Iceland has always been a dream travel destination of mine. When I think about a new travel destination, I like to look at places that offer many different natural landscapes and new experiences that you don’t always get if you just travel to lay on the beach somewhere warm. I love travel that lets you experience something new and opens your eyes to just how magical and amazing the world is with its different landscapes and cultures.
Iceland has one main road that runs along the coast of the island connecting those who live there. This road is ~821 miles long which makes a week-long self-drive the perfect way to see Iceland. Along this road, there are hundreds of beautiful sights to see. Iceland is known for having landscapes that feel otherworldly, which may be why Iceland’s mountains and Fjords have been the background in many sci-fi movie scenes. Each region of the island has new natural landscapes that seem even more amazing than the last. In this post, you will read about what I am most excited about seeing in each region as I get ready to visit Iceland in a few months.
The Southern region of Iceland is extremely popular with travelers because you can find black sand beaches. Waterfalls, glaciers, and volcanoes are beautiful but something about these black sand beaches is truly magical and unique. One of the most famous black sand beaches is Reynisfjara, just 112 miles or 2.5 hours away from the capital city, Reykjavik. Reynisfjara is a volcanic black sand beach that captivates visitors with its black pebbles and fascinating rock formations that stand almost 50 ft high and bursts out of the water. This beach was ranked in the top 10 non-tropical beaches from National Geographic and is something you have to see if you visit Iceland.
If one black sand beach wasn’t enough, there is another not too far away which features broken ice from glaciers that end up on the beach resembling crystals. This place is called Diamond Beach and is another photographer’s wildest dream.
Iceland also is home to over 10,000 waterfalls all unique and picturesque. Many of these waterfalls are located just off of the Ring Road with short walks to the waterfall. One of the waterfalls I am most excited about is the Seljalandsfoss waterfall. This waterfall you can take in from all angles because there is a path that leads under the waterfall. I can just imagine feeling the gentle mist of the waterfall as we walk under the beast while seeing Iceland’s magical sunsets across the valley.
On the other hand, the Gullfoss waterfall has much more force with two stages of drops. This waterfall is along the Golden Circle which is a smaller road on the western part of Iceland. Gullfoss is one of the most popular waterfalls because of its beauty and raw force that can make you step back from your personal life and really see the amazing element that water can be.
One of the bizarre phenomena that occur in Iceland is its summers with almost 24 hours of daylight. During the longest day of the year, usually in June, the sun will set after midnight and rise again only a couple hours later. This means that there are almost unlimited hours to sightsee and explore. It is crazy to think that time is not a boundary while traveling and that I could be hiking up a trail to see one of the magnificent waterfalls with the crisp summer air and light that stretches for miles at midnight!
*Tip: bring a sleeping mask to let your body know when it is time to go to sleep!
There are so many amazing natural sights to see around the world and it just so happens that Iceland is home to many of these wonders. When visiting Iceland, you can make as many or as few stops along the way but I would recommend making sure you visit the Black Sand beaches in the south coast town of Vik and make sure to see as many waterfalls that you have time for! OR if you want to make sure you hit all of the major sights to see, join our Iceland Expedition in June of 2021! View our Itinerary HERE and reach out to save your spot!