Iceland
- Lotch
- Feb 23, 2024
- 5 min read
Have you ever felt as if you were literarily on a different planet? With infinite snow lands during the winter and vast green wonders in the summer, Iceland is one of those places that will make you feel else where.
Located at the juncture of the north Atlantic and Arctic Circles, Iceland offers a unique, breathtaking scenery where the power of Nature can only be felt.
Often referred as the land of fire and ice, the nordic island is mainly defined by stunning glaciers, powerful waterfalls, vast lava fields, exceptional black sand beaches, and astonishing snow landscapes. Little surprise Vikings named it Snow Land when they first discovered it in the ninth century.
5 Days in Snow Land
Langjökull Glacier
Five days in March. That's the amount of time my friends and I had to make the most out of the frozen island.
We largely explored the south coast and west part of the Icelandic interior, as they were the most accessible regions from the capital and largest city Reykjavik. And, I must begin our electronic adventure with Langjökull Glacier.
What an extraordinary feeling it is to be walking on a glacier, just to begin with, right?
Langjökull is not only the second biggest glacier of the island after Vatnajökull, but it's also the second largest of Europe! It's ideal for snowmobile excursions. And, we did just that.
Situated on the mid-Atlantic ridge, Iceland has a high proportion of active volcanoes. There are at least 2 volcanic systems under Langjökull Glacier, but with only 32 recorded eruptions in the past 10,000 years, it's not one of the most active volcanic areas.
There is something about this amazing icy view and fresh mountain air. I wanted to sit and watch the surroundings of Hvítárvatn frozen lake for hours.
Dyrhólaey
Dyrhólaey used to be a volcanic island, but is now a small peninsula located at the southernmost point of the country, not too far from the coastal village of Vik. Formed by the power of the ocean, it gets its name "door hill island" from the huge black lava arch that stretches into the see.
It's home to a lot of birds during nesting season in the summer. This is where you can observe, May through September, the oh-so adorable Arctic puffins. About 60% of the world's puffin population live on or near Iceland.
The Arctic Terns also make their return to Iceland during the spring. These birds are known for having one of the longest migration of any animal on earth; so long that during its lifetime, it will travel as far as the equivalence of three roundtrips from Earth to the Moon!
At the top of Dyrhólaey is this incredible overview of the coast. Facing east, you can see the beautiful black lava columns of Reynisdrangar which were ranked one of the most beautiful non-tropical beaches in the world.
Facing west is the breathtaking black sand coastline, and to the north is where the large Katla volcano sleeps—under Myrdalsjokull glacier. Katlas is rather active, but has not violently erupted for over 100 years.
Blue Lagoon
The Blue Lagoon is only 20 minutes away from Keflavík airport and 50 from Reykjavík. You'll probably need to book your tickets a few weeks in advance since it's one of Iceland's most popular attractions.
Contrary to what many people believe, the Blue Lagoon is not a natural hot spring, but rather a man-made pool created next to the geothermal power-plant of Svartsengi back in 1976.
The geothermal seawater is 70% ocean water, 30% freshwater, and does not contain any chemical from the power-plant. It's composed of silica (a compound of lava), algae (aquatic plant), and minerals, and has been proven extremely good for the skin.
The iconic milky-bleu color of the water is from the way silica reflects sunlight :)
Fun facts: ranked as one of the happiest, most peaceful countries in the world, Iceland is also a leader in sustainable energy production. Nearly all electricity comes from hydro-power plants or geothermal energy.
Deep in the earth, the water's temperature is about 240° C (464° F), but by the time the water is drawn to the surface of the lagoon, it reaches 38° C (100.4° F)—year round!
It was very special and quite unique to stargaze at the spectacular clear night sky while laying in steam hot water. So I'd definitely recommend visiting the lagoon in the evening. Oh, and you can also enjoy in-pool bars and silica mud masks.
I did not actually take any photos there as we quickly ran into the lagoon because it was freezing outside. But I loved the simplicity of the whole site and the way it respects the harmony of the volcanic surroundings. After all, why would you need anything fancier than what Nature offers?
Waterfalls
Iceland is a popular country when it comes to waterfalls.
You can find beautiful unique sceneries after arduous hikes, or simply after quick car stops around the Ring Road in the south. In the last Ice Age, Seljalandsfoss, among with other cliffs, was once part of the southern coastline of Iceland.
Seljalandsfoss is pretty particular because you can actually walk behind it. Since it was winter time when I visited, the path to access the back of the waterfall was closed for safety precautions.
Other waterfalls stops:
Skogafoss is one of the biggest waterfalls of Iceland. The impressive drop of 62 meters is coming from two glaciers; Yjafjallajokull and Myrdalsjokull. Rainbows are often present on sunny days because of the way the water reaches the ground.
Gluggafoss is interestingly made of several waterfalls called Merkjárfoss Falls. The Merkjá river has over time formed multiple holes and cavities in which the water runs. This is the reason why it is called gluggar, meaning windows.
Axlafoss is a small fall located on the northeast of the glacier Mýrdalsjökull and is only accessible mid-June to mid-September when dirt roads are clear.
Svartifoss, meaning "The Black Wall", is a quite narrow but graceful cascade shaped of black basalt columns.
Many other amazing waterfalls can be explored on the island. Goðafoss or Dettifoss in the north east, Dynjandi, Kirkjufellsfoss, and Hraunfossar in the north west, and so many more can unexpectedly be discovered!
Unpublished from Photo Album
Fjaðrárgljúfur is a massive, 2 million years old canyon that was certainly on my list of places to visit, but it was closed due to weather conditions. There was a massive snow storm coming our way, so we could not drive out west to check out the majestic Jökulsárlón either; a glacier lagoon filled with white and electric blue icebergs, some of which can reach several stories high.
The famous Sólheimasandur Plane Wreck lays peacefully on the beautiful black beach since 1973. What happened is that a United States Navy plane ran out of fuel and crashed on the coastline of Iceland. Thankfully all crew survived the crash!
You can't drive all the way there, so be ready for a 30-40 min windy, but beautiful walk.
Icelandic horses can be found almost anywhere in Iceland. Strong, muscular, and rather short, these pony-size horses are known for their purity of bloodline and are the only horse breed present in Iceland.
I spent one night in Klausturhof Guesthouse where conditions for the Northern Lights—bucket list item—seemed perfect. Unfortunately, they did not appear that night, or any other night really.
Another bucket list activity: stopping by the whale watching capital of Europe, the small fishing town of Húsavík.
I now have two great excuses to visit Iceland again :)
Iceland. What a spectacular manifest of nature.
A travel back in time.
When there was once, only the land.
The volcanic and geologic turmoils.
Exclusively.
Feeling like one with nature.
And again, feeling so small.
In a lunar way.
In a humble way.
