When an airline posts fares for $99 each way to Iceland, YOU GO. Worry about the details later! WOW Airlines is the leader in cheap travel to Iceland as well as a few other desirable European destinations - including Berlin, Dublin, and Amsterdam, with Iceland as the main hub. Therefore, on the day I was emailed information on these sale prices I booked a four night adventure for less than $500 per person, including flight and hotel (did not book hotel through WOW although they offer options). WOW only flies into Boston and BWI.
There was a twist with this trip, however! I called my Mother in Law, asked for her passport number, and bought her a ticket too. The best part is that it was a complete surprise. I didn't tell her where we were headed, but rather provided her with the climate and number of days to prepare for - and also told her to pack her swimsuit! She didn't know where Iceland was, but once she discovered where we were headed she was excited and ready to go!
On the 15th of November we boarded our direct overnight flight to Keflavik, Iceland's main airport, from BWI. The flight is only about 5 1/2 hours, and even with these cheap prices the airplane was not full. The plane was brand new, with tons of leg room. One thing to think about when flying WOW is that you can choose to pay for your specific seat ahead of time at a nominal charge, or pick your seat when you check in. We waited until check in and got second row seats - so as long as you're flying at a not so busy time of year you may do better NOT paying that extra $30.
Day One: Arrival and Hot Golden Circle
We arrived in Iceland at about 5:30 am on Monday, excited to get our first day of tours started. The first thing I noticed was how modern, clean, and bright the Keflavik airport was. We stopped to grab a coffee to go and everyone was incredibly friendly. Most people speak English, so communication was no problem. It didn't take long for our bags to arrive, so as soon as we scooped them up we headed to the Grayline bus ticket window to buy a seat into town to our hotel - this ticket window will be visible on the ground floor once baggage is collected - it's a small airport, so you won't miss it. Keflavik is about 45 minute drive to Reykjavik, and cabs here are pricey, so this is the way to go. Most likely there will be a bus waiting or on it's way (which wait just outside the doors of the airport by the ticket window), and we waited only about ten minutes until we were headed to the city. The cost was about $15 per person, compared to a $60-ish cab fare. The buses are new and comfortable. The biggest perk for us is that we were taken right to our hotel - not to a bus stop. The larger commuter buses will, however, drop you off at the Grayline terminal in Reykjavik where you will then jump onto a smaller van - the city streets in Reykjavik are very narrow, so you need a smaller vehicle to get right to your hotel.
*One thing to note here is that Grayline also offers tours in Iceland. I do not recommend any tours other than the stop off at Blue Lagoon on the way to or from the airport...more on that later in this post.*
We arrived at our hotel, the CenterHotel Thingholt, around 7:15 and, although our room wasn't quite ready, the concierge held our bags while we changed (it was FREEZING outside!) and then ate breakfast. The hotel was very modern (all of Iceland seems to be!), with local artwork and interesting lighting. We enjoyed a pretty decent breakfast spread and coffee and relaxed until 10:00 when our first tour guide arrived to escort us around the Golden Circle for the day. I would highly recommend this hotel, or any of the other CenterHotel locations which we saw during our walks around the city. Try not to stay on the harbor, as you cannot access everything by foot.
The Golden Circle tour takes about eight hours, and usually stops at three spots - national park Þingvellir, the waterfall Gullfoss (meaning "golden falls"), and the geothermally active valley of Haukadalur, which contains the geysers Geysir and Strokkur.
We opted for a slightly different take on this popular tour, and booked the Hot Golden Circle through Gateway to Iceland. I booked this option after reading quite a few reviews on TripAdvisor comparing this tour to the classic Golden Circle. What I liked about this option was that it started a bit later (10am versus 8am) and ended at the Secret Lagoon. This tour cost 12,900 kroner, which is equivalent to about $97. Our guide picked us up promptly and conveniently came right into our hotel to let us know he was there. This is essential as it was in the 20's and quite windy!
