I had high expectations of Iceland from all the photos and videos I had seen on social media, and it did not disappoint.
Visiting during the depths of winter was a truly magical experience, one I’ll never forget! Today I wanted to share the highlights of our adventures in Iceland and offer some tips if you’re thinking of visiting during the winter months.
The Golden Circle
Of course, one of the main highlights was exploring Iceland’s ‘Golden Circle’. There’s a reason this loop is the most popular recommendation for any trip to Iceland — the sites within the circle are absolutely stunning!
The Golden Circle encompasses a number of places in southern Iceland and depending on your tour operator you might experience a few extras (or if, like we did, you have your own mode of transport!). Typically you’ll visit Gullfoss, Geysir and Thingvellir National Park on your Golden Circle tour.
Out of these three, Gullfoss was the most jaw-droppingly beautiful location. The sheer scale of the waterfalls is incomprehensible until you’re there. As it was winter during our visit, the falls were glistening blue, surrounded by two feet of snow and metre-long icicles hung from rocks along the river bed. There is an abundance of beautiful waterfalls in Iceland but if you have time to only visit one, let it be Gullfoss.
Geysir was another amazing site, one you could literally drive past and not realise was there at all. Wandering through the fields of muddy, bubbling pools, across boardwalks and over hillocks, the place has an almost eerie feel to it. Until suddenly Strokkur blasts noisily, twenty metres into the sky… and continues to do so every eight minutes. Most people refer to Strokkur as Geysir, but in reality Geysir actually lies dormant a few hundred feet away, having only erupted in 2016 and before that, 2000.
Finally, Thingvellir National Park is perhaps the lesser known and the most underrated one of the three sites within Iceland’s typical Golden Circle route. The national park sits within a valley formed by the separation of the North American and European tectonic plates, with dramatic rocky cliffs and fissures.
It’s a fantastic place to wander around marveling at nature — the rock formations and waterfalls, just the whole geology of the place is fascinating. My favourite thing to do at Thingvellir which I highly recommend is swimming between the tectonic plates in the Silfra fissure. The water is mighty cold (a constant year-round temperature of 2 degrees Celsius/35 degrees Fahrenheit) but snorkelling in crystal clear water with a visibility of over 100 metres was incredible, a real once-in-a-lifetime experience.
We booked our excursion with Dive.is which cost £107 per person and although it’s a high price tag, I would highly recommend it!
Chasing waterfalls
If you have more time in Iceland, you can’t just stop at Gulfoss. You HAVE to go chasing waterfalls (yes, the TLC song was on repeat in my brain for a full week). A few of my favourites were:
- Bruarfoss – really remote and the fresh snow contrasted beautifully against the bright blue water
- Skogafoss – flowing 60 metres over the mountainside with steps to the top to look down the valley
- Seljalandsfoss – this stunning waterfall is just off Iceland’s ring road and it’s a must-visit on the south coast
- Gljufrabui – just a short walk from Seljalandsfoss, walk through a cave and witness the most dramatic and secluded waterfall in Iceland
- Hraunfossar and Barnafoss – two adjoining waterfalls not far from Reykjavik (en route north)
I’ve added Google map links to all of the waterfalls above to help plan your trip!
The south coast
Iceland’s south coast deserves plenty of time for exploration as it is truly one of the most naturally beautiful places I’ve ever visited.
Home to the largest glacier in Europe, Vatnajökull glacier, the highlights of the south coast of Iceland include the glacier shelf itself (you can join a hiking or helicopter tour or simply admire it from a short distance away), Diamond Beach, Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon, Reynisfjara black sand beach, the Solheimasandur plane wreck, Vik, Katla ice cave and more.
On our trip, we drove the length of the south coast one way through the snow and ice, and the following day drove back when the snow had melted and the scenery was lush green mossy outcrops combined with black volcanic rocks and sand. It was a rather striking contrast and I’m glad we got to experience the landscape both ways — another perk of going towards the end of winter.
Exploring Snaefellsnes
The south coast was beautiful but an area I loved exploring was the Snaefellsnes peninsula, just north of Reykjavik. There were fewer tourists in this region and it felt really rugged with dramatic coastlines, wild Icelandic horses, snow-capped mountains, dormant volcanoes and remote hot springs.
If you have a day to visit Snaefellsnes, make sure you head up to Kirkjufell. An iconic emblem of Iceland, Kirkjufell is a dramatic mountain which sticks up on its own from the ocean, looking like a crooked wizard’s hat. The waterfall which flows in front of it creates a beautiful image and although I unfortunately had bad weather when visiting, I was no less impressed and blown away by the sight!
Make sure to drive the loop around Snaefellsnes and make stops at Saxholl crater, Ytri Tunga beach (to see the seals!) and Arnastapi.
Hot springs galore!
If you visit Iceland you must visit a hot spring! The most popular places for this experience are Blue Lagoon and Sky Lagoon, but we chose to go a little more off the beaten path and it worked out brilliantly.
Hvammsvik hot springs, just north of Reykjavik, is a hidden gem that I keep telling everyone to add to their list! Get there for 10am when it opens and be the first to take a dip in the pools. There are different temperature pools and even a cold plunge — or if you’re feeling brave (or crazy, like Joe), you can take a dip in the sea! You can book for just £30pp here.
I know that’s quite a lot of highlights but it’s an honest representation of how incredible our trip to Iceland was. The whole island is otherworldly, the landscapes contrasting between glistening snow, clear blue waters, black volcanic rock and green mossy cliffs.
It’s certainly an outdoor enthusiast’s dream destination so for anyone looking to experience nature in all its glory, Iceland is without a doubt the perfect place for you.
PS. If you want to have the freedom we did on our trip and make this the ultimate outdoor adventure, book a camper with Cozy Campers and enjoy a road trip!
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