self drive 7 days geysers, glaciers and waterfalls · 2019-03-16 · 2 self drive geysers, glaciers...

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Geysers, Glaciersand Waterfalls

Foss á Síðu

Self Drive 7 days

Self Drive Geysers, Glaciers and Waterfalls2

Welcome to Iceland!

To make your stay in Iceland more enjoyable, we would like to draw your attention to the following:

△ This booklet contains a standard itinerary. If you have added nights, please note that the itinerary has not been customized to show such amendments.

△ This itinerary is a guideline for your travel in Iceland. The route may vary according to your overnight stay and road condi-tions, especially during April/May and September/October.

△ Even with the long daylight, you will not be able to visit every nook and cranny nor enjoy all the fun things suggested. Please choose between the sites mentioned depending on your interest as time limits your possibilities.

△ The kilometer/mile distance per day is not precise. The distance may vary depending on the location of your accommodation and the detours you take each day.

△ On your accommodation itinerary you will find a detailed address list, describ-ing how to reach your accommodations. The accommodation itinerary also has a reference number, which is valid as your voucher. Official hotel check-in time is 14:00-18:00. If you arrive any later, it’s courteous to notify the hotel.

△ Breakfast is always included during your stay, but no other meals. Many of the rural hotels and guesthouses offer nice dinner at a reasonable price.

3Geysers, Glaciers and Waterfalls Self Drive

A few favourites from the trip

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Day 1:Arrival

Pick-up your rental car and explore Reykjanes

Peninsula

➠➠Approximate driving distance:

60 km / 37 miles

Please see your Iceland Travel Itinerary for

details about your overnight stay

Upon your arrival in Iceland you’ll find your rental car help desk in the arrival hall at

Keflavik Airport. The desk is open every day from 5:00am – 5:00pm and again from 9:00pm-1:00am. The staff will advise you where to find your vehicle.

If you are arriving early enough in the day we recommend driving along the southern coast of the Reykjanes peninsula. Start your journey with a soak in the Blue Lagoon. Follow road no. 41 towards Reykjavik until you find road no. 43, leading south towards Grindavik. Before you reach Mt Þorbjorn you make a right turn to the Blue Lagoon area. To make it easier you can just follow the steam rising up through the air! At the Blue Lagoon you can

wash of the jet lag and relax in the milky waters of the Lagoon and perhaps enjoy a glass of the famous Blue Lagoon cocktail while you let the algae mask bring out the skin’s inner glow!

Kindly note that the Blue lagoon is very popular year around and therefore you should book ahead.

If you are not relaxing in the lagoon at the beginning of your trip you continue on road number no. 43 until you find your way to Grindavik. Take a left onto road no. 427 and explore the southern coastline on your way to Hveragerdi.

Stykkishólmur

Reykjavík1Keflavík

Vík

Jökulsárlón6

4-5

Hveragerði

2-3


Follow this winding road along the shoreline, past stand-alone houses, lava rock formations, and endless sea views. Take a quick detour on road no. 42 to Krysuvik Geothermal Area and Kleifarvatn Lake, which are a part of the Reykjanes fissure zone.

Continue on your journey on road no. 427 until you reach road no. 38 which will take you to the charming village of Hveragerdi. The vil-lage is one of the few sites in the world located directly on top of a geothermal area and because of its many greenhouses heated by hot water from nearby springs it is often called the flower village.

You can take a detour to Stokkseyri, where you can find an interesting museum, called the Ghost Center or Draugasetrið, tel. 483 1202, displaying all of the most well-known ghosts in Iceland. The entrance is located on the south side of the building by the harbour. The museum is not recommended for children younger then 12 years old. The museum is open June-August from 13:00-18:00.

Day 2:South Coast

Thundering Waterfalls, Cliffs & Stone Arches,

Black Sand Beaches of the South Shore, Puffin

Colony


190 km / 118 miles



Please note also that some of the stops on this day can be incorporated on day 4.

