc.

He also has a great knowledge and sense of humor. All of our group connected with and appreciated him. Kimkim is lucky to contract with him.

Let me know if other questions. Give him a raise

Tayloe Washburn, group leader

Local specialist: Guðmundur Óli Pálmason
Guðmundur Óli
Guðmundur Óli Pálmason
Local specialist in Iceland | Replied on May 29, 2024

Thank you so much Tyloe. I am truly touched and Yara and I absolutely loved traveling with all of you, every single one.
I'm sad I didn't have time to play petanque with you though, but I guess that's a reason to catch up with you somewhere, sometime again.

Love from Iceland!

Memorable Family Trip to Iceland!
Iceland | Apr 23 - Apr 28, 2024

C
Clara S.
Newark, NJ | Reviewed on Apr 29, 2024
This was an incredible and action packed trip! Our family of four (two teenagers) had an amazing time. We followed Gummi’s recommendations and were not disappointed, from excellent restaurant picks to perfectly timed driving and touring information, he made the experience smooth. In just five days in Iceland, we visited two hot springs, a lava cave, ice cave, hiked up a glacier, rode Icelandic ponies, saw amazing waterfalls, geysers, canyons and more. Bonus, we even got to see some puffins,... Read more

This was an incredible and action packed trip! Our family of four (two teenagers) had an amazing time. We followed Gummi’s recommendations and were not disappointed, from excellent restaurant picks to perfectly timed driving and touring information, he made the experience smooth. In just five days in Iceland, we visited two hot springs, a lava cave, ice cave, hiked up a glacier, rode Icelandic ponies, saw amazing waterfalls, geysers, canyons and more. Bonus, we even got to see some puffins, who had just returned to the area for the summer. Using Gummi’s guide made this trip so easy. We told him what we liked and he made everything happen smoothly. Even set up our rental car with WiFi so that everyone could connect without needing international cell service.

Hotel Reviews
Puffin Hotel Vík
Vík

Great location, friendly staff. Rooms were simple and clean. Nice basic breakfast spread, too.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel Selfoss & Spa
Selfoss

This is a great location if you are doing the Golden Circle and was a great place to spend the night on our way East! Comfortable rooms and a nice breakfast.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Lunar Landscapes & Healing Waters – Blue Lagoon Immersion
Lunar Landscapes & Healing Waters – Blue Lagoon Immersion
Iceland

The best place to start your vacation in Iceland. Right between the Airport and Reykjavik. Get refreshed and rejuvenated after a long flight!

Quality of Experience
Lava Tunnel Tour
Lava Tunnel Tour
Iceland

Such a unique experience! Our guide Michael was very informative and we had an incredible time. Bring a jacket. It gets cold.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
The Secret Lagoon
The Secret Lagoon
Iceland

A more rustic hot spring than the Blue Lagoon. It was the perfect end to a long day.

Quality of Experience
Katla Ice Cave
Katla Ice Cave
Iceland

Starts with a fun jeep ride from the lovely little town of Vik. Then you get to walk up a way towards a glacier and see these otherworldly ice formations. The ice melts and changes every day, so each tour is different. The guide kept everything fun and knew how to get the best photos.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Skaftafell Glacier Hike
Skaftafell Glacier Hike
Iceland

One of the highlights of our trip. It may seem like a long drive, but it was worth it. We had a great time climbing up to the glacier and exploring. The guide, Kate, was so lovely and brought a perfect energy to our group.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Icelandic horse riding tour
Icelandic horse riding tour
Iceland

These ponies are adorable. Enough said!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Local specialist: Guðmundur Óli Pálmason
Guðmundur Óli
Guðmundur Óli Pálmason
Local specialist in Iceland | Replied on May 03, 2024

Thank you so much for the kind words Clara. I am so happy you had such a lovely vacation with your family in Iceland and we hope to see you back again :)

Gummi

Family trip to Iceland in March
Iceland | Mar 23 - Mar 27, 2024

Huyen
Huyen C.
San Francisco, CA | Reviewed on Apr 04, 2024
We had a wonderful family trip to Iceland in March. The itinerary suggested by KimKim was perfect. The highlight of course was the unforgettable Northern Light we saw from our Buubble hotel (truly magical). Gummi (Guðmundur Óli) was knowledgeable and very thoughtful/attentive and gave us a fantastic Golden Circle tour. The tour was great, just the perfect day that ended with a relaxing dip at the Secret Lagoon. Gummi delighted our family with fun and important facts about Iceland. He... Read more

