Iceland is hands-down the most beautiful country I have ever visited. It was Tanavi’s 30th birthday, and she wanted to celebrate it in Iceland. I did not know much about Iceland, so she decided to show me the song Gerua from the Bollywood movie Dilwale. The sceneries in that song were so impressive that I had to see the place for myself to believe it existed! Honestly, the song does no justice to the breathtaking scenes you see with your own eyes!

We typically plan our trips and do not use an agent. But given that we wanted to cover the entire country and also based on the recommendation from a friend, we booked our trip with https://www.nordicvisitor.com/. I highly recommend them because they personalize your itineraries, have a very reasonable price and have excellent customer service! To elaborate a little further, we gave them a list of places we wanted to see. They made a rough itinerary for us on how long it would take to cover those places and also recommended other attractions around our areas of interest. We would have a hotel reserved in a location where our sightseeing for the day ended. Our rental car was ready for pick up at the airport as soon as we landed. I would highly recommend doing this instead of booking tours if you visit Iceland during the fall or summer time. Renting a car will let you explore the country at your own pace! Even though the roads are perfect, driving to some of the attractions may need off-road driving, so preferably rent a 4*4 SUV or similar. I have to give a special mention to all the hotel locations that we stayed. To give you an idea, the first and last days of our trip we were in the city. Each day was a different experience with different backdrops, which made the trip even more interesting! One of the days we could see the glacier from our room, the other time we were by a lake! We also were at a hotel overlooking the ocean, and one that was next to a waterfall!

We visited Iceland in September for eight days. Iceland has one major highway that goes around the whole country called Highway 1. If you drive along that highway, you should be able to cover Iceland in six days considering you are stopping at all the attractions. Depending on when you plan on visiting Iceland, you will have different experiences with the weather. The summer, which is from mid-June to August, is the peak tourist season. During that time, there are 24 hours of daylight which means unlimited sightseeing! If you go during September-October, it has around 12 hours of daylight, and the temperatures are pleasant during the day but the nights get cold. And of course, if you feel over ambitious, then you can visit during the winter time, but be very careful about driving as there will be a lot of snow!

Iceland is a country that will make you feel like you are on an entirely different planet. The myriad waterfalls, scenic drives, horses, and lambs roaming free on the sides of the road, volcanoes, glaciers! It is all surreal and is almost like a dream because it is hard to believe that there exists a place so beautiful on earth! The Icelanders teach you that it is possible to live off of the land without destroying it even when it provides you with the bare minimum.

Things to do:

See the Nothern Lights

There is also another thing to consider while planning your visit to Iceland, the Northern Lights. Seeing Northern Lights in Iceland is surreal. No words can describe the natural light show that goes on for hours together in front of your eyes! It is an experience everyone has to have at least once in my opinion! The peak season to view Aurora Borealis is from October to March. We were not expecting to see lights during our visit even though it was on Tanavi’s list of things to do before she turned 30. As a friend once advised me, “Do not go to Iceland with the intention to see Northern Lights. If you do not see it, then you will be disappointed. But if you do see it, celebrate the occasion!” Tanavi was overjoyed when she saw them on her birthday! It was like a gift from up above 🙂 I guess if you wish for something with all your heart you get it!

Immerse yourself in natural geothermal water spa

When we landed in Iceland, it was cold and to top it off it was raining! Thankfully, our first stop was the Blue Lagoon! This lagoon is a beautiful geothermal spa where you can get a drink while relaxing in hot water with a mud mask on your face. The Blue Lagoon is a popular destination and can be a bit pricey. However, there are other geothermal spas throughout Iceland that you could visit.

Take a transcontinental picture!

The Bridge between Continents is a fascinating geologic formation. It is a fault line that separates the Eurasian plate and North American plate. If you are an adventurous spirit, there is also a place where you can scuba dive and swim between the tectonic plates at Silfra fissure in Iceland’s Thingvellir National Park!

 

Experience the lively city of Reykjavik

Reykjavik is a beautiful city, bustling with life. There is never a dull moment while walking through the busy streets of Reykjavik with plenty of places to eat, pubs at every corner, shopping and colorful buildings! A must see is the beautiful church of Hallgrimskirkja right in the center of the city. I would highly recommend taking the stairs to the top of the church to get a birds-eye view of colorful Reykjavik!

See one of the most active tectonic plates in Iceland

Thingvellir National Park is a favorite spot for tourists. You will see one of the most active tectonic plates along with beautiful views of the countryside here. You could easily spend 1-2 hours walking through the trails admiring the calendar picture like sceneries.

Immerse in the beauty of Waterfalls

“Foss” is the Icelandic word for waterfalls. Iceland has many waterfalls, and you will see them everywhere as you drive through the country! There are a few that are a must see and listed below:

1.Seljalandsfoss- This waterfall is unique because you can walk behind the falls which gives you a whole new way to experience its real beauty. If you are lucky, you might also catch a rainbow!

2. Skogafoss is a beautiful and magnificent waterfall. You can go to the base of this waterfall and will see a small naturally formed pool. Some steps take you to the top of the waterfall. I have heard that the view of northern lights over this waterfall is breathtaking!

3. Dettifoss is the most popular and biggest waterfalls not only in Iceland but the whole of Europe. If you remember the movie Prometheus, the opening scene of the movie takes place at this falls.