From Hveragerði you will continue your trip on road no. 1 to Selfoss. On your way to Selfoss you’ll have the opportunity to visit the Ice-landic horse park Fakasel which is located on your right hand side after passing road no. 375.

Turn left onto road no. 35. The next village to explore is at lake Laugarvatn, a geothermal area. It is said that when Christianity was legal-ized in the year 1000, the chieftains from the north, who refused to be baptized in the cold water of Þingvellir, were brought to Laugar-vatn to be baptised in the warm spring. At the Fontana Geothermal Baths you can relax in


the warm geothermal pools and natural steam rooms while enjoying the spectacular views over the lake.

Geysir area is a colourful geothermal field in a 3 km2 (1.2 mi2) area where hot springs and geysers are abundant. Geysir spouting spring is the world’s largest geyser, whose name is the generic term for this strange phenom-enon. Geysir, believed to have formed in the thirteenth century, has a bowl 18 m (59 ft) in diameter with a 20 m (66 ft) deep chamber below. Its eruptions are majestic and after the big earthquakes in 2000 it has erupted several times. A smaller, adjacent hot spouting spring, Strokkur, is a popular attraction, erupting at 5–10 minute intervals. The whole area contains a variety of hot springs and bubbling pools. Please be careful around the hot springs and waterfall and stick to the hiking-paths.

You continue your journey further north to Gullfoss waterfall, the “Golden Waterfall”. It is a beautiful double-folding fall that many believe to be the most scenic in Iceland. It thunders 32 m (105 ft) over a fault into a gorge, which measures 2.5 km (1.5 miles) in length and up to 70 m (230 ft) deep in places.

Drive down on road no. 30 and turn to road no. 32 to Þjórsárdalur Valley. When you reach road no. 32 you will follow the course of the

mighty Þjórsá, Iceland’s longest river and the most important source of electric energy in the country. At the entrance to the Þjórsárdalur valley, you can stop for a short climb to the top of Gaukshöfði, a rocky crag with the mighty river at its foot and a splendid view of Mt. Hekla, Iceland’s most famous volcano. You take road no. 327 to Stöng, the excavated ruins of a Viking-age farmhouse in a fair state of preservation. If you walk on the path along the brook you will enter a beautiful ravine called Gjáin, which can easily be compared with paradise. It offers miniature landscape, brooks and waterfalls where harlequin ducks can often be spotted and you can have a perfect relaxa-tion. Turn back to road no. 32 and continue into the mountain-encircled valley with mounds of volcanic ash, pumice covered hills, red and pink-toned pseudo craters and lava crags rising above the valley floor. You will soon find the beautiful waterfall Hjálparfoss, framed in twisted basalt columns. Nearby you will also find Þjóðveldisbærinn, a replica of an old Viking farm, open during the summer season.

You will follow that road until you get to road no. 26. While driving on road no. 26 you will be passing through dramatic scenery as you are in the proximity of the volcano Hekla. The lunar-like landscape is in most parts covered


with thick layers of ash and lava. There is an interesting Hekla exhibition at Leirubakki at road no. 26 where you can learn about volcan-ism in general and the history of Mt. Hekla. Open daily from 10:00-22:00, tel. 487 8700.

Keep on your journey on road no. 1 through the fertile farmlands of the south, towards the east through the small villages of Hella and Hvolsvöllur, where trade and services are the main occupations. You will have frequent views of mountains, including the majestic Mt. Hekla.

Mt. Hekla is without a doubt Iceland’s most famous volcano. It is still very active, erupting most recently in 1970, 1980, 1981 and in 1991. The last eruption started on 26th February in 2000 and lasted for 12 days; the lava from this eruption covers approximately 18 km² (47 mi²). Instead of a classical volcano cone, Hekla is part of a rather squat series of ridges, although this is usually hidden behind a thick bank of clouds that earned Hekla its menacing name, which means the hooded one. Soon after the settlement period, in 1104, Hekla showed that it was a presence to be feared as it erupted without warning and devastated 20 farms in the Þjórsárdalur Valley. Indeed the volcano’s fame grew so much that the Europeans in the middle Ages believed it was the gateway to hell. The volcanic eruptions from Hekla are spectacular as the mountain is 1,493 m (4897 ft) high and towers over the lowlands of the south.

