Bolles upper school students laced up their hiking boots and bundled up for an unforgettable journey to Iceland June 1-8, as part of the Bolles Iceland Travel Program.

The group was led by Bolles Lower School Whitehurst Campus P.E. coach Trey Leonard ’05 and upper school academic travel programs coordinator Kristin Hong. Students on the trip included Lian Dyer ’26, Asher Gottlieb ’26, Pedro Martinezclark ’26, Elizabeth Watkins ’26, Kimbrough Chambliss ’27, Paul Rywelski ’27, Abigail Naugle ’28 and Jane Shad ’29.

Hong described the program as both challenging and incredibly rewarding – "exactly the kind of experience that pushed our students in the best way.”

“We arrived to cold and windy weather, which made the first few days of camping outside Reykjavik a bit tough, but the group really rose to the occasion,” Hong said.

Despite the conditions, the students managed to explore key sites along the Golden Circle, including Gullfoss Waterfall and Thingvellir (Þingvellir) National Park. Each evening, they took turns preparing dinner for the group in the campground’s communal kitchen and gathered for a nightly reflection circle. During these sessions, they shared their “Hero of the Day” and “Highlight of the Day” and responded to a rotating reflection question – sometimes about their travels, sometimes about school or life more broadly.

The group also visited the Perlan Museum, gaining insight into Iceland’s geology and cultural history. A favorite moment for many was the hike to a natural geothermal river, where students soaked in warm waters surrounded by untouched landscape.

Midway through the expedition, they headed south to Glacier Lagoon and Diamond Beach before camping in Skaftafell. With the weather finally clearing, the Bulldogs had blue skies and a stunning campsite with views of mountains and glaciers. From there, they packed up camp and hiked directly to a nearby waterfall – another highlight of the travel program.  

On the way to Vik, the group made several scenic stops at waterfalls and canyons, wrapping up their adventure with a visit to the Blue Lagoon and a whale-watching excursion in the bay.

To view more pictures from the Bolles Iceland Travel Program, visit our online photo gallery. #BollesGlobal