It all started during a train trip. A lazy, random check to my favorite travel app. A crazy low price to go to the country we had been reading about since years, but that had always been so unaffordable or difficult to reach.
Not this time.
Fast forward five months later, we are in Keflavik airport, walking (well, trying to :D) through 40mph wind waves. We get our tiny wheeled companion from Orange Rental Car, and off we go! The trip through empty lands can begin.
We decided to be unconventional, driving all the way up to Kirkjubæjarklaustur on the first day, to Höfn on the second day, and then slowly making our way (clockwise) back to Rejkyavik in the remaining 5 days. And honestly, it was not such a bad idea! First, we got to drive the most on the first two days, when all excitement makes you crunch hundreds of kilomenters without even noticing. Second, having arrived on a Saturday, we had the chance to see the Golden Circle with a little less crowds, as we visited it off those peak weekend days. Third, we visited Rejkyavik last – a sort of gradual return to civilization.
Day 1 (Saturday): we arrived at 4pm at Keflavik Intl Airport, got our vehicle, a few providential biscuits at Bonus, and basically just drove through lava fields and mossy hills for the next 5 hours. We arrived late at our hostel, but the hosts were kind and understanding. The hostel was OK, not really exceptional (and with very few bathrooms!), but we got a warm night’s sleep under extra soft duvets. There were no meal options around it, so we ended up eating Digestive’s and apples for dinner 😛
Day 2: After a good breakfast that much resembled our dinner on the previous day, we headed to Hof, a tiny village with a tinier church covered with grass. Just worth a short stop for a couple of pictures, then back on track! -After a few ks, we reach (randomly!) the first truly unique place of the country: Fjallsárlón. Not as spectacular as his big brother (Jökulsárlón), but it gives a very good chance to see huge and dreamy ice blocks and a glacier with way less tourists and photographers around. there is also a nice walking path on its dry edge, and a (fairly pricey) restaurant close to the parking for a sudden hunger. We walked all the way next to it, got surprised by a hail storm, and headed back to our little car. Direction? Höfn! Probably our favorite spot, a tiny, sleepy harbour in the middle of nowhere. Just what we needed. We stopped by the boats, admired the birds, and decided to grab a bite (at 4pm :D) at Hafnarbúðin, a lovely diner which felt coming straight out of the 60’s (Icelandic 60’s, obviously). We got the unmissable: a nice and saucy lobster baguette that put our stomachs to sleep for the next 6 hours, and an equally tasty shrimp-and-ham sandwich. And a chocolate muffin. And two take-away burgers, just in case we would not find anything to eat after the 2h-long Hvannagil hike that we decided to start at 8pm on that day:D I must be honest- we never reached the canyon (rain got in the way!), but we had an easy walk through bare fields and mossy patches – just walking along the northern edge of the Jökulsáraurar River, and back (coming from the south from the ring road, turn left just after crossing the river bridge, do a couple hundred meters with the car, and then continue on foot).
And after a day like this, the cherry on the cake was to lodge at the Nýibær Guesthouse . Amazing hospitality, perfect rooms, and the owner even knits lovely sweaters for the guests to purchase!
Day 3: After a quiet breakfast at the guesthouse, we head towards Jökulsárlón. Yes, it was packed with tourists. But yes, it was truly out-of-this-world magical. We walked over the hills edging the lake, contemplating the majesty of the giant glacier at its back and the shining blue lagoon. Then we crossed the road and observed some of those huge ice pieces slowly drifting towards the open sea. They call it the Diamond beach, an appropriate name for the place! We enjoyed our lunch (bought at the supermarket in Höfn, together with a new pair of gloves for Tom) on a quaint picnic table a few hundreds meters souther than the glacier, then we continued south. Unfortunately, the weather was not on our side on that day, and we hopelessly drove under buckets and buckets and buckets of rain. We saw the famous trio of waterfalls, however no way I would go and get some more water on me xD I just enjoyed their magnificence from the car 😛 After a couple more attempts to visit anything under such torrential rain, we just gave up and headed to our next guesthouse , where we enjoyed a delicious dish of instant noodles saveur canard, a gourmet broccoli soup made by the icelandic Mr.Knorr and a good night’s sleep.
