July 10, 2022

Iceland Overview: Land of Fire and Ice

Iceland Overview: Land of Fire and Ice

We had a great time exploring the land of fire and ice! With dramatic landscapes, endless waterfalls, and hiking trails around every corner, it was an outdoor enthusiasts dream! Below is an overview of our trip to Iceland with the areas we visited during our trip along with some of our favorite photos. For more detailed information on planning your trip to Iceland, check out our post here.

Snæfellsnes Peninsula

Our first stop of the trip was on the Snæfellsnes Peninsula along the western coast of the island. We made various stops along the beautiful coastline with seal and whale sightings, explored the soaring cliffs with waterfalls and narrow gorges, and hiked the crater of a volcano that erupted 1000 years ago. The highlight of this area was a hike/climb up Iceland’s most iconic mountain – Kirkjufell!

  • Tall waterfall dropping down a green mossy cliff with a walker below for scale
  • Natural sea arch in the black rock coastline of the Snaefellsnes peninsula
  • Narrow mossy gorge with a walker on the path at its base
  • Warning sign at Kirkjufell advising the mountain route is for experienced climbers only
  • Hiker standing on a clifftop path above the Icelandic coast
  • Kirkjufellsfoss waterfall in the foreground with the Kirkjufell peak behind
  • Open Icelandic moorland with low cloud over distant hills

Golden Circle

Next we headed to the Golden Circle area in south-central Iceland. This is a popular tourist destination as you can get a taste of Iceland with a variety of different stops located closely together. We explored geysers, waterfalls (including the massive Gullfoss), and hiked between tectonic plates at Þingvellir National Park. An off the beaten path stop that we did was at a bakery where they cook their famous rye bread in the sands of their geothermal heated beach. We did a tour where we were able to dig up a pot of bread and then sample it!

  • Two visitors in front of Gullfoss waterfall with a rainbow in the spray
  • Vendor holding a bowl of Icelandic soup beside a fjord
  • Strokkur geyser erupting in a tall column of water against a blue sky
  • Walkers on the path through the Thingvellir rift valley between rock walls
  • Wide braided waterfall running over dark rock in the Icelandic highlands

South Coast

After the Golden Circle, we started making our way along the south coast of Iceland. One of our main focuses of this area was on exploring the two popular waterfalls: Seljalandsfoss & Skógafoss. We were able to get up close to these waterfalls including going behind Seljalandsfoss – luckily our waterprooof hiking gear worked well! A highlight of the area was hiking the Skógafoss waterway which extended for miles behind the falls with beautiful canyons and countless additional falls.

  • Standing with arms outstretched behind the curtain of Seljalandsfoss waterfall
  • Arms raised on the path behind a wide Icelandic waterfall
  • Two visitors on the black sand in front of Skogafoss waterfall
  • Two hikers in warm hats above a green moss covered canyon
  • Two hikers beside a stream in the green Fjadrargljufur canyon
  • Lying on the moss inside the rainbow at the foot of a waterfall

While on the south coast, we stayed in the small coastal village of Vik which is famous for its volcanic black sand beaches. We were able to explore these beaches in a unique way by doing a tour while riding beautiful Icelandic horses! While visiting this coastal area we also got up close to a large number of Puffins who call the island home.

  • Two riders on Icelandic horses on the black sand beach near Vik
  • Riding an Icelandic horse along the black sand with green cliffs behind
  • Black basalt sea stack rising from the water below green coastal cliffs
  • Two visitors at Reynisfjara with the Reynisdrangar sea stacks behind
  • Puffin standing on a grassy clifftop in Iceland
  • Puffin in flight against a clear blue sky

Glacier Exploring

As we ventured further east along the coast, we focused on the ice side of the country. The main adventure was a challenging day hike on a glacier. The views were amazing and we had a great time with experienced guides taking is deep into the largest glacier in Europe! There are a few Glacier tour options which can vary in difficulty level.

Along with this glacier hike, we explored the Glacier Lagoon with its Diamond Beach and iceberg filled waters, and did some additional hiking in the national park that surrounds the glacier.

  • Two hikers in glacier gear and helmets on the ice in Iceland
  • Hikers in crampons and helmets roped together on an Icelandic glacier
  • Guided group descending a blue ice slope on an Icelandic glacier
  • Zodiac boat passing a large blue iceberg on the glacier lagoon
  • Seals resting on the rocks at the edge of the Iceland glacier lagoon
  • Blue and white icebergs floating on Jokulsarlon glacier lagoon
  • Chunks of clear ice washed up on the black sand of Diamond Beach
  • Holding a piece of glacier ice in gloved hands at Diamond Beach
  • Glacier tongue flowing down between mountains with a hiker in the foreground
  • Two visitors in front of Svartifoss waterfall and its basalt columns

Reykjavik

The last stop of our trip was in Reykjavik to explore the city and surrounding area. We got one last hike in which gave us the opportunity to check out the freshly formed lava fields from the Fagradalsfjall valcano that erupted in 2021. It was awesome to see areas still not cool yet and steaming! While in the area we also made a stop at the Blue Lagoon to relax and recover from the trip in the healing geothermal waters.

  • Two hikers with poles on a rocky moraine below a glacier
  • Dark ash covered glacier surface stretching towards the mountains
  • Black volcanic lava field running down to the Icelandic coast
  • Bather resting against the edge of the milky blue geothermal lagoon
  • Two bathers in silica face masks holding beers in the Blue Lagoon
  • Swimming in the steaming blue water of the geothermal lagoon

Reykjavik was a vibrant small city to explore with colorful streets and a busy nightlife scene. We enjoyed wandering the streets, seeing the sights, and sampling the offerings from the local pubs and food stands!

  • The rainbow painted street leading up through central Reykjavik
  • The stepped concrete facade of Hallgrimskirkja church in Reykjavik
  • View over the coloured rooftops of Reykjavik towards the harbour
  • Beers on an outdoor table at the Einstok bar in Reykjavik
  • The Sun Voyager sculpture on the Reykjavik waterfront
  • Holding an Icelandic hot dog outside the Baejarins Beztu stand

Thanks for having us Iceland – we hope to make it back in the winter to check out the northern lights and ice caves!

For more information on our international travels, check out our posts here!

Author:
Filed Under: Iceland, International Travel
Tags: , , , , ,

1 thought on “Iceland Overview: Land of Fire and Ice”

Leave a Reply