Half I: Vik, Vestrahorn, and the Northern Lights
Half II: Svartifoss and Icelandic Horses
As a reminder, our plan was to drive to the Vestrahorn mountain on the primary day, keep on the market (which we did), after which we booked two nights at Resort Skogar, subsequent to Skogafoss, then fly residence the morning of the fourth day. Let’s choose issues up in Skogar.
The Resort Skogar was good and quaint, with an honest breakfast, however the perfect factor in regards to the lodge was leaving the window open at night time and listening to the boring roar of Skogafoss off within the distance.
I made my method over to Skogafoss to see if there have been any northern lights and sadly there weren’t so I strategically went to sleep.
A fast notice about Iceland’s most well-known waterfalls
Iceland is well-known for its myriad waterfalls. Godafoss, Gullfoss, and Kirkjufellsfoss are all common however the Huge Two are Seljalandsfoss and Skogafoss alongside the southern coast. They’re large, simply accessible from the Ring Highway, and (at instances) very crowded.
The good half about each Seljalandsfoss and Skogafoss is the accessibility: you possibly can stroll proper as much as Skogafoss and may truly stroll behind Seljalandsfoss simply.
Skogafoss
We began our fossing with Skogafoss. It was near the lodge and a simple stroll. I didn’t convey my good digicam, since there’s fairly a little bit of water spray from the waterfall, and determined to as an alternative simply use my new iPhone 11 Professional. Many of the crowd was staying a good method again from the falls, however we simply walked proper as much as it, little doubt ruining all their photos (oops). To actually respect the uncooked energy of Skogafoss, stroll up as shut as you possibly can to it, you’ll be moist nevertheless it’s price it.
However there was one other foss during which I used to be greater than Skogafoss. I noticed it on the Instagram web page of a vacation spot wedding ceremony photographer I met on Sony’s Kando Journey named Megan (@studio22photography). I did a little bit of analysis and came upon that it’s actually proper subsequent to Skogafoss however no one ever goes there. It’s known as Kvernufoss.
Kvernufoss
The river Kverna runs down from the Icelandic highlands and drops 100 ft (30 meters) to the bottom simply east of the city of Skogar. It’s the perfect and most accessible waterfall in Iceland to which no one goes. There have been tons of of individuals at Skogafoss as we set off for the transient stroll to Kvernufoss…and we discovered ourselves virtually fully alone.
To get to Kvernufoss, go to the Skogar museum and stroll behind it. You’ll come to a barbed-wire fence. Flip left/north and, near the hillside, you’ll see a steel stepladder over the barbed wire (please don’t mess with the barbed wire). Observe the trail alongside the hillside and also you’ll flip left right into a crevice carved out by the river Kverna.
It’s a simple monitor and, earlier than you understand it, you’ll see Kvernufoss off within the distance.
Kvernufoss is mainly a best hits of the nice waterfalls of Iceland. It has the basalt columns of Aldeyjarfoss and Svartifoss, the accessibility and walking-behind-it-ness of Seljalandsfoss, and there’s virtually no one there.
We grabbed a seat off to the facet of the waterfall whereas the individuals within the image above took some photos after which made our method behind the falls. It felt prefer it was simply us!
Proud of our photos and the peacefulness of the second, we began strolling again when, in a hilariously unhealthy effort to mannequin the brand new Bluffworks Discipline Jacket, I went down near the place the water was hitting the earth beneath. Whereas it did an excellent job giving some scale to the scene, you couldn’t actually see the jacket.
So Emily was form sufficient to take one other image, ensuring a) the jacket was seen and b) that I regarded suitably epic.
Kvernufoss was by far our favourite waterfall of the journey. I virtually hesitated to put in writing about it, simply because I don’t need it to be too crowded, however let’s be trustworthy my readership isn’t that massive lol I like yall an excessive amount of to withhold locations like this from you.
On to the opposite Mega Waterfall!