This is the region where one of the best known Icelandic classical Sagas, the “Story of Brennu Njáll” is set. You have the opportunity to visit the Saga Centre in Hvolsvöllur where you can learn more about the sagas, tel. 487 8781.

Rising ahead of you now is the cone shaped Eyjafjallajökull glacier and volcano, 1666 m (5465 ft). On a clear day you can see the Westman Islands to your right.

There is a ferry to the Westman Islands, sailing from Landeyjarsandur. Therefore it is easy to take a detour to the Westman Islands, a small archipelago with around 15 small islands; the largest one Heimaey has a population of around 4.000 inhabitants. This detour can also be done on day 4.


Detour to the Westman Islands:

A few kilometres east of Hvolsvöllur, turn

right when you see the ferry sign and drive

towards the ocean. The ferry “Herjólfur” offers

several departures per day, please call 481 2800

for information about the schedule and prices.

You can either leave your car behind at the har-

bour or take it along on the ferry. The duration of

the trip is about 30 minutes in good weather.

Once in the Westman Islands, you should visit

Eldheimar – a volcano museum of remembrance,

tel 488 2700. The exhibition focuses on the 1973

volcanic eruption in Vestmannaeyjar, without a

doubt one of Iceland s biggest natural disaster.

The highlight of the exhibition is a house that has

been delicately excavated. Eldheimar also houses

the Surtsey exhibition with all available informa-

tion about this unique island, which is on the

UNESCO World Heritage List.

A boat tour around the islands is a must for

all bird and nature lovers, please call Viking Tours

for further information, tel. 488 4884. They offer

various tours, such as the popular circle tour, whale

watching and deep sea fishing.

A visit to the Museum of Natural History is

recommended, that offers insight into the bird and

fish life, houses a rock and minerals collection and

an aquarium. From mid-May until mid-September

the museum is open daily from 10:00-17:00 but

less in other months, tel. 481 1997.

Beautiful walks in Vestmanneyjar includes a

walk to the southern tip of the island “Stórhöfði”

for puffin- and bird sightseeing and hike up to

Helgafell and/or Eldfell volcano.

Back on the ferry and you find yourself again

on the main-land.


Continue on road no. 1 and a stop at the spectacular waterfall Seljalandsfoss, 40 m (131 ft) high, is recommended. There you can actu-ally walk behind the waterfall, but be careful as it might be slippery.

Shortly after you pass Seljalandsfoss water-fall, you can pay a visit to the famous visitor centre at Þorvaldseyri farm, tel. 487 5757, which gained world-wide attention, during the volcanic eruption beneath Eyjafjallajökull Glacier. During the eruption, thick layers of ash fell to the ground and rivers flooded its banks, damaging the farmlands, hot water pipes and water barriers of the nearby farms. The farmer, Mr Olafur and his family, have extraordinary images on display, showing the farm and its sur-rounding before, during and after the eruption.

Then drive onwards to Skógar, where you can visit the Folk museum and Skógafoss waterfall, 60 m (197 ft) high, one of the most impressive waterfalls in the country. The popular Folk museum is open daily from 09:00-18:00 during June, July and August but less in other months, tel. 487 8845.

Mýrdalsjökull is Iceland’s fourth largest gla-cier. Glacier tongues creep down its sides to the lowlands, the most prominent being Sólheimajökull. Under the south-eastern side of the glacier is Katla, a sub glacial central volcano, buried deep under 400 m (1312 ft) of ice. The caldera is 10 km (6.3 miles) in diameter. Since the settlement of Iceland, Katla has erupted 16–20 times at an average interval of 40–80 years, melting the glacial cap and causing catastrophic floods in the plains below. All of this has in the course of time created the vast Mýrdalssandur desert on the south-eastern side of the glacier. Katla last erupted in 1918.

