Vik, Iceland

Black Sand Beach offers an expansive view of the ocean and nearby cliffs. It gets its name from the small black pebbles that make up whats known as the "black sand" of the beach. There is a small cafe down by the water with delicious treats. Be careful here, the wind is usually very strong and th...

I put Dyrhólaey on my to-visit list because of the rock arch that gives the peninsula its name. What made it memorable, however, was its breathtaking view—the flat, treeless coastline jutting into rock shelves and glacier peaks is typical for Iceland’s south coast but was absolutely remarkable to...

If you've ever felt the urge to go to Iceland and explore one of the planet's most geographically fascinating locations, you've most likely seen photos similar to mine: dilapidated wreckage of an old airplane on a black sand beach. The United States Navy Douglas Super DC-3 in Sólheimasandur was f...

Since WWII, four US planes have perished above Iceland's black sands. Here is one of them, sunken into the beach in the middle of nowhere since 1973. After running out of fuel above the town of Vik, the crew mis-executed an emergency landing and felt their wheels snap upon contact with the too-so...

Starting from the parking area, follow the wide and well beaten road/trail along the lake and to the base of the glacier. You can go down to the base of the lake and hike up to the base of the glacier. Exercise caution in the area- the glacier can break off at any moment and rocks also fall from ...

Begin by driving to the Skogar Museum, just off the Ring Road (1). You will take the same turn to get here as you would to get to Skogafoss, so it makes sense to plan to see both at the same time. Just past the Skogar Museum on your left, you'll see a warehouse/hangar building with two large gara...

Throughout all seasons of the year, Skógafoss is one of Iceland’s most visited waterfalls. This waterfall is in the top 5 largest in the country, with a dizzying drop of 60 meters. Skógafoss is especially unique because it comes directly from two glaciers. Millions of gallons of glacier water cas...

You will reach the trailhead by turning off of the Ring Road 1 onto road 242. You will see signs marked for Seljavellir. You will drive straight on this unpaved road until you reach a parking lot for an abandoned pool (little shack in photo above). From here it is only a 15-20 min walk along t...

If you have limited time in Iceland and/or are trying to make good time circumnavigating the entire island, you will not have time to complete the entirety of the world renowned Laugavegur Trek. However, the next best thing can be tackling a partial day hike that takes you along a portion of the ...

If you are on your way to Iceland to trek the incredible Laugavegur trail, and you've read about the first part of the trek in this article, then don't miss out on the last 15 miles you should be adding to the trek. This trail actually continues on to Skógar, but some backpackers choose to end at...

Starting at the trailhead, it is a leisurely hike into and through Stakkholts Canyon (in Icelandic, Stakkholtsgja). There are some defined paths along the way, but the path can vary from year to year and ultimately you will make your own way up the canyon, with relatively easy crossings of the ri...

The hike starts at the volcano huts in Þórsmörk, you head northeast on the main trail. Signs along the way will lead you all the way to the summit. it is about 1.5 miles one way. At the summit the view is incredible. Sprawling out in every direction are glaciers, volcanoes, moss carpeted cliffs, ...

Located just off the Ring Road, Seljalandsfoss is one of Iceland’s most famous waterfalls and it's easy to see why. Reaching nearly 60 meters, this waterfall’s claim to fame is that it can be viewed from nearly every angle. The well-developed loop trail allows you to go behind the falls for an ep...

If you want to see Iceland's most incredible scenery, you have to rent a car and get a map. From Reykjavik, head south on Hwy 1. The waterfalls listed below are in the order as they appear in the photos above.Seljalandsfoss: Right off the 1 on the left hand side, just about 45 minutes out of Reyk...

Starting in the parking area for Seljalandsfoss, follow the path that leads along the ridge line away from the main road. In less than twenty minutes, you'll reach a small marker and picnic area.  Ahead of you should be a slit in the ridge wall--no more than 8 feet wide--with a small trickling st...

Stóra Dímon is a small hill on the southern coast of Iceland, close to the village of Hvolsvöllur.When you are driving on Road Number 1 toward Reykjavík, turn right on Road Number 250 shortly after Seljalandsfoss. The 250 is an unpaved road but can be driven on with a normal car.There is a parkin...