Thứ Ba, 26 tháng 5, 2015

Green Driving Tips in Iceland

You CAN make a difference! 

As stated in our environmental platform, one of our objectives is to reduce emissions from the company´s car fleet. With regular maintaining and service, we keep our vehicles operating at peak efficiency. By following the „green“ driving tips below, you can improve your fuel economy and help us to reduce the negative environmental influence and create a greener future.

Plan routes and consolidate your trips: 

Whether going for a longer vacation or a quick trip, plan out your routes in advance to avoid heavy traffic periods and areas. If rush hour or road construction leads to traffic jams and stop-and-go driving, sometimes, the longer route can consume less fuel than a shorter one. So plan your routes to enable you to bypass congested routes and lead to fewer start-ups and less stop-and-go driving. Try to combine several short trips into one to save fuel and cut down on pollution. Warmed-up engines produce lower emissions.


Lighten your load and reduce drag: 

The more weight a car carries, the lower its fuel economy will be. Only pack what you need for vacations (including emergency items), and remove items that are not needed. Remove unneeded roof boxes, trailers and other items from your vehicle that cause wind resistance. These simple steps can cut significant weight and reduce drag, enabling your car to use less fuel.

Avoid quick starts, reduce your speed and keep the RPMs down: 

A smooth, steady speed improves your fuel economy, saves gasoline and reduces wear and tear on the engine, tires, transmission and brakes. As speed increases, so does drag. So, driving at higher speeds will reduce your fuel economy. Avoid quick starts. Putting the pedal to the metal when the stoplight turns green, increases your vehicle’s RPM level and lowers your fuel efficiency. Staying at or a bit below the speed limit and watching your RPMs can have a big impact on the environment and can lower your fuel cost. For every 15 km per hour you reduce speed, you can improve your fuel economy by 10 – 15%.


Think ahead in traffic: 

Try to anticipate stops and let your vehicle coast down as much as possible. Avoid the increased pollution, wasted gas and wear on your brakes created by accelerating hard and braking hard. Be smart as you navigate your way through traffic. Create space from the car in front of you and look ahead for any potential.

Keep a recommended air pressure in your tires: 

Maintaining recommended tire pressure can improve fuel economy as much as 6 percent. Over time, tires lose air pressure and as the air pressure decreases, rolling resistance increases and that makes your vehicle less fuel efficient. Recommended air pressure for your tires is shown in your vehicle’s owner’s manual.

Peter
Iceland24
May 2015

Thứ Năm, 21 tháng 5, 2015

How to get from Keflavík International Airport to Reykjavík

Keflavík International Airport to/from Reykjavík:

Distance: 50 km
Methods of transport: Rental Car, Bus & Taxi

From Keflavík to Reykjavík

Going by Rental Car

This is the ideal option if you are looking for a hassle free journey and if public transport isn't your thing. For a very small fee, many of the well-known car rental companies in Iceland will provide a direct pick-up service from the airport. It's worth considering, as even if you're travelling with someone else, it's still cheaper than a bus ticket.

What better way to enjoy your first glimpses of Iceland than zipping along the country side with your own set of wheels. Also, it isn’t a difficult rout, directions are available at any time on map on ja.is.

From Keflavík to Reykjavík

Getting from Keflavík - Airport By Bus

There are two main air-link services to choose from: Flybus and Airport Express. Each providing effectively similar services, at a similar price, but with their own respective benefits:

Flybus:

- Provides pick-up for all flights. 
- 500 ISK charge per person for drop-off at hotel or guesthouse. 
- Free Wifi on all buses.

Airport Express

- Bookings must be placed in advance to guarantee a seat.
- Drop-off at most hotels and guesthouses in Reykjavík at no extra cost. 
- Wifi not provided.   

From Keflavík to Reykjavík
  
Getting from Keflavík - Airport By Taxi

Here in Reykjavík, the Taxi services are reliable, trustworthy, frequent and run on a meter basis. The usual price is around 15.000 ISK if you are traveling with up to 4 people. 

City Taxi is a small and reliable company, who will get you to where you want to go in a timely and comfortable manner. You'll be in good hands. (There is also no problem if you or a member of your group requires wheelchair access)!

You can usually get a cab without problem directly outside the arrivals area after you land; or, for your own peace of mind, have one booked waiting for you in advance. And now you know who to call!    

From Keflavík to Reykjavík

Alternative methods

If you are penniless and a bit adventurous you could try one of the following methods. Hitchhiking is a fairly common practice in Iceland and it's usually quite safe. Just always be sure to be safe and responsible if you are going to hitch. The certainty that you'll get a lift along this route isn't 100%, so you may have to do a little trekking before you get anywhere with it.

The second option, apart from walking (which let's face it, you'd probably struggle with even if you’d enjoy the scenery) is: keeping a look out for friendly, nice people who may have their car at the airport and would be willing to drop you off somewhere along their journey. There are lots of them in Iceland, don't worry. Strike up conversation on the flight or ask someone in the arrivals lounge if they're heading to Reykjavik too. If you don't ask you don't get – and what's the harm in trying, eh? 