Continue the journey and pass Dyrhólaey, a magnificent rocky headland with sheer cliffs. It is the southernmost point of Iceland and at the tip of it, is a huge wave cut gap which boats can sail through. The headland is known for its bird life and is certainly worth a visit. It is about 5 km (3 miles) from road no. 1 on road no. 218, about 8 km (5 miles) before you arrive to Vík village. Dyrhólaey is a bird sanctuary and closed for any traffic during breeding season from ca. 1st of May until 25th of June each year. Please note that the road to the top is not always recommendable as it is very steep. If it has been raining severely, the road turns muddy and is not recommended for smaller cars and inexperienced drivers. One has to be very care-ful walking on top of Dyrhólaey, as no fences protect you from falling, so do not walk close to the edge.

Before reaching Vík, there is another recom-mended detour to the so-called Reynishverfi by turning right on road no. 215. Reynishverfi offers a beautiful black beach and impres-sive basalt column. At one place you can even see and go into a cave called Hálsanefshellir formed by the sea through the thousands of years. Depending on the tides the cave may not always be accessible.

Please note:

As much as this stretch of black sand looks innocent, it’s open to the Atlantic Ocean and is known for extremely vicious waves and strong currents. You should therefore be extra careful, comply with warning signs at all times and keep away from the shore line.


You will drive onwards to the quiet village of Vík, which is situated in the mild and fertile Mýrdalur valley which is the southernmost borough in Iceland. The western border is marked by the glacial river, Jökulsá, to the east by the river Blautakvísl, and to the south by black, volcanic beaches and the Atlantic Ocean. Mýrdalur is a farming area with about 600 inhabitants, 330 of them in the village of Vík. It is an area of great contrasts. Lush green pastures lie between vast black volcanic sands. Rugged mountains, scarred by deep gullies, rise from the sands and are topped by the Mýrdals-jökull glacier. The area has rich birdlife with the country’s largest nesting colony of arctic terns just east of the village. In the cliffs west of the village you will see countless puffins, kittiwakes and fulmars mainly during the months of May, June and July.

Please be careful when walking in the nest-ing area of the arctic terns as they are very protective of their eggs and their young ones. Intruding those areas one can expect dive-bombing attacks, where they do not hesitate to pick with their pointed beak on one’s head. To avoid getting hurt, please put a stick, umbrella or something long above your head since they attack the highest point.

Reynisdrangar: These are high rocks or needles in the sea at the base of Reynisfjall

Mountain, supposedly formed when two trolls were trying to drag a three-mastered ship to land. When daylight broke they turned into stone. The needles rise 66 m (216 ft) above sea level and can be seen from Vík.

Heiðarvatn: A lake that lies not far from Vík. It offers good trout fishing and is a nice area for walking. Please note that you will need a permit for fishing.

Fun things to do

Snowmobile Tour of Mýrdalsjökull glacierDuration: 1 hour

Arcanum, tel. 487 1500 / 893 3445.Glacial Walk on Crampons from Sólheimajökull, with the possibility of some iceclimbing for those willing enough to tryDuration: 1.5 or 3.5 hours

Icelandic Mountain Guides, tel. 587 9999 or 899 9982.Boat Trip from Dyrhólaey, on especially made boat with wheels, which can drive on the sand and also sail at seaDuration: 1-1.5 hours

Dyrhólaeyjarferðir, tel. 487 8500 or 893 6800.Kayak Tour from Stokkseyri.Duration 1-3 hours

Kajakaferðir Stokkseyri tel., 896-5716.


Day 3:

Kirkjubæjarklaustur, Skaftafell, Jökulsárlón, Höfn

Lava Fields, Europe’s Largest National Park and

Glacier, Glacial Lagoon with Icebergs


270 km / 168 miles



You continue your trip to Kirkjubæjarklaustur, an area of great beauty, a

growing resort with a number of historical spots. You drive on road no. 1 across the south-eastern part of Iceland through the impressive Skaftáreldahraun lava field, which was created in the volcanic eruption at Laki Craters, sup-posedly the biggest lava field on earth coming from only one eruption, and which is now all covered with moss.

