The Best Hiking in Iceland

This canyon is one of those places in Iceland that you don't find in any of the brochures, and don't see many photos of, but that's one of the reasons it's all that much more magical when you get there. There is a little grassy walking trail along the side of the canyon, with dramatic views to t...

This amazing waterfall empties into a giant, beautiful canyon and with such a short hike, the reward is well worth the time. There are several caves to walk through and smaller waterfalls along the hike, which are all equally awesome to shoot. This is a great spot to hit up on your drive around t...

You will reach the trailhead by turning off of the Ring Road 1 onto road 242. You will see signs marked for Seljavellir. You will drive straight on this unpaved road until you reach a parking lot for an abandoned pool (little shack in photo above). From here it is only a 15-20 min walk along t...

You can see Skogafoss from the highway. You will also immediately see the tourist buses and the throngs of people working hard to make the same photo. Yes the waterfall is truly amazing (put on your rain gear and get as close as possible to feel its power), but there is so much this river has to ...

At 20 meters tall, Svartifoss, also known as Black Falls, is one of the most popular waterfalls located in Iceland’s Skaftafell National Park. This waterfall’s claim to fame is definitely the beautiful hexagonal basalt columns that surround the falls making for an otherworldly oasis in the middle...

The trailhead to start your journey to the Reykjadalur hot river is located at the Hot River cafe near the town of Hveragerði. A large parking lot is available, and the option to grab a coffee or snack at the cafe before heading out. The trail is wide and very easy to follow with a steady incli...

From the visitor center there are several trails that lead into the countryside. Take the obvious trail down the ramp and into the gap where you can explore the beautiful terrain, waterfalls and historic sites. You could easily spend an entire day hiking around and having fun. Don’t forget to ext...

If you want to see Iceland's most incredible scenery, you have to rent a car and get a map. From Reykjavik, head south on Hwy 1. The waterfalls listed below are in the order as they appear in the photos above.Seljalandsfoss: Right off the 1 on the left hand side, just about 45 minutes out of Reyk...

Located just off the Ring Road, Seljalandsfoss is one of Iceland’s most famous waterfalls and it's easy to see why. Reaching nearly 60 meters, this waterfall’s claim to fame is that it can be viewed from nearly every angle. The well-developed loop trail allows you to go behind the falls for an ep...

Begin by driving to the Skogar Museum, just off the Ring Road (1). You will take the same turn to get here as you would to get to Skogafoss, so it makes sense to plan to see both at the same time. Just past the Skogar Museum on your left, you'll see a warehouse/hangar building with two large gara...

There are quite a few companies that offer guided tours of ice caves throughout the country, but Extreme Iceland has the most options, as well as very experienced guides. Every fall the guides scout out the best caves, and they change weekly due to weather conditions. Although I have seen people ...

Since WWII, four US planes have perished above Iceland's black sands. Here is one of them, sunken into the beach in the middle of nowhere since 1973. After running out of fuel above the town of Vik, the crew mis-executed an emergency landing and felt their wheels snap upon contact with the too-so...

The waterfall Háifoss is situated near the volcano Hekla in the south of Iceland. The river Fossá drops 122m making Háifoss the third highest waterfall on the island. To get to Háifoss waterfall from Reykjavik drive east on ring-road Highway 1, past the town of Selfoss. Take a left turn on road 3...

Viti is a large crater, located near lake Myvatn in Northern Iceland. It is filled with bright blue water that changes into a different shade of blue at every perspective. Viti is surrounded by lava fields and a very colorful geothermal area, reminding you how incredible Iceland's landscape is. I...

It is said that half of the population of Iceland believes in elves. If you spend time exploring the wilderness of Iceland, you'll begin to understand why. If elves do exist, this is where they would live.The Þórsmörk – Skógar hike, along the trail known as Fimmvörðuháls, cuts right through the k...

When I planned my road trip through Iceland, I found plenty of information and advice online for the southwestern part of the island, as well as up north in the area around Akureyri and Lake Myvatn, but there isn't a whole lot to be found about the northwestern region. Snæfellsjökull National Par...