How to get from Keflavík International Airport to Reykjavík
  
Directions

Finding your way to and from Reykjavik or Keflavik Airport isn't too much of a challenge, but should you need directions check out map on ja.is.

Safe travels!

Jóhanna, Iceland24
May 2015

Thứ Sáu, 15 tháng 5, 2015

The Westfjords - Travel ideas and how to spend 3, 5 or 7 days - Iceland24

The Westfjords region has sometimes been dubbed “the most famous unknown place in Iceland”. Well, throw in the prestigious “European Destination of Excellence” awards and add to that the fact that the Lonely Planet travel guide put the area on its top 10 list of regions in the world to visit in 2011, and you will see that the Westfjords are becoming increasingly famous – or perhaps less unknown.  

Westfjords - Iceland

Lonely Planet, the respected travel guide publisher, placed the Westfjords in its top 10 regions of the world to visit in 2011, saying that the “oddly shaped” peninsula is “as isolated as it is spectacular”. Luckily, “isolated” does not mean inaccessible. With only 7400 inhabitants in the area, each person has around 1,2 km2 of personal space, so there is ample room for any visitors as well.

Although the locals are great, it is, by and large, the nature that attracts visitors. For understandable reasons as well: it is untouched and almost uninhabited. The cliffs and valleys are packed with birds, the uninhabited fjords offer a moment of silence and tranquillity, and the Arctic fox proudly roams the mountains and inlets. The waterfalls are high and the streams pure. The distances are long and the fjords are deep. And then there are places where there are no roads at all.
 
Westfjords - Iceland

The Westfjords are a great place to watch the Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) during the winter and equally fantastic to experience the midnight sun during the summer. Visiting the Westfjords is surely a different experience. It is Iceland, but yet a different Iceland altogether.

Watertrail

The Westfjords has many hidden gems with plenty of natural or semi- man made pools in remote natural locations. The abundance of hot water and rich history of bathing have created a unique outdoor bathing culture in close relation with nature. Our natural springs are based on geothermal water that flows directly and constantly from the ground. Many visitors stay in the pool around midnight during winter and watch the northern light that are one of a kind, which is an experience people never forget. During the summers we have 24 hours of daylight and our visitors enjoy the romantic of the midnight sun. The Watertrail promotes self-sufficient and independent tourism that respects the natural environment.

See more at www.watertrail.is

Westfjords - Iceland

Food trail

The Westfjords Foodtrail is based on strong cultural background as well as embracing modern food tradition with a local twist. The aim is to promote and increase the visibility of Westfjords‘ top quality food. Innovation is encouraged and special emphasis is put on product development, motivating new techniques in the production, processing and cooking practices of Westfjords local ingredient and related services. Restaurants members in Westfjords Foodtrail ambitiously present each area‘s food specialty and food producers are highly devoted in producing top quality food items originated from the Westfjords. The food is specifically labeled so if you are looking for traditionally smoked products, freshest ingredients of the day or jams made of rhubarb.

See more at www.veislaadvestan.is

Attractions

From the Hornstrandir nature reserve in the norht to Latrabjarg bird cliff in the south, you can find abundance of attractions in the westfjords of Iceland.

-Dynhandi. The Westfjords’ favourite front-page model for decades, and is never short of breathtaking. The biggest and widest part of the waterfall is the one that gets all the attention and the photos, even though there are impressive, albeit smaller, waterfalls further down the river. In fact, one is formed in such a way that the brave can walk behind it, relatively dry. There is a camping place at the site with basic services.
Westfjords - Iceland

-Natural pools. Among the hidden gems of the Westfjords are the natural hot pools that can be found even in most remote places. This might sound like a cliché, but the pools are truly a well kept secret, taken for granted, or even forgotten by locals. An explanation could be that the Westfjords are not generally considered a "hot spot" in Icelandic geology, so the geothermal activity is not as visible as it is in the north or the south of the country. Therefore it is surprising to find that nowhere in Iceland are there more natural bathing pools than in the Westfjords, the reason being that the water is of perfect temperature straight from the ground.

-Bird life and good areas for birdwatching. Here we will make do with a short description of two areas, although they do by no means exhaust the opportunities for birdwatching. Other areas, such as the islands in Breidafjordur, the Reykhólar area, Onundarfjordur and Heydalur and many more, also offer wonderful opportunities for birdwatchers.

Westfjords - Iceland

Látrabjarg and vicinity: The road goes out to the lighthouse at Bjargtangar, the westernmost point of Iceland, and from there to the edge of the Látrabjarg cliff. In thesummer there are scheduled trips between Látrabjarg and the main towns of the Westfjords region.

Westfjords - Iceland

The road goes around Patreksfjordur before turning inland at Orlygshofn and over the heath above Breidavik, and along Latravik out to the end of thepoint. Orlygshofn is an important nesting area for eiders and there are a huge number of waders and sea birds in the bays. There are a large number ofwetland birds in Breidavik, and in Latravik an unusual number of ringed plovers. Snow buntings occur in large numbers on the uplands. Stretching for14 km and rising to 440 m at its highest point, Latrabjarg is the largest bird cliff in Iceland and also the largest by the North Atlantic.

