So I finally have decided to go to Iceland. I’m not sure what inspired me to go there initially, but I know I have wanted to for a while and well, now I get to go! Well, not right now, but in May. Why exactly should anyone go to Iceland, you might ask? Well I shall tell you what I have discovered so far while researching.
1. Glaciers!!!
Big ole sheets of ice, carving their way into the land, shaping it as they slowly make their journey. No trip to the land of fire and ice would be complete without venturing onto an Icelandic glacier. The biggest glacier, and biggest in all of Europe for that matter is located in Southeast Iceland. Vatnajokull, which is situated in the national park bearing the same name is massive!!! Covering over 3ooo square miles and more than a thousand feet think on average. Glacier fun includes hiking, climbing, photography and more.
2. Reykjavik
The capitol city of Iceland, and travel epicenter. Chances are, if you are coming into Iceland via air or sea you will get to spend some time in Reykjavik. A few places that have intrigued me while researching Iceland are:
3. Hot Springs
Probably the most notable attraction to Iceland is the Blue Lagoon hot springs. Heated by runoff from a Geothermal power plant, this blue watered resort draws people all over the world hoping to get a warm relaxing soak. Starting at around 38 Euros (around 50$ US. Ouch!!!) you too can step into the azure blue waters that this lagoon is named after. Though the price of admission seems steep(maybe i’m just cheap?), I have read nothing but good things about this place, and am told it is a must do activity for any visitor of Iceland.
4. Climbing
What would any adventure be without a little climbing? Iceland has mountains and glaciers galore, ready to be climbed all over. Iceland offered Ice climbing and Mountaineering as well as some sport and traditional climbing. One climb that really has my attention is Hraundrangi in Northern Iceland, near Akureyri. This 1075 meter spire seems to tower over the country side. The climb includes hiking, a bit of snow travel, and of coures, rock climbing. It looks to be an all day adventure, but with the 24 hours of daylight we will enjoy during May, having enough light will certainly not pose a threat. Check out this page for more about Hraundrangi
5. Exploration
Iceland covers almost 40,000 square miles, contains glacier, volcanoes, fjords, waterfalls, small villages, a bustling capitol city, and much more, so exploration options are pretty limitless. We plan to head north out of Reykjavik upon our arrival and circumnavigate the island using the ring road, an 830 mile loop that starts and ends in Reykjavik.
6. Lava Tubes!!!
Magnificent tunnels created by the underground flow of lava from erupting volcanos. Iceland has plenty of them to explore! During my dig of Google, I found this info about the Surtshellir Lava Tube.
Hope you found this info useful. I will be digging deeper in the coming months and intend to share as much as I find. Also, keep your eyes open for a post about our plans for the trip coming soon!
Today’s Photo: The Sky Is Falling
This past Autumn, I got a chance to play with my camera on the roof top of a building in Wilkes-Barre, Pa. It seems like I picked quite the good day to head up there. The clouds were dramatic, the sky golden, and the temperatures, fair. It really changes perspective when you get to see your home town from a new angle! Hope to get up there while a storm is moving in perhaps 😀
You’re about to fall in love! Glacial crevasses and ice caves are so cool! I’ve flown in a skiied on 3 continents: Glacier NP, Kitzbuhl, and Tasman-Mt Cook. Can’t wait to hear about it!