Kirkjubæjarklaustur was the site of a con-vent in earlier times, a fact reflected in place name like Systrastapi, Systrafoss and Systravatn, meaning Sister’s Rock, Sisters´ Fall and Sisters´ Lake, respectively. You can have a look at the famous Kirkjugólf or church floor, at the northern part of Kirkjubæjarklaustur, although it is believed that it was never a floor in a

church. It is the surface of huge basalt columns that is worth a closer look. Just after you leave Kirkjubæjarklaustur you will see numerous hills, Landbrotshólar, but they make up the biggest area of pseudo craters in Iceland.

The area has a lot to offer the visitor; hiking, swimming in the local pool or sightseeing are some of the options. The Tourist Information Center in Kirkjubæjarklaustur, at Klaustur vegur 29, tel. 487-4620 can also give you further information on what to do in Kirkjubæjar-klaustur.

On the way from Kirkjubæjarklaustur to Skaftafell National Park you will have a great opportunity to see an interesting basalt column formation at Dverghamrar, please look for a sign on the right hand side of the road. Then drive past Núpsstaður, an old farm surrounded by magnificent cliffs, where you will find one of the oldest churches in Iceland with a turf-cov-ered roof. You will also drive past Lómagnúpur; an impressive 688 m (2.257 ft) high precipice.

Skaftafell National Park is a masterpiece of seemingly impossible contrasts of nature. On the one hand you have the Skeiðarársandur plains, vast stretches of black sandy wasteland and volcanic debris borne from volcanic eruptions from underneath the icecap of Vatnajökull. The eruption in Vatnajökull glacier in October 1996, millions of tons of


water and ice flooded over Skeiðarársandur. The flood washed away large parts of the road and destroyed two bridges. Preliminary repairs were made and the road opened again in December, only two months after the eruption. Some of the icebergs that the flood carried with it were as large as three story houses.

On the other hand you have the enormous icecap of Vatnajökull with its valley glaciers descending like fingers in all directions. In the middle lies Skaftafell plateau, like a verdant oasis, where you can see gorges with clear brooks and beautiful waterfalls, birch woods, a wealth of wild flowers and lush vegetation. A walk on the marked paths along the gorges for a look at the waterfalls is a must for all visitors. The most majestic is Svartifoss, “Black Fall” plunging over a wall of symmetrical basalt columns that recall organ pipes. There is an alternative for those who have difficulty walk-ing up to the Skaftafellsjökull glacier (wheel-chair accessible). For further information please ask at the information centre in Skaftafell.

Continue your tour and drive from Skaftafell on to Jökulsárlón where it is possible to take a breathtaking cruise amongst floating icebergs on the fantastic 180 m (590 ft) deep glacial lagoon. The icebergs break off enormous ice lobes, advancing down deep valleys from the Vatnajökull icecap. The ice from the glacier is over 1000 years old, but the lagoon has largely been formed this century, as the glacier has retreated in the warmer climate. Sometimes you can see seals by the coastline of the lagoon.

At the travel service in Hólmur, before reaching Höfn, you can visit a café and petting zoo with all the usual Icelandic farm animals, horses, sheep, dogs, cats and more. Open daily, 09:00-17:00, tel. 478 2063.

Brunnhóll farm and guesthouse makes a delicious stop on the way to Höfn, since the farm is known for its own production of home-made ice-cream, tel. 478 1029.

Höfn is a bustling fishing and fish process-ing port, as well as a commercial centre, with considerable farming in the neighbouring area.

Return to the same overnight accommoda-tion in the evening.