It is thought that as many as a million birds of various kinds nest on the cliffs of Latrabjarg, including all the alcids that nest in Iceland, withthe exception of the little auk. In fact, at the foot of the cliffs is the largest razorbill colony in the world. In addition to the swarm ofguillemots and other alcids, there is a large number of fulmars and kittiwakes. And perhaps most exciting for the traveler, nowhere is the puffineasier to approach or more fun to watch.

-Museum of Jon Sigurdsson. Hrafnseyri in Arnarfjörður is the birthplace of national hero Jón Siguðsson. This spot has become a popular attraction for visitors, with it’s museum dedicated to Sigurðsson’s memory, a remake of his childhood home and the old Hrafnseyri curch.

Visitors from overseas receive a booklet with an introduction to Jón Sigurðsson, free of charge. Light meals (soup and bread) and refreshments are served on the location.

Opening hours: 1. June – 1. September at 10:00 –-20:00 (every day)
Curator: 456-8260 og 845-5518
Burstabær: 896-8107
hrafnseyri@hrafnseyri.is
www.hrafnseyri.is

Westfjords - Iceland

-Hornstrandir. This territory of the Arctic fox has been uninhabited since the 1950s. As isolated as it was then, it attracts the casual half-day visitors and serious gore-tex hikers alike. Its main attractions are three. First, the bird cliffs surrounding the bay of Hornvík, are a magnet of gigantic proportions. On the eastern side of the bay the cliff reaches a height of more than 500 metres, and the birds are teeming. Second, as there are no infrastructure and the tourists few in relation to the sheer size of the area, the sense of remoteness is strong. You can hike days on end without seeing a single person. The nature is pure and the tranquillity unmatched. Third, as the area is a haven for the Arctic fox (think hunting-ban and bird-packed cliffs), the chances of spotting one are high.

Westfjords - Iceland

Most tours, especially day tours, depart from Ísafjörður. Hikers wanting to go on their own can also take boats from Bolungarvík and Norðurfjörður.

-Rauðasandur. Rauðisandur, or (Red Sand), is precisely that: a beach with red sand. Endless red sand. Well, not endless, but 10 km is a lot. The magnificent hues of the sand differ with daylight and weather, and the beach is the biggest pearl in a string of coves with sand ranging in colours from white through yellow through red to black, and in coarseness from very fine to sole-hurting chips of seashells.

Westfjords - Iceland

What to do in Rauðisandur? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. There is a Café but but not much else. There’s just pure sand and unique tranquillity. You might want to step out of the car, get the camera out and start walking. Forget everything. Except maybe getting the perfect shot of the ever-changing hues of yellow, orange and red.

-I Never Went South Rock Festival. Aldrei fór ég suður is a rock festival held in the town of Isafjordur in the Westfjords of Iceland. The entrance is free of charge and all work is pro bono. It is mix of local bands and the biggest names in the Icelandic music scene.

By plane

The quickest way to get to the Westfjords is by air, the flight from Reykjavík taking roughly 40-50 minutes, depending on the destination.

Air Iceland - www.flugfelag.is
Two daily flights to Ísafjörður all year round.
Eagle Air Iceland - www.eagleair.is
Two flights per week from Reykjavik to Gjögur and six flights per week to Bíldudalur.

Westfjords - Iceland

By car

Reykjavík to Ísafjörður, 455 km, paved road:
Reykjavík - Hvalfjörður (tunnel) - Borgarnes - Brattabrekka (road 60) - Svínadalur - Arnkötludalur (road 61) - Steingrímsfjarðarheiði - Ísafjarðardjúp - Ísafjörður

Reykjavík to Þingeyri, 408 km total, 271 km of paved road:
  Reykjavík - Hvalfjörður (tunnel) - Borgarnes - Brattabrekka (road 60) - Svínadalur - Barðastrandarsýsla (road 60) - Dynjandisheiði - Hrafnseyrarheiði - Þingeyri

By bus

A public bus service runs between Reykjavík and Ísafjörður six days per week in June, July and August, along two different routes:

A- Reykjavik-Stykkisholmur-Brjanslækur (with ferry Baldur)-Isafjordur. Connection to Patreksfjordur and Latrabjarg.
B- Reykjavik-Hólmavík-Ísafjörður. Busses drive in both directions along these routes, so it is easy to combine them to make a full Westfjords Circle.

Connection to the Akureyri bus is in Hreðavatnsskáli

By boat

The car ferry Baldur operates between Stykkishólmur and Brjánslækur.

From June to August there are daily departures from Stykkishólmur. Visit www.seatours.is for more information.
Westfjords - Iceland

More information

The Official Tourist Brochure and the Official Map. Click to open PDF file.
http://www.westfjords.is/media/PDF/Westfjords_Official_2012.pdf

More information about Birds in Westfjords
http://www.nave.is/Isafjordur_fuglaskod_b..pdf

Travel Ideas

How to spend 3 days

This is a recommendation of a three-day tour around the Westfjords. It is intended as a part of a tour around Iceland, and assumes you are touring clockwise around the island in a car.