Day 4: The visit of the plane wreck! This was truly a mission, as the rain did not stop for a single second and the wind was still blowing strong. But there was no way I could have change d the decision to go. For 2 km. Under the rain. Me, with the snow jacket and snow pants over my jeans and my bamboo tights (yes, I do not like cold). Tom, with his snow jacket and thin hiking pants – do I have to say in which conditions they were after the visit to the wreck? Let’s just say that, if you saw a small Aygo driving on the Ring road with a pair of trousers blowing on the car dashboard…well, that was us 😀 While it was fun to take pics on all the plane sections (I was focusing on the inside, at least I got a bit less rain), the wreck per se is not really mind-blowing. I loved more the lunar landscape that surrounded it, so surreal that I almost lost my orientation! After a wet walk back to the car, we desperately looked for drier activities. But well, it looks like Iceland is famous for nature for a reason. We continued our trip and admired the 3 largest waterfalls…from the car (I had got enough water for the day, no way I would go under a waterfall xD), then we were finally convinced that the only activity that was plausible on that day was enjoying our next accommodation – Skálatjörn Homestay. And what a great surprise was waiting for us there! The lovely couple, aside of having amazingly comfortable and clean studios for rent, have a stable of tiny, joyful goats that we had the chance to feed for dinner!! Such a great experience, it made our day and made us forget about the torrential rain – which, by the way, stopped at 10pm, just in time to go to bed xD
Day 5: One of the best days. We woke up after the most satisfactory sleep of the week, had a delicious breakfast with Skyr and leftover pasta with pesto (0:) ), and off we went! First stop, Urriðafoss, the waterfall with largest water volume in Iceland. If you have the chance to stop by, please do so! We loved it so much more than the more famous (but hyper-crowded!) Gullfoss. Afterwards we headed west, and after a short stop at Netto in Selfoss, we headed to the Geothermal park in Hveragerði. Kind people (ZERO tourisits), small hot water pots to admire (or to soak your feet, or to COOK EGGS in!:D), a famous rye bread to taste…such a lovely place. For a 3-eur entrance fee, it was definitely worth a visit. And now? We were ahead of schedule! So, why not hiking Mt Burfell starting at 4 pm? We downloaded the free Wapp app and followed the free hiking trail proposed there (with some small deviations due to the almost absolute lack of a clear path, together with our clear inexperience at reading topographic maps:D). After lots of “where is the path?”, “let’s go back, it’s cold” and “omg this is so slippery I am definitely going back home”…we got to the top! And it was honestly worth it, the small lake on top of the mountain felt like our little, private reward and the view from up there made us think of old medieval maps and landscapes. Without the wind and with a couple more degrees, it would have easily been the most enjoyable part of the trip for me. It took us about 5hours and a pair of fake trail shoes to complete the full hike. The quick hike to Kerid we did right after felt like a breeze compared to Mt Burfell – and a little more disappointing (touristy and not really woth the entrance price!). After such a long day, our next accommodation (Arngrímslundur in Flúðir) felt just like a dream – and objectively, that studio was really great and well furnished.
Day 6: Alright, if there are tourist attractions we should see them as well, right? I won’t spend much words on the touristy Gulfoss – honestly, there are much better and less crowded alternatives. If you are a great fan of LOTS of water tho, you should see this one. – or on the tourists lined up to watch Strokkur producing its frequent show – don’t get me wrong, it was one of the most impressive expressions of nature I have ever seen, and I would definitely recommend to go and see it. Brownie points go to this site, as they created a huge tourist center right opposite the road, with shops, a food court and free toilets. I had an inexpensive fish and chips portion at the Fast Food Cantina section – and that was some real good fish!! In the afternoon, after a short 1h-hike to Brúarfoss (such an incredible color for a waterfall! The pictures do make it justice, it is not a Photoshop effect!), we enjoyed the stroll through Thingvellir (a must see, especially with the sun) and an easy-ish hike along one of the cracks produced by the separation of the tectonic plates – park on the P2, visit Thingvellir up to P5 and down through P4, then begin the “Trail to Skógarkot” route and turn left when the first deviation appears (there are yellow poles marking both trails); the walk is fairly easy and about 1.5h long, and you will conveniently end up at the P2 at the end of it! We ended our day at the elegant Laugarvatn Fontana Baths – pretty unknown to mass tourism, but very well kept, so calm and relaxing, and not too pricey (I am thinking of the Blue Lagoon prices here….). The carrot cake there is pretty good too:P We spent the night at the nearby Borealis Hotel (thank you Booking DOT com for the great deal!) – the bungalow we got was great, just a bit too bright (some windows could not be shaded), and their breakfast was plentiful and fresh. Just one thing: if you do not seem to have cold water, remind them to switch it on!;D
Day 7: Reykjavik. I believe we had a fairly average tour of the city, accompanied by some very gray and rainy weather. The highlights of the day? The Krispy Kreme donut (Icelandic flavors, yes please!) at Smáralind. The Harpa Concert Hall, with its amazingly big toilets, free WiFi and warm heating (I know, this is not really highlighting its most relevant architectural beauties, but we were cold and drenched and that’s all we noticed). The lively Kolaportid Flea Market. The dinner with some friends from Lyon now living in London at the Coocoo’s nest – good pizza (!) and fresh salads – a tad expensive but the atmosphere was cozy, young and chilled. And the stay at our Asian-run airbnb, with a chubby toddler that made our hearts melt.
Day 8: Quick breakfast. Drive back to the airport. End of a beautiful and windy adventure!