An island of dramatic contrasts - 10 Icelandic Wonders
By: Patricia
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By: Katie Hammel Iceland may be small at roughly the size of the US state of Ohio, but it offers more stunning landscapes and natural wonders per square kilometer than you'd expect. The "land of fire and ice" is also a land of sound and fury, of geothermal energy, active volcanoes, daily earthquakes, spouting geysirs, powerful waterfalls, hidden caves, shifting plates, and expansive glaciers. A sparsely-populated country (2/3 of the population lives in Reykjavik), its biggest draw is its beauty, which inspires thousands of people each year to visit and drive around the island and marvel at its natural wonders. With thousands of miles of other-worldly terrain to explore, you'll never see it all. But among the hundreds of waterfalls, volcanoes, glaciers and other beautiful landscapes in Iceland, here are the 10 most popular. Gulfoss Photo By csproete Part of Iceland's Golden Circle, Gulfoss is the most-visited of the country's big waterfalls. It's not as tall as Seljalandsfoss or as powerful as Dettifoss and you can't get as close to the edge as you can at Godafoss, but Gulfoss is certainly in the running for being the most beautiful waterfall in Iceland. It's also very convenient to Reykjavik, and many companies offering day trips as part of a Golden Circle package.
Geysir The second leg of the Golden Circle is Geysir , the first recorded geyser and the one from which all geysers take their name. Only Geysir doesn't actually erupt anymore - the tourists who come to the area collectively referred to as Geysir are actually standing in front of Strokkur, which regularly erupts, putting on an impressive show every few minutes.
Thingvellir Rounding out the Golden Circle trifecta is Thingvellir , site of the world's first Parliament, which formed there in 930AD. The area around Thingvellir is now a national park, and many Icelanders come here to camp and fish in the summer. Thingevllir sits at the meeting point of the Eurasian and North American continental plates; because these plates are actually slowly moving away from one another, the ground here appears to be splitting in two. You can come and walk between the two plates, or schedule a diving or snorkeling excursion to see the rift from underwater.
Northern Lights From September to March, visitors to Iceland hope (sometimes in vain) that they'll get lucky enough to glimpse the Northern Lights - those undulating lines of green and sometimes red - that form in the winter night sky. Sightings are never guaranteed, but if you do get the chance to see streaks of colored light against the stars, it's an experience you'll never forget.
Hekla Though it's not Iceland's most famous volcano (that would be the unpronounceable, travel-disrupting Eyjafjallajökull), Hekla is one of the country's most active volcanoes. Located in south Iceland, it was once believed to be the gate of hell, and last erupted in 2000. Of course, Iceland has over 100 other volcanoes, nearly 20 of which have erupted in the last thousand years. Most of Iceland's volcanoes, including Eyjafjallajökull, Katla, Hekla, and Laki, are located in the southwest of the country. You can also head north to see Krafla or to visit the brilliant blue caldera at Askja. Thorsmork and Landmannalaugar Thorsmork, named for the Norse god Thor, is a mountain ridge in south Iceland. The valley area below the ridge is situated between glaciers, so it enjoys a very warm climate and is popular with hikers and campers. It's possible to come and do a day hike, or to spend several days exploring the valley and hiking from Thorsmork to Landmannalaugar, a mountainous area known for its alien-looking landscape. Both areas are only accessible in summer, when they come alive with color - Thorsmork in vibrant green and Landmannalaugar in muted shades of pink, brown, green, purple, yellow, and red. Lake Myvatn Photo By wili_hybrid
Myvatn is a shallow lake located in north Iceland, near Husavik. Formed over 2300 years ago, it still looks prehistoric, surrounded by craggy cliffs and moss-covered lava fields and dotted with lava pillars that rise from the water. The lake, surrounding wetlands, and nearby Laxa river are home to a large number of fish and birds, particularly ducks, making this a popular spot for camping, fishing, and wildlife viewing. Beware though, the name Myvatn means "midge lake" and in summer it certainly lives up to that name, with swarms of annoying black midges filling the air throughout the area.
Photo By Dr. Jaus
The largest glacial lagoon in Iceland, Jokulsarlon has been increasing in size since the 1970's; melting glacier water fills the lagoon as the glacier melts and pulls away from the edge of the Atlantic Ocean, leaving a deep pool of sparkling water filled with chunks of ice. The lagoon has made cameo appearances in several movies and attracts visitors who come to view the glassy lagoon dotted with turquoise ice that has broken off from the glacier and now floats placidly in place.
Photo By jasperwiet
The horses of Iceland are a draw unto themselves, even for those who aren't normally horse lovers. Everywhere you look in the Icelandic countryside, you'll find herds of short, stocky Icelandic horses that grow an adorably shaggy fur coat during the cold months. They're quite friendly and inquisitive and will often come up to investigate you if you wander up to the fence. If you do enjoy a ride on horseback, you can book an excursion at one of many farms located around the country (several are just a short drive from Reykjavik). The Icelandic horses posses a special gait called the tolt, which is very fast and smooth and makes the experience even more unique.
Photo By Zanthia
Latrabjarg is the western-most point of Iceland (and Europe, for that matter) and is home to millions of birds, including puffins, northern gannets, guillemots, and razorbills (40% of the world's population of razorbills nest here during breeding season) that live here from May to July. Despite its remote location, many people visit the cliffs in summer to get up close with the birds or to hike throughout the area.
Katie Hammel writes BootsnAll's Iceland travel guide , your guide to everything Iceland, including how to plan your budget for a trip to Iceland,information on the best day tours from Reykjavik , and how to find cheap accommodation in Iceland.
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