Day 1
If you stayed in Stykkishólmur, wake up early to get the ferry Baldur across the fjord. If you slept in Reykjavík, wake up a little bit earlier (however early you wake up, the sun will be up before you, plus, you beat the traffic). You are on the other side around noon, ready to drive to Látrabjarg cliffs. Stay near Látrabjarg or in Patreksfjörður/Tálknafjörður/Bíldudalur village.

Day 2
Wake up early, a long day waits. Today, drive with as many stops as possible to Ísafjörður, where you’ll stay the night. One obligatory stop is waterfall Dynjandi. Others include the maritime trail in Ísafjörður and Bolungarvík (see chapter on History).

Westfjords - Iceland 

Day 3
Wake up early (starting to discern a pattern?). Drive in and out of innumerable fjords to Hólmavík. There, visit The Museum of Sorcery and Witchcraft. From there, drive further south and continue your journey around Iceland.

How to spend 5 days

This is a recommendation of a five-day tour around the Westfjords. It is intended as a part of a tour around Iceland, and assumes you are touring clockwise around the island in a car.

Day 1
Start the day somewhere in West Iceland or even Reykjavík. Driving through region Dalir, stop at Reykhólar. Stay at or near Látrabjarg.

Day 2
In the morning, check out Látrabjarg cliffs and Rauðisandur. Now change direction and head towards Ísafjörður, stopping at least at Dynjandi waterfall. Stay in Ísafjörður.

Westfjords - Iceland 

Day 3
Today, pick from the smorgasbord of tours available in the Ísafjörður area. Tours to bird island Vigur and day tours to Hornstrandir nature reserve are the ones to check out first. Stay another night in Ísafjörður.

Day 4
Before heading south, finish up your checklist of things to do around Ísafjörður. One might check out the two important museums. Sleep in Heydalur or Reykjanes or near Hólmavík.

Day 5
In the morning, dive into centuries past when sorcery was common, and witches were burned for allegedly casting spells on their neighbours at Holmavik’s Museum of Sorcery and Witchcraft. After lunch; head down south to continue your tour around the island.

How to spend 7 days

This is a recommendation of a seven-day tour around the Westfjords. It is intended as a part of a tour around Iceland, and assumes you are touring clockwise around the island in a car. We keep the description short for each day not wanting to repeat what is said in other parts of this brochure.

Day 1
The ferry Baldur goes from Stykkishólmur in the morning with destination Brjánslækur. When the ferry stops in island Flatey, hop off but leave the car keys on board. Cars are useless in the island, so the ferry staff will park your car at Brjánslækur. You have six hours in Flatey to wander around this movie set of charming old-style houses. Stay the night in Flókalundur.

Day 2
Drive to Látrabjarg cliffs. You have enough time to walk along the edge, take it slow and enjoy. Also, check out Rauðisandur and museum Hnjótur. Stay on either side of fjord Patreksfjörður or nearby in villages Tálknafjörður and Bíldudalur.

Day 3
Counting Patreksfjörður, and the end point, Ísafjörður, today’s itinerary can include up to 6 villages (Tálknafjörður, Bíldudalur, Þingeyri, Flateyri), although visiting some of them requires a short detour from the main road. On the way, be sure to stop at Dynjandi waterfall and, if time allows, Hrafnseyri museum, reopened year 2011 to celebrate the birth of an important leader of the movement of independence, Jón Sigurðsson.

Westfjords - Iceland

Day 4
In the Ísafjörður area, wide arrays of day tours are available. Most prominently, there are tours to bird island Vigur and Hornstrandir nature reserve, but others might be more interested in kayaking, or a day of postcard writing. Stay another night in Ísafjörður.

Day 5
In the morning, go through the new tunnel to Bolungarvík and visit Ósvör museum. If the skies are clear, you might even want to venture up to Mt. Bolafjall. After lunch, drive to Heydalur and soak in the natural hot pool up the valley or go for a horseback ride.

Day 6
Today, you will be visiting the most remote settlement in Iceland. Often during the winter, the road there is closed for weeks, even months. Today, Árneshreppur has 50 inhabitants. Stay the night in or near Hólmavík.

Day 7
Once in Hólmavík, nothing compares to a healthy dose of witchcraft in the morning. The Museum of Sorcery provides a memorable insight into nifty tricks to get the much-loathed neighbour sick or lure the cutie at work into a relationship. From there, drive south and continue your journey around Iceland.

Berglind Rós
Iceland24, May 2015

Thứ Ba, 12 tháng 5, 2015

Iceland Road Trip - 9 Days Around Iceland

Taking advantage of rescheduled public holidays last year, we spent the first 9 days of June driving the Iceland ring road and seeing the many sights en route. A full loop around Route 1 is ~1340 km (830 miles), though with detours we added another 1000 km.

Iceland Road Trip - 9 Days Around Iceland

While the isolated Icelandic interior is generally accessible only by specialist 4x4 vehicles, Route 1 is OK to drive in a 2-wheel drive car. Our Hyundai i20 rental car managed fine, even coping with detours onto bumpy gravel tracks. The state of the roads varies, with many being closed due to snow and ice right through springtime; this useful map shows the current road status.

