Iceland

Part 1

By Munish Gupta

August 7^th, 2019

We spent about two weeks in Iceland last month—and, as expected, only managed to scratch the surface. We arrived in Reykjavík early on a crisp Saturday morning and spent the day exploring the city on foot, easing into the rhythm and recharging our batteries. The next day, we set out to see the famous Golden Circle. By the following morning, we were ready to take on the Ring Road, opting to travel clockwise. In hindsight, we understood why many prefer the counter-clockwise route—but we didn’t mind. It gave us ample time to linger in the stunning southern region, which more than made up for it.

Hraunfossar Waterfall

A short walk from the parking lot leads to several stunning viewpoints. In Iceland, waterfalls are everywhere—tumbling down hillsides, peeking through valleys, or simply appearing around a bend in the road. It’s no surprise the country is often called ‘the land of ten thousand waterfalls’.

In Icelandic, Foss = Waterfall.

Hike from Arnarstapi to Hellnar

This 4.3-mile round-trip hike starts at the port of Arnarstapi and winds its way to the village of Hellnar and back. It’s a relatively easy trail that takes you through a rugged lava field and ends at a charming black sand beach—small, but striking.

Snæfellsjökull National Park- Dritvik & Djúpalónssandur

Djúpalónssandur Or The Black Lava Pearl Beach. The beach is mostly made up of small black smooth pebbles called Djúpalónsperlur or 'Pearls of Djúpalón'.

Also, Sandur = Sand

Snæfellsjökull

F570 was the first serious F-road we tackled, leading us deep into the highlands and close to this glacier. We entered from the south and made our way north, the landscape growing wilder with every mile.

Also, in Icelandic, Jökull = Glacier.

F570 - Exit on the north side

Goðafoss

Skútustaðagígar

Hverfjall

A moderate hike from the parking lot took us to the top of this crater/mountain.

It was around 10 PM by the time we hiked down the crater.

Blue Lake in Myvatn Geothermal Area

Blue Lake; what else could you call it?!

Krafla - Viti

Hverir

Dettifoss

Once again, Foss = Waterfall. :)

Hengifoss

Unfortunately, the final stretch of the trail was closed, so we couldn’t get up close to the waterfall. To make matters trickier, heavy cloud cover obscured the view from a distance. In the first photo, Hengifoss is hidden somewhere to the top-left of the visible waterfall—but thanks to the weather, we could barely make it out. We waited, hoping for a break in the clouds, but luck wasn’t on our side that day.