We were the last two to board the bus, but our total group consisted of only 25 people, compared to tour companies like Grayline this is much more intimate and personal. Our first stop was Þingvellir. The Icelandic parliament was established in this area around 930 AD, and Icelanders celebrated here after their independence from Denmark in 1944. The park was gorgeous, and it was here we saw many areas where "Game of Thrones" was filmed. It's hard to explain the terrain here - it is rocky but covered in moss. It looks like another planet! Sulfur is in the water in many places giving it a blue-ish glow. Also, there is clear evidence of the continental drift here! At the Flosagjá rift seen below, you can clearly see where earthquakes resulted in the movement of the Eurasian and North-American plate boundaries.
Next, we headed to Gullfoss, one of Europe's largest waterfalls. On the way we stopped to pet a few of the famous Icelandic horses grazing in a farmer's field. I requested this stop (as I saw recommended on TripAdvisor) otherwise your guide may not mention it. But, I wanted to see these ponies! These horses are incredibly unique - built for the cold weather and strong. They were brought over during the Viking Age (800s) initially to help with farming of course, but are also a staple of the Icelandic diet. :( The horses are one of the most pure horse breeds in the world, because it is illegal to import or export horses into Iceland. People also ride these horses, as they have two unique gaits in addition to the usual walk, trot, and canter, and are supposedly so steady and smooth that one could hold a full beer and not spill a drop! (Or so we were told - we did not actually ride although this is a great option during the warmer months and readily available everywhere). I had brought a bunch of sugar cubes from breakfast and these ponies eagerly gobbled up the treats. They were incredibly soft!
Shortly afterwards we headed to Gulfoss. It is a two-tiered waterfall, dropping 32 meters into a canyon. There are quite a few stairs leading up to a platform where you can get an amazing view of the falls from above, however it was so cold on the day we visited that I opted to see the falls from the side of the canyon. The wind was howling, which pushed the spray from the falls over us making it hard to take a good photo, but it was worth getting a bit wet to see how gorgeous this waterfall is.
Although quite chilly, the falls were gorgeous. I think they'd be even prettier in the summer. Here's a photo I found online from the platform above on a summer's day:
After Gullfoss we stopped for a quick coffee to warm up and then headed onto the geothermal fields of Haukadalur where we were able to stand extremely close to the erupting geyser, Strokkur. This geyser erupts every 5-10 minutes. It's fascinating to watch the geysir bubble and steam like a pot of boiling water before it explodes! Some eruptions are smaller, but if you see a small one make sure to wait around because there will be an enormous one next! No matter how cold, stick it out.
There are limited places to stop for a bite while on this tour (or anywhere in Iceland for that matter other than Reykjavik), but close to the geysir is a nice small restaurant (good soup!) along with a small gift shop. Our group had a bite here before heading to our final stop, the hot springs nature bath the locals call the Secret Lagoon.
On the ride to the Secret Lagoon we stopped at a scenic point, but for the life of me cannot recall the name! There were gorgeous volcanic rocks with a river of sulferic water, blue to the eye.
Shortly afterwards we arrived at the Secret Lagoon in Fludir, Iceland. Spending time at the Secret Lagoon was the best type of ending to our busy, chilly day. Though there is just a small area to shower and change here, it is quaint and unique. Our tour included admission and a towel so we all headed in for about an hour and a half in the springs. This specific hot spring had a sand-like floor, with extremely hot spots throughout. It was large enough to float around and enjoy without worrying about bumping into someone else, and it was not crowded at all with only about 35 people there at the time. We enjoyed a wine or two while soaking (though I will warn you - there's no service here so you must brave getting out of the hotsprings and running indoors in 20 degree weather!). If you choose not to enjoy the springs, the company will refund your entrance fee, but I recommend taking advantage of this relaxing stop. There is also another tour that will take you to this Secret Lagoon at night to view the Northern Lights!
