Day 5: SELFOSS - SELDJALANFOSS - GLJÚFURÁRFOSS - EYJAFJALLAJÖKULL (volcano viewpoint) - SKOGAFOSS - DYRHÓLAEY - MYRDALSJOKULL - HOF
Today, and on the fifth day of our trip to Iceland for free, we have to get up a little early. We have a most complete day with many places to visit and we have to be in the Mýrdalsjökull area at 13.30 noon, which is the time we have stayed to start our Mýrdalsjökull glacier excursion.
At 6.30 in the morning we are already having breakfast at Julia's Guesthouse and at 7 we already have the rental car in Iceland loaded and the GPS of the mobile connected to the first stop of the day, the Seljalandfoss waterfall, located 50 kilometers from Selfoss in the direction of Vik.
Today it seems that having your fingers crossed has not done much effect. The day has dawned very gray and as we progress the rain begins to make a presence.
We hope it improves, even a little throughout the day and allows us to continue enjoying Iceland in good weather.
As we approach the the Seljalandfoss waterfall stop sparkling although the sky is still gray and shortly before 8 in the morning, we see it on the left hand side of the road. Amazing. A spectacle of nature.
We park right in front and as we get closer we realize that we are facing one of the most incredible places we have ever been.
Seljalandfoss waterfall
Undoubtedly, this photo we have seen hundreds of times in documentaries, which shows how you can get to the inside of the waterfall is real and now we can check it ourselves.
As we get closer, it seems more incredible and once you are bordering it on the inside it is even more impressive if possible.
Views from inside the Seljalandfoss waterfall
Without a doubt, walking on a slippery floor, behind the waterfall, is one of the most amazing experiences we have had on any of our trips.
Views from the path that borders the interior of Seljalandfoss
Awesome Seljalandfoss
We have a good time enjoying this incredible spectacle of nature and above all thinking that if the last day of the trip we had a few hours left, we would consider approaching from Reykjavik to enjoy it again.
From here we take the car and go by the Pórsmörk road to Gljúfurárfoss waterfall, which falls between a hidden canyon.
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We had read that Gljúfurárfoss was half an hour walk from Seljalandfoss and although our view and GPS told us it was much less, we took the car to make sure and once in the parking lot we confirmed that it is about 5 minutes walk from Seljalandfoss, So you can walk perfectly if you don't want to take the car.
Right in front of the falls there is a camping site that reminds us again what to do this Travel to Iceland by motorhome has to be spectacular.
Gljúfurárfoss waterfall
Iceland is undoubtedly a country in which pure landscapes take on a very special meaning.
Another of the things we had read is that to access the Gljúfurárfoss waterfall we had to get into a river through the canyon, so we took some towels to dry later.
Well, this has not been the case either, we access through a river but we can cross perfectly with the waterpoof boots without problems and in 1 minute we have it in front of us. Another of the most amazing nature shows we have ever seen.
Gljúfurárfoss waterfall
Here we have to say that we have read opinions for all tastes, from people who say they are not for as much, as people, like us, to those who have left them breathless.
Everything is a matter of taste, but without a doubt, do not forget to check it yourself and more when it is accessible (at least in the time in which we have been) and is so close to Seljalandfoss, a must stop at any Iceland route.
Leaving Gljúfurárfoss
After 9 in the morning we set our way to our next destination again with a gray sky but that seems to respect us without showing signs of rain.
We are on our way to him viewpoint of the Eyjafjallajökull volcano that is about 15 kilometers from the Gljúfurárfoss waterfallto have some perspectives of one of the best known and named places in the world when a few years ago he spit ashes that closed air traffic in much of the world.
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Before going to the viewpoint we find on the right hand the interpretation center that we do not enter, it costs 750 ISK per person and a few meters later a viewpoint in which we have views of the glacier and some photos that explain what happened.
Eyjafjallajökull volcano viewpoint
We continue 10 more minutes and make an inevitable stop on any trip to Iceland, Skogafoss, one of the best known waterfalls in Iceland and also one of the most beautiful.
Arriving at almost 10 in the morning we find a couple of tourist buses that make this enclave lose a bit of authenticity, although it does not stop being spectacular.
