We set off early
from Reykjavík on this long journey, which will first take us into long
fjord of Hvalfjörður, with it's majestic scenery and W.W.II relics, then
across the mountain pass of Dragháls into the valley of Skorradalur,
where we will get a splendid view of the peaks Skarðsheiði
, with it's long lake, and after having crossed the salmon fishing river of Grímsá,
we finally arrive at Iceland's most powerful hot-spring, the famous Deildartunguhver
produces almost 50 gallons of boiling water per second. Nearby, we will come to
the historic place of Reykholt, the fief of clan chieftain and historian Snorri
Sturluson in the 12th century, where, among other things we can still see
Snorri's bathing pool and also visit an interesting museum dedicated to his life
and historical works. Further up the valley, we will admire two beautiful waterfalls,
first the quite unique Hraunfossar
and thereafter Barnafoss,
both in the Hvítá River which originates in the Langjökull
glacier. Then down the Hvítársíðu valley, past Varmalandi and across the Norðurá
salmon river until we reach the town of Borgarnes
around noontime. After lunch, and a short visit to the burial mound of Viking
Skallgrímur Kveldúlfsson in the centre of town, we head westwards
across the Mýrar region and admire from afar the impressive Eldborg volcanic
crater as it protrudes out of the ground, in stark contrast with the flat, featureless
area around it. On the southern side of the Snæfellsnes mountain range,
some vast lava -fields along with
some other strange geological features such as the basaltic pillar cliffs at Gerðuberg
and nearby the Rauðamelur mineral water spring. After a short halt at the
Vegamót roadside cafeteria, we cross over to the northern side of the peninsula,
passing near the haunted Baulárvallavatn and after crossing some more lava-fields,
we arrive at the farm of Bjarnarhöfn in order to see how sharkmeat can be
cured, and to taste the final product. After a
tour and sightseeing trip around the town of Stykkishólmur, where we will
first and foremost admire some of the beautiful 19th century houses which have
been admirably restored by local craftsmen, we will pay a visit to the brand new
swimming-pool for a quick swim, and then bask in the "warm tubs" courtesy
of the recently found hot water discovered in the vicinity of the town, we will
finally turn in for a dinner and a good night's rest at the town's hotel.
Day
2:
We set off early the next day, and
arrive shortly in Dalirnir (the Dales) which, in the eyes of the Icelanders, are
first and foremost important for being the stage of some of the most renowned
of the Icelandic sagas, especially the Laxdæla Saga, which is the only one of
the sagas which, in modern terms, can be described as a "love story", albeit a
strange one. The Sturlunga Saga, and the Saga of Eric the Red, discoverer of Greenland,
are also set here, and we will try to visit some of the place mentioned in those
sagas, for instance Eiríksstaðir,
the reconstruction of Eric's last abode in Iceland and the Calvary of Auður Djúpúðga,
at Krosshólaborg. Heading west along the Fellsströnd coast, we will arrive shortly
at the historic locality of Skarð on the Skarðsströnd, which in former times was
one of the most important places in western Iceland, but nowadays mostly known
for being the only place in Iceland which has stayed in the hands of the same
family ever since the days of the settlement of Iceland (32 generations!). The
vast acres of the Saurbær county are always an impressive sight, and so are the
great number of wading birds which we are likely to see on the tidal areas of
Gilsfjörður while we're crossing that fjord on a new dike. Once across the fjord,
we have arrived in the Western Fjords proper, and in a new county, which boasts
a whole range of attractions: the peculiar Vaðalfjöll mountains, the beautiful
hillside of Barmahlíð, and the interesting seaweed factory, which makes use of
the geothermal energy available in the area to dry the seaweed for export. Anywhere
in this area, we also stand a very good chance of seeing the Iceland's biggest
bird, the White-tailed Eagle in flight. Having left the bustling Reykhólasveit
behind us, we will have to brace ourselves for a drastic change of scenery, since
the almost a dozen or so fjords which lie ahead of us are now all abandoned, with
only the occasional ruin
of a farmstead here and there to indicate that not so long ago people used
to live here in substantial numbers. However, the change is not totally for the
worse, since after the livestock and herbivores disappeared, the vegetation in
the area has staged a tremendous comeback, and flowers and trees are now blooming
where there were none before. Soon, however, we will arrive in a built-up area
again, in the neighborhood of Vatnsfjörður, and our first task will be to head