Afterwards we headed the two hours back to Reykjavik and most people took a nice nap after our soak. We were dropped off right at our hotel, and because we had done so much that day we were STARVING. Fortunately our hotel was in the heart of Reykjavik, so we had a ton of options. We decided on an Italian restaurant just a block away or so.
Aptly named "Italia", this little spot had a nice atmosphere, and good fresh made pasta - I'd definitely recommend it.
Day Two: Reykjavik City Tour
The next day we slept in just a bit to recover from the five hour time difference, and then enjoyed a leisurely breakfast before our noon tour of Reykjavik. When I travel I love to take either food or a walking tour to discover the city I am visiting. It is essential to book the tour through a small local company to get a true local experience. I knew I found the perfect fit when I discovered a blog called I Heart Reykjavik. Audur truly loves Iceland, and was born and raised in Reykjavik. Her blog was helpful in planning other areas of the trip as well, it's definitely worth a look.
This was the only tour that I actually paid for before arrival. The others allowed you to reserve a space and then to pay while on the tour (I used my credit card for each tour), but I did book online and pay in advance for this one as there is a maximum for the number of people on the tour and I didn't want to miss out. The tour itself was only 5500 kroner, which is about $40, and was well worth the cost due to the enthusiasm and knowledge of Audur, the owner and guide.
Our tour began at Hallgrimskirkja, a Lutheran church in the heart of the city. The church itself was modeled based on the basalt columns found throughout the country. The church was only about a ten minute walk from the hotel, and extremely easy to find as it is one of the tallest buildings (if not the tallest) in the city. We gathered with about ten other travelers and got started on our two hour tour exploring the streets of Reykjavik. One of the highlights for me were the details provided about local artists in the capital city, and many of their displays can be found on buildings throughout Reykjavik. The street art ranges wildly but is all extremely unique. It seems that Icelanders love their art in almost any form, and along our tour we also saw quite a few random pieces in people's backyards or painted on their walls. You can even find tiny little mice painted on the staircases here and there if you look closely!
For $6 USD (about), you can take an elevator to the top of the church steeple and get an amazing view of the city. Highly recommended! There's a tiny gift shop as you enter the church and turn left, where you can purchase your ticket. If there's no one there you can leave a donation in the box provided and head on up!
After our tour Diann headed out to do a bit of shopping at the local haunts Audur pointed out, which included a co-op ran by women who make the famous Icelandic wool sweaters, (make sure to shop local!) while I unfortunately had to make my way to the doctor's office. I knew I had a sinus issue building before the trip but by this point it was excruciating and they barely sell ANY drugs over the counter. I had purchased some nasal spray and headache tablets but they weren't helping at all, so I paid my $80 USD (healthcare is free for Icelanders) to see a doctor and get an antibiotic. I will say, their system was pretty organized and I was in and out rather quickly. So, $100 bucks later I had my meds. I took a long dip in the hotel spa (which was extremely nice I must say!) after popping the first antibiotic and was relieved when I got out to feel that my extreme sinus headache was finally starting to wane.
On our walking tour Diann and I had seen a quaint little Icelandic restaurant in a blue cottage, called Laekjarbrekka, so we decided to give it a try for dinner that night. Usually I've scoped out restaurants in advance of my travel but this time around I knew we only had two or three nights out so we decided to wing it based on recommendations. In this case we are glad we did! It was only two blocks down from our hotel and had such a cozy, warm atmosphere. Although it seemed a bit fancy, people there were wearing anything from ski pants and turtlenecks to dress pants and ties. Actually, it seemed this was the norm everywhere in Iceland. I ate the Arctic Char, which was delicious.
I was feeling so much better, so I ordered a glass of wine to go with my fish, served with mashed potatoes and root veggies. Diann ordered some amazing-looking onion soup. It was perfect. We headed home for bed shortly afterwards because the next day was completely booked and we wanted to be well rested to enjoy all of the adventure ahead!
