Foto: A huge amount of water rushes through the waterfall (bron: Ronald van der Veer)
Iceland - Via the northern side of the Tjörnes Peninsula, where Húsavík is located, we drive to the Dettifoss waterfall. At the Mánárbakki campground, we reach the northernmost point of our journey—just 25 km from the Arctic Circle. Iceland’s mainland doesn’t touch it, but the island of Grímsey does. We turn off toward Dettifoss. The last 25 km are on a gravel road. The waterfall can be visited from both the west and east sides. Without much thought, we arrive at the east side’s parking lot. From there, we already see the deep valley carved by the Jökulsá River. A trail leads us down into the valley. We hear the thunderous roar of the falls. Dettifoss is Europe’s most powerful waterfall in terms of volume. The water plunges about forty meters over a hundred-meter-wide cliff. It’s incredible to witness this massive flow of water. On the east side, we can get quite close to the falls. On the west side, there’s a platform and some trails as well. Both offer impressive views. From Dettifoss, a rocky trail leads to another waterfall: Selfoss, located 1,400 meters upstream. Though the path winds over large boulders, it’s manageable. Soon, we see the Selfoss. All the water that crashes down Dettifoss must first pass over Selfoss. Another dramatic curtain of water. The view from the rocky edge is spectacular. In the sunlight, the spray creates a rainbow.
Colorful Landmannalaugar
Iceland - Landmannalaugar is an area of vast lava fields and hot springs. Minerals give the rhyolite mountains spectacular colors. Even from the bus, we can see the colorful mountains. The clouds have cleared in the interior, and it’s sunny when we step out of ...
Gullfoss Waterfall
Iceland - A few minutes later, we drive on to the Gullfoss waterfall, one of Iceland’s most famous. The impressive Gullfoss waterfall drops the water of the Ölfusá River in two stages. From the viewing platform, we see the waterfall nestled in the valley. A ...
Lava formations around Mvatn
Iceland - We first drive past the half-frozen Lake Mývatn to the lava formations of Dimmuborgir. Due to snow and ice, the trail is too treacherous to walk with the entire group, so we can’t visit the lava tunnels. From a viewpoint, we get an explanation about ...
Mount Kirkjufell
Iceland - We had planned to get a drink in Ólafsvík, but we find no cafés or restaurants open. We walk through the town: the modern church, the sports field, and the harbor. There isn’t much more to see. Fewer than 1,000 people live here. Iceland’s population ...
The Blue Lagoon
Iceland - The Blue Lagoon is an artificial lake nestled among moss-covered lava fields. It’s actually a by-product of the Svartsengi geothermal power plant. The water temperature is 39°C and is rich in minerals, silicates, and blue-green algae, which give the ...
The Fjarargljufur Canyon
Iceland - Just past Kirkjubæjarklaustur lies the Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon, a beautifully carved gorge. Until recently, it was relatively unknown—until Justin Bieber filmed a music video here. Since then, not only Bieber fans but also most travel guides mention ...
The ingvellir parliamentary plain of Iceland
Iceland - Thingvellir, also known as the Parliament Plains, is a fascinating lava field located at the rift between the European and American tectonic plates. This rugged terrain served as a meeting place for chieftains, who gathered here in the year 930 to discuss ...
The Jokulsarlon glacier lake
Iceland - In the Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon, numerous icebergs float until they melt enough to drift out to sea. Some are larger than a house. It’s hard to believe only a tenth of each iceberg is visible above water. The clear water is ideal for fish, and ...
The Strokkur and Geysir geysers
Iceland - By bus, we head further into Iceland’s Golden Circle—the trio of must-see sights for any tourist: Gullfoss waterfall, Strokkur geyser, and Thingvellir National Park. First, we visit the waterfall. Along the way, we already pass the geysers. Gullfoss ...
Whale watching at Husavik
Iceland - At 8:30 a.m., we walk to the harbor for a whale-watching tour. We board the Náttfari, a former fishing vessel now fitted with benches. Masks are mandatory onboard due to Icelandic law, as social distancing isn’t possible, explains our guide, Laugey. ...