Seljalandsfoss
Seljalandsfoss is suuuuuuper common and crowded in consequence. The parking zone requires a cost of about $8 USD and also you’ll see plenty of tour busses jockeying for area. Whereas a bit inconvenient, it’s nonetheless price seeing because it’s one in all Iceland’s iconic views. We made our method behind the waterfall and I put Emily within the good spot for the famed “Silhouettalandsfoss” shot.
In case you’re going to Seljalandsfoss, I extremely advocate being behind the waterfall for sundown. You’ll be going through west, which results in an ideal sundown shot (right here’s mine from 2018).
The hidden waterfall subsequent to Seljalandsfoss
Just like Kvernufoss and Skogafoss, there’s a less-crowded waterfall subsequent to Seljalandsfoss that’s pretty straightforward to entry and visited rather less usually than it’s common neighbor. It’s known as Gljúfrabúi. Sure, it’s subsequent to Fjaðrárgljúfur canyon and the Eyjafjallajökull volcano on the Tough To Pronounce Icelandic Names record however the one factor it’s worthwhile to know is the placement.
In case you’re behind Seljalandsfoss and need to make it over to Gljúfrabúi, merely stroll to the correct out from behind the falls (northward should you’re a cardinal course fanatic) and observe the trail. You’ll go away the final Seljandsfoss space and stroll perhaps 1/4 mile (400m) alongside the hillside till you arrive at a big crack within the facet of the hill.
You’ll discover within the image above there’s type of a bottleneck on the hillside crack. That’s as a result of there’s a small river that you simply both must wade via or stroll throughout some greater rocks to get to Gljúfrabúi. It takes a little bit of coordination and endurance with the opposite individuals there nevertheless it’s straightforward to stroll from rock to rock and preserve your ft dry should you don’t have waterproof sneakers/boots/galoshes.
The prize in your endurance is a completely EPIC waterfall.
(notice: the ultra-wide-angle lens on the brand new iPhone 11 Professional is superb and was completely mandatory right here)
The touchdown space for Gljúfrabúi has an unlimited boulder that everybody stands upon for group photos. You’ll want some endurance right here, and don’t be afraid to corral individuals. There’ll possible be photographers attempting to get their shot similtaneously households that need their image taken on the rock, so don’t be afraid to take cost if there’s a calamity afoot. We waited our flip to climb up on the boulder, tossed my telephone to somebody ready in line, watched as they nervously realized I don’t put a case on my telephone, after which posed for our favourite image of the journey.
And again to Reykjavik
We determined to skip out on our second night time at Resort Skogar. Our flight was leaving the subsequent morning at 11am and we determined it might be higher to spend the night time in Reykjavik, particularly as a result of the forecast regarded wet for the remainder of the day. The forecast proved correct as we drove via varied levels of rain, from Sprinkling all the way in which to God Is Apparently Upset, and ultimately wound up on the Hilton Reykjavik Nordica. We took a taxi over to the #1 rated restaurant in Reykjavik, which turned out to be a hole-in-the-wall eatery known as 101 Reykjavik Road Meals. The fish and chips have been higher than something I’ve had in England and the lobster soup was equally unimaginable.
The most effective half about 101 Reykjavik Road Meals was the cheap value level. Issues weren’t comically costly, as you sometimes see in Iceland, and the proprietor of the store walked round and talked up the visitors, giving us (and everybody round us) chocolate bars for after we have been via. He was completely hilarious as effectively. Put merely, I couldn’t advocate 101 Reykjavik Road Meals extra strongly.
And, identical to that, our Iceland journey was over
The subsequent morning we grabbed a fast breakfast on the hilariously crowded buffet on the Hilton, because of a convention on the town, and made our method to Keflavik for our flight residence. Whereas this flight residence didn’t contain Flagship First Eating like our outbound, we have been too drained to care. We boarded the American 757, fell asleep simply after takeoff, and loved a fast flight again to the States.
I’m unsure after I’ll be again to Iceland however I hope it’s quickly. I’ve seen loads of this wonderful nation however know I’ve solely scratched the floor. I’ve two objectives for my subsequent journey: discover the Westfjords extra and at last see some puffins!
Hope you’ve loved this journey report, please let me know what you need to know extra about within the feedback, glad to reply any questions through e-mail as effectively!