Day Three: South Coast Tour and Northern Lights
The next day we were picked up from our hotel at about 8 to begin our South Coast adventure. For this tour I used GeoIceland, based on amazing reviews on Trip Advisor. This tour cost 12,900 kroner, so once again about $97, and was well worth every penny as it was my absolute favorite part of the trip. Our guide Thor (who was AMAZING) picked us up from the hotel, and our group of about 20 enjoyed Seljalandsfoss and Skogafoss waterfalls, the coastal village of Vik, the glacier Solheimajökull, and the Reynisfjara black sand beaches. If you go in the summer you will also get to see the Dyrholaey Puffin colony! An option is also to add on a Glacier Walk to the tour, but we didn't opt for that as that is an extra few hours and we had the Northern Lights tour scheduled that night.
Our first stop was a small waterfall, called Uridafoss. Unfortunately these falls will be no longer as they plan to build hydropower stations along the river. It was wide, and very pretty! Much of it was frozen.
After we were teased by the smaller falls, we went to Seljalandfoss, one of the best known waterfalls in Iceland. This waterfall drops over 200 feet, over what used to be the coastline!
There is a path here where one can walk up and behind the waterfall, gazing over the pool of water with the awesome sound of the roaring falls. It is not recommended to climb behind the falls in the winter months, but of course I HAD to do it! The entire path was a layer of ice, due to the windy day pushing the mist into the path and freezing over. There was a layer of about 2-3 inches of ice, so you had to pull yourself along almost on your hands and knees to get up to the staircase! The staircase was entirely frozen over, but there weren't many people attempting the climb so I was able to hold onto both railings and hope for the best on the way up.... There were some rocks to climb over but as long as you were slow and meticulous with your footing it was worth it. If you want to go behind the falls but don't want to risk falling on ice, you MUST go in the spring or summer. A few lucky travelers and I got to experience the falls from behind the water, and it was worth getting soaking wet in 20 degree weather for!
The last waterfall we visited was Skogafoss. On the way there we stopped for a photo opportunity with the volcano that caused a huge disruption of European air traffic for an extended period of time in 2010, called Eyjafjallajokull. Here it is behind us! Interestingly, there are volcanos erupting constantly in Iceland, but most don't cause this much ash to be spread throughout the atmosphere. The guide told us that this wasn't even one of the largest eruptions lately! The others just haven't caused international problems, but flooding is a huge deal in Iceland because the eruptions melt the ice capping the volcanos, ruining fields and killing people and animals in its wake.
We saw the Skogafoss waterfall in the distance long before we arrived to view it up close. It was enormous at 82 foot wide and over 200 foot tall. To the right side of the falls are quite a few hiking paths along with a staircase, which I took all the way to the top to view the falls from the platform above. If you're wary of heights I wouldn't recommend going up, as the platform is a grate, and you can see the falls right below you. What I WOULD recommend is taking the 'goat path' off to the left of the staircase, about 3/4th of the way up. I walked on this path around to the side of the falls, where I had a more amazing view than above. It was icy, and there is absolutely nothing to catch you from falling into the falls if you slip. But, if you want a good shot of the rainbow the falls creates, this is where you'll find it.
After the waterfalls we stopped for lunch in the village of Vik. Here we explored the gorgeous volcanic black sand beaches, climbed the basalt pillars (my favorite landscape!), and explored caves. The picture below is literally the entire town.
We had a quick meal in this quaint town before heading to our last stop, one of the few remaining glaciers in Iceland.
Lastly we visited the Solheimajokull glacier, which is 8 km long, about a ten minute walk from where we were able to park. Although the ground had ice here and there it was still a rather safe walk, I wonder what the conditions would be after a good snow or lots of rainfall.... I must admit I didn't have high hopes for the glacier visit, as I've never really been interested in walking on a glacier, but I was shocked at how lovely and beautiful it was. You couldn't see much of the glacier on the walk up but as soon as we encountered it, it took my breath away!
