For outdoor adventurists, and nature and music lovers alike, Iceland is a must. I was fully captivated by the breathtaking terrain and the peaceful solitude I experienced during an epic 10-day road trip adventure around Iceland’s Ring Road in July of 2014. Iceland is a sparse land covering 103,000 square kilometres, inhabited by fewer than 325,000 people, and overflowing with beauty.
Around every bend, a new and striking landscape awaited us and painted dramatic vistas in my mind that I will fondly reminisce about for the rest of my life. On our adventure, we discovered endless glaciers and blue icebergs, massive waterfalls, rugged mountains, active volcanoes, erupting geysers, miles of enchanted coastline, whales, and countless wild sheep; concluding with a laid-back weekend in the eclectic capital of Reykjavik.
Arnarstapi Fishing Village & Midnight Glacier Sunsets
We started our journey around the island’s Ring Road heading clockwise and northeast from the Reykjavik airport. Upon our arrival at our first stop in the quaint fishing village of Arnarstapi, we were eager to get out and start discovering the magic of Iceland. Lucky for us, in the month of July, the sun rises at 3 am and sets around midnight, leaving us with plenty of hours of daylight to explore. For our first Icelandic meal, we savoured the delicious flavors of the local fish stew called Plokkfiskur.
Despite our jet lag, instead of catching some zzz’s after dinner, we hopped on a massive snow cat that crawled to the top of Snæfellsjökull, a 700,000 year old stratovolcano covered by a glacier. At the top, we spent time trekking and frolicking about in the snow, and were later awestruck as we watched the midnight sun “set” over the Snæfellsnes Peninsula. Even after the sun sets, an eerie and soft lightness lingers on until the next sunrise.
Dancing with Minke Whales
Our adventure took us onward and eastbound to the second largest Icelandic city of Akureyri, boasting a whopping 17,000 inhabitants. The highlight here was exploring the marine wildlife and landscapes of the Eyjafjörður Fjord aboard a whale watching vessel on a calm, grey afternoon. We witnessed and learned many interesting facts about the fjord’s history, folklore and ecosystem. My partner was over the moon when he spotted his very first whale as a pod of minke whales danced around the boat.
That evening he ordered the minke special for dinner. Yes, that’s right… he tried… whale. Iceland is one of the few countries where whales are still hunted and consumed, despite controversy surrounding this matter. I suppose he was thinking, “When in Rome…?” I made the mistake of sharing this bit of information with his mother, and he will likely never live the wrath from this one down, or eat whale again.
Spontaneous Pit-Stops and Dead Ends
Our journey to the east coast took longer than anticipated as we made several spontaneous pit-stops to explore the marvels surrounding us, and hit a few dead ends. The first stop was Goðafoss, one of Iceland’s most spectacular waterfalls. Not much further down the highway, we began to notice a very strong sulfuric odor and stumbled upon a most unusual landscape as we descended down the far side of the Námafjall ridge. We stared wide-eyed out the window at billows of steam arising from the orange and grey crater-like earth and had to see this perplexing phenomena up close and personal.
We followed the signs to the geothermal mystery of Hverarönd and spent the next hours exploring its vibrant colors, boiling mud-pits, and fumaroles— openings in the earth’s crust emitting steam and the ever pungent sulfur. For a moment I had to pinch myself. I wasn’t certain if I was still on planet earth. It felt more like Saturn, or some undiscovered planet in an undiscovered galaxy.
As we ventured onwards, we attempted to gain back some time by following a promising looking forest road we found on our map. Several hours later, we sighed in disappointment as it became apparent that our 2WD neon-green Chevy Spark rental was not cut out for the conditions of the road. Without any cell service or a soul in sight, we decided to backtrack the entire way back to the Ring Road in order to avoid getting stranded.
East Fjord Serenity
Despite delays, we finally made it out to the most remote destination of our journey – the nature and heritage preserve center of Skálanes, in Iceland’s East Fjords region. The trek out there was long and daunting, even requiring fording an active river via a massive 4WD Jeep. (If we attempted this with our Chevy Spark, we would’ve been swept immediately out to sea, so we had to hitch a ride from the guesthouse owner.) I have to admit that this river crossing fiasco made me nervous, and I had half a mind to turn back. All of my fingers and toes were crossed in hopes that the engine wouldn’t flood and leave us stranded. We eventually made it and my fears vanished as I viewed the dramatic sea cliffs, lush and vibrant meadows, and cascading waterfalls.
We enjoyed getting to know the fellow adventurers and live-in ecology research students at the red farmhouse’s shared dinner table. We ventured out on a late night hike through meadows and along seacliffs with the farmhouse dog as our guide, indulging in the exuberant beauty that encircled us. The solitude we experienced here was like no other. It helped foster a new appreciation and respect for peace and quiet, far from our typical harried lives. And instead of feeling as though I was in another galaxy, this time I felt like I was literally on the edge of an untouched corner of earth.
Glaciers and Icebergs Galore
We had made the journey from west to east, and now it was time to begin the second half of our adventure as we turned southwest. The views were surreal as we traveled along the Ring Road with rugged coastline on our left and towering jagged snow-capped mountains on our right. We stopped at a few charming Viking villages and cafes, and a Viking movie set along the way to the enchanting Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon, situated at the edge of the Breiðamerkurjökull glacier. The Jökulsárlón lagoon is a magical glacier lake that was formed after the Breiðamerkurjökull glacier began receding from the Atlantic. We spent the afternoon hiking around the magnificent glacier and then the lagoon, fascinated by the blue icebergs floating in the lake and in the nearby Atlantic along a dark sandy beach.