Day 1: Keflavik to Selfoss via the Golden Circle

The plan for day 1 was to see the popular Golden Circle sights that so many tourists do as a daytrip from Reykjavik. They’re perhaps not best Iceland has to offer, but are accessible and therefore busy in peak season.

Iceland Road Trip - 9 Days Around Iceland

We had booked a private room at the Selfoss Hostelling International, so leaving Gullfoss, we took the 35 south. This however turned out to be a gravel track, and not yet confident in the Micra’s ability to handle unsurfaced roads (it later turned out to be fine), we turned around and took the longer, but tarmaced, 37 down to the ring road into Selfoss.

Selfoss HI was very pleasant with good cooking facilities and a garden with hot tub. Just what we needed.

Day 2: Selfoss to Kirkjubæjarklaustur: Eyjafjallajökull, Skógafoss & Vik

Highway 1 features many marked picnic spots that normally have a point of interest and information signs associated with them. The first of these that we stopped at was Seljalandsfoss waterfall, with a path to walk behind it for some added interest.

Iceland Road Trip - 9 Days Around Iceland

North of the ring road, the now famous Eyjafjallajökull icecap, whose 2010 eruption caused massive disruption to western european air traffic, is visible in the form of glaciers descending down to the flood plains below. The owners of a farm on the plains below the icecap, who lived through the Eyjafjallajökull eruption, have opened a visitor centre with lots of interesting information about the area and a short film chronicling their experience as the skies went black with ash in 2010.

A few minutes drive on from Eyjafjallajökull, through huge expanses of wild lupins, is the Skogafoss waterfall. This is particularly dramatic when viewed from a rather exposed bit of hillside that protrudes in from the side. Rainbows were aplenty.

Iceland Road Trip - 9 Days Around Iceland

Slightly west of Vik, the rugged coastline of the Dyrholaey peninsula is home to a huge variety of birdlife and has dramatic views along the cliffs. The black sands here, and most famously in Vik, are made from dark basalt rock, hence their unusual color.

Day 3: Kirkjubæjarklaustur to Vagnsstaðir: Skaftafell, Svartifoss and Jökulsárlón

First stop was the Skaftafell National Park, a great base for hiking up onto the icecap, or shorter walks to Svartifoss and viewpoints over the glaciers. Svartifoss waterfall sits among hexagonal basalt lava columns and is quite an impressive site. A gentle climb further, great views can be had over the Skaftafellsjökull glacier. There is a map of the hiking trails on a board at the National Park visitor center.

Iceland Road Trip - 9 Days Around Iceland

We could no doubt have spent days rather than hours at Skaftafell, but Jökulsárlón iceberg lake was next en-route, and it was definitely worth making some time for. Featuring in two Bond films, plus Tomb Raider and Batman Begins, many people will have seen Jökulsárlón on the big screen without realising it.

Iceland Road Trip - 9 Days Around Iceland

The Jökulsárlón lagoon is formed by a glacier's retreat leaving a lake of melt water with a narrow exit into the sea. Large chunks of ice break off the end of the glacier and float around the lake, while the short river to the sea flows alternately in and out with the state of the tide.

Day 4: Vagnsstaðir to Faskrudsfjordur: Hofn and the Eastern Fjords

Leaving the oft-visited Skaftafell and Jökulsárlón behind, the ring road continues to Hofn, the last town before the isolated Eastern Fjords. We took the opportunity to stock up on food in the Hofn supermarket, then followed the coast along the south-eastern corner of Iceland. Steep mountainsides descend directly into the sea, with the ring road picking its way above the cliffs and past gravel beaches.

Iceland Road Trip - 9 Days Around Iceland

Having previously skipped the puffin watching destination of Heimaey, we spotted a poster at the Vagnsstaðir hostel for boat trips to the small, puffin-inhabited, island of Papey from Djupivogur harbour (details here), so planned to arrive there in time for the daily 1pm departure. Timeliness, however, was not our strong point, and it was only midway through a leisurely lunch overlooking the sea that we realised we had left it too late to get to Djupivogur for the trip. There was a biting cold north-Atlantic wind, so perhaps it was a blessing not to be out in a small boat, but puffins were not to feature today after all.

Iceland Road Trip - 9 Days Around Iceland

After the fjord north of Djupivogur, the Highway 1 ring road heads inland and we opted to stick to the coast on the more minor road 96. Winding in and out, along the sides of the fjords, the 96 took us to Faskrudsfjordur. While light on 'attractions', this stretch of coast is certainly dramatic, and still had snow on the mountain tops towering up above the road.

Day 5: Eastern Fjords to Lake Mývatn: Seyðisfjörður, Borgafjordur-Eystri & Dettifoss

Leaving Fáskrúðsfjörður, we took the new tunnel northeast to avoid the apparently sketchy coast road, and continued on to the town of Egilsstaðir. The rain was intermittent and the cloud low, but we had plenty of time to take a couple of detours before heading east to our destination for the day of Lake Mývatn.

