Experiencing Iceland on a Self Drive Tour

Iceland has been calling me for several years now. My husband wasn't that interested.  As we didn't have the funds to begin travelling until the kids were grown and the house paid off, we are playing catchup. Every dollar matters, so we try very hard to book holidays that both of us were interested. Next on his list was London. He visited 40 years ago and wanted to return. I had never been and had several friends there, so looked for a solution and found it with Icelandair.

Icelandair runs their flights from North America to Europe and back through the airport outside of Reykjavik.  You touch down, you change planes, you continue on. This offers you a chance to stop for one to seven days with no extra costs other than what you spend on the ground.  PERFECT.  I was able to talk my husband into stopping for 6 days and then spending the rest of our time in the UK. 

Iceland is magical, but it's not for everyone. You have to be drawn to the outdoors. There are waterfalls everywhere, from small to tall to overwhelmingly powerful.  One you can even walk behind one if you're willing to navigate the rock section that has no railings or handholds. Note - most did. There are fields of lava rocks covered in moss that look like an alien terrain. Places the lava has become a perfectly flat black sand field that goes on for kilometers. There are glaciers, grassy meadows, sheep, lakes, icebergs, black sand beaches and places lava fields the look like someone was pushing up mounds from underneath.

As what I most wanted to experience was the landscapes and natural beauty of the country, we booked a self-drive tour. The one we most wanted wasn't available the dates we were there (the melting ice meant a few of the roads were under water), so we opted for a shorter five day, four night tour with two free days at the end to use as we wished. If I ever get there again I want to book a longer driving tour with shorter distances each day. We had a few long days in the car, but it was so worth it. 

You can walk between tectonic plates, go horseback riding, take zodiac tours, go ice climbing, camp, walk in a lava tunnel or in a fissure in a glacier.  You can view puffins and whales, snorkel between those same tow tectonic plates and even scuba dive.  The only prerequisite is that you have decent mobility, are in reasonable shape (not crazy good, just regular good), and are willing to get out in the elements no matter what the weather. Having waterproof pants and jacket are a must, even if you never have to use them.

We arrived at 5:30 in the morning and fortunately had our car booked with Hertz, one of the few actually located in the terminal and open 24 hours a day. The downside? It was raining and we couldn't get into our hotel until 2 p.m. Fortunately the company we booked with gave us a sight seeing route we could enjoy. That plus stopping for lunch filled our morning. The rain gear did its job.  Always nicer to see nature in the sun, but with rain gear we managed. After that we moved each day. The last two free days were sunny, so we revisited a few places we saw in the r the first time, and explored a few we had missed.

Rather than sharing a day by day itinerary, I want to mention a few of my favorite places.  For waterfalls, the most impressive one was the enormous Gulfoss. This is on the tour bus route but still so worth it.  We saw it in the clouds, then we returned on a sunny day. We were awed both times. You can walk an easy path above the falls, you can go down to a viewing area at eye level and you can walk along wet path beside it to stand in the spray at the very edge the water poured over. We did all three.  Standing right at the edge in the mist, immersed in its powerful roar, was a feeling like no other. 

Another waterfall I loved, even though smaller, was the one at Thingvellir. But the area offered so much more than the waterfall. We passed the normal parking lot, and ended up in a tiny one up the road that gave us the most amazing experience. Here the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates meet, or rather move away from each other. We started at a trail at the top of the far end looking up the opening, then climbed down a rocky section and walked through a rough, rocky area with high walls on each side. After that you enter a more open area with walkway that leads you to the waterfall. I loved that first rough area. We returned on an open day when it was sunny to experience it again.

Another big highlight was Glacier Lagoon. It was a long drive there and back that day, but so worth it.  On the far side of this small lake is a spot where icebergs are breaking off a glacier and floating in the lake. It is stunning, especially on a sunny day. The sunlight shining through them really highlights the blue color.  Our only mistake was not arriving in time to book a boat tour out among the icebergs. From there, there is a small channel that leads to the ocean. The smaller icebergs float out to meet and get stuck at the wave line, with only a few making it out. The rest shrink until small clear ice pieces that litter the black lava sand beach, earning it the name Diamond Beach. Stunning. 

Kerið Crater Lake is one we passed up originally as it was drizzly and gra that day. Fortunately during our free days we managed to stop again when the sun was shining. This is right alongside the road and offers a trail around the top edge as well as one that takes you down to the lake edge.  The top view is the best. Shen the sun shines, the color is breath-taking. Another favorite view point was early in the morning at the Dyrhólaey Lighthouse outside of Vik.  We both had to pause for awhile and soak it in. If you go be prepared, the winds can pop up unexpectedly and they are strong with a capital S. 

There are so many other moments I could mention, but this is already too long. I'd like to close with our Iceland horseback tour with Eldhestar. If you have a car, it's a short 15-18 minutes out of Reykjavik. If you don't, or you don't' want to drive, they have a free pick up service. Our guide and assistants were fabulous, the instructions clear, the horses well-cared for and easy to ride, and they even stopped at a view point so the assistant could take pics of us on our own cell phones. It was a relaxing ride, except when they did the trotting, and it was great viewing the landscape up close and personal. 

If Iceland's magic is calling you, I highly suggest you answer. Don't wait for a better time.  Go when you have your health and mobility. Allow yourself to be lead off the beaten path. Pause often just to soak in the ever changing landscape.  Feel the magic.