Magic Elves and Waterfalls
Our next stop in southern Iceland was the magnificent Skógafoss—a massive and gushing waterfall along the Skógá River. After daringly exploring the base of the falls, we hiked along the river and were so awestruck by the lush green terrain, we hardly noticed the pouring rain. By this point in the trip, we had read and heard all sorts of stories about the Huldufólk, the magic “hidden” elves of Iceland living in a parallel society, possibly doubling the country’s population. My imagination ran wild in Iceland, and I became a believer. I thought for certain I would spot one lurking behind a rock or green hill along this enchanted hike, but to my dismay, they remained hidden and invisible.
The folklore of the Huldufólk runs deep in Icelandic culture. The elves are really a big deal here and varying surveys claim that over half of the population entertains the possibility that the elves do in fact exist. The folklore states that one should never throw a stone in order to avoid hitting an elf. Sometimes construction projects are even delayed, again in an attempt to avoid disturbing the elves.
Icelandic Horses of Hella
As we headed further west and closer to Reykjavik, we made a stop-over in the village of Hella. One of my favorite ways to explore when I travel is with my beloved Asic running shoes. Wherever I travel, they travel too. There is so much to be discovered on an aimless run, that often can’t be found in the travel books. Despite the imminent rain, we put on our gear and headed out through the fields behind our guesthouse and stumbled upon a pair of Icelandic horses. Icelandic horses are absolutely gorgeous. They look more like stocky ponies, and sport thick, heavy coats and beautiful manes. We fed them some grass, and were on our merry way.
Charming & Eclectic Reykjavik
After days of actively exploring the outdoors, we made it full circle to the hip yet quirky Reykjavik, the world’s northernmost capital city set along the sea and snow-capped mountains. Reykjavik is filled with colorful buildings with creative architecture and design, chill bars and cafes, a bustling nightlife, fresh and contemporary Nordic cuisine, vintage and eclectic shopping, museums and art galore, and music, music, music! I could go on for hours about the gem that is Reykjavik but instead will just give a few tips and chime in on my favorite discoveries.
To begin, in order to fit in with the Icelanders, I suggest finding yourself a cozy Icelandic “Lopapeysa” sweater. Atop a hill not far from the city center, there is a beautiful church called Hallgrímskirkja that towers over the city. For a small fee you can go to the top for great views of Reykjavik. For the music lovers out there, you don’t have to go far to be spoiled by the sound of music. They say everyone from Iceland is a musician, and I think it’s true. We enjoyed exploring the magnificent Harpa concert hall, designed in cooperation with Danish-Icelandic artist Olafur Eliasson. The structure consists of colorful geographic glass panels connected by steel framework.
During an afternoon stroll along the harbor and through the nearby neighborhoods, we stumbled across a neighborhood festival where we indulged in local eats, and watched a fantastic local show comprised of many youngsters playing upbeat jams with a wide array of instruments. If you’re a fan of the the classic film “The Big Lebowski”, enjoying a stiff white russian at the local Lebowski Bar is an absolute must. And if you fancy eating meat, on your way home from the bar, make sure to try an Icelandic “Pylsur” hotdog or two, with everything on it.
The End: Lagoons and Geysers
On our final day, we visited the famous Blue Lagoon and mighty “Geysir” geyser to conclude our journey. Like all the other stops along the way, we were awestruck by Iceland’s brilliant natural beauty. We made the smart decision to get to the Blue Lagoon’s geothermal spa as it opened, avoiding some of the crowds. Then we patiently waited at the Geysir, a wait well worth the view when it finally spewed into the sky.
For anyone who loves music, the great outdoors, enchanted terrain, magic elves, or simply exploring off the beaten track, (and can handle grey skies), Iceland should be at the top of your bucket list.
More on Music
One of my all time favorite bands is Iceland’s Sigur Rós whose uniqueness is hard to categorize, but is described as post-rock, ambient, art rock, and dream pop. If you have a hankering for Iceland and dreamy music, I highly recommend watching their Heima documentary, which follows their ethereal sound around Iceland as they spend two weeks traveling the country and playing free, unannounced shows for their fellow Icelanders. Be warned, it’s so beautiful, you might cry.
If you’re into festivals, every fall Reykjavik hosts the renowned Iceland Airwaves music festival. Since it’s inception in 1999, the festival has grown to become one of the premier showcases for new Icelandic music as well as music from all over the world.
Top Tip for Exploring Iceland
While renting a car had its perks and offered some freedom, it also had its downfalls. Renting a car in Iceland is quite expensive, and they often haggle you into adding sand and ash insurance. And in order to rent a reasonably affordable car, you may be stuck with a tiny, neon-green, 2WD Chevrolet Spark, as was the case for us. My first thought was, oh, how cute, green—my favourite colour! However, once we began our journey, it was clear that this vehicle was not up to par to contend with the “Ring Road” and the challenges once you venture off the main highway. Yes, it’s true, you may actually need that extra sand and ash insurance. And if you try to take any shortcuts or explore off of the main highway, you may be backtracking for hours if you get to an impassable stop, or get stuck altogether.
Of course you can always choose to just skip the hassle and jump on a tour. TourRadar provides over 70 incredible Icelandic Tours with a focus on nature, adventure and culture, provided by excellent guides who are experts on everything Iceland (and magic elves).
More Photos from Along the Ring Road
Tell us in the comments below if you are visiting Iceland soon!