We had a wonderful family trip to Iceland in March. The itinerary suggested by KimKim was perfect. The highlight of course was the unforgettable Northern Light we saw from our Buubble hotel (truly magical). Gummi (Guðmundur Óli) was knowledgeable and very thoughtful/attentive and gave us a fantastic Golden Circle tour. The tour was great, just the perfect day that ended with a relaxing dip at the Secret Lagoon. Gummi delighted our family with fun and important facts about Iceland. He checked in on us, was available at all time and guided us when we got lost.
We traveled frequently as a family and Gummi was by far one of the best in all our international tour - he made our Iceland trip truly special.
We were not able to visit the Blue Lagoon due to the active Volcano although the Sky Ritual and Secret Lagoon were fantastic. Other highlights our children loved: Thingvellir National Park, The Geyser and Katla Ice Cave. The only hiccup was some technical issues with a hotel reservation and charge but Gummi took care of the misunderstanding.
I shared our photos to friends and families and now many want to go visit Iceland! I will be sure to recommend Gummi and KimKim.

Hotel Reviews
Courtyard by Marriott Reykjavik Keflavik Airport
Reykjanesbær

Terrible check-in. The front desk could not find our reservation for two rooms and took a long time before locating them even though we showed them the confirmation. They also charged us for a dinner that we never took!

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Staff could not find our reservation and charged us for a dinner we never had
Cleanliness & Comfort
Bubble Hotel
Selfoss

A magical experience for northern light viewing. We were not cold with the heating blanket and warmed air. Very clean.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel Borg by Keahotels
Reykjavik

Very nice hotel. Central to many places to eat. Staff very attentive

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hotel Katla by Keahotels
Vík

Nice and clean hotel. Food was decent

Activity Reviews
Sky Lagoon - Experience the seven-step Sky Ritual
Sky Lagoon - Experience the seven-step Sky Ritual
Iceland

We went to the Sky Lagoon shortly after we landed in KEF. It was a welcoming surprise. Staff was very nice and the experience was "cool" (per the children). We were able to soak in the warm lagoon as the sunset

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Bubble Hotel with Golden Circle tour
Bubble Hotel with Golden Circle tour
Iceland

Magical experience. The Northern Light can be seen clearly from our bed for several hours at night. The "room" was warm and clean and not as small as some reviewers have mentioned.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
The Secret Lagoon
The Secret Lagoon
Iceland
Quality of Experience
Katla Ice Cave
Katla Ice Cave
Iceland

The ice formations were surreal - beyond our expectation. The ride to the cave was a bit rough and we wished we had more time.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Reykjavík Classic Whale Watching
Reykjavík Classic Whale Watching
Iceland

The ship and staff and setting was very nice. Except we saw only a few dolphins and no whales!

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Lunar Landscapes & Healing Waters – Blue Lagoon Immersion
Lunar Landscapes & Healing Waters – Blue Lagoon Immersion
Iceland

NOt seen- cancelled due to active volcanoes

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Local specialist: Guðmundur Óli Pálmason
Guðmundur Óli
Guðmundur Óli Pálmason
Local specialist in Iceland | Replied on Apr 13, 2024
Thank you so much for the kind review, despite the unpleasantness with the Marriott Keflavík Hotel.
It has been a surprising experience for us, as they have been known for great quality service up until now. Luckily this has all been sorted now and they've refunded you.
Nature decided to play a few tricks on you too, as a nearby volcano closed down the Blue Lagoon and the whales didn't show themselves. Unfortunately, such is nature. but like I said, I am so glad that you enjoyed everything...
Read more

Thank you so much for the kind review, despite the unpleasantness with the Marriott Keflavík Hotel.
It has been a surprising experience for us, as they have been known for great quality service up until now. Luckily this has all been sorted now and they've refunded you.
Nature decided to play a few tricks on you too, as a nearby volcano closed down the Blue Lagoon and the whales didn't show themselves. Unfortunately, such is nature. but like I said, I am so glad that you enjoyed everything else.
It really was a pleasure getting to meet you all for a day and show you around the Golden Circle.
I certainly hope I will see you in Iceland again at some point :)

All the best
Gummi

My trip to Iceland was unusual. That is why a Guide was incredibly useful.
Iceland | Mar 8 - Mar 13, 2024

