Wow I didn't realize how much we did (and saw) on Day 4 until I started going through all the photos. So, if you are reading this, be prepared for a real long blog post with tons of photos! After a restful night in Hoffell, we embarked on our journey to Seyðisfjörður. Our first stop along the way was Hvalnes. Hvalnes is a small peninsula where you will find a black pebble beach, an old yet picturesque orange lighthouse, and the infamous "horny mountains" (Vestrahorn, Eystrahorn and Brunnhorn) in the background. The great thing about Iceland is that once you are outside of Reykjavík and Golden Circle, you rarely see anyone around, and even less as you head east. We had Hvalnes all to ourselves and it was so beautiful. One thing to note though is once you spot the lighthouse, be on the look out for the pull off area to the right where you can safely park because once you pass it, it's hard to turn around. We missed it and there was nowhere to turn around, we tried making a u-turn on the narrow road and drove off onto the black pebbles and almost got stuck! So be careful!
We drove another hour and a half or so and arrived at Egilsstaðir where we were staying for the night. We grabbed a bite to eat, had some coffee, and checked into our hotel before driving through Fjarðarheiði mountain pass over to Seyðisfjörður. Fjarðarheiði has an elevation of over 2,000 ft above sea level, therefore it was very cold and snowy up there. We stopped and took some photos in the snow and in the middle of the road.
Iceland Day 4: Hvalnes, Egilsstaðir, and Seyðisfjörður (Gufufoss and Tvísöngur)
August 16, 2019
Wow I didn't realize how much we did (and saw) on Day 4 until I started going through all the photos. So, if you are reading this, be prepared for a real long blog post with tons of photos! After a restful night in Hoffell, we embarked on our journey to Seyðisfjörður. Our first stop along the way was Hvalnes. Hvalnes is a small peninsula where you will find a black pebble beach, an old yet picturesque orange lighthouse, and the infamous "horny mountains" (Vestrahorn, Eystrahorn and Brunnhorn) in the background. The great thing about Iceland is that once you are outside of Reykjavík and Golden Circle, you rarely see anyone around, and even less as you head east. We had Hvalnes all to ourselves and it was so beautiful. One thing to note though is once you spot the lighthouse, be on the look out for the pull off area to the right where you can safely park because once you pass it, it's hard to turn around. We missed it and there was nowhere to turn around, we tried making a u-turn on the narrow road and drove off onto the black pebbles and almost got stuck! So be careful!
We drove another hour and a half or so and arrived at Egilsstaðir where we were staying for the night. We grabbed a bite to eat, had some coffee, and checked into our hotel before driving through Fjarðarheiði mountain pass over to Seyðisfjörður. Fjarðarheiði has an elevation of over 2,000 ft above sea level, therefore it was very cold and snowy up there. We stopped and took some photos in the snow and in the middle of the road.
After traveling from Vík, stopping at multiples place and had dinner over in Höfn, it was nearly 10pm when we arrived at Glacier World Guesthouse in Hoffell. We walked to the entrance and OMG IT'S LOCKED! Before I could even think about what to do next, a car approached. A nice man came up to us and opened the door. Apparently he was looking out his window occasionally waiting for our arrival! How nice! It was late so we checked in and went to sleep. The next morning WE WOKE UP TO SNOW! ON A FARM! WITH HORSES! I grew up in California so snow is a rare sight and quite magical for me. On top of that I've been looking for horses since arriving in Iceland (you will see more horses as you go north). So yeah, needless to say I was pretty darn excited! We watched the snow fall over a delicious breakfast (talk about farm to table!) and then had the pleasure to tour the property with Fríða (daughter of this family-run guesthouse). She shared with us her family history and the story of Hoffell (we found out the kind man who opened the door for us was her father!) Before checking out and continuing our journey northeast, we stopped by the geothermal hot tubs down the road (these are free if you are a guest at Glacier World Guesthouse) and checked out the horses. They were so friendly and came right up to us! Overall, we love this minimal yet cozy little guesthouse in the middle of nowhere and thank you Fríða and your family for such hospitality!
Glacier World Guesthouse, Hoffell, Iceland
August 6, 2019
After traveling from Vík, stopping at multiples place and had dinner over in Höfn, it was nearly 10pm when we arrived at Glacier World Guesthouse in Hoffell. We walked to the entrance and OMG IT'S LOCKED! Before I could even think about what to do next, a car approached. A nice man came up to us and opened the door. Apparently he was looking out his window occasionally waiting for our arrival! How nice! It was late so we checked in and went to sleep. The next morning WE WOKE UP TO SNOW! ON A FARM! WITH HORSES! I grew up in California so snow is a rare sight and quite magical for me. On top of that I've been looking for horses since arriving in Iceland (you will see more horses as you go north). So yeah, needless to say I was pretty darn excited! We watched the snow fall over a delicious breakfast (talk about farm to table!) and then had the pleasure to tour the property with Fríða (daughter of this family-run guesthouse). She shared with us her family history and the story of Hoffell (we found out the kind man who opened the door for us was her father!) Before checking out and continuing our journey northeast, we stopped by the geothermal hot tubs down the road (these are free if you are a guest at Glacier World Guesthouse) and checked out the horses. They were so friendly and came right up to us! Overall, we love this minimal yet cozy little guesthouse in the middle of nowhere and thank you Fríða and your family for such hospitality!
