Iceland

Rental car - Icerental4x4: confirmation #21-KEF-5168 ([phone], press 1)

Blue Lagoon tickets - Blue Lagoon: booking #BL00072312

Guide to Golden Circle

CDC testing info to get back to US

COVID testing sites in Iceland

DAY 1: (overnight in REK)

• Pick up rental car and drive to Blue Lagoon (20 min drive)

• 9am Arrive at the Blue Lagoon at - tickets have been purchased

• - Check out volcano - (3 hours in total)

  • Parking to hike path C 63.852994, -22.308727 OR 63.853025,-22.273926

  • Hike starting point - 63°51'13.1"N 22°16'25.1"W

• - OR Drive to Snaefellsnes National Park - (2 hr drive each way)

  • Arrive at Snaefellsnes, drive around the peninsula (1 hr) and check out these sites:

    • Gerðuberg basalt cliffs

    • Sample the water at Ölkelda Mineral Spring

    • Spot seals at Ytri Tunga beach

    • Búðakirkja black church - maybe

    • Kirkjufell mountain

• Drive to Reykjavik and stock up at Bónus for grocery needs

• Check into Eyja Guldsmeden Hotel, Brautarholt 10, Reykjavík, Iceland

• Dinner and explore Reykjavik (Hallgrimskirkja Church and the Sun Voyager sculpture) 

Dinner options

Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur -> famous hotdogs

KRÖST closes at 10pm

RVK Brewing Company closes at 10pm, just beer

Skal! Closes at 11pm

DAY 2: (overnight in Vik)

• Check out of hotel and get breakfast at Brauð & Co. 

• Depart Reykjavik for Þingvellir (40 min drive)

• Arrive at Þingvellir National Park, aim to spend an hour here (fault line and Öxarárfoss)

• Next up Geysir, aim to spend 30 min here then drive to Gullfoss (10 min drive)

• Next up Gullfoss, aim to spend an hour here then drive to Kerid (40 min drive)

• Next up Kerid Crater. This costs around £2 per person to see. Aim to spend 30-minutes here then drive to Lava Centre (45 min drive).

• Next up the Lava Centre - maybe. Really informative if interested in Iceland’s real-time tectonic plate and volcanic activity. Grab coffee/use the restrooms here then drive to Seljalandsfoss (15 min drive) OR Secret Lagoon (Gamla Laugin) - 10 min drive off of the main Golden Circle route (need tickets!)

• Next up Seljalandsfoss AND Gljufrabui. Can walk around the back of the waterfall. Then drive to Skogafoss (25 min drive)

• Next up Skogafoss. There are steps to climb to the top. Then drive to Sólheimasandur (15 min drive)

• Next up Sólheimasandur Plane Wreck. The walk is 45-minutes each way - I think there’s an option to take a bus rather than walk. Drive to Dyrhólaey (20 min drive)

• Dyrhólaey has small viewpoint with 5 min drive up, check out Reynisdrangar, the arch and puffins then drive to Vik (20 min drive)

• Check into Airbnb in Vik then get dinner and spend the night

Dinner options

Restaurant Suður-Vík, closes at 9pm

Smiðjan Brugghús, closes at 10pm

DAY 3: (overnight in Egilsstaðir)

• Drive to Fjaðrárgljúfur, 2 mile hike (1hr drive)

• Drive to Vatnajökull National Park, Skaftafell, spend 3 hrs (1hr drive)

  • Svartifoss

  • Svínafellsjökull Glacier

  • There are restrooms here then drive to Jökulsárlón (1 hr drive)

• Next up Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon. Then drive to Diamond beach (5 min drive)

• Next up Diamond Ice Beach. Then drive to Hofn (1 hr drive)

• Stop in Hofn which is a little village then drive to Vestrahorn (15 min drive)

• Next up explore Vestrahorn. The beach at Stokksnes is private and has a small entrance fee then drive to Hengifoss (2.5 hrs) OR do Vök baths (need tickets) and Rainbow Road

• Hopefully it is before 6pm, Arrive at Hengifoss (~2 hrs/3 mi hike)

  • Turn left onto Road 931 directly after the bridge crossing of Lake Lagarfljot.  Drive 35 km until you see the parking area on the right side of the road after an intersection on your left. 

  • At the parking area is a bathroom, and the trail starts at the fence in the back of the lot.  The trail is steep and ascends some stairs.  Along the trail you will pass through two more gates and over two streams (there are bridges). 

  • After 1.2 km from the parking lot, you will come to Litlanesfoss, a small plunge waterfall flanked by columnar basalts (similar to Svartifoss).  The trail gets steeper from here, until you reach a view of Hengifoss and an information sign at 2.2 km.  To get to Hengifoss from here, continue on the trail to the left of the river and cross the small stream.  The trail terminates near the base of Hengifoss with great views of the falls. 

• Drive to Egilsstaðir (30 min)

  • Vok baths?

• Check into Airbnb, get dinner and spend the night in Egilsstaðir

  • Askur Pizzeria, closes at 10pm

DAY 4: (overnight in REK)

• Drive to Regnboga Vegur - Rainbow Road (30 min drive)

• Drive to Stuðlagil (1hr 20min drive)

• Arrive at Stuðlagil Canyon (5 mile hike) 

  • Turn south onto road 923. After about 9 miles you’ll reach a farm called Klaustursel, which has a free parking area. From there, you’ll have to continue on foot.

  • First cross the white bridge over the Jökla river. Then take the path to the right for 2.5 miles until you reach the canyon. 

  • Halfway through your walk to the canyon, you’ll see Stuðlafoss Waterfall.

• Drive to Lake Myvatn (1hr 45min drive)

• Arrive at Lake Myvatn then drive to Gooafoss (40 min drive)

• Next up Gooafoss then drive to Akureyri (30 min drive)

• Hopefully it is before 4pm, Next up check out Akureyri (eat) and Botanical Gardens

• Drive back to Reykjavik (4hr 40min drive)

-- Reykjafoss

-- Church in Víðimýri

-- Hvammstangi, village if pit stop is needed

• Check in at Sand Hotel by Keahotels, Laugavegur 34

• Last night in Reykjavik. Get dinner at 

  • BrewDog Reykjavik (?) closes at 10pm - last resort, US brand

  • Public House Gastropub closes at 1am