What to see in Iceland

My last three posts  (part 1, part 2, and part 3) covered the basics about traveling to Iceland from how to get there to what to eat. Go read those if you haven’t yet 🙂

Quick pro-travel tip: Use Airbnb to book and save money while contributing to local economy and meeting amazing new people. My link will give you $35 off your first booking 🙂

Now I want to talk about the very best part of Iceland: the natural wonders. Iceland, is pack with waterfalls, glaciers, mountains, rivers, beaches, and wildlife. If you had a week to drive around the island what would you not want to miss?

Let me start by simply describing (with photos) some of my favorites spots in the country. In the future (if I am motivated enough), I may actually write a day-by-day blog describing how to drive the Ring Road and see most of Iceland’s most beautiful scenery in 7 days. Each destination is linked to the Google Maps location!

Goðafoss

Godafoss in located just off the Ring Road on the river Skjálfandafljót and boasts crystal clear blue glacier water and plenty of spots for epic shots. The clouds were perfect on my visit last summer, however, a dirty lens ruined most of my photos. This shot is from the lower section which is smaller but still beautiful. While still quite touristy, this waterfall feels more isolated than the more popular Gullfoss in the southern part of the country.

 

Kirkjufell and Kirkjufellfoss

Kirkjufell is perhaps that most famous and certainly most photographed mountain in Iceland. It is a beautiful cone shaped peak located on the north side of the stunning peninsula called Snæfellsjökull which is in and of itself well worth the visit.

This small mountain is actually climbable via a small goat trail that wraps around the mountain. However, this is no easy day hike. At spots old ropes wrapped around large boulders are your main support as you scale 10 meter cliffs on your way to the top. The trail is also hard to find and parking is limited.

A larger parking area is right across from the mountain by the picturesque waterfall Kirkjufellfoss which is pictured above with the mountain in the background. This is a fun and easy waterfall to climb around and get some impressive shots of both the mountain and the falls.

 

Fjaðrárgljúfur

This spot is a small canyon with a hiking trail along the rim and some spectacular waterfalls. However, the most beautiful spots are in the canyon itself. To get there you must be willing to wade through some ice cold water which is up to your knees even during the summer. The views are well worth it!

 

Geyser

This Geyser is so famous they simply named it Geysir! Beautiful, hot, blue water erupts every 5-15 minutes from this renowned spot in the Golden Circle. Less than an hour from Reykjavik, this touristy spot is worth the crowds.

 

Þingvellir

Pingvellir is where the North American and European tectonic plates meet and are separating slowly every year. A large lake, waterfalls, and clear deep water, make this spot a must see. There are areas where you can literally straddle two continents with crystal clear water beneath you (see my jump in the photo above). The water is so clear that people often go snorkeling and scuba diving here.

 

Check back for more must see spots in Iceland soon.

Happy Travels!

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Check out the Equipment I use

Nikon D3300
Nikkor 18-140mm Zoom Lens
Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 AT-X116 Pro DX II