for lake of Vatnsfjörður, a nature reserve, which is generally considered to be
the main attractions of the whole Barðaströnd coastline. Next, we
set off on a short hike to the Surtarbrandsgil
canyon, above the farm of Brjánslækur, where the abundant fossilized
warm weather plants and tree-leaves indicate that during the Tertiary era, the
climate in this zone must have been quite similar to the present day East-Coast
U.S. or Western European climates. We then continue our journey westwards, through
the lush green fields and pastures of the Barðaströnd county, until the
road starts to climb up towards the mountain pass of Kleifaheiði, from the
top of which the view
towards the fjord of Patreksfjörður is especially memorable. Downhill,
and after having had a look around the fishing village of that same name, we cross
over the ridge of Lambeyrarháls into the fjord of Tálknafjarðar,
where the inhabitants also enjoy the luxury of a splendid outdoor swimming-pool
which we will visit, before setting out on the final leg of today's journey, over
the mountain pass of Hálfdan, and arrival in the village of Bíldudalur,
for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 3:
We bid farewell to Bíldudalur
early the next morning, and weave our way through the "Southern Fjords",
and shortly we will be reminded that we have arrived in the area where one of
the most dramatic Icelandic Sagas, the Gísla-Saga Súrssonar, as
we pass in front of Otradalur, homestead of Eyjólfur "The Grey",
the archenemy of Gísli, and climbing to the top of the Dynjandisheiði
Pass, we will be able to look down into the tiny fjord of Geirþjófsfjörður
where Gísli finally met his fate and was killed. In the majestic fjord
called Arnarfjörður, our gaze will first fall upon the wonderful waterfall of
Dynjandi, the most
renowned landmark in the Western fjords. At a place called Hrafnseyri,
our minds will wander back to the time a thousand years ago when the first Icelandic
medical doctor, Hrafn Sveinbjarnarson used to live and was assassinated here.
And also back to the 19th century when the hero of the struggle for the independence
of Iceland, Jón Sigurðsson, was born and raised here. Left for a long time in
abandon and neglect, this place has now undergone a thorough facelift, and is
well worth the visit. As we proceed further northwards, we will soon start to
feel the effects of the enormous improvements which the road system in the Western
Fjords has undergone in recent years. As we speed across the fjords of Dýrafjörður,
and Önundarfjörður, it becomes difficult to keep within the legal speed limit
on the straight, excellent but little traveled roads, and our mind only fleetingly
glances back to the tremendous threshold and obstacle of Breiðadalsheiði of old,
as we, instead of laboriously crossing over it, simply plunge into a 5 mile long
tunnel and find ourselves with only a few miles to drive before reaching the main
town in the Western Fjords, Ísafjörður,
for lunch. In the afternoon, we'll start with a visit to Neðstakaupstaður
in Ísafjörður, an assortment of old Trading Post houses, warehouses, and hangars,
dating back to the 18th century, now fully restored and converted into the local
maritime museum, an exhibition room, cafeteria, etc. After this visit, we will
head out of town, under the towering cliffs of the Eyrarhlíð mountain, towards
the fishing village of Bolungarvík, where we intend to visit the cove called Ósvör,
where the local people have restored a so-called "vör" in Icelandic, which was
a one of these countless places in former times where the rowing boats put out
to sea and the catch brought back, was dried or salted, and prepared for sale
or export. With all the old fishing gear, the seamen's clothes, and living quarters
all as they looked two or three hundred years ago, it is a place where our mind
wanders back and we wonder if anybody would put up with such hardship and cramped
living conditions today. Heading back eastwards, passing
through Ísafjörður, we will be driving along the coastline of the bay of Ísafjarðardjúp,
Djúpið (the Deep) for short. First on our way will be the little village of Súðavík,
which in January 1995 was very severely hit by an avalanche which killed more
than 20 people. The sequels to that disaster are still plain to see, and even
to this day, the village has not fully recovered. But once we have left the fjord
of Álftafjörður behind us we will be driving again through a succession of deserted
fjords, like in the southern part of the fjords, not quite as numerous, and on
this side, some of the old pivotal places like Ögur, Vatnsfjörður, situated on
the tip of the peninsulas still remain inhabited. If there is time enough, we
will try and visit either one of the beautiful islands on the Deep, Æðey or Vigur.