Our eventful trip finally ended when we were dropped off at 7:15 pm - however, we had our next big outing in just thirty minutes! I ran to Subway (ugh, I know) to pick up something to go while Diann charged her phone (which we'd been using as a camera). We then were picked up right on schedule for our chance to see Aurora, or Polar Lights, by another tour guide with the company who took us out on our first day, Gateway to Iceland.
The interesting thing about a Northern Lights tour, is that there is an incredibly in-depth, scientific prediction system which provides the probability on whether or not lights would be visible around the world, and in what location if at all. Similar to a weather report, it details the likelihood of the events. So, when you book one of these tours with a big box company (Grayline) they take everyone out on this evening tour even if the report is showing that there is a not a good chance for lights. A smaller company such as Gateway to Iceland posts on their website daily as to whether or not the tour would take place. If they do take you out but you don't see any lights, you can go the next night for free.
This tour cost 7900 kroner, so about $60 per person and lasts about four hours total, depending on what you may see. Keep in mind these tours are only available in the winter from September to mid-April.
On the tour, our guide explained in detail how the lights are made (all I remember is something about sun flares reaching earth's atmosphere, and the proper solar wind and magnetic forces) and how they travel around the poles. He has been hosting this tour for over 20 years, and was readying us to be reasonable with our expectations - many people go out every night for a week and don't see a single thing! Well, only about 30 minutes in, we see a faint glow to the left of the van (as soon as we were out of Reykjavik) and sure enough they were the first signs of the lights. The guide says that once you see the lights, you stop! Some people try to 'chase' them, but what one may see a mile away could be different than what another would see - therefore it's best to stay put. He did not disappoint! These grayish/glowy 'clouds' slowly got greener and greener, and started to make an arc overhead as they got brighter. They were very fluid, and continuously changing. We ended up having over three arcs above and around us, which does not occur often! The forecast was a 4/10 chance to see the good lights, but our guide said we got pretty much a 10/10 show! The usual color of the lights is a hazy green, but we were treated to pinks, blues, and purples which are rare. The lights are incredibly difficult to catch on film - you must have a tripod, shutter speed of over 10 seconds, and the right settings, so be prepared if this is on your agenda. Fortunately for us we had a great camerawoman on our tour who was ready. She emailed me these glorious photos, capturing what was truly a once in a lifetime experience for me. Although we froze our butt off in less than 10 degree weather, I would do it again in a second for the sights we saw. Our guide said that he can count on one hand how often the lights show that gloriously. Everyone was thrilled, and after about two hours the lights started to dim and eventually dissipated. We finished our amazing event out at about 12:30 am.
Day Four: Blue Lagoon and Return Home
On our last day in Iceland, I had scheduled for a return trip to the airport with Grayline, with a stop at the Blue Lagoon. As I meantioned earlier in the post, Grayline offers decently priced to/from airport trips, and they also offer this stop off either on the way to Reykjavik or on the way to the airport. Although I was a bit worried about soaking in a lagoon before heading to a six hour flight, the facilities at the Blue Lagoon are modern, clean, and.... expensive! It costs 55 Euro to enter the Blue Lagoon, if you want a towel - but hey they throw in one 'free' drink. If you bring your own towel you can knock off 15 Euro. The Blue Lagoon has become so iconic Iceland that they're able to charge an arm and a leg, and people pay it! My best advice here is to book this ahead of time through Grayline. The shuttle will pick you up from your hotel, take you to the main Grayline terminal, and then you hop on the large bus to the lagoon. You can choose to then leave for the airport on three transfers offered at 12, 2, or 3 pm. Our flight out was at 3:30, so we got picked up at our hotel at 8 am and jumped on the 12 pm bus to the airport.
