Day 6 takes us through all kinds of natural water. Get ready to see Rivers, Waterfalls, Oceans, and Glaciers. (You’re going to have to use the bathroom a lot.) The day will take you above Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon, below Svartifoss Falls, and around the Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon.
Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon
The start of Day 6 takes us to a majestic canyon with a name that will have your tongue in knots. Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon sits about an hour east of Vik. Upon arriving at the base of this massive river canyon, you’ll take a short hike up a grated walkway. At the top, you will be greeted with several viewpoints looking down into the canyon.
I beg you to stay in the marked areas. Don’t go past the ropes and railings. You’ll see lots of worn spots along the way that have been ruined by tourists. Justin Bieber shot a music video here a few years ago, which caused a spike in the area’s tourism. Hordes of people completely disrespected the area, trampling the fragile ecosystem while trying to mimic the video and get their stupid Instagram shots. It got so bad that The Environment Agency of Iceland closed the canyon to tourists. Respect the land and set an excellent example, so future generations have access to this fantastic place.
Svartifoss
By now, you have seen some astounding waterfalls on the trip. These have all been relatively easy to get to. This next waterfall requires some effort on your part but is totally worth it. You’ll find Svartifoss, also known as the Black Falls, in Vatnajökull National Park. A 2.6-mile roundtrip hike will take you to the base of the falls.
The trail is rated as easy, but it is an “Icelandic Easy,” which means it’s harder than you think. (I have mentioned this before, but there really needs to be a universal grading system.) You’ll venture up about 500 feet in elevation on your way to Svartifoss falls. The trail is well marked, and well taken care of. The trail to Svartifoss is a very popular hike, so just be ready for crowds.
You’ll have a lovely view of the Black Falls form the highest point in the hike. But the best views are from the bottom. Upon arriving at the waterfall, you’ll get up close and personal to the black cliffs encasing it. Use your imagination and flip the scene upside down. Look familiar to something else you have seen in our itinerary? The architect for the Hallgrímskirkja gained his inspiration for the church from visiting the Black Falls.
Diamond Beach
Now it’s time to discover some slower moving water. As you move further east along Iceland’s southern ring road, you enter into glacier country. This is where things get really interesting. On your way to the Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon, you’ll pass by Diamond beach. You have to stop here for a bizarrely beautiful experience.
When big chunks of ice breakoff of the nearby glaciers, they make their way through the glacier lagoon, eventually hitting the ocean. The violent waves of the sea smash the big ass ice cubes, breaking them up in smaller pieces. These little pieces get tumbled around, eventually washing up on the nearby black sand beach. What you’re left with is a beach covered with what looks like giant diamonds!
Jökulsárlón
You’ve seen the diamonds, now visit where the metaphorical sausage gets made. Just around the corner is the Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon. It’s a bay of deep blue water dotted with big hunks of glacial ice. It has a very “Honey I shrunk the kids” vibe. I would imagine this is exactly what being in a large ice-cube filled glass of water is like.
The Northern Lights
This area is the best place on the south coast to see the Northern Lights, also known as the Aurora Borelais. This part of the island is very remote, so you don’t have any light pollution from major cities, meaning it is very dark at night. Mother nature will need to be on your side, though. For the Northern Lights to shine, you need some solar flare activity from the sun. Plus, it would be best if you had crystal clear skies. The Icelandic Meteorological puts out the most accurate forecast. They track the solar activity and rate it 0-9 (nine being the highest activity). They also show you where the clouds are going to be, which is marked as green on the map. You can check the forecast on their website by clicking here.
Continue on to day 7 for a walk on a glacier
In case you missed it:
- Day 1: In the Land of Vikings
- Day 2: Fire and Folklore
- Day 3: Go with Gold
- Day 4: Cliffs and Craters
- Day 5: Black Sands of Time
Chad can be summed up by his idea of a perfect day: Waking up early to watch the sunrise over the mountains, warm cup of coffee in hand then grabbing his camera and fly rod, hitting the trail to explore some uncharted territory followed by cold beers and campfire steaks. Chad is often joined on his adventures by his wife, Tori, and their dog, Kona.
3 thoughts on “Iceland Itinerary: Day 6 – Water World”