Reykjavik

Fly with Iceland Air to the capital Reykjavik. Although you can get pretty anything in Iceland, I would suggest to bring your (dried) food and other outdoor necessities as much as possible. Most items will cost you more here. The only thing you need to buy at the local outdoor store is fuel for your stove.

Don't expect a lot of stores with large variety of food supplies along the way. You will be able to get the basic stuff, but be prepared and don't for the last moment to go shopping.

Most campgrounds are basic, but are clean and most have a covered area for cooking. Rain and strong winds are not uncommon as we experienced during our stay.

We have rented a very small Nissan Micra to make the tour. Rental cars are very expensive, but provides most flexibility.

However you should understand a small car limits your possibilities significantly. As long as you stay on the main road you're good, but forget about exploring the backcountry. For the rough terrain you will need a four wheel drive and good driving skills. Be careful crossing the (small) rivers.

Alternatively you can reach most attractions and hiking trails using local public transportation. You probably need to investigate schedules at home and plan some extra time to arrive at your destination. But a lot cheaper.

Most visitors will spend a night or so at the municipal campground in Reykjavik. The campground can be reached by bus and is well equipped with covered cooking options.

The town center of Reykjavik is worthwhile to visit. Grab a cup of coffee at the Cafe Paris. Walk the main shopping street and check-out the modern shops. You will also find the woolen jerseys with traditional designs. They are comfy warm and big.

Pingvellir

Pingvellir is the location of the founding of the Icelandic constitution and first parliament.

The people's council was held near the wall formed by shifting, dropping and rising ground. The Icelandic people chose Christianity as their religion.

Iceland is characterized by mountains covered with small ice fields and wrapped in low hanging clouds. Be prepared in case you decide to hike.

Without a good map and compass you could get lost easily as you might find yourself suddenly in these clouds. The paths are marked with stone piles, but they will be useless as we experienced hiking the hills of the Reykjanes peninsula.

Gullfoss

Iceland has numerous beautiful waterfalls. We liked the Gulfoss waterfall and the Skogafoss waterfall. You probably will pass the Godafoss waterfall too.

Skogafoss is very accessible from the road and a great place for eating lunch. The multiple day hike starting from Landmannalaugar ends at this location.

Myvatn

Near the north coast you will find an area of small lakes called Myvatn. Small domes of volcanoes can be found near the lakes.

At the end of the day before sunset you will be bothered by small flies. They didn't bite, but they were pretty annoying. Better postpone dinner a bit and wait for the bugs to dissapear

Krafla

Driving east from Myvatn you will reach the Krafla region. Here you will find a lot of volcanic activity and the remains of recent eruptions (1974-1984). Looking from the surrounding hills you can see the lava flows below.

All around you see steam coming from holes in the ground. The ground is warm and the air smells of sulphur.

Plants are already reappearing on the older lava fields. Green mosses and small plants with small colorful flowers cover the rocks.

Skagafjordur Folk Museum

Near Skagfirdinga you can visit the historic Glaumbaer farm.

The small buildings are made of wood and walls of slaps of turf. With good maintenance the walls will keep for 100 years or more. The use of wood is limited. Driftwood is collected on the beaches. Iceland has no forests and therefor no trees for lumber.

Skaftafell National Park

Follow the southern coastal road through lava fields with views of the snow covered mountains. You will reach the Skaftafell National Park. We stayed at the camping at the base of the icefields of Vatnajokull.

We hiked to the Svartifoss waterfall. The waterfall is nice and drops straight down from basalt blocks.


Nearby is the small heimat museum. The local guide takes time to explain everything in much detail. At times he left us behind and played an old organ. Singing Icelandic songs