Failing that, we will head towards Reykjanes, which is one of the rare places
in the western fjords which enjoys geothermal energy, and we will make use of
their good outdoor swimming
pool. Off shore, seals can often be seen basking on reefs and skerries. Soon,
however, we have reached the end of the Deep and ahead of us is the moor of Steingrímsfjarðarheiði,
formerly also an obstacle but now traversed by a good highway. Dinner and overnight
at the village of Hólmavík, or nearby Hótel Laugarhóll at Bjarnarfjörður.
Day
4.
On this fourth day of our
trip, we'll start by driving around the Drangsnes peninsula, which offers a very
good view over to the island bird sanctuary of Grímsey, as well as over the bay
of Steingrímsfjörður and a beautiful panoramic view of the surrounding mountain
range. In this area, there are several extra distractions available, such as horse
riding, which we can perhaps take advantage of. We can also go and explore for
fossils again at a place called Húsavíkurkleif, but thereafter, we will head southwards
and southwards by way of the fjords of Kollafjörður and Bitra, we will visit the
old trading post of Borðeyri, and stop over for lunch at the roadside cafeteria
of Brú in the fjord of Hrútafjörður. In the early afternoon, we head for
the nearby interesting Folk-Museum at Reykir, which has a unique collection of
objects pertaining to the shark fishing industry in Bay of Húnaflói during the
19th century. In the valley of Víðidalur, we will go and inspect the impressive
Kolugljúfur canyon,
as well as recollecting how one branch of the English Royal family's tree can
be retraced to the farm Auðunnarstaðir
in this valley. In the valley of Vatnsdalur, we can observe the effects of a giant
prehistoric landslide which created the singular group of hills Vatnsdalshólar
and the lake Flóðið which now adorn the valley. The town of Blönduós is well situated
for taking afternoon refreshments, then we cross over the Vatnsskarð mountain
pass, into the Skagafjörður valley where our first halt will be at the turf covered
19th century chapel at Víðimýri. Overnight in the town of Sauðárkrókur
or in farm-accommodation nearby
Day 5 .
The next day, we
start by visting the old farm and folk museum at Glaumbær,
and learn how people used to live in Iceland for centuries, nearby at Víðimýri,
a traditional little chapel can also be found, and then we head across the Héraðsvötn
river on the eastern side of the Skagafjörður valley, and as we pass successively
by the battlefields of Flugumýri, Haugsnes and Örlygsstaðir, our minds will wander
back to the troubled "Age of the Sturlungs" in the 13th century just preceding
Iceland's loss of independence to the King of Norway in the year 1262. Conquering
the steep slopes of the Öxnadalsheiði mountain pass, we will cross into the majestic
fjord of Eyjafjörður, and arriving shortly thereafter in the picturesque town
of Akureyri. The town
boasts of a number of worthwhile things to do and see for the curious visitor,
the foremost of which is the renowned botanical garden where the complete range
of the Icelandic Flora can be observed. A bustling pedestrian shopping street,
a busy shipping and fishing harbour, etc. Leaving Akureyri, we head eastwards,
with a view of the Kaldbakur
(ColdBack) mountain, across the Vaðlaheiði pass if it is open, otherwise by way
of Víkurskarð pass, and into the valley of Fnjóskadalur whose main attraction
is the Vaglaskógur forest, and the old bridge across the Fnjóská
River. The Christianization of Iceland in the year 1000 and it's
recent millennium celebrations will undoubtedly spring to mind when we pass before
the farm Ljósavatn and head for the Goðafoss
waterfall and remember the deeds of Þorgeir Ljósvetningagoði who was the main
catalyst of the conversion. The sights and sounds of the lake Mývatn
area are too numerous for us to enjoy them all at once. Among the lake's main
attractions is first of all the varied bird life, the Skútustaðagígir
pseudo-craters, Dimmuborgir
Rock formations, Grjótagjá and Stóragjá fissures (with the latter being perfect
for bathing "au naturel"), the Námaskarð solfatares
and fumaroles , etc.
