On our 5th day in Iceland, we packed our bags and drove from Skaftafell and back to Reykjavik. We made sure to explore Skaftafell a bit before leaving early that day, admiring the nature and the enthralling glaciers – Svinafellsjökull and Skaftafellsjökull. On the way, we checked out Dverghamrar basalt rock columns, the black sand beaches of Reynisfjara with its sneaker waves, the elegant yet powerful Skogafoss (waterfall), and the Hellisheiði geothermal power plant, which reeked of sulfur.
Here’s our entire route in Iceland, c/o Google Maps:
It was mid-April. Although the roads we took were free from snow and ice, the weather was on-and-off, with alternating sun, clouds, fog, drizzle, and rain. The day started with a nice, cold, breezy atmosphere. We enjoyed our last breakfast in Skaftafell hotel, hoping we could stay there again someday and enjoy its romantic ambiance. We gave the hotel a 10, and left it with this review: “Perfect location (by the road, close to a gas station and mini-grocery store, and lovely hiking trails), spacious room, very good breakfast. The mountains served as a lovely backdrop.“
It was around 7am, but the place was dominated with high-pitched tweets of those little brown birds, perfectly camouflaged somewhere in the marshes. It seemed like they were warning everybody of our passing through. We also spotted some a pair of swans near the glaciers.
- Svinafellsjökull glacier & Skaftafellsjökull glacier
The glaciers were separated by a little mountain, and the Skaftafellsjökull’s tongue was wider than Svinefellsjökull’s. We checked out the nearest glacier, of course. At the foot of it was a deep green lake, and a cairn with a signpost for glacier monitoring. The tip of the glacier was mixed with lava sand, and the texture was rough and seemed unstable. Farther on, however, it was pure and bright white! One could actually see the high valley where the glacier poured out from.
Here’s a video of the place from my Instagram:
To get closer to Skaftafellsjökull (I imagine sjökull to be the Icelandic word for glacier? In Norwegian, it’s isbre), one has to go around the mountain separating the two. There was a narrow trail, but we’re not prepped for it. It is also highly advised that glacier explorations be done with cautious and with a local guide. So, we just admired the glaciers from a safe distance.
It was a very refreshing little hike. As you can see from the panoramic photos above, the clouds were a bit low. We went back to the hotel before it started raining. Can you spot the brown bird making all the noise in the first photo below?
The roadtrip back to Reykjavik continued. I tried to capture and enjoy the Icelandic textures from the passenger seat.
- Dverghamrar basalt columns
Our first stop was the Dverghamrar rock formations, aka the Dwarf cliffs. They’re perfectly formed hexagonal basalt columns created by hot lava rapidly cooling down. The narrow and high Foss á Síðu (waterfall) was visible from the Dverghamrar. We had a very quick stop, going around the hill. It was raining and the stone path was a bit slippery. But we managed to see the highlights, I guess. The question is, are there dwarfs in Dverghamrar?
More dramatic Icelandic impressions along the way:
- Reynisfjara black sand beach
On Day 3, we visited Vik and its black sand beach. This time, we checked out the other side of the Reynisfjara mountain. It’s very popular because, well, it’s filming location to Vikings and Game of Thrones, among others. Sadly, my husband had some business to deal with in the car, so I explored the area on my own. The place is not only popular for its astounding beauty and spooky appeal. It’s also deadly, with sneaker waves claiming lives from time to time!
DO NOT TURN YOUR BACK on the beach. On this blog, you can read about the accidents that happened in Reynisfjara over the years. Not a lot, but some could be very dramatic! Just June of last year, a couple was swept away by a wave. The woman was saved, but not her husband. The sea also claimed lives in 2021, 2017 and 2007.
There were tourists during my visit who braved crossing the tiny strip of sand to get photos from the other side. I couldn’t believe what they were doing, but I guess it’s their choice. Some people also climb the basal rocks, which I thought was a bit dangerous and could harm the pretty place. Anyway, these are just my opinion.
The cave was amazing, and the Reynisdrangar basalt sea stacks were visible, giving a very GoT vibe! The place is dubbed the North of the Wall in GoT.
Get a feel of the sneaker waves here:
On the other end of the beach is the Dyrhólaey peninsula, aka East-Watch-by-the-Sea in GoT. This beach is also where Floki landed in Vikings. Super amazing feels 🙂
The roadtrip continues:
- Skogafoss
We passed by Skogafoss on the way to Skaftafell on Day 3, but we didn’t stop. Now, we actually took some times to be amazed by this 60 meter in height and 25 meter in width waterfall! It’s one of the most beautiful waterfalls I’ve visited because it’s very accessible and it looks really grand!
My husband also agrees that Skogafoss was our favorite waterfall in Iceland. Well, because he chose to stop by it and not me during our spontaneous roadtrip. 🙂
This is how powerful Skogafoss is:
- Hellisheiði geothermal power plant
Our final stop was Hellisheiði geothermal power plant. I thought that I read on their website that visitors could join guided tours and see the turbine halls. But sadly, the receptionist said that they were not doing that in April. So, it was a very quick stop in the steamy, smelling a lot like sulfur place. It would have been cool to experience one of the biggest geothermal power plants in the world.
We also stopped by a fastfood restaurant for lunch (we were starving!), and to send some postcards. Wee!
For the next couple of nights, we stayed in Stay Apartments Bolholt, which was a good choice for an accommodation. We should probably consider staying more in apartments. They’re cheap and spacious. The apartment was located near restaurants and a grocery store. So, we shared a pizza for dinner.
So, this was Day 5 in Iceland. Up next, we explored the western coast. Excited to write about it. 🙂 For now, #spreadloveandpositivevibes. ALL PHOTOS AND VIDEOS ON THIS BLOG ENTRY ARE MINE. 🙂 Cheers!
PinayOdyssey 
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