Iceland’s popularity is higher than ever and doesn’t show any signs of slowing down. And why should it? The small island nation in the North Atlantic is the most breathtaking place I have ever seen, full stop. Volcanoes, dramatic cliffs, crashing waves, geysers, majestic waterfalls, gorgeous glacial lagoons, the cutest sheep and horses, the midnight sun, friendly people and awesome vodka are just a few of the reasons I fell in love with this country.
It’s been a year and a half since I visited Iceland, and my post “11 day Iceland itinerary: Part One” is the most popular page on my site. The number of comments and emails I’m receiving about it continue to grow, so this is the perfect time for me to update all of you on how the itinerary worked out for us.
We made it to Husavik, another perfectly picturesque Icelandic town, just in time for our 14:00 whale watching tour, run by a company called North Sailing. The beautiful oak schooner Haukur, built in 1973, was awaiting us in the harbour. Once our group of 12 passengers boarded along with two crew members, we were given big, heavy, warm overalls to wear. Even though the weather on land was gorgeous – blue sky with only a few clouds, little wind – we would absolutely need this warmth very soon.
As we set out into the bay, everyone was eager and alert to spot whales, although it was more likely that we would see them further out where the water is deeper. The tour we were on was called Whales, Puffins and Tails, so we were also all on the lookout for those funny little birds. I still hadn’t seen any puffins up close, so my hopes were very high. About 30 minutes after setting out, we reached Lundey, nicknamed Puffin Island. Finally, there they were! They were so much smaller than I realized they would be, flitting through the air, some of them looking like they were about to drop out of the sky. The crew turned off the engines and we floated around the island for a bit, watching the puffins while the captain told us more about the birds.
Driving into Akureyri, the view of the town and the surrounding area is incredibly breathtaking. It sits at the end of a fjord with mountains rising up all around it. The sky was such a brilliant blue and the sun was shining so bright, it made the water twinkle in the most beautiful way.
After we settled into our guesthouse, we headed out to explore Akureyri by foot. We grabbed a couple of beers at the liquor store to sip on while we walked around. Weekends are a busy time at Icelandic liquor stores, as drinking in the bars is very expensive, so people drink at house parties first. But this liquor store was manic. Foreshadowing of things to come. As we walked around the very cute and photogenic town, something struck us both as very odd. It felt like a ghost town, even though it is a fair size by Icelandic standards with over 17,000 residents. Continue reading Alluring Akureyri, cut short→
Somewhere along the way…. East Iceland. We were driving from Höfn to the Mývatn area, turned a corner, and were blindsided by this gorgeous view.Horses and sheep are abundant in Iceland, but seeing reindeer is a bit more rare. We were so lucky to come across this group of 13 reindeer right alongside Route One in East Iceland!Stunning group of reindeer in East Iceland.What planet are we on? Mud pots at the Hverir geothermal site, Lake Mývatn area.
The next big stop on our Iceland road trip was the Jökulsárlón glacial lagoon, in southeast Iceland, just off of Route One between Höfn and Skaftafell. Even though you can still have a fantastic visit without leaving the shore, we really wanted to immerse ourselves in it, so we had booked a Zodiac boat ride long before we left home.
Our ride was booked for 16:30, but we couldn’t contain our excitement and arrived at the lagoon at 15:00. You can start to see some icebergs while you’re still driving on the road. I was practically jumping out of my seat with excitement as soon as I saw them. Even the view from the parking lot is incredible.
We decided to check in with our tour before we went down to the shore to take pictures. As we walked up to the trailer for the company we were to take the ride with, the first words out of the staffers mouth were “I have horrible news”. My heart sank. She told us that the icebergs had shifted and were in the way of where their boats launch, and they had been waiting all day for them to move. She suggested we not even come back because they likely wouldn’t be going out. Continue reading Scatter my ashes at Jökulsárlón→
After our snorkeling adventure, we drove the rest of the Golden Circle, seeing some of the most famous sites of Iceland, Geysir and Gulfoss. We stayed the night in a guesthouse on a farm in Flúðir, relaxing in the hot pot and enjoying the incredible view of the mountains and the open green fields with the iconic Icelandic horses grazing quietly. These pony-sized horses are almost like an unofficial mascot for the country. They have the funniest manes of luscious hair and are very friendly. I was really excited to see them, so we spent some time petting them while they nibbled on grass out of our hands.
