【Day 5】 Iceland 5-Day Trip

It’s our last day in Iceland~ We joined another day tour, this time heading to South Iceland.

Departure

The weather was especially nice today. We finally got some sunshine! When I booked the tour, I specifically chose today to visit the most beautiful part of South Iceland hehe~

The scenery along the way was absolutely gorgeous! The wisps of white mist rising from the ground were hot steam caused by volcanic activity. It was my first time seeing something like this. Such a fascinating sight!

Saw some very interesting books at a rest stop…

We also saw tons of cows, horses, and baa baa sheep along the way~

Eyjafjallajökull

Although this was not explicitly listed as one of the stops when I booked the tour, we actually passed by Eyjafjallajökull!! Our guide was also super nice and let us get off the bus to take a look~

Eyjafjallajökull is a glacier in southern Iceland and the fifth largest glacier in the country. It is located west of the much larger Mýrdalsjökull ice cap. Beneath the glacier lies a 1666 meter tall volcano, which has erupted frequently since the Ice Age.

Unfortunately, it was covered by clouds, so we could not actually see it. Not the best luck…

Skógafoss

We’re almost at Skógafoss~ It is one of Iceland’s largest and most famous waterfalls, standing 60 meters tall and about 15 meters wide. On sunny days, the mist often catches the sunlight and creates beautiful rainbows, which is why it is known as the Rainbow Waterfall. It is nice and sunny today, so hopefully we will get to see one!

There did not seem to be much of a rainbow from far away, and apparently it depends on your viewing angle. From certain angles, it becomes much more obvious!

You can see that at this distance, there were barely any rocks left above the water to step on. I just barely managed to avoid getting my shoes wet. If you get any closer, the waterfall mist will absolutely soak you, so I highly recommend bringing a waterproof shell jacket to Iceland!

Vík í Mýrdal

Next stop, Vík í Mýrdal~ It is about 180 kilometers from the capital, Reykjavík, and is also the southernmost village in Iceland.

We’ve arrived in Vík~

The church in Vík has that classic Icelandic countryside church style and often appears on scenic postcards. That little splash of red against the blue sky and white clouds somehow gives me Studio Ghibli vibes~

The rock formations in the distance are another famous Icelandic attraction called Reynisdrangar. They are mysterious basalt sea stacks rising from the ocean, reaching up to fifteen meters tall. According to local folklore, Reynisdrangar was formed when three trolls were caught by sunlight and turned to stone. Another legend says they are the remains of a ship with three masts.

Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach

Reynisfjara is famous for its black sand, basalt columns, and the raging waves of the Atlantic Ocean. The sand is black because of the beach’s volcanic origins. During volcanic eruptions, lava flowed into the sea and cooled into solid rock. Over time, powerful waves continuously smashed and eroded the rock into tiny fragments, eventually creating this unique black sand beach.

Tall basalt columns line the cliffs of Reynisfjall Mountain. These hexagonal columns formed naturally as lava cooled~

Next to the basalt columns, Reynisfjara is also home to a cave called Hálsanefshellir. It is famous for its unusual basalt column formations and really shows off nature’s artistic side. The geometric rock patterns were sculpted through a combination of volcanic activity and erosion.

You can actually walk into the cave and get a closer look at the rock columns~

The black sand beach is notorious for its dangerous “sneaker waves,” which have taken many lives. Our guide repeatedly warned us not to get too close to the water and absolutely never to turn our backs on the ocean.

Dyrhólaey is located at Iceland’s southernmost point. In Icelandic, the name Dyrhólaey roughly means “the hill island with the door hole.” It has a gigantic natural sea arch. The huge rock arch at the end of the peninsula was formed by hundreds of years of erosion from ocean waves. It is so massive that boats and even small aircraft have passed directly through it before. Unfortunately, Dyrhólaey was not included in our itinerary today, so we could only admire it from afar.

Sólheimajökull

Sólheimajökull is an outlet glacier of Mýrdalsjökull on Iceland’s south coast. It is famous for its vivid blue ice and streaks of volcanic ash. Layers of ash left behind by past volcanic eruptions stretch across the glacier’s surface, creating spectacular ridges and patterns.

You can really tell how huge a difference sunshine makes in Iceland compared to cloudy weather, right? qwq

Seljalandsfoss

Seljalandsfoss has a unique little trail that allows you to walk behind the falling water during summer and admire the curtain of water from the back.

Seljalandsfoss is part of the Seljalandsá River, whose water comes from melting snow and ice from Eyjafjallajökull. In 2010, the volcano beneath the ice cap erupted violently, causing major flight disruptions across Europe. Seljalandsfoss itself is relatively narrow, but the water drops straight down from a towering cliff. Several centuries ago, this cliff was actually part of Iceland’s coastline. The coast has since retreated beyond the surrounding lowlands, but you can still see the ocean in the distance from the waterfall.

I was completely soaked after walking the whole loop, but it was SO worth it!!! It really felt like one of those rare experiences you only get a few chances to have in your entire life!!! Once again, I cannot emphasize enough how important a waterproof shell jacket is (

Back to the Hotel

And that wraps up the trip perfectly!!!

Although Reykjavík itself was honestly a little boring, the natural landscapes everywhere else were absolutely breathtaking. I feel like I have to come back someday and do a full road trip around Iceland before my life can truly feel complete!! I’ll definitely be back!!!

As for the food, I really could not get used to it. Everything was expensive and tasted pretty bad. Skyr was basically the only thing that suited my taste. Next time I come, I am definitely bringing loads of instant food, cup noodles, pickles, snacks, and stuff like that (

And the weather is SUPER important here. It really comes down to luck. On cloudy days, the scenery definitely loses quite a bit of its beauty, although the gloomy weather has its own unique charm too. But still, I would much rather have sunshine! I would say I got pretty lucky this time. On my final day, the sky was completely clear without a single cloud!