We woke up bright and early and embarked on an ice cave adventure (you can read about that here) before leaving Vík. From South to East, we began our journey to Höfn and stopping at Svartifoss, Skaftafell, and Jökulsárlón along the way. First stop, Skaftafell Nature Reserve in Vatnajökull National Park! When Vatnajökull National Park was founded in the summer of 2008, the former Skaftafell National Park became part of it. There are many hiking trails but since we were on a time crunch, we only did the hike to Svartifoss. The hike (in and out) took about an hour and a half to do and please note that there are many inclines. The trail crosses through rivers and you will come across other waterfalls in the gorge. It was raining softly the entire hike but it just made everything 100 times more mystical. This is one of the most beautiful hike I have ever done and after half an hour or so, you will spot Svartifoss from away and it will slowly get closer and closer. You can get right up to it! Svartifoss, "the Black Waterfall" is one of the most incredible and glorious waterfalls in Iceland. The narrow cascade drops 20m (65 ft) from a cliff composed of surreal hexagonal black basalt columns. I have never seen a waterfall like it!
Iceland Day 3: Svartifoss, Skaftafell, and Jökulsárlón (Glacier Lagoon)
July 31, 2019
We woke up bright and early and embarked on an ice cave adventure (you can read about that here) before leaving Vík. From South to East, we began our journey to Höfn and stopping at Svartifoss, Skaftafell, and Jökulsárlón along the way. First stop, Skaftafell Nature Reserve in Vatnajökull National Park! When Vatnajökull National Park was founded in the summer of 2008, the former Skaftafell National Park became part of it. There are many hiking trails but since we were on a time crunch, we only did the hike to Svartifoss. The hike (in and out) took about an hour and a half to do and please note that there are many inclines. The trail crosses through rivers and you will come across other waterfalls in the gorge. It was raining softly the entire hike but it just made everything 100 times more mystical. This is one of the most beautiful hike I have ever done and after half an hour or so, you will spot Svartifoss from away and it will slowly get closer and closer. You can get right up to it! Svartifoss, "the Black Waterfall" is one of the most incredible and glorious waterfalls in Iceland. The narrow cascade drops 20m (65 ft) from a cliff composed of surreal hexagonal black basalt columns. I have never seen a waterfall like it!
Hotel Kría... Where do I even begin? I was looking forward to staying there the moment I received confirmation. Located in Vík in South Iceland, Hotel Kría truly is the best of both worlds, the world of natural beauty combined with the world of modern decor and amenities. We were so lucky to have the best room on the property, facing the mountains with cornered windows and a little patio. After a long day of traveling and exploring (read about our Day 2 traveling from Reykjavík to Vík here), I seriously never wanted to leave! Breakfast was amazing as well, there was a wide selection to choose from, and again... the view! Hotel Kría, thank you so much for hosting us and we can't wait to be back!
Hotel Kría, Vík, Iceland
July 24, 2019
Hotel Kría... Where do I even begin? I was looking forward to staying there the moment I received confirmation. Located in Vík in South Iceland, Hotel Kría truly is the best of both worlds, the world of natural beauty combined with the world of modern decor and amenities. We were so lucky to have the best room on the property, facing the mountains with cornered windows and a little patio. After a long day of traveling and exploring (read about our Day 2 traveling from Reykjavík to Vík here), I seriously never wanted to leave! Breakfast was amazing as well, there was a wide selection to choose from, and again... the view! Hotel Kría, thank you so much for hosting us and we can't wait to be back!
We left Reykjavík bright and early and began our journey to South Iceland. The most amazing thing about Iceland is that all the different regions have very different terrains and our drive from Reykjavík to Vík went from green to black, literally. Seljalandsfoss was our first stop. Part of the river Seljalandsá, Seljalandsfoss has its origins underneath the glacier Eyjafjallajökull and has a drop of 60 metres (200 ft). The most unique feature of this fall, however, is the pathway that stretches all the way around it. The cliffs behind the falls have a wide cavern, and rocks and paths allow visitors to fully encircle it. Note that you will get wet! But it's totally worth it! We decided to walk along the path to dry off a bit and stumbled upon a hidden gem known as Gljúfrabúi. It is a waterfall inside a canyon and you can access it by traversing over water. It is so so so cool because water plummets into a small pool from above. Haha so much for drying off!
Iceland Day 2: Seljalandsfoss, Skógafoss, and Vík (Reynisfjara, Reynisdrangar, Dyrhólaey)
July 18, 2019
We left Reykjavík bright and early and began our journey to South Iceland. The most amazing thing about Iceland is that all the different regions have very different terrains and our drive from Reykjavík to Vík went from green to black, literally. Seljalandsfoss was our first stop. Part of the river Seljalandsá, Seljalandsfoss has its origins underneath the glacier Eyjafjallajökull and has a drop of 60 metres (200 ft). The most unique feature of this fall, however, is the pathway that stretches all the way around it. The cliffs behind the falls have a wide cavern, and rocks and paths allow visitors to fully encircle it. Note that you will get wet! But it's totally worth it! We decided to walk along the path to dry off a bit and stumbled upon a hidden gem known as Gljúfrabúi. It is a waterfall inside a canyon and you can access it by traversing over water. It is so so so cool because water plummets into a small pool from above. Haha so much for drying off!
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