Access to Dettifoss on the road east of the river, no. 864, was drivable in our 2-wheel-drive rental car, albeit with 30km of constant bumping around. We had read that the road further west, no. 862, is suitable only for 4x4 vehicles and is extremely bumpy, but I now note that Wikipedia says that a tarmac road has opened along that route. We had decided not to visit the Jökulsárgljúfur National Park north of Dettifoss because of the poor weather, but it's worth investigating the road quality in advance if planning to drive there in a 2-wheel-drive car.

Iceland Road Trip - 9 Days Around Iceland

First of the geothermal sights in the Mývatn area that we visited was Krafla, Iceland's first geothermal power station. It's possible to drive through the middle of the site and visit the craters nearby. It was extremely foggy as we arrived and the jet engine-like roar of steam vents dotted around the site added a very surreal air to the place. We came back the following day when it was much clearer to take the photo below.

Day 6: Lake Myvatn to Akureyri: Hverfjall, Grjotagja, Dimmuborgir

We started with Hverfjall, a large tephra (volcanic gravel and ash) crater, now extinct. The short walk to the crater rim gives good views across Lake Myvatn and the middle of the crater itself.

Nearby, the Grjotagja caves contain hot pools in which people used to bathe. This is now not advised, since, while the surface temperature might be moderate, it can be scalding hot beneath. The pools are within a large fissure that runs along this part of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. It's a dramatic sight and shows how powerful tectonic forces can be.

Iceland Road Trip - 9 Days Around Iceland

South of the Hverfjall crater, the unusual rock formations at Dimmuborgir ("Dark Forts") are another volcanic phenomenon. As vast quantities of lava from volcanoes to the south flowed down over the Myvatn area, the molten rock super-heated the marshy ground beneath, resulting in high pressure steam beneath the cooling lava. The steam escaped explosively through the hardened crust on top of the lava, leaving sharp, erratic shapes in the rock.

A few kilometers further east of Myvatn, Námaskarð is an area of boiling mud pools and steam vents (fumaroles). Marked paths navigate through the geothermal ground.

Day 7: Akureryi to Hrútafjörður via Dalvik Whale Watching

Our main activity for today was to be whale watching at Dalvik. We had spotted a leaflet in the hostel for a whale watching and fishing trip with Arctic Sea Tours of Dalvík, and booked on for the afternoon. They were considerably cheaper than trips from the more well known Husavik, though the whale watching conditions differ very little.

Iceland Road Trip - 9 Days Around Iceland

Leaving Dalvik, we had a 2 hour drive west to the Sæberg hostel, an old farm house overlooking the sea at Hrútafjörður. A walk on the beach was called for, despite the bitterly cold wind, to appreciate the beginnings of sunset.

Day 8: Hrútafjörður to Reykjavik via Víðgelmir Lava Tube

The guide book mentioned some interesting caves in the Hallmundarhraun lava field, about 30km east of the ring road from Varmaland. Information was a little thin on the ground, but we set off along the gravel road 523 following a signpost to Víðgelmir. As we neared the point where road 518 turns around at the top of the valley towards Husafell, a sign for "lava cave 2km" caught our eye, and we found an information board about the Víðgelmir Lava Tube. A short walk took us to a section of the lava tube where the roof has collapsed, allowing access into it.

Iceland Road Trip - 9 Days Around Iceland

Lava tubes are formed when the surface of a lava flow cools and sets, while the hotter, more liquid, lava below continues to flow away leaving a void beneath. The Víðgelmir tube is about 1.5km long, though access is restricted by an iron gate somewhere along its length to prevent damage to the delicate lava formations within. Equipped with head torches, we were happy to explore the first 100m only.

Iceland Road Trip - 9 Days Around Iceland

Surtshellir, a larger lava cave in the same lava field, is further up the valley along the road F578. However, this road isn't suitable for 2-wheel drive cars and not wishing to destroy the Micra, we didn't explore further. The sign warning off rental car drivers must be a result of the locals tiring of rescuing stranded tourists!

Iceland Road Trip - 9 Days Around Iceland

Arriving in Reykjavik late afternoon, we had a wander down the main shopping street of Laugavegur. The numerous coffee shops were mostly closed, so we opted for beer then dinner instead. Delicious cod and langoustine ravioli were had at the pleasantly informal restaurant/bar Vegamot. Our exploration of the legendary Reykjavik nightlife extended only as far as a few more drinks; going out clubbing seemed like an exhausting prospect!

Day 9: Reykjavik and Keflavik: Coffee and Puffins

Suitably caffeinated, we walked up to Hallgrímskirkja, the striking church visible from all of central Reykjavik. The architecture may not be to our taste, with imposing concrete columns mimicking the basalt structures that occur naturally around Iceland, but the view from the top of the tower was excellent. Reykjavik's brightly coloured rooftops make for a vibrant scene, with the bay and mountains beyond a stunning backdrop.

Iceland Road Trip - 9 Days Around Iceland

Since our previous puffin watching attempts hadn't worked out, our last opportunity was to take a boat trip to Lundey, a small island in the bay. Wise to the steady flow of tourists, the puffins at Lundey take flight as the boat approaches, or dive beneath the water and disappear, unlike quieter spots around Iceland. Close-up photos were definitely not possible, but it was impressive to see their sheer numbers nesting all over the low island.