Fun things to do

Trout fishing, close to Kirkjubæjarklaustur Duration: Variable

Efri-Vík farm, tel. 487 4694.Glacial Walk in SkaftafellDuration: 2.5 hours

Icelandic Mountain Guides, tel. 587 9999 or 899 9982.Boat Tour on the Jökulsárlón Glacial LagoonDuration: 30-40 min

Jökulsárlón, tel. 478 2222 or 899 5920. Jeep tour or Snow Scooter Tour on Vatnajökull GlacierDuration: 3 hours and 15 minutes

Jöklajeppar (Glacier Jeeps), tel. 478 1000 or 894 3133.4wd Quad Biking in HoffellDuration: 1.5 hours

Vatnajökull Travel, tel. 894 1616.

Day 4:

Þingvellir and Borgarfjörður Area

National Park with Geological Wonders (UNESCO)


280 km / 174 miles



Today you will head to Þingvellir National Park which is of great ecological, geologi-

cal and historical interest. Head west on road no. 1 until you get to road no. 35. Turn right on to road no. 35 for a short while and then left onto road no. 36.

The park itself is situated in a stunning volcanic landscape of mountains and lava flows, on the border of Iceland’s largest lake. Surrounding the lake are impressive faults and gorges that are considered among the finest examples of the results of tectonic move-ments in the world. It is the area where the tectonic plates for Europe and America meet, and one can literally see the ridge between the continents. This is also the former site of the


oldest parliament in the world, Alþingi. It was founded in Þingvellir in 930 and there most of the greatest moments of Icelandic history took place over a period of 750 years. In the 18th century a major earthquake took place at this location, after which the parliament was transferred to Reykjavík. It may interest you that Þingvellir was in 2004 inscribed upon the List of UNESCO World Heritage Sites concern-ing the Protection of the World Cultural.

While in Þingvellir you should visit (you can get directions at the information centre):

Lögberg (The Law Rock), the law speaker, the president of Lögrétta (the Low Council) stood there facing the gathering below to recite the laws during the period when the old Alþingi was held at Þingvellir.

Neðrivellir where Lögrétta was, the most important institution of the ancient parliament, the Alþingi, where the “goðar”, the local chief-tains, and bishops gathered to debate, pass new law and amend old ones. These two sites are on the eastern side of the Almannagjá gorge.

Drekkingarhylur (Drowningpool) in Öxará River, where women found guilty of adultery were drowned.

Öxarárfoss waterfall, a beautiful waterfall in the Öxará River, which falls thunderously over a steep slope at the edge of the Almannagjá rift.

Þingvallakirkja Church, from 1859, situated on the spot where one of the first churches in Iceland was built around 1016, shortly after Icelanders converted to Christianity in the year 1000.

From Þingvellir you continue towards the Borgarfjörður area. There are two possible routes to Borgarfjörður, the usual one suitable for all cars, and the highland track Kaldidalur valley, only accessible with 4wd.

Fun things to do

River Rafting on the river HvítáDuration: 3- 4 hours

Arctic Rafting, tel. 562 7000.Snowmobile tour on Langjokull GlacierDuration: 2.5-3 hrs

Mountaineers of Iceland, tel. 562 7000.


Day 5:

Snæfellsnes Peninsula

Craters, Volcanic Landscapes, Snæfellsnes Glacier,

Sea Cliffs with Birdlife, Rock Formations, Quaint

Fishing Villages


328 km / 203 miles



Today you will drive the Snæfellsnes Peninsula. From Borgarnes, you will drive

on road no. 54 to the Snæfellsnes peninsula. You will drive through the Mýrar district, through moors and lava fields and over some of Iceland’s best salmon fishing rivers to the

Hnappa dalur valley, where you will see the regularly shaped extinct volcanic crater Eldborg. There is a marked hiking path all the way to the top of the crater from the farm Snorra-staðir. The walk is relatively comfortable and takes about 2 hours.

Drive onwards to Búðir, which is pictur-esquely situated by the shore, surrounded by Búðahraun lava. This is a unique place to walk in the sandy lava fields, see the charming black church and stroll on one of the few yellow beaches of Iceland. Here you get endless pos-sibilities for photographing.

