If you didn't think our days in Iceland could get any more action packed than they already were... you'd be wrong. Day 4 was one of the most epic with a beautiful canyon, more basalt columns, (big surprise) another waterfall, a glacier hike, and watching giant icebergs float out to sea. This is the stuff you really can't see all in one day anywhere else.
Stops
Stop 1: Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon
Try saying that one 10 times fast.
Fjaðrárgljúfur is a short canyon about 2 km long and 100 m deep but stunning all around. There are 3 viewing areas with the last being the largest and also the BEST as you can see this near waterfall and have the "iconic" shot of the canyon.
The moss covering mostly black rock was seriously cool, and some of the rock formations were unreal.
There is no food facility but there were surprisingly decent bathrooms with flushing toilets. We suspect it is because tour buses stop here. It is is also a short dirt road to get here, but fear not. Conditions were fine so any car should be able to do it.
Stop 2: Kirkjugólf basalt tiles
Kirkjugólf is an 80 square meter expanse of columnar basalt stone slabs which have eroded over time. It is an easy pull out off the ring road, taking you less then 2 minutes out of your way. The parking area is well marked and then it is a quick 5 minute walk about to the stone slabs. Along the way you will pass this cool burial mound.
The basalt tiles are definitely cool and a little bit off the typical "do when in Iceland" track. Considering it is a 10-15 minute stop, it's a pretty easy thing to squeeze in and break up your drive as you head to the glaciers.
More stunning waterfalls that you will just pass on your drive... Legit took these from a moving car.... Sometimes there's places to pull over and other times not. Driving in this country was NEVER a dull moment.
Stop 3: Svartifoss Waterfall in Vatnajökull national park
Svartifoss is a beautiful waterfall surrounded by basalt columns and also known to have beautiful rainbows. It's a bit of a trek to get to, but the hike is scenic and wonderful so pace yourself, and here are the deets!
Trail deets:
Length: 3.4 km RT
Parking: There is a large but free parking area at the visitor center with free toilets
Begins at the Visitor center parking lot. You will head South through a lovely campground and follow a very well marked trail as it will take you up the hill. On the way there are 1 or 2 smaller falls and a larger one called Hundafoss that are beautiful stops to take a break (if you have time) and catch your breath.
Time: It took us just about 20 minutes to get to the first overlook but we didn't stop at all on the way up. I would slot at least an hour for the moderately active.
Some may be confused when they hear all these national park terms thrown around like "Skaftafell" and "Jökulsárgljúfur" so to clear it up.... both of these national parks are part of Vatnajökull with Skaftafell being the more Southern region.
Vatnajökull National Park was established on 7 June 2008. When established, the park covered an area of 12,000 km2, but with recent additions of Lakagígar, Langisjór, Krepputunga and Jökulsárlón it now covers 14,141 km2 or approximately 14% of Iceland, making it Europe's second largest national park in terms of area after Yugyd Va in Russia.
From the top of the hill, there is a nice path down to a beautiful bridge and then another path to a viewing platform closer to the falls. I read that some would hike right up to the base but the foot path was blocked off so they definitely do not want you going closer. No matter because this was the view I came for. I just LOVE Basalt columns and the rainbow on the right made an awesome addition to photos.
We took a little bit more time hiking down to appreciate the views of Hundafoss.
So I have since learned there is a SHORTER and somewhat easier option for this hike where you can drive to a higher elevation and park closer. Here are the details for that:
Continue driving on the park road west past the Visitor Center. The road narrows into an almost single-lane road and climbs steeply up until reaching a small car park. From here the trail is easy to follow and will take you out on the other side of the waterfall from where the longer trail takes you. (meaning you will have different far away views and will NOT see Hundafoss) The beginning is easy but at the end to get closer there are many steps. Steps are large and well maintained but there are no rails so use caution.
Distance for this route is only 1.5 km RT
Stop 4: Glacier hike in Vatnajökull national park
The waterfall was great and we were feeling even better about the sunny weather we were experiencing so far in Vatnajökull national park. We made it down just in time to get fitted for our boots and crampons, refill our waterbottles, grab as snack, bundle up with more layers, and board the bus.
We booked a tour with Extreme Iceland for their competitive pricing, all around good reviews, and one of the longest times on the ice for a shorter tour. The bus ride over was a quick ride and then they split our large group into 3 with less around 10 people per guide. We walked through some pretty colorful rock (red and black) before finally reaching the ice and donning our crampons. Overall the tour length was solid, but moving pace fairly slow. Of course this glacier is IMMENSE and the further along you go, the more danger and crevasses there are but it would have been nice to go a bit further out. Overall however the views can't be beat and I would highly recommending taking a tour out onto one of these incredible glaciers. To see the tour we used click here: Extreme Iceland
While the ice cap that connects all of these glaciers is Vatnajökull (the largest ice cap in Europe) most of the tongues have different names. The one we toured on was called: Svinafellsjokull
Once we had our crampons we headed out over deeper ice sticking close to our guide to avoid any of the crevasses. We would occassionally stop for photo ops, information, or to keep the group together. One of the stops gave us a cool look at the people learning to ice climb
Fun fact: The Icelandic word jökull means glacier and Vatnajökull National Park happens to contain the largest glacier in the world outside the Arctics.