4. Aldeyjarfoss is a hidden gem! You will have to do quite some off the road driving to get to this fall, followed by some hiking. The path to this fall is not marked, and it can be hard to find. Once you do see it, it looks like a bridal veil.

5. Hraunfossar and Barnafossar are unique waterfalls in that they emerge from rocks in between lava fields. They all amalgamate into the Hvítá river.

See the abandoned plane

Remember the scene where Shahrukh Khan is standing on a plane wreck in the middle of nowhere? Well, it is not a set! The abandoned DC plane on the black beach at Sólheimasandur makes for a great picture if you manage to get there before the crowds. There are two ways to get here, walking or using an ATV. It is a one hour walk one way to this plane. Taking the ATV tours is fun because you can drive through rivers, sand, by the beach, and along the glaciers. Regardless of which one you choose, you will feel like you are on a different planet altogether! There is nothing but just black sand and rocks till your eyes can see. And then out of nowhere, you see the ocean!

Glaciers and Icebergs

Vatnajökull Glacier tour will take you up close to see the glacier. Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon offers boat rides which take you close to the icebergs. If you choose this tour, you will have the unique opportunity to taste the 1000 years old ice. It is easy to get lost in the beauty of the glistening shades of blue floating on water. If you get lucky, you might even see some seals! Once you finish viewing this fantastic place, drive and go to the opposite side of the road to the Diamond Beach. Without a doubt, this is by far one of the most exciting beaches I have been too! The icebergs melt and break off into large chunks of ice which then are seen scattered all along the black sands of beach resembling sparkling diamonds. You will see massive pieces of ice floating on the waves, and this sight leaves you in awe!

 

Explore Vik

Close to the location of the abandoned DC plane is a Dyrhólaey Lighthouse which has a good vantage point overlooking the ocean. Kirkjufjara beach is a sight to behold! The black sand beach of Vik has prominent basalt rock formations of Reynisdrangar. If you have some time, have a meal in the tiny village of Vik.

 

See a geyser

Then we stopped at the Geysir geothermal area. This place reminded me of the Yellowstone National Park. I have to admit that Yellowstone has better fountains than Iceland! There are a couple of geysers that you can see here, but the most impressive of them all is the Strokkur geyser.

Drive through the Eastern Fjords

You will find that this part of Iceland is not very touristy and you will get to experience nature at its purest! Driving along the fjords is just beautiful with the sea on one side and cliffs on the other. There are a lot of scenic viewpoints along the way so keep that camera handy! Stop by the Vestrahorn mountains with the backdrop of the Atlantic Ocean. If the tide is high, you will be able to see the reflection of the mountain in the water. Regardless, it is a pleasant walk to see these unique mountains!

Drive through the Snæfellsnes peninsula

1. A few kilometers before you enter the Snæfellsnes peninsula, there is Borgarnes. Visit the Settlement Center if you want to learn a little bit about Icelandic history.

2. Explore the town of Stykkishólmur. Walk up to the lighthouse and admire the beautiful scenery.

3. Climb the holy mountain of Helgafell. The locals believe that you are granted a wish if you climb up this mountain without looking back.

4. The highlight of the peninsula is the view of Snæfellsjökull. Since we were on the northern side of the peninsula, we drove around the entire glacier mountain from top right to the bottom left and stopped at Dritvik and Djupalonssandur. Djupalonssandur is a beautiful pebbled beach, with a series of rocks of strange form emerging from the ocean. You will also see remains of a shipwreck along this beach. Stop at Bárðar Saga Snæfellsáss Statue to get some good pictures of the scenery.

5. You can drive up to the glacier on an unpaved path. This drive is a bit scary, but the thrill of driving up to the glacier was something I had never experienced before, and it was worth overcoming the fear!

6. Stop by Deildartunguhver which is the largest hot spring in Europe!

Halt at the beautiful fishing town of Akureyri 

Visit the church in the beautiful colorful city of Akureyri. Make sure you try some fish here! Just walk around the streets of this town, enjoying the beautiful mountains in the background.

Do not miss the wildlife

Icelandic horses are a unique breed. A horse cannot be brought back if it is flown out of the country. You will find that they roam free along the side of the road. Make sure you stop and take a picture with these magnificent animals. Likewise, sheep roam free as well and will stop by to give you a good long stare! Depending on what time of the year you go you may see them in their full woolen coats appearing like cotton balls scattered across a green landscape. If you visit during the spring or summer times, make sure you take a puffin viewing tour. It is a beautiful sight to see animals and humans coexisting.

Eat like the locals

No matter where we go, we try to eat what the locals eat! While in Iceland, definitely try the local cuisine! Iceland is pretty much barren land. The Icelanders have come up with ways to naturally source and grow their food using whatever little the ground has to offer! You will see many greenhouses mostly run on geothermal energy. The food here is one of the purest and best-tasting food you will ever eat anywhere in the world! If you love seafood, this is your heaven! There are other not so appetizing things that you can try as well if you can stomach them (pun intended) like the Puffin, the fermented shark meat that smells like urea, moss tea and horse meat! Their rye bread baked underground with heat from the earth is a must try! The Icelandic Birch Liqueur called Bjork is the best way to keep warm! If you are not an alcohol drinker, make sure you taste the local berry juices!