Weather permitting, we can maybe walk to the top of the rim of the explosive crater
Hverfjall, or take
advantage of the natural sauna nearby. Overnight at Hótel Gígur,
Sel-Hótel Mývatn
or in a similar good hotel by the lakeside.
Day
6.
We leave the Lake
Mývatn area early the next morning, and head northwards via the so-called Kieselguhr-Road,
across the desert of Hólasandur, where a tremendous land erosion occurred in the
first half of the XXth century. However, in the past decade or so, some steps
have been taken both to halt and to turn back this erosion, and the results have
been quite remarkable. The road will next take us to the old style farm of Grenjaðarstaður,
which we will visit as well as the church and cemetery in which a tombstone with
a runic inscription can be found, one of only a handful of such stones in Iceland.
We then head down the Aðaldalur valley, alongside the meandering Laxá
salmon fishing river, and shortly thereafter, we arrive in the fishing town of
Húsavík.
Here, in season, i.e. spring and summertime, we will set off on a whale-watching
trip, but outside that time frame, we will have to make do with visiting the Whaling
Centre which director Ásbjörn Björgvinsson and his people have
been constantly been expanding and improving over the last few years.
Next we'll be driving around the Tjörnes Peninsula, stopping off at
the cliffs of Hallbjarnarstaðakambur
in order to admire the huge sedimentary layers of fossilized seashells, both cold-
and warm water species, dating also from the Tertiary Period, which also prove
that in former times the climate of Iceland has been both much warmer and much
colder than it is today. On the horizon, we can spot the island of Grímsey
which straddles the Arctic Circle, and closer to shore, the tiny islands of Mánáreyjar
which are the well know epicentre of important earthquakes. On the eastern side
of the peninsula, the Axarfjörður
will spring into view, and then we will enter the continental drift zone again
and the geologically active Kelduhverfi area, where we will take a peak into some
of the impressive fissures which were created there at the outset of the 1975-'84
series of volcanic eruptions in the Krafla region. After
refreshments and a touch of oriental hospitality at the roadside shop and cafeteria
of Ásbyrgi, and a visit to the strange canyon formation of the same name
nearby, the road will take us across the bridge over the impressive glacial river
Jökulsá á Fjöllum, where we turn northwards with the intention
of studying people and places in the least visited corners of Iceland, i.e. the
moor of Melrakkaslétta and the Langanes Peninsula. Our first encounter
will be with the people of the tiny village of Kópasker which is well known
in Iceland for being situated close to the epicentre of frequent earthquakes,
but also for it's resistant stock of people who, in the face of frequent adversity,
such as the depletion of the stock of shrimp in Axarfjörður, have refused
to concede defeat and have turned their attention to other fields of activity
(fish-farms, curing and smoking of lamb, etc). A short distance to the north of
this village, we will encounter the signs of a tiny volcanic eruption which happened
here in the gully of Leirhafnarskörð in 1823, but when we arrive at the
northern edge of the Melrakkaslétta peninsula, the first thing to catch
our eye is the tremendous amount of driftwood which is washed upon these shores
each year, a great source of income for the population in the old days of dire
wood shortage in Iceland, but nowadays largely neglected or abandoned. Arriving
on the eastern side of the peninsula, we will shortly enter the fishing town of
Raufarhöfn, which has known better days, since, as so many other similar
places in Iceland specialized in one particular type of fishing activity only,
(here production of fishmeal) the stocks of species needed for this production
(herring, capelin) have been depleted. However, an upswing can always be hoped
for and even expected, and in the meantime there is ample time for factory maintenance,
ship repair, etc. After a stroll through the town, we will seek food and shelter
for the night with veteran Iceland traveller and present day innkeeper and excellent
chef Erlingur Thoroddsen, at Hótel Norðurljósum.
Day
7.