Iceland Road Trip - 9 Days Around Iceland

Perhaps anticipating our return to the UK, we were tempted by posh Icelandic Fish & Chips. Oven roasted 'chips' and various savoury flavours of skyrr yogurt accompany your choice of fresh fish. The fish was superb, though the potatoes were nothing special, and the portion sizes rather mean compared to classic British fish and chips.

With thoughts of home, we picked up the car to complete our Icelandic Loop by returning to Keflavik. It was a sunny evening so we stopped en route to look around the Reykjavik Botanical Gardens, then joined road 41 to finish the journey.


By the time we dropped off the rental car at Keflavik airport, we had covered over 2400 km. Not bad considering Iceland is only ~300 km across. All-in-all, a great trip and highly recommended. We'll be back!

Iceland24, May 2015

Thứ Tư, 6 tháng 5, 2015

Travel Report - 12 days itinerary trip in Iceland from Sarah

We will start posting our readers trips on Iceland24. We think it is an important aid for all those who will come in the future to Iceland.

12 days trip around Iceland

Hi there,

We were a family of 4 - 2 adulsts and 2 kids (13 and 11) on our 12 day holiday to Iceland (from July 28th to August 9th).


I started planning the trip back in April / May.

- Flights: WOW airlines, no complaints, nice staff, on time, no comments on 2 checked in (under 20kgs) or 4 hand luggage (each under 10kgs). We had each one piece of hand luggage and the kids some handbags (although they did ask to see them when we checked in),

- Car: Rented with Reykjavík Cars (www.reykjavikcars.com), again no probs. Booked a estate car with a large boot for the luggage, originally a Suzuki Grand Vitara but got a Jeep Grand Cherokee 4x4. Around 4,000 km on the clock and we did another 4,000. Had our own insurance (we book one year insurance to cover all of our rentals for the year).

Good service, had to call the first day as there was a leak in the car, they arranged for us to visit a mechanic on the village we were in and fortunately it was nothing. When we returned the car, they inspected it thoroughly and everything was fine.... so very good experience!

- Accommodation: We booked through YHA and stayed in Youth Hostels except for 2 places where they were already sold out in May (Isafjordur and Akureyri). I booked in Gamla Guest House in Isafjourdur (very nice, with a superb breakfast) and Solgardar guesthouse in Akureyri which was also nice and clean (without breakfast). This was the cheapest option. We brought our own sheets (we slept in duvet covers) and towels.

- Clothing: Forget about summer clothes, it is cold and we were wearing a few layers of clothes every day (the adults were on their thermals pretty much the whole trip)

- Pre-booking trips: I prebooked a few trips but other than the ferry cross, I think that you can book everything on the spot allowing you to plan your day as you wish and deciding depending on the weather or your mood which is exactly what we did in the second part of our trip (the galcier walk, the ice lagoon, the visit to the cape) without having to do something because you have already paid for it.


The trip was as follows:

- July 28th: London Gatwick to Reykjavík, pick up the car and drive to Grundafjordur. Stayed at the YH (a small house that was fine) and had dinner at Kaffi 59. Dinner was so so, burguers (kitchen too busy for pizza) and I had some meat that was not that great

- July 29th: Breakfast at the bakery in Stykkisholmur (very nice) and took the Unique Adventure Tour which was very nice (prebooked directly with Icelandic Excursions). Quite amazing the part when they brought the scalops and sea urchins on board and we all ate them...


Then we travel around Snaefellsnels and did all the sights. Dritvik, Djupalon, tried to go up to Snjofell but decided not to as we were worried about the leak in the car (which was nothing), Breidavik, Budavik... had dinner in a N1 grill which ticked the box. Slept at Grundarfjörður. There is a huge lava cave outside Dritvik which we could not visit because we arrived late but looked like an interesting place to visit.


- July 30th: Ferry from Stykki to Brjanslaekur (prebooked with Seatours) and drove to Látrabjarg. While it was nice, please be warned that this is a long drive and we had the opportunity to see bird cliffs with puffins in other parts of Iceland. This ended up being a long day as we had to drive to Isafjordur where we were staying at Gamla Guesthouse. Had dinner in Isafjordur at the fish restaurant in the port.


Dinner was sublime, it is fixed menu with a very nice fish soup, "all you can eat" of freshly cooked fish and you have different types of fish to choose from and side dishes, a heavenly rubarb desert with cream, tea and coffee.... So nice and what a change from the grills!!!! Kids were free so only the adults had to pay 5000ISK (or £30) which was good value for money

- July 31st: We drove to our next destiatination in Broddanes stopping on the way to see the seals in Súðavík, had a swing in Reykjanes geothermal pool and visited the witchcraft museum in Holmavík (which is NOT worthy the visit). The YH at Broddanes is isolated, nice and modern but in the middle of no where. It was good that we had bought some food at Holmavík and cooked dinner.


- August 1st: We had to drive to Akureyri with 2 activities on the way that I had prebooked thought Saga Travel - seal watching at Hvammstangi and rafting in Skagafjordur. Unfortunately we missed the seal tour (long story but took the wrong turn when we left the YH so we were late for the boat trip) but managed to get it moved to the following day (you can book directly at www.sealwatching.is).