Skogafoss
Seeing that there are many people and the weather starts to be quite cold, we take the opportunity to have a couple of coffees in the visitor center for 760 ISK, of course self-service and that you can fill in as many times as you want and take the opportunity to warm up a little and call to the hotel where we will be staying today in Hofn, where the entrance is maximum at 6 in the afternoon and we plan to arrive a little later.
And who are we in Skogafoss? To our friends on Island Tour !!
It's a little after 11 in the morning when we make our way to the next point we have to visit today: Dyrhólaey cliff, a perfect place to spot puffins.
We pass through the area of Mýrdalsjökull glacier and we begin to see its incredible majesty seeing it from the distance where we have to be in a few hours, at 13.30, to make our particular Mýrdalsjökull glacier excursion in which we will place crampons for the first time.
But as we have time, we take the opportunity to advance today's planning by visiting the Dyrhólaey cliff even if we have to go back a little later.
We arrive at the Dyrhólaey cliff from Skogafoss at 11.30 in the morning after traveling the last sections to the parking lot by road 228.
The truth is that the distances in Iceland are very short and the routes become very enjoyable because of the landscapes that we are going through that as we have commented on countless occasions and as happened especially yesterday on the Landmannalaugar excursion, they are incredible and seem taken from a movie.
Road to Dyrhólaey Cliff
As soon as we arrive at the parking lot, a fine rain appears that reminds us that we always want what we don't have. When it was cloudy we wanted it to be sunny and now that it starts to rain we want it to be only cloudy.
Dyrhólaey Cliff
The Dyrhólaey Cliff It is one of the most characteristic natural formations of the southern coast of Iceland formed by a rocky plateau and a large stone arch, 10 kilometers west of Vík, which leaves the plain and enters the sea.
Views from the Cliff of Dyrhólaey
This cliff is a nature reserve where many birds live, including puffins that we could see the first day of our trip on the excursion we did from Reykjavik.
Puffins on the Cliff of Dyrhólaey
Touring the entire Dyrhólaey Cliff area takes about an hour and we have to say that it is an incredible visit even though we have not had an uncovered day and the views have not been as spectacular as we imagine they should be on a clear day.
Views of the arch from the Cliff of Dyrhólaey
This is another one of those places that you cannot miss, like all the other places we are getting to know in this incredible trip.
Of course, we only see a couple of puffins standing on a rock and many flying but none close enough to be satisfied, so we recommend that if you have interest, go to see them in Reykjavik to ensure that much.
It's 12.45 noon and it's time to retrace our steps to go to Mýrdalsjökull glacier parking, at the end of the unpaved road 221, where at 13.30 we have met the Arcanum company that will be the one with which we will make the excursion through the Mýrdalsjökull glacier.
Mýrdalsjökull glacier access road
In principle it was a 1-hour excursion, but due to movements in the glacier and for security they have changed the access road, so we will start an hour before and end an hour later, turning the excursion into a 3-hour Mýrdalsjökull glacier tour.
We arrived at the parking area and as we still have a few minutes to start the Mýrdalsjökull glacier excursion, we take the opportunity to take out one of the Bonus bags, make an impromptu picnic and thus charge energy for the excursion that we are about to start.
I am not going to tell you that I am very convinced of this and even now, I would almost prefer to stay in the car, but I have to "swallow my mieditis" and show that I can do it. Then I will tell you how everything has gone. Roger as expected is very calm and eager to do this excursion 😉
While we wait for the time to come, they have told us that it will be around 2 in the afternoon (they explain that in the email they say 13.30 to ensure that everyone is there) we tell you that Under the Mýrdalsjökull glacier is the Katla volcano, one of the most feared in Iceland.
Being under a glacier, the day it erupts it will melt the glacier causing floods, including Vik and Myrdal, which are the first large populations we find.
A few minutes after 2 pm we start with a class of crampons, ice axes, harness and above all the recommendations of how we have to walk on a glacier and how we have to act in case something falls out or we have a problem.
After this introduction, we start half an hour on the way until we reach the tongue of the Mýrdalsjökull glacier, which can be accessed after the movements.
Road to the tongue of the Mýrdalsjökull glacier
When we reach the area of Mýrdalsjökull glacier, we put on the crampons and start down a super slope until we reach the area where we already step on ice. This is when the good begins and the Mýrdalsjökull glacier excursion.