Lucky for us, the sun doesn't rise in Iceland in November until close to 10 am (and sets at 4ish), so we had a glorious sunrise along with snowflakes during our dip! The water is so warm - in some spots scorching! - and though it is crowded the lagoon is still very relaxing. The landscape here is unreal - it's hard to describe! There are lava rocks which have been worn down to a white color due to the sulfuric water, covered in moss - no trees to be seen anywhere. Here there is a natural mud offered that you can use on your face while you soak. Although this was a 'must do' for me on the trip, and I wouldn't change my decision to go (you kind of have to), it wasn't my favorite part of the trip (that would be the South Coast Tour!). It was the perfect way, however, to wind down before a long flight!
Unfortunately our flight was slightly delayed, but Diann and I took advantage of a little more shopping before we left Iceland. It was such a wonderful, quick trip. I was able to pack in everything I truly wanted to do in a three night stay. Unless you have the urge to self-drive the island (would take about three days), or hike a lot of terrain, I think three nights is plenty! So, go take advantage of these amazing flight deals before they're gone. I think Iceland is just now beginning to get the recognition it deserves - make sure to visit before it becomes too commercialized (which I truly hope does not happen, as it is so quaint and original!)
"Bless bless" ("goodbye in Icelandic") Iceland!
There was a twist with this trip, however! I called my Mother in Law, asked for her passport number, and bought her a ticket too. The best part is that it was a complete surprise. I didn't tell her where we were headed, but rather provided her with the climate and number of days to prepare for - and also told her to pack her swimsuit! She didn't know where Iceland was, but once she discovered where we were headed she was excited and ready to go!
We arrived in Iceland at about 5:30 am on Monday, excited to get our first day of tours started. The first thing I noticed was how modern, clean, and bright the Keflavik airport was. We stopped to grab a coffee to go and everyone was incredibly friendly. Most people speak English, so communication was no problem. It didn't take long for our bags to arrive, so as soon as we scooped them up we headed to the Grayline bus ticket window to buy a seat into town to our hotel - this ticket window will be visible on the ground floor once baggage is collected - it's a small airport, so you won't miss it. Keflavik is about 45 minute drive to Reykjavik, and cabs here are pricey, so this is the way to go. Most likely there will be a bus waiting or on it's way (which wait just outside the doors of the airport by the ticket window), and we waited only about ten minutes until we were headed to the city. The cost was about $15 per person, compared to a $60-ish cab fare. The buses are new and comfortable. The biggest perk for us is that we were taken right to our hotel - not to a bus stop. The larger commuter buses will, however, drop you off at the Grayline terminal in Reykjavik where you will then jump onto a smaller van - the city streets in Reykjavik are very narrow, so you need a smaller vehicle to get right to your hotel.
We arrived at our hotel, the CenterHotel Thingholt, around 7:15 and, although our room wasn't quite ready, the concierge held our bags while we changed (it was FREEZING outside!) and then ate breakfast. The hotel was very modern (all of Iceland seems to be!), with local artwork and interesting lighting. We enjoyed a pretty decent breakfast spread and coffee and relaxed until 10:00 when our first tour guide arrived to escort us around the Golden Circle for the day. I would highly recommend this hotel, or any of the other CenterHotel locations which we saw during our walks around the city. Try not to stay on the harbor, as you cannot access everything by foot.
Next, we headed to Gullfoss, one of Europe's largest waterfalls. On the way we stopped to pet a few of the famous Icelandic horses grazing in a farmer's field. I requested this stop (as I saw recommended on TripAdvisor) otherwise your guide may not mention it. But, I wanted to see these ponies! These horses are incredibly unique - built for the cold weather and strong. They were brought over during the Viking Age (800s) initially to help with farming of course, but are also a staple of the Icelandic diet. :( The horses are one of the most pure horse breeds in the world, because it is illegal to import or export horses into Iceland. People also ride these horses, as they have two unique gaits in addition to the usual walk, trot, and canter, and are supposedly so steady and smooth that one could hold a full beer and not spill a drop! (Or so we were told - we did not actually ride although this is a great option during the warmer months and readily available everywhere). I had brought a bunch of sugar cubes from breakfast and these ponies eagerly gobbled up the treats. They were incredibly soft!
