Day 2: Vik (pronounced Veek)
When leaving Reykjavik to travel the Ring Road, you have two options: travel clockwise (North) or counterclockwise (South). We opted to go counterclockwise, which is what most travelers do their first time. The roads are a little easier to drive so you have time to adjust to the driving conditions before hitting the more challenging roads up North.
We woke up early in the morning to hit the road for Vik, known for its famous black sand beach. We had a 2.5 hour drive ahead of us, which we knew would take much longer with the amount of stops we wanted to make. We first stopped for groceries at what came to be our most visited “attraction” this trip – the Bonus budget food store.
PRO TIP: I recommend stocking up on food and water because the stops can be far and few between once on the Ring Road. You can sometimes go for an hour or more before finding anything to eat!
Stop 1: Seljalandsfoss Waterfall
The waterfalls in Iceland are truly the biggest I’ve ever seen! They really are a spectacular sight and worth every stop. Seljalandsfoss has a short trail (about .4 mile loop) that runs behind the waterfall. It would be a great spot to see the sunrise! If there are wintry conditions and ice, I recommend putting on your crampons for the trail which can be quite slick behind the falls.
Our next stop was about a 25 minute drive away to Skogafoss Waterfall!
Stop 2: Skogafoss Waterfall
Skogafoss waterfall has a 1 mile trail going up the side of the mountain. I definitely recommend hiking the wooden pathway for great views of the coast and the waterfall when you get to the top. Don’t forget to hike up the wooden pathway for great views of the coast and the waterfall.
Our next stop was about a 30 minute drive away to Dyrholaey.
Stop 3: Dyrholaey – “The Arch with the Hole”
Dyrholaey is truly a unique sight. It’s a rocky piece of land shaped like an arch that juts out into the ocean. You need a 4X4 car to drive up to the arch. Once up there, you can walk around and view black sand beaches, a lighthouse, and if you’re lucky, some puffins! We waited here for the sunset, opened up a bottle of wine, and took in the scenery.
PRO TIP: Here’s a money-saving hack!! We saved these cups (as well as plasticware) from a restaurant and reused them throughout the trip.
Our next stop, Vik, was only 20 minutes away! We drove up to the famous red roof church for some great views of the town!
Then we checked into our hostel: Puffin Hostel . This hostel was clean, in a great location, and offered an AMAZING breakfast buffet!
Day 3: Hofn
Stop 1: Reynisfjara Beach, Vik
Reynisfjara Beach, located in Vik, is famous for its basalt stacks that stick out of the ocean and the Hálsanefshellir cave.
Our next stop was a 2 hour drive up to Skaftafell National Park. Make sure you have food, water, and go to the bathroom!
Stop 2: Skaftafell National Park
Skaftafell National Park is a nature preserve filled with several trails and waterfalls. It is located in the southern part of the the greater Vatnajokull National Park and is open from 9am to 6pm.
We chose to do the Svartifoss waterfall trail. It’s 1.5k one way starting at the visitor center with basalt columns. The weather changed drastically on us when we arrived. We had rain which soon turned to snow and the trail was like a beautiful winter wonderland! Reserve about 2 hours of your day to hike the trail roundtrip and to take pictures along the way.
The next stop was about 40 minutes away – Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon.
Stop 3: Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon and Diamond Beach
Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon borders Vatnajokull National Park in southeastern Iceland. It has glacial ice, black sand beach, and floating glacial icebergs. Sunset is a good time for photographs, but it can be crowded of course.
Diamond Beach is nearby to Jokulsarlon Lagoon. You can walk or drive to it. Diamond Beach gets its name for the icebergs, which fill Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon, that wash up on shore and sparkle against the black sand beach.
PRO TIP: We visited Iceland in April over spring break, so I think the icebergs were a lot smaller than anticipated because it was towards the end of their winter season.
Stop 4: Hofn
From here, we headed to our final destination of the day, Hofn, a small fishing town nestled in the eastern border of Iceland. We made several unanticipated picture stops along the way because the scenery was just so breathtaking!
We checked into Hofn Inn, relaxed, and made dinner from the groceries we had left over. We made it just in time to take some great sunset photos.
Now, up until this point, I haven’t mentioned anything about the Northern Lights. The whole trip I had been tracking the Northern Lights forecast using the Aurora Borealis app called “My Aurora Forecast” and I used the website Northern Lights Forecast. Tonight, the forecast looked good for visibility so we went out hunting for the lights and we got lucky! I set up my camera on its tripod and we waited in the car for over an hour (it was unbearably cold and windy outside). Just when we were about to give up, we noticed movement in the sky and soon we were viewing the majestic Aurora Borealis.
PRO TIP: If you see something moving in the sky, like wispy clouds or some hazy movement, take a picture and if it turns green in your camera you are about to encounter the Northern Lights!
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I think visiting in September is worth it just for the aurora lights.