Arriving at the Mýrdalsjökull glacier
We start with the tour of the Mýrdalsjökull glacier
Walking with your legs open, the tips of your feet out, stepping flat to avoid falls ... these are the most basic recommendations for not sticking a good milk on the glacier and also not hurting yourself if you hook your pants with crampons and Of course, these are the things that we repeat internally in each step we take.
Mýrdalsjökull Glacier Tour
Crack in the Mýrdalsjökull glacier
We are on the ice for more than an hour and a half touring a part of the glacier and listening to all the explanations the guide gives us. Without a doubt this is an incredible experience and that despite my initial "fears" I have to recommend 100% and that I intuit, on a clear and sunny day, you can show us stunning landscapes.
At 5 in the afternoon we start the way back, crossing another part of the Mýrdalsjökull glacier and returning to the area of the climb that we used to do in reverse, to return to the parking lot where we arrived after 5:30 in the afternoon.
Road back to the parking lot of the Mýrdalsjökull glacier
It has been 3 hours of Mýrdalsjökull glacier excursion It is totally worth it not only for the experience of walking on a glacier but for the landscapes we see and that it rains at various times and we have not fully enjoyed it.
It's almost 6 in the afternoon and we still have several things to do in the area, but as soon as we get out on the paved road, the weather worsens by raining heavily and getting foggy, so we decided to skip the stop we had what to do about Vik i Myrdal, Fjaðrárgljúfur, Kirkjubæjarklaustur, Nupsstaour and Skaftafell and tomorrow go back about 100 kilometers hoping to find better time.
We pass in front of the cliffs of Dyrhólaey Cliff where we were only a few hours ago and at this time they do not even see the fog. It is impressive how time has changed.
Rain road of Vík
The meeting with this time makes us remember and above all assess the need to book the rental car in Iceland with a good company that assures us the assistance if we have any unforeseen events like we did a month ago on the trip to Switzerland where we had a mishap with the car and they solved it to us at the moment.
This is also essential with our car, with which we will surely make more kilometers a year and to which we often do not pay as much attention as we should and that this type of situation shows us how important it is to keep the reviews on the car up to date.
We arrived in Vik between rain and wind, taking advantage to stop at the gas station, have a coffee and see a souvenir shop that is just behind, which we have read that is very good: Vik Whole
We run running away from the rain and the truth is that we did not find too much and the prices are very similar to those we saw in Reykjavik, so we recommend that you buy them in the capital, which is undoubtedly the place where you will find more things and with a very balanced price.
After this short break, we return to the car and set off for Hotel 1, which is about 30 kilometers from the Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon and 110 from Vík.
If we had known that the weather would be like that, we would logically have slept in the Vík area and would have avoided doing extra kilometers, but finding this area almost without free rooms we did not want to risk and reserve to make sure we are close to Jökulsárlón.
This is what travel has 😉 and plan more things with time.
What we hope is that tomorrow the weather has improved and we can enjoy everything we have left behind today.
Of course, we can not complain about everything we have seen so far in good weather, something uncommon in Iceland and we have read is unusual even in the month of August.
We passed through the lava and moss area of Laki and between the rain and the fog we were totally impressed. We are already looking forward to tomorrow to return and enjoy these incredible landscapes.
We also pass through Vatnajökull, the largest glacier in Iceland and the second largest in Europe against which we feel really small.
An impressive way to get to know this glacier is by booking this trek through the Vatnajökull glacier that includes the blue ice cave, one of Iceland's wonders.
In front of the Vatnajökull glacier
We continue a few more kilometers and arrive at our hotel, the Hof 1 Hotel that is in a wonderful environment.
We make an impromptu dinner in the room and fall like children in bed. Tomorrow awaits us, again, one of the most complete day in Iceland.
Seljalandfoss
Skogafoss, one of the most spectacular waterfalls in Iceland
Mýrdalsjökull Glacier Tour
Day 6: HOF - LAGUNA GLACIAR JÖKULSÁRLÓN - LAGUNA GLACIAR FJALLSÁRLÓN - SKAFTAFELL NATIONAL PARK: Svartifoss (Black Waterfall) - NÚPSSTAÐUR - MÝRDALSSANDUR - KIRKUBÆJARKLAUSTUR: Kirkjugólf - VIkjugólf - VI