While I have previously seen and walked on glacier before (thanks Canada!) there is something truly special about these glaciers in Vatnajökull. The Volcanic black sand and rock that gets trapped in the ice as the glacier flows, creates an incredible landscape of contrast between blue, white, and black.
Several films and shows have been filmed on this glacier including the most recognizable (to me at least) Interstellar and Game of Thrones.
Stop 5: Hofskirkja
OK another item that I had on my list but we ran out of daylight and weren't able to see it! Hofskirkja church is one of the last remaining turf churches in Iceland. While we saw many turf sheds (see my previous post) and will later be seeing a turf farm stead, the church is a fun, quick, and quite scenic stop right off the ring road.
Stop 6: Fjallsárlón Iceberg Lagoon
This is the smaller, and far less touristy glacier lagoon mostly because it is a little smaller and typically has less icebergs but does that mean you shouldn't visit it? NO! While there were less icebergs in Fjallsárlón, the cool part about this lagoon is being able to SEE the Vatnajökull glacier tongue where the icebergs break off from, making the overall backdrop of this lagoon a bit more stunning and scenic! There are multiple walking paths (include a longer route that looks really cool since it connects both of the glacier lagoons), a small cafe with great coffee!, and that's about it.
This doesn't have to be a long stop... but make sure you do!
As you drive NE on the ring road, there are several pullouts in between Fjallsárlón, and the main Jökulsárlón parking area. HIGHLY recommend stopping at one of them as they are way less crowded and you can still get amazing views of the glaciers from these beaches without all the crowds!
Stop 7: Jökulsárlón Lagoon
When we got to Jökulsárlón, the lake was VERY misty making the icebergs seem to just appear out of the clouds. It was VERY surreal, and maybe the coolest thing I laid eyes on in all of Iceland. We were finally understanding what the "big deal" was about these glacier lakes.
Jökulsárlón developed as a lake as the Breiðamerkurjökull glacier receeded from the Atlantic Ocean. It was first created post the Little Ice Age (1600-1900), when the temperatures rose and the Breiðamerkurjökull glacier tongue rapidly retreated, continually creating icebergs of varying size, thus creating a lagoon in its wake around 1934.
The size of the lake has increased 4X since the 1970s and is now the DEEPEST lake in all of Iceland with it's deepest points reaching a depth of 248 m (814 ft) deep
On a clear day, you can see the Vatnajökull Ice cap in all it's glory, as well as a potential to see seals swimming or actually lounging on some of the icebergs. Of all the potential reasons to go back to Iceland, that is probably the biggest draw. I don't regret seeing these incredible icebergs shrouded in in mist, but what I wouldn't give to also see them on clear sunny day!
Also make sure you check out the area around the bridge as it is UNDER this bridge that these giant chunks of floating ice get pushed out to sea.
Stop 8: Diamond Beach
Last scenic stop of the day and right there next to Jökulsárlón but on the ocean side. (It has a separate parking area)
Pieces that break off the icebergs from Jökulsárlón as they float out to sea get pushed back by the waves and end up on a volcanic black beach so they really sparkle in contrast.
There is a range from opaque white to crystalline blue and from small fragments to giant thrones! Unfortunately it started really coming down on us just as we got here so it was hard to keep our lens dry and even harder to really want to stay and enjoy. We walked around for a bit and once we were thoroughly soaked, we headed back to the car.
Stop 9: Höfn
It was still a bit of a drive and as you can imagine we pulled in pretty late but Höfn is your best bet for lodging before driving up North. We didn't get to see much of the town but we did roll in (just barely) in time to eat dinner before everywhere closed up. Our apartment hosts recommended Z bistro for affordability and delicious and we weren't disapointed! Introducing the Lobster pizza. Hofn is actually famous for their lobster (which is normally very expensive like everything in Iceland) so I was thrilled to not only find it available for under $25 but in pizza form! Braden also ordered a burger at Z bistro which was amazing and delicious for right around $20. The apartment/ guesthouse we stayed the night in was just outside of the town attached to the host's home. It was very clean and nice and had another excellent kitchen, teas, and coffee! I would definitely recommend it as well, especially if you have 4 people to split the cost among.
Tips
In Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon, explore to the last viewpoint of the canyon for a beautiful waterfall and if you have time, take a walk along the base of the narrow canyon.
If you aren't in stellar hiking shape, you can park closer to Svartifoss waterfall than the visitor center. See above for a map and directions. It's worth seeing!
Shop around for glacier hikes and if you have the time/money, maybe book a climbing tour. I was satisfied with our shorter tour but we didn't go very far out on the glacier.
Check out BOTH Glacier lagoons. The smaller one has less icebergs but is amazing to see the glacial tongue right on the lagoon! Also make sure to stop at the pull outs between the two lagoons for amazing views and a LOT less crowds.
Budget
Glacier hike with Extreme Iceland: $94.50 pp
Everything else is FREEEEEEE
Lodging
Sefdalur Guesthouse for 4 people: $325, so $162.50 if you split with another couple
Food
Breakfast/ lunch: Previous groceries
Coffee at Glacier lagoon: $4
Dinner at Z bistro $45 (Try the Lobster Pizza!)
Rental Car
Daily rate split with another couple $66
Daily Gas rate split $18
