Iceland… Think boiling mud pots, geysers, hot springs, waterfalls, and volcanoes! Iceland’s abundance of geothermal activity, mountains, and coast are enough to entice any nature enthusiast, I know I was definitely intrigued! Even more endearing, is that most of Iceland’s natural treasures are accessible from the main highway (Hwy 1), known as the Ring Road, which, as its name reveals, encircles the island. Almost any adventure you choose conveniently branches off this road.
I travelled around Iceland for a week in October, which I thought would be the best time to go since the rush of summer visitors would have dissipated by then and perhaps, I’d even get a chance to see the Northern Lights! Unfortunately, I was wrong in both regards …although there were arguably less tourists, large crowds were still present at most of the southern destinations, which are quite popular for short-term visitors due to their ease of accessibility and proximity to the airport. I also didn’t get to see the Northern Lights since it was still early in the season and the weather was overcast for most of the time I was there. The one night that the sky actually was clear enough was early on in my trip, but I was too tired and snug in my sleeping bag so I didn’t make the extra effort and thought I would’ve had more opportunities, but the weather decided otherwise. So, lesson learned: always seize an opportunity when it presents itself!
In order to travel around the Ring Road, I rented a Hyundai i10, the smallest car offered by the airport rental company. I not only wanted to see as much as possible within my short time frame, but I also wanted to spend as little money as possible. It was fuel efficient and doubled as a place to sleep when the passenger seat was fully reclined. So, I not only saved money on gas, but also on accommodations! Sure, it was a bit crammed and definitely not as nice as sleeping in a plush bed every night, but it was a great solution for a travelling student with financial limitations. Renting a small car however meant that I had to pass up on some destinations I wanted to see, due to the incompatibility of road conditions with my car: some roads were only suited to bigger vehicles with 4-wheel drive, and I sure found out why! These roads were ridden with potholes, too deep and too plentiful for my little Hyundai to handle. It was also problematic that volcanic rocks would fly up from under the tires while driving and stick to the exterior of the car, which can be quite damaging and really hard to clean off.
My journey began standing on an Icelandic pier, breathing in the brisk ocean air with a snow-covered mountain on the horizon. As the sun rose and the morning frost thawed, I drove along the meandering roads, stopping every now and then, to take photos and immerse myself in this newfound place. I was nervous and excited to be in Iceland and embark on the journey ahead.
Gunnuhver and Hverir are two geothermal areas I visited. The former is in the South of the island and the latter is in the North. Both resemble large-scale witch’s cauldrons, with mud displaying colours of orange and red, a stench of sulfur, and the ground laden with boiling mud puddles, some of which in Hverir are as deep as 1000 metres! While at Gunnuhver there’s an added bonus of also being immersed in big white turbulent clouds of sulfur. Boiling puddles are scary enough when thinking about their skin-burning potential, but what’s more frightening is a geyser spewing hot water 20 metres into the sky every 15 minutes! That’s exactly the experience I found at the Strokkur Geyser. The area surrounding the geyser also has quite a bit of low-key geothermal activity comprised of boiling mud puddles and steamy streams. With the existence of hot water in nature also comes the possibility for lukewarm water at just the right temperature for a bath… such a statement best describes a hotspring! There are many in the southern region of the island, which I didn’t get a chance to see, but instead, I was fortunate that an encounter with a local led me to a secret hotspring nestled within a large rock crevice. To get there, I had to climb down a narrow, near-vertical path of slippery rocks, but I was rewarded with a pool of warm water that stretched underneath the rocks into a cave. When looking up, I could only see a sliver of darkening sky, framed by the inward-arching rock walls above.
With curiosity and free time on my hands, I got out of my car and followed Iceland’s version of trail markers which are piles of rocks placed every several meters. After what seemed like a long journey, I arrived at the edge of the Hafnarberg Cliffs with a very scenic view onto the ocean. This is something I had only ever seen in movies and had always dreamed of doing- standing on a cliff overlooking the ocean, I felt so alive! I was mesmerized by the waves that continuously crashed down onto the rocks below and receded in a captivating rhythm. By the time I looked up again, I was pleasantly surprised to see a large rainbow whose arc began in the volcanic rubble of the trail and ended in the ravenous ocean water below.
After having this experience, I craved cliffs and crashing water. Luckily, Dyrhólaey was just the place! Not only could I clamber to the edge of a small cliff on the brink of wild waters, but there were also some very interesting rock formations. And just on the other side of the bay is Reynisfjara, Iceland’s iconic black sand beach! I went just as the skies were starting to darken, which created a very ominous atmosphere. In addition to its dark sand, the beach has unique towers of basaltic rock that form the base of a towering cliff. Just beyond the beach are pillars of rock protruding from the ocean.
Dimmuborgir is a legendary lava plain that features small caves and interesting rock croppings. I wandered along a trail that weaves around the rock segments, exploring the nooks and crannies of this mysterious place. Despite a handful of other visitors I passed along the trail, the place was so eerily quite…
Another very quite, but more so peaceful place was Jökulsárlón, the infamous glacier lagoon. It consists of a lake filled with icebergs of various sizes. I spent a lot of time here wandering along the shore, taking in the spectacular scene. The icebergs come in all shapes and sizes; some pieces are like transparent glass, and others are bright blue. Definitely a great spot for some abstract photography!