We drove to the rafting place enjoying the scenary and had a good laugh with Artic Rafting. While I booked this with Saga Travel you can book it directly with them. They are a good bunch of young lads that clearly enjoy what they do!!!! Continued our trip to Akureyri, checked in at the guesthouse Solgardar (very nice) and went for dinner to Greifinn. Good hearthy dinner with a 15% discount .....


- August 2nd: We had planned Lake Myvatn for the day but had to drive back to do the seal tour in the morning (the day was gorgeous and the boat trip very pleasant, the crew offered binoculars and hot chocolate with pastries and we even saw humpback whales in the distance) and in the afternoon we went to Goðafoss and Lake Mývatn and did the treks in the South and East of the Lake (including Dimmuborgir). Back to Ajureyri for dinner by the port. Long day!!!


- August 3rd: We had booked the whale watching trip in Husavik in the RIB boat again with Scandivian Travel but you can book directly with Visit Askja. It was by far the worst day of all of our holidays (cold, rainning, bumpy sea....) and although we were given the option for a refund, we decided to take a chance. We saw a few humpback whales and also puffins in one of the islands and despite one of us getting sea sick it was worth the trip.


Then we continue to Asbyrgi and then took 864 down to Lake Myvatn stopping at the various spots. Unfortunately it rained all day and we were wet from the boat trip so we did short stops to see the waterfalls and the canyon. It was gorgeous despite the weather and I cannot imagine how nice it would all had been if the weather had been nicer!!!! Back in Akureyri we had dinner at Bautinn, very nice, hearthy and yummy dinner (main courses are inclusive of unlimited soup, bread and salad !!!!)


- August 4th: Spent the day in Lake Myvatn on our way to Seydisfjorður. Enjoyed all the walks in the area and the kids really liked Hverir. We continued to Egilsstaðir, drove over Route 93, stop by the waterfall Litlanefoss (Hengifoos was too far away and it was far too windy to go all the way up) and continued to Seydisfjordur where we were staying at the YH. Big house, ample rooms (not sure why we got booked in double rooms when they had 4 bedrooms free). Had dinner at the Cultural Center, very nice home made meal and the kdis enjoyed the pizza


- August 5th: Drove towards Hvoll where we were staying. Long drive but beautiful scenery along the Eastfjords. Had breakfast at the bakery in Hofn and did the tour of Jokulsarlon (we booked the zodiac as it takes you well inside the lake towards the glacier and really worth the extra money compared to the amphibious alternative), stopped at the various places along the coast and Skaftafell (nice walk to Svatifoss). The hostel at Hvoll is isolated, in the middle of nowhere but nice!!!! We went for dinner to the closest place 25km away - Systrakaffy. It was ok but it was extremely busy and had to wait an hour for our food


- August 6th: We did a glacier walk in the morning that we booked directly in Skaftafell and then we went to Ingolsfshold. The visit to the cape was one of the highlights of the trip, A - M - A - Z - I- N - G, really enjoyed it, the puffins in the cliffs, the skuas (terrifying), the skeletons of whales beached on the beach.... really great. We drove to Skogar where we were staying at the YH (this one was borderline in terms of cleanliness) and had dinner at Edda hotel as it was the only option. Very nice buffet dinner


- August 7th: We visited Pakgil (very nice and worth the 14km gravel road), Vík, Reynisdragur, Skógafoss and then made our way to Laugarvatn stopping at Gulfoss and Geysir. We detour taking route 32 and 26 and felt it was a bit long although the views of the volcano and the landscape was nice. The YH was nice and we were put in a room with ensuite bathroom which was good.


Went for dinner to Lundin and felt that it was a joke of a place, best to be avoided. We ordered the cod and I doubt we got more than 100 grams of fish without any sides!!! and we tried what the pretentiously called "the world famous chocolate mousse" which was disappointing, at least for us, the mix of watermelon and chocolate mousse does not in our opinion marry well and not worth the £10. All in all scarce and expensive.

If I had known it, we would have gone to the Pizza Factory that looked much more fun and better value for money.....

- August 8th: The end of the trip approaching. Went to Pingvellir and explored the area albeit it was rainning and windy so not the best day for the visit. Made our way to Reykiavik stopping at various places including the crater in Kerid and the lava tube in Raufarholshellir.


We we were staying at the YH Reykjavik City. Huge place. We had booked a room with ensuite bathroom and ticked the box. Visited the city, cathedral, port, bought some souvenirs,.... and went for dinner to the fish restaurant accross the street from the YH - Lauga as. Superb!!!!

- August 9th: Last day, before we got to the Blue Lagoon, we drove past the Reykjanes peninsula - bridge between two continents (not that easy to find) - spent a couple of hours at the Blue Lagoon and made our way to the airport. I was dreading the return of the car based on all the stories I had heard but it all went very smoothly.


Checked in, filled in the paperwork to get the tax refund, bought some sweets for the office and spent the last ISK and back to London by 8PM

So that was our trip to Iceland.... now planning next year's trip.

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Thank you very much Sarah!
Peter, Iceland24
May 2015