On the ride to the Secret Lagoon we stopped at a scenic point, but for the life of me cannot recall the name! There were gorgeous volcanic rocks with a river of sulferic water, blue to the eye.
The next day we slept in just a bit to recover from the five hour time difference, and then enjoyed a leisurely breakfast before our noon tour of Reykjavik. When I travel I love to take either food or a walking tour to discover the city I am visiting. It is essential to book the tour through a small local company to get a true local experience. I knew I found the perfect fit when I discovered a blog called I Heart Reykjavik. Audur truly loves Iceland, and was born and raised in Reykjavik. Her blog was helpful in planning other areas of the trip as well, it's definitely worth a look.
This was the only tour that I actually paid for before arrival. The others allowed you to reserve a space and then to pay while on the tour (I used my credit card for each tour), but I did book online and pay in advance for this one as there is a maximum for the number of people on the tour and I didn't want to miss out. The tour itself was only 5500 kroner, which is about $40, and was well worth the cost due to the enthusiasm and knowledge of Audur, the owner and guide.
Our tour began at Hallgrimskirkja, a Lutheran church in the heart of the city. The church itself was modeled based on the basalt columns found throughout the country. The church was only about a ten minute walk from the hotel, and extremely easy to find as it is one of the tallest buildings (if not the tallest) in the city. We gathered with about ten other travelers and got started on our two hour tour exploring the streets of Reykjavik. One of the highlights for me were the details provided about local artists in the capital city, and many of their displays can be found on buildings throughout Reykjavik. The street art ranges wildly but is all extremely unique. It seems that Icelanders love their art in almost any form, and along our tour we also saw quite a few random pieces in people's backyards or painted on their walls. You can even find tiny little mice painted on the staircases here and there if you look closely!
After our tour Diann headed out to do a bit of shopping at the local haunts Audur pointed out, which included a co-op ran by women who make the famous Icelandic wool sweaters, (make sure to shop local!) while I unfortunately had to make my way to the doctor's office. I knew I had a sinus issue building before the trip but by this point it was excruciating and they barely sell ANY drugs over the counter. I had purchased some nasal spray and headache tablets but they weren't helping at all, so I paid my $80 USD (healthcare is free for Icelanders) to see a doctor and get an antibiotic. I will say, their system was pretty organized and I was in and out rather quickly. So, $100 bucks later I had my meds. I took a long dip in the hotel spa (which was extremely nice I must say!) after popping the first antibiotic and was relieved when I got out to feel that my extreme sinus headache was finally starting to wane.
On our walking tour Diann and I had seen a quaint little Icelandic restaurant in a blue cottage, called Laekjarbrekka, so we decided to give it a try for dinner that night. Usually I've scoped out restaurants in advance of my travel but this time around I knew we only had two or three nights out so we decided to wing it based on recommendations. In this case we are glad we did! It was only two blocks down from our hotel and had such a cozy, warm atmosphere. Although it seemed a bit fancy, people there were wearing anything from ski pants and turtlenecks to dress pants and ties. Actually, it seemed this was the norm everywhere in Iceland. I ate the Arctic Char, which was delicious.
Day Three: South Coast Tour and Northern Lights
The next day we were picked up from our hotel at about 8 to begin our South Coast adventure. For this tour I used GeoIceland, based on amazing reviews on Trip Advisor. This tour cost 12,900 kroner, so once again about $97, and was well worth every penny as it was my absolute favorite part of the trip. Our guide Thor (who was AMAZING) picked us up from the hotel, and our group of about 20 enjoyed Seljalandsfoss and Skogafoss waterfalls, the coastal village of Vik, the glacier Solheimajökull, and the Reynisfjara black sand beaches. If you go in the summer you will also get to see the Dyrholaey Puffin colony! An option is also to add on a Glacier Walk to the tour, but we didn't opt for that as that is an extra few hours and we had the Northern Lights tour scheduled that night.
