Updated: 03/16/20 | 16 de marzo de 2020
Last month, I finally went to Iceland. It wasn’t the impossible budget destination people made it out to be.
The locals were warm and welcoming, took me around, and showed me their homes. They were extremely hospitable, and I made a lot of Icelandic friends on my trip.
And, while locals make any destination better, what blew my mind was the magnificence of the natural landscape. It’s bewitching. You find yourself in a spellbound daze as you relocation from place to place, your eyes overloaded by all you’re seeing.
“How could such a tiny place have such a diverse and beautiful landscape?” you think to yourself as your jaw hurts from being open too much.
Over the course of 11 days, I wanted to scream from delight all over I went. The land is desolate, sparsely populated, and silent. That was the one thing I discovered — just how silent Iceland is.
There are no distractions, and I think that helps you form a deep connection with nature. You begin to feel its rhythm.
Today, I want to share 30 pictures from my trip in hopes of inspiring you to visit this country. I’m not the world’s best photographer, but it’s hard to take a bad picture in Iceland.
Sulfur pools at Hverir near Lake Myvatn in the north of Iceland. very otherworldly. If you’re traveling around the main road (the ring Road) this is a must-see place in the north.
The northern lights lighting the sky up green. This is my favorite picture of them. You can typically seem them from September to March (as long as it’s not cloudy).
Runoff from the geothermal plant near Myvatn.
Somewhere along the ring road that circles the country.
Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland, and its colorful houses. It’s one of the most colorful cities in Europe.
It’s a fun city with a lively nightlife. Be sure to spend at least a couple of days here!
Jökulsárlón ice lagoon in the southeast of Iceland. This ice flow is only a couple of decades old and one of the most popular attractions in the area. I delighted in just sitting down and listening to the ice blocks crash into each other on their way out to sea.
Best of all, it’s totally free to visit and there is lots of parking too. Be sure to walk along the narrow river that leads to the ocean. You can see smaller glaciers wash out to sea or end up on the beach.
Fjords on the eastern seaboard that could rival Norway.
Selfoss. Foss implies waterfall in Icelandic, and you’ll find a lot of waterfalls throughout the country.
UFO cloud. La verdad está ahí fuera.
A enormous sulfur pool at Geysir. Geysir is a geyser that doesn’t erupt anymore. It was the first geyser known to Europeans and where the English word “geyser” originates from.
While Geysir is no longer active, the spot is still popular on the well-known golden Circle traveler trail outside Reykjavik thanks to another active geyser nearby called Strokkur.
Jökulsárlón ice lagoon in the southeast of Iceland. keep your eyes peeled for seals when you visit!
Mordor… I mean, some beautiful landscape on the way to Myvatn in the north.
The color contrast in this photo blows my mind.
Gulfoss! part of the golden Circle, this is one of the most significant waterfalls in Iceland. Its name implies “The golden Waterfall.” It was a really crappy day when I was there.
If you can, try to visit early before the crowds. lots of trip buses visit the golden Circle these days!
Looking onto the fjords.
Beautiful clouds above the severe sea on the eastern end of Iceland.
The road is long in Iceland but it always takes you where you want to go.
More northern lights. You can never get exhausted of these.
Dettifoss. This waterfall is located in the north near Selfoss and expected to be the most powerful waterfall in Europe. The road to get here is very bumpy so plan extra time and drive slow or you might get a flat tire.
Icelandic horses playing around. (Look at that long, flowing hair! I wish I had hair like that!)
On a rainy day driving through southern Iceland, we came across these enormous mountains covered in clouds. The photo doesn’t do the majesty justice but I still like it.
The backside of Seljalandsfoss. Out of all the pictures I took, this one is my favorite. I love the intermix of light, water, blue sky, and green here.
This is also one of the most popular waterfalls in the country. try to visit before 10am to beat the crowds!
A moss-covered lava field in southern Iceland.
Iceland is the land of rainbows, and I was lucky enough to find the end of one. (No pot of gold though. It should have been on the other end!)
Front side of Seljalandsfoss (rainbow included). You can actually walk behind the waterfall here, though you’ll likely get a little wet so make sure you have a raincoat.
Little pools and lava rocks near Settifoss.
If you’re a game of Thrones fan, you might recognize this cave as where Jon and Ygritte consummate their relationship. The water inLa cueva es lo suficientemente cálida como para nadar y solía ser una piscina pública.
Otra piscina de azufre es Hverir. Me gusta el contraste entre el agua azul y la tierra roja.
MyVatn Nature Baths. Más tranquilo y menos costoso que la conocida laguna azul en las afueras de Reykjavik. Me unía aquí solo durante más de una hora.
Auroras boreales. Esto fue desde temprano en la noche cuando recién comenzaban a salir. No menos hermoso.
***
Solo logré ver una fracción de Islandia durante mi viaje de 11 días, pero mi visita estuvo a la altura de mis altas expectativas.
Ninguna foto o película que vi le hizo justicia. Fue aún mejor en persona, y espero que estas fotos lo inspire a reubicar a Islandia en su lista de deseos.
¡Obtenga la extensa guía de presupuesto de Islandia!
¿Quieres planificar el viaje ideal a Islandia? ¡Vea mi extensa guía de Islandia escrita para viajeros de presupuesto como usted! Corta la pelusa que se encuentra en otras guías y obtiene directamente a la información útil que necesita. Encontrará itinerarios sugeridos, consejos, presupuestos, formas de ahorrar dinero, dentro y fuera del camino trillado para ver y hacer, y mis restaurantes, mercados, bares, consejos de transporte favoritos, y mucho más. Haga clic aquí para aprender mucho más y obtenga su copia hoy.
Reserve su viaje a Islandia: sugerencias y trucos logísticos
Reserve su vuelo
Use Skyscanner o Momondo para encontrar un vuelo barato. Son mis dos motores de búsqueda favoritos porque buscan sitios y aerolíneas en todo el mundo, por lo que siempre se sabe que no queda piedra sin mover. ¡Comience con Skyscanner primero porque tienen el alcance más significativo!
Reserve su alojamiento
Puede reservar su albergue con HostelWorld, ya que tienen el inventario y las mejores ofertas más importantes. Si desea quedarse en otro lugar que no sea un albergue, use Booking.com, ya que constantemente devuelven las tarifas más asequibles para casas de huéspedes y hoteles baratos. Mis lugares favoritos para alojarse son:
Hlemmur Square (Reykjavik)
KEX Hostel (Reykjavik)
Akureyri mochileros (Akureyri)
No olvides el seguro de viaje
El seguro de viaje lo salvaguardará contra enfermedades, lesiones, robo y cancelaciones. Es una amplia protección en caso de que algo salga mal. Nunca voy de viaje sin él, ya que he tenido que usarlo en numerosas ocasiones en el pasado. Mis compañías favoritas que ofrecen el mejor servicio y valor son:
Ala de seguridad (para todos los menores de 70 años)
Asegure mi viaje (para aquellos mayores de 70)
MedJet (para cobertura de repatriación adicional)
¿Buscas las mejores compañías para ahorrar dinero?
Consulte mi página de recursos para que las mejores compañías usen cuando viaja. Enumero todos los que uso para ahorrar dinero cuando estoy en el camino. Te ahorrarán dinero cuando viaje también.
¿Quieres mucha más información sobre Islandia?
¡Asegúrese de visitar nuestra sólida guía de destino para Islandia para obtener aún más consejos de planificación!