You drive on westwards on road no. 574 through the romantic little fishing villages of Arnarstapi and Hellnar, both known for their coastline rock formations in the shapes of arches, caves, stacks, as well as cliffs alive


with huge colonies of birds. At Hellnar there is a small café by the seashore worth visit-ing. In Hellnar you can visit the Snæfellsjökull National Park’s Visitor Centre, which displays a part of the country’s trade history and the geology, geography and animal life of the park. It also serves as an information centre and is open daily from mid May to mid September 10:00-18:00.

In Arnarstapi local fishermen can be seen fishing and unloading the catch of the day. A suggested walk is from one of the islands most picturesque harbors along the basalt cliffs, ravines and grottoes, which surround Arnarstapi pier, towards the manmade stone troll Bárður Snæfellsás.

There are myriads of birds in the ravines, especially kittiwakes. Be careful of two things;

walk only on the path to avoid falling into the ravines and be aware of the arctic terns nesting close to Bárður Snæfellsás. Another recommended walk, approx. 45 minutes, especially for bird watchers is from Arnarstapi to Hellnar.

Snæfellsjökull glacier (1.446 m / 4.742 ft) is the crowning jewel of Snæfellsnes peninsula, considered to be one of the most beautiful gla-ciers in Iceland and believed by many to have supernatural powers. It first became famous after the publication in 1864 of Jules Verne’s Journey to the Centre of the Earth. The glacier itself and its surroundings were established as a National Park in the year of 2001.

Continue your journey around Snæfellsnes-jökull glacier. At the tip of the peninsula, near Dritvík, look for a sign saying “Djúpalóns


sandur”, a small inlet used as a landing for small fishing boats in earlier centuries. The fishermen got wages according to their strength; meas-ured on weight-stones, still to be seen down by the landing. Here the roar of the ocean cannot cover the sound of the seagulls constantly on the move. Continue your journey through the small fishing villages on the northern shores of the peninsula. Hellissandur, a busy fishing village stands on the edge of the sea on an elevated coastal plateau near the outermost tip of the peninsula adjacent to another seaside fishing village Rif. In medieval times, Rif was an important trading port. En route to Stykkishól-mur you’ll find the towns of Rif, Ólafsvík and Grundafjörður.

Be sure not to miss the short detour on road no. 577 to the farm of Bjarnarhöfn, tel. 438 1581, where you can see a small church and may learn how to take care of shark once pulled out of the water. Then drive on road no. 58 towards to Stykkishólmur.

Stykkishólmur is the largest town of the Snæfellsnes peninsula. It has a fine natural harbour sheltered amongst beautiful rock formations. Fishing is the main occupation with emphasis on shellfish. Trade began in Stykk-ishólmur in the late 16th century. Iceland’s first meteorological measurements were made here

in 1845 by Árni Thorlacius, who in 1832 built the Norwegian house, a fine timber building that has been beautifully renovated and houses the local folk museum.

The Café Narfeyrarstofa is located in the centre of the village in one of those older houses.

While in Stykkishólmur, we recommend the museum Vatnasafn or “Library of Water”, tel. 857 1221, in the former library building, overlooking the ocean on one side and the harbour and town on the other. Ice from 24 glaciers around Iceland was extracted and the results are stored in liquid form inside glass columns scattered through the building. This is a work created by American artist Roni Horn in collaboration with Art Angel as a multi–faceted long-term installation and community centre in the town of Stykkishólmur.

Fun things to do

Boat Tour or Sea Angling from StykkishólmurDuration: 2 hours

Sæferðir, tel. 438 1450.Ferry to Flatey IslandDuration: 5 or 11 hours

Sæferðir, tel. 438 1450.


Day 6:

Reykjanes Peninsula, Blue Lagoon

Volcanic Landscapes, Bubbling Mud Pools, Quaint

Fishing Village, Geothermal Spa


130 km / 81 miles



Start the day by finding your way into Reykjavik via Hvalfjörður (Whaling Fjord)

which is one of Iceland’s longest fjords (30 km / 19 miles). You have the choice between either taking the tunnel (ISK 1000 per car), or driving the length of the fjord on road no 47. During World War II, Hvalfjörður became one of the most important Allied naval bases in the North Atlantic as a refuelling station for the Allied fleet. The many large oil tanks around the village of Miðsandur, often the cause of much tourist curiosity, are indeed remnants of the refuelling station. Here you also find Iceland’s only whaling station, which operated until 1986.