Heading southwards from Raufarhöfn
we will cross over the long moor of Ytriháls and around the mount Viðarfjall,
and head out to the little ness of Rauðanes, which is one of the main natural
wonders in this area: An abundance of bird- and sealife, cliffs and rocks, caves
and skerries, a nature wonderland which we will explore on foot. Back in the vehicle,
our tour will take us through the grassy and fertile county of Þistilfjörður,
where prosperous farms are numerous, sadly however, this is an exception rather
than a rule in this remote north-east corner of the country which has been hit
harder than most by the rural exodus of the past few decades. Soon, we will
encounter another small village Þórshöfn, where we intend to
seek support aid and help from a local tour guide in order to explore the highly
interesting Langanes
Peninsula, which is now all but deserted and only endowed with very rudimentary
jeep tracks and trails. Should our local guide not be available, for one reason
or another, we will nevertheless push at least as far as the presbytery of Sauðanes
and perhaps a little further out if possible. Arriving
on the southern side of
the Langanes, at the farm Fell on the Finnafjörður, we will remember
the renowned counterspy Ib Árnason Riis, code-named "Cobweb"
who during the Second World War surrendered himself here to the British defense
forces of Iceland, after having been put ashore nearby from a German submarine.
Some more moorlands, abandoned farms, countless brooks and rivers before we arrive
in the southern half of the Bakkaflói Bay at the tiniest villages of them
all, Bakkafjörður, where some robust fisheries and cod salting plants
nevertheless thrive under the leadership of entrepreneur and former Althing member
Kristinn Pétursson. However, services to the passing tourists are in very
short supply here, so we will not stay long and head across another moorland called
Sandvíkurheiði. Descending from it on the southern side, we can make
our way to the interesting promontory of Fuglabjarganes, which presents a splendid
view, both northwards along the coastline as well as to the south towards the
town of Vopnafjörður. To finish off the day, we will make use of the
excellent swimming pool
at Selárdalur, situated right beside the salmon fishing river of the
same name. After the bath, we will make our way the short distance to the important
fishing town of Vopnafjörður for dinner and a good overnight sleep at
Hótel Tangi.
Day 8.
We start this day by driving through the lush fields
and pastures of the fertile Vopnafjörður valley, passing on to the side
valley of Hofsárdalur until we reach Burstafell,
which is one of only 6 of the old style turf farms to have been preserved in Iceland,
and by many people thought to be the most interesting and authentic of the whole
lot. After visiting Burstafell, we usually have the choice between two routes
in order to reach Hérað, which is the central region of Eastern Iceland:
Either by way of the steep mountain pass Hellisheiði Eystri from the top of
which a splendid view can be had over the bay of Héraðsflói,
or by way (usually the only available in winter), of heading inland, towards the
desert of Möðrudalsöræfi
until we reach the ring-road, and then head down the Jökuldalur valley, until
we reach Hérað. But in either case, we intend to visit farmer Örn
Þorleifsson at Húsey, and ask him to show us his driftwood
beaches, the curing of seal-skins and other interesting features of his remote
farm. In the centre of the Hérað region, we will stop over at the church
of Kirkjubæ, which is one of the most splendid country churches in Iceland,
having been recently completely overhauled and restored to it's original splendour
by the House Preservation Service of the National Museum of Iceland. After
lunch at Egilsstaðir, the main urban centre of the East, we can take note of the
fact that some highly interesting archeological discoveries from the Viking times
have been made here recently , and visit the local museum to see some of the treasures,
then head south over the Fagridalur valley to the first of our Eastern fjords,
Reyðarfjörður, where plans are afoot to implant several heavy industries in the
near future. But for the time being, everything is still quiet, and we can enjoy
the serenity of this very long fjord, before passing around the cap Vattarnes,
where the beautiful rocky island Skrúðurinn lies just offshore, and into the next
fjord, Fáskrúðsfjörður, where some important relics pertaining to the important
French High Seas Fisheries
around Iceland during the 19th century can be found. In the Stöðvarfjörður,
we will be visiting Mrs.Petra's
interesting rock collection, and the next fjord, Breiðdalsvík will be very well
situated for our afternoon refreshments. Finally on our road in the afternoon
will be Berufjörður, where herds of reindeer can sometimes be spotted in the late
wintertime and near it's entrance is situated the picturesque fishing village
of Djúpivogur, which in earlier times was one of the country's most important
trading posts. Some beautiful old wooden houses dating from that period have recently
been restored. Dinner and overnight accommodation in Djúpivogur.
Day
9.
