Iceland glaciers, waterfalls and northern lights
Iceland was on my bucket list for a while and I got the opportunity to visit in early September! I went on the Iceland Discovery tour with Intrepid Travel and had a wonderful time. The tour lasted for eight days and took us all around Iceland on the Ring Road, which is 820 miles long.
Our tour began and ended in Iceland’s capital city of Reykjavik. I had some time to explore there and checked out the colorful Rainbow Street as well as Hallgrimskirkja church. Be sure to visit the Leif Eriksson monument in front of the church and take the elevator to the top of the church tower for sweeping views of Reykjavik and the harbor.
Also in Reykjavik, I walked along the harbor and admired the famous Sun Voyager sculpture that resembles a Viking ship. If you’re looking for shopping, Laugavegur Street has tons of stores, galleries and restaurants.
Not far from Reykjavik is the famous Blue Lagoon where you can soak in geothermal seawater enriched with silica, algae and minerals. You can take a shuttle there directly from the airport to relax in the warm waters after your journey to Iceland. Your visit includes face masks and drinks to enjoy in the lagoon. It is definitely an experience you don’t want to miss!
Another geothermal lagoon near Reykjavik is the Sky Lagoon, which includes a seven-step ritual of soaking, a cold plunge, a sauna, a cold mist, a sea salt scrub, steam and an elixir. My skin felt so soft after the salt scrub! It’s also an awesome spot to watch the sunset!
We also visited the Forest Lagoon in Akureyri, which I really enjoyed, and the Secret Lagoon. There are so many relaxing geothermal lagoons in Iceland!
The first part of our tour was on the Golden Circle, which includes the breathtaking Gullfoss waterfall, which means Golden Falls. There are several viewing areas and the closer you get, the more spray you will get! Some people were drenched. One of the most important things when visiting Iceland is remembering to dress in layers, including a good waterproof top layer to protect you from waterfall spray, precipitation and wind.
Also on the Golden Circle is Thingvellir National Park, where Iceland’s general assembly was established around 930 and home of the Silfra fissure.
The Silfra fissure is the boundary between the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates. You can walk between the plates and also snorkel in the fissure! The water is very cold at around 35 degrees Fahrenheit, but they gave us several layers, including a dry suit to wear. It’s worth it to swim in the clear waters between the continental plates.
The Strokkur geysir and original “Geysir,” which gave its name to others around the world, are also in this region. Strokkur usually erupts every 6 to 10 minutes and is 50-65 feet high.
Next, we headed to the south coast and the stunning waterfalls of Seljalandsfoss and Skogafoss. Seljandsfoss drops almost 200 feet and has a pathway that stretches around it, so you can walk behind the waterfall for amazing views!
Skogafoss also has a drop of around 200 feet and you can walk all the way up to it. We were fortunate to see a beautiful double rainbow next to the waterfall when we visited.
In nearby Vik is the famous Reynisfjara Beach, known for its black sand, powerful waves and majestic sea stacks. It’s been a filming location for “Star Wars,” “Game of Thrones” and more. Admire the beauty, but don’t get too close to the dangerous ocean waves and currents. If you’ve worked up an appetite, check out Black Crust Pizzeria.
Another adventurous activity we did was a glacier hike in Vatnajokull National Park. Our tour with Blue Iceland took us hiking on the Vatnajokull Glacier, the largest glacier in Europe that covers approximately 10 percent of Iceland.
We put on all of our safety gear and took a jeep ride to get close to the glacier and begin our hike. It was amazing to explore the unique ice sculpture and crevasse formations.
The next day, we headed to the Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon for amazing views and to sail among the huge icebergs on an amphibian boat tour.
The boats start on land and drive right into the lagoon and sail around. We got to taste the pure, 1,000-year-old ice and learned about the geology of the lagoon. It was gorgeous and a definite highlight of my trip to Iceland.
Nearby is Diamond Beach, where chunks of the icebergs from the glacier lagoon wash up on shore. They are stunning to see on the black sand.
One of the coolest things about Iceland is all of the different landscapes you see. From the ocean to waterfalls to glaciers to mountains to looking like you’re on the moon, there is everything. We went by this lava desert and I was struck by how it looked like we were on another planet.
The next day, we went to the powerful Dettifoss waterfall before heading to the Namafjall Geothermal Area. There are many boiling mud pots, sulphurous mud springs and steam springs, but be prepared for the smell as a result!
Also near Lake Myvatn are the Dimmuborgir lava fields and Skutustadir pseudocraters. The pseudocraters are not magma producing but were formed by gas explosions from boiling lava about 2,300 years ago.
Another awesome waterfall along the Ring Road is Godafoss, which is in northern Iceland and is 40 feet high and almost 100 feet wide. It is a spectacular sight to behold.
We headed next to the Snaefellsnes Peninsula, which is the long and narrow peninsula on Iceland’s west coast. The most photographed mountain in Iceland is said to be Kirkjufell, which is on the peninsula. The mountain with the waterfalls makes for a stunning view and it was used as a filming location for “Game of Thrones.”
We also visited Arnarstapi, a small fishing village along the coast with wonderful views and basalt rock formations. There is a nice trail to follow and enjoy the scenery.
That night we stayed at Lysuholl horse farm in Snaefellsbaer. They offer horseback riding tours and an Icelandic dinner buffet.
And once it got dark, we were fortunate enough to see the spectacular northern lights. I recommend downloading the Aurora app to get alerts when the lights are out. They are amazing to see in person and were the perfect way to wrap up our last night on the road!
Have you visited Iceland? What are your favorite things to do there?