Jeffrey
Jeffrey W.
Chicago, IL | Reviewed on Mar 18, 2024
My trip to Iceland was unusual. That is why I thought I needed a guide. And it turns out that was correct.
I went to Iceland in March (not necessarily the most beautiful time to visit) but the perfect time for me because ALL I wanted to do is see Aurora. Sleep in very late every day and stay up to 2am to watch the sky. So what I needed was expert pre-trip advice to decide on the best places to maximize my chances and daily real-time advice during the trip to possible head to a different...
Read more

My trip to Iceland was unusual. That is why I thought I needed a guide. And it turns out that was correct.
I went to Iceland in March (not necessarily the most beautiful time to visit) but the perfect time for me because ALL I wanted to do is see Aurora. Sleep in very late every day and stay up to 2am to watch the sky. So what I needed was expert pre-trip advice to decide on the best places to maximize my chances and daily real-time advice during the trip to possible head to a different location with less clouds. That is exactly what Gudmundur ("Gummi") did for me.
1) He listened to my (admittedly odd request) and provided the pre-trip and real time advice I needed. Seeing Aurora is very much a lucky chance event; they are either out and it is cloudless or not. But I was able to see Aurora all 4 nights I was in Iceland. Of course this was lucky, but my "luck" was very much improved by the expert advice I received. The 4th night I had to drive over 250 km to get to a new location that was going to be cloud free that night. A bit crazy, yes, but that is what I was there for.
Gummi was able to help identify a good place to go and reserve an Inn for me to stay so all I had to do was drive there. And it worked. Completely cloud free excellent dark Northern view for Aurora viewing on my last night.
Of course he was knowledgeable of the more interesting beautiful and important sites of the are also. But his listening and guidance during the trip is what I wanted and what I received.
5 Stars.
-Jeff White

Hotel Reviews
Sigló Hotel
Siglufjörður

Very VERY nice hotel in the very North of Iceland. Siglufjordur was very scenic and beautiful. While this comment may seem bland, it is the best summation of the hotel: "This was an excellent hotel and would I strongly recommend staying there" -Jeff White

Authenticity & Character
Beautiful location right on the water.
Location
If for no other reason, it is an excellent location for Aurora viewing. Head North through two short tunnels and there is a spot with parking that was the most ideal location to view Aurora.
Staff
Came back very late (2:30am) after Aurora viewing and was hungry. The nice night staff person provided a small bowl of bar peanuts as a snack. This staff service was deeply appreciated.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Unquestioned cleanliness.
Fosshótel Mývatn
Myvatn

Excellent location overlooking Myvatn Lake. My visit was in March so not an optimal time but still quite beautiful. Room was very nice and exceptionally clean. The restaurant was extremely good.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Aurora Hotel at Reykjavik-Keflavik Airport Terminal KEF
Reykjanesbær

Simply the by far best location next to Kelfeck airport. Basically across the street. Could not be more ideal. Hotel common areas, staff, rooms, etc are all quite nice.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Local specialist: Guðmundur Óli Pálmason
Guðmundur Óli
Guðmundur Óli Pálmason
Local specialist in Iceland | Replied on Mar 19, 2024

Thank you so much for the kind words! Luckily I had some help from the Nordic Gods, it seems they like you haha!
Your profile picture is epic btw! Can you send it to me on the chat? :D
Our chat at the bakery was also epic, man I feel like the two of us could talk forever so I really hope we'll get a chance to pick it up again soon!

This was an amazing trip and we had the best ...
Iceland | Jan 28 - Feb 2, 2024

Lori
Lori M.
Chicago, IL | Reviewed on Feb 21, 2024
This was an amazing trip and we had the best guide. Gummi is highly experienced. He made us feel at home. Read more

This was an amazing trip and we had the best guide. Gummi is highly experienced. He made us feel at home.

Hotel Reviews
Reykjavik Residence Apartment Hotel
Reykjavík
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Hörgsland guesthouse and cottages
Kirkjubaejarklaustur
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Old Charm Reykjavík Apartments
Reykjavík
Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Local specialist: Guðmundur Óli Pálmason
Guðmundur Óli
Guðmundur Óli Pálmason
Local specialist in Iceland | Replied on Feb 21, 2024

Thank you so much Lori!
You girls were great fun! I miss you already and can't wait to see you again in Iceland :D
I hope you're all doing good :)