To think Iceland couldn’t give me any more raw beauty, I drove down Haoldukvisi road. It’s a simple road, but the time of day is pivotal in forming the drive into a majestic experience. And that time of day is sunset. After a cloudy day, the sun rays finally peaked through dark clouds to reveal a vivid spotlight onto the rise of white mountains ahead that suddenly protrude from the surrounding flat plain of land. It took a lot of self-restrain to not stop every couple of minutes to take photos!
Driving through Laufskalavarda at sunset on the other hand is quite the opposite experience. As the sun starts to disappear, a feeling of unease starts to settle, as the randomly distributed mounds of rock cast long shadows over the otherwise flat landscape. I kept scanning my surroundings to reassure myself that no unsuspecting troll was hiding behind the rocks and would rush out at a moment’s notice. Of course, I had the genius idea of spending the night in the midst of this landscape, just off the highway. Along with the constant pounding of rain and relentless wind throughout the night, I kept waking up from nightmares and developed quite a headache…. I’m convinced a troll cursed me. But luckily, I made it through the night to live on another day!
Just passed Djupivogur, the road forks, where the right continues on as Hwy 1 along the coast, and the left, takes you onto Hwy 95. As a last-minute decision, I chose to take the left route because I thought it would save some time, but soon after taking that turn, the road became gravel and the treacherous journey began. First the road became gravel, then the incline increased little by little and eventually became an unpleasant mountain path; the road also had quite sizeable potholes. I was distracted by the rugged landscape and the mesmerizing waterfalls which made it hard for me to focus on the narrow stretch of road. I wasn’t sure whether I was going to make it out in one piece with my little car. There were hardly any other cars on the road, but the handful of people that did pass by, would either stare at me like I was insane or just laugh; they were all driving Range Rovers, mind you. I persisted and pursued the route. I kept telling myself, the next corner will be paved, and then the next… But it was as if the roads were getting worse and worse. It was definitely too late to turn back, so I had no choice but to continue onwards. The road kept going higher and higher until all of a sudden, it flattened out onto a plain of snow. Once again, Iceland revealed another facet of natural beauty, unbeknownst to travellers who only manage to see the southern region of the island.
Waterfalls are fascinating, with their roaring mass of water pummeling off a cliff. I visited many waterfalls in Iceland, but there are three that were the most memorable: Gullfoss, Seljalandsfoss, and Skogafoss. Gullfoss is near the interior of the island, close to the Strokkur Geyser, so it’s a bit off the beaten path but definitely worth a visit. A small hike leads to a massive two-tier waterfall funneling icy blue water down into a canyon. There’s a lower viewing area, closer to the head of the waterfall, and there’s one above that overlooks the valley. I was surprised that even at the above viewing area, I got misted with cold water. The surrounding area near the waterfall makes for a pleasant drive, I got to see ample pastures of grazing goats and sheep, the occasional horses, and I even got treated to the site of a double rainbow!
Seljalandsfoss can’t be missed when driving along the Ring Road. From a distance I could already see the water tumbling down the mountainside to form a tall waterfall whose stream cuts through the volcanic rubble down below and flows into the open ocean. Luckily as the waterfall comes into view, there’s a stretch of pavement beside the highway meant for temporary parking for people like me whose jaws drop at the site and have the urge to instantly snap a fantastic panoramic view.
The waterfall I most enjoyed was Skogafoss. It’s a wide waterfall that curves a bit to form somewhat of an amphitheater. The best part is not the impressive amount of water coming down, but rather the view from up above. I climbed a seemingly endless staircase to a viewing platform situated above the waterfall. From there I could see the valley below all the way to where it borders the ocean, containing endless pastures of grazing sheep, and the meandering river transporting the water from this waterfall to the ocean. Beyond the viewing platform I took a path that guided me along the river that eventually becomes the waterfall. It’s surrounded by a beautiful meadow, and snow-capped peaks of surrounding mountains.
Most of Iceland’s cities are small. The three that stood out to me were: Reykjavik, Akureryi, and Vik. Reykjavik is Iceland’s capital city. The old city is very charming and quaint, and it seemed like every building had its own character and style. The grand church is unlike any other church I’ve seen. It’s not as delicate and refined as most of Europe’s churches, but its rugged appeal is a must-see, making any visitor feel insignificant under its towering structure. The city’s tourist centre is a great place for someone to begin their discovery of the city and the country, with its great explanation of the country’s history and the land’s physical features. But funny enough this is where I ended my trip. One of my favourite moment’s in the city was standing at the pier watching the sunset which featured a large rainbow. Iceland may have been a bit rainy when I visited, but the abundance of rainbows I got to see is unparalled.
Akureryi is Iceland’s second largest city. The city is beautifully situated next to the water, tucked in between the hills. The drive to and from Akureryi is also very scenic. It took a lot of willpower to focus on the meandering road rather than on the beautiful hillsides and bodies of water – it’s a good thing there weren’t too many people on the road!
Vik is situated just beyond the black sand beach, Reynisfjara. Its landmark is the red-roofed church nestled above the town. I drove up there just as the sun began to set and was treated to a to a beautiful view of the town and the ocean. My view was enhanced by hues of pink and red in the sky, contrasted by the ominous black sand beach.