Our day was full of driving and sightseeing. There’s lots to see on the south coast of Iceland, so we hit some of the highlights on our way to Vík í Mýrdal, or Vík for short.
Seljalandsfoss – Although there are countless waterfalls in Iceland, this tall beauty is special because you can walk all the way behind it. Be careful, it’s slippery!
The view from behind Seljalandsfoss.
Eyjafjallajökull – Even if you don’t live anywhere near Iceland, chances are the eruption of Eyjafjallajökull in early 2010 affected someone you know. There is now a small visitor’s centre across the road from the volcano, run by the family whose farm sits right at its base but which miraculously didn’t suffer extensive damage. There is a 20-minute movie that is definitely worth watching. It was chilling to look at Eyjafjallajökull, which doesn’t look like much from the visitor’s centre, and contemplate all the damage it did.
One of the amazing geological oddities in Iceland is the Silfra Fissure in Thingvellir National Park, a rift where the North American and Eurasian plates are slowly pulling away from each other. While researching the trip, we found out that it is possible to snorkel or dive in the fissure, so we jumped at the opportunity and booked a snorkel trip right away.
Thingvellir is a 45 minute drive northwest from Reykjavik. We arrived at the meeting point and saw the van from Dive.is waiting for us. I started to get nervous as we approached the van. I knew that they were professionals and that I would be wearing a dry suit so I didn’t need to worry about getting cold, but I was still uneasy. I am from the land-locked prairies in Alberta, after all, so floating in freezing water between continents is foreign to me! Continue reading Snorkeling between continents in Iceland→
Day Two started out much later and much more well rested than Day One. We slept in and took it slow in the morning. I took advantage of the huge soaker tub as I knew this would be a one time luxury on this trip.
By the time we got rolling, it was almost lunch time. Iceland is strangely famous for their hot dog obsession, so we walked a couple of minutes to arguably the most famous hot dog stand in Reykjavik, Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur, by the harbour. There was already a lineup of about 15 people when we got there – a mix of families of tourists and Icelanders still up from the night before. The girl in front of me was wearing the hottest pink running shoes I’ve ever seen. The sky was grey but the wind wasn’t high and it wasn’t cold.
Hot dog line up at Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur.
We got to the counter and ordered like old pros “Two with everything”. (Everything being Icelandic style mustard, crunchy fried onions, raw onion, ketchup and a mayo-like sauce). These would be the first of many hot dogs we would eat in Iceland as they are super cheap, about 370ISK ($3). We ate our dogs at the stand up hot dog bar, complete with little hot dog holders. Along with the giant bag of paprika chips in my purse, we had a nice little lunch. Continue reading Reykjavik: Day Two→
As soon as I arrived in Reykjavik 101, I felt like I was in a familiar place. I had been dreaming and visiting Iceland for such a long time that it’s sights and even it’s vibe were already imprinted on my minds’ eye.
The bus ride from the airport into town was mildly surreal, driving through lava fields on an overcast morning, but nowhere near as surreal as the days and the scenes that were to come.
We arrived at our gorgeous Airbnb apartment* shortly before 9 am and immediately had to nap. The bed was so soft and cozy it was nearly impossible to wake up. Located near the harbour and the awesomely named street ‘Burgerjoint’, it was close to everything. After our nap, we took a stroll into downtown and just wandered. Every street and building felt so cozy and cute, so cool and artistic. Bright colours on every wall, flower pots on every cobblestone street, beautiful street art and fascinating sculptures everywhere. It’s almost like a living art installation that we were all a part of, Icelanders and visitors alike. Continue reading Reykjavik: Day One→
In less than one week I will be touching down for my first Icelandic adventure. We will be spending 11 days and 10 nights there, starting and ending in Reykjavik. After settling in for a couple of days, we will be picking up a rental car and heading out on the Ring Road, circumnavigating the entire island counterclockwise. Continue reading 11 day Iceland itinerary: Part One→