Hamarsfjörður
and Álftafjörður are the last of the Eastern Fjords, with the latter (The Fjord
of Swans), which is the country's closest spot to mainland Europe,often being
covered with thousands of migrating birds in the springtime and in autumn. From now on, the fjords will be replaced by lagoons,
and the first of those, Lón, is embellished on it's northern side by the towering
Eystra-Horn peak, made of gabbro which is a rock of granite origin. Next we pass
over the Hvalnesskriður,
and nearby we will take a short walk along the seaside. The grandiose view from
the Almannaskarð Pass, when we can clearly see the cascading glaciers for the
first time,is generally considered to be one of the country's finest, and from
there we will be going to Cape Stokksnes, with a splendid view of the gabbro peak
Vestra-Horn, which
is renowned for it's bird- and marine life. The most captivating aspect of the
town of Höfn í Hornafirði is the thrifty character of it's very busy port and
fishing industries, which belie the fact that the town was only founded 100 years
ago. It is also renowned for being the place where the greatest number of foreign
birds, which have strayed here from both sides of the Atlantic and sometimes even
from exotic locations, are sighted each year. After
lunch, we have the possibility to head up to the top of the glacier Skálafellsjökull
where we can have a snowcat trip (not included) or head straight for the Jökulsárlón
Glacial lagoon and observing on the way all the spectacular features of the Skaftafellssýsla
region's landscape i.e. the sandy deserts,the numerous cascading
glaciers, and hopefully also Iceland's highest peak, the Öræfajökull. The
famous boat trips on the Jökulsárlón
Glacial lagoon are only operated during the summer season, but out of season,
the floating icebergs can just as well be observed from the shoreline, and a stroll
down along Iceland's shortest glacial river(less than a mile!) to it's outlet
into the sea, where seals can often be spotted, is also very rewarding. Another
possibility for taking an adventurous trip this morning is, weather permitting,
to go on the trailer tour to Cape Ingólfshöfði, operated by a father and son team
in the Öræfasveit county. This trip is especially rewarding during the puffin
breeding season, from early spring onwards. Arriving in the Skaftafell National
Park in the late afternoon, we will go on a short hike, either to the edge of
the Skaftafell glacier,or
head up to the acclaimed Svartifoss waterfall which falls off a cliff of basaltic
columns. At the vantage point Sjónarsker, an incomparable view can be had over
the Skeiðarársandur desert and the surrounding peaks and glaciers. In season,
refreshments can be obtained at the Skaftafell Park cafeteria, but out of season
the only recourse is to head for to the village of Kirkjubæjarklaustur where all
the necessary services are available on a yearly basis. En route, we can have
a look some other interesting rock formation i.e. basaltic columns called Dverghamrar
,which can be found near the farm of Foss á Síðu, and the so-called Kirkjugólf
(church floor) and we can also visit the tiny 18th century chapel at Núpsstaður.
Dinner and overnight at Kirkjubæjarklaustur or nearby farm-accommodation
in Meðalland region.
Day 10.
Next morning , after leaving Kirkjubæjarklaustur,we
will be driving across the tremendous Eldhraun lava-field which is the country's
largest in historical times and then over the vast expanses of the Mýrdalssandur
sandy desert before arriving in Vík í Mýrdal, Iceland's southernmost village.
If our tour takes place sometimes from early spring till late summer, have the
opportunity to start this day by setting off on yet another adventurous trip,
this time in an amphibious vehicle owned by a local tour operator, either on a
short cruise around the Reynisdrangar rocks or even go all the way to the Dyrhólaey
mull itself and to continue our journey from there. In any case, the breathtaking
landscape and very active bird life, i.e.fulmars, kittiwakes and seagulls all
year round, arctic terns, puffins by the thousands in summer are all there for
our enjoyment. Skógafoss
is towering waterfall of 180 ft on the southern flank of the Eyjafjallajökull
glacier, and next to it is the highly interesting folk museum at Skógar,
which is the lifetime of achievement of a very singular man, Mr. Þórður Tómasson,
who, as a rule takes a great pleasure in presenting it personally to his guests,
an event which many people have even considered to be the highlight of their Iceland
tour. We will then admire another shapely waterfall, Seljalandsfoss,
as it falls in a beautiful curve off a high cliff. Then we cross over the Markarfljót
bridge and head towards the historical Fljótshlíð hill, and perhaps make a halt
near the Stóri-Dímon rock, as did the the Njála hero Gunnar about 1000 years ago
and reflect as he did "How splendid it is, my hillside"! At the village of Hvolsvöllur,
a permanent exposition about the events of the Njáls saga has recently been opened,
and from there, we head northwards to the ancient farmhouse Keldur, which is probably
the oldest building in Iceland. The nearby springs of sparkling pure water,are
also a memorable sight. Proceeding further to the north, we will soon be leaving
the lush green grasslands of southern Iceland behind, and entering the wastelands
and erosion areas which indicate that we are now approaching Iceland's most famous
volcano, the Hekla,
whose last eruption started in February 2000. Near the farm of Selsund, we will
encounter the first lava fields, which later will give way to enormous fields
of pumice which the volcano also produces occasionally. To the north of mount
Búrfell, we will be crossing over Iceland's longest river, the Þjórsá, and head
for the devastated valley of Þjórsárdalur where we will pay a visit "Þjóðveldisbærinn",
i.e. the reconstructed Viking age farmhouse at Búrfell, and the nearby waterfall
of Hjálparfoss. Overnight
at Árnes, Flúðir or nearby farm-accommodation.