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| Not my photo, but a great view of the waterfall from behind! |
The interesting thing about a Northern Lights tour, is that there is an incredibly in-depth, scientific prediction system which provides the probability on whether or not lights would be visible around the world, and in what location if at all. Similar to a weather report, it details the likelihood of the events. So, when you book one of these tours with a big box company (Grayline) they take everyone out on this evening tour even if the report is showing that there is a not a good chance for lights. A smaller company such as Gateway to Iceland posts on their website daily as to whether or not the tour would take place. If they do take you out but you don't see any lights, you can go the next night for free.
This tour cost 7900 kroner, so about $60 per person and lasts about four hours total, depending on what you may see. Keep in mind these tours are only available in the winter from September to mid-April.
On the tour, our guide explained in detail how the lights are made (all I remember is something about sun flares reaching earth's atmosphere, and the proper solar wind and magnetic forces) and how they travel around the poles. He has been hosting this tour for over 20 years, and was readying us to be reasonable with our expectations - many people go out every night for a week and don't see a single thing! Well, only about 30 minutes in, we see a faint glow to the left of the van (as soon as we were out of Reykjavik) and sure enough they were the first signs of the lights. The guide says that once you see the lights, you stop! Some people try to 'chase' them, but what one may see a mile away could be different than what another would see - therefore it's best to stay put. He did not disappoint! These grayish/glowy 'clouds' slowly got greener and greener, and started to make an arc overhead as they got brighter. They were very fluid, and continuously changing. We ended up having over three arcs above and around us, which does not occur often! The forecast was a 4/10 chance to see the good lights, but our guide said we got pretty much a 10/10 show! The usual color of the lights is a hazy green, but we were treated to pinks, blues, and purples which are rare. The lights are incredibly difficult to catch on film - you must have a tripod, shutter speed of over 10 seconds, and the right settings, so be prepared if this is on your agenda. Fortunately for us we had a great camerawoman on our tour who was ready. She emailed me these glorious photos, capturing what was truly a once in a lifetime experience for me. Although we froze our butt off in less than 10 degree weather, I would do it again in a second for the sights we saw. Our guide said that he can count on one hand how often the lights show that gloriously. Everyone was thrilled, and after about two hours the lights started to dim and eventually dissipated. We finished our amazing event out at about 12:30 am.
On our last day in Iceland, I had scheduled for a return trip to the airport with Grayline, with a stop at the Blue Lagoon. As I meantioned earlier in the post, Grayline offers decently priced to/from airport trips, and they also offer this stop off either on the way to Reykjavik or on the way to the airport. Although I was a bit worried about soaking in a lagoon before heading to a six hour flight, the facilities at the Blue Lagoon are modern, clean, and.... expensive! It costs 55 Euro to enter the Blue Lagoon, if you want a towel - but hey they throw in one 'free' drink. If you bring your own towel you can knock off 15 Euro. The Blue Lagoon has become so iconic Iceland that they're able to charge an arm and a leg, and people pay it! My best advice here is to book this ahead of time through Grayline. The shuttle will pick you up from your hotel, take you to the main Grayline terminal, and then you hop on the large bus to the lagoon. You can choose to then leave for the airport on three transfers offered at 12, 2, or 3 pm. Our flight out was at 3:30, so we got picked up at our hotel at 8 am and jumped on the 12 pm bus to the airport.
Unfortunately our flight was slightly delayed, but Diann and I took advantage of a little more shopping before we left Iceland. It was such a wonderful, quick trip. I was able to pack in everything I truly wanted to do in a three night stay. Unless you have the urge to self-drive the island (would take about three days), or hike a lot of terrain, I think three nights is plenty! So, go take advantage of these amazing flight deals before they're gone. I think Iceland is just now beginning to get the recognition it deserves - make sure to visit before it becomes too commercialized (which I truly hope does not happen, as it is so quaint and original!)
"Bless bless" ("goodbye in Icelandic") Iceland!
