I’m happy to begin with saying that Iceland is an outstanding country. I’ve heard a lot about it, I’ve had my own high expectations before going there, but I’ve never thought it can be more than that. My holiday was planned for five days and I would say it’s enough for those who wish to explore southern Iceland & Reykjavik.
DAY 1. We arrived from London Luton to Reykjavik airport and took a shuttle bus going to Reykjavik city center. All shuttle buses are new, comfortable, heated or air-conditioned if necessary, and with free Wi-Fi. After driving 45 minutes we reached main bus station in the city of Reykjavik, where smaller mini buses took us to the different hotels. We stayed in a 3 star hotel in Reykjavik downtown, surrounded by bars, clubs, restaurants and other nightlife activities. It’s a very good location for those who looking to be active in Reykjavik, but I wouldn’t recommend it for families or people who expect quieter environment. Especially, if you’ve decided to rent a car upon arrival, I would recommend choosing Reykjavik outskirts, where you will have parking available 24/7. As we arrived late evening, we didn’t have much time to explore the city and we’ve decided to shop a bit for the next day and have a rest before our tightly scheduled rest of the days.
DAY 2. As you might know, most of the Iceland tours starts in the morning and today we are heading to the Golden Circle route. The Gullfoss and Geysir bus tour took us on a day trip to see the world-famous Geysir geothermal area and Gullfoss, the queen of Icelandic waterfalls, as well as Thingvellir National Park. The Geysir geothermal area boasts spouting springs, including Strokkur, the most active geyser in Iceland. At Gullfoss we were given the opportunity to stand next to the amazing waterfall, watching enormous quantities of water tumble violently into a deep, meandering gorge. Whether you take the morning or the afternoon tour, you will spend your time encountering a cross-section of Iceland’s natural wonders and geological phenomena at Thingvellir National Park, an area of historical and geological significance.
We came back to Reykjavik downtown late afternoon and had a time to refresh ourselves before the dinner at the Laekjarbrekka restaurant. Lækjarbrekka is a classic Icelandic restaurant, operated since 1981 and situated in the heart of Reykjavík in one of the oldest and most iconic buildings in the city. I definitely recommend this place if you wish to experience high quality Icelandic and Scandinavian cuisine. Below the picture with the appetizer of traditional dried fish, part of sheep’s head and fermented shark meat, which has to be kept in the jar (smells very bad!). The meat of the Greenland shark is poisonous when fresh, due to a high content of urea and this is the reason why Icelanders drying shark’s meet for a few months before eating it. Taste and smell reminds some kind of French cheese, but it’s much more stronger. The Icelandic tradition is after eating a piece of shark meat you must take a shot of local spirit drink Brennivín.
After a fulfilling dinner and new eating experience, we still had to find some energy for our Northern Lights tour, which starts at 21:00 in autumn season. The Northern Lights tour in Iceland takes you to see a spectacular natural phenomenon, which happens during the winter months. The Northern Lights, also known as Aurora Borealis, are caused by the interaction of particles from the sun with the upper atmosphere near the North Pole. Northern Lights in Iceland are visible during the winter months, from late August to April. The locations visited during the Northern Lights tour vary from day to day depending on weather conditions. Because this tour is weather dependent, sightings are not guaranteed. However, if you don‘t see any Northern Lights during this tour, you are welcome to join the tour again, free of charge. Today, we weren’t lucky enough to see the Northern Lights, but we hope to see it the next time.
DAY 3. Another exiting day have started early and we had to be well prepared for A Walk on The Ice Side! With a small group of 10 people we’ve headed to the Southwest of Iceland – Sólheimajökull glacier. A glacier walk is a great way to experience Icelandic nature and a tour to the glacier is an ideal way to spend the day. On the two-hour drive from Reykjavík, we passed right under the famous Eyjafjallajökull volcano that caused so much trouble in the spring of 2010. Just east of the volcano lies Sólheimajökull, an outlet glacier from Mýrdalsjökull, Iceland’s fourth-largest glacier. There, we were guided on a safe and easy Glacier Walk on crampons up onto the icy landscape. As we explore the wonderland of ice sculptures, ridges, and deep crevasses, we learnt about these disappearing giants. Our experienced mountain guide Max taught us how to use the basic glacier equipment necessary for the tour. On the way back to Reykjavík, we have stopped at the picturesque waterfalls, Skógafoss and Seljalandsfoss. If you choose this tour, be prepared with waterproof hiking shoes and comfortable windproof trousers, jacket.
DAY 4. 6:00 in the morning our alarm is waking us up. Early day starts from a good breakfast, as we will be on the road all day long. Today is the day for the Glacier Lagoon. Jökulsárlón is a large glacial lake in southeast Iceland, on the edge of Vatnajökull National Park. Situated at the head of the Breiðamerkurjökull glacier, it developed into a lake after the glacier started receding from the edge of the Atlantic Ocean. The lake has grown since then at varying rates because of melting of the glaciers. Jökulsárlón has been a setting for four Hollywood movies: A View to a Kill, Die Another Day, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, and Batman Begins, as well as the reality TV series Amazing Race. We were expected to have a boat tour at the glacier lake, but unfortunately, the wind was extremely strong and boat trip has been canceled. However, I would like to mention that weather in Iceland can change every 5 minutes and you have to be prepared with the raincoat and sunglasses at the same time.
On the long way to the Glacier Lagoon we had a stop at the black sand beach. Reynisfjara is a world famous black sand beach found on the South Coast of Iceland, just beside the small fishing village of Vík í Mýrdal. With its enormous basalt stacks, roaring Atlantic waves and stunning panoramas, Reynisfjara is widely considered to be the most beautiful example of Iceland’s black sand beaches. In 1991, National Geographic voted Reynisfjara as one of the Top 10 non-tropical beaches to visit on the planet.
DAY 5. My favorite day has begun! No, it’s not that we are going back home tonight, it’s because I adore water and all the water activities! Today it’s time for the most popular Icelandic tour. The Blue Lagoon is a geothermal spa in southwestern Iceland lava field. This natural spa is approximately 20 km from Keflavik airport and has a good connection with airport shuttle buses. My recommendation would be to visit The Blue Lagoon before flying back home, if time permits. The warm Blue Lagoon waters are rich in minerals like silica and sulfur and bathing in it is reputed to help some people suffering from skin diseases. The water temperature in the bathing and swimming area of the lagoon averages 37–39 °C. The Blue Lagoon also operates a research and development facility to help find cures for other skin ailments using the mineral-rich water. With “Comfort” type entrance ticket you will get a free silica mud mask, which is natural and rejuvenates your face skin, first free drink of your choice and a towel. There are also two types of upgrade – “Premium” and “Retreat SPA”, which gives you more included facilities, spa treatments etc. I’ve heard that people usually spend 2-3 hours at the Blue Lagoon, but I would say if you don’t like to rush, schedule your time for a little longer. We’ve spent around 5 hours and that was a good choice.
If you are interested in this tour, or just a weekend break in Iceland, please contact me and I will be more than happy to assist you with planning your new adventure!
Kind Regards,
Julija Leliunaite for Baltic Travel Company