Day
11.
The
small village of Flúðir is situated in a hot-spring area, and the abundant hot
water in the area is put to good use in the numerous greenhouses that can be found
here, and one of which we will visit and see the thriving tomatoes, cucumbers,
etc. About twenty miles to the north of Flúðir, we cross over
the glacial torrent Hvítá at Brúarhlöð, a place where river rafters can often
be seen, and head to the splendid Gullfoss
waterfall, which never fails to profoundly impress the visitor. Nearby, we will
reach the world famous Geysir geothermal area: The "old faithful" himself is now
dormant, but nearby Strokkur
erupts regularly every 4-5 minutes. Next, we will discover the holiday resort
of Laugarvatn, where
geothermal activity is also abundant: the Vígðalaug fountain, greenhouses and
both a swimming-pool and a natural steam-bath, simply built on top of a hot-spring,
where we can have a relaxing sauna.
Proceeding across the Lyngdalsheiði moor, with it's numerous caves and volcanic
craters,we will soon be reaching the Þingvellir National Park,via the beautiful
shoreline of the lake Þingvallavatn.
Criss-crossed by faults and fissures, we will first go to see the best known of
these, the Nikulásargjá, before passing over to the parliament site Þingvellir
(parliament plains) and towards Lögberg (Speaker's Rock), where the country's
national assembly took place for centuries. Then we will ascend the Almannagjá
fissure,where the effects of the tectonic plate movements on the earth's crust
can clearly be seen. We will then wind up this journey by visiting the Geothermal
Power Plant at Nesjavellir,
and take advantage of their excellent cafeteria for lunch, a rapid return to Reykjavík,
via the so-called pipeline road, in the late afternoon, and after a short sightseeing
trip of the city, the tour winds up by your return to your hotel.
Duration
of tour: 11 days, 10 nights. Minimum number of passengers: 3 persons
Departures: Mondays by-weekly
or by request, all year round.
The
Around Iceland in 11 Days Tour
Season:
Validity:
Price:
Winter
October-> April
Summer
( May->September)
Deposit amount at reservation:
20% ; Single room supplement: +16% Trade enquiries welcome: contact
us!
Services included: (4x4) transportation* and guidance. Small comfortable
hotels, farm accommodation or similar, in double rooms, usually with "en
suite" facilities. Meals: Full board, (big breakfast, quick lunch, three
course dinner), starting with lunch on first day and ending with lunch on the
last day.Drinks/minibars not included. *(4x4) Vehicles generally used:
(however, we reserve the right to change vehicle if necessary) 1 > 4 Passengers
: Toyota Landcruiser
; 5 > 10: Ford Econoline, 10>19
passengers: Mercedes
Benz minibus. 20>35: Mercedes
Benz full size Necessary gear: Good outdoor clothing and sturdy
footwear. Also bring your swimsuit. Operated: All year round. Note:
During the wintertime (or indeed exceptionally in other seasons as well) , the
tour may come momentarily to a halt for reasons of bad weather, snow, flooded
roads or other such unforseeable "force majeure" causes. Valferðir ehf,
acting in good faith, will not accept any responsibility for the inconvenience
or extra-cost incurred because of such events.