When you are back in Reykjavik, you have the chance to either have a roam around the city or to visit the Reykjanes Peninsula and the Blue

Lagoon. Drive through Hafnarfjörður town and turn left onto road no. 42. You pass Lake Kleifarvatn which is set in fascinating, stark, moon-like surroundings. Near the lake’s southern end lies Krísuvík with powerful jets of steam escaping from deep below the earth’s crust and sulphur-ous steam rising from numerous vents of a geothermal field. Here you can see innumerable small hot springs, mud pots, boiling pools and other types of geothermal activity.

You turn right to road no. 427 in direction Grindavík town and continue your journey under low mountains along the shore with craggy cliffs rising sheer from the sea. Proceed via the town of Grindavík and then take road no. 43 to the Blue Lagoon where you can take a swim and get a Blue Lagoon spa massage and body treatment. If you decide to get a massage in the lagoon, we recommend book-ing in advance, by calling the Blue Lagoon tel. 420-8800

The lagoon sits atop of a high-temperature geothermal field that supplies hot water and steam to run a power plant. Overflow water from the plant, rich in minerals and silica clay, fill the lava lagoon. The water is reputed to have healing effects on skin ailments such as psoriasis, and people arrive from around the world to seek relief.


After a refreshing bath in the Blue Lagoon drive road no. 425 to the tip of the Reykjanes Peninsula, Reykjanestá. It is the southwestern point of Iceland, barren, covered with lava and a much indented coastline. There you can see the shield-volcanoes Skálafell and Háleyjarbunga and the volcanic rifts Stampar, as well as the tuff mountain Valahnúkur where many species of birds nest. Much geothermal heat, sulphur and mud springs are there, the best known spring being Gunna. The first lighthouse in Iceland was built on Reykjanestá in 1878.

Please note!

Please note that the water in the high–temperature geothermal area is very hot, or well over 100 °C (212 Fahrenheit). Therefore it is very important to pay atten-tion to signs indicating where it is safe to walk. The natural habitat in these areas is very fragile. Please only walk on marked footpaths and respect all fences, for your own safety and in order not to damage the fragile and vulnerable vegetation and the volcanic landscape. Eldey is a cliff or island, 77 m (253 ft) high, ca. 14 km (9 miles) off Reykjanes. It is home to the biggest gannet colony in the world

and is protected. It was first climbed in 1894 by three Icelanders, Hjalti Jónsson (Eldeyjar-Hjalti, 1869 - 1949) and his two companions.

Hafnaberg is a sea cliff with many seabirds. South of the cliff is where the New World meets the Old World, geologically speak-ing. The European and American plates come together here, and the line of their meeting “comes ashore” at this point. After this you can head back to Reykjavík on road no. 41.

For extra time in Reykjavík, optional tours from Reykjavík such as Blue Lagoon, horse-back riding, whale watching etc can be booked through the lobby at your hotel or by calling Iceland Travel tel. 585-4300.

Day 7:

Departure

Departure from your accommodation is recommended 3 hours before the

departure of your flight, as it takes approx. 1 hour to drive to the airport and check in will start 2 hours before your departure.

The rental car should be returned to the airport service area which is located only 2 minutes from the airport building. A shuttle will then transport you to the departures hall.


We at Iceland Travel hope you have enjoyed your stay in Iceland and

wish you a safe journey back home.It would be great to hear how your holiday went when you get back home! You can either log onto our website’s comment section at www.icelandtravel.is/comment/ or visit our TripAdvisor profile.

Skógarhlíð 12

IS-105 Reykjavík

Iceland

Tel +354 585 4300

Fax +354 585 4390

Iceland Travelicelandtravel.is

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